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Medicare negotiations underway to lower prices for next batch of drugs

Medicare has started price negotiations for 15 medicines, including the diabetes drug Ozempic.

In the shadow of President Trump's efforts to lower drug prices, the Medicare drug price negotiation process that began in the Biden administration continues.

(Image credit: Mario Tama)

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Trump's bill adds $2.4 trillion to U.S. debt over 10 years, per nonpartisan analysis

The U.S. Capitol building is seen on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. on June 3.

The analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office also found that the version of the bill passed by the House last month would lead to nearly 11 million people going uninsured.

(Image credit: Alex Wroblewski)

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Trump's billion-dollar war on Harvard, explained

Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman says the attack represents an erosion of democratic values: "Ultimately, this is about Trump trying to impose his view of the world on everybody else."

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Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine drone strikes, Iran during 75-minute call

President Trump speaks during the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on May 26, 2025.

President Trump said it was a "good conversation" but noted the Russian leader had vowed "very strongly" during the call to respond to Ukraine's Sunday drone strikes on air bases in Russia.

(Image credit: Kayla Bartkowski)

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Vietnam ends its longstanding 2-child policy

A billboard campaigning for each family to have two children hangs above a street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Jan. 14, 2024.

A declining birth rate led lawmakers to approve a new policy on Tuesday that lifts the limit on the number of children many families may have.

(Image credit: Jae C. Hong)

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Some federal workers lost health coverage they had paid for. A Democrat wants answers

The U.S. Capitol Building is seen on December 2, 2024 in Washington, D.C.

Commerce Department employees who were fired, reinstated, and fired again learned belatedly that their health insurance has been cut off. Some had already racked up thousands in medical bills.

(Image credit: Samuel Corum)

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Greetings from Mexico City, where these dogs ride a bus to and from school

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Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international correspondents share snapshots of moments from their lives and work around the world.

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Operation Rainbow Space Baby: An astronaut's journey with IVF

Struggling to have a second child, astronaut Kellie Gerardi uses her social media presence to let others know they

Struggling to have a second child, astronaut Kellie Gerardi uses her social media presence to let others know they're not alone.

(Image credit: Roy Rochlin)

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Making the case for housing as a human right

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And Housing for All is an impressively comprehensive examination of homelessness in America by Maria Foscarinis, who has worked in homelessness advocacy for decades.

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Claims of war crimes in Gaza are 'ridiculous,' says adviser to Israeli government

Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3.

The Red Cross says Israeli forces killed 27 people attempting to get aid in Gaza on Tuesday. An Israeli American advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that account is "not accurate."

(Image credit: Abdel Kareem Hana)

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Steel tariffs double. And, Congress asked to eliminate public broadcasting funds

U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by White House staff secretary Will Scharf (L), appears at the Resolute Desk as he signs a series of executive orders including 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, a pardon for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an order relating to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and an order for the federal government to stop using paper straws and begin using plastic straws in the Oval Office at the White House on February 10 in Washington, D.C.

Tariffs on imported steel and aluminum are doubling today. Here's how it could impact your wallets. And, Trump has asked Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

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To get from experience to emotion, the brain hits 'sustain'

A study of mice and people looks at how the brain takes an experience and responds with an emotion.<!-- raw HTML omitted -->

A study of mice and people looks at how the brain takes an experience, like being cut off in traffic, and responds with an emotion, like road rage.

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Private prisons and local jails are ramping up as ICE detention exceeds capacity

A Krome Detention Center officer patrols as people hold a vigil on May 24 to recognize those who have died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody as well as those affected by mass deportations, outside Krome Detention Center in Miami.

The number of people in ICE detention has grown, and detention facilities are over capacity. So the government is intensifying its hunt for more space, and local police are playing a bigger role.

(Image credit: Rebecca Blackwell)

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With steel tariffs doubling today, a North Carolina manufacturer wonders how to compete

President Trump announced plans to double the tariff on imported steel while visiting a US Steel plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.

President Trump is doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50%. It's designed to protect domestic steel and aluminum workers, but critics say it will raise prices for those that use the metals.

(Image credit: Rebecca Droke)

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Why the U.K. prime minister is calling for a bigger military to face Russia

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (center) and Britain

Key NATO members are upping their defense posture in response to threats from Russia. Experts say the Trump administration's confrontational approach to the alliance is a factor as well.

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How DOGE's push to amass data could hurt the reliability of future U.S. statistics

A protester with a sign saying "HONK IF YOU WANT YOUR DATA BACK!!!" stands with other demonstrators outside of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management

DOGE's murky push to amass data at federal agencies could hurt the U.S. government's ability to produce reliable census results, economic indicators and other statistics in the future, experts warn.

