What to Know
- President Trump delivered a sharp warning to North Korea, telling the rogue nation: "Do not underestimate us. And do not try us"
- One reason flu shots don't usually work very well is because they're grown in chicken eggs, a slow and tricky process that can go wrong
- The Manhattan district attorney is expected to pursue an indictment of Harvey Weinstein to a grand jury, sources say
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In Seoul, Trump Issues Warning to North Korea
President Trump delivered a sharp warning to North Korea, telling the rogue nation: "Do not underestimate us. And do not try us." In a speech delivered hours after he aborted a visit to the heavily fortified Korean demilitarized zone due to bad weather, Trump said he had a message for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump had hoped to underscore his message with an early morning visit to the DMZ, but his plans were thwarted by heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing at the heavily fortified border that has separated the North and South for the last 64 years. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president was disappointed he couldn't make the trip.
Texas Church Gunman Once Escaped From Mental Health Center
Devin Kelley, the suspected gunman behind the massacre of 26 people at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, briefly escaped from a mental health center in New Mexico in 2012 and got in trouble for bringing guns onto a military base and threatening his superiors there, according to police reports. He was also named as a suspect in a 2013 sexual assault in his hometown of New Braunfels, officials confirmed. The records that emerged add up to at least three missed opportunities that might have offered law enforcement a way to stop Kelley from having access to guns long before he slaughtered much of the congregation in the middle of a service.
1 Reason Flu Vaccines Are So Lousy: They're Grown in Eggs
Local
Last year's influenza vaccine reduced the number of flu-related visits to the doctor by 42 percent, and the vaccine reduced a specific strain of flu virus by even less, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One important reason flu shots don't usually work very well is because they're grown in chicken eggs, a slow and tricky process that can go wrong easily, researchers told NBC News. "We need to get away from the antiquated production model, which the egg is," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He thinks vaccines made using insect cells could be better at protecting people from the flu.
Pain Relievers Worked as Well as Opioids in ER Patients, Study Finds
Emergency rooms are where many patients are first introduced to powerful opioid painkillers, but what if doctors offered over-the-counter pills instead? A new study tested that approach on patients with broken bones and sprains and found pain relievers sold as Tylenol and Motrin worked as well as opioids at reducing severe pain. The results challenge common ER practice for treating short-term, severe pain and could prompt changes that would help prevent new patients from becoming addicted. The study has limitations: It only looked at short-term pain relief in the emergency room and researchers didn't evaluate how patients managed their pain after leaving the hospital. But given the scope of the U.S. opioid epidemic — more than 2 million Americans are addicted to opioid painkillers or heroin — experts say any dent in the problem could be meaningful.
DA Plans to Present Harvey Weinstein Case to Grand Jury, Sources Say
The Manhattan district attorney is expected to pursue an indictment of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein to a grand jury, senior officials familiar with the investigation tell News 4 New York. But the sources now say that discussion of presenting the case to a grand jury as early as next week could be pushed back by the D.A.'s office. Manhattan District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Joan Vollero said “we are not commenting on the investigation or any timeline.” Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said "we'll move as fast as we can to resolve the outstanding issues." The development comes after NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told reporters they were gathering evidence for a possible rape arrest of Weinstein, and that it had presented the case to the district attorney's office.
“Hamilton” Creator Visits Puerto Rico, Announces $2.5M Fund
"Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda made sandwiches, took selfies and announced a partnership with a nonprofit group for a $2.5 million hurricane recovery fund during a trip to Puerto Rico. Miranda said seven local groups already have received grants from the New York-based Hispanic Federation, which helps Latino agencies. The organization said it will award at least 25 grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 for reconstruction projects. A portion of a grant can be used for emergency relief efforts including food, water or shelter, officials said.
