Brexit delay approved

The European Union approved the United Kingdom’s request for a Brexit delay yesterday, extending the deadline for the country to leave the EU – previously set for October 31 – until January 31. Following the EU decision, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a motion to call an early election on December 12 which was voted down by lawmakers.

California is still on fire

A wildfire on the west side of Los Angeles that broke out Sunday night burned 600 acres and at least eight houses yesterday, prompting widespread evacuations. Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office in Sonoma County - where a separate wildfire has destroyed 40 homes - downgraded their evacuation order to a warning.

Impeachment vote set

The U.S. House of Representatives will hold the first formal vote related to impeachment proceedings on Thursday, according to senior Democratic aides and an announcement by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) is expected to file the resolution today.

Where there's smoke...

Per the WSJ, Juul will cut about 500 jobs by the end of the year as the e-cigarette maker prepares for a White House backed ban on flavors, which comprise a majority of the company’s U.S. sales. The number of positions has yet to be finalized, but could range from 10 to 15 percent of the workforce - a reversal from its 2019 average staff growth rate of 300 employees a month.

In (record) high spirits

The S&P 500 closed at a record high yesterday following strong Q3 earnings reports - so far, 206 S&P 500 companies have released earnings and 78% have topped analyst expectations. In addition, Apple and Microsoft shares also set new record highs on Monday, as the longest bull run in history extends to 3,885 days.

The Bank Job

Uber announced the creation of Uber Money yesterday - a new division with an initial emphasis on giving its drivers access to a mobile bank account. Uber Money head Peter Hazelhurst said the new division, which offers a digital wallet and upgraded credit and debit cards, could one day offer its services to consumers on its platform.

F is for Fitbit

According to a Reuters report, Google parent company Alphabet has made a confidential offer to acquire wearable device maker Fitbit. The exact price of the offer could not be ascertained, but Fitbit shares rose around 30% after the news broke, giving the company a market cap of nearly $1.5 billion.

You Can't Dodge Love

After they met on an intramural dodgeball team and became good friends, Max and Jillian started dating in 2014. About three years into their relationship, though, Jillian’s life changed suddenly – she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Knowing it would be a long, hard road, she gave Max an “out” – to which he responded that he’d never leave her side.

And he didn’t. What looked like a relatively easy-to-treat cancer turned out to be more advanced than they thought, and new challenges continued to present themselves. But through it all, Max stuck by Jillian. On her last day of chemotherapy, he brought her a big surprise – an engagement ring.

Jillian burst into happy tears when Max asked her the question – and he had to ask again before she could exclaim an enthusiastic “yes!” through her laughter and emotion. They got married earlier this month, and better yet – it was completely paid for. After hearing their story, the owner of a wedding planning company chose the couple as their pro bono wedding of the year. If that’s not a “happily ever after,” we’re not sure what is!

He was a skater boy…

João Vicente hasn’t had it easy – due to several complex medical conditions that were identified before his second birthday (including cerebral palsy) he has severe mobility limitations. Still, nothing has stopped João from dreaming, or his mother from doing everything in her power to support his goals.

One of João’s dreams was to ride a skateboard. At first, João’s mother tried to redirect his passion to something more compatible with his level of movement – he spends most of his time in a wheelchair, and doesn’t have full control of his muscles. But upon realizing that João wouldn’t be deterred, his mother began researching how they could make it a reality.

Eventually, she came across the perfect organization – Skate Anima – which builds wheeled devices to allow kids with limited mobility to experience the thrill of skating. In November of last year, João’s dream came true. Now, propelled by his mother and with the help of his specially-made support, he can shred at the skate park whenever he pleases.