Washington — Funding for many federal agencies expired at 12 a.m. on Saturday after Congress failed to pass half a dozen spending bills before the deadline, prompting a partial government shutdown.

The funding lapse comes despite the Senate voting late Friday to approve a five-bill package and extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks, which had been the sticking point in the upper chamber. The deal struck between Senate Democrats and the White House still needs to be approved by the House, which is set to return to Washington on Monday.

Here’s what to know about the funding lapse:

What’s behind the partial government shutdown?

The Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement has been the focus of this funding fight. 

Since the longest shutdown in U.S. history last fall, lawmakers have been working to pass individual spending bills to fund federal agencies through September 2026. Congress has passed, and the president has signed, six of those bills already. The other six are the focus of the current funding fight.

Bipartisan talks appeared to have yielded a deal in recent weeks. Appropriators released the text of the funding measures on Jan. 20. Five of the bills were grouped together into one package, while the bill funding DHS was separated. House Democrats had threatened to withhold their support for the overall funding if the DHS bill was included, arguing it did not go far enough to rein in ICE after the deadly shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. 

The DHS portion passed with support from just seven Democrats when the House voted last week, while the larger funding package passed with wide bipartisan support. The House then grouped the bills together to send them to the Senate, a move that was meant to clear the way for swift passage.

But the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis last weekend changed the calculus for Senate Democrats. They came out fiercely against funding for DHS without further reforms, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the caucus would not provide the votes to move forward on the funding package unless the DHS money was stripped out.

Senators returned to Washington this week without a clear path forward. Schumer outlined Democrats’ demands on Wednesday, including the end of roving patrols by immigration agents, banning the use of masks and tightening warrant requirements. Republicans — some of whom spoke out against the events in Minneapolis — encouraged Democrats to take their requests for reforms to the Trump administration. 

GOP leaders opted to hold an initial vote on the entire funding package as planned, which failed on Thursday. But hours later, Senate Democrats struck a deal with the White House. Under the terms, Democrats would support the five non-DHS funding bills, while extending funding for DHS at current levels for two weeks while talks over broader reforms continue. 

The Senate voted 71 to 29 on Friday to approve the five-bill package, and cleared a continuing resolution to keep DHS funded by voice vote. But the changes mean the House will need to sign off, and the lower chamber isn’t set to return to Washington until Monday. 

Which agencies are not funded? 

In addition to DHS, funding for other major departments and their subagencies has lapsed. They include:

• Defense Department
• State Department
• Department of Labor
• Department of Health and Human Services
• Department of Education
• Department of Transportation
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service. 

The shutdown is not expected to affect the Trump administration’s controversial immigration enforcement campaign. DHS received an infusion of roughly $165 billion in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $65 billion for Customs and Border Protection. The funding goes well beyond the annual allotments that the agencies typically receive and means they can continue operations without new money. 

Which agencies are funded?

The six appropriations bills that have already been approved by both chambers fund the following agencies through September, meaning they are not affected by a shutdown:

• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Department of Agriculture
• Food and Drug Administration
• Operations for the legislative branch
• Department of Commerce 
• Justice Department
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• National Science Foundation
• Department of Energy
• Department of the Interior
• Environmental Protection Agency

Why does the government shut down? 

A law known as the Antideficiency Act prohibits federal agencies from spending funds that have not been authorized by Congress. A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass funding for some or all agencies, which are funded annually by a dozen appropriations bills. 

The 12 bills need to be passed by Congress before the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, though lawmakers often wait until the last minute and group them together into larger packages to speed up the process. Temporarily extending funding at current levels has also become commonplace to buy more time as negotiations for full-year measures continue.

Last year, the deadline passed without any of the bills enacted and without an agreement on a short-term extension. The ensuing shutdown lasted for 43 days.

What happens during a shutdown? 

During a shutdown, the departments and agencies that don’t have new or temporary funding must stop all nonessential functions until additional appropriations are enacted. 

Each agency determines what work is essential or not. Employees who perform essential duties work without pay for the duration of the shutdown, but will receive backpay once the government reopens. Employees in nonessential positions are typically furloughed, but are also expected to receive backpay when funding for their agencies is restored.

