Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected as Speaker of the House. Chad Pergram of Fox News and Darlene Superville of the Associated Press join us to talk about what is next for him in this role and more in recent political news. And, a 43-foot railroad spike arrived at the steps of the Utah state capitol in Salt Lake City this week. It was commissioned to honor the laborers, mostly of Chinese or Irish descent, who risked their lives building the transcontinental railroad. Max Chang, a leader of the Spike 150 organization, joins us. Then, as the crisis in Israel and Gaza wears on, creator of "The Stacks" podcast Traci Thomas turns to books about the ongoing regional conflict for more context. She shares her picks for fiction and nonfiction books on the subject.

What's ahead for new House Speaker; Books offer context to Israel-Palestine history

The news you need to know today — and the stories that will stick with you tomorrow. Plus, special series and behind-the-scenes extras from Here & Now hosts Robin Young, Scott Tong and Deepa Fernandes with help from Producer Chris Bentley and the team at NPR and WBUR.

News

President Biden issued an executive order on Tuesday aimed at restricting asylum at the U.S. southern border with Mexico. Clea McCaa, the mayor of Sierra Vista, Arizona, weighs in. Then, initial results suggest India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be elected to a third term. Journalist Aakash Hassan talks about what the results mean. And, what happened when a museum in tiny Brownsburg, Virginia worked with descendants to uncover slavery in the town's history? Here & Now's Robin Young reports.

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Uncovering one town's history of slavery

After being found guilty of 34 felony counts, former President Donald Trump is falsely calling the trial rigged. Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general under President George H.W. Bush, explains the impact Trump's rhetoric could have on the judicial system.  And, Claudia Sheinbaum is Mexico's president-elect. Journalist Jared Olson joins us to talk about the history-making election. Then, Nebraska is one of just a handful of Republican-led states to participate in a new federal program to help parents keep their kids fed during the summer months. Community organizer for Nebraska Appleseed Megan Hamann joins us.

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What the federal government is doing to feed kids during the summer

A jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal another crime. Attorney Matthew Galluzzo and Washington Post reporter Sarah Ellison weigh in on the verdict. Then,  Here & Now's James Perkins Mastromarino reviews some new video games released in May, from Nintendo's "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door" to indie releases "Animal Well" and "Hades 2." And, resident chef Kathy Gunst shares three new recipes to kick off grilling season.

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Grill up seafood, vegetables and fruit at this year's summer barbecues

Major League Baseball has officially added the stats of Negro League players to its records. One of the players is Norman "Turkey" Stearnes. His granddaughter Vanessa Ivy Rose explains what it means to her family. And, Ukrainian border guard Roman Hrybov told a Russian warship, "Go f*** yourself," and it became a heroic moment in Ukraine. Hrybov talks about that moment and his time as a Russian prisoner of war after he refused to surrender. Then, a federal judge ruled in 2022 that the National Institutes of Health had to move retired lab chimpanzees to a sanctuary in Louisiana. But the agency says it has no plans to do so. Chimp Haven sanctuary president and CEO Rana Smith joins us.

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Why retired lab chimps are living out their final days in cages

Polls show many Americans feel pessimistic about the economy. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers joins us to discuss why. Then, the documentary "The League" goes back to the 1890s to tell the story of Black Americans playing baseball. Director Sam Pollard tells us more. And, a new generation of "freeway fighters" wants to reclaim land occupied by urban highways for transit and walkable neighborhoods. Megan Kimble talks about her book "City Limits: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Future of America's Highways."

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What's ahead for new House Speaker; Books offer context to Israel-Palestine history

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