President Zelensky said Russia has moved 15 self-imposed deadlines to capture Ukraine’s Donetsk region since the 2022 invasion, with Moscow obsessively pursuing Donbas; Ukraine’s forces hold their positions and Zelensky warned the deadline would shift again unless Russia ends the war.
Trump has floated a sequence of deadlines and pauses, threatening attacks to force Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and surrender enriched uranium, but repeatedly postponing or canceling strikes as negotiations progress; the 12-week war continues, with allies urging a deal, while domestic inflation climbs as fuel costs surge from Hormuz disruptions.
With the Jan. 30 funding deadline looming, the House must pass four major spending bills (Defense, HHS, Labor/HUD, Transportation/Education) and pair them with the Financial Services and State/Foreign Operations package, then send the six-bill package to the Senate for rapid passage. A narrow House majority and conservative opposition over earmarks and policy tweaks threaten the plan, especially for Homeland Security, while the Senate must move quickly in a tight five-day window. Beyond funding, lawmakers weigh a Clinton contempt vote, a mining ban CRA rollback near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, and a revised crypto bill as they rush to complete the year’s appropriations.
Google Tasks is testing a new feature that allows users to add deadlines to tasks, which can be edited after creation, although the feature is limited to adding due dates without specific times and only visible within the task view, indicating a potential step towards more robust task management capabilities.
Sony is ending its Sony Rewards program, linked to Sony- and PlayStation-branded credit cards, by December 31, 2024. Users must redeem points and submit claims by this date, with physical submissions ending on July 21. This program is separate from the PlayStation Stars loyalty program.
The delay in FAFSA information until mid-March is causing colleges to adjust their admission timelines, with many pushing their commitment deadlines to June or suspending them indefinitely. Some institutions are also extending application deadlines and loosening their deadlines for making formal financial aid offers to accepted students. The delay is expected to have disparate effects on colleges, with those serving more lower-income students being more impacted. Colleges are calling for accountability from the Department of Education and hoping for urgent action to alleviate stressors for families.
The IRS has begun accepting and processing 2023 federal tax returns, with taxpayers having until April 15 to file without an extension. The agency expects to receive nearly 130 million individual tax returns, with electronic filing and direct deposit being the fastest and easiest way to file and receive refunds. Key dates during the tax filing season include Jan. 31 for W-2 and 1099 forms, Feb. 15 for refunds involving certain tax credits, and April 15 as the deadline for most Americans to file their tax returns. Extensions are available, and there are specific deadlines for estimated payments and filing for taxpayers living abroad or on military duty.
Attorneys for Donald Trump and his co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case are seeking to dismiss the case or delay upcoming deadlines. Trump's attorney argues that he is being prosecuted for protected political speech under the First Amendment. Another defendant, Ray Smith, seeks the dismissal of the top racketeering charge, claiming it is too broad. Lawyers for Mark Meadows and Jeffrey Clark are requesting extensions to discovery and pretrial motion deadlines. If any of the motions are granted, specific counts may be dismissed, but the defendants could be re-indicted.
San Francisco has missed a deadline for passing legislation to expedite housing approvals, prompting a standoff with state housing officials. The state is giving the city another 30 days to get the bill on track before potentially revoking its permitting authority or withholding state funds. The bill in question, Mayor London Breed's Constraints Reduction Ordinance, has been repeatedly stalled in committee due to unnecessary amendments. The city is now at risk of falling out of compliance with state law, and community groups are rallying against the legislation. The state housing department is not budging on the deadlines.
The judge overseeing the probe into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents is set to hear arguments on extending deadlines in the case. Trump's legal team has requested a three-month extension, citing a lack of access to significant portions of the classified materials. The judge previously issued a protective order allowing Trump and his lawyers to review the materials in a secure facility. Trump's team has also asked for the trial to be postponed until after the 2024 presidential election. The hearing may provide insight into whether the trial date will be changed. Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 criminal counts related to his handling of classified materials.
FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service have announced their holiday shipping deadlines earlier this year, with UPS yet to announce theirs. For domestic packages, FedEx recommends mailing by December 13th for delivery before Christmas, while USPS suggests December 16th. International shipping dates will vary. The USPS has also confirmed there will be no peak surcharge this holiday season.
This article discusses the multiple looming deadlines in Washington, highlighting the need for action on various legislative fronts. With Congress facing time constraints on issues such as government funding, infrastructure, and voting rights, negotiations and decision-making are crucial in the coming weeks.
Tensions are escalating between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Detroit automakers as the UAW threatens to expand plant strikes amid stalled negotiations. Frustrations are mounting over economic demands and perceived delays in receiving counter proposals from the union. The automakers are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of urgency and availability of UAW President Shawn Fain. The UAW is expected to announce additional strike targets if substantial progress is not made by the Friday deadline. Meanwhile, incidents of confrontations, intimidation, and vandalism have been reported on the picket lines.
Texas lawmakers have filed thousands of bills during the 2023 legislative session, but most of them won't become law. The lawmakers will spend the final weeks before the session ends on May 29 trying to push through their priorities and stopping certain bills from going through by delaying votes and letting them miss key deadlines. If a bill fails, it might still be revived as an amendment to other legislation. Most new laws take effect on September 1.
A study by researchers from the University of Houston, Texas A&M, and the Polytechnic of Milano found that deadlines may not be as stressful as previously believed. The study discovered that high sympathetic activation, which indicates how much people are “on the tips of their toes” and leads to stress, remains about the same with or without deadlines. The only factors found to exacerbate sympathetic activation were extensive smartphone use and prolific reading/writing. Researchers appear to auto-regulate increases in their sympathetic activation by instinctively adjusting the frequency of physical breaks.