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Top stories
Congress is expected to pass a Republican-sponsored funding bill today that would end the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. Many Democrats criticized the measure because it does not extend health-care subsidies that expire at year’s end. The package includes a pledge to hold an Affordable Care Act vote in December, but it’s unclear whether that promise will reach the House floor. The disagreement has deepened tensions inside the Democratic Party; some members have even called for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step down despite his vote against the bill, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declined to take a public position.
Air travel disruptions are likely to continue even after the shutdown ends. Airlines canceled thousands of flights during the shutdown under a Federal Aviation Administration order, creating staffing shortages that won’t be fixed overnight. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said FAA restrictions will stay in place until officials are confident staffing has returned to normal.
The Navy’s newest and largest carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is operating in the U.S. Southern Command area, including waters near Venezuela. In recent weeks, U.S. forces have opened fire on small boats in the region, killing at least 76 people, according to reports. The administration has said the vessels were involved in drug-smuggling, but has not released public evidence supporting that claim. Reporting suggests the strikes could raise legal questions for U.S. personnel; a senior officer who supervised the operations resigned two years early amid concerns about their legality.
Tech and crime
Google filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against an organization it calls Lighthouse, alleging the group — which Google says operates from China — provides software and technical support to networks that send phishing texts and run other online scams.
Deep dive: early pregnancy care
Home pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy as early as about four weeks after conception, but many prenatal clinics schedule first visits at eight or nine weeks. For most people, waiting for an initial prenatal appointment isn’t dangerous, yet many want earlier care. Early ultrasounds may not clearly show a viable pregnancy, and clinics often delay early visits because about 15% of pregnancies end in the first trimester and clinics aren’t equipped to manage that volume. If you need earlier help with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bleeding, or heartburn, contact a primary care doctor or an OB-GYN for assessment and basic guidance.
Life advice: stretching food budgets after the shutdown
SNAP benefits were delayed in November because of the shutdown. Kevin Curry, founder of Fit Men Cook and a former SNAP recipient, recommends practical steps to find free or low-cost food:
– Use Double Up Food Bucks where available to get more fruits and vegetables for your SNAP dollars.
– Call the USDA’s National Hunger Hotline to locate nearby food pantries and meal sites.
– Check multiple pantries for the items you need; inventories differ by location.
– Ask grocery stores when they mark down perishable items and what days they restock deals.
For more tips, listen to NPR’s Life Kit episode on affording food and sign up for the Life Kit newsletter.
3 things to know
1) Podcast hosts and guests remain predominantly male and white, according to new research from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. 2) The Wright family mansion in Oakwood, Ohio, has received a historical marker; it was once Orville Wright’s home. 3) About two dozen violins owned and played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust are on display at the Jewish Museum Milwaukee as part of the Violins of Hope exhibit.
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.