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Takeaways from Iowa's primaries. And, DOJ nixes Trump's 'anti-weaponization' fund

A woman votes during the Iowa primary at the First Church of the Open Bible polling place on June 2, 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Polls have now closed in six states that held primary elections yesterday. Here are the key takeaways. And, the Justice Department has scrapped plans for Trump's "anti-weaponization" fund.

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President Trump seeks control of science funding

White House Office of Management and Budget  Director Russell Vought appears before the House Budget Committee at the U.S. Capitol on April 15. The budget office recently proposed a rule change that would give political appointees more decision-making power over research grants.

The White House Office of Management and Budget is moving to take more control of billions of dollars in federal grants. Critics say the proposed change would jeopardize the integrity of U.S. science.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

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Ukrainian drones strike a St. Petersburg oil terminal ahead of Putin visit

A plumes of black smoke is seen over the port of St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, after a Ukrainian drone attack.

Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and set it ablaze, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as the city hosted an annual economic forum promoted by President Putin.

(Image credit: AP Photo)

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A science powerhouse bets on genetic therapy to beat brain disorders

Allen Institute scientist Aaron Garcia (right) and executive vice president Ed Lein (left) examine a section of human brain in the lab. The institute has launched the Brain Health accelerator, which will focus on using genetic therapy to develop treatments for a range of brain disorders.

The Allen Institute in Seattle says scientists have now learned enough about how the brain works to start fixing it when it breaks.

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The world is connected by copper. It's a huge target for thieves

An AT&T crew installs a new cable at a railroad crossing in Hayward, Calif., after the segment got cut down by suspected copper wire thieves.

The value of copper is rising, and thieves can make money by stripping it from phone poles, streetlights and EV chargers. But those thefts cost the rest of us.

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The White House's new site about 'aliens' has nothing to do with UFOs

A screenshot of <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/aliens/"target="_blank"   >aliens.gov<!-- raw HTML omitted -->, a new White House web page focuses on immigration enforcement but the design takes inspiration from the <!-- raw HTML omitted -->X-Files<!-- raw HTML omitted -->.

The site compares undocumented immigrants to extraterrestrials, refers to people as "it," and says "they do not belong here"

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Trump administration shares new work requirements for Medicaid recipients

The Trump administration this week released guidance for states on the work rules many Americans on Medicaid will need to abide by in order to be eligible for benefits on Jan. 1.

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Sen. Warner warns of risks from Pulte's intelligence appointment

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., speaks at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 3 in Washington. Warner called on Tulsi Gabbard to testify in person after raising concerns about her presence at an FBI raid on a Georgia election office related to the 2020 election.

NPR's Steve Inskeep asks Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence committee, about mortgage chief Bill Pulte's move to acting director of national intelligence.

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California's primary for governor is undecided as candidates vie to be in the top two

Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, and Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, shake hands while arriving for a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco in April.

Republicans and Democrats all compete together in the unusual primary to set the one-on-one race in November. Two Democrats and one Republican were in close contention.

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Iran fires missiles in Kuwait and Bahrain, U.S. strikes Iran facility

People gather on paddleboards in shallow water as cargo and service vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Monday, June 1, 2026.

The U.S. military said that Iran fired missiles at Kuwait and Bahrain that failed or were shot down, and that the U.S. launched strikes on an Iranian facility in response.

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Why one of the cities most dependent on the Colorado River now has water for sale

A drone view shows the Carlsbad desalination plant

Once one of the most dependent on the Colorado River, San Diego now may have water to sell to states that are seeing their supplies from the shrinking river cut.

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Iowa voters pick their nominees for competitive general elections

Republican candidate for Senate, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) celebrates on stage with her family during a primary night election party on June 2, 2026 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Hinson won the Republican nomination to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst.

Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek will face Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson in the Senate race. For governor, Democrat state Auditor Rob Sand and Republican businessman Zach Lahn move on to November.

(Image credit: Stephen Maturen)

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Iowa voters pick their nominees for competitive general elections

Republican candidate for Senate, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) celebrates on stage with her family during a primary night election party on June 2, 2026 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Hinson won the Republican nomination to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst.

Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek will face Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson in the Senate race. For governor, Democrat state Auditor Rob Sand ran unopposed as Republicans continue to count votes.

(Image credit: Stephen Maturen)

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Supreme Court reinstates Republican-favored Alabama congressional districts

The U.S. Supreme Court

The ruling means that Alabama's 2026 midterm elections will feature six Republican-leaning districts and one Democratic-leaning one.

