“The so-called ‘quiet quitting’ trend where workers do the basic requirements of a job but refuse to do anything more might be hitting the economy, analysis has found. Over the last decade, Britons have become less engaged with the jobs they do and are less willing to put in extra effort, according to a Resolution Foundation report. The thinktank said this could partly help explain the slump in productivity since the pandemic. ‘This is self-evidently bad for workers, but it also doesn’t bode well for productivity and labour supply, both of which are vital for lifting living standards in the years ahead,’ said Hannah Slaughter, principal economist at the Resolution Foundation. Quiet quitting was popularised on social media shortly after the pandemic. Frustrated by high demands, low pay, and a squeeze in living standards, many online posts said workers should only do what their bosses asked and nothing more.” (11/03/26)
“Sister June Carpenter, one of the last members of the only remaining community of the Shaker religious movement, died Tuesday. She was in her late 80s. Carpenter had been struggling with health problems and limited mobility, according to an announcement from the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in Maine. The announcement said she was born in 1938 but did not give a date. Carpenter was one of two longtime members of the Sabbathday community of Shakers in New Gloucester, Maine, along with Brother Arnold Hadd. A third member joined the community last year. Sabbathday is the last active community in what was once a constellation of Shaker sites founded by the celibate religious movement in the 18th and 19th centuries. A trained librarian, Carpenter was credited with organizing and cataloging the village’s extensive collections of history, writings and other records, making them more accessible to researchers.” (11/03/26)
“Australia’s highest court on Tuesday began hearing constitutional challenges to the nation’s world-first legislation banning children younger than 16 from popular social media platforms. The seven High Court judges began hearing two challenges to the ban that took effect last year on young children holding accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Kick, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch. The first challenge was brought by Sydney-based rights group Digital Freedom Project. They claim the law improperly robs millions of young Australians of a right to freedom of political communication implied in Australia’s constitution. The second challenge comes from U.S. online forum Reddit, which argues the ban raised issues of privacy and political expression.” (11/03/26)
“Bruce Springsteen has a message for Michigan voters, and some of his longtime fans aren’t having it. The rock legend faced criticism from some social media users after backing Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, prompting angry fans to accuse The Boss of crossing a political line. Springsteen, who has never shied away from politics, took aim at President Donald Trump in his endorsement of El-Sayed, portraying the progressive candidate as a defender of American democracy. ‘Dr. El-Sayed is a fighter for our American Constitution, he’s a fighter for our American Democracy, and he’s a fighter against the corrupt, lawless, and anti-American leadership currently in the White House. That’s why I’m in his corner 100%. – Bruce Springsteen,’ he penned on social media. Critics questioned why the New Jersey-born singer was endorsing El-Sayed, given controversies over the candidate’s political associations and positions on Israel.” (11/03/26)
“A district court judge on Monday dismissed a Trump administration case against Harvard University related to admissions data, saying the government had not satisfied the requirements for a court order for the records. The administration sued Harvard in February, claiming the university had failed to provide records to ensure it was complying with a Supreme Court ruling banning affirmative action in college admissions. Harvard was a defendant in the Supreme Court case. The Justice and Education departments have launched numerous investigations into whether universities continue to consider race in admissions despite the 2023 ruling. Harvard has said it followed civil rights laws and provided data.” (11/02/26)
“Hackers who stole a record $6.3bn (£4.7bn) from Binance used fake job interviews and a compromised internal AI tool, the firm has revealed. Initial findings published by the company, which operates the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, said hackers gained access to its systems through a ‘sophisticated, multi-stage campaign’. It said they used a range of techniques such as malicious software downloads to compromise the computers of Binance engineers and gain control over tools to drain its wallet of billions of dollars worth of crypto. Binance called it ‘a serious and highly sophisticated security incident’ and apologised, saying ‘this should not have happened’. In a post on X, Binance said hackers targeted its engineers using social engineering techniques. These see hackers use approaches such as phishing to trick people into parting with sensitive or personal details, that can then be used to try and access their accounts.” (11/03/26)
“Belize has declared a state of emergency in 19 areas after a series of deadly shootings, giving police expanded powers to detain suspected gang members as the government considers studying El Salvador’s anti-gang strategy. The emergency took effect Sunday in parts of Belize City, Ladyville, Cotton Tree and Unitedville, according to Breaking Belize News. … National Security Minister Michel Chebat said Belizean officials plan to visit El Salvador to examine President Nayib Bukele’s approach to fighting gangs, according to Breaking Belize News.” (11/02/26)
After a “zero-dollar day,” our annual fundraiser total remains stuck (as of 5am) at $1,093.50.
We’re $1,658 short of our goal — and I’m as tired of hectoring you about money as you are of hearing it. Once we’ve hit the target, I get to shut up about money entirely for the rest of 2026 and mostly for the first nine months of 2027. Have a great day — but first,
PLEASE SUPPORT THE FREEDOM MOVEMENT’S DAILY NEWSPAPER!
“The US carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, an American official said late Monday on the eve of crucial midterm elections, which US President Donald Trump has signaled could mark the start of resumed war with Iran. The strikes, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, appeared to be limited and were not a resumption of major combat operations, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Another official said the strikes were defensive measures against Iranians ‘using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.'” (11/03/26)
“The Supreme Court on Monday quickly rejected the Trump administration’s effort to force California officials to set aside 20,000 ballots it claims belong to likely noncitizens and must be investigated. The court’s one-sentence order contained no explanation and had no noted dissents. California and immigration rights groups question the veracity of the administration’s list and say its lawsuit is an attempt to disenfranchise legal voters. The administration raced its claims to the Supreme Court earlier on Monday after California persuaded lower courts that the administration has no legal right to push the state to comply. The administration warned that the clock was running out. All sides agree that ballots can’t be separated once they’re processed, and election officials have already received hundreds of thousands of mail ballots ahead of polls opening on Tuesday.” (11/02/26)
