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Current Highlights
Over 40 million Americans are set to lose federal food aid soon. The Trump administration has announced the cessation of SNAP benefits from November 1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed that emergency funds will not be utilized to mitigate this issue. The administration attributes this situation to Democratic policies, continuing a month-long pattern of placing blame regarding shutdown-related matters.
A sign alerting customers about SNAP food stamps benefits is displayed at a Brooklyn grocery store on Dec. 5, 2019 in New York City. Scott Heins/Getty Imageshide caption
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Scott Heins/Getty Images
- 🎧 Some budget experts suggest that lawmakers should use the nearly $6 billion in contingency fund accounts to fund the benefits, NPR’s Stephen Fowler tells Up First. The USDA released a memo Friday stating it is currently illegal to use these contingency funds to pay for benefits. The administration argues that emergency money can only be used as a supplement when there are regularly appropriated benefits available, but due to the shutdown, there are none. Initially, the USDA’s plan for dealing with the shutdown mentioned the contingency funds as an option and suggested that Congress intended for SNAP operations to continue amid a shutdown.
President Trump addressed U.S. troops in Japan today and met the country’s newly elected prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Japan and the U.S. have signed an agreement on rare earth minerals. In honor of America’s 250th birthday next year, Japan will gift the U.S. 250 cherry trees for Washington, D.C. The president will continue his Asia trip with a visit to South Korea, where he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
- 🎧 Trump was very complimentary of Japan’s first female prime minister, and when he addressed troops, he brought her up on stage to make her own remarks, NPR’s Deepa Shivaram says. Earlier this year, the U.S. and Japan agreed on a framework for a trade deal that imposes a 15% tariff on Japan’s exports and includes Japan investing $550 billion in the U.S. Shivaram says there is a possibility that the framework could be renegotiated.
Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa, projected to hit as a Category 5 storm, setting a new record as the most powerful hurricane to impact the island. Winds are intensifying across the region.
- 🎧 NPR’s Eyder Peralta says it is not an overstatement to say this is a monster of a storm. The National Hurricane Center reports wind gusts reaching 175 miles per hour, ranking it among the strongest Atlantic storms. Catastrophic damage is anticipated across Jamaica, home to approximately 3 million people. Concerns rise as government officials note low shelter occupancy, with only 133 out of 881 shelters in use.
In-Depth Analysis
U.S. flags fly at half staff following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 in Chicago. Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Imageshide caption
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Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has intensified the debate around political violence in the U.S., with some suggesting far-left extremists are largely to blame for escalating violence. No official ties have emerged linking the suspect to leftist groups. A recent Center for Strategic and International Studies report indicates a notable change this year, revealing that from January 1 to July 4, far-left terror plots outnumbered those from the far right. This report has sparked discussions within counterterrorism circles, with some critics contending it underscores more issues with domestic terrorism data analysis than it clarifies.
- ➡️ There are no public, official, unified and comprehensive reports of domestic terrorism in the U.S., so researchers have to assemble their own data sets to analyze trends.
- ➡️ The CSIS revealed that five instances of left-wing terrorism and one of right-wing terrorism occurred within the first six months of 2025. Critics of the research believe that the numbers found are too small to support any robust conclusion.
- ➡️ The study omitted incidents that some might categorize as acts of left-wing terrorism, including the killing of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, D.C. CSIS is working to adjust its classification for violence committed in the name of Palestinian rights due to the complexities around the issue.
Living Better
Research finds people who feel low are more likely to seek out negative social media content. But those who watch inspirational stories are more hopeful and less stressed. Oscar Wong/Moment RF/Getty Imageshide caption
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Oscar Wong/Moment RF/Getty Images
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Social media feeds often pull users toward negative or self-esteem diminishing content. However, changing viewing habits can alter this trajectory. A recent study highlights that just a few minutes of positive content can elevate mood. The research, involving 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 to 86, showed that participants who watched three to five minutes of inspiring videos daily for five days, or practiced brief meditation, experienced heightened hope compared to those watching comedy or no specific content. For those aiming to enhance their social media experience, consider these strategies:
- 📱 Explore hashtags that align with your interests, such as positive body image, wildlife, or hobbies.
- 📱 Maintain a media log to track what you watch and how it impacts your emotions, helping connect media habits with mood changes.
- 📱 Consider starting anew by deleting your account and creating a fresh one, allowing a reset of your online presence.
- 📱 Implement a weekly social media pause, such as a 24-hour break, to distance yourself from online platforms.
3 Things to Know Before You Go
Here We Go Magic performs at The Wiltern in Los Angeles in 2009. Jason LaVeris/WireImage/
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Jason LaVeris/WireImage/
Getty Images
- New music from your favorite artists could be the work of AI. Now that AI music generators are easily accessible, scammers are uploading songs to the profiles of inactive artists and dead musicians.
- The federal government has reinstalled a statue commemorating Confederate general Albert Pike in Washington, D.C.’s Judiciary Square. Protesters toppled the statue and set it ablaze in June 2020 during the Black Lives Matter movement.
- Paul Biya, 92, the world’s oldest head of state, has won an eighth term as president of Cameroon. If he serves out his new term, he will remain in power until he is nearly 100 years old.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
