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Today's stop stories

Alex Jones, the talk show host who built his career spreading conspiracy theories, has agreed to liquidate his assets to pay Sandy Hook families who sued him for defamation. Jones claimed that the 2012 shooting that killed more than two dozen people, mostly children, was fake, inciting people to harass the victims' families. He was ordered to pay around $1.5 billion in damages.

InfoWars founder Alex Jones speaks to the media outside Waterbury Superior Court during his trial on Sept. 21, 2022 in Waterbury, Conn.

InfoWars founder Alex Jones speaks to the media outside Waterbury Superior Court during his trial on Sept. 21, 2022 in Waterbury, Conn. / Getty Images

  • 🎧 The fire sale of his assets means families could start getting payments soon, but it won't be anywhere close to what they're owed, NPR's Tovia Smith reports. The families will have a claim on Jones' future earnings for the rest of his life. Smith says many families who sued said stopping Jones' conspiracy-mongering was more important than any financial windfall.

NPR's David Folkenflik reports that The Washington Post's new publisher and CEO pressured him to drop a story about the newspaper leader's role in a cover-up scandal.

  • 🎧 On Up First, Folkenflik says Will Lewis repeatedly offered an exclusive interview about the paper's future if NPR didn't publish the story. Lewis, who has denied any wrongdoing, also pushed Post staff to refrain from reporting on the same allegations. Weeks after the newspaper ran its story, executive editor Sally Buzzbee resigned.

Numerous Republicans are vying to become former President Donald Trump's running mate in November's election. Trump's pick could help him woo skeptical voters and tap into new voting blocs. The VP selection process has been much like Trump's reality TV competition, The Apprentice, with several contenders appearing on air to praise him. Here are the pros and cons for 10 Republicans the former president could pick.

We, the voters

A sign encourages people to enroll in Obamacare.

A sign encourages people to enroll in Obamacare. / WFSU

There's one thing President Biden and former President Donald Trump agree on: Health care in the U.S. is expensive. How they want to address this cost, however, couldn't be more different. NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin breaks down all things health policy ahead of the November election.

  • 🚑 Under his presidency, Trump sought to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. He slashed the budget for advertising and navigators — the people who help you find and enroll in an insurance plan.
  • 🚑 In addition to reinvesting in advertising and navigators, Biden increased subsidies to make insurance plans more affordable. Enrollment has hit record highs nationally.
  • 🚑 Both have made efforts to improve price transparency and the high cost of prescription drugs. Biden implemented a law passed under the Trump administration called the No Surprises Act, which aims to protect patients from exorbitant ER bills.

Thanks for joining Morning Edition as we explored how politics affects health care in the U.S. NPR's We, The Voters series continues next week with stories about foreign policy on All Things Considered. 

Weekend picks

Clockwise from left: <em>Industry, My Lady Jane, The Bear, The Umbrella Academy, Clipped</em> and <em>House of the Dragon</em>

Clockwise from top left: Industry, My Lady Jane, The Bear, The Umbrella Academy, Clipped and House of the Dragon / Nick Strasburg/HBO, Jonathan Prime/Prime Video, Chuck Hodes/FX, Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix, Kelsey McNeal/FX, Ollie Upton/HBO

Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:

🍿 Movies: Hollywood hasn't always gotten it right when it comes to portraying neurodivergent people on screen. Ezra flips the script.

 📺 TV: It's going to be a very hot summer. Stay indoors away from the sun with hotly anticipated shows picked by NPR’s critics.

📚 Books: Morgan Talty's debut novel Fire Exit is at once a touching narrative about family and a gritty story about alcoholism, dementia and longing.

🎵 Music: For graduation season, All Songs Considered asked listeners to share the songs that take them back to high school days. Listen to the playlist for resurfaced memories.

🎭 Theater: Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along flopped in 1981, closing after only 16 performances. It's since gained a cult following, and the revival has earned seven Tony nominations.

3 things to know before you go

Cicadas from brood XIX are seen on a tree in Angelville, Georgia on May 23.

Cicadas from brood XIX are seen on a tree in Angelville, Ga., in May. / AFP via Getty Images

  1. A fungus that turns cicadas into sex-crazed "zombies" has been observed in more than half a dozen states. Don't panic — there’s no threat to humans.
  2. The U.S. cricket team defeated Pakistan in a dramatic upset yesterday in the T20 championship tournament.
  3. For the first time, Dr Pepper has surpassed Pepsi as the nation's No. 2 soft drink. Coca-Cola still reigns in first place.

This newsletter was edited by Olivia Hampton.

Tags: Series: Up First Newsletter  Series: Up First