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Today’s top stories
The House Oversight Committee yesterday released more than 20,000 documents turned over to Congress from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. Among them were new emails from the convicted sex offender that mention President Trump, often expressing displeasure with him and his presidency. Democrats and Republicans differ over what the documents reveal about Epstein.
– The majority of the emails obsessively tracked Trump’s rise from 2015 to 2018. Epstein mocked Trump and sent a note to former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers saying there isn’t “one decent cell” in Trump’s body, NPR’s Stephen Fowler reports to Up First. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the release proves nothing. House Speaker Mike Johnson has opposed efforts to release all unclassified Justice Department files related to Epstein, who died by suicide while awaiting trial in 2019. Arizona Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn in yesterday, giving the bipartisan push enough support to force a House floor vote on the Epstein files bill.
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over after President Trump signed a bill to fund the government last night. The measure reverses layoffs imposed during the shutdown, provides back pay for federal employees, and funds some agencies through next September. The bill does not extend enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which expire at the end of the year.
– NPR’s Barbara Sprunt is watching how Democrats will try to craft a subsidy-extension bill that could appeal to some Republicans in a promised December Senate vote. If Democrats succeed, they could start the new year with a policy win; if Republicans block it, Democrats can campaign on rising health-care costs.
– There are signals a one-year extension of federal subsidies might be possible, but no concrete deal exists. Republicans argue the subsidies were temporary pandemic policy and don’t address rising health costs; Democrats want to maintain generous subsidies that have reduced monthly premiums.
Israel deported 154 Palestinian prisoners last month as part of the exchange for Hamas freeing its final group of Israeli hostages. The prisoners were exiled to Cairo and will not return to the Palestinian territories. Israeli security officials say deportations aim to prevent released prisoners from re-engaging in militancy, but past cases suggest the practice can have unintended long-term security consequences.
Living better
The FDA plans to remove warning labels from estrogen-based hormone therapy used to treat menopause symptoms. Those warnings stemmed from an early-2000s Women’s Health Initiative study that found increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and breast cancer; women in that study averaged 63 years old. Experts now say more is known about safer, effective combinations when therapy starts earlier.
Things to consider when talking with your health care provider:
– Experts recommend starting hormone therapy before age 60 or within the first 10 years after menopause begins.
– Discuss how long to stay on therapy. Many women use it for three to five years, but decisions are individualized.
– If you prefer not to use hormones, alternatives exist; the FDA has approved two non-hormonal drugs for severe hot flashes.
Picture show
Colorful northern lights painted the skies with green and pink hues Tuesday night due to strong geomagnetic storms. The aurora borealis was visible across many states — including Tennessee, New York, New Mexico and Idaho — and as far south as parts of Florida and Alabama. The display reflects stronger solar activity as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year cycle; this trend should continue for several months. See photos of this week’s display and tips on photographing the aurora.
3 things to know before you go
1. The U.S. Mint produced its final penny in Philadelphia yesterday. The one-cent coin, introduced 232 years ago, is being phased out because each penny cost nearly 4 cents to make.
2. NPR’s Word of the Week is “nostalgia,” which began as a medical diagnosis and has evolved into a complex emotion that can also be monetized.
3. When Stacia was 21 she struggled with severe depression. After leaving a hospital, she thumbed for a ride. A woman stopped, asked a simple question and helped Stacia begin to rebuild her life.
This newsletter was edited by Obed Manuel.
