As the government shutdown entered its 23rd day, senators have failed to reopen the government for the 12th time. A vote planned for Thursday afternoon aims to pay federal workers on the job during the shutdown. One Democratic senator is vowing to continue to "put country over party" as he repeatedly breaks ranks in both word and action.

Vice President JD Vance criticized the Israeli parliament's vote on West Bank annexation on Thursday, saying it amounted to an insult and went against the Trump administration's policies and efforts to ensure that the U.S.-brokered cease-fire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group holds in Gaza. The Israeli parliament on Wednesday narrowly passed a symbolic preliminary vote in support of annexing the occupied West Bank.