🗞️Washington Post announces massive layoffs

February 4th, 2026

What happened today 🇺🇸,

• The Washington Post launched massive layoffs cutting roughly one-third of its newsroom staff across nearly all departments, including closing the sports section, books section, podcast operations like Post Reports, and sharply reducing metro and international coverage

• President Trump and China's Xi Jinping held a phone call today which Trump described as "excellent" and emphasized their "extremely good" personal relationship…they discussed boosting U.S. exports with China committing to 20 million metric tons of soybeans this season, potential oil/gas purchases, plus Taiwan reunification, Iran tensions, Ukraine, trade, and Trump's planned April Beijing visit

• The Supreme Court rejected a Republican emergency appeal and ruled to allow California to use its new voter-approved congressional map for the 2026 midterms despite Republicans claims of racial gerrymandering

• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has launched an investigation into Nike alleging the company's DEI programs discriminated against white employees in hiring, promotions, layoffs, internships, and leadership development

• The man convicted of plotting to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course in September 2024, Ryan Routh, was sentenced to life in prison plus seven years today by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon

• The Trump administration's border czar, Tom Homan, announced that the federal government will immediately reduce its immigration enforcement presence in Minnesota by about 700 officers

• Amazon plans to use AI at Amazon MGM Studios to speed up TV and film production by automating tasks and cutting costs while keeping human creativity central

• Texas Instruments announced it will acquire Silicon Labs for $7.5 billion to expand its wireless connectivity portfolio for industrial and consumer uses

• The ADP National Employment Report for January showed the private sector added 22,000 jobs, this was below the expectations of 48,000 and down from December's 37,000 job gain

• DOW up .53% / S&P down .51%

Bonus: A look at the countries with the most spoken languages

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