News

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ted Cruz vowed on Twitter to work together on legislation banning members of Congress who leave office from lobbying.

Ted Cruz And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Team Up To Ban Lawmakers From Lobbying

2:22pm May 31, 2019

by Sasha Ingber

The unlikely union started with a tweet from the democratic socialist congresswoman, to which the conservative senator replied, "Here's something I don't say often: on this point, I AGREE."

Rain obscures the view of a tornado on May 28 in Lawrence, Kan.

Scientists Know How Tornadoes Form, But They Are Hard To Predict

1:57pm May 31, 2019

by Ari Shapiro

Scientists know how the storms are created, but it's nearly impossible to predict where a tornado will touch down, says Patrick Marsh, an NOAA meteorologist.

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Students stand face to face with police. Tens of thousands of students from across the country, as well as professors, blue-collar workers and passersby, joined the protests.

World News

30 Years After Tiananmen Protests, 'The Fight Is Still Going On For China'

1:16pm May 31, 2019

by NPR Staff

Rare photos and testimonies from 1989 portray a bold youth movement that helped shape where China is today and how the world sees it, in spite of authorities' efforts to erase the memory.

Abortion-rights supporters take part in a protest Thursday in St. Louis. A state license that allows a Planned Parenthood health center in Missouri to perform abortions could soon expire.

As Missouri's Last Abortion Provider Nears Closing, Neighboring Clinics Prepare

1:10pm May 31, 2019

by Sarah McCammon

With hours to go before the expiration of a state license that allows a Missouri health center to perform abortions, clinics across state lines say they are preparing for an influx of patients.

Construction is nearly complete in New Mexico on a section of border wall built with private funds raised by a nonprofit called We Build The Wall.

National

Privately Funded Border Wall Near Completion In New Mexico

12:44pm May 31, 2019

We Build the Wall, a nonprofit organization funding construction of a section of border wall near Sunland Park, N.M., said Thursday that it has 10 other sites picked out for more wall construction.

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A nurse administers the rotavirus vaccine, given during the first year of a baby's life.

It Looked As Though Millions Of Babies Would Miss Out On A Lifesaving Vaccine

12:21pm May 31, 2019

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Last fall, Merck said it would stop selling its rotavirus vaccine to West Africa and redirect its supply to China at a higher price. After NPR broke the story, the situation changed — for the good.

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Randall Park and Ali Wong star in Netflix's Always Be My Maybe.

Arts

Love Finds Ali Wong And Randall Park In 'Always Be My Maybe'

9:46am May 31, 2019

by Linda Holmes

Randall Park and Ali Wong star in a Netflix romantic comedy about two young friends who grow up and grow apart, only to find each other again as adults. Also, there's Keanu Reeves.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announces his run for the 2020 presidency at A&R Solar on March 1 in Seattle. He says tackling climate change should be "Job 1" for the next president.

Gov. Jay Inslee Says Washington State Is A 'Template For Success' For The U.S.

9:34am May 31, 2019

Inslee says the policies he's enacted in his state on the environment, the economy and health care are the same progressive actions he'd take if elected president.

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Members of the New York Philharmonic, led by music director Alan Gilbert, during the opening of a new season on September 21, 2016 in New York.

Music & Culture

America's Largest Musicians' Union Announces Pension Cuts

9:02am May 31, 2019

by Jeff Lunden

The American Federation of Musicians' fund will reduce benefits for an estimated 20,000 of its 80,000 members due to stresses caused by the 2008 financial crisis — and a steadily aging membership.

Co-champions of the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee (from left) Shruthika Padhy, Erin Howard, Rishik Gandhasri, Christopher Serrao, Saketh Sundar, Sohum Sukhatankar, Rohan Raja and Abhijay Kodali hold the trophy in Oxon Hill, Md., on Friday.

National

8 Spelling Bee Winners Named As Co-Champions In Historic Marathon Competition

7:35am May 31, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

Eight co-champions are taking home the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee Cup after a record-breaking and exhausting night that ended in the 20th round.