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Extreme Measures: Opioid Crisis, Mount Everest, and Burnout May 28, 2019

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Oklahoma is taking the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson to court today. This is the first state trial connected to the opioid crisis ... which has been determined a public health emergency. We’re going to break down how this got started and how Oklahoma hopes to win this case. Meanwhile, Mount Everest is having a deadly climbing season with human traffic jams on the summit. A lot goes into climbing to the “roof of the world.” We’ll explain what factors might be in play here. Also on today’s episode: the World Health Organization says that burnout is a legitimate medical diagnosis and a 100-year-old German woman is diving into politics.

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Do It Yourself: Theresa May, Julian Assange, and $20 May 24, 2019

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British Prime Minister Theresa May is saying “I’m out.” She is only the second woman to hold the position and is leaving after three years – one of the shortest terms for a prime minister in modern times. Her exit - was spurred by Brexit. We’ll explain what’s next for the British mission to leave the EU. Meanwhile, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been indicted on 17 new charges for violating the Espionage Act. Journalists are worried about what this could mean for the First Amendment. We’ll explain. Also on today’s episode: same-sex couples in Taiwan are saying “we do,” and there’s a DIY movement to put Harriet Tubman on the $20.

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Taking Action: McDonald’s Strikes, HUD and Transgender Rights, and Office Sweaters May 23, 2019

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Some McDonald’s workers were on strike today … while the company held its annual shareholder meeting. Employees are asking for better pay, more say, union rights - oh and the higher ups addressing recent sexual harassment claims. We’ll tell you more about it. Meanwhile, the Department of Housing and Urban Development introduced a new proposal that would allow homeless shelters to turn away transgender people for religious reasons. And let shelters put transgender women in facilities with men instead of women. We’ll dive into it. Also on today’s episode: 2020 candidate Kirsten Gillibrand came out with a proposal for a “Family Bill of Rights” and a new study that will help defrost the office tension.

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Testing Democracy: EU Parliamentary Elections, DC Drama, and Mars 2020 May 22, 2019

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Europeans head to the polls starting tomorrow for the European Parliamentary elections. This is the second-biggest election in the world, and has been a bit of a snoozer in the past. But this year people are watching very closely because of a surge of far-right groups. We’ll explain. Meanwhile in DC, President Trump and Democratic leaders had a short meeting on infrastructure today that didn’t go exactly as planned. We’ll break down why both sides are throwing mud. Also on today’s episode: the Department of Education is breaking down student loan debt by college … and college major, and NASA wants to send your name to the Red Planet.

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On The Books: Trump’s Finances, CBD, and 'Milkshaking' May 21, 2019

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Three House committees want to dive into President Trump’s business financials. Specifically, they want the deets from his accounting firm, Capital One, and Deutsche Bank. Trump and his three oldest children have sued to stop that from happening. We’ll explain the backstory and how judges are weighing in. Meanwhile, a new study says CBD could be the next big thing to treat opioid addictions - specifically heroin. Without creating a new addiction. We’ve got the details. Also on today’s episode: the 100th anniversary of the House of Representatives passing the bill that gave women the right to vote ... and the protesting trend that is taking the UK by milk storm.

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Battle Lines: Foreign Fighters, Google, and ‘Game of Thrones’ May 20, 2019

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John Walker Lindh, a US citizen convicted of helping the Taliban, will be released from federal prison this week. And some lawmakers in Congress says they’re worried Lindh could return to his extremist beliefs. We’ll explain how the US and other countries are grappling with what to do with “foreign fighters” - and whether to bring them back home. Meanwhile, Google is breaking up with Chinese tech giant Huawei, complying with the Trump admin’s blacklist. We’ll tell you what this updated relationship status really means. Also on today’s episode: the Smithsonian has its eyes on a new Asian Pacific American Center in DC and “Game of Thrones” has people talking … hydration.

PS: GV (formerly Google Ventures) is a minority investor in theSkimm

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Numbers Game: Immigration Issues, Indian Elections, and Time Off For Loan Debt May 17, 2019

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Yesterday, President Trump announced a new proposal to overhaul the US immigration system - specifically shifting the priorities in the green card system and the asylum program, and strengthening border security. It’s the latest in a series of immigration moves by the administration. We’ll give you an update on where things stand. Meanwhile, 900 million voters have been hitting the polls in India for the last month and a half. And this weekend the national elections come to an end. We’ll give you theSkimm on who’s running and some of the big issues people are paying attention to. Also on today’s episode: some people may be giving up vacation time to pay off student loans, and we say goodbye to Grumpy Cat.

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The Fine Print: Abortion Laws and Personhood, SAT Adversity Score, Pricey Coffee May 16, 2019

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Missouri’s the latest in a line of states taking on a hot-button issue: abortion. State lawmakers across the country are passing bills restricting it -- and hoping the Supreme Court will give the OK. We’ll explain what role trying to define when a fetus becomes a “person” plays the whole debate. Meanwhile, the College Board will assign an “adversity score” to students taking the SATs. It’s supposed to give colleges more context about a student’s background and what hardships they’ve faced. We’ll break it down for you. Also on today’s episode: a new study found that women who followed a low-fat diet had a lower risk of dying from breast cancer, and a chart-topping caffeine fix.

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Looking For Fixes: Falling Birth Rates, FAA and Boeing, Office Distractions May 15, 2019

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There’s a baby bust in the US: A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that last year’s birth rate was down 2 percent from 2017 - and was the lowest in 32 years. We’ll explain why fewer babies could be a problem for the economy. Meanwhile, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration was taking heat on Capitol Hill today. This hearing comes two months after the administration grounded the Boeing 737 Max airplanes following two deadly crashes. We’ll tell you why lawmakers are concerned about how the FAA gives planes the green light. Also on today’s episode: social media influencers are feeling the gender pay gap, and how your co-workers are keeping you from doing your job.

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I Spy: Facial Recognition, Russia Investigation, WhatsApp May 14, 2019

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Facial recognition technology is creeping into all aspects of life, and San Francisco could be the first city in the US to block it. Other cities are thinking of following suit -- we’ll explain why. Attorney General William Barr wants to know how the FBI’s Trump-Russia probe got started. And he’s calling for back-up: from the US Attorney in Connecticut. Also on today’s episode: a security flaw on WhatsApp could have given hackers your private info, and some pride for your favorite animated aardvark’s teacher.

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