News from around the nation.

NATO allies insist Ukraine and Europe must be in peace talks as Trump touts Putin meeting; PA advocate: Defunding Planned Parenthood threatens affordable health care; Students protest as Ohio Senate weighs higher-ed overhaul; Farmers markets can be a form of climate action.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update, I'm Mike Clifford.

Several NATO allies stressed Thursday that Ukraine and Europe must not be cut out of any peace negotiations as U.S.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied that the U.S. is betraying the war-ravaged country.

That from the Associated Press.

They report European governments are reeling after the Trump administration signaled that it is planning face-to-face talks with Russia on ending the Ukraine war without involving them, at the same time insisting that Kiev not join NATO and that it's up to Europe to protect itself and Ukraine from whatever Russia might do next.

The European Union's policy chief expressed surprise that Hexeth and Trump had listed what appeared to be concessions to Russia even before talks had begun, in earnest.

And millions depend on Planned Parenthood not only for abortions but also for essential health care, such as cancer screenings, our Daniel Smith reports.

The recently introduced defund Planned Parenthood Act is threatening those services.

Having grown up without sex education at home, Fadia Helma says she was terrified when she got her first period at school as a 12-year-old.

When the school was unable to reach her mother, Helma made her way to a Planned Parenthood in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

I told them that we didn't have health insurance, we were very poor and didn't know how much I was going to be able to buy pads, they gave me like six pence worth of pads.

Supporters of the bill contend federal tax dollars shouldn't fund abortions, but opponents argue the measure would end Medicaid reimbursements to providers at the cost of an array of reproductive health care services for those who would not otherwise be able to afford them.

This story based on original reporting by Rebecca Sager for the Pennsylvania Independent.

The Ohio Senate bill won, drawing strong reactions across the state, particularly from students in higher education.

The bill, which its supporters say aims to promote institutional neutrality, has been met with vocal opposition from students and faculty who argue it threatens academic freedom.

Clara Conover is lead organizer at the Ohio Student Association and points to the overwhelming response against the bill.

There has not been one single public university student testifying for this bill or openly supporting it.

And I think that that goes a really long way to represent how harmful Senate Bill 1 would be for higher ed.

Farrah Siddiqui reporting.

Next, farmers markets are an integral part of the fight against climate change, according to groups that advocate for a more sustainable food system.

Farmers markets not only cut down the miles of food has to travel to market, but they make fresh produce more accessible.

Elizabeth Bowman is a former executive director at Food Access LA.

That's very holistic, bottom up, top down, that allows people to have access to healthy foods without barriers.

And that's embedded in our philosophy and in our policy.

This story based on original reporting by Gabriella Sotelo for Sentiment.

This is public news service.

Virginia is the ninth likeliest state for a driver to hit wildlife, but environmental advocates are working to change that.

One in 76 people in Virginia are likely to collide with an animal on the road in the Commonwealth.

Advocates tried to pass legislation during this General Assembly session that would have established a grant fund to provide money for wildlife corridor projects, but the bill stalled out.

Dr. Meg Gamage-Tucker with the Wildlife Center of Virginia says wildlife corridors involve fencing to guide larger mammals to safe natural crossings instead of busy roads.

It provides exclusionary fencing.

Black bears, deer, bobcats are not going to cross a major roadway.

That protects the animals and it protects the people that are driving in those spaces because there's not only an animal cost, but there's a human health cost.

Instead of the grant fund, a budget proposal has advanced that will provide $450,000 to support the implementation of the Virginia Wildlife Corridor Action Plan.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

I'm Simone Perez.

And whether it's pressure from inflation or health care costs eating away at savings, a reliable nest egg is still up in the air for many Americans.

There are calls to bring more certainty and retirement simplicity to the table for workers.

Pensions offered to public employees are seen as more stable because they're not shaken by movements in the financial markets.

In recent polling from the National Institute on Retirement Security, 86 percent of Americans say all workers, including the private sector, should have a retirement plan that is more pension driven.

The group's Dan Doonan says retirement coverage is still too spotty for non-wealthy workers, leaving them on their own to put away savings.

In general, we're just asking way too much of individuals to get all this right.

He says the good news is that more states, including Minnesota, are setting up programs that enroll private sector workers in an IRA-style plan.

The goal is to step in when a company can't or won't offer retirement perks.

I'm Mike Moen.

Finally, shorter days and less sunlight have many folks in Kentucky feeling the winter blues.

One recent study found 40 percent of Americans report their mood declines during the colder months.

Hannah Brosnan with Mental Health America of Kentucky says preventative measures can help stave off the worst effects of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, including exercising, spending more time outside, and increasing exposure to light.

In the winter, reduced levels of sunlight can impact our serotonin levels, and serotonin impacts our moods.

Melatonin has also been linked to seasonal depression, so that hormone is produced at increased levels in the dark.

Mental Health America offers anonymous online mental health screenings at mhaky.org.

Nadia Ramlagon reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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