First lady Jill Biden underwent Mohs surgery today to have cancerous skin lesions removed.
The lesions, one of which was located above the first lady's right eye and another newly discovered one on her chest, were detected during a routine skin cancer screening a week ago.
The procedure involves multiple rounds if cancer cells are detected in the removed skin. Typically a doctor will slice off a thin layer of skin from the lesion and analyze it under a microscope. Once it is determined that cancer cells are present, the procedure is repeated until the area is completely free of cancerous cells.
Dr. Kevin O'Connor, President Joe Biden's personal physician, confirmed that Dr. Biden's lesions were basal cell cancer — the most common type of skin cancer, which is typically treatable in its early stages.
President Biden accompanied his wife to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where the surgery was performed.
For President Donald Trump, tariffs — or the threat of them — can bend nations to his will.
President Donald Trump said he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods to 47% after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on curbing fentanyl trafficking.
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday for a second time this year as it seeks to shore up economic growth and hiring even as inflation stays elevated. The move comes amid a fraught time for the central bank, with hiring sluggish and yet inflation stuck above the Fed’s 2% target. Compounding its challenges, the central bank is navigating without much of the economic data it typically relies on from the government. The Fed has signaled it may reduce its key rate again in December but the data drought raises the uncertainty around its next moves. Fed Chair Jerome Powell told reporters that there were “strongly differing views” at the central bank's policy meeting about to proceed going forward.
U.S. and Chinese officials say a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies is drawing closer. The sides have reached an initial consensus for President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to aim to finalize during their high-stakes meeting Thursday in South Korea. Any agreement would be a relief to international markets. Trump's treasury secretary says discussions with China yielded preliminary agreements to stop the precursor chemicals for fentanyl from coming into the United States. Scott Bessent also says Beijing would make “substantial” purchases of soybean and other agricultural products while putting off export controls on rare earth elements needed for advanced technologies.
A new poll finds most U.S. adults are worried about health care becoming more expensive.
The White House budget office says mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.
