pay

WASHINGTON — Sidelined by political appointees, targeted over deep state conspiracies and derided by the president, career public servants have grown used to life in Washington under a constant state of assault.

But President Trump’s latest threat, to withhold back pay due to workers furloughed by an ongoing government shutdown, is adding fresh uncertainty to the beleaguered workforce.

Whether federal workers will ultimately receive retroactive paychecks after the government reopens, Trump told reporters on Tuesday, “really depends on who you’re talking about.” The law requires federal employees receive their expected compensation in the event of a shutdown.

“For the most part, we’re going to take care of our people,” the president said, while adding: “There are some people that really don’t deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way.”

It is yet another peril facing public servants, who, according to Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director, Russ Vought, may also be the target of mass layoffs if the shutdown continues.

The government has been shut since Oct. 1, when Republican and Democratic lawmakers came to an impasse over whether to extend government funding at existing levels, or account for a significant increase in healthcare premiums facing millions of Americans at the start of next year.

White House officials say that, on the one hand, Democrats are to blame for extending a shutdown that will give the administration no other choice but to initiate firings of agency employees working on “nonessential” projects. On the other hand, the president has referred to the moment as an opportunity to root out Democrats working in career roles throughout the federal system.

Legal scholars and public policy experts have roundly dismissed Trump’s latest efforts — both to use the shutdown as a predicate to cut the workforce, and to withhold back pay — as plainly illegal.

And Democrats in Congress, who continue to vote against reopening the government, are counting on them being right, hoping that courts will reject the administration’s moves while they attempt to secure an extension of healthcare tax credits in the shutdown negotiations.

If the experts are wrong, thousands of government workers could face a profound cost.

“Senior leaders of the Trump administration promised to put federal employees in trauma, and they certainly seem intent on keeping that promise,” said Don Moynihan, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy.

“According to a law that Trump himself has signed, furloughed employees are entitled to back pay,” Moynihan said. “There is no real ambiguity about this, and the idea only some employees in agencies that Trump likes would receive back pay is an illegal abuse of presidential power.”

A day after the shutdown began, Trump wrote on social media that he planned on meeting with Vought, “of Project 2025 fame,” to discuss what he called the “unprecedented opportunity” of making “permanent” cuts to agencies during the ongoing funding lapse.

A lawsuit brought in California against Vought and the OMB, by a coalition of labor unions representing over 2 million federal workers, is challenging the premise of that claim, arguing the government is “deviating from historic practice and violating applicable laws” by using government employees “as a pawn in congressional deliberations.” But whether courts can or will stop the effort is unclear.

Sen. John Thune, the majority leader and a Republican from South Dakota, said last week that Democrats should have known the risk they were running by “shutting down the government and handing the keys to Russ Vought.”

“We don’t control what he’s going to do,” he told Politico.

The White House has sent mixed messages on its willingness to negotiate with Democrats since the shutdown began. Within a matter of hours earlier this week, the president’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters that there was nothing to negotiate, before Trump said that dialogue had opened with Democratic leadership over a potential agreement on healthcare.

Donald Kettl, professor emeritus and former dean at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, taught and trained prospective public servants for 45 years.

“What is happening is profoundly discouraging for young students seeking careers in the federal public service,” he said. “Many of the students are going to state and local governments, nonprofits, and think tanks, but increasingly don’t see the federal government as a place where they can make a difference or make a career.”

“All of us depend on the government, and the government depends on a pipeline of skilled workers,” Kettl added. “The administration’s efforts have blown up the pipeline, and the costs will continue for years — probably decades — to come.”

Oct. 7 (UPI) — As the federal government’s shutdown continues, President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested some furloughed federal workers won’t get back pay.

Trump made the suggestion in the Oval Office while responding to a reporter’s question ahead of a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“The Democrats have put a lot of people in great risk and jeopardy,” Trump responded in the press conference.

“For the most part, we’re going to take care of our people. There are some people that really don’t deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way.”

The president’s statements echoed a White House draft memo suggesting some furloughed workers won’t automatically receive back pay when the government shutdown eventually ends, The New York Times reported.

Despite the memo and the president’s comments, the Trump administration still indicates that furloughed workers will be paid when they return to work following their forced time off, according to The Times.

The memo was drafted by personnel in the Office of Management and Budget and goes against recent guidance provided by the Office of Personnel Management and the Council of Economic Advisers, according to Axios.

Those entities affirm that the roughly 750,000 furloughed federal workers are entitled to back pay when the federal government reopens, in accordance with the Government Employees Fair Treatment Act of 2019.

The OMB has deleted references to the act on its website and on Sept. 30 replaced it with text that suggests some furloughed workers won’t be paid right away for their forced time away from work.

“All excepted employees are entitled to receive payment for their performance of excepted work during the period of the appropriations lapse when appropriations for such payments are enacted,” the website says, as reported by Government Executive.

The president and White House officials are basing the Trump administration’s latest interpretation on a revised version of the act that says furloughed workers will be paid “subject to the enactment of appropriations acts ending the lapse,” Axios reported.

White House officials have suggested Congress needs to appropriate back pay for those who are laid off during the shutdown, but federal employees who have continued to work while their pay is suspended would get paid right away.

The memo has sparked furor from the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, which called the Trump administration’s argument against guaranteeing back pay under the act as “frivolous” and “an obvious misinterpretation of the law.”

“It is also inconsistent with the Trump administration’s own guidance from mere days ago, which clearly and correctly states that furloughed employees will receive retroactive pay for the time they were out of work as quickly as possible once the shutdown is over,” Everett Kelley, national president of the AFGE, the largest federal workers union representing 820,000 employees, said in a statement emailed to UPI.

“As we’ve said before, the livelihoods of the patriotic Americans serving their country in the federal government are not bargaining chips in a political game.”

The federal government mostly shut down on Oct. 1 after the Senate could not muster enough support for one of two measures that would fund it until a 2026 fiscal year budget is approved by Congress.

The House of Representatives had approved a continuing resolution that would keep the federal government open for seven weeks by extending the expired 2025 fiscal year budget.

Senate Democrats have introduced an alternative measure that would fund the federal government through Oct. 31 but would add $1.5 trillion in additional spending for health care initiatives.

At least 60 senators must vote to approve either measure to prevent a potential filibuster.

