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Today's top stories
Last night in Pennsylvania, President Trump informed a rally crowd that making America affordable again is his highest priority. He insisted that prices are coming down and brought some people on stage who stand to benefit from the tax cuts he signed into law earlier this year.
- 🎧 The president's 90-minute speech included no new policies, NPR's Tamara Keith told Up First. He said he inherited a mess when he took office, which Keith says, in other words, means "don't blame me." Trump said things are already getting cheaper, including gas. According to GasBuddy, prices are down about 8 cents per gallon on average compared to a year ago. Keith says this is not enough to compensate for other high consumer costs, such as utility bills and health care.
The Federal Reserve is expected to lower its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point today to support a weakening job market. But the path to that decision could be bumpy, as policymakers are divided over whether stubborn inflation should take precedence. The decision is also complicated because a six-week shutdown has delayed data.
- 🎧 It is not uncommon for the Fed to have some disagreement, but it is unusual to have a lot, and in particular to not see eye-to-eye in both directions, according to NPR's Scott Horsley. The last Fed meeting saw two dissents: One member thought the Fed cut rates too aggressively, while another believed the Fed wasn't moving fast enough. The Fed hasn't seen three dissents in six years, and four haven't occurred in 33 years. Horsley says it is possible that many could be seen today.
A community of Afghan soldiers who fought the Taliban for the CIA now feels the agency has abandoned them. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, one member of that community, is the man authorities accuse of shooting two National Guard troops last month. NPR spoke to people involved with these "Zero Units" and learned that some have struggled with mental and emotional distress. At least four soldiers have taken their own lives.
- 🎧 Zero Unit fighters say that after years on the frontline doing combat service, they expected respect in the U.S. and a chance to start new lives. Instead, they found themselves tangled in a complicated immigration process, NPR's Brian Mann says. Davud, a Zero Unit fighter, agreed to speak with NPR only if he solely used his first name, because he feared for his family's safety in Afghanistan. Davud told Mann that when Zero Unit fighters in the U.S. reach out to the CIA for help, they often get no response. While these fighters face uncertainty, Trump has suggested that many of them may not be allowed to stay in the U.S.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
The holiday season often brings more parties, and consequently, more opportunities to enjoy a drink or two. If you've found that a single drink seems to affect you more than it once did, there's a scientific explanation for this change.
- 🍸 The liver enzymes that break down alcohol become less efficient with age, according to studies.
- 🍸 We lose more muscle as we age. Muscle stores water, which helps to dilute the alcohol in our blood.
- 🍸 For women experiencing perimenopause, alcohol can worsen symptoms associated with hormonal fluctuations, such as mood swings and irritability.
- 🍸 The risks of alcohol, such as liver disease and worsened high blood pressure, increase with age, which is why cutting back can be a good idea.
Picture show
Arlene Wagner has spent nearly 50 years amassing the nation's largest nutcracker collection, which is displayed at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum in Washington. The museum features over 9,000 handcrafted nutcrackers from 50 countries, spanning two millennia, with one impressively dating back to 200 A.D. Wagner recently turned 101, and is often seen in her pearl necklace and traditional German dirndl dress, greeting visitors while perched on a stool at the museum's entrance. Once inside, people are able to take in the riot of colors and the floor-to-ceiling, custom-made display cases that Wagner meticulously curated. Step inside the museum with these captivating images.
3 things to know before you go
- Santa handles the nice list, but his counterpart, Krampus, scares naughty children into behaving. The terrifying European monster carries a whipping stick instead of toys, and yet people seem to like him. Take a look at these photos of people participating in the tradition.
- Raul Malo, leader of the country band The Mavericks and one of roots music's most recognizable voices, died Monday night, a band representative announced. He was 60 years old.
- Leila's Hair Museum in Independence, Mo., closed in September. Now, the founder's granddaughter is finding new homes for the 3,000-piece human hair wreath collection. (via KCUR)
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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