President Donald Trump has signed a bill reopening the U.S. government, officially ending the longest federal shutdown in the nation’s history.

The signing came late Wednesday, just hours after the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan funding deal by 222 votes to 209.

The agreement, reached between Republicans and centrist Senate Democrats, restores operations and funding for key agencies through January 2026.

The bill reverses widespread layoffs and restarts salaries for thousands of federal employees. It also resumes essential public services, including food and nutrition programs that millions of Americans depend on.

Trump hailed the move as a political win, calling the 43-day standoff “a victory against extortion.”

Speaking from the Oval Office, he said Democrats “tried to extort” his administration.

“They didn’t want to do it the easy way. They had to do it the hard way, and they look very bad,” he added.

The Oval Office signing capped a tense four-day rush to pass the measure. Eight Senate Democrats broke ranks to side with Republicans amid fears that the prolonged shutdown could cripple the U.S. economy.

The deal includes a promise for a Senate vote in December on expiring Obamacare subsidies, a key Democratic demand during negotiations.

However, analysts warn that the vote may fail, potentially driving up health care premiums and fueling new political fights.

Democratic leaders criticized the compromise. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “This fight is not over. Tens of millions of Americans could lose access to affordable healthcare.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson managed to unite most Republicans behind the bill, though controversy erupted over a Senate amendment allowing lawmakers to sue the Justice Department for past investigations.

Some Republicans, including Rep. Chip Roy, called it “self-dealing” since successful lawsuits could pay senators up to $500,000 each.

Johnson later admitted he was unaware of the amendment until after the Senate vote, calling it “a bad look” but promising to fix it later.

The end of the shutdown gives Congress just four weeks to address pending issues before the year’s end, including the farm bill, energy tax credits, and the future of Obamacare subsidies.

Trump hinted at more battles ahead, promising to “revamp” the healthcare system instead of extending current subsidies.

“Obamacare was a disaster,” he said. “We’ll work on something better.”

Meanwhile, a new controversy is brewing in Washington over the Jeffrey Epstein case files.

The House is preparing to vote next week on a bill compelling the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related documents, following pressure from both parties.

The reopened government marks a temporary political truce but sets the stage for another showdown over spending and healthcare in the coming months.

At least three people have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the southern coast of Crete, Greece’s public broadcaster ERT reported on Tuesday, citing the coastguard.

According to ERT, a total of 56 people have been rescued so far, while the search for other possible passengers continues in the rough seas.

The Greek coastguard confirmed that rescue efforts were ongoing late Tuesday evening.

A chilling video published by ERT showed the overloaded vessel moments before it overturned.

The clip, recorded by rescuers, captured the cries for help from migrants packed onto the small boat. Seconds later, the video abruptly stopped as the vessel capsized for reasons that remain unclear.

Several coastguard ships, an air force helicopter, and a rescue boat from the EU border protection agency, Frontex, were deployed to the area as part of the emergency response.

Survivors were transported to Crete, where they received immediate medical attention.

Authorities said the rescued migrants told investigators they had departed from the Libyan port city of Tobruk, a key departure point for smugglers attempting to reach Europe through the Mediterranean.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) revealed that nearly 16,000 migrants have arrived on Crete since the beginning of 2025 a staggering 300 percent increase compared to last year.

Greek officials have attributed the rise to worsening conditions in North Africa and renewed instability in Libya.

The Greek government has since renewed calls for a fairer distribution of asylum seekers across European Union member states.

Athens argues that front-line nations such as Greece, Italy, and Malta continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of the migration burden.

The tragic incident off Crete highlights the deadly risks migrants face as they attempt to cross the Mediterranean  one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes.

A Turkish C‑130 military cargo plane crashed in Georgia’s Sighnaghi district, just 5 km from the Azerbaijan border, on Tuesday.

The aircraft had taken off from Ganja, Azerbaijan, carrying at least 20 Turkish personnel—including the flight crew—according to Türkiye’s Defence Ministry.

Local media reported that Azerbaijani service members were also on board the U.S.-made aircraft, which was heading back to Turkey when it went down.

The crash generated a huge black‑smoke plume, captured in dramatic footage aired by Azerbaijani outlets.

Georgian air‑traffic control said the plane vanished from radar shortly after entering Georgian airspace without sending a distress signal.

Search‑and‑rescue teams, including Georgian officials and Turkish personnel, were on the scene; Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya noted that his Georgian counterpart, Gela Geladze, arrived around 5 p.m. local time.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed his deep sorrow, calling the victims “martyrs.” Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev conveyed his shock and condolences, while U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack affirmed Washington’s solidarity with the Turkish allies.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.