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s administration warned on Tuesday of no guaranteed back pay for federal workers during a government shutdown, reversing what has been long-standing policy for some 750,000 furloughed employees, according to a memo being circulated by the White House.

Trump signed into law after the longest government shutdown in 2019 legislation that ensures federal workers receive back pay during any federal funding lapse. But in the new memo, his Office of Management and Budget says back pay must be provided by Congress, if it chooses to do so, as part of any bill to fund the government.

The move by the Republican administration was widely seen as a strong-arm tactic — a way to pressure lawmakers to reopen the government, now in the seventh day of a shutdown.

“There are some people that don’t deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way,” Trump said during an event at the White House.

He said back pay “depends on who we’re talking about.”

Refusing retroactive pay to the workers, some of whom must remain on the job as essential employees, would be a stark departure from norms and practices and almost certainly would be met with legal action.

While federal workers — as well as service members of the military — have often missed paychecks during past shutdowns, they are almost always reimbursed once the government reopens.

“That should turn up the urgency and the necessity of the Democrats doing the right thing here,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a news conference at the Capitol.

Johnson, a lawyer, said he hadn’t fully read the memo but “there are some legal analysts who are saying” that it may not be necessary or appropriate to repay the federal workers.

But Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington blasted the Trump administration as defying the law.

“Another baseless attempt to try and scare & intimidate workers by an administration run by crooks and cowards,” said Murray, who is the ranking lawmaker on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The letter of the law is as plain as can be — federal workers, including furloughed workers, are entitled to their back pay following a shutdown.”

Asked a second time about back pay for furloughed federal workers given that the requirement is spelled out in law, Trump said: “I follow the law, and what the law says is correct.”

In a single-page memo from Trump’s Office of Management and Budget under Russ Vought, first reported by Axios, the office’s general counsel seeks to lay out a legal rationale for no back pay of federal workers.

The memo explains that while the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 says workers shall be paid after federal funding is restored, it argues the action is not self-executing. Instead, the memo says, repaying the federal workers would have to be part of legislation to reopen the government.

The OMB analysis draws on language familiar to budget experts by suggesting that the 2019 bill created an authorization to pay the federal workers but not the actual appropriation.

Congress, it says, is able to decide whether it wants to pay the workers or not.

For now, Congress remains at a standstill, with neither side — nor the White House — appearing willing to budge. Democrats are fighting for healthcare funds to prevent a lapse in federal subsidies that threaten to send insurance rates skyrocketing. Republicans say the issue can be dealt with later.

Mascaro writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Will Weissert, Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

A Los Angeles court orders the pharma giant to pay damages to the family of Mae Moore, who died of mesothelioma in 2021.

Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $966m to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma, finding the company liable in the latest lawsuit alleging its baby powder products cause cancer.

The court in Los Angeles handed down the ruling late on Monday.

The pharmaceutical giant has to pay the family of Mae Moore, who died in 2021. The family sued the company the same year, claiming Johnson & Johnson’s talc baby powder products contained asbestos fibres that caused her rare cancer. The jury ordered the company to pay $16m in compensatory damages and $950m in punitive damages, according to court filings.

The verdict could be reduced on appeal as the United States Supreme Court has found that punitive damages should generally be no more than nine times compensatory damages.

Erik Haas, J&J’s worldwide vice president of litigation, said in a statement that the company plans to immediately appeal, calling the verdict “egregious and unconstitutional”.

“The plaintiff lawyers in this Moore case based their arguments on ‘junk science’ that never should have been presented to the jury,” Haas charged.

The company has said its products are safe, do not contain asbestos and do not cause cancer. This isn’t the first time Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay damages to a family after a lawsuit that alleged a link between cancer and its baby powder products.

In 2016, a Missouri court ordered the company to pay $72m to the family of Jacqueline Fox, who died of ovarian cancer.

In 2024, Johnson & Johnson was also ordered to pay $700m to settle lawsuits alleging it misled consumers about safety after an investigation brought by 43 state attorneys general.

J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the US in 2020, switching to a cornstarch product. By 2023, it had ended talc-based baby powder sales as well.

Trey Branham, one of the attorneys representing Moore’s family, said after the verdict that his team is “hopeful that Johnson & Johnson will finally accept responsibility for these senseless deaths”.

Thousands of lawsuits

J&J is facing lawsuits from more than 67,000 plaintiffs who say they were diagnosed with cancer after using its baby powder and other talc products, according to court filings. The number of lawsuits alleging talc caused mesothelioma is a small subset of these cases with the vast majority involving ovarian cancer claims.

J&J has sought to resolve the litigation through bankruptcy, a proposal that has been rejected three times by federal courts.

Lawsuits alleging talc caused mesothelioma were not part of the last bankruptcy proposal. The company has previously settled some of those claims but has not struck a nationwide settlement, so many lawsuits over mesothelioma have proceeded to trial in state courts in recent months.

In the past year, J&J has been hit with several substantial verdicts in mesothelioma cases, but Monday’s is among the largest. The company has won some of the mesothelioma trials, including last week in South Carolina, where a jury found J&J not liable.

The airline said Andy would need to pay almost four times the price of his ticket if he wanted the bag on the plane

A man was charged over a thousand pounds – to take one extra suitcase on his Qatar Airways flight. Andy Donovan, 23, planned a trip to Kingsbury, Melbourne, for six months to play cricket over the Australian summer.

He booked a Cathay Pacific flight, which included a transfer in Hong Kong. But he switched his ticket that morning for a Qatar Airways flight to Melbourne, via Doha, Qatar, when he saw the ‘super typhoon Ragasa’ was headed for Hong Kong.

The flight, on September 22, cost him £312.28 to book. Andy’s bag allowance changed with his flights and was reduced to one bag of checked luggage, rather than two, as his Cathay Pacific flight had been. As Andy needed two suitcases – one for his possessions and a second for cricket kit – he attempted to buy an extra bag on the Qatar Airways website but claims it kept crashing.

So he resolved to pay at the airport – until, to his horror, he was charged £1,103.72 for his additional 25kg bag. Andy, a marketing executive, from Exeter, Devon, said: “I thought I could pay for the extra luggage in person – I knew it might be more, but I didn’t think it would be that much. It was several times the cost of the actual ticket, it didn’t make any sense.

“I was in shock. I had no choice but to pay it because I needed my kit. It’s personalised to me for my specifications so I couldn’t just replace it.

