Glowwiki

A fact base you can check, line by line

Reference pages on policy, markets, science and culture — written so you can verify them. Confirmed facts and single-source claims are kept in separate sections, every figure carries its source, and where reports disagree we record the disagreement instead of picking a side. This edition is written in English, not translated into it.

Developing

Developing United States Sep 23, 11:20 · Policy · 5

Is There a Government Shutdown on September 30, 2026? The Stopgap Already Passed - Next Deadline Is December 11

The House approved H.R. 6500 by 370-48 on 1 September 2026, funding to 11 December. Rechecked 23 September: no signing announced. 30 September ends FY2026; it is not an automatic shutdown.

2026-12-11Date to which the continuing resolution extends funding levels.2026-09-30End of Fiscal Year 2026.
Developing United States Sep 23, 10:50 · Economy · 1

FOMC 2026: Which Meetings Come With a Dot Plot — the October Meeting Does Not

The Fed marks only some FOMC meetings with an asterisk for a Summary of Economic Projections. On the 2026 calendar the October 27-28 meeting carries no asterisk; December 8-9 does. As of 2026-09-23.

2026-12-08FOMC meeting, December 8-9. Asterisked — Summary of Economic Projections.2026-10-27FOMC meeting, October 27-28. Listed without an asterisk — no projections.
Developing International Sep 21, 12:25 · Games · 4

Tokyo Game Show 2026 Dates and Hours: Public Days Are 19-21 September, and the Last Day Closes an Hour Early

Tokyo Game Show 2026 runs 17-21 September at Makuhari Messe. Business days are 17-18 September and public days 19-21, with the final day closing at 16:00 rather than 17:00.

2026-09-21In-person day cancelled for the whole day because of Typhoon 25; the official programme is streamed without attendance.2026-09-20Show closes after four days; organisers report 257,642 visitors.
Developing United States Sep 20, 05:40 · Media · 2

Copyright Act at 50 — the anniversary depends on which date you count

The US Copyright Office holds a 90-minute online event on 23 Sept 2026 for 50 years of the Copyright Act. It was signed 19 Oct 1976; main provisions took effect 1 Jan 1978.

2026-09-20Recheck: the event page's registration link resolves to a ZoomGov webinar form; NewsNet still shows Issue No. 1094 as the latest.2026-09-23Scheduled 90-minute online event, 1:00 p.m. eastern time.
Developing United States Sep 20, 04:30 · Economy · 4

Social Security COLA 2027: Estimates and the October 14 Announcement

The official 2027 Social Security COLA is expected on 14 October 2026. As of 20 September the published estimates range from 3.2% to 3.6% — TSCL 3.5%, AARP 3.6% — against the 2.8% COLA for 2026.

2027-01New COLA applies to benefit payments.2026-10-14Official 2027 COLA announcement expected (after September CPI-W).
Developing International Sep 20, 03:50 · Sports · 2

September Grand Sumo Tournament 2026: Sold Out for All 15 Days, With No Same-Day Sales

The 2026 September Grand Sumo Tournament runs 13-27 September in Tokyo and is sold out for every date, with the official English page stating no tickets will be sold on the day.

2026-09-20Recheck mid-tournament: September remains sold out with no same-day sales, while the November Fukuoka entry now carries ticket-purchase links.2026-09-27Final day of the September tournament.
Developing United States Sep 19, 09:40 · Science · 7

2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Historically Quiet So Far

The 2026 Atlantic season has produced named storms but no hurricanes. NOAA sees a 75% chance of a below-normal season, and NHC expects no formation through mid-September, past the September 10 peak.

2026-09-18NHC lists a disturbance (AL99) in the Eastern Subtropical Atlantic and says a tropical depression could form later that night (8:00 PM EDT).2026-08-12Tropical Storm Cristobal forms — third named storm; still no hurricanes.
Developing United States Sep 19, 01:10 · Science · 2

NASA NextSTEP-3 Appendix A (LEIA) 2026 — a call for proposals, not a Moon base contract

NASA issued the final NextSTEP-3 Appendix A solicitation on 8 Sept 2026 for five lunar technology areas. It funds ground maturation to TRL 5-6, not lunar demos, and no awards are announced.

2026-09-08Final solicitation issued; NASA publishes RELEASE 26-072.2026-08-20Scope boundary document and responses to industry feedback posted as attachments.
Developing International Sep 19, 00:15 · Sports · 6

Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya: Dates, Venue Opening Times, and Why 41 and 43 Sports Are Both Right

The 20th Asian Games run 19 September to 4 October 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. Venue pages list three times per session, the gap differs by date, and the 41 and 43 sport counts measure different things.

2026-10-04Closing day of the Games.2026-09-19The 20th Asian Games open in Aichi-Nagoya.
Developing International Sep 18, 23:35 · Science · 3

BepiColombo Has Not Entered Mercury Orbit Yet — Four Dates the Word "Arrival" Hides

BepiColombo's arrival phase began with Mercury Transfer Module separation on 3 September 2026. Orbit insertion is 21 November, MPO and Mio separate 9-10 December, and science begins April 2027.

2027-04-01The mission's science phase is set to begin.2026-12-09MPO and Mio are due to separate from each other (9-10 December).
Developing United States Sep 18, 22:30 · Policy · 2

NOAA deep seabed mining review 2026 — what was decided, and what was not

NOAA found TMC USA’s seabed mining application meets DSHMRA information requirements and opened comment to 19 Oct 2026. That is procedural, not a permit: certification and an EIS come later.

2026-10-19Written comment period closes.2026-10-13Virtual public hearing, 3–5 p.m. ET.
Developing International Sep 18, 22:10 · Science · 1

International Observe the Moon Night 2026 — Saturday 19 September

NASA marks International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday 19 September 2026, including an event at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland — free, no registration needed, rain or shine.

