Navigating vaccine misinformation with a pediatrician

The CDC recently rewrote its vaccine guidance to suggest shots might cause autism, renewing false claims about vaccines and causing anxiety among parents. Physicians often deal with misinformation, but the difference is that it’s now coming from the federal government. How do families know what guidance to trust?

NPR’s Scott Detrow speaks with Dr. James Campbell, a practicing pediatrician and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, on how families should navigate the changing guidance.

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This episode was produced by Vincent Acovino and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Simon Laslo-Janssen and Tiffany Vera Castro. It was edited by Adam Raney. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Can progressive mayors save the Democratic Party?

New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani built a coalition of voters who were engaged by his charisma and his campaign’s focus on key issues such as affordable transportation, housing and childcare. Mamdani has pointed to Boston mayor Michelle Wu, who was just re-elected in a landslide herself, as inspiration and for being “the most effective Democrat in America.” What can be learned from how progressive mayors like Wu and Mamdani are energizing voters?

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This episode was produced by Jordan-Marie Smith and Henry Larson. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Trump moves closer to closing the Education Department

When President Trump nominated Linda McMahon as education secretary, he told her to put herself out of a job. She moved one step closer to that this week when the Trump administration shifted the responsibility of several departments to other federal agencies.

NPR’s Juana Summers speaks with former Obama education secretary John King about what this could mean for public education in America and some of the most vulnerable students.

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This episode was produced by Lauren Hodges, with audio engineering by Simon Laslo-Janssen and Tiffany Vera Castro.

It was edited by Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Expensive and exhausting: Why caregivers need to care for themselves, too

Caregiving services for seniors can easily cost more each year than what the average American makes. And health insurers, both government and private, may not provide the coverage people need. 

That leads many people to step in and do the work for free. But caregivers need to take care of themselves, too. 
That’s something Dawnita Brown knows all too well, as a caregiver to both her parents, and founder of The Binti Circle. It’s a group she founded for Black daughters like her who are doing caregiving work.
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This episode was produced by Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio engineering by David Greenburg and Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez. It was edited by Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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How Chicago’s ICE resistance was born

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When it comes to the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia, it’s complicated

President Trump is deepening the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia, despite the government coming under fire for human right abuses, despite the concerns the prince himself ordered the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 

Why is Saudi Arabia such an important ally for the United States? 

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This episode was produced by Gabriel Sanchez and Karen Zamora.

It was edited by Jeanette Woods, Dana Farrington and Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Republicans targeted abortion providers. Some Mainers lost primary care

Maine Family Planning clinics treat STDs, bronchitis and tick bites. Because they also provide abortions, they’ve been hit by a new federal law that cuts them out of Medicaid. Now, they’re cutting back on services to try to survive.

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This episode was produced by Connor Donevan and Ava Berger, with audio engineering by Jimmy Keeley. It was edited by Diane Webber and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Tornado recovery in St. Louis is a mess. The city blames Trump’s FEMA changes

It’s been six months since a tornado hit St. Louis and damaged more than five thousand buildings and homes. 

Residents and local officials say the Trump administration’s new policy on federal disaster assistance has meant they have been left to do the work traditionally done by FEMA.

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This episode was produced by Avery Keatley, in collaboration with Hiba Ahmad and Jason Rosenbaum from St. Louis Public Radio. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. 

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What it takes to make a Tiny Desk Concert

NPR’s concert series Tiny Desk, first launched on a whim in 2008, attracts millions of viewers. We hear from two members of the NPR music team on what they love about producing and sharing Tiny Desk performances with the world. 

Host Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with Robin Hilton, host and Senior Producer of Tiny Desk and All Songs Considered and Kara Frame a video producer and director of Tiny Desk concerts.

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A Rolex, a gold bar, a trade deal and the ethics of presidential gifts

At a recent gathering of Swiss business executives in the White House, the CEO of Rolex presented President Trump with a gold-plated desk clock.

The CEO of a precious-metals company presented the president with an engraved gold bar.

They were not the official representatives of Switzerland’s economic agenda – but the following week, their government announced a trade deal that drastically lowered the U.S. tariff on imported Swiss goods from 39 percent to 15 percent – now on par with the European Union.

So were the gifts appropriate for the U.S. president to accept?

We hear from University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter – formerly the chief White House ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush.

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This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Brianna Scott, with audio engineering from Simon Laslo-Jansson. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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