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Today's top stories
Now three days into the government shutdown, neither side, Democratic nor Republican, shows signs of giving up ground. The Trump administration has stated that it will take this opportunity to fire federal workers. The GOP-led Senate is expected to vote for the fourth time on partisan stopgap bills. At least seven Democrats are needed to reach the required 60-vote threshold today. So far, only three Senate Democrats have defected to side with Republicans in the votes.
- 🎧 The majority of the Democratic caucus has expressed that they won't help unless Republicans address expiring subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, NPR's Claudia Grisales tells Up First. Subsidies don't expire until the end of the year, but open enrollment is next month, which is the driving force behind Democrats' argument that it needs to be handled now. The GOP insists that they should pass a short-term continuing resolution and subsidies will go into a separate bill. Democrats worry there's a chance this option is a bait and switch, Grisales says.
The Labor Department's monthly report on jobs and unemployment has been postponed by the government shutdown. Typically, the report is released on the first Friday of the month and includes information about how many jobs were added or subtracted from each industry.
- 🎧 Job growth has slowed down in recent months, and forecasters had expected today's report to indicate that employers added around 50,000 last month, says NPR's Scott Horsley. That would be more jobs than August's numbers, but a slowdown compared to this time last year. A key question for policymakers is whether the U.S. is adding enough jobs to keep pace with the labor force and prevent the unemployment rate from rising. It is difficult to know the answer without solid data from the government.
The White House sent a letter to several universities this week, pressuring them to sign a formal agreement pledging to support many of President Trump's policy priorities. This comes after earlier attempts to force changes at top universities by cancelling billions of dollars in research grants. Some of the demands include keeping tuition flat for five years and providing the government with data on international students. In return, schools would get priority access to federal grants.
- 🎧 The nine colleges that received letters include Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Texas, according to NPR's Elissa Nadworny. The chairman of the UT System Board of Regents said that the system was honored and welcomes the new opportunity. Other schools have stated they are still reviewing the information. Critics say this is a threat to free speech and to academic independence. The American Association of University Professors is urging colleges not to sign the agreement.
Picture show
This is part of a special series, Cumbia Across Latin America, a visual report covering the people, places and cultures that keep this music genre alive in six countries.
Cumbia, one of the most listened to genres in the Americas, originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The genre emerged in the river system of the Mompos Depression, a vast wetland and in a small mountain range known as Montes de María. During the colonization of America in the 16th century, thousands of enslaved people arrived from Africa at the port of Cartagena. Forced to leave their homeland, they brought their music, religious drums and spirituality. Learn more about the birthplace of the genre and view photos of how it has been kept alive. You can also read the article in Spanish.
Weekend picks
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Movies: Dwayne Johnson's new movie, The Smashing Machine, tells the story of Mark Kerr, one of the American pioneers of mixed martial arts. The film highlights the thrill of huge fan support and the physical pain that comes after some fights.
📺 TV: Ethan Hawke stars in The Lowdown as a freelance investigative reporter who tends to meddle in affairs that don't concern him, which leads him into the seedy actions of one of Tulsa's most influential families.
📚 Books: Lionel Ritchie shares an intimate and panoramic perspective in Truly: A Memoir, covering key moments from his youth in Tuskegee, Ala., to his work on American Idol.
🎵 Music: Cardi B's long-awaited Am I the Drama? is now double platinum and No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. She also has 16 songs in this week's Hot 100.
🥣 Food: It's soup season! Chef Sohla El-Waylly offers tips on everything from creating a delicious broth to ensuring you get your cook time right.
❓ Quiz: I scored a nine out of 11, so close to 100%, but alas … I look to you, again, to redeem me with your score.
3 things to know before you go
- Over 550 celebrities have relaunched the Committee for the First Amendment to advocate for what they call a "defense of our constitutional rights."
- This week's Far-Flung Postcards series takes you to Maidan Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, where NPR's team covering the country stumbles across Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a stroll.
- The University of Pittsburgh launched the first-of-its-kind Horror Studies Center, reinforcing its dedication to the study of the horror genre. (via WESA)
This newsletter was edited by Yvonne Dennis.
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