Axios

President Trump's budget team raided three different financial accounts to make sure U.S. troops are paid Friday as the government shutdown continues, White House officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: As long as military personnel are paid, Trump isn't planning to budge on the nearly month-old shutdown, even with as many as 42 million people set to lose food stamp benefits Saturday.

Apollo Global Management has reached a deal to sell AOL to Italian tech holding group Bending Spoons in a deal valued at roughly $1.5 billion, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: AOL still drives hundreds of millions of dollars of free cash flow.

U.S. House staffers were warned by congressional administrators Wednesday that their October paychecks will not be sent out if the government remains shut down into November, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It is yet another painful consequence of the shutdown — and one that hits particularly close to home for the lawmakers in both parties who have dug in to their positions.

EBT cards aren't expected to stop working when SNAP benefits freeze in November.

Why it matters: About 42 million Americans — or around 20 million households — are expected to lose access to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits next month.

• EBT cards — used by recipients to spend SNAP funds — can still be used if they have leftover funds from previous months, experts said.
• However, experts said that many people spend their benefits during the month they're issued — so this is unlikely to help many.

Catch up quick: The government shutdown is expected to stretch into November. It has already disrupted air travel and food assistance.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states it won't provide November's SNAP payments and that the agency won't tap into emergency funds for food stamps.
• SNAP benefits will not be distributed Nov. 1, leaving many struggling to buy food and goods

Yes, but: People will still have access to their EBT cards.

Here's what to know.

EBT cards and SNAP benefits

Zoom in: Any SNAP funds unspent from October or previous months will roll over into November.

• Benefits do not expire for an entire calendar year, per the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
• DHS officials recommend SNAP recipients keep their cards locked and secure to avoid losing funds.

What they're saying: "Your existing card will continue to work, but your regular payment will not appear," said Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) in a press release. "Keep your EBT Card active."

• Mackenzie Libbey with Community Legal Services told CBS News: "That's money that's already been appropriated. It's been put on their card."
• "So we definitely do not want people rushing out to try to use up their benefits at the end of October thinking they're not going to be able to buy anything in November."

Yes, but: SNAP recipients often spend all of their benefits at once, or in the month they're issued, Axios' Emily Peck writes.

• "About 80 percent of benefits are spent in the first two weeks and 97 percent by the end of the month," said Lauren Bauer of the Brookings Institution.
• This spending becomes a key revenue driver for grocery stores, meaning a drop in SNAP benefits usage can lead to a broader decline in general spending, too, Peck writes.

States and SNAP benefits

The intrigue: Some states say they're unsure if EBT cards will still work in November and that families should plan ahead.

• New Hampshire, for example, recommends beneficiaries use all of their funds before Oct. 31.
• Oklahoma similarly urged families to budget ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline.

States are handling the lack of SNAP benefit funding differently.

• Virginia declared a state of emergency so it can use funds to pay for benefits.
• Colorado Gov. Jared Polis asked his state for up to $10 million to support food banks.

What happens to EBT, SNAP when shutdown ends

What's next: Many expect that when the shutdown ends, any missed benefits will be sent retroactively to EBT cards.

• Brown of Ohio recommends those in need still apply or renew their benefit application as needed so they don't lose help when the shutdown ends.

What to watch for: Food banks are already seeing a surge of people as millions of families prepare for benefits to freeze.

Emily Peck contributed to this report.

Go deeper:

• Virginia launches new food aid program to replace halted SNAP
• Two dozen states sue Trump administration over impending SNAP cuts
• How the SNAP freeze will squeeze Walmart and grocery stores

CNN on Tuesday unveiled its new subscription streaming service, All Access, three years after the chaotic collapse of CNN+.

Why it matters: Unlike CNN+, the new service is like a "close sibling" of CNN's core cable product, CEO Mark Thompson tells Axios.

Federal funding to programs that millions rely on, from early education to food and utility bill aid have shut down, leaving families scrambling for help.

Why it matters: As the shutdown marks its fourth consecutive week with no end in sight, the pain of federal closures is spreading far past government employees.

The Trump administration is arguing there will be lower premiums and more health care plans for Affordable Care Act enrollees next year compared to before the pandemic, according to a memo sent to congressional offices on Tuesday, obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: It's the first real rebuttal to Democratic warnings about skyrocketing premiums — a key driver of the now 28-day government shutdown.