2026-09-19International Observe the Moon Night — NASA events across the country, including Goddard Space Flight Center.2026-09-15NASA publishes its announcement of the 2026 event.
Developing United States Sep 18, 20:30 · Policy · 1

2026 Census Test — the first of two field tests before the 2030 Census

The first of two field tests before the 2030 Census, run in six sites plus a national sample. Census Day was April 1, 2026; the test was set to conclude in summer 2026.

2026-04-01Census Day for the 2026 Census Test — participants asked to respond based on where they lived on this date.

Settled · Reference

Reference Copyright registration is not the USPTO's job — and the USPTO's own page treats a "brand" as a marketing concept, separate from what federal registration provides The USPTO grants patents and registers trademarks; the US Copyright Office at the Library of Congress registers copyrights. Registering a brand is described as a choice. Read 2026-09-28. Sep 28, 03:18 Reference An unqualified "Made in USA" needs no -- or negligible -- foreign content, and assembling in the US does not earn it on its own The FTC's standard is that a product bearing an unqualified Made in USA claim should contain no or negligible foreign content; US final assembly is necessary but not sufficient. Read 2026-09-27. Sep 27, 14:15 Reference US reserve requirements have been zero since 26 March 2020 — and the 10 percent figure people remember applied only to the top tier of one deposit category, from 1992 The Federal Reserve Board reduced reserve requirement ratios to zero percent effective 26 March 2020, eliminating reserve requirements for all depository institutions. Read 2026-09-27. Sep 27, 10:44 Reference Converting a provisional application costs patent term — filing a separate nonprovisional that claims its benefit can push the endpoint out by up to 12 months The USPTO states that converting a provisional has a negative impact on patent term, while filing a nonprovisional that references it within 12 months may extend the endpoint. Read 2026-09-26. Sep 26, 16:16 Reference How the SEC counts the $1 million accredited-investor net worth — the home is excluded, and so usually is its mortgage, unless that debt grew in the last 60 days The SEC excludes the primary residence from the $1 million net worth test, generally excludes the debt secured by it, and adds back any rise in that debt within 60 days. Read 2026-09-26. Sep 26, 02:24 Reference How the NBER dates a US recession — depth, diffusion and duration, judged month by month from income and payrolls The NBER dates peaks and troughs by month from economy-wide measures, weighting real personal income less transfers and nonfarm payrolls most, and states there is no fixed rule. Read 2026-09-26. Sep 26, 00:52 Reference The United States Had Two Feet Until the End of 2022 — and the Acre Was Defined Only by the Older One NIST states the U.S. survey foot is obsolete from 1 January 2023, superseded by the international foot of exactly 0.3048 m. As of 2026-09-25. Sep 25, 16:16 Reference A Federal Tax Deadline Moves for a District of Columbia Holiday — Wherever You Live 26 U.S.C. §7503 pushes a deadline to the next non-holiday weekday, and defines "legal holiday" as one in the District of Columbia. As of 2026-09-25. Sep 25, 14:14 Reference Copyright Registration Is Not Ownership — but for a United States Work, Registration or Refusal Is What Opens the Courthouse Door Section 408(a): registration "is not a condition of copyright protection". Section 411(a): no civil action for a United States work until registration. Both are true. As of 2026-09-25. Sep 25, 12:12 Reference A Work Made for Hire Has Only Two Paths — and the Commissioned One Fails Unless All Four Conditions Are Met Paying for a work does not make it a work made for hire. The Copyright Office lists four criteria and says that failing any one of them means it is not one. As of 2026-09-25. Sep 25, 09:18 Reference A Small Town's Census Figure Is Not From the 1-Year Survey — It Cannot Be, Because 1-Year Estimates Stop at 65,000 People The Census Bureau's own guidance limits ACS 1-year estimates to "areas with populations of 65,000+", and a 5-year estimate is 60 months of collected data, not a single year. As of 2026-09-25. Sep 25, 05:14 Reference Not Every Title of the U.S. Code Is the Law Itself — Positive Law Titles Are, and the Rest Are Evidence That Can Be Rebutted The Office of the Law Revision Counsel says a positive law title "is itself a Federal statute" while a non-positive law title is "an editorial compilation". As of 2026-09-25. Sep 25, 03:16 Reference The Fed's Policy Rate Is a Range, and Has Been Since December 16, 2008 — Currently 3.75-4.00% The Federal Reserve's own table is headed "target federal funds rate or range". Rows before December 16, 2008 carry one number; from that date, two. As of 2026-09-24 the level is 3.75-4.00%. Sep 24, 18:16 Reference Supertrend: hl2 Plus or Minus a Multiple of ATR, With a Ratcheting Band and a Close-Based Flip A trend-following line built on ATR. hl2 = (high+low)/2, bands are hl2 +/- multiplier x ATR, the bands ratchet, and the trend flips when the close passes the opposite band. Created by Olivier Seban. Sep 24, 04:05 Reference Donchian Channel: Highest High, Lowest Low, Their Average — and the Turtle Experiment Upper = highest high of N periods, lower = lowest low, middle = their average. Developed by Richard Donchian. The Turtle experiment of 1983-84 applied a similar breakout rule. Sep 24, 03:50 Reference MACD: Fast EMA Minus Slow EMA, a Signal Line, and Their Difference — Commonly 12/26/9 Moving Average Convergence Divergence, created by Gerald Appel in the late 1970s. Three series: MACD = fast EMA - slow EMA, signal = EMA of MACD, divergence = the difference. Commonly MACD(12,26,9). Sep 