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Looking forward to July 4 fireworks? Tariffs may take the spark out of your fun

Most fireworks sold in the U.S. are made in China, and they now face tariffs of at least 30%. Pictured are the Fourth of July fireworks in New York City in 2022.

Fans of fireworks may face higher prices this Fourth of July. That's because most fireworks are made in China and importers now have to pay tariffs of at least 30%.

(Image credit: Timothy A. Clary)

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Big beautiful bottleneck: Trump's high-stakes week at home and abroad

President Trump takes part in a news conference on Friday

From trade talks to the fate of his legislative agenda, what happens over the next 10 days or so, domestically and abroad, could come to define Trump's presidency.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle)

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Where the Voting Rights Act stands after the Supreme Court punts on a Louisiana case

Demonstrators walk in Selma, Ala., in March with a sign saying "UNITE TO FIGHT FOR VOTING RIGHTS" to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march that galvanized the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The Supreme Court delayed ruling on a Louisiana congressional redistricting case that some legal experts say could end up further weakening protections against maps that dilute minority voters' power.

(Image credit: Michael M. Santiago)

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What is birthright citizenship and what happens after the Supreme Court ruling?

Demonstrators hold a sign reading "Hands Off Birthright Citizenship!" outside the Supreme Court on June 27, 2025. The Supreme Court did not rule on President Trump

Within two hours of a Supreme Court ruling that limits the ability of federal courts to impose universal injunctions, lawyers for immigrant rights groups filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of their clients.

(Image credit: Alex Wroblewski)

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A fourth judge has blocked a Trump executive order targeting elite law firms

President Trump announces that his administration has reached a deal with elite law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office in March 2025.

The ruling, involving the firm Susman Godfrey, marks the fourth time out of four that a federal judge has permanently blocked one of Trump's executive orders seeking to punish an elite law firm.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

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Pilgrims and clergy gather in remote Alaska village to canonize first Yup'ik saint

The Orthodox Christian tradition is strong in the tiny village of Kwethluk, Alaska. It recently welcomed clergy and pilgrims from around the world to canonize a local midwife and healer as a saint.

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How Russia Sees Itself in the World

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum June 20, 2025

Ever since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the majority of western countries have been working to marginalize Russia by imposing sanctions and moving away from dependence on Russian oil. This week NATO announced most member countries would dramatically increase defense spending, a move they said was meant to counter threats posed by Russia.

But Russia is eager to show it still has many partners around the globe and quash talk of a possible economic recession at home. Our correspondent takes us to an international conference in Saint Petersburg where the Russian government is putting it's best face forward.

(Image credit: Charles Maynes)

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People say they've faced withdrawals from SSRIs. They want recognition and research

A growing number of people who take SSRIs are saying they've suffered difficult withdrawal symptoms from long-term use, including dysphoria and sexual dysfunction.

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Supreme Court wraps up term with two big wins for conservatives, and Trump

The Supreme Court issued ruling in several cases Friday, including one related to birthright citizenship.

The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to take steps aimed at implementing its ban on birthright citizenship. It has also made it far more difficult to challenge executive orders.

(Image credit: Alex Wroblewski)

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Five academics and former diplomats on U.S. strikes, Iran and stability

From left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Trump and Iran

What 5 academics and former diplomats told Morning Edition about the U.S. strikes on Iran and fallout with Israel.

(Image credit: Jack Guez and Piroschka Van De Wouw/Pool/AFP, Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran)

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USNS Harvey Milk renamed amid Trump administration efforts to cut DEI

The USNS Harvey Milk departs the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard after a christening ceremony in San Diego, on Nov. 6, 2021. The ship has been renamed the USNS Oscar V. Peterson, after a World War II naval officer, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Friday.

"People want to be proud of the ship they're sailing in," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in announcing the ship named after the gay rights leader would now be called the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.

(Image credit: Ariana Drehsler)

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What is a universal injunction and how did the Supreme Court limit its use?

President Trump looks on during a news conference in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on June 27, 2025, in Washington, DC. Trump claimed a "GIANT WIN" on his social media platfom on Friday after the Supreme Court curbed the power of lone federal judges to block executive actions.

Friday's decision stems from President Trump's executive order regarding birthright citizenship, but the Supreme Court focused on whether lower federal courts have the power to issue nationwide blocks.

(Image credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)

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Judge orders Abrego Garcia to remain in jail after his lawyers raise deportation concerns

This courtroom sketch depicts Kilmar Abrego Garcia (center) in court during his detention hearing on June 25 in Nashville, Tenn.

