Bloomberg Daybreak: US Edition

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week In the US – a look at how earnings are impacting global markets In the UK – we preview the Bank of England rate decision In Asia – looking ahead to the RBA Decision and Chinese economic data See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast: 1) The mood in US stock markets has been lifted again by strong earnings from Apple and Amazon to round up the week of mega-cap results. Futures for both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 were higher after both indexes sunk on Thursday. Apple forecast a major surge in sales for the holiday season to provide assurance to investors that the iPhone remains a growth driver, while Amazon’s cloud division notched its best quarterly growth in almost three years. That’s smoothed out the setback in the big tech and AI narrative from the mixed reception to results from Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Alphabet. 2) Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang still hopes to sell chips from the company’s Blackwell lineup to customers in China, though he has no current plans to do so, he told reporters Friday. Blackwell is Nvidia’s latest generation of artificial intelligence semiconductors, figuring prominently as a potential bargaining chip in trade talks between the US and China. Licensing the sale of those products did not figure in the discussion between President Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping this week, with the US leader saying Nvidia and the Chinese government will have to keep talking about the $5 trillion company’s access to the Asian nation’s market. 3) President Trump called on Senate Republicans to vote to get rid of the filibuster in the upper chamber, amid a government shutdown that has lasted nearly a month. Because of the filibuster rule in the US Senate, most legislation needs 60 votes to pass. While a majority of lawmakers could revise those rules, both parties have largely resisted doing so to preserve their ability to shape legislation when outside of the majority. During the recent funding showdown, Democrats have refused to support a Republican bill offering stopgap funding unless the GOP agrees to extend healthcare subsidies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast: 1) President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to extend a tariff truce, roll back export controls and reduce other trade barriers in a landmark summit on Thursday, potentially stabilizing relations between the world’s biggest economies after months of turmoil. In the first sitdown between leaders since Trump’s return to the White House, the pair agreed China would pause sweeping controls on rare-earth magnets in exchange for what Beijing said was a US agreement to roll back an expansion of restrictions on Chinese companies. The US will also halve fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods, while Beijing resumes purchases of soybeans and other agricultural products.  The US is also extending a pause on some of its so-called reciprocal tariffs on China “for an additional year,” the Commerce Ministry in Beijing said in a statement, adding that China “will properly resolve issues related to TikTok with the US side.” Trump said he would visit China next April, with Xi planning to head to the US afterward. Despite speculation that Trump might make additional concessions — including the US opening access to Nvidia Corp.’s most advanced Blackwell line or changing its policy toward Taiwan — the president indicated that those issues hadn’t been part of the discussions. Trump and Xi did discuss access to some of the chipmaker’s other products, however, with the US president saying he planned to speak with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. 2) The largest technology companies are betting on an AI future powered by gigantic complexes of data centers filled with humming servers. Now that the staggering cost of this push is coming into sharper focus, it’s testing nerves on Wall Street. Three bellwethers from different corners of the technology world – Alphabet Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft Corp. — together racked up some $78 billion in capital expenditures last quarter. That’s up 89% from a year earlier. Most of that cash was destined for data center construction and graphics processing units and other gear to fill them. Each increased their forecasts for future outlays. That was enough to rattle investors conditioned to expect enormous spending.  3) Treasuries fell the most in nearly five months after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cast doubt on a December interest-rate cut, even as a sagging labor market prompted policymakers to bring down borrowing costs Wednesday. While the central bank delivered a widely expected reduction in the benchmark lending rate to 3.75%-4%, Powell’s hawkish outlook ruffled the $30 trillion US bond market. At his afternoon press conference, Powell said a further reduction in rates at the December meeting “is not a foregone conclusion,” sending yields across tenors up by the most since June. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump said the US has a “special bond” with South Korea as he addressed a meeting of corporate leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Wednesday in Gyeongju. Trump’s visit to the conference comes as he’s looking to work through a series of outstanding issues in his trade deal with South Korea, and prepares for a high-stakes meeting on Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Meanwhile, Trump said he expects to lower tariffs the US has imposed on Chinese goods over the fentanyl crisis and speak with China’s Xi Jinping about Nvidia Corp.’s flagship Blackwell artificial intelligence chip, as leaders of the world’s biggest economies seek to ease tensions in a meeting on Thursday. Nvidia shares rallied in premarket trading on Wednesday, putting the stock on track to breach $5 trillion in market capitalization, making the semiconductor giant the first public company in history to hit the milestone.2) Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba less than a day after it became the strongest recorded storm to