24, 03:50 Reference Moving Average Crossover: the Golden Cross Is the 50-Day SMA Crossing the 200-Day From Below A crossover occurs when a faster moving average crosses a slower one. Golden cross is the 50-day SMA crossing the 200-day from below; death cross is the same pair from above. Sep 24, 03:50 Reference Stochastic Oscillator: %K Places the Close Inside the N-Period High-Low Range, %D Smooths It %K = 100 x (Price - Low_N) / (High_N - Low_N), where High and Low are the extremes of the last N periods. %D is an N-day moving average of %K. Developed by George Lane in the late 1950s. Sep 24, 03:50 Reference Federal Reserve FOMC 2027 Schedule: Four Meetings Associated with Summary of Economic Projections The Federal Reserve scheduled eight FOMC meetings for 2027, with four meetings in March, June, September, and December designated to include a Summary of Economic Projections. Sep 24, 01:50 Reference 2027 IRS HSA Contribution and HDHP Limits (Revenue Procedure 2026-24) For 2027, the IRS increased HSA contribution limits to $4,500 (self-only) and $9,000 (family). HDHP minimum deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket amounts also increased under Rev. Proc. 2026-24. Sep 24, 01:50 Reference NYSE and Nasdaq 2027 Holiday Schedule: 10 Full Closures, and Only One Early Close (November 26) NYSE lists ten full-day closures for 2027 and one 1:00 p.m. early close, Friday, November 26. Christmas is observed Friday, December 24, so there is no Christmas Eve early close in 2027. Sep 24, 01:50 Reference Orionid Meteor Shower 2026: October 21-22 Peak, Rates, and Viewing Conditions The 2026 Orionid meteor shower peaks October 21-22, producing 10 to 20 meteors hourly. A 72% full moon will interfere, making the dark predawn hours after moonset the best viewing time. Sep 24, 01:50 Settled US Open 2026: Dates, Defending Champions, Field The 2026 US Open runs to September 13 at Flushing Meadows, women’s final September 12. Alcaraz and Sabalenka defend. The WTA lists $108 million in player compensation, up from $90 million in 2025. Sep 24, 01:50 Closed BLACKPINK — DEADLINE (Album and World Tour) BLACKPINK released their third mini album 'DEADLINE' on 27 February 2026, their first album-level activity as a full group in about three years and five months since 'BORN PINK' (September 2022). The album shares its name with the DEADLINE World Tour, which ran from Goyang, South Korea on 5 July 2025 to Hong Kong on 26 January 2026. Sep 24, 01:25 Reference Parabolic SAR: Wilder Recommended Not Using It Alone, and It Restarts With Every Trend Stop and reverse indicator by J. Welles Wilder. SAR(n+1) = SAR(n) + AF x (EP - SAR(n)), with the acceleration factor usually starting at 0.02, stepping by 0.02 and capped at 0.20. Sep 23, 22:55 Reference RSI: Wilder's Smoothing Makes the Value Depend on Where Your Data Starts Momentum oscillator by J. Welles Wilder (1978), scaled 0-100, usually over 14 periods with lines at 70 and 30. Wilder smoothing makes the value depend on the data start point. Sep 23, 22:35 Reference Bollinger Bands: The Sigma Is a Population Standard Deviation (Divide by n, Not n-1) Middle band is an N-period moving average; upper and lower are MA plus or minus K times an N-period standard deviation. Typical N=20, K=2. The sigma uses divisor n, not n-1. Sep 23, 20:30 Reference US New Home Sales — July 2026: Sharpest Drop Since January New single-family home sales fell 10.5% in July to a 607,000 annual rate — the lowest since January. Unsold inventory swelled to 9.6 months of supply; the median price slipped to $393,800. Sep 23, 18:05 Reference US Housing Starts — July 2026 July housing starts fell 12.4% to a 1,239,000 annual rate while building permits rose 5.0% to 1,443,000 — the same report sent two arrows in opposite directions. Sep 23, 17:10 Reference The US AQI Is Not a Concentration: 100 Marks the Standard, and Ozone Runs on an 8-Hour Clock The US AQI covers five pollutants in six colour categories. An AQI of 100 generally equals the short-term national standard, not a concentration. Ozone is an 8-hour index, particles 24-hour. Sep 23, 13:40 Reference 2026 Tax Brackets: $640,600 Single, $768,700 Married Filing Jointly For 2026 the seven federal rates stay 10-37%. The 37% bracket starts above $640,600 single and $768,700 married filing jointly. Standard deduction: $16,100 single, $32,200 joint. Sep 23, 12:05 Closed BIGBANG's 20th Anniversary Single 'BiiiG' YG Entertainment announced that BIGBANG will release a new single, 'BiiiG', on 19 August 2026 — the group's 20th debut anniversary to the day. It is their first release as a full group in four years and four months, since 'Still Life' era track 'Spring Summer Fall Winter' in April 2022, and will be followed by the 'BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR <XX : COSMOS>'. Sep 22, 02:20 Settled BIGBANG World Tour 'XX : COSMOS' BIGBANG's 20th anniversary world tour. The officially published schedule opens at Goyang Stadium, South Korea on 21-23 August 2026, followed by Oakland, East Rutherford, Paris, London, Taipei, Singapore, Hanoi, Sydney, Bangkok and four Japanese cities. Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila and Kaohsiung are listed for 2027 as 'coming soon'. Sep 22, 02:20 Settled FAFSA 2027-28 Tax Year: Uses 2025 Returns, Opens Oct 1 The 2027-28 FAFSA opens by October 1, 2026, per the U.S. Department of Education. It uses 2025 tax data, and many state and college aid deadlines fall well before the federal one. Sep 21, 19:25 Reference The $680 FSA Carryover Is the Limit for Plan Years Beginning in 2026 — Not the Amount Rolling Into 2026 IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 sets the health FSA salary reduction limit at $3,400 and the maximum carryover at $680 for taxable years beginning in 2026, and only if the plan permits carryover. Sep 21, 10:20 Reference Public Domain Day 2027 — 1931 Works Enter Only If Their Copyright Was Renewed The Copyright Office says all US works published before January 1, 1931 are public domain. Older works got 28 years plus a renewal: renewed ones run 95 years, unrenewed ones ended at 28. Sep 21, 09:20 Closed August K-pop Comebacks and Releases (2026) — What Actually Came Out A date-ordered list of K-pop albums and singles released or scheduled in August 2026, including Red Velvet's 'Velvet Summer' (3 Aug), Stray Kids' 'This & That' (7 Aug), BIGBANG's 20th anniversary single 'BiiiG' (19 Aug), Enhypen (21 Aug) and NCT 127 (24 Aug). Only entries confirmed by both an English release listing and Korean press coverage are included. Sep 20, 18:40 Settled Nepal Tibet Flood 2026: 1,342 Dead, 4,886 Missing (Sept 5) A glacier collapse on Langtang Lirung on 26 August 2026 sent a debris flow across the Nepal-Tibet border. Nepal Police: 1,342 dead, 4,886 missing (5 Sept). China side: 31 dead, 531 missing (4 Sept). Sep 20, 10:25 Reference SAVE Plan 90 Day Deadline 2026: When Your Notice Arrives and How to Switch Before Auto-Enrollment SAVE borrowers get 90 days from their servicer's notice to pick a new plan. Notices began July 1, 2026; earliest deadlines land late September 2026. Sep 20, 10:25 Reference Googlebook Launch Event — Google Sets Sept. 15, 2026 New York Preview for Its Android Laptop Platform Google announced Googlebook on 12 May 2026 and held a media-only preview in New York on 15 September. Its official site showed a 21 September pre-order date on 20 September 2026. Sep 20, 02:10 Reference US GDP, Q2 2026 (Second Estimate) — 1.5% Annual Rate, Unchanged From the Advance Estimate; Third Estimate Due September 30 BEA's second estimate (Aug. 26) puts Q2 2026 real GDP growth at 1.5% annualized, unchanged from the advance estimate and below Q1's 2.1%. Upward consumer-spending revisions were offset by imports. Sep 20, 02:00 Reference Medicare Part B Premium 2026 Is $202.90 — and the 2027 Figure Is Not Announced Until the Fall CMS set the 2026 Part B premium at $202.90 (up $17.90) and the deductible at $283 on Nov. 14, 2025. Higher earners pay $284.10-$689.90. The 2027 amounts were not announced as of Sept. 2026. Sep 20, 01:50 Reference US Federal Holidays 2027 — Independence Day is observed Monday July 5, Christmas on Friday December 24, and December 31 is a holiday too OPM lists 11 federal holidays for 2027. July 4 and Dec. 25 fall on weekends, so they are observed July 5 and Dec. 24. New Year's Day 2028 is a Saturday, so Friday, Dec. 31, 2027 is off too. Sep 20, 01:40 Reference Super Bowl LXI: February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium — kickoff time and ticket sale date are still TBA Super Bowl LXI is set for Sunday, February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on ESPN and ABC. The stadium's own event page lists kickoff time and ticket on-sale date as TBA. Sep 20, 01:30 Closed Total Solar Eclipse of 12 August 2026 A total solar eclipse crossed a narrow band from the Arctic through eastern Greenland and western Iceland to northern Spain on 12 August 2026. It was the first totality over mainland Spain since 1905 and over Iceland since 1954, and one of the few this century to cross mainland Europe. Maximum duration was 2 minutes 18 seconds. Sep 19, 23:12 Settled ECB Meeting Schedule 2026: Remaining Rate Decision Dates and 2027 Calendar On 10 September 2026 the ECB raised its three key rates by 25 basis points, taking the deposit facility rate to 2.50% with effect from 16 September. Middle East conflict is cited as the driver. Sep 19, 23:12 Closed Fed Holds Rates in July 2026 — but the Dots Point Up The Federal Open Market Committee kept the federal funds target at 3.50–3.75% on 29 July 2026. The three dissenters preferred a 0.25-point increase, not a cut. That follows the June meeting, where the median year-end projection was raised to 3.875% and the 2026 PCE inflation forecast was lifted from 2.7% to 3.6%. Sep 19, 23:12 Reference Generative AI and Large Language Models — How They Work A large language model is trained to predict the next piece of text over very large corpora, and generates output by repeating that prediction. Most current models are built on the transformer architecture introduced in 2017. Because they predict plausible text rather than retrieve verified facts, fluent output and correct output are not the same thing. Sep 19, 23:12 Closed Artemis II — First Crewed Lunar Flyby Since Apollo NASA's Artemis II launched on 1 April 2026 carrying four astronauts on an approximately ten-day flight around the Moon, splashing down in the Pacific on 10 April. It was the first time humans travelled beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. Sep 19, 23:12 Settled Bank of Japan Raises Policy Rate to 1% The Bank of Japan raised its uncollateralized overnight call rate target to around 1.0 percent on June 16, 2026, then held it there on July 31. The votes were 7–1 and 8–1; board member Takata Hajime dissented both times, proposing a further hike to 1.25 percent in July. Sep 19, 23:12 Closed Jackson Hole 2026: Warsh Puts Inflation First At Jackson Hole on 28 August 2026, Fed chair Kevin Warsh put inflation first, saying the Fed has 'work to do' unless inflation falls clearly. Markets repriced toward a September hike. Sep 19, 22:12 Reference FOMC Minutes, July 2026 — A 9–3 Hold and a Calendar Fight The July FOMC held rates at 3.50–3.75% on a rare 9–3 vote — Hammack, Kashkari and Logan each wanted a hike. Minutes (Aug 19) also show Chair Warsh floating a cut from eight meetings a year to six. Sep 19, 22:12 Reference US Industrial Production July 2026 — Up 0.2% US industrial production rose 0.2% in July 2026, a second straight gain led by business equipment output; capacity