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Today’s headlines
President Biden arrived in France this morning to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, When the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy, the Nazis were caught by surprise and turned the tide of World War II. Biden is expected to meet with D-Day veterans, many of whom are over a hundred years old. The anniversary comes as Russia invades Ukraine, land war breaks out again in Europe, and Ukrainian President Joe Biden is due to meet with Ukraine.
On June 4, Gene Kleindl, a 102-year-old World War II veteran from Rockford, Illinois, received a kiss from Chantell Boivin as he left the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Credle, a medic with the U.S. Army’s 90th Infantry Division, arrived on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.
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Win McNamee/Getty Images
- 🎧 The president’s speech was billed as an address to the American people NPR’s Tamara Keith on “Freedom and Democracy” first up. These are also key themes in Biden’s re-election effort.
- ➡️ The Normandy landings ultimately helped end World War II. The largest sea-to-land invasion in history would not have been possible without a deep understanding of ocean tides.
NASA won’t pursue plans for wealthy private astronauts Maintenance crews are temporarily dispatched to the Hubble Space Telescope. Jared Isaacman’s mission aims to elevate the telescope to a higher orbit. Instead, officials said they would change the way the telescope is pointed to avoid using a faulty gyroscope. Mark Clapin, director of NASA’s astrophysics division, said he expects Hubble “to continue conducting scientific research throughout the remainder of this decade and into the next decade.”
This fall, Arizona voters will decide whether local and state police have the authority to enforce immigration laws. The proposal was approved by the state House of Representatives yesterday, two weeks after it passed the state Senate. If voters pass the measure, entering Arizona from outside a designated port of entry into Mexico would be a state crime. The proposal is similar to a Texas law currently blocked by legal challenges. (via KJZZ)
We, the voters
Fat Joe arrives at the Dolby Theater on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
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Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
as We, the voters series, NPR brings you stories about how politics affects the nation’s health care system.
Rapper Fat Joe wants us to know we’re being robbed. The Liar: Hospital and Insurance Company Executives. Last year, President Biden signed an executive order enforcing a Trump-era rule requiring hospitals to disclose prices for medical services. But a 2023 report from the nonprofit Patient Rights Advocates found that most hospitals are not following these rules.
🎧 Listen to Fat Joe explain Why he says politicians should pass laws now to provide Americans with quality, affordable health care. You can read highlights from the interview here.
Science for Brothers and Sisters
Honoré Prentice (wearing yellow shirt and glasses) who lives in Canada met in person on December 13, 2021, her three biological siblings who live in the United States.
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Honoré Prentice (wearing yellow shirt and glasses) who lives in Canada met in person on December 13, 2021, her three biological siblings who live in the United States.
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this Science for Brothers and Sisters is a new series from NPR that explores how our siblings influence us, from our money and mental health all the way down to our molecules.
When siblings are adopted, many are placed with different families, often in different countries. Websites and social media platforms paired with DNA make it easier for these brothers and sisters to connect across borders. While this process can be a heartwarming, joyful experience, it can also be challenging and emotional. From Sri Lanka to Sweden, NPR visited four families who found their biological siblings.
3 things you need to know before you go
Beyonce, a one-eared beagle, is photographed at Homeward Trails Animal Rescue Center in Fairfax, Virginia, after being rescued from the Envigo Breeding and Research Facility in August 2022.
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- Virginia fish farm agrees to pay record $35 million fine Thousands of beagles were rescued from the site nearly two years ago due to unsafe conditions.
- NAACP warns US airlines It will reinstate a travel advisory against the airline if it does not provide answers about recent incidents of racial discrimination.
- Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s former translator Mizuhara Ippei pleads guilty He was accused of stealing nearly $17 million from the player to pay off gambling debts.
This newsletter is sponsored by Olivia Hampton.
