An estimated 16,000 Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia or Russian-controlled territory since the start of the war. That's according to Ukraine's National Information Bureau. But some human rights experts place the number in the hundreds of thousands.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the unlawful transfer of children out of Ukraine.

We discuss the latest in the war and the fight to get Ukrainian children back home.

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Every year, 25 audio recordings are added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. Each has been chosen because of its historical, cultural, or aesthetic importance to our nation's audio heritage.

In this edition of "The Sounds of America," we speak about a recording from astrophysicist and author Carl Sagan. He was committed to making science more accessible through his speaking engagements, his media projects (such as the television series "Cosmos"), and his popular science books.

In 1994, Sagan published a book called "Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space." It was inspired by a photograph of Earth taken from so far away in space that the planet looks like a pale blue dot. Sagan voiced the audiobook of Pale Blue Dot himself. And this recording has been selected for the 2023 National Recording Registry.

Want to add a recording you think should be added to the National Recording Registry? Your nomination must meet three conditions; there needs to be an existing physical copy of the recording, it has to be at least ten years old, and it has to have had some significant impact on American culture. Just send the library an email [email protected] Sounds of America is produced by Jennie Cataldo for Accompany Studios.

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Dominion Voting Systems settled its lawsuit with Fox Corp. this week for $787.5 million, making it one of the most expensive defamation payouts in American history.

An 84-year-old white man was charged this week for the shooting of a Black teenager who mistakenly went to the wrong address in Kansas City, Mo., to pick up his siblings. Ralph Yarl, the victim, survived the attack and is recuperating at home with his family.

Meanwhile, violence continues to plague Sudan as warring factions ignore agreed-upon ceasefires meant to allow citizens and diplomats to evacuate and humanitarian workers to administer aid.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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"Um, like, literally, you know?"If those words sound to you like nails on a chalkboard, you're not alone. At NPR, we get lots of messages from listeners critiquing the way our hosts, reporters, and guests speak.

Why does what we say and how we say it irk so many so much?

Language norms are standardized over time, most often by groups with the most power in society. Words that some dismiss often have greater meaning, value, and history than you might expect.

We talk to sociolinguist Valerie Fridland about why she's arguing for the good in so-called bad English.

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In 2021, the structural damage from wildfires, floods, and other climate-related disasters totaled $145 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Homeowners are feeling the effects. Between 2021 and 2022, 90 percent of them saw an increase in their home insurance premiums, according to a Policygenius report.

Earlier this month, Colorado Democrats introduced a bill that would offer homeowners state-run insurance if private companies declined to cover them. The move comes in response to the growing wildfire risk in the state.

We discuss homeowner's insurance in high-risk areas and whether or not it's the right answer.

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There have been 164 mass shootings in the U.S. just this year, according to the National Gun Violence Archive.

As gun legislation stalls in Congress, gun violence in the U.S. continues to rise, leaving states and cities to grapple with safety measures on their own. One solution is gaining traction: community violence prevention programs.

During the first four years of Baltimore's program, researchers found homicides dropped by 32 percent. They also identified some challenges these programs face.

We discuss what exactly these programs do and how effective they really are.

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Supper clubs burst onto the scene in America in the 1930s. Back then, they were places where you could get a meal and dance.

One fictional venue, set in northern Minnesota, is the stage for a new book by J. Ryan Stradal.

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Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been on the bench for almost 32 years. For more than 25 of those years, he's been close with a billionaire Republican donor.

A ProPublica investigation found that Justice Thomas went on luxury trips with Dallas billionaire Harlan Crow for 20 years and did not include them on his financial disclosures.

Justice Thomas said he consulted with his colleagues at the beginning of his tenure on the court. It was his understanding that he didn't need to report "personal hospitality from close personal friends."

The Senate Judiciary Committee plans on holding a hearing to discuss the Supreme Court's ethical standards.

We discuss the rules that govern what justices can do and who they can have relationships with.

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The Library of Congress is famous for its collection of American cultural treasures.    

And each year, the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress chooses just 25 pieces of audio to showcase the rich heritage of America's recorded sound — an audio hall of fame.

Those being inducted this year have just been announced. The inductees include Madonna and Mariah Carey, the Super Mario Bros. theme, and Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina."

For the return of our series, The Sounds of America, we sat down with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden to talk about this year's new honorees. We later revisit one of the selections from 2021.

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Amid an uncertain future surrounding the abortion medication mifepristone, Democratic governors across the nation are stockpiling the drug in order to protect abortion access in their states.

A young, racist gun enthusiast is reportedly responsible for one of the worst intelligence leaks in Pentagon history. The man worked at a military base and posted classified material about Ukraine's efforts in its fight against Russia to a Discord server.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is spending his time these days meeting with global leaders. So far he's met with French President Emmanuel Macron. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva landed on Wednesday for his visit.

Two people are dead and some 20 people are missing after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Tunisia this week. The U.N. reports that 441 migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean so far in 2023.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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