utilization edged up to 76.3% and output stood 1.1% above July 2025. Sep 19, 22:12 Reference US Producer Price Index, July 2026 — Flat Month, 4.7% Annual Rate US producer prices were flat in July 2026 as falling energy offset service gains, but final demand PPI still ran 4.7% above a year earlier, matching the core rate — wholesale inflation stays elevated. Sep 19, 22:12 Reference US Retail Sales — July 2026 July retail sales fell 0.6% to $763.6B (seasonally adjusted) — the first drop in nine months — yet ran 5.0% above July 2025. Nonstore retail fell 2.2%; the ex-autos-and-gas measure slipped 0.2%. Sep 19, 22:12 Reference Harvest Moon 2026: September 26, and why some listings say the 27th The 2026 Harvest Moon is on September 26, full at 12:49 p.m. ET. Royal Observatory Greenwich also gives the night of 26 September; further east the peak falls in the small hours of the 27th. Sep 19, 11:25 Reference ECB deposit facility rate in August 2026 — it was 2.25%, and nothing changed that month The ECB did not change rates in August 2026. The deposit facility rate was 2.25% all month, set on 17 June and unchanged until 16 September 2026, when it rose to 2.50%. Sep 19, 01:40 Reference ESA FLEX launch September 2026: Vega-C flight VV30 lifts off 14 September Kourou time (15 September CEST) with Sentinel-3C ESA’s FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C launched on Vega-C flight VV30 at 03:21 on 15 September 2026. Both reached orbit and signalled; health checks were still running. Sep 18, 23:10 Reference IMBIE 2026 — 84% of polar ice loss came from faster glaciers, not surface melt The longest satellite ice-sheet record finds Greenland and Antarctica lost 11 trillion tonnes since the 1970s — 84% from glaciers discharging into the ocean, 16% from surface melt. Sep 18, 22:30 Reference IRS drought livestock relief 2026 — which animals actually qualify IRS Notice 2026-54 extends the livestock replacement period from two to four years in 49 states, DC and Puerto Rico. It covers draft, dairy and breeding animals only — not slaughter stock or poultry. Sep 18, 21:40 Closed 2026 FIFA World Cup: Spain Are Champions Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup, beating defending champion Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium — a second title and the first since 2010. Sep 18, 13:35 Reference Mid-Autumn Festival 2026: 25-27 September, and It Does Not Run Into Golden Week This Year The 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in mainland China is 25-27 September. It does not join the 1-7 October National Day holiday: 28, 29 and 30 September are ordinary working days. Sep 18, 13:05 Reference Catheter Ablation for Varicose Veins — How Major a Procedure It Actually Is Guidance answers 'how big an operation is this' with the anaesthetic: catheter ablation is done awake under local anaesthetic, same-day discharge; removing the vein uses a general anaesthetic. Sep 15, 14:45 Reference Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) — Program Now Runs Through Oct. 12, 2027 Microsoft extended the Windows 10 Consumer ESU program by a year. Enrolled PCs on version 22H2 get critical and important security updates through Oct. 12, 2027. Sep 15, 08:10 Reference Europa Clipper Earth Flyby December 2026: Date, 2,000-Mile Altitude and Why the Exact Time Shifts NASA's Europa Clipper passes about 2,000 miles above Earth on December 3, 2026 for a gravity assist. JPL's press kit gives a Dec 2-7 planning range. Sep 15, 06:10 Reference TSA ConfirmID $45 Fee — What Flying Without a REAL ID Costs Since Feb. 1, 2026 Since Feb. 1, 2026, US air travelers without an acceptable ID can pay a $45 TSA ConfirmID fee to verify identity. The receipt covers a 10-day travel window. Sep 14, 20:10 Reference 78th Emmy Awards 2026: September 14 on NBC, and the Categories Moved Off the Broadcast The 78th Emmy Awards air September 14, 2026 on NBC. The categories moved off the telecast were already awarded at the Creative Arts ceremonies on September 5-6 — DTF St. Louis took four of them. Sep 13, 16:20 Reference Google's Own Pages Give Two Different Dates for the Less Secure Apps Cutoff — and Neither Is in 2026 Google's Workspace admin page says less secure apps stopped working "Starting May 1, 2025"; its personal-account page says "Starting January 2025." Neither states a 2026 deadline. Sep 13, 12:30 Reference The August 2, 2027 Total Eclipse: Official and Enthusiast Country Lists Do Not Match NASA lists totality over southern Spain, North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Yemen for the August 2, 2027 eclipse. Enthusiast maps add Gibraltar, Sudan and Somalia, plus 6m23s totality. Sep 13, 10:40 Reference Is There a Ryder Cup in 2026? No — It Is Biennial, and the Next One Is 2027 There is no 2026 Ryder Cup: it is biennial. Bethpage Black hosted in 2025 and the next is September 13-19, 2027 at Adare Manor. The 2026 team event is the Presidents Cup, September 22-27. Sep 13, 09:00 Reference California's Minimum Wage Goes to $17.40 in 2027 — but the Rate You Are Owed Is Whichever Is Highest California's statewide minimum wage rises to $17.40 on January 1, 2027, certified July 31, 2026. Where a local rate is higher, employers must comply with the higher local rate. Sep 13, 08:30 Reference The RSV Shot Is Not an Annual Vaccine — If You Got One Last Season, You Are Done for Now CDC recommends a single dose of RSV vaccine for all adults 75 and older and for adults 50–74 at increased risk. It is not an annual vaccine, and those who already had a dose should not repeat it. Sep 12, 23:05 Reference Thanksgiving 2026 Is Nov. 26 — but the Friday After Is Not a Federal Holiday, and the Saturday Rule Differs by Agency Thanksgiving Day 2026 falls Thursday, Nov. 26 on both the OPM and Federal Reserve holiday schedules. Friday, Nov. 27 appears