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A veteran journalist covered the Jan. 6 attacks on the Capitol. That experience got her exploring the connection between stress, trauma, and our political choices.

Our mental health might affect our politics. But our politics also definitely affect our mental health.

In this edition of “If You Can Keep It,” we examine that intersection.

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The Department of Homeland Security has allocated$20 million to pay for pro-Trump ads glorifying the president, which have drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.

The pay-to-play allegations plaguing Maine Sen. Susan Collins haveswing voters in her state re-thinking their support for the five-term GOP incumbent.

And top AI executives descended upon Washington this week for a meeting at the White House. They agreed toself-police their industry following several high-profile mishaps and dire warnings from their colleagues about the dangers of their product.

And, in global news, asthe value of Iran’s currency hits a record low, Qatari mediators are working to find a deal for peace that would be acceptable to leaders in both Washington and Tehran.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports that thePalestinian death toll for the war in Gaza has surpassed 74,000.

And Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an increase to the size of his country’s armyfor the fourth time this year.

We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.

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In five weeks, more than 100 million people will vote as part of the 2026 midterm elections.

In New Hampshire and across the country, that means that voters will go to the polls to choose representatives, senators, governors, state legislators, city councilors, school board members, and more.

So, what do we know about the basic nuts and bolts of our elections? Do we know who’s on our ballot and understand the positions we’re being asked to vote on? Do we understand how our election system works — especially since that system is the target of baseless allegations from the president?

What’s the connection between a good civics education and a functioning political system?

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Gas. Groceries. Housing. Almost everywhere you look in the U.S. economy right now, prices are up – and people are feeling the squeeze.

As of July, six in ten Americans say Trump’s economic policies have worsened economic conditions in the country, according to a survey from Pew Research. That’s up from roughly 53 percent who said the same last fall.

While the U.S. economy is strong on paper — with relatively low unemployment and shrinking inflation — voter concerns about affordability are expected to factor heavily into the midterm elections.

So, how should you manage your money right now? And what financial decisions are you weighing that you’d like a second opinion on? We put your questions to a panel of experts.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests reached record highs this summer. And the full scope is just coming into focus. Some 43,000 people were arrested in June, more than 49,000 in July, and almost 51,000 in August —an agency record.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives last June passed a $70 billion package tofund ICE and the Border Patrol through the end of President Donald Trump’s second term. As ICE became the best funded law enforcement agency in the country, its tactics changed. Instead of high-profile operations centralized in one location – like the operations in Minnesota, Chicago, and Los Angeles last year – they’re focusing on quieter, everyday arrests throughout the country.

And more details are being released about a record number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests of pregnant women last fall.A September report by The Guardian revealed that ICE placed more pregnant immigrants in detention last fall and winter than at any time over the previous year.

ICE data from February reveals that 86 pregnant women were in ICE custody — more than 10 percent were detained in their third trimester. Nearly 400 women who were pregnant, postpartum, or nursing were deported from January 2025 to February 2026, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

We sit down and get into how pregnant women are being affected by the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign.

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The midterms are just five weeks away. Ballots are already in the mail and in person voting is underway in some states. Meanwhile, the federal government’s role in this election is still being hashed out in the courts.

This month, the Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump’s attempt to give the U.S. Postal Service greater control over mail in ballots. Then on Friday, it revived a federal citizenship-check system that a lower court had found illegal. And three separate lawsuits have been filed in recent weeks to keep armed federal agents away from polling places.

The White House says its push to federalize elections is about protecting the integrity of the vote. But a new NPR, PBS News, and Marist poll found that 75 percent of voters trust their state or local government to run a fair and accurate election.

Amid all the false claims and efforts to confuse, how are elections running for the midterms?

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President Donald Trumpbanned television networks he deemed adversarial from the White House press pool this week. Following a lawsuit, a judge issued a 14-day stay, temporarily restoring White House access to CNN, MSNow, and POLITICO.

New reporting indicates that the ICE agent who shot a Venezuelan man in Austin, Texas, last Sunday was issued a body camera for use in the field,but wasn’t wearing it at the time of the encounter.

And a poll finds that President Trump’s approval ratings have sunk to another low —diving to 32 percent.

And, in global news, The81st United Nations General Assembly opened in New York City this week. President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran, the Israeli delegation walked out during a speech by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the leader of the Palestinian Authorityaddressed the assembly via video after being denied a U.S. visa.

Pomp, pageantry and grand displays of friendship. But was there substancein the Trump – Xi Summit in Washington?

Leaders in the Tigray region of Ethiopiasay they’re mobilizing their military against the country’s federal government and a 2022 ceasefire falls apart. And as the Ebola virus continues to surge in Congo, the World Health Organization iswarning that there may be a shortage of aid workers to staff treatment centers.

We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.

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World leaders have descended upon New York City for this year’s edition of the United Nations General Assembly. And a lot is happening.

So far, we’ve seen some most pointed criticism of Israel’s conduct heard at the U.N. in years. This led to the Israeli delegation walking out during the Turkish president’s address.

It’s been nearly three years since Oct. 7. And the Palestinian Authority’s president isn’t in the room — the United States denied him a visa. Mahmoud Abbas will instead address the assembly on Thursday by video.

What is being said about Gaza at this General Assembly? And what does it tell us about the limits of the U.N.’s power when America isn’t on board?

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For decades, U.S. colleges and universities have been regarded as among the best in the world. From the Ivy League to state research institutions, thousands of students and professors from around the globe flocked to America year after year to study, teach, and innovate.

International students represented about 6 percent of all higher education students – that’s about 1.1 million. But last year, international student enrollment fell by a fifth compared to the year before. That’s the largest percentage change since the pandemic, according to federal data.

And early data suggest that drop in enrollment continued this school year.

How did the U.S. begin losing dominance in higher education? And what does this decline mean for students, faculty, and innovation in this country?

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President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet this week in a highly anticipated sit down as the U.N. summit continues in New York.

This conference comes amid stark warnings over AI safety, U.S.-China trade anxiety, and the ongoing war in Iran.

What‘s on the agenda and what do each of these superpowers want?

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