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Now three days into the government shutdown, neither side, Democratic nor Republican, shows signs of giving up ground. The Trump administration has stated that it will take this opportunity to fire federal workers. The GOP-led Senate is expected to vote for the fourth time on partisan stopgap bills. At least seven Democrats are needed to reach the required 60-vote threshold today. So far, only three Senate Democrats have defected to side with Republicans in the votes.
The Labor Department’s monthly report on jobs and unemployment has been postponed by the government shutdown. Typically, the report is released on the first Friday of the month and includes information about how many jobs were added or subtracted from each industry.
The White House sent a letter to several universities this week, pressuring them to sign a formal agreement pledging to support many of President Trump’s policy priorities. This comes after earlier attempts to force changes at top universities by cancelling billions of dollars in research grants. Some of the demands include keeping tuition flat for five years and providing the government with data on international students. In return, schools would get priority access to federal grants.
This is part of a special series, Cumbia Across Latin America, a visual report covering the people, places and cultures that keep this music genre alive in six countries.
Cumbia, one of the most listened to genres in the Americas, originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The genre emerged in the river system of the Mompos Depression, a vast wetland and in a small mountain range known as Montes de María. During the colonization of America in the 16th century, thousands of enslaved people arrived from Africa at the port of Cartagena. Forced to leave their homeland, they brought their music, religious drums and spirituality. Learn more about the birthplace of the genre and view photos of how it has been kept alive. You can also read the article in Spanish.
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Movies: Dwayne Johnson’s new movie, The Smashing Machine, tells the story of Mark Kerr, one of the American pioneers of mixed martial arts. The film highlights the thrill of huge fan support and the physical pain that comes after some fights.
📺 TV: Ethan Hawke stars in The Lowdown as a freelance investigative reporter who tends to meddle in affairs that don’t concern him, which leads him into the seedy actions of one of Tulsa’s most influential families.
📚 Books: Lionel Ritchie shares an intimate and panoramic perspective in Truly: A Memoir, covering key moments from his youth in Tuskegee, Ala., to his work on American Idol.
Read more on Georgia Public Broadcasting