on neither, and the two agencies handle Saturday holidays differently. Sep 12, 20:20 Reference US Flu Season 2026-27 Vaccine Guide — All 3 Strains Updated, Best Timing Sept-Oct For 2026-27, all three US flu vaccine strains were updated, including new H3N2 subclade K coverage. CDC advises everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot, ideally in September or October. Sep 12, 20:05 Reference Your Medicare ANOC Deadline Is About Receipt, Not Mailing — and It Is Not September 30 for Everyone Federal rules require the Annual Notice of Change to be sent for enrollee receipt by September 30 each year, but enrollees with an Oct. 1, Nov. 1 or Dec. 1 effective date follow another deadline. Sep 12, 19:15 Reference When Do Clocks Change in 2026? US Daylight Saving Dates US daylight saving time 2026 ends Sunday, November 1 at 2 a.m., when clocks fall back an hour. The rule runs from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. Sep 12, 19:00 Reference ESRB Ratings Are Voluntary — But Console Makers and Retailers Require Them ESRB says its system is voluntary, yet console makers and certain US retailers require ratings. The cited 87% stop rate is from an FTC survey run April-June 2012, not a current figure. Sep 12, 08:40 Reference Japan's Silver Week 2026: 19-23 September, and Why 22 September Is a Day Off Without Being a Holiday Japan has five days off from 19 to 23 September 2026. The 22nd is not a named holiday but a day off under Article 3(3), and the pattern does not repeat in 2027. Sep 11, 14:00 Closed Apple 'Surprise and Shine' Event — September 9, 2026, iPhone 18 Pro Expected Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' event is Sept 9, 2026, 10 a.m. PT at Apple Park, streamed on apple.com and YouTube. It is the first launch under new CEO John Ternus; iPhone 18 Pro models are expected. Sep 11, 04:00 Reference Where and When Did the Modern Olympics Start? Athens, Greece, 1896 The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens from 6 to 15 April 1896, the first since the ancient games ended in 393. The International Olympic Committee grew out of a congress convened by Pierre de Coubertin at the Sorbonne in June 1894 — though its first president was not Coubertin but Demetrios Vikelas of Greece. Sep 10, 22:40 Reference ETFs — What an Exchange-Traded Fund Actually Is An exchange-traded fund holds a basket of assets and trades on an exchange like a single stock. It combines the diversification of a fund with the intraday tradability of a share, which is why it became the default vehicle for index investing. Sep 10, 22:30 Settled 2026 NFL Season: Kickoff in Seattle, First Game in Australia The 2026 NFL season kicks off September 9 in Seattle with Super Bowl LX champion Seahawks hosting. Nine international games include the NFL's first in Australia, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sep 10, 01:00 Reference One Big Beautiful Bill Act: The Four New Tax Deductions The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created four temporary tax deductions for 2025-2028: up to $25,000 for tips, $12,500 for overtime, $6,000 for seniors, $10,000 for new-car loan interest. Sep 9, 21:10 Reference Bitcoin — How It Works and Why the Supply Is Capped Bitcoin is a decentralised digital currency recorded on a public ledger called a blockchain. No central authority issues it; new coins enter circulation through mining, and the total supply is capped at 21 million by the protocol itself. Sep 9, 04:20 Reference What Is a Black Hole? Event Horizon, the M87 Image, and Types Explained A black hole is an object whose gravity is strong enough that not even light escapes. The boundary beyond which light cannot escape is called the event horizon. In April 2019 the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration released the first image of a black hole, at the centre of the galaxy M87. Sep 9, 00:20 Reference Medicare Late Enrollment Penalties in 2026 — Part B Lasts for Life, Part A Does Not Part B adds 10% per full 12-month delay and is usually charged for life. Part A lasts only twice the years you delayed. Part D adds 1% a month. Standard Part B premium is $202.90 in 2026. Sep 8, 21:20 Reference US Consumer Sentiment August 2026 — Michigan Index 51.0 Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index fell 7.6% to 51.0 in August 2026, ending a two-month recovery, as year-ahead inflation expectations rose to 4.3%; the final reading lands August 28. Sep 8, 13:00 Settled 2026 United States Midterm Elections The 2026 U.S. midterm elections are set for November 3, 2026: all 435 House seats, 35 of 100 Senate seats including two specials in Florida and Ohio, and dozens of governorships are on the ballot. Sep 8, 13:00 Reference US CPI July 2026 — Headline 3.4%, Core 2.5% US CPI rose 0.1% in July 2026 and 3.4% over 12 months; core was 2.5%, down from 2.6%. Shelter drove about two-thirds of the monthly rise. August data is due 11 September at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. Sep 8, 10:10 Reference US Flash PMI — August 2026: Fastest Growth Since April 2022 S&P Global's flash US composite PMI rose to 56.0 in August from 54.5 — the fastest growth since April 2022. Services led at 56.8; manufacturing slipped to 53.2. Data point to ~3% Q3 growth. Sep 8, 10:10 Settled BIGBANG XX: COSMOS World Tour — Dates, Cities and What to Know BIGBANG's XX: COSMOS tour, their first as a trio, opened in Goyang on Aug 21, 2026 and closes in Kaohsiung in Feb 2027. Dates were added after the July announcement — Taipei is now three nights. Sep 8, 09:05 Reference ACA Open Enrollment for 2027 Coverage — Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov Marketplace open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs Nov. 1, 2026-Jan. 15, 2027. Enroll by Dec. 15 for Jan. 1 coverage; later