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DOJ is investigating former congressman George Santos for insider trading on Kalshi

Former New York congressman George Santos is being investigated by federal regulators over his trading activity on the prediction market site Kalshi.

The disgraced former congressman allegedly bet on whether he would appear at the State of the Union address, prompting federal investigations.

(Image credit: Michael M. Santiago)

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Scenes from the aftermath of Russia's latest massive attack on Kyiv

A scene showing the aftermath of the overnight attack on Kyiv, Ukraine.

Russian missile and drone attacks killed civilians across Ukraine overnight, in one of Moscow's largest assaults in recent months.

(Image credit: Anton Shtuka for NPR)

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Trump signs AI safety order seeking voluntary review of new models

The Trump administration

The order asks AI companies to voluntarily submit their most powerful models for the government to test up to 30 days before releasing them to the public.

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5 ways to reduce everyday exposure to 'forever chemicals'

Drinking water is one of the main ways people are exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or "PFAS." These chemicals have been linked to negative health outcomes, including certain cancers.

Mara Hoplamazian has spent years reporting on 'forever chemicals,' or PFAS. Here's what they've learned about what may help limit everyday exposure to the contaminant.

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Trump appoints housing official as acting director of national intelligence

Bill Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2026.

Bill Pulte has shown a willingness to go after the president's perceived enemies.

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Doctors checked Biden just after Trump debate as Jill Biden feared he had a stroke

Joe Biden walks off with Jill Biden following the presidential debate on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta.

The Biden administration previously said doctors examined the president "days" following the debate, not in the moments after. The former first lady revealed more details in her new book.

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How Ebola kills -- and what it takes to stop it

Health workers carry the coffin of a person suspected of having died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic on Congo.

It's a virus that can strike with unrelenting force. The kind of care need to knock it out is often not fully available in a lower resource country like the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Image credit: Glody Murhabazi/AFP)

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DOJ will pause $1.8 billion fund, per court order. And, key primaries to watch today

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies during a Senate Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on May 19, 2026.

The DOJ says it will abide by a federal court order pausing its anti-weaponization fund. And, six states are holding primaries today. Here are the races to watch.

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Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military, appeals court rules

FILE - U.S. Army soldiers cross a floating bridge on the Imjin River during a joint river-crossing exercise between South Korea and the United States as a part of the Freedom Shield military exercise in Yeoncheon, South Korea, March 20, 2025.

A divided panel of appeals court judges has ruled that a Trump administration policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service.

(Image credit: Ahn Young-joon)

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EU strikes migration deal for more deportations and detention centers abroad

Police conduct a search operation at a makeshift camp of migrants who want to cross the English Channel to Britain near Dunkirk, northern France, Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

The European Union has moved forward with an overhaul of its migration policy, aiming to ramp up deportations and build detention centers abroad. Critics compared the regulation to the immigration strategy of the Trump administration.

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Stripping U.S. citizenship en masse is harder than Trump vowed

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President Trump's vow to revoke citizenship worries immigrant advocates, legal scholars and naturalized Americans — but so far it's proving harder to do than the rhetoric suggests.

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For veterans, a place where peace can take root

John Follmer prunes back plants at the Japanese garden on the West LA Veterans Affairs campus in April.

Iraq war veteran John Follmer leads vet volunteers who are rehabbing a neglected Japanese garden on the West LA Veterans Affairs Campus.

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Tuesday is a big primary day. Here are key races to watch

An "I Voted" sign points to a Vote Center on June 1, 2026 in Los Angeles.

Six states — California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico — hold elections on Tuesday. Here are key races to follow.

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Why is Michigan loosening its rules for parents wanting to exempt kids from vaccines?

During a measles outbreak this spring in Washtenaw County, Michigan, local health officials worked to contain cases by ramping up contact tracing and testing efforts. People could take a measles test outside the Washtenaw County Health Department offices in Ypsilanti.

A decade ago, Michigan had high rates of parents not vaccinating their children, so it required them to attend an in-person education class to get an exemption. It worked — until things got ugly.

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Morning news brief

DOJ says it will pause its 'anti-weaponization' fund after judge's ruling, Trump says he urged Israel, Hezbollah to hold fire amid rising tensions over Lebanon, Californians vote in state's primaries.

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Ultra-Orthodox protesters block roads and trains across Israel over military draft

Israeli mounted police disperse Ultra-Orthodox Jews blocking a road during a protest against army draft in Jerusalem, Monday, June 1, 2026.

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox demonstrated across Israel on Monday, blocking roads and trains and setting cars on fire to protest mandatory enlistment in Israel's military.

(Image credit: Ohad Zwigenberg)

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