Good Morning. With a shutdown deadline looming, Democrats and Republicans couldn't agree on one department, so they separated it from the rest.

Plus, Gen Z’s phone etiquette, build interactive worlds from a single photo, and how fast Tom Cruise actually runs on camera (forwarded this email? Join 523k readers).

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The Senate reached an agreement Thursday to fund most government operations, averting a Friday shutdown deadline. The deal splits Department of Homeland Security funding into a separate continuing resolution through February 13, while five other major departments receive full-year fiscal 2026 funding covering approximately 96 percent of government operations.

Democrats secured their preferred two-week DHS extension over Republicans' proposed six-week timeline. The five departments receiving full-year funding include Defense, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and Labor and Education. Senate leadership circulated the agreement with members to assess potential amendment needs.

President Trump endorsed the bipartisan compromise on Truth Social, calling for both parties to support the measure. He highlighted provisions for Coast Guard expansion and rebuilding within the DHS extension. The Senate planned to vote Thursday evening, with House consideration expected in coming days.

Apple's iOS 26 call-screening feature (demo) uses automated voice technology to ask unknown callers their names and reasons for calling, then transcribes responses for recipients to review. The tool, designed to combat over 2 billion monthly robocalls targeting Americans, gives every iPhone user assistant-like call filtering capabilities previously reserved for executives.

High-profile users including Hollywood lawyer Alan Jackson and venture capitalist Bradley Tusk report the feature makes them harder to reach but acknowledge its necessity given spam volume. Tech investor Ben Schaechter credits call screening with making his phone "usable again" after incorporating his business exposed his number to daily sales calls (WSJ).

The technology reflects shifting communication preferences, particularly among younger generations favoring texts and FaceTime over voice calls (Wired). Google launched similar screening for Pixel phones in 2018, but Apple's version has accelerated adoption. Some professionals now view unscheduled phone calls as intrusive as unannounced home visits were decades ago.

Google launched Project Genie, allowing users to create interactive 60-second video environments from photos or text prompts. The AI-powered tool generates 720p worlds at 24 frames per second that respond to keyboard controls in near real-time. It's available exclusively through the company's $250 monthly AI Ultra subscription.

Project Genie builds on Google's Genie 3 technology, which creates video simulations (not true 3D environments) that users can explore with WASD controls. Users can generate custom worlds or remix pre-built environments with different characters and visual styles. Each generated world lasts 60 seconds but can be regenerated for varied results (see video).

Google acknowledges Project Genie remains experimental with notable limitations including input lag and occasional physics inconsistencies. Initially, the system generated recognizable game franchises like Super Mario, but content restrictions tightened during testing. Google plans broader access over time as generation costs decrease.

Ed started training during COVID when his wife Cherry got pregnant. What began as running together evolved into a complete lifestyle shift over five years.

His biggest myth busted: Weights don't make you bulky. They lean you out when paired with proper nutrition.

The prescription:

The result? Ed runs his entire high-energy show without getting winded. Something he couldn't have done a decade ago.

Watch 8-minute interview.

“Three-hundred reps starts to get pretty hard,” jokes Alex Honnold. In the new doc, Honnold does pull-ups on vertical bars with a super-wide grip, pulling from fully extended arms. It's gone viral. People are trying and failing spectacularly. Turns out what looks casual for a free solo climber is nearly impossible for regular humans.

Training regimen | Motivation

▲ Lady Gaga reimagines "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" with musicians for Rocket's Super Bowl commercial airing February 8

▲ FBI arrest of former Olympian drug lord Ryan Wedding in Mexico sparks diplomatic dispute as Mexico denies U.S. involvement

▲ Fake FBI agent arrested attempting Luigi Mangione jailbreak with pizza cutter, BBQ fork, and fraudulent release order

▲ Tulsi Gabbard investigates 2020 election as intelligence chief, studying voting machines and attending FBI Georgia election office search

▲ Microsoft stock plummets 10% in sharpest decline since March 2020, erasing $357 billion market capitalization to $3.22 trillion

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