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Episode Date: May 4, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is hospitalized in critical condition. NPR's Rob Stein reports. In a post on X, Giuliani spokesman, Ted Goodman, says the former New York mayor is in critical but stable condition. Goodman did not release any additional information, but Goodman said Giuliani is, quote, a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength. and he's fighting with that same level of strength. In a post on truth social, President Trump called Giuliani a, quote, true warrior. Giuliani, who's 81, served as Trump's advisor and personal lawyer for part of Trump's first term.

Trump pardoned Giuliani last year for his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Rob Stein and Peer News. President Trump has announced what he calls Project Freedom to assist ships stuck in the Strait of moves to leave the waterway safely. The effort is scheduled to start Monday. Meanwhile, no new face-to-face negotiations to end the war are scheduled. Suzanne DiMaggio is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she's conducted unofficial negotiations with countries that have no diplomatic relations with the U.S., including Iran. I think there's a potential way forward here, and that would be for the U.S. to announce the end of a blockade.

and the Iranians in turn, or perhaps simultaneously, if that could be negotiated, would declare the straight as open and commit to the negotiating process. AAA says the price of gasoline surged by more than 30 cents a gallon this past week. The national average is now 444 a gallon. The price of diesel used in the trucking and freight rail industries climbed 18 cents a gallon is now 564 a gallon. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are pressing the Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the Trump administration on their proposed budget. Much of the focus is on plans to scale back the Education Department and the impact on special education. NPR's Jonut-Kint-Meta has more. In its 2027 budget, the Trump administration has proposed significant cuts to the Education Department.

Since she was sworn in, Linda McMahon has been tasked with dismantling her own department. That has included a pledge to move special education offices out of the department and into other agencies. McMahon said her department was still evaluating where those programs would go, but said the departments of labor and health and human services were likely candidates. That's a move special education advocates have long opposed. Special ed funding was one of the few parts of the budget, though, where the department proposed increasing spending, though McMahon did not outline exactly how that money would be used. Chenaki Mhatha, NPR News. It's NPR.

As many as 2,000 beagles, which were removed from a Wisconsin dog breeder and research business, they are being prepared to be adopted. Several hundred of the dogs received exams from veterinarians and got vaccinations. They're now being transported to animal welfare groups who will find them permitted homes. Hundreds more dogs are expected to be examined and moved in the coming days. The transfer marks a significant turn in what has been a years-long fight over what's called Ridgelan Farms near Madison, which bred the beagles for scientific research for the last 60 years. The CDC is urging anyone traveling this summer to get vaccinated against the measles, especially if they're going overseas. Jess Maydor from member station WABE and Atlanta reports.

Measles is one of the most highly infectious diseases in the world, and the CDC recommends everyone who's at least six months old and not yet vaccinated get the measles or MMR vaccine. Two doses give nearly 100% immunity. The latest guidance follows months of often confusing statements from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplaying the effectiveness of the vaccine. And as the measles outbreak continues to spread, the CDC is reporting nearly 1,800 confirmed cases in more than half the U.S. so far this year. For NPR News, I'm Jess Mador in Atlanta. GameStop is reportedly preparing an unsolicited offer to buy eBay for an estimated $56 billion.

Gamestock currently owns about 5% of the company. This is NPR News from Washington.