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Today’s top story
The U.S. Senate voted 60 to 40 last night to approve a continuing resolution to reopen the government. Speaker Mike Johnson has called the House of Representatives back to Washington, D.C.; the House must pass the measure before President Trump can sign it into law.
In addition to the temporary funding measure, lawmakers voted on three bipartisan annual appropriations bills that cover specific agencies like the FDA. Moving forward with these measures means there remains a chance of a partial government shutdown at the end of January, though programs like SNAP would continue. A provision to extend expiring health care subsidies was not included; Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he will hold a vote by mid-December. Democrats who favor the subsidy extension will need a plan that can win enough Republican support.
Seven Senate Democrats and one independent joined Republicans in voting to reopen the government, drawing backlash from left-leaning voters who say the party keeps caving on key priorities. Democrats may nevertheless gain an advantage heading into next year’s midterms if affordability and cost-of-living concerns remain top issues.
Climate negotiations at COP30
Delegates from nearly 200 countries have begun climate negotiations at COP30 in Brazil. As with prior summits, talks open under grim conditions: countries are not meeting their goals to cut emissions from burning fossil fuels.
The world is currently on track for about five degrees Fahrenheit of warming, which would make heatwaves and storms more intense and severely threaten ecosystems such as coral reefs. Still, there is progress: over 90% of new power projects built last year were renewable, showing that electricity generation is becoming cleaner globally.
Stay up to date with COP30 coverage through NPR’s app playlist of stories.
Global diplomacy and reactions
Some white Afrikaners and Afrikaans groups in South Africa are pushing back against U.S. administration statements, calling them “lies” and “falsehoods” made in their name. The backlash follows President Trump’s announcement that no U.S. officials will attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg later this month, which South Africa is hosting as rotating chair, citing “human rights” concerns.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Efforts to improve U.S. health in recent years have focused on reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods, which make up the majority of Americans’ diets. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has warned these foods are “poisoning” Americans, but public health and nutrition experts do not agree on a single definition of “ultra-processed.”
Key points:
– The term refers to the degree of processing foods undergo, ranging from unprocessed or minimally processed to items containing manufactured ingredients and additives.
– Some experts note that certain ultra-processed foods—such as fortified plant-based milks—can offer health benefits.
– Ultra-processed foods are often more affordable and accessible. Consumers seeking healthier choices can aim to make informed decisions within this category and reduce added sugar intake.
Behind the story
This essay was written by Quil Lawrence, NPR’s veterans correspondent.
It’s Veterans Day, and NPR is the only mainstream national network with a dedicated veterans reporter. Quil Lawrence released a two-part podcast in The Sunday Story from Up First that follows Dave Carlson, an Iraq war veteran Lawrence has talked with for more than a decade.
Lawrence explains that when people are incarcerated they become wards of the state and often lose access to veterans’ benefits, complicating care for veterans with combat PTSD. He searched for incarcerated veterans to interview and connected with Carlson through writings his mother posted online.
A question that has followed Lawrence since reporting on Iraq and Afghanistan is what society owes those who were sent to war and returned with often invisible wounds. He says he hasn’t fully answered that question but suggests what we owe veterans is an open mind and recognition that most veterans are “just like you and me.”
Listen to Part 1 of the podcast here and Part 2 here.
3 things to know before you go
1. David Szalay’s latest novel, Flesh, won this year’s Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in literature.
2. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a case challenging its 2015 decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide.
3. The Jacksonville Jaguars will host their home games in Orlando in 2027 while their stadium undergoes a $1.4 billion renovation, an Orlando City Council member confirmed. (via WUSF)
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
