September 13: FEMA Staffing Cuts and the Houthi Seizure of Mayun Island

FEMA staffing cuts blocked A federal judge in Northern California ruled that the Trump administration acted unlawfully in moving to cut FEMA staffing nearly in half by stripping the agency's authority to renew contracts for on-call disaster-response teams. Judge Susan Illston found the Department of Homeland Security acted arbitrarily and capriciously, and criticized the deletion of Signal messages that could have been evidence in the union-backed case. Texas Senate race Republican-aligned groups are preparing a major financial intervention in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Senate campaign, amid concerns from donors and party leaders about his fundraising and campaign schedule. A group aligned with the Republican Senate Leadership Fund expects to spend at least $50 million, and likely more, against Democratic candidate James Talarico. Mayun Island and regional shipping Yemen's Houthi forces have seized Mayun Island near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, strengthening their position beside one of the world's most important shipping corridors between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Separately, Iraq says it seized a drone-launch platform in Maysan province near the Iranian border after Saudi authorities linked it to an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Rescue operations in Vanuatu and São Paulo One person has died and more than 30 are missing after the MV Matui ferry sank off Vanuatu in rough seas. The vessel was traveling from Santo to Ambae with more than 40 passengers and crew, and search-and-rescue operations continue. In São Paulo, a condemned nine-story building collapsed during heavy rain onto a neighboring house, killing two women. Authorities reported additional people missing or injured as rescue work continued.