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The US government may begin permanently firing federal workers—estimated to be in the thousands—as soon as today, as the government enters its third shutdown day. The firings would be in addition to the hundreds of thousands of workers who are typically furloughed during temporary closures (see overview).
President Donald Trump yesterday warned of mass layoffs and cuts to federal agencies after Senate Democrats this week blocked a House-passed stopgap funding bill to maintain government spending mostly at 2025 levels through Nov. 21. At least 60 votes are needed in the Senate to pass a measure; Republicans hold 53 seats. The Senate returns today to vote again on the Republican-led, House-passed bill as well as alternative proposals. Democrats are seeking the reversal of Medicaid cuts and the extension of expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Each federal department and agency has its own contingency plan for shutdowns. See the impact of furloughs here. Explore what different agencies do here. |
At least two people were killed and three were seriously wounded yesterday when an attacker drove into a crowd outside a synagogue in northwest England and assaulted them with a knife. Congregants were gathering for Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest holiday.
British police fatally shot the suspect, who they said wore a vest initially believed to be an explosive device but later determined to be inoperable. Authorities identified the suspect as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent. Three unidentified individuals—two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—were arrested in connection with the attack. A motive has not been publicly disclosed.
The UK declared the incident a terrorist attack, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to increase security for Jewish communities (watch remarks). Israel's foreign minister accused British officials of allowing antisemitic and anti-Israeli sentiments to persist in the UK.
Yom Kippur is a solemn day when Jews fast, pray, and repent to atone for sins. |
Good Grief! 'Peanuts' is 75 |
"Peanuts" marked its 75th anniversary yesterday, honoring the 1950 debut of Charles Schulz’s iconic comic strip. The series introduced Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and their friends, who became international figures through newspapers, television specials, books, and more.
Schulz drew heavily on his own life, capturing humor and anxieties in simple scenes of children, a dog, and a bird. He produced the strip until his death in 2000, creating nearly 18,000 installments. The comic expanded from seven newspapers to more than 2,600 worldwide at its end, reaching an estimated 355 million readers across 75 countries and in 21 languages. Its television specials won Emmy Awards, while Snoopy became a star in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. See photos here.
The "Peanuts" brand still earns about $30M yearly. To honor the anniversary, the Charles M. Schulz Museum launched a yearlong retrospective, publishers released commemorative collections, Apple TV+ announced an extended partnership, and even farmers paid homage with themed corn mazes. |
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In partnership with Incogni |
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Unknown Number Calling? It’s Not Random |
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The BBC caught scam call center workers on hidden cameras as they laughed at the people they were tricking. One worker bragged about making $250k from victims. The disturbing truth? Scammers don’t pick phone numbers at random. They buy your data from brokers.
Once your data is out there, it’s not just calls. It’s phishing, impersonation, and identity theft. That’s why we recommend Incogni: They delete your info from the web, monitor and follow up automatically, and continue to erase data as new risks appear. Try Incogni here and get 55% off your subscription with code 1440DAILY. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Sean "Diddy" Combs to be sentenced today in New York for his July conviction on prostitution-related charges; prosecutors are seeking an 11-year prison sentence (More) |
> Department of Homeland Security plans to send ICE agents to patrol Super Bowl LX following announcement that Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny was selected to perform at the halftime show (More) |
> The 2025 WNBA Finals begin tonight (8:30 pm ET, ESPN) with the Las Vegas Aces taking on the Phoenix Mercury in a best-of-seven series (More) |
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> Perplexity AI launches artificial intelligence-powered web browser, Comet, for free worldwide; startup initially offered browser to select users for $200 monthly (More) |
> Paleontologists revise evolutionary timeline for freshwater fish after analysis of 67-million-year-old ear bone fossil suggests they inherited their powerful hearing from marine ancestors (More) |
> Researchers determine costly, deadly wildfires have increased more than fourfold from 1980 to 2023; 43% of the most damaging fires occurred between 2013 and 2023, including 43 wildfires that each caused over $1B in damage (More) |
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> US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +0.1%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +0.4%) (More) | OpenAI raises valuation to record $500B after completing $6.6B secondary share sale, surpassing SpaceX as the world's most valuable startup (More) |
> Tesla reports record 497,099 deliveries in Q3, a 7.4% rise from a year ago; sales data comes as a $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles expired (More) |
> Berkshire Hathaway to pay $9.7B for Occidental Petroleum's chemical unit; deal is Berkshire's largest since 2022 when it paid $11.6B for insurer Alleghany (More) |
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> White House asks nine colleges to agree to "compact" banning race and gender in admissions, freezing tuition, and capping international enrollment in exchange for federal funds (More) | President Donald Trump says the US is in "armed conflict" with drug cartels (More) |
> Eiffel Tower closes as thousands of people strike across France to demand higher taxes on the rich and denounce budget cuts and a hike in the retirement age (More) |
> Israel to deport hundreds of activists, including Greta Thunberg and Nelson Mandela's grandson, who were detained after Israeli navy intercepted 40 vessels attempting to deliver aid to Gaza (More) |
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> 'Camp Blood'
Oxford American | Pat Cassels. Fear and nostalgia forge unexpected bonds at an annual gathering of "Friday the 13th” fans in the Georgia forest where the franchise’s sixth movie was filmed. (Read) |
> History’s Coldest Innovation
NPR | Staff. A burger with beef from Texas, cheese from Wisconsin, and tomatoes from California was made possible by a network of cold storage. The invention of the refrigerator transformed our plates and the economy. (Listen) |
> Breakdown at the Racetrack
The Local | Nicholas Hune-Brown. A string of horse deaths at a Toronto racetrack illuminates how the government subsidized sport has struggled to compete with casinos and lotteries for gamblers' money. (Read) |
> Mesopotamian Masterpiece
The Met | Staff. The Met collaborated with the Iraqi government on a high-tech analysis of a 4,500-year-old animal figurine. The sculpture, which had been displayed at the Met for decades, was repatriated to Iraq this week. (Watch) |
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In partnership with Incogni |
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Sick of Scam Calls? Scared of Identity Theft? |
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How much alcohol do Americans drink?
Tourists are flocking to China's futuristic megacity.
One in five people experience lucid dreaming at least once a month. (w/video)
World War II made Hershey and Mars candy giants.
Why smartphones have multiple cameras. (w/video)
Philadelphia woman wins the "Cheesemonger Olympics."
... and a Cleveland baker will represent the US in the "Bread Olympics."
Ranking America's 10 most haunting hikes.
Clickbait: Why the kids are saying "6-7."
Historybook: American singer-songwriter Chubby Checker born (1941); Gwen Stefani born (1969); East and West Germany are unified (1990); OJ Simpson acquitted of murdering ex-wife and her friend (1995); "Psycho" actress Janet Leigh dies (2004). |
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"After you make a fool of yourself a few hundred times, you learn what works." |
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