This week’s rundown moves fast: Democrats end the 43-day government shutdown, a new tranche of Epstein files heads for daylight, and the White House floats a 50-year mortgage option that has economists split. We break down what actually changed at the grocery store as the administration rolls back tariffs on dozens of food imports, and we talk through a viral (and bizarre) moment from the Syrian president’s White House visit, the cologne clip. Plus: new State Department guidance that raises alarms about visa denials tied to health conditions like obesity, and a sweeping U.S. designation of several European antifa groups as terrorist organizations. 

Topics Covered

Democrats end the federal shutdown: what’s funded now, what’s punted, and the real economic hit

Epstein files: what’s new vs. recycled, and how the next release could land

50-year mortgages: modest monthly savings vs. big lifetime interest—who wins, who doesn’t

Food tariff rollback: which categories are affected and how soon prices might reflect it

The cologne moment at the White House: protocol, optics, and whether any policy came out of it

Visas & health: how new guidance could change consular decisions and who’s at risk

Antifa designations: legal implications (sanctions, immigration bars, material-support laws) and likely pushback