Apple beats Netflix for all-star show, Senate is entering the tax fight, and more trending news

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Apple scored a new drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, beating out Netflix and CBS for the hot-ticket show, says The Wall Street Journal. Each episode of the still unnamed series could exceed $10 million. The drama, for which both A-list actresses are executive producers, is the tech giant’s second big content investment in recent weeks following a deal with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. Apple will reportedly spend some $1 billion on programming — a big bet, but still dwarfed by Netflix’s $8 billion content budget for 2018. ? Share your thoughts: #AppleWitherspoonAniston

In other Apple news: Apple is pursuing plans for an augmented reality headset that could ship as early as 2020, Bloomberg reports. The company has said it favors the technology, which overlays images and data in the real world, to virtual reality. ? Share your thoughts: #AppleAR

The Senate is expected to introduce its own tax bill today. According to Politico, the Senate version "sharply diverges from the House GOP's plan, including by not fully repealing the estate tax," and will not contain the House provision for a 20% excise tax. A top Republican senator, Orrin Hatch, said Tuesday's election could have a direct impact on the shape of any tax bill that goes forward. And, the latest scoring of the House bill by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says it will increase the deficit by $1.7 trillion over 10 years. ? Share your thoughts: #GOPTaxPlanDebate

Hot topic this week: Has the 40-hour work week outlived its purpose? If so, what should be put in its place? What kind of work schedule makes you feel most productive? That’s the subject of this week’s Work in Progress podcast, and we want to know what you think. Leave a comment below.

Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer and ex-Equifax CEO Richard Smith appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee about their companies’ data breaches. Mayer, who was subpoenaed, was lambasted over the security breach that affected all of Yahoo’s 3 billion accounts. Equifax didn't get off easy either: "I can't think of a clearer definition of gross negligence anywhere," shared Senator Gary Peters; Equifax’s breach impacted at least 145.5 million consumers. Senators had hoped to glean more information about how companies could prevent similar attacks in the future. ? Share your thoughts: #SenateDataHackHearing

The proposed AT&T/Time Warner hit a major snag. AT&T CFO John Stephens told a media conference the “timing of the closing of the deal is uncertain” after reports that the Justice Department was insisting the combined entity divest either Turner Broadcasting — owner of CNN — or DirecTV. The antitrust implications of the combination were not immediately clear; legal experts in the field told The New York Times that “fighting the deal could prove challenging for regulators.” As late as last week the companies were under the impression that “DoJ approval was right around the corner.” ? Share your thoughts: #ATTTimeWarner

Panera Bread is buying rival sandwich chain Au Bon Pain, adding to its portfolio roughly 200 US cafes and an additional 100 abroad. After the deal goes through, Panera CEO Ron Shaich will step down but remain chairman, with Shaich’s deputy Blaine Hurst taking the helm. Panera itself was acquired just earlier this year by JAB Holdings, which also owns Krispy Kreme and Keurig. The two fast-casual restaurants had previously been united under the same company in the 80s and 90s. ? Share your thoughts: #PaneraAuBonPain

Idea of the Day: It’s important to take a “splurge day,” says Kiip’s Brian Wong — and that time off should renew your focus and energy. Wong suggests using that time to do something that inspires you, whether that’s going to a museum or learning a new skill. He also says you should take that time to write down your thoughts and observations:

“Throughout the busy workweek, you may not have time to entertain every thought that pops into your head. Take advantage of your time away from the office and pour your ideas onto paper. The practice is incredibly beneficial to creating, evaluating, and adjusting your work.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— Katie Carroll / Share this using #DailyRundown