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In response to a government shutdown that froze SNAP food benefits for nearly a quarter of a million households, nonprofits GiveDirectly and Propel stepped in with a swift cash aid program. They sent $50 to 246,000 families, totaling $12 million from 5,000 individual donors. Using Propels app, they targeted families with children on maximum SNAP benefits who didnt receive their usual payments. Most recipients chose virtual prepaid cards for instant use, buying groceries right away. The aid helped families like Jade Grant, a nursing assistant in Florida, cover a custom cake for her six-year-olds birthday, and Dianna Tompkins, a gig worker in Indiana, buy milk and bread after her benefits vanished. The quick gifts provided real relief, highlighting the power of small sums in bridging gaps when systems fail.

Justice Department Discovers Over a Million More Epstein Documents, Delaying Release; Midterm Elections Pressure Mounting

A new US-Ukraine peace plan proposes transforming Russian-held areas in eastern Ukraine into free economic zones, potentially breaking the stalemate over the Donbas region. The plan includes strong security guarantees, EU membership for Ukraine, and maintaining Ukraines army at eight hundred thousand troops. Meanwhile, Moscow faces back-to-back bomb attacks, with Ukraine suspected of involvement. Zelenskyy seeks a direct meeting with President-elect Trump to discuss territorial issues and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. The Kremlin awaits details from its envoys Florida talks, with no major breakthroughs yet amid ongoing conflict and a large aerial assault resulting in casualties and power outages.

Christian and gospel music is experiencing a surge in popularity, bucking the trend of declining streams for new releases. According to Luminates midyear report, artists like Forrest Frank, Brandon Lake, and Elevation Worship are attracting a younger, predominantly female and millennial audience. This year, two contemporary Christian songs made it to the Billboard Hot one hundreds all-genre top forty, and secular artists are even landing nominations in Christian categories at the Grammys. The genres evolution, with a focus on quality lyrics and artistry, is driving this rise, along with the ease of discovery through streaming and social media, and a resurgence of faith among millennials and Gen Z.

New unemployment claims in the U.S. dropped last week, staying at healthy levels despite job market soft spots. Applications fell by ten thousand to two hundred fourteen thousand, beating analysts expectations of two hundred thirty-two thousand. The report also showed November added sixty-four thousand jobs, but October saw a loss of one hundred five thousand, mostly from federal workers leaving due to Elon Musks purge. The unemployment rate ticked up to four point six percent last month, the highest since twenty twenty-one. Hiring has slowed, averaging just thirty-five thousand jobs a month since March, compared to seventy-one thousand before. The Fed cut its key rate by a quarter point earlier this month, the third cut in a row. The four-week average of claims eased to two hundred sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty, while continuing claims rose to one point nine two million for the prior week. Companies like UPS, General Motors, Amazon, and Verizon have announced cuts, which will show up in data over time.

Explosion rocks Maiduguri mosque amid ongoing insurgency; no immediate word on casualties or response. Boko Haram, responsible for decades of violence, suspected, but no claim yet. Civilians remain on edge as security forces investigate.