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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Thu Oct 2 2025

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

It's Friday Jr.!🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. Meet the once-extinct puppies.

Quick look at Thursday's top stories:

•	It's been a tough year to be a federal worker.
•	Iconic wildlife conservationist Jane Goodall has died at 91.
•	Swiftie "showgirls": it's your time to shine. ✨

Federal workers face new layoffs

Amid a government shutdown, many federal employees are furloughed without pay and facing a potential new round of layoffs.

A difficult year for federal workers: The Trump administration began the year with sweeping labor cuts, and federal civil servants have also endured constant ridicule of their worth by the president's allies.

•	With the shutdown, a new set of challenges. Now, a government shutdown means the furlough of close to 750,000 federal workers and the shuttering of a slew of key programs.
•	Mass federal layoffs could be here. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought told House Republicans in a private call on Oct. 1 that mass layoffs of federal workers could begin as soon as Thursday amid a government shutdown. The White House did not elaborate on which federal departments could be affected or how many workers could be fired.
•	Is this moving Trump's agenda forward? Vought framed the shutdown as an opportunity for the administration to achieve its goal of reducing the federal workforce.

Are you a federal worker? Know if you can file for unemployment benefits.

Remembering Jane Goodall

'Every single day we live, we make some sort of impact on the world. Most of us can choose what sort of impact we make.'

~ Legendary conservationist Jane Goodall to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, during a stop on her speaking tour in September.

•	Goodall passed away at 91 on Wednesday. Among other discoveries, her research on chimpanzees shattered the mainstream scientific belief that only humans made and used tools.
•	A legacy of exploration: See photos of Jane Goodall's life.

British ethologist and primatologist Jane Goodall poses with her mascott "Mister H" during a photo session on Oct.18, 2024 in Paris.

JOEL SAGET, AFP via Getty Images

More news to know now

•	Tennessee is set to execute a woman for the first time in over 200 years.
•	Trump's winning streak at the Supreme Court is about to get tested.
•	Fact Check: Can undocumented immigrants get "free health care" or Medicaid?
•	Book censorship in U.S. schools has become "rampant and common."

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Meet the radio host storming American politics

Charlamagne Tha God – who reaches over 7 million monthly "The Breakfast Club" listeners – gets "the tea." The 47-year-old has emerged as one of America's most prominent political pundits, beefing with President Donald Trump and predicting Joe Biden's 2024 downfall. Would Charlamagne himself ever consider politics? In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, he said "no," — before admitting "that don't mean no."

Radio host Charlamagne Tha God turned into a political force.

Emma Rose Milligan, for USA TODAY / Alan Nguyen

Key US economic data is in limbo

Barring a quick resolution to the partial government shutdown, the U.S. jobs report will not be released as expected on Oct. 3, leaving the Federal Reserve without one of its critical data points as officials weigh future interest rate decisions. The shutdown has forced the Bureau of Labor Statistics, along with other federal agencies, to furlough employees while also pausing data collection and dissemination. A prolonged shutdown could also postpone the bureau's next Consumer Price Index report, a major benchmark for inflation, expected Oct. 15. Without the BLS' closely watched data on jobs and prices, the rate-setting committee would need to rely on private sector reports and alternative data sources.

Today's talkers

•	We can't stop looking at Selena Gomez's wedding posts.
•	Cardi B and Nicki Minaj are beefing again.
•	US gymnast Skye Blakely is back 15 months after tearing her Achilles.
•	This is the ultimate tailgating chair.

See inside 'The Life of a Showgirl'

It's time for the Swifties to shine. Thousands of fans are lining up in New York City to celebrate Taylor Swift's upcoming album "The Life of a Showgirl" at Spotify's "dazzling" three-day immersive experience. "The Life of a Showgirl: A Spotify Experience" invites fans to find easter eggs as they explore scenes inspired by Swift's 12th album. See inside the experience and learn all the clues USA TODAY found.

'Showgirl' drops tonight at 12:00 a.m. EDT! USA TODAY has Swifties covered 🔶

•	Friday's album release will be followed by Swift's late-night TV appearances, a music video drop for "The Fate of Ophelia" and weekend screenings of her 89-minute movie "Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" in theaters.
•	Style your perfect "Showgirl"-inspired outfit.
•	Elizabeth Taylor's personal assistant says "she would've loved Taylor Swift."
•	Are "Reputation" vault tracks coming?
•	Follow USA TODAY Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West for updates and analysis.

Fans enjoy Spotify's dazzling immersive "The Life of a Showgirl" experience in New York City

Olivia LiCalzi / Spotify

Photo of the day: Dodgers machine dispatches Reds

The Los Angeles Dodgers disposed of the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night, 8-4, sweeping the two-game wild card series at Dodger Stadium. Now LA meets the Philadelphia Phillies in a best-of-five series beginning Saturday night.

Mlb Wildcard Cincinnati Reds At Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Enrique Hernandez (8) celebrates after hitting an RBI double game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs on Wednesday.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.