Afternoon Edition

House races to end government shutdown as political pressure spikes

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 Maya Sutton | Daily Brief Editor Standard Politics

The House is back in session today for a decisive vote that could end the 2026 government shutdown — a standoff that has already hit Defense, State, Treasury, Health, and Education. Speaker Mike Johnson faces a procedural gauntlet as Republicans and Democrats clash over DHS funding tied to Trump-era ICE operations. If the impasse drags on, furloughs deepen.

Top Stories

Prediction markets explode as shutdown drags on

Betting markets Polymarket and Kalshi are surging with millions in live trades as bettors wager on how long the shutdown will last. Current sentiment: a sizable bloc expects four to five more days before a deal lands.

Sources: Delaware Online

Russia resumes major strikes across Ukraine

After a brief pause, Russian forces launched new waves of drone and missile attacks — including Zircon missiles — hitting Kyiv, Kharkiv, and other regions. The escalation follows a short moratorium on energy‑infrastructure strikes.

Sources: Wikipedia

U.S.–Iran tensions spike in the Middle East

An Iranian Shahed‑139 drone approached the USS Abraham Lincoln before being shot down by an American F‑35. Meanwhile, IRGC Navy gunboats attempted to seize a U.S. tanker in the Strait of Hormuz — the tanker ignored demands and continued under U.S. escort.

Sources: Wikipedia

Epstein files continue to detonate across U.S. politics

Newly released DOJ files contain hundreds of references to President Trump, along with uncorroborated allegations and internal FBI summaries. The tranche also includes international references and claims Epstein made about foreign leaders. The political fallout is only beginning.

Sources: The Times Of India

Tech sector braces for structural shakeups

From SpaceX consolidating AI and satellite infrastructure to warnings about power constraints, export controls, and cloud reliability, today’s tech landscape is shifting underfoot. AI remains the engine — but energy, semiconductors, and regulation are now the real bottlenecks.

Sources: Tech Startups

Quick Hits

High-yield savings accounts — remain strong, with top APYs still around 5.00% as the Fed holds steady. [Source]
Australian Open drama: — Amanda Anisimova pushes back on “clickbait” political questions, asserting her right to stay out of U.S. political discourse. [Source]
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison — accuses the White House of turning immigration enforcement into “politics and retribution,” calling the situation a constitutional crisis. [Source]

By The Numbers

#17.7M+

Trade volume on Polymarket tied to shutdown‑length bets.

View Source

5+ federal agents

directly impacted by the shutdown’s funding freeze.

View Source

Multiple Zircon missiles

launched in today’s Russian strike wave.

View Source

Bottom Line

Washington is in a pressure cooker, global tensions are rising on multiple fronts, and the Epstein files are reshaping political narratives in real time. The shutdown vote is the hinge point of the day — everything else is orbiting around it.

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