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Today’s headlines
President Biden will meet with leaders of Black sororities and fraternities today. On Sunday, he will deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College, a leading historically black school in Georgia. Biden has received strong support from black voters in the past. This time, not everyone was so enthusiastic. Recent polls show that only 38% of black Americans believe Biden’s policies have helped black people. At Morehouse College, some faculty members wrote a letter objecting to granting the president an honorary degree for his policies on the Gaza war. They ultimately voted to award Biden the degree.
Historical plaintiff’s family members Brown v. Board of Education Meet President Biden to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision.
Susan Walsh/AP
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Historical plaintiff’s family members Brown v. Board of Education Meet President Biden to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision.
Susan Walsh/AP
- Narrated by NPR’s Asma Khalid first up Some protests are expected During the graduation ceremony. Martin Luther King Jr. was an alumnus of Morehouse College, and one student told her they were proud of the idea that their school was “built on a legacy of peaceful protest.” Another told her that Morehouse was a school known for “black male excellence” and that he didn’t believe Biden had the ability to inspire them.
Louisiana could become first state in nation to classify mifepristone, misoprostl — Drugs used in medical abortion — as controlled dangerous substances. State and federal regulations on these substances are designed to control access based on the drug’s medical benefit and potential for abuse. The bill passed by the Louisiana Legislature would impose penalties of up to 10 years in prison for anyone caught with drugs without a valid prescription. Doctors who opposed the decision said that in a state with high maternal injury and death rates, “the mistaken belief that these drugs are dangerous” could lead to “fear and confusion among patients, doctors and pharmacists, delaying care.” and worsen the outcome”.
- Workers at the Mercedes-Benz Automobile Plant in Alabama can make history today. With the union election ending this morning, the plant could become the first in the state to unionize. Workers want lower health care costs, more schedule predictability and an end to the “Alabama discount,” a trend in which companies pay workers in the Deep South less.
The South has been a tough place for unions in the past; says NPR’s Andrea Hsu. The UAW has been trying to organize there for decades, but workers just weren’t interested. Hsu said there is acknowledgment that jobs exist in the area because it costs less to build cars there. But the UAW’s recent victories in strikes against the three major automakers, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, have reignited interest in unionizing.
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Participants in the Phoenix Reptile Society’s Rattlesnake Course pick up a western rattlesnake with snake pliers under the guidance of instructor Kyle Morris at Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park in Scottsdale, Arizona.
NPR Caitlin O’Hara
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Participants in the Phoenix Reptile Society’s Rattlesnake Course pick up a western rattlesnake with snake pliers under the guidance of instructor Kyle Morris at Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park in Scottsdale, Arizona.
NPR Caitlin O’Hara
Phoenix Reptile Sanctuary Hosts Classes During Arizona Rattlesnake Season For the public and businesses. When people are trained to handle rattlesnakes, they learn that everything they thought they knew about rattlesnakes is basically a myth. That approach may help, as Arizona sees a spike in rattlesnake bites in April.
See photos of students in action Get to know these slithery creatures and learn about common misconceptions about rattlesnakes.
Weekend Picks
Bridgerton. (L-R) Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton Episode 303 Penelope Featherington. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2024
Liam Daniel/Netflix
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Bridgerton. (L-R) Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton Episode 303 Penelope Featherington. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2024
Liam Daniel/Netflix
look at what NPR Watching, reading, and listening this weekend:
Movie: evil does not exist ——Or is it? This Japanese eco-drama, which pits the residents of an idyllic woodland community against a developer with grand plans for the land, will keep you riveted but deeply unsettled.
television: You can bet that as soon as I finish work today, I’ll be pulling up on the couch and binge-watching the latest season of the show. bridgeton. dynamic picture!
books: Honorary Levy my first book is a collection of short stories that tells the story of growing up white, privileged, and Gen Z in an interesting and sometimes uneven way.
music: Billie Eilish tells Morning Edition she found a new sense of self on her latest album, alongside her brother Finneas Hit me hard, hit me softly.
theater: by Giacomo Puccini TurandotOne of the world’s most famous operas premieres with a new ending at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
test: Happy anniversary to the NPR News Quiz! How long have you been playing this? See if you remember the answer to this week’s throwback bonus question.
3 things you need to know before you go
Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker, pictured during a press conference in February, found himself in hot water while recently delivering the commencement address at Benedictine College in Kansas.
Chris Unger/Getty Images
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Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker, pictured during a press conference in February, found himself in hot water while recently delivering the commencement address at Benedictine College in Kansas.
Chris Unger/Getty Images
- NFL issues statement distancing itself from commencement speeches Produced at Benedictine College by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. In it, he denounced abortion rights, Pride Month, COVID-19 lockdowns, the “tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion” and urged women to become homemakers.
- An unfortunate mistake for Georgia State University Atlanta resulted in 1,500 applicants mistakenly receiving admissions notices.
- About two dozen supporters descended on the U.S. Capitol this week Calls for updating the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which is due to expire in June. People who live near nuclear weapons testing areas say their communities are still hurting and want Congress to continue providing funding to help them.
This newsletter is sponsored by Majid Wahadi.