sign-ups start Feb. 1. Sep 8, 08:00 Reference College Football Playoff 2026-27 Schedule — First Round Dec. 18-19, Title Game Jan. 25 in Las Vegas The 2026-27 CFP opens with four first-round games at campus sites Dec. 18-19, then quarterfinals Dec. 30-Jan. 1, semifinals Jan. 14-15, and the title game Jan. 25 at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas. Sep 8, 07:50 Reference US Wildfire Season 2026 — 8.3M Acres, Preparedness Level 4 As of September 6, 2026 NIFC reports 53,165 fires and more than 8.3 million acres burned nationally, with 75 large fires. The national Preparedness Level was lowered from 5 to 4 on September 4, 2026. Sep 7, 03:25 Reference US Back-to-School 2026 — $146.8B Record, 44% of Lists Done NRF projected a record $146.8B for 2026 US back-to-school: $43.3B K-12, $103.5B college. By early August shoppers had finished only 44% of their lists, and 61% said they were seeing higher prices. Sep 7, 03:10 Closed UFC 330 Results (August 2026): Makhachev Beats Machado Garry UFC 330, August 15, 2026 in Philadelphia: Islam Makhachev beat Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) for a 17th straight UFC win. Mackenzie Dern retained the strawweight title. Sep 6, 23:05 Reference Student Loan Overhaul 2026: RAP and Borrowing Caps Federal student loans changed July 1, 2026 under OBBBA: new borrowing caps, Grad PLUS ended for new students, and the income-based Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) launched with a $10 monthly minimum. Sep 6, 09:00 Reference US Jobs Report, August 2026 — Payrolls Up 162,000 as July's Decline Is Revised Away August 2026 US payrolls rose 162,000 with unemployment unchanged at 4.1%, well above consensus. The release also revised July from -23,000 to +21,000 and June to +31,000, 55,000 higher combined. Sep 4, 22:00 Settled Medicare Open Enrollment 2026: October 15 to December 7 Medicare annual enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. Enrollees can switch between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, effective January 1, 2027. Sep 4, 00:05 Closed Artemis II: The First Crewed Lunar Flyby Since 1972 NASA's Artemis II launched April 1, 2026, sent four astronauts around the Moon aboard Orion, and splashed down in the Pacific on April 10 — the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. Sep 3, 21:20 Reference Chrome Manifest V2 Extensions Removed From the Web Store on August 31, 2026: What Actually Changed Chrome removed remaining Manifest V2 extensions from the Web Store on August 31, 2026. The extensions had already stopped running in browsers in July 2025. Sep 3, 09:00 Reference Ig Nobel Prize 2026 Ceremony: September 3 in Zurich, First Time Outside the US in 35 Years The 36th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony takes place September 3, 2026 at Kongresshaus Zurich at 7:00 pm CET, the first held outside the United States. Sep 3, 09:00 Reference Marvel's Wolverine PS5 Release Date September 15, 2026: Preload, File Size and Price Insomniac's Marvel's Wolverine launches September 15, 2026 on PS5 at $69.99. Preloads open September 8 and the download runs about 79 GB. Sep 3, 09:00 Reference Presidents Cup 2026 at Medinah: September 24-27 Schedule, Teams and Format The 2026 Presidents Cup runs September 24-27 at Medinah Country Club near Chicago, with 30 matches, 12-player teams and no prize money. Sep 3, 09:00 Reference WNBA records broken in the 2026 season: Angel Reese's 29th double-double and Kayla McBride's 10 threes The 2026 WNBA season produced two headline records: Angel Reese's 29th double-double on 30 August broke a mark set in 2023, and Kayla McBride made 10 three-pointers on 9 August, a league first. Sep 2, 21:00 Reference Nintendo Switch 2 Price Increase September 1 2026: $499.99 in the US and What Else Went Up Nintendo raised the Switch 2 to $499.99 in the US on September 1, 2026, from $449.99. Japan, Canada and Europe changed on different dates and amounts. Sep 2, 12:00 Reference Windows 11 26H2 Release Date: Fall 2026 Enablement Package and Who Cannot Install It Windows 11 26H2 is expected in fall 2026 as a small enablement package for 24H2 and 25H2 PCs. New 26H1 Arm devices are on a separate branch. Sep 2, 12:00 Reference Geminid meteor shower 2026 peak: night of December 13-14, with a 26% crescent moon setting early The 2026 Geminids peak overnight December 13-14 at about 05:44 UTC on the 14th, with a thin waxing crescent moon leaving dark skies for the best hours. Sep 1, 12:00 Reference When can you preload GTA 6? Preload opens November 12, 2026, one week before the November 19 launch Rockstar set Grand Theft Auto VI preload for November 12, 2026, seven days before the November 19 launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Sep 1, 12:00 Reference NFL Sunday Ticket 2026 price: $480 standalone, $378 for YouTube TV subscribers, $119 student plan NFL Sunday Ticket for the 2026-27 season runs $480 standalone or $378 for YouTube TV subscribers at returning rates, with a $119 verified student plan. Sep 1, 12:00 Reference Windows 11 24H2 end of support: Home and Pro lose updates October 13, 2026, Enterprise and Education October 12, 2027 Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro stop receiving security updates on October 13, 2026. Enterprise and Education editions get one more year, to October 12, 2027. Sep 1, 12:00 Reference SpaceX Starship 2026 — Flight 13 Delivers First Operational Payloads Starship Flight 13 (July 24, 2026) deployed 20 Starlink satellites — the program's first operational payloads — and soft-landed in the Indian Ocean; the Super Heavy booster was lost at splashdown. Sep 1, 07:00 Reference El Nino Winter 2026-27 — NOAA Puts Very Strong Event Above 90%, With a 69% Chance of a Record Since 1950 NOAA's Aug. 13, 2026 ENSO discussion keeps an El Nino Advisory