“They charge you per kilo you’re over the limit, and I had a whole extra 25kg bag. I wasn’t offered to buy a whole extra bag at the airport.”

Andy said it wasn’t explained to him how the charge was calculated but he paid it so he could still fly. Qatar Airways’ website states that within six hours of departure, per additional kg of luggage, there is a $60 (approx £44.60) charge. Andy plays for the Philippines national cricket team.

His younger sister, Katherine Donovan, 21, also plays for that team and he claims she had taken the same flight a week earlier, with two bags, with no issues. But ahead of Andy’s departure, dad Barry Donovan, 81, a retired pilot, was the one who spotted news of the typhoon near Hong Kong the day of the flight.

To avoid his son being stuck in Hong Kong airport, he advised Andy switch to a flight which transferred elsewhere, which he was allowed to do because Barry had privileges as an ex-employee of Cathay Pacific. On the day of the flight, Andy instead got a ticket for a Qatar Airways flight to Melbourne, via Doha, Qatar.

Andy had to call Barry for a loan to cover the costs – as he had no choice to pay if he still wanted to fly. Barry compared the policy to “extortion” and feels “someone should go to jail for this”. Barry said: “We got the tickets sorted for Andy, but nowhere on the tickets was the luggage restriction mentioned.

“He tried to book an extra bag online but couldn’t. When he rang me from the airport, I told him to just pay whatever they charged, and we’d sort the money later. But when he told me what that was, I couldn’t believe what they charged him.”

“£1,100 is totally unacceptable. It’s extortion – ‘give us the money, or you don’t travel at all’.”

Barry says both he and Andy have attempted to contact Qatar Airways but have not received a response. Barry added: “How many other people have they done this to? It’s just not right.”

Qatar Airways has been approached for comment.

Manchester United and Manchester City will pay tribute to the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack before their Premier League fixtures this weekend.

But tributes will not be routinely held across the Premier League or English Football League over Thursday’s incident in which two people died and three others were injured.

United players will wear black armbands and hold a minute’s silence before their match against Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday, while the women’s team will do the same at their Women’s Super League match against Chelsea on Friday night.

Speaking at his news conference on Friday, United men’s manager Ruben Amorim said: “It is a crazy world we are living in at the moment, lot of big things happened, sympathy to victims, we will pay tribute tomorrow.”

United’s under-18 and under-21 sides will also wear black armbands in their games.

City will also wear black armbands when they travel to Brentford on Sunday and have agreed with the Bees to hold a moment’s silence before kick-off.

A commemoration was already planned by Brentford in memory of their head of academy goalkeeping Christopher Ramsey, who died on Wednesday of bowel cancer.

Brentford have agreed to change the tribute from a minute’s applause to silence given the gravity of Thursday’s attack.

Manchester City women will also pay their respects before their WSL match against Arsenal on Saturday.

It is understood both the Premier League and EFL will support any club wishing to pay tribute.

One travel expert has offered handy advice for all visitors to the US

Travellers to the Unites States face paying a new £185 fee from today (Wednesday, October 1) – but many Brits won’t have to fork out a penny more. The US government announced the new measure in the summer, aimed at reducing visa overstays. It came into effect today, meaning Brits – and other foreign nationals heading to the States – could have to pay up before flying across the pond.

The new charge applies to travellers from non-Visa Waiver Program nations, who need to apply for non-immigrant visas. But, as one travel expert explains, the fee won’t apply to many of us travelling to hotspots like New York or Florida.

Brenda Beltrán, a travel expert at Holafly, says that the majority of travelers from the UK will not have to pay the $250 fee. She said: “The UK is part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

“That means most Brits visiting for tourism or short business trips of up to 90 days will continue to use ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) and will not face this new $250 charge.” However, there are still circumstances in which the fee does apply.

Some British visitors to the USA will still have to pay up. If they apply for certain visas that are not included in the usual ESTA route, the charge applies.

For example, the following circumstances would incur the charge:

• Student visas (F-1, M-1)
• Work visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1, etc.)
• Extended stays beyond the 90-day ESTA allowance
• Specialist visa categories for exchange, journalism, or diplomatic purposes

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Brenda added: “For the average Brit heading to New York for shopping or Florida for Disney, nothing changes. But if you’re planning to study in the U.S., take up a job, or stay longer than three months, you should budget for the new $250 cost on top of existing visa fees.”

For the vast majority of British holidaymakers, nothing changes after 1 October 2025. ESTA remains the standard route for short-term visits, and the cost is currently $21.

The introduction of the Visa Integrity Fee is primarily aimed at travellers from countries outside the Visa Waiver Program. Therefore, it is unlikely to affect UK–US tourism levels.

Brenda continued: “This update sounds alarming at first glance, but most Brits won’t notice any difference. As long as you qualify for ESTA, which nearly all UK holidaymakers do, you won’t be hit by the new charge.”

How to get the fee reimbursed

As part of the new law, the US government will reimburse certain travellers the £185 cost. The legislation allows for the Secretary of Homeland Security to pay visitors back if they prove they complied with their visa.

As long as they have not tried to extend their stay without a relevant visa and left the USA within five days of the visa expiring, visitors may be eligible. They must also not accept unauthorised employment and have lawfully changed their nonimmigrant status.

Foreign Office guidance on travelling to the United States

The UK Foreign Office has specific advice on the entry requirements to visit the US. The government guidance on ESTA states: “ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

“You can apply for an ESTA via the Official ESTA Application Website or using the ESTA Mobile app on android or on iOS. All Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travellers intending to enter the US by land, sea and air will be required to obtain an approved ESTA prior to application for admission at land border ports of entry.

“Individuals who are not eligible to travel under the VWP may apply for a visa at any U.S. Embassy & Consulates. Travellers whose sex on their passport differs from their sex recorded at birth should contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK for further advice.”

Those who may not be eligible for an ESTA visa waiver include those:

• who have been arrested (even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction)
• with a criminal record
• who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the US
• who have previously overstayed under an ESTA visa waiver

Furthermore, there are a list of countries that visitors must not have been in on or after March 2011 to apply for an ESTA waiver. These are Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

You also cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you travelled to or were in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021. An ESTA may not be sufficient for all types of business travel – particularly if you are travelling on behalf of a US company.

