Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This message comes from Subaru, celebrating the Subaru Share the Love event now through January 2nd. By year's end, Subaru and its retailers will have donated more than $350 million to charity. Subaru, more than a car company.
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. The Trump administration's surge of immigration agents to Charlotte, North Carolina drew hundreds of protesters to a city park.
The Surge in Charlotte began Saturday.
There have been no major clashes, but Carlos Magana, who lives in nearby Concord, says people are afraid to leave their homes.
It's terrifying to pretty much know that at any moment a federal agent can just come out and abuse you just because of the way you look.
The Homeland Security Department says the surge is aimed at ensuring public safety, but Charlotte's Democratic mayor says it's causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty. In an unusual move, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the state Higher Education Coordination Board. Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton has more.
The suit argues that three state-funded work-study programs violate the First Amendment. The programs—the Texas College Work-Study Program, the Works Internship Program, and the Innovative Adult Career Education Grant Program—bar participants from engaging in sectarian activities or enrolling in seminary studies.
Paxton says the restrictions amount to unconstitutional discrimination against religious students and exclude religious organizations that offer only sectarian work opportunities. Paxton called the rules, quote, anti-Christian. The programs provide more than $8 million in state funding to financially disadvantaged college students with jobs both on and off campus.
I'm Jerry Clayton in San Antonio.
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Chapter 2: What recent immigration policies sparked protests in Charlotte?
Postal Service says it's planning to make changes after ending another fiscal year with a net loss in the billions. NPR's Hansi Lomong reports that USPS is proposing to increase shipping prices next year to help stabilize its finances.
Even though it's a government agency, the U.S. Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars and relies on stamp and service fees to keep running. In the past fiscal year, USPS had a net loss of $9 billion. That's down about a half billion dollars compared to the previous year, in part because of drops in transportation and workers' compensation expenses.
Postmaster General David Steiner says in the new year, he hopes to increase shipping services, especially in rural areas that private companies don't serve, and improve delivery times.
Service is still not where we expect it to be, nor is it what our customers deserve.
Starting in mid-January, the cost of shipping with USPS may go up between 5 and 8 percent, but a first-class Forever stamp is staying at 78 cents, at least for a few more months. Hansi Lewong, NPR News.
And you're listening to NPR News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine is working to resume prisoner exchanges with Russia. Zelenskyy made the announcement in a social media video a day after his national security chief announced progress in negotiations for the release of 1,200 Ukrainians.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is promising an overhaul of state-owned energy companies following a corruption scandal. Several of those implicated have ties to Zelenskyy. LGBTQ Catholics are speaking out against new bans on gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals.
NPR's Jason Rose reports on the situation and says the move further dehumanizes, the reports at the group say the move further dehumanizes an already marginalized group.
This week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops passed rules that prohibit Catholic hospitals from performing gender-affirming care for transgender people. Those treatments include hormone therapy and surgeries. The rules also bar Catholic hospitals from referring patients elsewhere for these treatments.
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