strike Jamaica, where it left hundreds of thousands without power and forced hospitals to evacuate. Melissa crossed the coast in eastern Cuba as an “extremely dangerous” storm, the US National Hurricane Center said in a statement at about 3:10 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. As much as 25 inches (63 centimeters) of rain and storm surges up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) above normal are expected.3) Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday he expects the Trump administration to pay military personnel on Friday, even as the government shutdown shows no end in sight. The administration circumvented Congress and moved about $8 billion in research and development funds to cover the military’s payroll on Oct. 15. But Republicans have cautioned that they could not guarantee paychecks for troops if the shutdown persisted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump hailed the US’s alliance with Japan, reaffirming ties with a longstanding partner and praising new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her plans to ratchet up defense spending as the pair met in Tokyo. Trump also offered optimism that the two sides had overcome their trade disputes. The pair later signed documents on trade and critical minerals intended to formalize some elements of a trade deal brokered under Takaichi’s predecessor, which includes a nebulous pledge for Japan to fund $550 billion in US projects. But documents from the White House on Tuesday suggested that the agreements remained ill-defined. The trade document simply “noted with satisfaction swift and continued efforts by both countries, and confirmed their strong commitment to implementing” their trade deal.2) Jamaican officials urged residents to brace for Hurricane Melissa as it tracked toward the island at Category 5 strength, packing intense rains and winds and threatening to cause widespread destruction. The storm’s winds are likely to cause “total structural failure,” the center said. That’s especially true for higher-elevation areas exposed to the brunt of the storm, where wind speeds could register as much as 30% stronger. If it maintains its strength, Melissa would be the first confirmed Category 5 storm — the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale — to hit Jamaica.3) The Federal Reserve is expected to deliver a second straight interest-rate cut this week to support a wobbly job market. Any push to extend the easing cycle past October, however, may face renewed opposition from a group of officials who remain anxious over inflation. While the Fed’s dovish faction is, for now, winning the debate and securing lower rates, their rival camp of policymakers worry the cutting will go too far. Fresh data on consumer prices released Friday showed underlying inflation in the US rose in September at its slowest pace in three months. While that reaffirms the Fed’s plan to cut rates next week, the overall flat-lining of progress on cooling prices doesn’t bolster arguments for multiple additional cuts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Top trade negotiators for the US and China said they came to terms on a range of contentious points, setting the table for leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to finalize a deal and ease trade tensions that have rattled global markets. After two days of talks in Malaysia wrapped up Sunday, a Chinese official said the two sides reached a preliminary consensus on topics including export controls, fentanyl and shipping levies. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking later in an interview with CBS News, said Trump’s threat of 100% tariffs on Chinese goods “is effectively off the table” and he expected the Asian nation to make “substantial” soybean purchases as well as offer a deferral on sweeping rare earth controls.2) President Trump said he didn’t anticipate meeting with Canada “for a while” as he continued to stew over a TV advertisement by the province of Ontario that criticized his tariff regime. Trump in recent days has said he was increasing the tariff on goods from Canada by 10% over the ad, which features excerpts of former US President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. Ontario Premier Doug Ford had said he would stop airing the ad after the weekend, but Trump has expressed frustration that the Canadian leader didn’t move to immediately pull the commercial, which has aired during US broadcasts of the World Series.3) As the US government shutdown stumbles toward the one-month mark, the effects of the standoff between Republicans and Democrats are being felt further away from the Capitol, as flights back up and food aid dwindles. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that travelers will face more flight delays and cancellations in the coming weeks as the continuing shutdown exacerbates the air-traffic controller staffing crunch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to the next Fed meeting and earnings from U.S tech giants. In the UK – a look ahead to European defense earnings. In Asia – a look at top interviews from the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting in South Korea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump is aiming for a quick win in a pivotal Thursday meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, even if the outcome falls short of the sweeping deal he’s teased on issues at the heart of the rivalry between the world’s two largest economies. Ahead of the sit-down, the US president said he wants to extend a pause on higher tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for Xi resuming American soybean purchases, cracking down on fentanyl and backing off restrictions on rare-earth exports — all while maintaining some trade barriers he sees as essential.2) President Trump said he would immediately halt all trade negotiations with Canada, citing a Canadian advertisement against his signature tariffs plan featuring the voice of former President Ronald Reagan. The ad in question comprises excerpts from an address Reagan gave in 1987 in which he defended the principles of free trade and slammed tariffs as an outdated idea that stifles innovation, drives up prices and hurts US workers. Funded by the government of Ontario, the ad seeks to sow doubt among Republican voters by using one of the party’s most iconic voices. 