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Today’s top stories
A new wave of protests in Minneapolis and across the U.S. erupted over the weekend after a federal agent fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti. This marks the second killing of a Minneapolis resident during an encounter with immigration officials since the Trump administration launched its immigration crackdown in the city. Congressional leaders are pushing back against the administration’s account of what happened and calling for a joint federal and state investigation. Here are five things you should know about the shooting.
- 🎧 The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to paint Pretti as a domestic terrorist who intended to shoot law enforcement, but eyewitness videos reviewed by NPR contradict that narrative, NPR’s Jasmine Garsd tells Up First. There is no evidence that Pretti ever brandished a gun before agents shot him. State officials say the Department of Homeland Security has blocked Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigators from the scene. This action is similar to the shutout state officials experienced during the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Macklin Good.
The majority of Senate Democrats say they will not vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security without new guardrails for immigration enforcement. Their opposition may risk a government shutdown on Friday, as the dispute could tank the entire $1.3 trillion spending package.
- 🎧 Because the Senate is set to vote on the funding measures as one mega package, a vote against Homeland Security funding would also put funding for defense, health and more bipartisan bills in limbo, says NPR’s Sam Gringlas. Congressional Republicans gave ICE an extra $75 billion last summer, so Democrats will not stop the administration’s immigration crackdown by withholding these votes, Gringlas says. Even so, Democrats don’t want to hand over the $10 billion that is currently on the line.
An immense winter storm has disrupted the lives of millions of Americans, from the Deep South to New England. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the South are without power. Airlines are working to get planes back in the air after canceling and delaying thousands of flights. Reporters across the NPR Network are covering the storm in each state. Check out your state’s latest information about the storm’s impact and how officials are responding.
- 🎧 The most urgent issue for many people currently is power loss. It could take days to get it back on in some states, according to NPR’s Joel Rose. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said at one point last night that more than 180,000 customers in the state lost power, which is over 10% of the state’s utility customers. Even though precipitation has stopped, Reeves says that won’t make the problems go away because roads are expected to remain icy due to the forecast of below-freezing temperatures. The governor is urging people to stay off the roads so that the emergency crews can do their jobs.
- 📷 Take a look at photos from the massive winter storm that swept the nation.
Deep dive
The Trump administration has reclassified six immunizations that were long considered routine for kids into a category requiring “shared clinical decision-making.” This approach involves the patient or patient’s parent having a conversation with a medical provider to decide if a treatment is appropriate. It’s usually reserved for complex medical decisions, such as whether someone should get surgery or physical therapy for back pain. Vaccine critics argue these immunizations have enough nuance to warrant moving them to this category. Others say dropping these vaccines to a lower spot in the new CDC vaccine hierarchy sows dangerous confusion and doubt. Now, parents who want their children to get vaccinated could face several hurdles that limit access.
- 💉 Even with insurance, parents may now face co-pays for those extra conversations about vaccines with swamped pediatricians.
- 💉 Some lawyers argue the change opens the door to more vaccine injury lawsuits. The possibility of lawsuits could intimidate doctors, even if the change doesn’t increase successful vaccine litigation.
- 💉 Changes could affect the practical delivery of vaccinations, including the deletion of automatic electronic medical record alerts for when shots are due.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
About every 34 seconds, heart disease kills someone in the U.S. It remains the leading cause of death for men and women, according to the American Heart Association. A new AHA study says strokes and other heart conditions are on the decline. Here’s what it will take to keep the positive momentum going, according to health experts.
- ❤️ People should go to medical check-ups, which will inform them if they have high blood pressure or not.
- ❤️ Two drivers of heart disease are obesity and diabetes. Lifestyle changes like moving more and eating better help lower the risk of heart disease.
- ❤️ Adding more green spaces for people to exercise safely can help promote healthier decisions through community-level policy changes.
3 things to know before you go
- Gladys West, who contributed key elements to what became the GPS satellite system, died on Saturday at 95.
- Dairy farmers are diversifying their offerings to offset low milk prices and inflation. Services include cow cuddling, ice cream churning, and farm tours. (via KCUR)
- The National Park Service removed signage from part of an exhibition titled “The President’s House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation” on Independence Mall in Philadelphia on Thursday. (via WHYY)
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
