Good morning! The weekend edition is 742 words, a 3 minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Delphi murder case sentencing

• Average income increases in Africa

• Sleepmaxxing

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Today’s Big Story

Congress Approves Federal Funding Bill

The House of Representatives approved a bipartisan federal funding bill on Friday, hours before the midnight deadline.

• The bill will keep the federal government funded at current levels for three months and also provide disaster relief and farm aid. It passed with strong Democratic support and votes from two-thirds of the present members.

• The bill is now with the Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said his chamber will pass it before midnight. Senators must first vote on changes to the Social Security Fairness Act, which would increase benefits for millions of public sector workers and their families.

• Earlier in the week, former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk criticized an initial funding plan and demanded a two-year suspension of the US debt limit. The proposal, which aimed to allow more borrowing to cover government spending, was rejected by many conservative Republicans and failed in a House vote on Thursday.

• The funding bill’s passage also likely prevented holiday travel delays. TSA employees are expected to work without pay during shutdowns however, many called out during the last holiday-time lockout in 2018.

Saturday’s Quick Hits

• US immigration authorities deported 271,484 undocumented immigrants last fiscal year, the highest number in nearly a decade, surpassing numbers from Donald Trump's first term. Despite pledging to pause deportations in 2021, President Joe Biden expanded them after a surge in border crossings. (See data on page 30 of the full report)

• Richard Allen, 52, was sentenced to 130 years in prison for killing two middle school girls in Delphi, Indiana in 2017. The girls, Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, were found near a hiking trail but their case was unsolved for years. Allen was convicted in November after a four-week trial. (More)

• The FAA has temporarily banned drones in parts of New York City and New Jersey after complaints about unexplained flying objects lighting up the night skies. The restrictions, in place until mid-January, prohibit drone flights over critical infrastructure in central and northern New Jersey, where 9 million residents live. (More)

• The Biden administration will forgive $4.28 billion in student loans for 54,900 public service workers due to fixes in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. This brings Biden's total debt relief to nearly $180 billion for 4.9 million borrowers, the most by any president. (More)

• More than a decade after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared, Malaysia will resume its search for the wreckage. The Boeing 777, carrying 239 people, vanished on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Malaysia will partner with robotics firm Ocean Infinity in the renewed search. (More)

• Party City is shutting down all its stores and laying off employees. Despite emerging from bankruptcy in September 2023 as a private company with reduced debt, the party supply retailer could not overcome its financial difficulties. The company had previously filed for bankruptcy protection due to $1.7 billion in debt. (More)

• Scientists in Peru have discovered 27 new species in the Alto Mayo region, including an amphibious mouse with webbed feet and a distinctive fish species. The expedition, conducted by Conservation International and local indigenous groups, may have found up to 48 additional new species pending further research. (More)

Weekly Dose of Positive

• Nine African countries, including Egypt, Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda, have seen average incomes more than double since 1990. The share of people living in extreme poverty and child mortality rates have also declined.  (More)

• The Senate has passed the HEARTS Act, which funds school CPR and defibrillator training. The bill was championed by NFL player Damar Hamlin, who survived a cardiac arrest during a 2023 game. (More)

• University of Oregon scientists created tiny implantable sensors that monitor bone healing, allowing doctors to customize rehabilitation programs and potentially speed up recovery times. (More)

• In just three years, AI monitoring has cut neonatal and infant deaths by 82% at Malawi's Area 25 health center. The PeriGen software tracks babies' vitals during labor and alerts doctors to issues early. The tech is a game changer for countries with health worker shortages. (More)

Extra Credit

📷️ Awe-inspiring world photos from 2024. 

🐎 Ranking the world’s fastest land animals.

🦸 Watch James Gunn’s Superman teaser trailer.

😴 Learn about Sleepmaxxing, the Internet’s latest trend.