3) Senate Democrats blocked a Republican measure aimed at paying military troops and some federal workers during the US government shutdown in the latest sign the spending deadlock shows no sign of ending. The vote on Thursday to advance the bill failed on a 54 to 45 vote, with 60 votes needed. Democrats have blocked a temporary spending measure 12 times in the Senate since, arguing that they cannot support it without new healthcare spending attached. Despite the ongoing shutdown, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release the long-delayed September CPI report on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Oil rallied after the Trump administration announced sanctions on Russia’s biggest oil producers, rolling out its first major package of financial punishments on President Vladimir Putin’s economy as part of a fresh bid to end the war in Ukraine. The Treasury Department blacklisted state-run oil giant Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC because of “Russia’s lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine,” according to a statement on Wednesday. The sanctions mark a U-turn for Trump, who had announced last week he would meet Putin in the coming weeks and said repeatedly he believed Russia wanted to end the war.2) Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng plans to meet with US officials in Kuala Lumpur from Oct. 24 to 27 for the next round of trade talks, aimed at defusing a standoff between the world’s two largest economies. The meeting will take place in the Malaysian capital to “discuss important issues” in the bilateral trade ties, the Commerce Ministry said in a Thursday statement. He, Beijing’s top trade negotiator, held a call with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week ahead of the planned in-person summit.3) Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo sought to cast State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani as a frontrunner unprepared to actually be mayor of the largest US city in the final debate before New York City’s mayoral election. Mamdani, the 34-year-old Queens state lawmaker and democratic socialist, shocked New York City’s establishment when he won the Democratic primary for mayor in June, besting Cuomo by more than 12 points in a race where nearly every poll predicted Cuomo would win. The debate comes as some Republicans and prominent donors are calling upon GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, to exit the race in order to help improve Cuomo’s odds against Mamdani.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Netflix shares fell in premarket trading on Wednesday after the streaming-video company reported third-quarter results it said were hurt by a tax dispute with Brazil. The results came in the wake of reports that Netflix and Comcast are among the companies weighing bids for parts of Warner Bros Discovery. Warner's board will evaluate “a broad range” of options, including a planned split-up of the company by mid-2026, an outright sale or separate deals for its studios and streaming or cable-TV units, according to a statement Tuesday. Separately, shares of Texas Instruments fell after the chipmaker gave an outlook that is weaker than expected, indicating that some customers are slowing orders as they navigate mounting trade tensions.2) Anthropic PBC is in discussions with Alphabet Inc.’s Google about a deal that would provide the artificial intelligence company with additional computing power valued in the high tens of billions of dollars, according to people familiar with the matter. The plan, which has not been finalized, involves Google providing cloud computing services to Anthropic, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the information is private. The deal will allow Anthropic to use Google’s tensor processing units, or TPUs — the company’s chips that are custom designed to accelerate machine learning workloads, one of the people said. Google is a previous investor in, and cloud provider for, Anthropic.3) President Trump predicted an upcoming meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, would yield a “good deal” on trade — while also conceding that the highly anticipated talks may not happen. While Trump foresaw the sit-down as being “very successful,” he said the possibility remains that it could fail to materialize. The two leaders are scheduled to meet later this month at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump signed a landmark pact with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to boost America’s access to rare earths and other critical minerals, an effort to counter China’s tight grip on the supply chains of key metals. The two governments will jointly invest in a swathe of mines and processing projects in Australia to boost production of commodities used in advanced technologies from electric vehicles to semiconductors and fighter planes. Australia has an $8.5 billion “pipeline that we have ready to go,” Albanese said at a meeting between the two leaders at the White House.2) Small businesses are urging the US Supreme Court to affirm lower court rulings that President Trump's global tariffs amount to a massive illegal tax on American companies. The justices are set to hear arguments on whether Trump legally issued the tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law that gives the president financial tools to address national security, foreign policy and economic emergencies.3) Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he will wait until President Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming weeks before deciding to whether to bring legislation on Russia sanctions to a vote. The bill would give Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 500% on imports from countries that buy Russian energy products and are not actively supporting Ukraine. This specifically targets major consumers of Russian energy, such as China and India.