The Foreign Office says: “Please check the rules on the ESTA website carefully. If you are not eligible for an ESTA, you must instead apply for a US visa. Travelling on an ESTA when ineligible can lead to detention and deportation by the US authorities.”

Brenda’s expert tips for travelling to the US

• Apply early for ESTA: it’s valid for two years and covers multiple trips, so don’t leave it until the last minute.
• Double-check eligibility: if your circumstances don’t fit the Visa Waiver rules (e.g. long-term study or work), be prepared for the additional cost.
• Stay updated: Immigration rules evolve regularly, so always check official guidance before booking flights.

Los Angeles County agreed to pay $20 million Tuesday to the family of Noah Cuatro, a 4-year-old Palmdale boy who was tortured to death by his parents in 2019.

The case brought intense scrutiny of the county’s child welfare system after it was revealed that the Department of Children and Family Services had failed to remove Noah from his parents despite a court order.

DCFS had been given 10 days to get Noah away from his parents and seen by a doctor after multiple reports of neglect and abuse, The Times previously reported. The department ignored the order.

He died less than two months later, right before his fifth birthday. His parents later pleaded no contest to murder and torture charges.

“He always begged me not to send him to his parents,” said Eva Hernandez, Noah’s great-grandmother. “I tried to explain to him so many times, but he didn’t understand. He’d take his little hands and look into my eyes and say, ‘Don’t make me go there.’”

Eva Hernandez cries while remembering her great-grandson Noah Cuatro as the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors prepares to approve a $20-million settlement to his family.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Hernandez sued DCFS in 2020, alleging the department had failed her grandson and should have intervened to keep him safe. Cuatro had been under the supervision of the agency from the time he was born because his mother had been accused of fracturing his half sister’s skull.

The child welfare department said since Noah’s death they’ve hired thousands of social workers to decrease caseloads and retrained social workers on interviewing techniques and use of forensic exams.

“It is DCFS’ hope that this resolution gives Noah’s family a sense of peace,” the department said in a statement. “DCFS remains committed to learning from the past, improving its work, and operating with transparency.”

At the time of his death, Noah remained under supervision by DCFS despite more than a dozen reports to the child abuse hotline and police from callers who believed that he and his siblings were being abused.

Attorney Brian Claypool, who represented Cuatro’s family in the lawsuit, said Noah’s death was a direct result of the county failing to follow the court order to remove him from his parents. A Superior Court judge had agreed to remove him after a social worker filed a 26-page request with the court, citing evidence of abuse.

“The county really blew it with the removal order. There’s no excuse for them not to have picked up Noah,” Claypool said. “The most shocking, upsetting part of this case is when I took the deposition of the social worker in the case and the two supervisors, none of the individuals read the petition of all the abuse that was submitted to the court. That was inexcusable.”

Eva Hernandez holds a photo of her great-grandson Noah Cuatro.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Noah’s parents initially called 911 on July 5, 2019, saying their son had drowned in a swimming pool of their apartment complex, but authorities grew suspicious after finding the boy unconscious and dry in the apartment. Doctors later found bruises across his body and signs of “mottling” around his neck.

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Palmdale, called his death a “heartbreaking tragedy.”

“While nothing can undo the harm he suffered, today’s $20 million settlement awarded to his surviving siblings and grandmother provides some measure of support as they continue to heal,” she said in a statement. “Noah’s life was not in vain. His case has reinforced the need for ongoing review of child welfare cases, stronger partnerships with our schools, and a stabilized DCFS workforce to better protect children in the Antelope Valley. Noah leaves behind a legacy — he will not be forgotten.”

His great-grandmother, Hernandez, said she still thinks of him every day.

“I know that he’s not suffering anymore,” she said.

Video platform settles lawsuit filed in response to Trump’s suspension over the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.

YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5m to settle a lawsuit brought by United States President Donald Trump after the platform suspended his account in response to the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.

Under the settlement, YouTube, which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet, will contribute $22m on Trump’s behalf to the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit that is overseeing a $200m project to construct a ballroom at the White House, a court filing showed on Monday.

The remaining $2.5m will go to other plaintiffs in the case, including the American Conservative Union and American author Naomi Wolf, according to the filing at the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The settlement does not include any admission of wrongdoing by YouTube, and was reached for the “sole purpose of compromising disputed claims and avoiding the expenses and risks of further litigation”, according to the filing.

The payout is a relatively small sum for YouTube, whose advertising revenues came to nearly $9.8bn in the second quarter of 2025 alone.

The settlement comes after Meta Platforms and X earlier this year agreed to multimillion-dollar payouts to resolve Trump’s claims that he was unduly censored following the January 6 attack, which was carried out by Trump supporters motivated by his false claim that the 2020 election had been “stolen”.

John P Coale, a Trump ally and lawyer who brought the three cases, said he was pleased with the outcome.

“Very much so,” Coale told Al Jazeera. “As is the president and the other plaintiffs.”

Coale said the three cases had netted $60m in total.

“We believe we changed the behaviour,” he said.

After de-platforming Trump over fears his false claims about the 2020 presidential election were driving violence, Big Tech has moved to curry favour with his administration since his return to the White House.

Earlier this month, tech CEOs, including Google’s Sundar Pichai, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s Tim Cook, lavished praise on Trump at a White House dinner event and expressed support for his administration’s initiatives on artificial intelligence.

Media companies have also paid out large sums to resolve Trump’s legal claims.

Paramount Global said in July that it had agreed to pay $16m to resolve Trump’s claims that CBS News’s 60 Minutes programme had deceptively edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.

In December, ABC News agreed to contribute $15m to Trump’s library to settle claims that he had been defamed by its anchor, George Stephanopoulos.

Timothy Koskie, a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney, said that YouTube’s settlement dealt a blow to hopes for a consistent approach to content moderation by social media platforms.

“Unfortunately, with the erosion of a rules-based order, we simply can’t expect to get consistent treatment from anyone who seeks to benefit from this administration,” Koskie told Al Jazeera.

“That is going to include an incredibly large swath of companies that we engage with in our daily lives, particularly, but very much not exclusively, the platforms. Rather than removing censorship, this vigorously empowers it in an especially selective vein.”

“Further, the US historically set precedents for many governments around the world,” he added.

