A Shutdown Might Be Averted; Bird Protections; Fat Bear Week

Plus, a $54,000 COVID test. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Korva Coleman and Carol Ritchie First Up [The U.S. Capitol.]( Alex Brandon/AP Here's what we're following today: The House and Senate are expected to vote today on a bill that would [avert a partial government shutdown after midnight tonight](. If it passes both chambers, it will go to President Biden for his signature, and it could be a long day for everyone. ➡️ The House took action on a separate measure Wednesday to [deter the next looming disaster, voting along party lines to extend the nation's borrowing limit]( — although that bill is expected to die in the Senate. Without the extension, the U.S. will run out of cash to pay its bills by about Oct. 18, and economic chaos could ensue. The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection [subpoenaed 11 people involved in organizing the pro-Trump rally]( that preceded the riot. Last week, the special committee subpoenaed four Trump administration officials, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and ex-strategist Steve Bannon. For the first time, doctors injected the gene-editing tool CRISPR [right into the eyes of patients with vision imparments](. The experiment helped them see colors and shapes again. The bill for this Texas man's COVID test was $54,000. Health policy experts [called the price tag "egregious" — and yet, it's perfectly legal](. A California judge suspended pop star Britney Spears’ father [from her conservatorship]( which he initiated in 2008, and replaced him with a certified public accountant. As bird populations plummet, the Biden administration says it will draft rules to [reinstate bird protections that were slashed by former President Trump](. This week, researchers gave up hope on the splendid ivory-billed woodpecker and other birds, [declaring them extinct](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s Listen [Tarana Burke's new memoir, "Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement."]( Flatiron Books #MeToo founder Tarana Burke says society often ignores Black girls' sexual trauma — and that the R. Kelly trial, coming after 25 years of allegations, highlights the "stark difference" in response to victims of color. [🎧 Listen to Burke's interview on NPR's Fresh Air]( or [read the story here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Bear 128 is a competitor in this year's Fat Bear Week 2021 competition.]( A. Willingham/National Park Service - Brown bears are bulking up for winter, and Katmai National Park in Alaska is inviting you to judge them for it [during Fat Bear Week 2021](. - NASA won't rename its new James Webb Space Telescope despite concerns that its namesake went along with [government discrimination against gay and lesbian employees]( in the 1950s and 1960s. - A museum* in Denmark gave an artist $84,000 to create modern art. Instead, he sent [two blank canvases titled "Take the Money and Run]( *Update: [The museum wants the money back](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]