The process for implementing a shutdown typically begins at the beginning of the next workweek if the funding lapse begins over the weekend. The current funding lapse is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the affected agencies’ operations, since the House is expected to approve the revised funding bills soon. 

The major pain points in any shutdown emerge when essential workers must continue to work without getting paid. During the shutdown last year, the administration used other funds to pay members of the military to ease their financial hardship. Air traffic controllers and airport security are essential employees, and staffing issues began to have a severe impact on travel. There were cancellations and delays, with the Department of Transportation cutting flights due to safety concerns. Some air traffic employees said they had to take on other jobs to make ends meet.

How long will the shutdown last?

It has the potential to be over relatively quickly, depending on what happens in the House. 

Some conservatives have said they want changes to the DHS bill or amendments to the broader package, but could back down if the president increases pressure on any holdouts to support the funding measure. 

Republicans are dealing with a razor-thin majority in the House, and Democrats could decide to step in to help propel it to final passage if hardliners dig in on their demands. 

What happens next?

The House Rules Committee will convene Monday at 4 p.m. Eastern Time to consider the funding package. The committee is often the last stop for legislation before it hits the House floor. If the package survives the Rules Committee, one of the next steps is a procedural vote on the rule, which is typically approved by the majority in a party-line vote. But several conservatives have already warned that they could withhold their votes if their demands aren’t met. 

The Rules Committee route allows legislation to pass by a simple majority on the floor. If the funding gets stuck in the committee or is unable to clear the procedural vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson could bring it up under suspension of the rules, which would require a two-thirds majority vote for passage. 

After passage in the House, the president would be expected to quickly sign the funding measures into law, bringing the funding lapse to an end. 

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of 70’s TV star Demond Wilson.

Wilson was most known for his role as Lamont Sanford opposite Redd Foxx in the hit series, “Sanford and Son.”

His publicist confirmed his passing on Saturday.

His son reportedly told TMZ that his father died on Friday in Palm Springs after a battle with cancer.

Wilson later starred in a re-imagined version of the “Odd Couple” and appeared in a handful of movies, including “The Organization” in 1971 with Sidney Poitier.

He was 79 years old.

His publicist sent ABC News the following statement:

“The family of Demond Wilson is deeply saddened by his passing. At this time, they ask for privacy as they grieve. No further details are available, and the family has no additional information to share. Personally, I had the privilege of working with Demond for 15 years, and his loss is profoundly felt. He was an unbelievable man, and his impact will never be forgotten. The family appreciates the support and understanding of the community during this difficult time.”

An extreme, all-or-nothing fitness regimen is going viral again as millions seek rapid weight loss and mental toughness through its relentless daily rules. But as health experts warn the intensity may be unrealistic for many people, lighter versions of the challenge are also picking up steam.

Fueled by social media buzz and dramatic celebrity transformations, the viral 75 Hard challenge, created in 2019 by entrepreneur and podcaster Andy Frisella, requires participants to follow a rigid lifestyle regimen “without compromise.”

The rules include two 45-minute workouts each day — one outdoors — a strict diet with no cheat meals or alcohol, a gallon of water daily, 10 pages of nonfiction reading and a daily progress photo. Miss a single task in the 75 days, and the challenge resets to day one.

SIMPLE WEIGHT-LOSS QUIZ MAY PINPOINT WHY SOME DIETS FAIL — AND HOW TO BOOST SUCCESS

“The mental changes are 100x greater than the physical changes,” Frisella says on the challenge’s website. “This isn’t another temporary Band-Aid program,” he promises.

Supporters say the program builds discipline and accountability and has given many participants a clean slate at the start of the new year.

Experts, however, warn that extreme doesn’t always mean effective, especially for long-term weight loss and health.

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“Any program that promises weight loss needs to take you into a calorie deficit,” said Dr. Milica McDowell, a Montana-based exercise physiologist and doctor of physical therapy. “If you are burning more calories than you are consuming, yes, you will lose weight.”

But she cautioned that the results often don’t last.

“The challenge with the 75 Hard workout is that when you stop doing it — which would mean burning fewer calories — and you do not change your eating and drinking behaviors, it is likely that whatever weight you lost during the challenge will come right back,” McDowell told Fox News Digital. 

1 IN 5 AMERICANS GET NO EXERCISE OUTSIDE OF WORK; WHERE DOES YOUR STATE RANK?

“I do not consider this to be a sustainable way to lose weight,” she said.