Sept. 29 (UPI) — YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million, toward the construction of a new White House ballroom, to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump for suspending his channel in 2021 following the Jan. 6, riots.

The online video platform, owned by Alphabet, will pay $22 million from the settlement to the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall, which is “dedicated to restoring, preserving and elevating the National Mall, to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom,” according to court documents. The ballroom is estimated to cost $200 million, according to the White House.

The other $2.5 million from YouTube’s settlement will go to other plaintiffs, including the nonprofit American Conservative Union.

YouTube is the third tech platform to settle with Trump, who also settled with Meta and Twitter for banning his accounts in 2021. Trump settled with Meta for $25 million and with Twitter, renamed X, for $10 million.

All three platforms claimed Trump’s posts after the U.S. Capitol riots risked inciting further violence. Trump said the suspensions amounted to censorship. All of his accounts were reinstated after tech leaders took a more supportive stance, with Elon Musk of X, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Alphabet chief executive officer Sundar Pichai attending Trump’s inauguration in January.

Trump also has received settlements from media outlets, including CBS and ABC News. ABC and Disney settled with the president for $15 million toward his future presidential library after he accused the network and anchor George Stephanopoulous of defamation. And Paramount Global paid out $16 million for CBS’ editing of a Kamala Harris interview on “60 Minutes.”

Last week, YouTube said it would reinstate a number of banned accounts, which had violated the channel’s now defunct rules about posting misinformation about COVID-19 and the 2020 election.

YouTube “values conservative voices on its platform and recognizes that these creators have extensive reach and play an important role in civic discourse,” the platform said.

MANCHESTER CITY paid a classy tribute to the “People’s Champion” Ricky Hatton following his sad passing.

British boxing legend Hatton – an avid City fans – was found dead on September 14.

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He was just 46 years old.

City paid tribute on the weekend of his passing before their 3-0 win over United at the Etihad.

And it has continued with a banner raised behind one of the goal’s which read “The People’s Champion” with a mural of Hatton.

Flowers were also laid down in Hatton’s usual seat – with some of his family at the match – as City welcomed Burnley to the Etihad.

City manager Pep Guardiola was left almost in tears with the news of Hatton’s passing – and paid his respects before the derby win.

He said: “For all the Man City family it was a tough wake up.

“Of course the success, a world champion, a massive fan (of City). But the loss for his family, his kids and he was a grandad.

“On behalf of Man City and all the people I wish them the comfort in these incredibly tough hours, tough days and tough weeks.

“Of course it is a big, big loss for them, for the boxing world because he was a true, true champion and of course for the Man City family.”

City legend and former captain Vincent Kompany was a friend of Hatton’s and wrote online: We’ll miss you Ricky.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends. Rest in piece legend.”

Micah Richards added: “The news is devastating. I was taken aback because he’s such an icon.

“British icon, boxing, sports. True Man City fan but most importantly he was a man of the people. He was the nicest man ever.

“He was a deep person. Very deep. He overthought a lot of things. The news is just devastating.

“It’s absolutely ruined my mood for the whole day. He would be here today, celebrating. He’s had a box here many times.

“To get this news now just feels surreal. Someone so young, for this to happen now is devastating.”

City star Phil Foden was also spotted visiting Hatton’s family – carrying flowers.

Hatton won world titles at super-lightweight and welterweight – beating the great Kostya Tszyu in his crowning night in 2005.

But he struggled mentally following defeats to Floyd Mayweather in 2007 and then Manny Pacquiao two years later.

He returned in 2012 but retired after losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko.

Hatton later became a coach and manager – beloved for his sense of humour and kind heart.

He had an exhibition with Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera and was preparing for a comeback bout in Dubai in December.

Hatton leaves behind son Campbell, two daughters Millie and Fearne as well as his granddaughter Lyla.

The working class hero is and will always be Britain’s most adored fighter.

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BROOKLYN Beckham has dealt his family another snub after failing to wish a family member a Happy Birthday.

The 26-year-old is no longer on speaking terms with his family after an epic fallout with his parents and his brothers.

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Now, it appears that the rift has gotten deeper after he failed to mark his cousin’s birthday like the rest of his family.

He failed to mark Finlay James’ birthday online but mum Victoria and his brothers, Romeo and Cruz, were all quick to mark the occasion.

Brooklyn’s mum Victoria was the first of the clan to mark her nephew’s birthday as she shared a throwback of Finlay as an eight-year-old.

Alongside the image, the fashion mogul said: “Happy birthday. We love you!!!”

23-year-old Romeo also continued the trend by sharing a classic photo of Finlay as he added the simple caption: “Happy Birthday broskie.”

Furthermore, Cruz shared his own tribute with a snap of him and Finlay in matching suits as he wrote: “Happy Birthday.”

Brooklyn failed to interact with any posts nor mention Finlay’s birthday as the family feud continues to rumble on.

Finlay is connecting the family as the son of Louise, Victoria’s sister.

The lad has famously enjoyed a close bond with the entire Beckham clan making Brooklyn’s latest snub even more telling.

It is the latest birthday snub dealt by Brooklyn in recent weeks after he also failed to acknowledge Romeo’s big day or join in the celebrations.

All of the Beckham family were seen posting sweet messages to Romeo on his big day.

However, his big brother Brooklyn chose to snub his sibling, as their family feud rages on.  

The birthday snub follows months of social media swipes after Brooklyn failed to turn up for his dad’s 50th birthday party.

Brooklyn and his wife Nicola, 30, remain estranged from the famous family, with unfollows and Instagram blocks fuelling rumours of an all-out war.

FAMILY FEUD

Things escalated when Brooklyn and Nicola renewed their vows last month, despite only getting married three years previous.

Brooklyn did not invite any of his family.

In the photos shared by the couple on Instagram, they are surrounded by Nicola’s family and friends.

The ceremony was even officiated by Nicola’s father, Nelson Peltz, 83.

A source told The Sun of David and Victoria’s reaction to the vow renewal after they found out about the ceremony on a US site.

They told us: “This was the final kick in the teeth for David and Victoria.

“Seeing Nelson [Nicola’s father] having such a pivotal role at the ceremony was heartbreaking for David especially.”

