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Today's top stories
Today, President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met and reached an agreement on several points in trade negotiations. Trump announced the U.S. would lower the 20% tariffs to 10% because China has committed to doing more to curb exports of ingredients for fentanyl. China will defer export controls on rare earths and resume buying U.S. soybeans. U.S. and Chinese economic officials ironed out the trade details in Malaysia last weekend.
- 🎧 Xi and Trump met on the sideline of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea. Trump said he didn't come to South Korea for APEC or Korean issues, but to meet with the Chinese leader. On social media, Trump posted that the U.S. would resume testing nuclear weapons "on an equal basis" with Russia and China. NPR's Anthony Kuhn clarifies to Up First that while Russia and China are upgrading and expanding their nuclear arsenals, neither country has tested atomic bombs since the 1990s. Kuhn adds that Xi has not responded to Trump's statement, but "couldn't have liked it much." Kuhn says if Trump's announcement was to try to pressure China into a conversation about arms control, it could have the opposite effect and result in an arms race.
More than 65,000 infants, toddlers and preschoolers could lose access to their local Head Start centers across the U.S. beginning Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown. The federal program provides childcare and early learning for low-income families.
- 🎧 Without federal dollars, 134 Head Start programs are rushing to find alternative funding, NPR's Cory Turner says. If the programs close, many working families may have to choose between going to work and taking care of their children. Corey Holcomb, who runs a Head Start program in Michigan, told Turner that her agency secured two more weeks of funding by pulling from other resources with the hopes that they will be reimbursed. They've also asked for deferments on some bills.
Trump's pick for Surgeon General, Casey Means, will have her confirmation hearing in front of a Senate committee today. The president announced that Means would replace his initial choice, a Fox News contributor, more than five months ago. Means is a wellness influencer and entrepreneur. Last year, she published the bestselling book Good Energy. Here's what to watch for during the hearing.
- 🎧 NPR's Will Stone says the hearing is somewhat unusual because it will be held virtually, and Means will join remotely. Stone says he expects that she will be grilled about her qualifications and potential conflicts of interest. Some medical and public health professionals have pushed back on Means' confirmation. They have highlighted her lack of qualifications, and note that she dropped out of her surgical residency and does not have an active medical license. Critics argue that Means doesn't possess the leadership or clinical experience typically expected from the surgeon general, who is regarded as the nation's top doctor.
Deep dive
In the past year, many federal law enforcement agents conducting immigration arrests have hidden their identities. They have not only concealed their faces but have also masked their vehicles. NPR discovered through a review of videos that the vehicles used by officers during immigration-related arrests sometimes lacked license plates or had plates that were swapped out from their originals. Immigration advocates say that as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement increases its presence across the U.S., untraceable vehicles may add to confusion over what tactics its officers can or should be using, and could prevent people from holding officers accountable for their actions.
- 🚨 ICE spokesperson Mike Alvarez informed NPR that federal regulations require government vehicles to display license plates on both the front and rear. However, this requirement can be waived if showing the plates would interfere with investigative, law enforcement, intelligence, or security operations.
- 🚨 Some states prohibit swapping license plates on vehicles. However, photos taken by activists and videos shared on social media suggest that some federal agents are doing it anyway. Some activists have also spotted vehicles with a license plate on the front of a vehicle that doesn't match the one on the back.
- 🚨 In Washington and Illinois, some videos shared on social media show federal agents making arrests in vehicles marked with Mexican objects or icons. When asked about this tactic, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that the agency believes its employees are not camouflaging their identities.
Read more about the tactics agents are using to make immigration arrests.
Life advice
When a loved one behaves in a way that bothers you, should you take a step back from the relationship or lean into it? Therapist KC Davis has shared some practical advice with Life Kit about how to move forward when these relationships become difficult. Davis has a few guiding questions to help you make the best decision for your situation.
- 🤝 Why is this behavior objectionable to you? This question can help you pinpoint the issue and decide how to move forward. It can help you determine if the behavior is something you don't like or if it is hurtful.
- 🤝 Are they willing to change? You can have a conversation with the person about the problem and work on a solution together.
- 🤝 Does staying in this relationship violate my values? If a relationship threatens your physical and psychological safety, as well as the safety of minor children, it is against your values to continue engaging with that person.
For tips on how to decide whether to step back from a difficult relationship or stick it out, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
3 things to know before you go
- In the central plaza of a Colombian town, NPR's Jon Otis stumbled upon men in cowboy hats making carne a la llanera, which means "prairie-style meat." This week's Far-Flung Postcard explores this culinary tradition.
- NPR's "Word of the Week" is "neurodivergent," which took off on Google Trends amid widespread coronavirus lockdowns in June 2020. The term refers to various ways people's brains differ from what is deemed normal in the U.S. Here's the history behind the word.
- Chain restaurants across the country continue to serve familiar fare, drawing in people even amid high food prices. NPR wants to explore why that is, and you could help. Share your thoughts on the roles these restaurants play in American culture.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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