The Cleveland Clinic also says the program’s rigid, two-a-day structure may do more harm than good for people without a strong fitness base, particularly those with chronic medical conditions. Even drinking a gallon of water a day may be excessive for some people, depending on body size and health needs, it notes.

Medical professionals also urge caution for people with joint or heart problems, no exercise background, a history of eating disorders, or already demanding schedules.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

For those drawn to 75 Hard’s structure, experts suggest modifying the program to suit individual needs.

Variations like “75 Medium” and “75 Soft” have emerged that dial down the intensity with fewer workouts, more relaxed diets and simpler habit targets designed to be more sustainable.

“A softer start lowers the activation energy for behavior change [and] reduces all‑or‑nothing thinking,” Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, told USA Today.

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The approach can reduce the risk of injury, exhaustion and people quitting altogether, Stanford said.

“I think people are realizing it’s OK to be gentle with yourself,” Morgan Manning, a 26-year-old media and marketing professional from New York City, told USA Today. 

Her TikTok video announcing she was trying the “soft” version received over 60,000 views.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

“These versions feel more human,” said Jesse Ramos Jr., a certified personal trainer and owner of BBT Fitness NYC. “They allow people to build discipline without burning out, getting injured or hating the process,” Ramos told Fox News Digital.

“Fitness shouldn’t feel like punishment,” he added.

Experts agree that consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to long-term weight loss and health.

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Robin DeCicco, a certified holistic nutritionist from New York City, previously told Fox News Digital that she encourages clients to focus on sustainable habits like simply moving more, eating more whole foods and drinking more water than they were before, rather than following rigid rules.

“Healthy habits that change into long-term behaviors are what make people healthier into the future,” DeCicco said.

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Your listening room’s layout has a huge impact on your soundbar’s Dolby Atmos performance.
• There are several audio features that can help improve dialogue clarity.
• Building out your Sonos home theater can help with audio clarity and robustness.

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Sonos’ webpages and popular reviews are full of specs, but several real-life factors affect your soundbar’s performance more than you’d think. Factors such as placement, your content’s audio format, and your room’s size and furniture all affect your soundbar’s output. 

I use my Sonos Arc and Arc Ultra soundbars, Era 300 speakers, Sub 4 subwoofer, and Ace headphones daily, but achieving complete satisfaction required some adjustments. I’m finally ready to share the secrets.

Also: Your TV’s USB port has hidden superpowers: 4 benefits you’re not taking advantage of

Start with your soundbar’s placement. Regardless of whether you have a flagship Arc or Arc Ultra, or a smaller Beam or Ray, location matters. Ensure your soundbar is as close to eye level as possible and centered on your TV. If you can help it, keep your soundbar out of a cabinet; you want sound to disperse throughout the room rather than be confined within a space.

1. Problem: Dolby Atmos doesn’t sound immersive

The reason: A lack of height

Dolby Atmos is an object-based spatial audio format. However, movie theaters get it right because they have speakers embedded in the ceiling, adding height and achieving an immersive experience that mimics sounds coming from above you. You don’t have ceiling speakers, but your Arc or Arc Ultra has upfiring speakers to create this illusion at home.

The fix: Increase the height channel volume

This one is the most difficult. If you have vaulted ceilings or your soundbar setup doesn’t allow for much space between the soundbar and your TV, your upfiring speakers will struggle. However, you can increase the volume of your Arc or Arc Ultra’s height channels to try to make them louder and more noticeable. 

A set of rear speakers can help significantly expand the horizontal plane of your Dolby Atmos experience, and the Era 300 has an upfiring tweeter for added height effect, if your space can accommodate it. 

Also: 5 ways to use your Chromecast TV beyond streaming shows (including a smart home hack)

Neither the Sonos Ray nor Beam (Gen 2) has dedicated upfiring speakers, but their forward and side-facing channels help with expanding your content’s soundstage. Either compact soundbar is an upgrade from your TV’s thin speakers, but the Beam (Gen 2) is the best compact option from Sonos (when it’s on sale).

