In today’s newsletter: Federal workers clamor for an end to the shutdown as they go without pay. The United States and China are expected to reach a trade deal, a top official says. And Jamaica braces for catastrophic Hurricane Melissa.
Here’s what to know today.
Largest federal workers union calls for an end to the shutdown
The country’s largest federal workers union is calling for lawmakers to pass a short-term spending measure to end the government shutdown immediately, urging Democrats to abandon their current position and join Republicans in supporting a stopgap solution.
This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
“It’s time for our leaders to start focusing on how to solve problems for the American people,” American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley wrote in a statement first shared with NBC News.
“Because when the folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren’t looking for partisan spin,” he added.
The statement could increase pressure on Senate Democrats, who have insisted that they won’t vote to reopen the government without a commitment from their counterparts on expanding expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
AFGE represents 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers across almost every agency. The group is suing the Trump administration on several fronts connected to the shutdown, including mass layoffs and out-of-office email messages blaming Democrats for the impasse.
More on the shutdown:
- The Agriculture Department posted a new message on its website saying SNAP food assistance will halt beginning Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown, blaming Democrats for the lapse.
- With premiums set to rise, some Americans are debating whether to forgo health insurance and pay in cash for care. Here’s what experts have to say.
U.S. and China agree to a trade deal 'framework,' treasury secretary says
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to reach a deal to avert a new 100% U.S. tariff on Chinese goods, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said following talks with Beijing’s top trade negotiator.
On NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Bessent said a “framework” is ready for a meeting between Trump and Xi that is intended to avoid the harsher tariffs starting Nov. 1 should Beijing move forward with plans to put restrictions on rare earth minerals.
Trump arrived in Malaysia on Sunday for a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, his first stop in a five-day Asia tour that is expected to culminate Thursday in a face-to-face with Xi in South Korea.
Hurricane Melissa closes in on Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa intensified to a powerful Category 5 storm early Monday as forecasters warned it would cause catastrophic flash flooding, life-threatening landslides and extremely strong winds across the Caribbean.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami urged people in Jamaica to go to their shelters and stay there during the storm, as Jamaican officials warned that some communities may not survive the “catastrophic” flash floods.
Melissa is set to make landfall on Jamaica early Tuesday and is forecasted to become the most powerful storm to hit the region since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, bringing between 15 and 30 inches of rain to Jamaica, as well as extreme winds, extensive infrastructure damage and life-threatening storm surge along Jamaica's southern coast, the NHC said.
Track the latest forecast here.
The Chiefs' offense is the best it’s been in years
After a slow start to the season, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense is finally starting to resemble what it did during the height of their dynastic run, posing a threat to the rest of the league.
Patrick Mahomes has his best passer rating since 2022, and is also on pace for his most passing touchdowns since that season. The Chiefs have also scored at least 28 points in each of their last four games — the first time they’ve done so since 2021.
“We have a lot of weapons. We have a lot of guys and they all love each other, and they want each other to succeed,” Mahomes said after a 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7.
Read about the factors contributing to their turnaround.
More football news:
- Nick Mangold, one of the New York Jets’ most popular and decorated players, died at 41, less than two weeks after announcing he had kidney disease.
- LSU has fired coach Brian Kelly midway through his fourth season — and it could cost them $54 million.
- Aaron Rodgers’ first game against his former team was upstaged by the man who replaced him, as Jordan Love led the Packers to a 35-25 victory against the Steelers.
Read All About It
- A man donned what appeared to be a full Nazi uniform and assaulted a female University of Georgia student outside an off-campus bar, the school said.
- One week after four thieves swept through the Louvre, the first arrests were made in a case that exposed critical security weaknesses and wounded French pride.
- Five crew members were rescued after a Navy Seahawk helicopter and a Super Hornet fighter jet went down in the South China Sea a half-hour apart in separate incidents, the Navy’s Pacific Fleet said.
Staff Pick: Want to run the world's top marathons? Good luck getting in
Running is having a moment. I, like millions of others, caught the bug over the last few years and quickly learned that the physical challenges aren’t the only hurdles in the sport. Securing a spot in the races can be even harder than finishing.
After running the New York City Marathon last year, I wondered how the biggest races in the world were handling skyrocketing demand and scaling their businesses. I talked to race directors around the world to find out.
— Ben Goggin, Deputy Tech Editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Hair feeling fried? These are the best flat irons that our NBC Select editors recommend — whether you’re after pin-straight styles or frizz control. And if you’re looking to soften hard water damage, a filtered showerhead might be the upgrade your scalp (and skin) actually needs.
Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.
Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Kayla Hayempour. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.