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COMIC: Don't panic! 6 strategies to keep you calm in a crisis

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In dire situations, stress can make us panic and impair our ability to make lifesaving decisions. Emergency response professionals share the tactics they use to stay cool and collected on the job.

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WorldPride is in D.C. this year — which may be why attendance and sponsorship are down

WorldPride 2025 is in full swing in Washington, D.C.

The ripple effects of the Trump administration's anti-trans and DEI policies and rhetoric can be felt throughout this year's WorldPride festival.

(Image credit: Mark Mahon)

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What Trump's fixation on 'white genocide' in South Africa tells us about the U.S.

South African President Ramaphosa meets President Trump amid tensions over Washington

How the false notion of "white genocide" traveled from the political fringes to the Oval Office. The week on Code Switch, we're talking to a reporter who was in the room during a meeting when President Trump pushed this conspiracy theory on the president of South Africa. And we're digging into what Trump's fixation on white South Africans tell us about anxieties over white replacement here in the U.S.

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Hegseth orders the name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk scrubbed from Navy ship

In this image provided by the U.S. Navy, the John Lewis-class replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) conducts a replenishment at sea in the Atlantic Ocean, Dec. 13, 2024.

The action is the latest move by the Trump administration to purge all programs, policies, books and social media mentions of references to diversity, equity and inclusion.

(Image credit: Maxwell Orlosky/U.S. Navy)

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USDA says demand for sensitive food stamp data from states is on hold

A banner showing an image of US President Donald Trump hangs on the side of a US Department of Agriculture building in Washington, DC, on May 16, 2025. USDA has put on hold a demand that states turn over sensitive data about food assistance recipients.

The federal government told states to turn over names, birthdates, Social Security numbers and other sensitive data about food assistance recipients. Amid a legal challenge, the agency says the request is on hold.

(Image credit: Mandel Ngan)

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How a Damascus Firehouse Illustrates Syria's Divisions and Hope for the Future

The White Helmets in Damascus on March 31, 2025.

After being on opposite sides of Syria's war, former regime firefighters and members of the White Helmets in a Damascus firehouse are learning to trust each other and work side-by-side.

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The White House unveils the new official portrait of President Trump

The new official portrait of Donald Trump shows the president staring into the camera with an expressionless face.

Trump appears expressionless in the new presidential portrait, depicted against a dark, blank background.

(Image credit: White House)

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Trump asks Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting

People participate in a rally to call on Congress to protect funding for public broadcasters PBS and NPR outside the NPR headquarters in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2025.

President Trump is asking lawmakers to claw back the $1.1 billion in federal subsidies for public broadcasting that Congress approved earlier this year. His request also includes cuts to foreign aid.

(Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP)

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In a break with Trump, Elon Musk calls the GOP megabill a 'disgusting abomination'

Elon Musk and President Trump speak with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30.

Musk joined with GOP critics who say the multi-trillion dollar plan to enact the president's domestic priorities doesn't go far enough to cut federal spending.

(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch)

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Stabilizing 'operations,' the National Weather Service hires again after Trump cuts

An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall on April 7, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern United States killed at least 17 people. The storms came as the National Weather Service was grappling with nearly 600 job cuts by the Trump administration. Now, the NWS has been given authorization to rehire more than 100 forecasters, radar technicians and others.

The National Weather Service says it plans to hire more than 100 additional staff members. The move follows complaints and concerns after the Trump administration eliminated more than 500 positions.

(Image credit: Leandro Lozada)

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One company forecasting a better year ahead? Dollar General

Shopping carts sit outside of a Dollar General store in Chicago.

People are spending more at Dollar General. In part, that's thanks to shoppers trading down from more expensive stores.

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Harvey Weinstein's new trial is almost over. It could be a litmus test for #MeToo

Former film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in criminal court in Manhattan on May 30, 2025.

Weinstein's sex crimes conviction in New York was overturned last year. In a new trial, three accusers have testified that Weinstein assaulted them. Closing arguments are underway.

(Image credit: Yuki Iwamura)

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COVID vaccine changes confuse and upset some parents and families

COVID vaccine access will be more limited for some groups, after federal health officials changed recommendations.

Federal health officials have changed the game for COVID vaccine access. Pregnant moms and others who rely on them to protect a high-risk family member are scared.

(Image credit: Spencer Platt)

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Dozens reported killed as Israel acknowledges troops opened fire near Gaza food point

Palestinians carry the body of Reem Al-Akhras who was killed while heading to a Gaza aid hub, during her funeral in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

For the third time in as many days, Palestinians in Gaza have been shot while trying to get food. Israel has acknowledged that its soldiers opened fire on people who were approaching them.

(Image credit: Abdel Kareem Hana)

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