2. Problem: Dialogue isn’t clear

The reason: Toggle Speech Enhancement, Night Mode, or Loudness

There are several ways to address this problem by playing with a few audio features. Starting small, you can turn on Speech Enhancement, which decreases bass and increases mids, which is typically where dialogue resides. You can also turn on Night Sound alongside Speech Enhancement to further reduce bass. 

Ensure your soundbar’s Loudness feature is off, as it can also amplify non-dialogue sounds. If you’re still not hearing as clearly as you’d like, you can reduce the soundbar’s bass response in its EQ settings. You can find all these features in the Sonos app.

From my experience, rear speakers and a sub, especially a subwoofer, mitigate this problem entirely, since the additional audio channels allow the soundbar to focus on mids and the sub to handle bass. 

Also: 5 easy ways to make your soundbar sound dramatically better (and they cost nothing)

If you’re this deep into the Sonos ecosystem and want to watch TV without bothering your housemates or neighbors, consider buying the Sonos Ace headphones. They are compatible with the Sonos Arc, Arc Ultra, Beam, and Ray, and play the same audio format as the soundbar’s output. 

3. Problem: Something just sounds ‘off’

The fix: Re-calibrate TruePlay

TruePlay is Sonos’ acoustic tuning feature that helps your speakers perform to their best by accounting for your room’s size, furniture, and layout. If you’re like me, your rooms aren’t the perfect square with minimal furniture like the model rooms on the Sonos website. 

You’ll want to tune your speaker with TruePlay to account for the walls near your soundbar and the sectional-sized barrier in your listening area. If you ever rearrange your listening area, whether that be the speakers or the furniture, run a new TruePlay calibration.

Exactly a year ago, the Lakers were in the same spot they will be Sunday, when the Knicks host them again at Madison Square Garden. 

They beat the Knicks 128-112 on Feb. 1 last year, a normal regular-season game.

But then a few hours after that game, the Lakers made one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, acquiring Luka Doncic from the Mavericks as part of a three-team deal. 

The Mavericks, though they landed Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the draft, have spiralled since giving up their franchise superstar — Anthony Davis, their primary return in the trade, is injured and Nico Harrison, the architect of that deal as general manager, has been fired.

The Lakers, on the other hand, return to MSG a year later with Doncic playing some of the best basketball of his career. 

He is averaging a league-high 33.7 points per game along with 8.8 assists and 7.8 rebounds.

He is one of the favorites for MVP, though probably behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

He just recorded a triple-double before halftime during the Lakers rout of the Wizards on Friday. 

“It’s hard to describe, because most of us can’t fathom being that good,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “It’s destructive to the other team when you’re basically coming across halfcourt and having to send a second defender, and we’re playing 4-on-3.”

Doncic will provide by far the toughest test yet to the Knicks defensive resurgence. 

During their current five-game winning streak, the Knicks recorded a 92.8 defensive rating — best in the NBA during that stretch.

During the 11 games before that, of which the Knicks lost nine as their season threatened to get away from them, they had a 119.9 defensive rating — third-worst in the league. 

The Knicks will likely have Mikal Bridges match up with Doncic, though OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet could get turns on him as well. 

“It’s not one guy that’s responsible for stopping another guy,” coach Mike Brown said. “That doesn’t happen in the NBA. You gotta be connected, defensively. It’s basically five guys have to be on a string. When that ball moves, everybody should move. If five guys are guarding the basketball like a string, you’ll usually get pretty good results.” 

The Knicks held Portland’s Deni Avdija, who averages 25.5 points per game this year, to just 11 points in their win over the Trail Blazers on Friday.

But Doncic is a completely different level of star.

Fans are paying exorbitant prices for tickets, given it might be LeBron James’ last game at MSG.

Doncic has taken over at the face of the Lakers though. 

He, not James or Jalen Brunson, will be the best talent on the court.

A fight onboard a CTA bus ended with gunfire striking two teens Saturday afternoon, Chicago police said.

According to authorities, the bus was traveling in the 4000 block of West Chicago Avenue at approximately 3:19 p.m. when a group of individuals became involved in a fight, police said.

During the altercation, a gun went off, striking a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old.

The younger teen was struck in the groin and buttocks, while the 18-year-old was hit in the leg, according to authorities.

Both teens were taken to an area hospital, where they were listed in fair condition.

No suspects are in custody according to Chicago police, and an investigation is underway.