Welcome to our coverage of US politics.
The Supreme Court hads declined to even hear a case that could have ended the right for gay couples to marry in the US.
But while LGBT Americans are breathing a sigh of relief, anti-LGBT campaigners are insisting that’s not the end of the battle.
The longest government shutdown in US history could be coming to an end after a clutch of Democrat senators blinked and sided with the Republicans.
Under the deal, government employees will receive full back pay while benefits to allow food purchases for needy Americans will go ahead. But a key demand of Democrats, that healthcare subsidies be extended, was left out of the agreement.
That’s led to recriminations inside the Democratic Party furious at what they see as their colleagues caving.
It’s likely some politicians were aware of how much disruption could occur to Thanksgiving – the busiest travel time of the year – if the shutdown was allowed to continue into next week.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has pre-emptively pardoned 77 people who were accused of being involved in attempts to overturned the 2020 election, which was won by Joe Biden.
Ed Martin, a controversial Trump official who is in charge of pardons, stated “No MAGA left behind”.
Mr Trump has continually said the 2020 election was rigged despite there being little evidence that was the case and with all legal challenges going nowhere.
But there is one person missing from the list of pardons – himself.
Read on for more updates.