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Israel said it had resumed a truce with Hamas in Gaza after heavy fighting over the weekend, with the sides accusing each other of breaching a deal brokered by President Trump. Around 9:30 p.m. Israel time on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said it had “begun renewed enforcement of the ceasefire” and warned it would “respond firmly to any violation.” Israel launched strikes against Hamas in Gaza and suspended aid shipments on Sunday after blaming the Iran-backed militant group for an ambush that killed two soldiers in the southern part of the strip. The IDF said it responded by hitting weapons-storage facilities and other sites. It also said it dismantled several kilometers of underground tunnels.2) President Trump listed rare earths, fentanyl and soybeans as the US’s top issues with China just before the two sides return to the negotiating table and as a fragile trade truce nears expiration. Trump also said the US wanted China “to stop with the fentanyl,” a reference to his accusation that Beijing has failed to curb exports of the drug and its precursor chemicals, contributing to the American opioid crisis. Another key demand was for the world’s No. 2 economy to resume soybean purchases. The three topics were all “very, you know, normal things,” he added.3) Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party will sign a coalition deal with the Japan Innovation Party later Monday, according to the smaller party’s leader, a move that would set up Sanae Takaichi to become the country’s first female prime minister. The LDP and the JIP, also known as Ishin, have broadly reached an agreement and will announce the deal at 6 p.m., Hirofumi Yoshimura, Ishin’s co-leader told reporters, after speaking with Takaichi earlier in the day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to earnings from Tesla and Netflix. In the UK – a look ahead to European bank earnings. In Asia – a look ahead to a meeting between President Donald Trump and Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump said he would hold a second meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin “within two weeks or so” aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Trump and Putin agreed to meet in Budapest during a two-hour phone call on Thursday. Later, Trump expressed optimism that the summit could result in a ceasefire breakthrough even though an August meeting in Alaska failed to yield one. The conversation took place a day before Trump’s White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday, who has pressed the US president to sell his country long-range Tomahawk missiles that can strike deeper into Russian territory.2) Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo sparred over experience and integrity in a heated New York City mayoral debate, while Republican Curtis Sliwa took aim at both rivals. Cuomo attacked Mamdani’s policies as radical, while Mamdani hit back over the former governor’s pandemic handling and harassment allegations. With the presence of President Trump looming large, candidates also clashed over public safety, antisemitism, and political credibility.3) Three weeks into the federal government shutdown, President Trump has avoided direct involvement in talks to end the stalemate, despite Democratic calls for him to lead negotiations. Republican leaders continue to resist linking health care subsidies to any funding deal, while the administration pushes forward with unilateral budget cuts and federal layoffs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump said he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to take covert action in Venezuela, citing the flow of drugs and illegal migrants into the US. Trump stated that Venezuelan leaders had "emptied their prisons in to the United States of America" and "we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela".2) A federal judge in California froze the Trump administration's latest round of layoffs, saying the move is likely "illegal and in excess of authority." The judge issued a temporary restraining order to block terminations nationwide that were started last week and ordered the administration to provide a full accounting of all employees laid off and planned future layoffs.3) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the possibility of extending a pause of import duties on Chinese goods for longer than three months exists if China halts its plan for strict new export controls on rare-earth elements. The US and China have agreed to a series of 90-day truces, with the next deadline looming in November, and economists describe the latest moves by both sides as attempts to stack up bargaining chips ahead of a likely leaders’ meeting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump said he might stop trade in cooking oil with China, injecting fresh tensions into the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Trump on Tuesday cast the potential move as retaliation against Beijing for its refusal to buy American soybeans, which he said “is an Economically Hostile Act” that is purposefully “causing difficulty for our Soybean Farmers.” China remains well supplied with the oilseed, largely thanks to South American purchases. 2) President Trump pledged to release a list of federal programs slated for cuts later this week, the White House’s latest threat to slash the federal bureaucracy and put pressure on Democrats to end the impasse over the shutdown. The threat is the latest effort from the White House to make the shutdown — now in its 14th day — as painful as possible for Democrats. It also marks another end-run by the administration around Congress, which determines how federal funds are spent. The White House has already terminated more than 4,000 federal workers and suspended funding for clean energy and transportation programs in Democratic-run states, escalating the standoff with Democrats.3) Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled the central bank may stop shrinking its balance sheet in the coming months, an important shift necessary to preserve liquidity in overnight funding markets. The Fed chair also indicated labor-market prospects continue to worsen, a message that supports investors’ expectations for another interest-rate cut this month. Fed officials have been winding down the central bank’s balance sheet since 2022 — a process known as quantitative tightening — reversing trillions of dollars of asset purchases designed to stimulate the economy after the pandemic struck. Earlier this year, the Fed slowed the pace by reducing the amount of bond holdings it lets roll off every month.