in effect and gives a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event in fall and winter 2026-27. Aug 31, 10:00 Reference EU AI Act High-Risk Deadline Moved to Dec. 2, 2027 — Digital Omnibus on AI, Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 moved the EU AI Act's Annex III high-risk deadline from Aug. 2, 2026 to Dec. 2, 2027, and Annex I to Aug. 2, 2028. Article 50 transparency still applies from Aug. 2, 2026. Aug 31, 10:00 Reference 2026-27 NHL Season Opener — Sept. 29 ESPN Tripleheader Launches First 84-Game Season Since 1993-94 The 2026-27 NHL regular season opens Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 with an ESPN tripleheader and a Sportsnet doubleheader. It is the league's first 84-game season since 1993-94. Aug 31, 10:00 Closed Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — NASA's Dark-Energy and Exoplanet Observatory Readies for Aug 30 Launch NASA's Roman Space Telescope launched at 7:26 a.m. EDT on Aug 30, 2026 on a Falcon Heavy from Kennedy pad 39A. Both side boosters landed in Florida; the observatory is headed for Sun-Earth L2. Aug 30, 21:20 Reference Medicare Part D in 2027 — $700 Standard Deductible and a $2,400 Out-of-Pocket Cap CMS finalized 2027 Medicare Part D parameters in April 2026: the standard deductible rises to $700 and the annual out-of-pocket cap to $2,400, effective Jan. 1, 2027. Aug 30, 16:00 Reference 2026-27 NBA Regular Season Schedule — Opening Night Oct. 20, 2026 and Five Christmas Day Games The NBA released its 2026-27 schedule on Aug. 13, 2026: an Oct. 20 opening tripleheader on NBC, five Christmas games, and the All-Star Game on Feb. 21, 2027 in Phoenix. Aug 30, 16:00 Reference 2026 General Election Voter Registration Deadlines — Most States Close Registration Oct. 5-26 Before Nov. 3 Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026. Most state registration deadlines fall Oct. 5-26; 22 states plus DC allow same-day registration and North Dakota requires none. Aug 30, 10:00 Reference COVID-19 Vaccines (2026-2027 Formula) — FDA Approves XFG-Targeted Shots on Aug. 27, 2026 FDA approved the 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula targeting JN.1-lineage XFG on Aug. 27, 2026, for adults 65+ and ages 5-64 with a high-risk condition. Aug 30, 10:00 Reference 2026 MLB Postseason Schedule — Wild Card Sept. 29, World Series Game 1 Oct. 23 MLB's 2026 postseason runs Sept. 29-Oct. 31. Wild Card Sept. 29-Oct. 1 on NBC, World Series Game 1 Oct. 23 on FOX, Game 7 on Halloween. Aug 30, 10:00 Reference College Football 2026 Kickoff — Week 0 (Aug 29) and Week 1 (Sept 3-7) Schedule The 2026 college football season opens Aug 29 with Week 0, led by North Carolina vs. TCU in Dublin. Week 1 runs Sept 3-7: Clemson-LSU on Sept 5, Notre Dame-Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sept 6. Aug 29, 10:00 Reference Nobel Prize 2026 — Announcement Dates October 5-12, Full Schedule The 2026 Nobel Prize announcements run Oct 5-12: Medicine Oct 5, Physics Oct 6, Chemistry Oct 7, Literature Oct 8, Peace Oct 9, Economics Oct 12. All are streamed live on nobelprize.org. Aug 29, 10:00 Reference 2026 Social Security Trustees Report The 2026 Social Security Trustees Report projects the OASI retirement fund will be depleted in 2032, after which about 78% of scheduled benefits remain payable; the combined OASDI date is 2034. Aug 28, 16:50 Closed America 250: The United States Semiquincentennial On July 4, 2026 the United States marked its Semiquincentennial — 250 years since the Declaration of Independence — the peak of a yearlong program of national celebrations. Aug 27, 13:40 Reference NVIDIA Q2 FY2027 Earnings — Revenue Doubles to a Record $96.2 Billion NVIDIA's Q2 FY2027 revenue hit a record $96.2B, up 106% year over year and well above the ~$92.2B consensus. Data center revenue reached $89.0B on the Blackwell Ultra ramp; non-GAAP EPS was $2.22. Aug 27, 06:40 Closed FDA Approves Daraxonrasib (Rasonque) — First RAS-Targeted Therapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer On Aug 26, 2026 the FDA approved Rasonque (daraxonrasib), Revolution Medicines' first-in-class RAS inhibitor for metastatic pancreatic cancer; trial survival was 13.2 vs 6.7 months. Aug 27, 02:30 Reference US Durable Goods Orders, July 2026 — Orders Rise 1.1% to $339.3 Billion on Transportation Rebound New orders for US durable goods rose 1.1% to $339.3B in July 2026, beating the 0.5% consensus, as transportation equipment rebounded 2.3%. Ex-transportation orders rose 0.4%. Aug 27, 02:30 Closed mFlusiva Approval — First mRNA Flu Vaccine Cleared by the FDA The FDA approved Moderna's mFlusiva on Aug 5, 2026 — the first mRNA seasonal flu vaccine — for adults 50 and older, after trials showed about 27% better protection than standard flu shots. Aug 23, 01:30 Closed 2026 SpaceX Lunar Impact — A Falcon 9 Stage Hits the Moon A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage from a January 2025 lunar lander launch unintentionally struck the Moon on Aug 5, 2026 at about 2.4 km/s, blasting a fresh crater later imaged from lunar orbit. Aug 23, 01:30 Closed July 2026 — Hottest Month on Record for the Contiguous United States July 2026 averaged 76.9F across the contiguous US — the hottest month in NOAA's 132-year record, edging July 1936 and 2012 — with record-warm overnight lows averaging 64.2F. Aug 23, 01:30 Reference US Existing-Home Sales — July 2026 Existing-home sales slipped 1.7% in July to a 4.06 million annual rate, per NAR, but stayed 0.7% above a year ago. The median price rose 2.0% to $434,100 — a 37th straight month of annual gains. Aug 22, 00:45 Closed Federal Reserve Chair Transition: Powell to Warsh Kevin Warsh took office as Chair of the Federal Reserve on May 22, 2026, succeeding Jerome Powell, who had led the U.S. central bank since February 2018. Aug 15, 11:05