Trump’s deal with; ACA Vote; Venezuela Oil Tankers : NPR

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At the moment’s prime tales

President Trump insisted that the U.S. is poised for an financial growth throughout a prime-time deal with to the nation yesterday. He stated that prime costs are reducing and attributed lots of the nation’s issues to his predecessors and immigrants. This message comes as Trump’s score on the economic system is traditionally low, and excessive costs stay a prime concern, in keeping with the newest NPR/PBS Information/Marist ballot.

• 🎧 The president primarily requested folks to attend as a result of his insurance policies, which he handed this 12 months, may have advantages within the new 12 months, NPR’s Deepa Shivaram tells Up First. Trump stated households will see a bigger tax refund subsequent 12 months. He additionally introduced an initiative that may pay service members $1,776 and an upcoming plan to assist decrease the price of housing. Shivaram stated that total, it seemed like a reasonably typical Trump deal with, which included a protracted record of every part he sees as his accomplishments, all tacked collectively.

The Home of Representatives voted yesterday on a Republican-led well being care plan that didn’t embody extending enhanced well being care subsidies. Over 20 million People depend on the subsidies which can be set to run out on the finish of this month. A number of Republicans went in opposition to celebration management and joined Democrats to pressure a vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies.

• 🎧 The Home speaker now has a call to make on whether or not to maneuver the vote sooner, NPR’s Barbara Sprunt says. If the vote would not occur by the tip of this week, it will not happen till subsequent 12 months, as lawmakers are leaving for the vacations. Sprunt says some Republicans may very well be shifting their stance on these subsidies as a result of subsequent 12 months is a midterm 12 months. Lawmakers acknowledge what’s vital to their constituents — on this case, the influence of expiring subsidies on insurance coverage premiums.

Trump has ordered a ban on all sanctioned oil tankers touring to and from Venezuela. This risk of a partial blockade escalates the administration’s strain marketing campaign in opposition to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. It additionally sparks the query of whether or not the 2 nations are inching nearer to direct army battle.

• 🎧 A full blockage is taken into account an act of struggle, however the Trump administration seems to be focusing on solely tankers already on the sanctions record, in keeping with NPR’s Greg Myre. For years, the U.S. has been sanctioning “ghost ships,” that are tankers that try to disguise their identities and areas in an effort to evade U.S. and Western sanctions. This newest transfer may show to be a significant blow to Venezuela, because the nation is closely depending on oil exports. A totally loaded giant tanker carries over $100 million price of oil. If the U.S. seizes numerous ships, it may presumably scare away non-sanctioned tankers who might determine it is not well worth the threat.

Deep dive

Ailsa Ostovitz, left, and her mom, Stephanie Rizk, at their residence within the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. In mid-November, Rizk met with Ostovitz’s academics to debate accusations that her daughter had used AI to do a few of her schoolwork.

Beck Harlan/NPR

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Beck Harlan/NPR

Greater than 40% of surveyed Sixth- to Twelfth-grade academics used AI detection instruments throughout the earlier educational 12 months, in keeping with a ballot by the Middle for Democracy and Know-how. The academics did so regardless of quite a few research highlighting that these instruments lack reliability. Widespread detectors like Turnitin, GPTZero and Copyleaks misidentified some issues as AI that weren’t, and vice versa, in keeping with findings by Mike Perkins, a number one researcher on educational integrity and AI at British College Vietnam. Their accuracy charges plummet even additional when customers manipulate the AI take a look at to seem extra human. Regardless of these challenges, NPR discovered that faculty districts throughout the U.S. spend hundreds of {dollars} on these instruments.

• ➡️ John Grady, a language and literature trainer, makes use of AI detection instruments as a place to begin to provoke conversations with college students about AI use.
• ➡️ Grady says he scans all essays with GPTZero, and if the instrument flags a 50% chance of AI use, he digs deeper by utilizing revision historical past instruments to measure writing time and edit counts. If a pupil submits work with few edits and minimal time writing, he’ll conduct a check-in.
• ➡️ Highschool pupil Zi Shi, whose first language is Mandarin, fears that AI software program will flag his work on account of his writing fashion and his restricted English vocabulary.

Life recommendation

zip with financial institution notes on blue background

Parkpoom/Getty Photos

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Parkpoom/Getty Photos

Extra vacation customers are selecting to purchase now, pay later (BNPL) this season. On Cyber Monday, shoppers financed a document $1 billion in on-line purchases by this fee choice, in keeping with Adobe Analytics knowledge. Adobe tasks that by the tip of the season, that determine will bounce to $20.2 billion, up 11% from final 12 months. BNPL permits customers to buy items immediately by lenders like Afterpay and Klarna, and pay them again over time. Nonetheless, like several type of credit score, it comes with drawbacks. Finance specialists shared with Life Package recommendations on how you can use BNPL responsibly. Right here is among the steerage supplied that will help you defend your self from threat:

• 💲 If you have already got bank card debt or can not afford to cowl the funds, be cautious of utilizing BNPL.
• 💲 Attempt to solely take these loans from one lender, so all of your fee plans are in a single place, permitting you to raised preserve monitor of funds.
• 💲 Keep away from impulse shopping for simply because BNPL is an choice. One technique to keep away from purchaser’s regret is to think about speaking together with your future self, who’s all these payments.

If you’re curious to study extra about how BNPL loans work, try these six execs and cons. Subscribe to the Life Package e-newsletter for skilled recommendation on love, cash, relationships and extra.

3 issues to know earlier than you go

“Rusting rivers” are more and more widespread within the Brooks Vary of northern Alaska, the results of thawing permafrost. The orange coloration is attributable to naturally occurring iron, however it additionally usually signifies elevated ranges of heavy metals.

Josh Koch/U.S. Geological Survey

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Josh Koch/U.S. Geological Survey

1. The Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Arctic Report Card for this 12 months finds that the Earth’s northernmost half is warming quicker than the worldwide common. That is resulting in melting glaciers, shifting fish populations and rivers working orange.
2. In Chiloé Island, Chile, NPR’s Michele Kelemen observed many shops promoting photos of witches. She requested her buddy Chilean anthropologist Alejandra Leighton to clarify the explanation. Take a look at the lore behind these witches on this week’s version of the Far-Flung Postcards sequence.
3. Stealing a smooch beneath the mistletoe is a time-honored vacation custom, however the phrase’s origins aren’t fairly so romantic. For NPR’s “Phrase of the Week,” we discover the plant’s title historical past, dive into the kissing custom and take a scientific detour.

This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.