Air travel in the United States is grinding to a halt as the government shutdown enters its sixth week. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that flights will be cut by up to 10% at 40 major airports, and could reach 20% if the impasse continues. More than 3,200 flights were canceled on Sunday, with over 10,000 delays. The FAA cites severe shortages of air traffic controllers, many working without pay, as the reason for the cuts.
Duffy said, “You’re going to see air travel reduced to a trickle” ahead of Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Lawmakers are scrambling to finalize a deal to reopen the government, which has been shut down for 40 days, costing the economy hundreds of millions daily.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan agreement to end the shutdown is “within reach.” The Senate advanced a package funding key departments through January 30 and guaranteeing a December vote on Affordable Care Act subsidies. The deal reverses layoffs of federal workers and restores food assistance programs. Eight Democrats joined Republicans in a test vote, signaling the first major breakthrough since October. House approval and President Trump’s signature are still required, but leaders hope to resolve the crisis before Thanksgiving.
On a different note, Tucker Carlson stunned viewers with a bizarre claim in a new documentary clip: he says he was “physically mauled” by a demon while sleeping next to his wife and four dogs. Carlson described waking up unable to breathe, finding bleeding claw marks on his ribs and shoulder. He insists the scars remain and calls the experience “transformative,” saying it sparked an intense desire to read the Bible.
Skeptics question the story, but Carlson maintains, “I know what happened to me”.
In sports, two Major League Baseball pitchers from the Cleveland Guardians – Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz – face federal charges for sports betting and money laundering conspiracy. Prosecutors allege they took bribes to rig pitches, enabling bettors to win over $460,000 on insider wagers. Ortiz was arrested in Boston; Clase remains abroad. If convicted, they face up to 65 years in prison. MLB has placed both players on leave and pledged full cooperation with investigators.
Weather alerts dominate the Southeast as record cold grips Florida. Miami could see lows near 48°F on Tuesday, challenging a century-old record. Wind chills will dip into the 40s, and iguanas may fall from trees as temperatures stun the cold-blooded reptiles. The Arctic front follows a weekend of near-90°F highs, marking the sharpest November temperature drop in years. Conditions will ease by midweek, but forecasters warn of rip currents and hazardous seas until Wednesday.
Across the Atlantic, the BBC reels from a leadership crisis. Director-General Tim Davie and News Chief Deborah Turness resigned after revelations that a documentary misleadingly edited Donald Trump’s January 6 speech. The program spliced remarks to suggest he urged supporters to “fight like hell” and march on the Capitol, omitting his call for peaceful protest. Critics accuse the broadcaster of systemic bias, while Trump celebrated the resignations, calling the BBC “corrupt.” The corporation faces parliamentary scrutiny and promises reforms to restore trust.
In Washington, a new visa directive sparks outrage: foreigners with chronic conditions such as obesity or diabetes may now be denied entry to the U.S. The State Department cable cites potential “public charge” concerns, arguing these applicants could burden healthcare resources. Officers are instructed to assess lifetime medical costs and financial capacity. Immigration advocates warn the policy is discriminatory and grants consular staff excessive discretion without medical expertise.
Social trends show a sharp shift: transgender identification among young Americans has halved since 2023. Surveys of 60,000 college students reveal only 3.6% now identify as non-binary, down from 6.8% two years ago. Analysts link the decline to changing cultural norms and improved mental health, noting similar drops in queer and bisexual identities. Researchers say this could mark the first reversal of progressive lifestyle trends in decades.
Finally, thousands of gay Russians are fleeing Putin’s crackdown and finding refuge in Argentina. Since Moscow expanded its “gay propaganda” law, asylum applications have surged 42%. Buenos Aires offers legal protections, mental health support, and language programs for newcomers.
“Here, I can finally breathe without fear,” said one recent arrival.
Spain and the U.S. have also seen spikes in LGBTQ asylum claims, though integration challenges persist.
