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Your daily horoscope: May 9, 2025

  IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY A change of direction is a must this year as you have reached the end of your current journey and need a new challenge. Make a break with the past and make it one that cannot be reversed. Move forward fast and don’t look back. ARIES (March 21 - April 20): Someone you meet on your travels will catch your eye and maybe your heart as well. If it’s true that opposites attract you could find yourself getting close to someone whose charms are very different to your own – and remarkably the relationship will work. TAURUS (April 21 - May 21): Someone you think of as a friend will say something today that annoys you intensely. It may be the case though that they can see things that you cannot, so be open to what they tell you. They could be doing you a very big favor. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21): If you listen too much to other people’s advice today you could end up facing in several directions at once and ultimately getting nowhere. Pay attention to what friends a...

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USAID Headquarters Seized: Staff Barred as Lease Is Transferred to GSA

In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, scores of USAID staffers were turned away from their decades-old Washington, D.C. headquarters after officials confirmed that the Trump administration had stripped the agency of its lease. When employees arrived to retrieve personal belongings and report for duty, they encountered tightly controlled entry measures—a front desk officer admitted only a pre-approved list of fewer than 10 names was permitted inside, while tarps obscured the agency’s interior signage.

According to multiple reports, the building’s lease has now been handed over to the General Services Administration (GSA), which plans to repurpose the space for other federal uses. This abrupt move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration, with backing from billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, to dramatically downsize USAID. Critics argue that such measures are not only intended to cut what the administration deems “wasteful” spending, but also to realign U.S. foreign aid policies with an “America First” agenda.

The chaos unfolding at USAID headquarters comes amid a series of legal and administrative challenges. While a federal judge temporarily blocked an order that would have placed thousands of USAID staffers on administrative leave and imposed a 30-day deadline for overseas workers to return to the United States, the blockage did not extend to the headquarters lockout. Consequently, many employees reported confusion over conflicting emails and notices issued over the past weekend regarding access to the office, with some staffers stating they were simply told to “go” without further explanation.

As the situation continues to evolve, aid organizations and USAID officials warn that the disruption could jeopardize critical life-saving programs abroad—from emergency food and water assistance to health initiatives in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.


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