Roughly 1.4 million federal workers have gone unpaid as the shutdown reaches Day 28, and as no signs emerge of lawmakers reaching a deal to fund the government. CBS News' Nikole Killion has more from Capitol Hill.

Washington

Approximately 1.4 million federal workers are not receiving pay due to an ongoing government shutdown, which has reached its 28th day. Additionally, 40 million Americans face the imminent cutoff of SNAP food assistance benefits, prompting widespread calls for Congress to resolve the deadlock.

Lawmakers from both parties acknowledge the hardship but remain divided on the solution. Democrats are pushing for measures to increase affordability, particularly in health care, while Republicans emphasize the need to fund the government before addressing other issues. Aid organizations like World Central Kitchen are providing meals to furloughed workers as Congress debates temporary funding measures and longer-term appropriations.

Pressure to end shutdown rises as federal workers go unpaid

Roughly 1.4 million federal workers are not being paid during the government shutdown, and now 40 million Americans are set to lose access to food assistance this Saturday when SNAP benefits are cut off. People across the country are asking Congress to stop the shutdown, which is now, if you can believe it, in its 28th day. I would like to tell Congress right now to think about the people who it is affecting. We are human beings with families, with lives, and we have bills that just will not stop. I think it is the breaking point, and so something has to happen and something has to give. People are scared. It's a moment where people don't know and understand what's about to happen, whether or not they'll get those benefits should the government open back up or when. This should not be a political issue. This should be a human privilege to be fed. CBS News Congressional Correspondent Nicole Killian has been following all of this for the last month from Capitol Hill and joins me now. So, Nicole, the USDA says it won't tap into a contingency fund that was specifically organized for SNAP benefits, but organizations like the World Central Kitchen, who deploy to war zones and natural disasters, are delivering free meals to furloughed federal workers. What kind of a message does this send to Congress? Well, it obviously sends a message that people are hurting, people are feeling the pain, and people are going without, and certainly many members of Congress are aware of that. And in the case of Democrats, they feel like they are fighting for just that, greater affordability for Americans, particularly around the health care issue. That's why they have made this fight about health care, trying to lower the cost of premiums by calling for an extension of these subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, calling for a rollback of Medicaid cuts that were passed under Republicans' mega bill earlier this summer, and also making sure that funds that Congress approves are spent and not clawed back from the White House. So, broadly speaking, that's what Democrats say they continue to fight for. Republicans, for their part, continue to say yes, but the key to making sure everybody's needs are met are simply to fund the government full stop. And yes, we can have those conversations after the government reopens. So no lawmaker up here disagrees with the need that is out there, but what they do disagree on is how to reopen the government, and that's why we were sitting here some 28 days later without a resolution. So, Nicole, if the continuing resolution does pass, if it only fund the government for a few weeks, I mean, does that impact the way Congress is thinking about it? Well, you know, the time and the calendar is critical here in all of this, because to your point, even if, let's say, a group of Democrats breaks and they support this temporary funding bill that was already passed in the House a month ago, it would only fund the government until November 21st. Now, as of now, congressional leaders seem to think that that is still OK from the standpoint that this temporary funding bill was really only designed to give congressional appropriators some additional time to finish work on bills that would fund the government in full for the next fiscal year. So they still believe it's possible to kind of get all those bills cleared, but the closer we get to that November 21st date, it does start to become moot to the point where lawmakers may have to go to the drawing board. Do they extend that deadline, you know, and temporarily fund the government just for a slightly longer period? Do they try to fund it temporarily for the next year, or, you know, are they able to pass these appropriations bills at some point, even in this truncated window? So there is a lot that lawmakers have to figure out in a very short amount of time. Yeah, for sure. All right, Nicole Killian, tracking it all for us on The Hill. Thank you, Nicole.

Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas in eastern Gaza on Thursday (October 30), Palestinian residents and witnesses said, a day after Israel said it remained committed to a U.S.-backed ceasefire despite launching more lethal bombardments in the territory.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israel strikes Gaza after asserting commitment to ceasefire

In the Netherlands, the centrist D66 party looks on course to beat the far right in the national election. Exit polls have predicted Rob Jetten's party will claim victory, which could lead him to become the country's youngest ever prime minister.

Amsterdam

Dutch centrist party wins big in election as far right loses support

President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military on Thursday (October 30) to immediately resume testing nuclear weapons after a gap of 33 years, minutes before beginning a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump tells Pentagon to resume testing U.S. nuclear weapons

President Trump said he's reached a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping that could be signed "very soon." Mr. Trump says the U.S. will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods by 10% as China works to reduce the flow of fentanyl.

Global Tariffs

Trump says he's reached a deal with China's Xi

President Trump will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This is their first face-to-face since Mr. Trump returned to the White House. Jessi Mitchell anchors this Special Report.

Gyeongju-si

Trump, Xi Jinping meet face-to-face in South Korea over trade

The Bank of Canada made a 25-basis-point cut to its key interest rate while governor Tiff Macklem suggested rates will hold where they are as long as inflation stays in the target range of two per cent.

Ottawa

Bank of Canada cuts key interest rate to 2.25%

After leaving Jamaica with widespread power outages and flooding, Melissa caused fatal flooding in Haiti that has killed 25 people and hit Cuba with a storm surge.

