Category: 4-FrequentNewsStreams

Despite having free primary schools, children in Malawi are lagging behind. According to UNESCO, almost 90% of them cant read a simple sentence at the age of 10, due in part to a shortage of teachers and basic resources. But the government has gone for a high-tech solution — digital tablets.

In cryptic remarks Wednesday, President Trump wouldn't say whether he's willing to join Israel in its attempt to destroy Iran's nuclear program. The prospect of direct American involvement adds fears of a wider Middle East war while angering some of the president’s Republican allies for violating a campaign promise. Geoff Bennett reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For perspective on the current state of affairs between Iran and Israel, Geoff Bennett speaks with Ernest Moniz, secretary of energy during the Obama administration and a key negotiator and architect of the Iran nuclear agreement that was signed in 2015 before President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged for the fourth-straight time while officials indicated they expect to cut rates twice by the end of the year, the Supreme Court is reviving plans to store nuclear waste at sites in Texas and New Mexico and the FDA has approved the world's only twice-a-year injection for HIV prevention. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Fed kept interest rates as-is today, and Chair Powell said policymakers are “well-positioned to wait” before making another move. But what if oil price shock, propelled by roiling conflict in the Middle East, forces his hand? In this episode, we break open the Fed oil crisis playbook — but we hope Powell won’t need it. Plus, projections show the GOP tax bill will cost more than it makes, AI productivity won't boost humans equally and port logistics get complicated under shifting tariff policy.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Attention Bach buffs, Shostakovich stans and Debussy devotees! Head over to Grant Park and you can catch free classical concerts all summer long. But this isn’t just an exciting opportunity to revel in the music, it’s a chance for up-and-coming orchestral musicians and singers to be a part of the action through the Festival String and Vocal Fellowship. Reset sits down with two fellowship participants: violinist Maria Gabriela Mendez Martinez and violist Joshua Thaver. We also hear from fellowship manager Amelia Sie. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Every day this week, we’ll take a look at the ripple effects of the budget reconciliation bill moving through Congress that would enact President Donald Trump’s agenda. Today, we focus on the bill’s impact on health care and social programs. We explain how the Senate’s version of the reconciliation bill cuts Medicaid more aggressively than the House of Representatives’ previous version. Then, we hear from a listener about how the bill’s Medicaid cuts could affect the hospitals they work with, particularly in underserved rural areas. Plus, we answer a listener question about how states would absorb the costs of the bill’s federal funding cuts.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Senate Bill Would Make Deep Cuts to Medicaid, Setting Up Fight With House” from The New York Times
• “Hundreds of rural hospitals at risk if Medicaid cuts pass, Democrats say” from Healthcare Dive
• “2025 Budget Impacts: House Bill Would Cut Assistance and Raise Costs for Seniors” from The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• “GOP bill would have states picking up more of the tab for programs like Medicaid and SNAP” from Marketplace
• “How Would Potential Federal Budget Cuts Impact State Budgets?” from Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
• “What are the Implications of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill for Hospitals?” from KFF

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Financial markets are strangely calm so far this morning, given — among other things — continued hostilities between Israel and Iran. As the trading day gets underway, there's been no sign from the White House about whether the U.S. would take military action against nuclear facilities in Iran. We'll try to get a sense of the market. Plus, sometimes taking a vow of poverty is easier said than done. From Marketplace's "This Is Uncomfortable," we'll learn all about a nun's finances.

Contractors provide legally required services for people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These include medical care, where providers are trying to navigate the administration's assertions that detainees do not have rights to normal due process. Today, we hear about a mental health facility in Colorado that decided not to take this business. Also: a big win for cryptocurrency businesses in the Senate and a look at the horror movie economy.

From the BBC World Service: Japanese vehicle exports to the United States dropped by almost a quarter last month amid the fallout from President Donald Trump's new tariffs. Tokyo has been seeking relief from the 25% U.S. import taxes on foreign-made vehicles, but no agreement has been reached despite a series of high-level talks. Plus, we hear how French wine producers are reacting to the uncertainty around tariff talks.