Politics & Government

North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger

Politics & Government

N. Carolina legislature approves abortion rules; veto ahead

5:11pm May 04, 2023

by Gary D. Robertson, Hannah Schoenbaum

North Carolina lawmakers on Thursday approved a ban on nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, down from the current 20 weeks, in response to last year’s overturning of Roe v. Wade at the U.S. Supreme Court.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel says the agency had lost capacity over the years to adequately assess "high wealth, high income filers."

He's trying to fix the IRS and has $80 billion to play with. This is his plan

5:10pm May 04, 2023

by Patrick Wood

There are two competing trends: The population of the U.S. has grown at the same time as the workforce of the IRS has shrunk. A 10-year, $80 billion plan aims to tackle the agency's troubles.

A look at Harlan Crow, the billionaire central in Clarence Thomas controversies

4:43pm May 04, 2023

NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Bloomberg reporter Shelly Hagan about real-estate billionaire Harlan Crow.

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Parents in the Senate want new limits on social media to protect kids' mental health

4:43pm May 04, 2023

by Deirdre Walsh

An unusual bipartisan Senate group, all parents of young kids or teens, want new limits on social media platforms for kids. They say dangerous content fed to young users is hurting mental health.

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Messages on the window of the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library in Jonesboro, Ark., urged voters to approve library funding. Local voters opted to cut the funding in half, following complaints about books that some deemed inappropriate, and the library is now struggling to stay open.

Library funding becomes the 'nuclear option' as the battle over books escalates

4:37pm May 04, 2023

by Tovia Smith

Some libraries are now facing an existential threat: They could lose their public funding over books deemed inappropriate for young readers.

Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, shown here at a protest in support for Cubans demonstrating against their government in Miami on July 16, 2021.

Jury convicts Enrique Tarrio of the Proud Boys on seditious conspiracy charge

4:33pm May 04, 2023

by Carrie Johnson

After four months of trial, a jury has convicted Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and other members of the far-right club of seditious conspiracy for their roles on Jan. 6, 2021.

U.S. anticipates an increase in asylum-seekers as Title 42 is set to end

11:16am May 04, 2023

Title 42, which allows the US to reject asylum-seekers without a hearing, is set to end May 11. President Biden is sending troops to the border in anticipation of an increase in asylum-seekers there.

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People vote in the midterm elections on Nov. 8, 2022, at a fire station in Hialeah, Fla.

Politics & Government

Advocates in Florida clamor for a fix for the formerly incarcerated who want to vote

10:51am May 04, 2023

by Ashley Lopez

There's no easy way for Floridians returning from prison to figure out what's needed to regain their voting rights. And advocates are critical of language set to be added to voter registration cards.

Eliazar Posada, an LGBTQ+ rights advocate, speaks to a group of people

Politics & Government

North Carolina House OKs ban on transgender youth surgeries

9:44am May 04, 2023

by Hannah Shoenbaum, Associated Press/Report for America

Transgender youth in North Carolina would have to wait until they turn 18 to receive gender-affirming surgeries under a bill approved Wednesday by the GOP-controlled state House.

Abortion rights supporters gather at a rally at Bicentennial Plaza put on by Planned Parenthood South Atlantic in response to a bill before the North Carolina Legislature, Wednesday, May 3, 2023, in Raleigh, N.C.

Politics & Government

North Carolina House OKs bill tightening abortion limits

9:15am May 04, 2023

by Gary Robertson and Hannah Schoenbaum, Associated Press

The North Carolina House on Wednesday approved a Republican package of abortion restrictions that would tighten the state's ban on the procedure from after 20 weeks to after 12 weeks, while creating new exceptions but also more requirements for pregnant women and physicians.