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Top stories
The Supreme Court will hear arguments today in a major separation-of-powers case that could curtail protections for independent federal agencies and broaden presidential control. The dispute centers on whether President Trump can remove Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, after the White House sent an email in March saying she was being dismissed for not aligning with presidential priorities. A lower court ruled Slaughter could not be fired, relying on the 1935 Humphrey’s Executor decision that restricts removal of commissioners to statutorily specified reasons. The administration argues that precedent is wrong and the president should have broader removal authority. Slaughter and her supporters warn that overturning removal protections would undermine regulatory bodies created by Congress over the past nine decades.
Senate vote set for Thursday on a Democratic plan to extend expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years, as the enhanced subsidies are scheduled to lapse at month’s end. The proposal faces a high bar to advance—no expectation it will secure the 60 votes needed in the Senate. Republicans are divided: some senators back maintaining the subsidies, while others want to impose income limits or change eligibility. House Speaker Mike Johnson says he will unveil a health-care bill this week and press for a vote this month but is not negotiating with Democrats. President Trump has not endorsed legislation to extend the tax credits. Lawmakers warn that without action, many Americans could see substantial premium increases next month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in London meeting European leaders as Britain, France and Germany seek a role alongside the U.S. in any future peace talks. The trip comes amid pressure from the U.S. for Ukraine to accept an American-backed proposal to end the war with Russia—a plan Ukrainian officials say favors Moscow and must be revised. The London gathering is intended to demonstrate continued European support for Ukraine. Tensions with allies have been sharpened by a recent U.S. national security strategy draft that criticized migration trends in Europe and suggested backing for far-right parties—language that earned praise from the Kremlin and alarmed some European governments about U.S. alignment.
Cost of living
NPR’s series Cost of Living: The Price We Pay looks at what’s driving price trends and how people are responding after years of inflation. One notable finding: many computers have become less expensive. The entry-level MacBook Pro now starts at about $1,599—roughly $200 cheaper than a comparable model five years ago. Factors include decades of chip improvements (the pattern often called Moore’s Law), the diffusion of powerful processors into more devices, and wider manufacturing scale for consumer electronics. At the same time, engineers warn that Moore’s Law is slowing as physical limits make further miniaturization harder.
Listen to the episode on why computers cost less or read the transcript. Share how rising costs are affecting you via NPR’s Cost of Living form.
Today’s listen
Throughline traces chocolate’s long global history, from pre‑Columbian societies to a modern medical student’s childhood on a cocoa-producing farm. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript to learn more.
3 things to know before you go
1) A NASA-led study warns that within the next decade light reflected from the growing fleet of satellites could spoil more than 95% of images taken by some space telescopes.
2) Rafael Ithier, the founder of salsa institution El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, has died at 99. He led the group for more than six decades and shaped its rise in Latin American music.
3) In the film Rosemead, Lucy Liu portrays an ill mother who takes extreme steps to protect her troubled teenage son; Liu spoke with Morning Edition about mental-health taboos in immigrant families.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.