National

Health Insurers Fear Impact Of Trump's Vague Order On Affordable Care Act

6:45pm January 23, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

People are still trying to interpret an executive order on the Affordable Care Act issued by President Trump on Friday. Because of its vagueness, members of the health industry — particularly insurers — are nervous about its impact on their businesses.

Queue Listen Now

Virginia Governor Outlines Opposition To Trump's Medicaid Proposal

6:45pm January 23, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, about President Trump's proposal to convert Medicaid to block grants, whereby states would receive a set amount of money to cover health care for its poorest residents.

Queue Listen Now

Wetlands and marshlands that once protected New Orleans and the surrounding areas from storm surge have been depleted over the years. Here, the $1.1 billion Lake Borgne Surge Barrier outside New Orleans in 2015.

To Fight Coastal Damage, Louisiana Parishes Pushed To Sue Energy Industry

6:45pm January 23, 2017

by Tegan Wendland

Louisiana has a $90 billion plan to fight coastal erosion. Gov. John Bel Edwards says suing oil and gas firms, which have contributed to the damage, will help foot the bill. But he faces obstacles.

Queue Listen Now

Old World climbing fern on a tree island in the Everglades surrounds LeRoy Rodgers of the South Florida Water Management District. Environmentalists say it's one of the worst invasive species the state has faced in a long time.

Invasive Fern In Florida Threatens To Take Down More Than Just Trees

6:45pm January 23, 2017

by Amy Green

The tenacious Old World climbing fern — native to Africa, Asia and Australia — is toppling trees as it swamps the state. It also threatens to derail a national wildlife refuge.

Queue Listen Now

Ajit Pai, the senior Republican at the Federal Communications Commission, is slated to be the agency's new chairman.

Trump's Telecom Chief Is Ajit Pai, Critic Of Net Neutrality Rules

6:38pm January 23, 2017

by Alina Selyukh

A champion of limited government, Pai has indicated plans to reel back Internet and other regulations. As FCC commissioner since 2012, Pai typically was a reliable opponent of Democrats' proposals.

Police stand guard outside the Trump International Hotel in Washington the day before the inauguration. The president's business interest in a government-owned property has drawn criticism from Democrats and some ethics advisers.

Trump Files Documents To Shift Management Of Businesses To His Sons

6:02pm January 23, 2017

by Jackie Northam

For many weeks, the president said he would step away from managing his businesses, but he offered no evidence. Now documents are turning up, showing he no longer is listed as top executive.

A federal judge has ruled against Aetna's proposed merger with its rival, Humana.

Judge Blocks Health Care Merger, Saying It Would Hurt Competition

5:35pm January 23, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

In his decision, Judge John Bates said he believed health insurance giant Aetna had tried to leverage its original support for Obamacare to get federal approval for its acquisition of rival Humana.

President Trump signs the executive orders in the Oval Office on Monday, including a withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Trump Signs 3 Memorandums, Including Withdrawal From Pacific Trade Deal

5:35pm January 23, 2017

by Brian Naylor

The order is mostly symbolic; the Trans-Pacific Partnership was never ratified. Trump also signed a hiring freeze and reinstated a policy restricting funding for international family planning groups.

Melissa Morris outside her home in Sterling, Colo. She quit using heroin in 2012, and now relies on the drug Suboxone to stay clean. She's also been helping to find treatment for some of the neighbors she used to sell drugs to.

Rural Colorado's Opioid Connections Might Hold Clues To Better Treatment

5:14pm January 23, 2017

by Luke Runyon

Opioid abuse is rising fast among those who live in rural areas. Research suggests the drugs' illicit use there spreads rapidly via social networks, which could be part of the solution, too.

Queue Listen Now

This fence, made of circa-Vietnam War era surplus landing mats, ends at Otay Mesa about 15 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Tijuana is on the left and California on the right. There are two other kinds of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border: steel mesh a

National

Southern Border Wall: Campaign Slogan Meets Reality

5:14pm January 23, 2017

by John Burnett

"Build that wall" became a mantra during Donald Trump's presidential campaign. But costs, logistics and geography make building such a wall more complicated than many realize.

Queue Listen Now