The Beckham Family Feud

• April 2022: Brooklyn marries Nicola Peltz.
• Wedding Dress Controversy: Rumours begin circulating that there’s tension between Nicola and Victoria Beckham after Nicola chooses not to wear a Victoria Beckham-designed wedding gown. Nicola later clarifies in August 2022 (and again in March 2023) that Victoria’s atelier couldn’t make the dress in time, but reports in May 2025 suggest Victoria actually changed her mind about making the dress.
• Post-Wedding (2022 onwards): Minimal interaction between Nicola and Victoria on social media, and noticeable absence of Nicola at key Beckham family events.
• Alleged Wedding “Hijack”: In May 2025, a source claimed Victoria “ruined” part of the wedding by allegedly hijacking a dance with Marc Anthony, which was meant for Brooklyn and Nicola. Nicola reportedly ran from the room crying.
• March 2025: A resurfaced TikTok of Romeo and Cruz mimicking a “baby voice” (which fans associate with Nicola) sparks speculation of sibling shade.
• April 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola are reportedly absent from Victoria Beckham’s 51st birthday celebrations in Miami and her Paris Fashion Week show.
• May 2025: David Beckham’s 50th Birthday Snub: Brooklyn and Nicola are notably absent from David Beckham’s 50th birthday celebrations in London, despite being invited. Reports suggest their absence was due to Brooklyn not wanting to be in the same room as Kim Turnbull, the girlfriend of Romeo who had previously been reported to have been dating Brooklyn, who David allegedly opted to have at the party over Nicola.
• Rumours emerge of a falling out between Brooklyn and his younger brother Romeo, reportedly due to Romeo’s new girlfriend, DJ Kim Turnbull, who allegedly had a past connection with Brooklyn.
• Reports surface that the Beckham parents are “hurt and disappointed” that Brooklyn is “playing no part in family life.” Sources claim that tensions between Brooklyn and Nicola and his parents are “definitely not beyond repair.”
• June 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola reportedly enlist a “crisis team” similar to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for “reputation management” due to the growing media scrutiny.
• Cruz Beckham posts cryptic lyrics on Instagram that some interpret as a swipe at Brooklyn.
• July 2025: Reports indicate David and Victoria are “desperate” to reconcile with Brooklyn. Brooklyn publicly wishes his sister Harper a happy 14th birthday on Instagram, tagging Nicola, which is seen as a potential “olive branch” and a rare public message to his family amid the rumored rift.
• Brooklyn UNFOLLOWS his brothers Romeo and Cruz just 24 hours after his birthday message to Harper. Nicola quickly follows suit and also ditches the Beckham bros from her Instagram following. Romeo and Cruz are now also no longer following Brooklyn.

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A FAMILY has paid tribute to their “much-loved brother”, as a murder probe is under way around his death.

Anthony Scarrott, 80, died after he was found with serious injuries at his home in Worthing.

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He was taken to hospital following a call for concern to police, who attended his address around 8.20pm on Thursday, September 11.

But Anthony – known as Tony – died three days later.

A photo of Tony in his early 20s was released by his family in tribute to the beloved brother.

Sister Sandy said: “My brother Tony was loved by so many family members and friends.

“I just want to say ‘Tony, sleep tight and remember the show must go on.”

Cops have launched an investigation, and 39-year-old man Arno Engels has been charged with murder.

Sussex Police have confirmed the two men were known to each other.

Engels was at the address when police attended, and was initially arrested on suspicion of assault.

He appeared at Crawley Magistrates Court on Thursday, September 18.

Police are still appealing for anyone with information that can help their investigation to come forward.

This includes any witnesses who may have seen or helped Tony in Westcourt Road between 7.20pm and 7.40pm on September 11.

Detective Inspector Amanda Zinyama, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: “This is a tragic incident, and our thoughts are with Tony’s family and friends.

“Through our initial enquiries, it has been established that the victim and suspect are known to one another and we want to reassure members of the public that charges have now been secured and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this investigation.”

Police presence will remain at the address as enquiries continue.

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HELLMANN’S has stepped in to cover the cost of repairing a Spanish café set ablaze by an angry customer who couldn’t get mayonnaise with his sandwich.

The mayo giant pledged to foot the bill after the shocking arson attack at Cafetería Las Postas near Seville, Spain, last month.

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A Hellmann’s spokesperson said: “Cafetería Las Postas, we’re sorry we weren’t there. From now on, you can count on us.”

The brand promised to restore the premises and ensure the condiment will never be missing from its shelves again, Euro Weekly News reported.

Owner José Antonio Caballero called the incident completely “surreal” and said there was “no explanation for what he did.”

He explained: “First one waiter and then another the second time this gentleman asked for mayonnaise gave him the same answer which was that the bar didn’t have a kitchen and the sandwiches came ready-prepared and we didn’t have sauces.

“At that moment he walked to the garage opposite, returned to the bar with a bottle in his hand which we discovered afterwards had petrol inside, and asked the first waiter: ‘Are you sure there’s no mayonnaise?’ without giving him time to reply.

“There’s no explanation for what happened. It was awful.”

Horrifying CCTV shows the suspect storming inside, splashing fuel over the counter, and setting it alight with a lighter.

As flames shot towards the ceiling, terrified customers – including children as young as four – scrambled to safety while staff fought the blaze with an extinguisher.

Caballero said the fire left damage of up to £7,000 but praised “quick-thinking workers” for stopping it spreading.

He added: “The important thing is that nobody was injured. There were young children and elderly people around. Imagine if someone had been hurt.”

The 50-year-old suspect was arrested within minutes in a nearby square after burning his hand.

Police said he was taken to a health centre under guard and is due in court.

Investigators are probing why he started the blaze, with reports suggesting he was with two others at the time.

The mayo-fuelled attack has since divided opinion online after Hellmann’s public response.

Some hailed the move as clever marketing, while others blasted it as insensitive.

One local fumed: “Hellmann’s, it’s a little in bad taste, no? Will you get noticed? Yes. But at what cost? I don’t think a brand like yours needs to do this.”

Another said: “What happened is not a joke.”

A third remarked: “Taking advantage of someone’s misfortune to do marketing.”

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Southern California Edison hasn’t accepted responsibility for igniting the Eaton fire, but it is now offering each victim who lost their home hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a draft of its planned compensation program.

The owner of a 1,500-square-foot home destroyed in the wildfire, given as an example in the company’s draft, would receive $900,000 to rebuild. In addition, the utility is offering that owner an additional $200,000 for agreeing to settle their claim directly with Edison.

