Long-awaited rule change on hearing aids goes into effect

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Monday 10.17.22

'Tis the season for overpriced costumes and confiscating unwrapped candy. Halloween is right around the corner and several cities may boast about being the spookiest place in the US -- but only three cities have the haunting histories to truly earn the title. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

By Alexandra Meeks

Hearing aids

For the first time, adults in the US will be able to buy over-the-counter hearing aids beginning today instead of getting a prescription and having to wait for a custom fitting. According to the FDA, adults with mild to moderate hearing loss can now buy hearing aids directly from a store or online -- and for a lower price. The high cost of hearing aids has long been a barrier for many people who have hearing problems. Traditional prescription hearing aids cost on average $2,000 per ear, and many people need two of them. While those who are under 18 or who have severe hearing loss will still need a prescription, experts are calling the move a "game changer." Tens of millions of people have hearing loss, but only about 16% of them use a hearing aid, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Ukraine

Air raid sirens rang out in Ukraine today as Russia attacked Kyiv with "kamikaze" drones, according to Ukrainian officials, who repeated their calls for Western allies to supply Ukraine with more advanced air defense systems. Kamikaze drones, or suicide drones, are small, portable aerial weapon systems that are hard to detect and can be fired at a distance. They can be easily launched and are designed to hit behind enemy lines and be destroyed in the attack. The Ukrainian military and US intelligence say Russia is using Iranian-made drones, but Iran denies supplying Russia with such weapons. The attacks come after Moscow fired hundreds of missiles at civilian targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine last week.

January 6

President Joe Biden said on Saturday the video and testimony shared at last week's January 6 hearing was "devastating" and said the committee overall has made an "overwhelming" case. The final hearing ahead of the midterms from the House select committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol revealed new evidence and testimony that then-President Donald Trump knew he had lost his bid for reelection even as he continued efforts to overturn the results. In a significant move, the January 6 committee also voted last week to subpoena Trump, but it's not expected that he will comply. A member of the committee also told CNN on Sunday the panel will ask former Secret Service Assistant Director Tony Ornato to testify again. The committee believes Ornato was a central figure who could provide valuable information about Trump's movements and intentions leading up to and during the riot.

Immigration

With the arrival of migrant buses showing no sign of slowing, officials in New York City have constructed large emergency tents that will soon house hundreds of people traveling from the southern border. This comes after NYC Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency last week, warning that the growing number of new arrivals was overwhelming homeless shelters, straining resources and could end up costing the city $1 billion. Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he has no plans to stop sending the buses, arguing that he's exposed liberal leaders who are buckling under pressure that's a fraction of what border states like his deal with daily. According to the latest tally from New York this weekend, more than 19,400 asylum seekers had entered the city's shelter system in recent months.

Nigeria

More than 600 people have been killed in the worst flooding Nigeria has seen in a decade, the country's humanitarian affairs ministry said in a statement on Sunday. According to the ministry, more than 2 million people have been affected by flooding that has spread across parts of the country's south after a particularly wet rainy season. More than 200,000 homes have been destroyed or partially damaged, the ministry added. Earlier this month, Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency warned of catastrophic flooding for various states, noting that three of Nigeria's overfilled reservoirs were expected to overflow.

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