A federal judge agreed to delay Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release after his lawyers pointed to conflicting reports from federal officials about whether he would remain in the U.S. while he awaits trial.

(Image credit: Diego Fishburn)

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The Supreme Court gives Trump a wave of victories in a blockbuster final week

People gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court term has given the Trump administration a series of major wins in the final blockbuster week of its term. We rounded up the final decisions in one place.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

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Supreme Court upholds program providing internet access to rural Americans

The Supreme Court

Conservative groups challenged the program, contending that Congress exceeded its powers in enacting legislation that delegated to the FCC the task of operating the Universal Service Fund.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

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Remembering war correspondent Rod Nordland

After surviving many close calls as a war correspondent, Norland was diagnosed with a lethal brain tumor in 2019. He died June 22. In this 2024 interview, he reflected on facing mortality.

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Supreme Court postpones Louisiana redistricting case to next term

The U.S. Supreme Court

At issue is the Louisiana legislature's creation of a Black-majority congressional district, which a group of voters claimed was an illegal racial gerrymander.

(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch)

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Supreme Court sides with Texas' age verification law for porn sites

The Supreme Court

The ruling is the first time that the court has imposed requirements on adult consumers in order to protect minors from having access to sexually explicit material.

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SCOTUS: Parents can opt kids out of classes with LGBTQ book characters

The Supreme Court.

At issue was whether school systems are required to provide parents with an "opt-out" option when parents claim their religious beliefs conflict with their children's course material.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

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NPR analyzes the Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship

NPR's Steve Inskeep discusses how the Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship could apply to states with UVA Law School professor Amanda Frost.

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Why are people freaking out about the birth rate?

Why are people freaking out about the birth rate?

There's a rise of pronatalism in our politics and our culture. Is a falling birth rate an issue?

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Supreme Court upholds key Obamacare measure on preventive care

The U.S. Supreme Court

Siding with the government on Friday, the court upheld the Affordable Care Act, allowing the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to continue determining which services will be available free of cost to Americans covered by the Affordable Care Act.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

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Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions in birthright citizenship order

The U.S. Supreme Court

The decision issues some limits on the power of federal judges to universally block President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship, asking lower courts to reconsider their rulings.

(Image credit: Kayla Bartkowski)

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RFK Jr. says U.S. will stop funding global vaccine group over 'vaccine safety' issues

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies at a hearing on June 24. In a message to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, delivered on Wednesday, he praised the group

The secretary of health and human services said that funding will be curtailed until Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, takes into account the science of vaccine safety in its campaigns.

(Image credit: Kayla Bartkowski)

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Judge orders Abrego Garcia released from jail, but his future remains uncertain

A federal judge in Tennessee ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the man the government mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador — to be released from prison until his trial on federal charges.

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Senators question Trump plan to kill federal funds for PBS, NPR and some foreign aid

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

Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee pushed back against the Trump administration's bid to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and international aid programs.

(Image credit: Saul Loeb)

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Germany Rearms

Quantum Systems

NATO is wrapping up it's meeting and most members are pledging to increase defense spending to counter threats posed by Russia. Among the countries expanding their military is Germany, which is aiming to field the largest army in the European Union with massive investment. Our correspondent in Berlin shows us how Germany plans to accomplish that goal.

(Image credit: Rob Schmitz)

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Judge orders Trump administration to resume distributing money for EV chargers

Electric vehicles sit parked at a Tesla charging station in Sausalito, Calif. In 2021 Congress designated $5 billion dollars to pay for high-speed EV chargers along highway corridors. The Trump administration put a pause on the distribution of that money, which a coalition of states have challenged in court. A judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering the funding freeze be lifted for more than a dozen states.

Congress designated money for building new EV chargers, but the Trump administration put a freeze on those funds. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering the program to resume.

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Judge denies immediate detention of Abrego Garcia, further appeals expected

An exterior view of Fred D Thompson Federal Building & Courthouse during the arraignment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia on June 13, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn.

Despite the court order, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is likely to be immediately taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has said he must be deported no matter what happens in his criminal trial.

(Image credit: Brett Carlsen)

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Expert panel picked by RFK Jr. will scrutinize the vaccine schedule for kids

Martin Kulldorff, chairman of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said it was time to "rebuild public trust" in federal health institutions during a meeting Wednesday at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The advisory committee makes recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the nation's vaccine schedule. Any changes could affect vaccinations for millions of children.

(Image credit: Mike Stewart)

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