October 6, 2025

Good morning.

Today, mediators from the US, Israel, and Hamas will meet in Cairo, Egypt, in hopes of finalizing a ceasefire deal. Negotiations are expected to last a couple of days, following Hamas’s agreement over the weekend to release all hostages in Gaza. Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned 14 hours after naming his new cabinet. Back in the US, a surreal moment awaits the FBI: Ex-Director James Comey will be arraigned this week — and some agents are allegedly taking sides on the “showy” arrest plans. On Capitol Hill, the government shutdown has entered its sixth day, but that isn’t stopping Bill Nye “the Science Guy” from taking action. While he works to save zero-gravity missions, here’s what else is making headlines on Earth…

— Maria Corpus / Editor / Madison, WI

What's Happening

US News

A Midnight Raid, Protests, and More Troops

What's going on: Over the weekend, the Trump administration announced it would send 300 National Guard troops to Chicago, escalating an already volatile immigration crackdown. The move followed a tense Saturday, when Border Patrol agents shot an allegedly armed woman protester and released chemical irritants at more than 100 demonstrators. ICE agents in the city have also faced accusations of abuse, including zip-tying children during a raid on an apartment complex. The Trump administration says the troops are needed to counter “lawlessness” and attacks on agents. However, Chicago’s mayor called ICE’s tactics “abusive,” and Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) rejected the deployment outright: “There is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois.” 

What it means: Chicago joins a growing list of blue-leaning cities in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it has already made about 900 arrests in the city since early September, ranging from alleged immigration violations to drug and weapons crimes. But the crackdown (and the troops’ presence) goes beyond the Windy City. Last night, a federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment of additional troops to Oregon for the second time. This comes after the Trump administration ordered federalized members of California’s National Guard to Portland, and after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called up to 400 Texas National Guard members for deployment, including to Chicago and Portland.

Related: ICE Plans To Build Up Its Media Surveillance Team (Wired)

Politics

It's SCOTUS Season

What's going on: As the Supreme Court kicks off a new term today, it will hear cases that could reset the boundaries of presidential power — and directly test some of President Trump’s boldest moves. That includes his push to revive sweeping tariffs, even after two lower courts said he overstepped his emergency powers. He’s also trying to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook and challenge birthright citizenship — two efforts that take aim at long-standing norms. The Court’s conservative majority has often backed the president, though experts tell The Washington Post the justices may try to sidestep the image of being “Trump enablers.”

Tell me more: Beyond Trump’s agenda, this term is packed with fights over redistricting, campaign money, and voting rights. On Tuesday, the justices will hear whether Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors violates free speech or protects kids from harm — a ruling that could impact more than 20 states. The Court will also weigh bans on trans athletes and revisit a voting rights case that could alter how lawmakers draw majority-minority districts, potentially shifting the power of Black and Latino voters. Once again, the Court sits at the center of America’s fiercest debates and culture wars.

Related: Congress’s Latest Member Is in Limbo After Demanding Epstein Answers (The Guardian)

Lifestyle

Americans Are Having a Field Day, Literally

What's going on: In the bland adult world of picking up dry cleaning, budgeting, and reading about institutional reform because it’s trendy (hello, Abundance-heads), any hint of childhood fun feels like a burst of sunshine. Enter: adult field day. Picture the best day of elementary school — water balloon fights, tug-of-war, capture the flag, and endless laughter — now upgraded for grown-ups. Players trade Capri Sun for LaCroix and White Claw, but the games and the joy are just as real. Field days are popping up everywhere, from birthday celebrations to bachelorette parties, with one Salt Lake City event drawing over 350 competitors and 100 spectators.

What it means: After the COVID-19 lockdown and amid a loneliness epidemic, people are craving connection that doesn’t involve standing around a bar making small talk. Data backs this up — there were more brewery closings than openings over the past 18 months, for the first time in over 20 years. Yes, creative adults are taking the drinking games outside and away from the booth (a friendlier space for the sober curious as well). Field days offer nostalgia, teamwork, and cardio disguised as fun. It’s all about reclaiming play — running like Phoebe Buffay and maybe taking the competition a bit too seriously. Please, let’s just keep the wheelbarrow race in elementary school where it belongs.

Related: Everyone’s Obsessed With Being “Intentional” With Their Time (NYT Gift Link)

Settle This

Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl is already having the second-biggest sales week in US history. But who's still number one on the list?

Game Time

Wake your brain up this Monday with a game of Flipart. Just rotate the pieces to fit within the frame and get ready to feel the rush when they all fall into place. Get into it.