The family of each destroyed home would also get compensation for pain and suffering — $100,000 for each adult and $50,000 for each child, according to the draft.

Edison announced in late July that it was creating a program to directly compensate Eaton fire victims to help avoid lengthy litigation. The Jan. 7 fire destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures in Altadena and killed at least 19 people.

Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility’s parent company, said in a press release Wednesday that the compensation program for victims was “designed to help them focus on their recovery.”

The company said that it would hold four community meetings to get public comments on the proposed compensation plan, the first scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m.

“While the investigation continues, inviting input on draft details is the next step in helping the community rebuild faster and stronger,” Pizarro said.

Edison said it had hired consultants Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros, who both worked on the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, to help create the program.

“The proposed fund is designed as an alternative to conventional litigation in the courtroom,” said Biros. “The terms and conditions are completely transparent and voluntary. No claimants or their lawyers are required to participate until and unless they are satisfied with the compensation offer.”

Private lawyers representing Eaton fire victims have urged caution. They say similar programs created by utilities to compensate victims of other wildfires resulted in lower payouts than families received through lawsuit settlements.

In court, Edison already faces dozens of lawsuits filed by Eaton fire victims. Settling those lawsuits is expected to take years. Attorneys bringing the cases on behalf of victims would get 30% or more of the eventual settlement amounts.

Edison’s draft protocol lists proposed payments for people who were injured, renters who lost their belongings and businesses that lost property or revenues when they were forced to close.

Among the payments to the families of those who died would be $1.5 million for pain and suffering and other noneconomic damages, according to the draft. Each surviving spouse and other dependent would receive an additional $500,000.

In addition, the family who lost a loved one would receive a direct claim premium — a bonus for settling directly with Edison — of $5 million, according to the plan.

Edison said the direct claim premiums — which include $200,000 for families who lost their home, $10,000 to those whose homes were damaged, as well as other amounts for other victims — were only available through its program and would not be offered in litigation.

The utility said victims don’t need an attorney to apply for the compensation. But it is also offering to add 10% to the damage amounts, excluding the direct claim premiums, to cover legal fees of those who have a lawyer.

Victims will get their compensation offers within nine months of applying, Edison said. The company said it was also offering victims a “fast pay” option where they could receive their financial settlement offer within 90 days.

“Speed in processing claims is essential,” Feinberg said.

Edison has said that the government’s investigation into the fire could take as long as 18 months. Pizarro said in April that a leading theory was that a century-old transmission line that had not been in service since the 1970s somehow became reenergized and sparked the fire.

If Edison’s equipment is found to have caused the blaze, the company would be reimbursed for the cost of amounts it pays to victims by a $21 billion state fund. The fund was created by lawmakers in 2019 to shield utilities from bankruptcy if their equipment ignites a catastrophic fire.

The public must register to attend the meetings at ce.com/directclaimsupdates. The final meeting is at 7 p.m. on Monday.

Sept. 17 (UPI) — A New York judge on Wednesday ordered former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to pay $1.36 million in legal fees to the law firm that represented him in several cases involving his dealings with President Donald Trump.

In addition to the unpaid legal fees, New York County Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Giuliani to pay interest to the law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron starting from October 2023.

The unpaid fees are for work the former partner Robert Costello did for Giuliani between November 2019 and July 2023 on 10 lawsuits filed against him in state and federal courts as well as disciplinary proceedings involving his law license. The cases included the Jan. 6 committee investigation and the Fulton County, Ga., presidential election case.

The law firm, which filed its lawsuit against Giuliani in September 2023, said Giuliani paid $214,000 of nearly $1.6 million in legal fees. Giuliani said he never agreed to pay the firm for its work and that he never received any invoices.

Engoron ruled against Giuliani, saying the former mayor referenced an invoice number in one of the checks he did pay to the firm.

Ted Goodman, a representative for Giuliani, took issue with Engoron proceeding over the case. In 2024, the judge issued a $454 million civil fraud judgment against Trump after finding the president lied about his wealth and value of other assets to obtain better financial conditions.

“The idea that Judge Arthur Engoron is permitted to sit on a case involving President Donald Trump’s good friend and former personal lawyer, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, flies in the face of justice and demonstrates the partisan political nature of this decision,” Goodman said in a statement to The Hill.

Nicknamed ‘the Hitman’, his all-action style saw Hatton became one of Britain’s most popular fighters, with a loyal following.

Those fans travelled in huge numbers to watch Hatton fight, with more than 30,000 heading to Las Vegas for his title bout with Floyd Mayweather in 2007.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham praised Hatton, who was a hugely popular figure in his home city.

“Ricky was much loved by so many in Greater Manchester. He was the kind of person who would always turn up for people, supporting so many causes,” Burnham posted on X.

“He made us smile and made us proud. We will find a way of honouring him properly. Rest in peace, Champ.”

Manchester City – the club Hatton proudly supported – paid tribute with a minute’s appreciation before Sunday’s meeting with Manchester United at Etihad Stadium.

A 10-bell salute to Hatton was also made at the World Boxing Championships at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

Former world champion Barry McGuigan, who became a trainer and promoter after retiring in 1989, told BBC Radio 5 Live that he used to go on training runs with Hatton.

“He [Hatton] had a huge following, he had a magnetic and engaging personality outside the ring too,” McGuigan added.

“He liked to enjoy himself but he would train himself into phenomenal condition.”

Former world heavyweight champion Frank Bruno said his “life was enriched” by his friendship with Hatton.

He added on social media: “There will never be another Ricky or anyone like him and at this time I share the shock and upset of losing what I consider to be a great fighter, a friend and an amazing human being.”

Hatton’s former promoter Frank Warren said the fighter helped turn Manchester into the “capital of British boxing”.

Warren told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It was phenomenal what he did for British boxing. We worked hard to get Manchester on the map – it wasn’t a big fight town, but he was quite instrumental in that happening.

“He crossed over in a big way to the general public – they got behind him. He became a serious man of the people, a really nice guy.”

Former WBA lightweight champion Anthony Crolla told BBC Radio 5 Live: “There will never be another Ricky Hatton – no one will get close to him. Every kid used to try and fight like him. That was the impact he had.”

Were you one of the fans who travelled to watch Hatton fight in Las Vegas? Get in touch using the tool below and tell us about your experience.

