Category: 4-FrequentNewsStreams

Along with some other federal agencies, the Trump administration has attempted to gut the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It’s a small agency, but public libraries across the country rely on its funding. The loss of federal grants isn’t the only thing these community hubs are up against. On the show today, Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association, explains how public library funding works, the challenges presented by the shift to digital media, and what the culture wars look like on the ground at public libraries.

Later, listeners share their thoughts on the new No Tax on Tips and Overtime laws. Plus, a librarian answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Trump Administration Is Threatening Libraries, Museums, and Other Nonprofits That Support the Arts, Humanities, and Learning" from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 
• "Libraries are cutting back on staff and services after Trump's order to dismantle small agency" from AP News
• "1 big thing: Libraries' e-book battle" from Axios

• “No Tax on Tips” Is an Industry Plant" from The New Yorker 

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

President Donald Trump remarked offhandedly over the weekend that “we will not allow a windmill to be built in the United States.” Recent policy changes in Washington could indeed make it harder to build new wind power projects in the U.S., but it’ll still likely continue to be an attractive source of power. And later in the program, a dispute between Mexico and Texas over water is threatening to turn ugly.

Two behemoths of freight rail are joining forces: Union Pacific is acquiring Norfolk Southern for $85 billion. The deal creates the largest freight rail network in the country and will attract the attention of antitrust regulators. Also on the show: U.S.-China trade negotiators meet in Sweden for trade talks, and the U.S. sets a new deadline for Russia to end its war in Ukraine or face new economic sanctions.

From the BBC World Service: Parents in China are being offered a little extra help, about $500 a year for every child under three. It's the government's first nationwide subsidy in a bid to increase birth rates. State media says around 20 million families are eligible for the payments. But will it work? Plus, with northern Mexico in the middle of a severe drought, the country is falling behind on water deliveries to the U.S. promised by a treaty. The Trump administration isn't happy.

Amidst the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, green card holders are getting caught in the middle. Stories persist of people with lawful permanent residency being detained and denied re-entry into the country, despite the law seemingly being on their side. As fear and concerns continue to grow, so does the conversation around what some call the “right” and “wrong” ways to enter the country. But what does it really mean to go through the process the “right” way? Reset hears from a local immigration lawyer and two Chicagoans about their experience getting a green card. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In Canada, road freight is part of the backbone of the economy — historically moving about four-fifths of all goods across the country, with demand growing. But trucking is changing, with digital freight-matching platforms reshaping how drivers find work and how goods get delivered. The BBC’s Sam Gruet reports.

Bridget and Ryan get swept up in a cyberpunk adventure as they try to answer Cooper’s question about how online data thefts can lead to real world consequences for your bank account. With the help of longtime friend of the program, Scam Slammer Host Brenda Hammer, the duo travel inside the internet to follow the trail of our digital bread crumbs, and see how advertisers and fraudsters get to know more about us than we might think.

President Trump urged action to get more food into Gaza as the real threat of starvation stalks tens of thousands of Palestinians. Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu must "make sure they get the food." Deema Zein reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Monday, President Trump said he's giving Vladimir Putin 10 to 12 more days to reach a deal to end the Ukraine war, a judge blocked a Trump administration effort to defund Planned Parenthood, a suspect is in custody after two people were killed outside a casino in Reno and authorities are investigating an incident in which passengers had to evacuate a burning plane in Denver. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The announcement of the U.S.-European trade deal marks an important moment in President Trump’s larger battles over tariffs and trade. But it’s generating mixed reactions in Europe and in the U.S. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Jovita Neliupšienė, the European Union’s ambassador to the United States. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders