A.M. Edition for Oct. 2. The Trump administration has invited nine initial schools to join a ‘compact’ banning use of race or sex in admissions, freezing tuition, capping international enrollment and more. Plus, the U.S. will for the first time provide Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes deep inside Russia. WSJ correspondent Bojan Pancevski says it's part of a major shift in strategy from both the U.S. and Europe, as efforts to ensure a peaceful ending to the war in Ukraine have all but failed. And, why tech bosses say they can’t find the right workers despite a sea of tech talent. Caitlin McCabe hosts.
As the U.S. government shutdown enters its second day, Democrats are trying to underline that the growing political fight is all about the rising cost of health care.
The New York Times journalists Margot Sanger-Katz and Shane Goldmacher explain why the Democrats are betting on this strategy and who is to blame for the impasse.
Guest:
Margot Sanger-Katz, a reporter for The New York Times who covers health care policy and government spending.
Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
The Trump administration forged ahead with plans to conduct mass layoffs as the fiscal standoff appeared to intensify.
The White House warns of “imminent” layoffs of federal workers on the first day of the government shutdown. National Guard troops begin training in Portland, Oregon as President Trump says U.S. cities should be military "training grounds." And we remember conservationist and primate expert Jane Goodall.
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn’t free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives.
Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship.
This week, we’re dropping in your feed to tell you about That Can't Be True with Chelsea Clinton - a new show from Lemonada Media and The Clinton Foundation that helps make sense of the chaos in today’s wellness world.
Things are getting weird in public health. Childhood vaccines are suddenly up for debate, fluoride is being described as industrial waste, and it feels like everyone is talking about raw milk. Navigate this chaotic time with public health expert Dr. Chelsea Clinton, who every week talks to doctors, dietitians, parenting experts and more to expose pseudoscience and help us sort fact from fiction.
Fact-check your news feed to avoid nonsense wellness trends, pay attention to the ones with real science behind them, and help debunk misinformation over coffee, cocktails or wherever it might come up.
You’re about to hear a clip from the first episode of That Can’t Be True with Chelsea Clinton. After you listen, head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/ThatCantBeTruefd to hear the full episode and follow the show.
We’ll update you on the government shutdown that, as of this morning, has no end in sight—and what’s expected to happen next.
Also, an unprecedented new deal for the U.S. that could change the balance of power in the Middle East—but some are questioning the timing and the motives.
Plus: we’re looking back on the life and influence of Jane Goodall, explaining how Walmart foods are getting a “MAHA” upgrade, and catching up with the next generation of dire wolves.
Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!
Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!
It's Day 2 of the government shutdown. And we'd like to note that despite the government closing shop, House Republicans have been on vacation since last week, while House Democrats have been showing up to work. Vice President JD Vance told members of the press Wednesday that the real bad guys in the shutdown fight are Democrats, specifically Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Because, according to Vance, it's Schumer standing in the way of low-income Americans getting much-needed health care assistance, assistance that Republicans cut in President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill." Both Democrats and Republicans have dug in their heels on this shutdown. Democrats want Affordable Care Act subsidies extended and Medicaid cuts reversed. And Republicans are fine with the government being closed – and want to fire thousands of federal employees. So to talk more about the shutdown, its impact on everyday Americans, and what comes next, we spoke to New Jersey Democratic Sen. Andy Kim.
And in headlines, federal officials say they plan to reopen an Obama-era immigration program, Israel tries to intercept yet another flotilla attempting to carry humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the Supreme Court ruled that Trump can't just fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook… because he doesn't like her.