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) China has signaled it’s keeping communication channels open with the US after a series of tit-for-tat moves that intensified a confrontation between the world’s two biggest economies. The Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday reiterated “the door is open” to talks even as it defended China’s decision to implement export curbs on rare earths amid escalating trade tensions in recent weeks. The remarks came just hours after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Beijing had failed to respond to US inquiries over the weekend following China’s announcement of export controls on products containing traces of certain rare earths. It marked China’s first major attempt to exercise long-arm jurisdiction over foreign companies that target the chip industry.2) President Trump used a one-day tour of Israel and Egypt to soak in the praise from fellow leaders and lay out a vision for broader Middle East peace after the success of US-led mediation efforts to end the fighting in Gaza. Yet the nascent ceasefire remains fragile, with many key details left to be worked out. Trump said food and aid has begun to flow into Gaza, which has been devastated by the conflict. “Numerous countries of great wealth” have pledged reconstruction funds, Trump added, though he did not name them. 3) House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is calling Democrats in his chamber back to Washington Tuesday - the 14th day of the government shutdown - despite GOP leadership nixing votes, according to a Democratic lawmaker and two leadership aides. House Republican leaders announced Friday that the chamber will stay out, after originally having been scheduled to be in session. This is the third week in a row Johnson has canceled votes, keeping House lawmakers in their districts amid the government shutdown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Hamas freed seven living Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip on Monday morning, following a US-led deal reached late last week. The Palestinian militant group released them to the International Committee of the Red Cross and they were then passed over to the Israeli military. The rest of the living hostages, 13 in total, are expected to be freed later in the day. Around 10 a.m. Israel time, the Israeli military said the Red Cross is on its way to an additional meeting point in the southern Gaza Strip, where several more hostages will be handed over. The release of the first hostages came just before President Trump’s arrival in Israel for a Middle East trip to celebrate the ceasefire deal clinched last week, also with Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish mediation. Trump has said the agreement should end the devastating two-year conflict in Gaza.2) President Trump’s administration signaled openness Sunday to a deal with China to quell fresh trade tensions while also warning that recent export controls announced by Beijing were a major barrier to talks. Vice President JD Vance called on Beijing to “choose the path of reason” in the latest spiraling trade fight between the world’s two leading economies, claiming that Trump has more leverage if the fight drags on. Trump later posted a statement that hinted at a possible off-ramp for Chinese President Xi Jinping while issuing a veiled threat that a full trade war would wound China.3) President Trump said he is directing the Defense Department to use funds his administration has identified to deliver paychecks to US troops on Oct. 15 despite the ongoing government shutdown. More than a quarter of a million federal employees missed scheduled paychecks this week, with another 2 million expected to go without pay by next week, which would be the third week of the shutdown. Under current law, US troops aren’t guaranteed backpay during a shutdown, unlike civilian employees. The Pentagon’s next military payday, Oct. 15, was shaping up as a key pressure point in the ongoing standoff between Republicans and Democrats over a stopgap spending measure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to earnings for U.S banks. In the UK – a look ahead to the annual New Energy Finance summit in London. We also focus on a conversation with Citadel CEO Ken Griffin from Citadel’s securities conference on gold.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Israel’s cabinet approved a deal that will see Hamas free all remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for around 2,000 prisoners, a major step toward ending a two-year war that’s killed tens of thousands of people and destabilized the wider Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition gave its approval overnight, around a day after negotiators for the warring sides reached an agreement in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. The deal is based on a plan unveiled by US President Donald Trump late last month and followed days of talks mediated by the Americans, as well as Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.2) Congressional leaders continued to blame the other party for the US government shutdown as President Trump doubled down on his threats to use the stalemate, now entering its tenth day, to make sweeping cuts to Democratic priorities and the federal bureaucracy. There was no sign of progress as government workers and military personnel prepare for missed paychecks and the general public begins to feel the effects of the closure on everything from taxpayer services to air travel. 3) New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia, making her the second of President Trump’s perceived political enemies to be criminally charged in two weeks. James was charged with one count of alleged bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution. The indictment made public on Thursday follows allegations from Trump administration officials that James engaged in mortgage fraud.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.