BREAKING: Democrats to vote to reopen US government

US Democrats agreed Monday to support a temporary funding bill to end a partial shutdown of the federal government, now in its third day, as a key vote began in the Senate.

The Senate’s top Democrat Chuck Schumer told the chamber he had reached a deal with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — in exchange for a pledge to address Democrat concerns over hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the country as children.

Democrats had refused to vote for the temporary budget extension unless they secured guarantees on the future of the so-called “Dreamers,” who will be vulnerable to deportation when the DACA program protecting them expires in March.

“After several discussions, offers, counteroffers, the Republican leader and I have come to an arrangement,” Schumer said, moments before the key vote got underway.

“We will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating a global agreement with the commitment that if an agreement isn’t reached by February the 8th, the Senate will immediately proceed to consideration of legislation dealing with DACA,” he said.

The bill to keep government funded through February 8 requires 60 votes to advance in the 100-member Senate, meaning Republicans — who have a one-seat majority — need to lure several Democrats to their side.

If the bill clears the Senate, it will still have to go back to the House of Representatives, since the text has been modified since the lower chamber adopted it last Friday.

Hundreds of thousands of US federal employees were forced to stay home without pay Monday after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on ending a government shutdown before the start of the work week.

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China positive about US negotiation remark on North Korea

China said on Thursday it was positive that the United States is open to resolving tensions over North Korea through talks. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comment at a regular news briefing in Beijing. The Trump administration said on Wednesday it aimed to push North Korea into dismantling its nuclear and missile programs through tougher international sanctions and diplomatic pressure, and remained open to negotiations to bring that about. NAN reports that the U.S. stance, which appeared to signal a willingness to exhaust non-military avenues inspite of repeated warnings that “all options are on the table,” came in a statement following an unusual White House-hosted briefing for the entire U.S. Senate followed by a briefing to the House of Representatives. The statement from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats described North Korea as “an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy

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I’m different from young artistes – Majek Fashek

Since his return to the Nigerian music scene, veteran reggae maestro, Majek Fashek, has been on a conscious mission to once again stamp his feet on the music space, reclaiming his throne as the only musician in the world who can draw rain with his music fic. In a recent interview with HIPTV, the rain maker, as he is fondly called, claimed there is a cut clear difference between the quality of sound and music he makes and that of young artistes. According to Majek, “I make sound while all these young musicians make jam, I make good sound but they are always jamming, they don’t make good sound, they just jam. My song ‘Send down the rain’ was made over thirty years ago, but if you listen to it today, you will realize that the sound will appeal to both the old and equally the young ones because the sound is good and still relevant today, that is something the young musicians don’t have.” In a one-on-one chat with E-Daily , Majek explained that his statement in the inter

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North Korea accuses CIA of plot to assassinate Kim Jong-Un

North Korea on Friday accused the CIA of plotting with South Korea to assassinate leader Kim Jong-Un, amid soaring tensions in the flashpoint region. The CIA and Seoul’s Intelligence Services have “hatched a vicious plot” involving unspecified “biochemical substances” to kill the hermit state’s young leader during public ceremonial events in Pyongyang, the Ministry of State Security said. For the CIA “assassination by use of biochemical substances including radioactive substance and nano poisonous substance is the best method that does not require access to the target, their lethal results will appear after six or twelve months,” the Ministry said in a statement carried by state media. The accusation comes as Pyongyang issues increasingly belligerent rhetoric in a tense stand off with the administration of US President Donald Trump over its rogue weapons programme The war of words between the West and the reclusive regime has spiked in recent weeks, and Pyongyang has threatened to ca

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