By Alexandra Banner

Now that the government is reopening, several US airlines are expressing optimism that they will soon be able to get flights back on schedule — but the effort won't be easy or immediate. Flight delays and cancellations are expected to linger as air traffic controllers work to increase their staffing levels.

Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

Pool

Government reopens

The longest shutdown in US history is over after President Donald Trump signed a funding bill to reopen the government on Wednesday. It follows a bitter, 43-day standoff in Congress over the country's spending priorities. Notably absent from the funding package are any provisions to extend health care subsidies — a major sticking point for Democratic lawmakers. Trump's signature paves the way for paychecks to flow to government employees, as well as the resumption of critical food and nutrition services relied on by tens of millions of Americans. However, it only extends funding until January 30, giving lawmakers a little over two months to avoid a similar shutdown situation from playing out next year.

Epstein files

The House is set to vote next week on a contentious bill compelling the release of all the Justice Department's Jeffrey Epstein case files. On Wednesday, House Oversight Committee Democrats released three emails newly acquired from Epstein's estate that mention President Trump. This was soon followed by about 20,000 other pages of documents released from the committee. Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose death by suicide has spawned intense scrutiny of the high-profile people he knew, mentioned Donald Trump by name multiple times in private correspondence that began almost 15 years ago with an associate and an author in Trump's orbit. The president has denied any wrongdoing and accused Democrats of bringing up Epstein to "deflect" from their handling of the government shutdown.

Economy

One in four US households is living paycheck to paycheck in today's increasingly unaffordable economy, according to a Bank of America Institute analysis released this week. The bank's researchers combed through internal data on its tens of millions of consumers and tracked how much they spent on necessities like housing, gasoline, groceries, child care and utilities. The report found that 24% of households spend over 95% of their income on those necessities, leaving little to nothing left over for the "nice-to-have" things like going out to dinner or taking a vacation, let alone saving. The report comes as President Trump continues to dismiss affordability concerns as a "con job" conjured up by Democrats.

UPS plane crash

Authorities have identified all 14 victims from the fiery UPS cargo plane crash last week in Louisville, Kentucky. Their names were released on Wednesday as Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg lamented the lives that will "forever be unfinished." Among the victims were three pilots on board when the crash happened during takeoff at UPS Worldport, the company's global aviation hub located at Muhammad Ali International Airport. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board remain at the crash site as they work to determine the cause of the devastating accident.

Immigration

A federal judge ordered the release of more than 600 people arrested as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Illinois, according to CNN affiliate WLS, dealing a blow to the president's sweeping deportation efforts. Attorneys from the National Immigrant Justice Center and the ACLU alleged more than 3,000 people were arrested between June and October in "Operation Midway Blitz." Following the ruling, 615 of those arrested must be granted bond by November 21. The decision comes amid ongoing concerns over racial profiling and constitutional rights as the administration's broad deportation campaign targets people of all ages, with arrests taking place outside businesses, court hearings, traffic stops and workplaces.

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