Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lady Casey.
It's primary day in six states, including California, and at the top of the ballot, a lively
“and unsettled race to replace termed out Governor Gavin Newsom.”
From Member Station KQED in San Francisco, Scott Schaefer reports. California hasn't had a governor's race like this one in decades, an unpredictable horse race with several lead changes, the implosion of a leading candidate after sexual assault allegations, and a slew of relatively unknown options. Once discounted, Havier Bacera, former HHS Secretary and California Attorney General, has
jumped to the front of the pack after Congressman Eric Swallwell dropped out, not far behind Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host, he's neck and neck with billionaire investor
and political activist Tom Stier, who has dropped more than $200 million in counting.
A few months ago, Panic Democrats feared they could be locked out of a November runoff by this top-to-primary system, but now poll show it's at least possible the top-to-finishers will both be Democrats. For NPR News, I'm Scott Schaefer in San Francisco. President Trump has named a reliable attack dog to serve as acting director of national
intelligence. The job is supposed to ensure that timely and objective intelligence is provided to the president,
“but even some Republicans are questioning bill-pulties qualifications, and PR's Eric”
Medanuel has more. After the intelligence failures before the September 11 attacks in Iraq War, the office of the director of national intelligence was created to be the expert voice, presenting clear, factual information to decision-makers, including the president.
Pulti currently serves as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and is used
the post to go after the president's perceived enemies. Senator John Corden, a member of the intelligence community and a Texas Republican, recently defeated by Trump's back primary challenger, has questions. Trump cited Pulti's qualifications for the role as someone with "deep experience" managing the most sensitive matters in America, Eric McDaniel and PR News, the Capitol.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration's Iran War, and the efforts it's making to extend a current ceasefire. He told Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy in a hearing today that sanctions on Iran would not be lifted if it opens the straight of Hormuz. Iran is being sanctioned because they enrich uranium.
“Iran is being sanctioned because they've highly enriched uranium.”
Iran is being sanctioned because of their nuclear activities. If they agree to give up those things, there will be sanctions relief associated with their commitment and compliance with those agreements, relief just in exchange for reopening the straight. No, that's not been discussed.
That's not been offered. Iran stopped communicating with mediators about extending a ceasefire, amid Israel's latest attacks on Lebanon, according to semi-official Iranian news agencies, but President Trump is disputing that and says talks are continuing. This is NPR News Live in Washington.
Scientists have launched an ambitious new effort to develop gene therapies for brain disorders, NPR as John Hamilton reports that the disorders include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and ALS. The Alan Institute in Seattle is running the collaborative effort known as the brain health accelerator.
It's an outgrowth of the federally funded brain initiative, which was launched by President Obama in 2013. Ed Lane of the Alan Institute says scientists now know how to tweak a particular gene in certain brain cells. And that opens up the possibility for very specific precision genetic therapies for brain disorders.
It says one of the first targets will be Huntington's disease, a fatal inherited disorder.
It's caused by a genetic mutation that tells nerve cells to make too much of one type of protein, scientists think gene therapy can prevent this. John Hamilton and PR News Archaeologists are digging beneath Notre Dame Cathedral to explore as far back as Roman Paris from 2000 years ago. The excavation started after the cathedral was rebuilt following the 2019 fire.
The dig has uncovered hundreds of objects, including a fourth-century corn and a medieval jug. The excavation is part of a project to beautify the area, which should be completed by 2028, providing shade for visitors. A film festival kicks off this week celebrating the cinema of despair.
Bleak Week started five years ago in Los Angeles by American cinema tech, and is going global this year. Organizers say it started as a contrarian response to calls for "feel good movies after the pandemic, but it celebrates the human experience. It's NPR."
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