Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross">

By Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross

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Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 10, and we know we won’t be the only ones who appreciate this expert advice on what you can do about gray hair. Now let’s get to the news.

President Donald Trump mocked affordability on the first stop of his affordability tour.

Trump was supposed to focus on the economy in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, last night. (Matt Rourke/AP)

• Last night: Trump launched a tour to connect with struggling Americans, but he repeatedly veered off course. At one point, he said people don’t need so many pencils.
• Also yesterday: The Trump administration said it struck a deal that could leave millions of student loan borrowers scrambling to find another option to repay their debt.

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Eileen Higgins celebrates at a watch party last night after winning the Miami mayoral runoff election. (Lynne Sladky/AP)

• Who? Former county commissioner Eileen Higgins. Her win capped a strong election year for Democrats, who have been boosted by backlash against Trump’s immigration policies.
• What else to know: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) yesterday banned immigration arrests at state courthouses. Nationwide, migrants are fighting mandatory detention — and winning.

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A House panel plans to end its inquiry into the controversial Sept. 2 boat strike.

• Why? The Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said yesterday that he has all the information he needs after just two weeks of investigation.
• Why it matters: The abrupt announcement casts doubt on efforts to scrutinize the U.S. military’s killing of two alleged drug smugglers who survived an attack on their boat.

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The FDA is investigating whether the coronavirus vaccine is linked to adult deaths.

• Why? As part of a wider investigation that has already alleged children died as a result of the shots. However, studies show the vaccines have a generally safe track record.
• In other administration news: Officials eliminated a tool used to prove racial discrimination. And the U.S. may soon ask more visitors to disclose five years of social media history.
• At the White House: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s split with Trump is causing drama for her boyfriend.

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A wind burst forming over the ocean may affect global weather in 2026.

• How? A wind shift unfolding in the middle of the Pacific Ocean raises the odds of a planet-warming El Niño climate pattern. That could lead to record-breaking temperatures.
• Meanwhile, in D.C.: The EPA is wiping mentions of human-caused climate change from its website. And an election denier was chosen for a key disaster-response role at FEMA.

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Click the above graphic to see the ways TikTok tracks how you interact with videos. (The Washington Post)

• How it works: The app’s algorithm sorts users in granular detail to decide what kind of videos they do (and don’t) want to see. Find out what your niche is on this map.
• In related news: A ban on social media for people younger than 16 has gone into effect in Australia. But most kids say they plan to skirt it by whatever means necessary.

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A musician taught an octopus to play the piano.

• Why? Swedish YouTuber Mattias Krantz had always wanted to teach piano to an animal. So he procured an octopus, named it Takoyaki and got to work.
• How he did it: By wiggling the keys he wanted Takoyaki to play and offering crabs as rewards. Takoyaki eventually learned the correct keys for “Baby Shark.”

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