California electric customers would pay $9 billion more to shore up the state’s wildfire fund under a last-minute deal reached behind closed doors that was introduced as legislation on Wednesday.

Southern California Edison, and the state’s two other large for-profit electric companies, had been lobbying Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders, urging them to pass legislation to replenish the state’s $21-billion fund that pays for damages of utility-caused fires.

State officials have warned the fund could be wiped out by damages from the Eaton fire, which killed 19 people and destroyed a large swath of Altadena on Jan. 7.

Customers of the three utilities are already on the hook for contributing $10.5 billion to the original fund through a surcharge of about $3 on their monthly bills.

If approved, the bill amendments made on Wednesday would have customers pay $9 billion more by extending that surcharge by 10 years beyond 2035, when it was set to expire.

Under the deal, the three electric companies’ shareholders would also pay an additional $9 billion into the fund. That means the fund would increase by $18 billion if the legislation, known as SB 254, passes.

Consumer advocates and environmentalists tracking the bill said they were still trying to understand all the provisions of the 229-page bill, which had been debated in hearings in recent months, but was then significantly amended without public input. The new draft of the bill was published at 9:12 a.m. on Wednesday.

“It’s a complete gut and amend,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, senior vice president at the Environmental Working Group. “It’s an end run around the normal legislative process.”

The complex proposal was introduced just days before the state legislature’s session ends, which means it may receive little public debate.

The session was scheduled to end on Friday, but any amendments must be public for 72 hours, which would push a vote to Saturday morning.

Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network, a consumer group, said he was disappointed that ratepayers — who are already paying the country’s second highest electric rates — would have to pay more. But he pointed to some measures that could help reduce the upward pressure on bills.

For example, utilities would be required to finance some expensive transmission projects through a lower-cost method of public financing that legislators said could save ratepayers $3 billion.

Toney said after reviewing the bill’s language his group planned to support it even though it “falls short of addressing the growing affordability crisis.”

Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine), the bill’s co-author, defended the last minute amendments, saying the legislature needed to move quickly to bolster the fund as the wildfire season begins in California.

She said many of the provisions added to SB 254, including the public financing of transmission lines, had been included in other bills that had been repeatedly been debated in public hearings.

Petrie-Norris, who is chair of the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee, defended the process and said that she believed electric customers were getting “a good deal” since half the $18 billion addition into the fund would come from utility shareholders.

Also, under the plan, she said, the three utilities must spend billions of dollars more on wildfire prevention costs, which they can’t earn a profit on.

The share prices of Edison International, Pacific Gas & Electric, and Sempra, the parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric all rose Wednesday on the news.

Newsom and lawmakers created the state wildfire fund in 2019 through a bill known as AB 1054 to protect the three utilities from bankruptcy in the event their electric lines sparked a catastrophic wildfire.

Under the law’s protective measures, Edison could pay nothing or just a fraction of the damages for the Eaton fire if its equipment is found to have sparked the fire.

A representative for Newsom did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The investigation into the fire is ongoing. Edison has said a leading theory is that a century-old transmission line, not used since the 1970s, somehow re-energized and sparked the blaze.

The insured property losses alone could be as much as $15.2 billion, according to an estimate released in July by state officials. That amount does not include uninsured losses or damages beyond those to property, such as wrongful death claims. A study by UCLA estimated losses at $24 billion to $45 billion.

Damages from the Palisades fire, which also ignited on Jan. 7, are not covered by the state wildfire fund. The city of Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power, a municipal utility, services the area of Pacific Palisades destroyed by that fire.

Only customers of Edison, PG&E and San Diego Gas & Electric pay to support the wildfire fund. And only those three utilities are covered by its protections.

Sept. 8 (UPI) — Whaleco Inc., operating as Temu, has been ordered by a federal court to pay a $2 million civil fine for violating federal law regarding its online marketplace, the U.S. Department of Justice said Monday.

The private U.S.-registered company, which mainly sells products from China, had the most downloaded app in the United States in 2024, according to Business of Apps. The company also sells products to customers in 90 countries.

DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts alleging Temu didn’t sufficiently disclose certain information for high-volume third-party sellers, including addresses, or provide consistent reporting methods as required by law. This included consumers’ ability to electronically and telephonically report suspicious activity to the marketplace.

The agencies said they violated the INFORM Consumers Act.

“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring American consumers have information about third-party sellers online and mechanisms to report suspicious marketplace behavior,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of DOJ’s Civil Division said in a statement. “The Department will continue to ensure that online marketplaces follow the INFORM Consumers Act.”

Temu also was ordered to ensure compliance with the INFORM Consumers Act in the future.

Temu, which means “Team Up, Price Down,” was founded as Whaleco Inc. in Boston in 2022.

It is a subsidiary of PDD Holdings, a Chinese online retailer owned by Colin Huang. PDD Holdings also owns Pinduoduo, an online commerce platform in China.

In July, the European Commission charged Temu with breaking the EU’s Digital Services Act by failing to prevent the sale of usnafe products that violate its standards.

In an analysis, the European Commission found that shopping on Temu carries a high risk of finding unsafe products, such as small toys and small electronics.

In the EU, companies can be fined up to 6% of their annual total worldwide turnover.

Temu, with an estimated annual revenue of $53.9 billion in 2024, competes with Amazon, the No. 1 online retailer in the world with $391.4 billion in revenue last year.

“Temu is committed to bringing affordable products onto its platform to enable consumers and merchandise partners to fulfill their dreams in an inclusive environment,” the company said on its website.

Temu and another online retailer, Shein, have been hit by tariffs imposed on imports into the United States.

“Due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs, our operating expenses have gone up. To keep offering the products you love without compromising on quality, we will be making price adjustment starting April 25, 2025,” Temu said in a statement to U.S. shoppers.

That was in late April when there was a 145% duty on Chinese imports. The Trump administration has since lowered them temporarily to 10%. The pause is until Nov. 10.

For more than a year, savers have enjoyed a gift: easy access to 4.00%+ APYs on high-yield savings accounts. But that window is starting to close. With the Fed likely to cut rates later this month, banks are already preparing to dial back those generous payouts.

If you’ve been waiting to move your money, now’s the moment. But banks with the highest APYs now are likely to still have the highest APYs after rates start to drop. Here are three of the best options.