How a century-old law could be used to assert presidential control over mass communications
Section 706(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 grants the president sweeping authority in times of "war" and "national emergency" — as defined by the president.
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House GOP spending bill heads to the Senate where it will require Democratic support
The Republican-led House passed a stopgap spending bill Tuesday. The bill now moves to the Senate, where it will need Democratic support for approval to avert a government shutdown Friday night. -
If you want more happiness in your life, ask yourself this simple question
Gretchen Rubin, host of the Happier podcast, explains the secret to happiness — and why knowing your personality type can help you make better decisions about what can bring you more joy. -
The U.S. buys electricity from Canada. Now it's a focus of the trade war
As a trade war grew this week, Ontario's leader threatened a surcharge on Canadian electricity sold in some U.S. states. The episode highlighted the U.S. reliance on imported Canadian power. -
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The last time we shrank the federal workforce
If you cut every single federal job President Donald Trump wants to cut, how much money would that save? A president has tried to massively shrink the size of the federal government before. It was in the 90s, under a Democrat. Today on the show: Where they found waste the last time we really looked. (Hint: it wasn't jobs.) And why the pace of firings under Trump might start to slow down. For more: - Lessons for the Future of Government Reform - Is government too big? Reflections on the size and composition of today's federal government - Creating a Government That Works Better and Costs Less This episode of Planet Money was produced by Willa Rubin. It was edited by Jess Jiang and engineered by Jimmy Keeley. We had fact-checking help from Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. Special thanks to Ben Zipperer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.Music: Audio Network - "West Green Road," "Raise Up," and "Blue and Green." -
The four buzziest movies coming to theaters this weekend
A Steven Soderbergh spy thriller, a Looney Tunes movie and a grisly comedy about a guy who can't feel pain are all out this weekend. -
How to see the 'blood worm moon' total lunar eclipse tonight
This total lunar eclipse — the first in three years — will feature a "blood worm moon," so named for the reddish hue of its glow and the time of year it's occurring. -
Dear Life Kit: My best friend said he'd unfriend me if I ever had kids
A reader is taken aback by her best friend's reaction to the possibility that she might want kids. He says that if she had kids, it would change everything between them. Friendship experts weigh in.