Port-au-Prince

Hurricane Melissa causes floods in Haiti, killing at least 25

Fentanyl production tops the agenda as the U.S. and China discuss curbing exports tied to the deadly opioid crisis.

Fentanyl crackdown central in U.S.-China talks

APEC members face economic uncertainty amid rising US-China rivalry—South Korea prepares for potential fallout from high-stakes talks.

U.S.-China trade tensions leave South Korea navigating APEC fallout

President Putin announced that the Poseidon super torpedo was successfully tested and cannot be intercepted, marking a new stage in Russia’s naval capabilities.

Moscow

Russia says its successfully tested nuclear-capable underwater drone

The Justice Department has put D.C. prosecutors on leave after they submitted a court memo describing those who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021 as "rioters." The filing was in a case involving Taylor Taranto, who was part of the Capitol riot and is currently facing unrelated weapons charges.

DOJ sidelines prosecutors over Jan. 6 'rioters' court filing

Sean Grayson, the former Illinois sheriff's deputy who shot and killed Sonya Massey in her home in 2024, was found guilty of second-degree murder.

Illinois

Ex-officer found guilty of murder in Sonya Massey shooting

President Donald Trump is sending America's largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean to help stop small boats he says are transporting drugs to the U.S. Trump says the U.S. is in "armed conflict" with Venezuelan drug cartels.

U.S. masses more naval forces off coast of Venezuela

The U.S. Federal Reserve announced Wednesday that it will lower its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points in its second straight cut.

Fed lowers interest rates by 0.25 percentage points

The police operation was one of the most violent in Brazil’s recent history, with human rights organizations calling for investigations into the deaths.

Rio de Janeiro

Raid on Rio drug trafficking gang leaves at least 64 dead

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday after ripping through Jamaica. CBS News' Jarred Hill has more details.

Havana

Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Cuba after slamming Jamaica

U.S. President Donald Trump landed in South Korea on Wednesday (October 29) for the final leg of his Asia trip, optimistic about striking a trade war truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping after summit talks with South Korea's Lee Jae Myung.

Busan

Trump lands in South Korea, hopes to strike deal with China's Xi

The U.S. Embassy in Mali is urging all American citizens to leave the country immediately, warning of rising terror threats and a worsening fuel crisis caused by a jihadi blockade.

Bamako

U.S. Embassy urges Americans to leave Mali immediately

Israeli planes launched strikes in Gaza on Tuesday (October 28) after Israel accused the militant group Hamas of violating a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory, marking the latest test of a fragile deal brokered earlier this month by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Israel strikes Gaza after accusing Hamas of violating ceasefire

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Tuesday (October 28) that the artificial intelligence chip leader will build seven new supercomputers for the U.S. Department of Energy, and said the company has $500 billion in bookings for its AI chips.

Nvidia will build AI supercomputers for U.S. Energy Department

25 states are suing the Trump administration to stop federal food aid from being suspended amid the government shutdown. All but two of those states, Nevada and Vermont, have a democratic governor.

25 states sue Trump administration over SNAP food stamp funding freeze

A federal judge is ordering a top Border Patrol official in charge of operations in Chicago to give nightly reports to the court after agents were accused of potentially violating limits on their arrest and crowd control tactics.

Chicago

Judge admonishes ICE leader in Chicago after violations

The U.S. military struck four more alleged drug vessels on Monday, killing at least 14 people and leaving one survivor. It marks the 11th time in under two months the U.S. has carried out strikes on vessels allegedly trafficking narcotics.

Caracas

Latest U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats kill at least 14 people

Major League Baseball says it's weighing a ban on all prop betting, which is a wager on an individual player or event that isn't necessarily tied to the outcome.

Los Angeles

MLB weighing ban on all prop betting

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has ordered the military to carry out powerful strikes on the Gaza Strip. This comes after Israel accused Hamas of violating their fragile peace deal by returning the wrong remains of a hostage.

Netanyahu orders strikes on Gaza over wrong hostage remains

Hurricane Melissa, a massive Category 5 storm, made landfall in Jamaica, barreling in from the Atlantic with 185 mph sustained winds, the National Hurricane Center said. CBS News meteorologist Jessica Burch has more.

Kingston

Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica

The ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations and China signed an upgrade to their free trade agreement, which includes sections on digital, the green economy and other new industries, Beijing's Commerce Ministry said.

Kuala Lumpur

China and ASEAN, hit by U.S. tariffs, sign upgraded free trade pact

President Trump met with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday and signed a trade agreement that the countries made over the summer. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio has the latest.

Tokyo

Trump touts trade deals with Japan, heaps praise on new prime minister

Argentina's president, Javier Milei's party, has won a decisive victory in Sunday's mid-term elections. The vote is seen as a support for his economic reforms and drastic austerity measures. In recent weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump had pledged a 40-billion-dollar bailout to bolster Argentina's failing economy and had endorsed Milei publicly.

Buenos Aires

Argentine markets jump after Milei party victory

Venezuela is accusing the U.S. of preparing a false flag attack as the U.S. continues to escalate its military presence in the Caribbean after carrying out multiple deadly strikes on boats the Trump administration said were carrying drugs.

Breakdown