On Wednesday, after a week of demonstrations, New York City mayor Eric Adams made some of his most forceful comments about the death of Jordan Neely – a homeless Black man who died on a subway train last week when another passenger - Daniel Penny, who's white - held him in a chokehold. While Mayor Adams said that Neely should not have died, he did not call for Penny to be arrested and charged with Neely's death. On Friday, Daniel Penny was arraigned and criminally charged in a Manhattan courtroo...
May 11, 2023•14 min
In addition to being one of country music's biggest icons, Dolly Parton is also a prolific philanthropist. One of the most important causes she's dedicated herself to is child literacy, which she does through both the work of her non-profit organization the Imagination Library, as well as by being a writer of children's books. Parton newest book Billy the Kid Makes It Big! and she spoke with NPR's Melissa Block about writing for children, standing up to bullies, and why her program to deliver bo...
May 10, 2023•11 min
No matter how you measure it, there is a lot of parking in the U.S. According to some estimates there are as many as six parking spaces for every car. Put another way, America devotes more square footage to storing cars than housing people. Henry Grabar walks through how we got here, and what Americans have sacrificed on the altar of parking. From affordable housing to walkable neighborhoods to untold hours spent circling the block, hunting for a free spot. His new book is Paved Paradise: How Pa...
May 09, 2023•12 min
Sudan's capital city Khartoum has been embroiled in a vicious urban battle between rival armies for nearly two weeks. With the country on the brink of collapse, Residents Muhjah Khateeb, and her son have to make the difficult decision to leave their home and everything they have, behind. We hear excerpts from the audio diary that Khateeb recorded as they undertook the harrowing journey. NPR's Emmanuel Akinwotu reported her story. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to...
May 08, 2023•12 min
Jonathan Mitchell devised the legal strategy behind SB 8, a near-total ban on abortion in Texas. That legislation pioneered the idea of allowing private citizens to file lawsuits against people they suspected of helping provide access to abortion. Mitchell is also involved in similar efforts by conservative activists in other states. NPR'S Sarah McCammon profiles the Austin, Texas-based attorney. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's goi...
May 07, 2023•12 min
A new advisory out this week from the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has deemed loneliness a public health challenge that needs immediate attention. And some of those most severely affected are young people. But it's not just loneliness. Across the country, kids are struggling with challenges to their mental health - from social isolation to poor grades at school. NPR's Sarah McCammon speaks to Lisa Damour, a psychologist, and author of the book "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Co...
May 05, 2023•14 min
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has put the Supreme Court, again, under scrutiny. Reports show that conservative billionaire Harlan Crow paid boarding school tuition for Justice Thomas' grand-nephew. Revelations about the private dealings of other supreme court justices are shaking the already fragile public confidence in the institution. NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with independent Sen. Angus King of Maine about what needs to be done in order to create a binding code of conduct for the Su...
May 04, 2023•11 min
Union writers in Hollywood have put down their pens and reached for picket signs, after the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. Some television shows and movies with finished scripts can continue filming, but other productions, like late-night talk shows, may soon be in reruns. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with TV writer and WGA captain Jeane Phan Wong about what union members want and what's getti...
May 03, 2023•14 min
Eastwind Books in Berkeley, California, has closed its doors. It was one of the oldest Asian-American bookstores in the country. For decades, the store functioned as a cultural hub, not only for the Asian-American community, but for a variety of marginalized groups. NPR's Ailsa Chang spoke with co-owner Harvey Dong about the bookstore's history and legacy. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at cons...
May 02, 2023•10 min
Lots of colleges and universities have announced tuition hikes for the upcoming school year, just as inflation is taking a bite out of many families' budgets. Still, NPR's Elissa Nadworny explains that the real cost of college for most students has actually been falling for the past few years, after decades of growth. But college is still very expensive, and it can feel out of reach for some students. Two Washington, D.C. high school students explain how they're trying to make the math work. In ...
May 01, 2023•12 min
Earlier this week, nobody was surprised when President Joe Biden officially announced he is running for re-election. Framing it as a battle for the soul of the country, Biden did not mention Republican frontrunner Donald Trump by name but he took aim at "MAGA extremists". At 80, Biden is already the oldest president in US history, and even among Democrats it's become an issue. And while some hoped a younger candidate might emerge - and maybe that person would be Vice President Kamala Harris, she...
Apr 29, 2023•15 min
Several U.S. states have passed bills restricting or banning gender-affirming care for trans youth, while other states have enacted measures to protect access to that care. What does that say about the future of trans rights in America? NPR's Melissa Block speaks with three trans Americans about the progress that's been made in regards to trans rights, and how those same rights are currently under attack. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of w...
Apr 28, 2023•14 min
The idea that social media use has helped fuel an increase in anxiety, depression and loneliness among teenagers was once controversial. But a series of studies are helping researchers understand how much of a correlation exists between the two. NPR's Michaeleen Doucleff tells us about Jean Twenge, a researcher who first raised the alarm in 2017, and about other researchers who have recently released studies on this topic. And NPR's Allison Aubrey shares some advice from another study looking in...
Apr 27, 2023•14 min
Fox's statement announcing the departure of Tucker Carlson, it's most watched primetime host, was a terse four sentences. "FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways," it read. Carlson's brand of divisive and conspiracy theory-laden rhetoric helped fuel Fox's audience numbers. So what happens now that he is gone? And where will Carlson go? Mary Louise Kelly discusses all of the above with correspondents Shannon Bond and David Folkenflik , who cover misinformation and media matter...
Apr 26, 2023•14 min
President Biden has officially ended the national emergency that was declared during the COVID-19 pandemic. But so far there's been no official commission to look into how the country could be better prepared for the next pandemic. Now, the non-partisan Covid Crisis Group has issued a report titled "Lessons from the Covid War." NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with the group's director, Philip Zelikow, about the report's findings. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to ...
Apr 25, 2023•12 min
Even amid mass layoffs in tech and other sectors, the economy is still adding jobs. Even tech jobs. NPR's Andrea Hsu reports on a program that recruits and trains workers to enter the tech pipeline. And NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Dana Peterson, chief economist with the Conference Board, about some of the broader trends in the labor market and what they could mean for job seekers. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in you...
Apr 24, 2023•13 min
Newspapers and intrepid reporters are at the heart of hundreds of movies - think Citizen Kane, All The President's Men -and have always been a big part of American culture. But in recent decades, the rise of digital news has led to the steady decline of print. And while big papers like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post still distribute print editions – small, local papers have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Add to that the consolidation of news outlets by b...
Apr 22, 2023•14 min
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is back at work on Capitol Hill after taking leave to seek treatment for clinical depression. It is rare for a sitting politician to publicly discuss their mental health. But Sen. Fetterman sat down with NPR's Scott Detrow to talk about what the past few months have been like and what comes next. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org . See pcm.adswiz...
Apr 21, 2023•13 min
The past seven years in the United Kingdom have been intense. The country struggled through Brexit, royal scandals and the pandemic - and then Queen Elizabeth II died. NPR's global democracy correspondent Frank Langfitt covered the U.K. through all of this and more. As he wraps up his time in London, Frank reflects on all the history and drama he's covered in the last seven years. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your co...
Apr 20, 2023•10 min
As Earth's climate warms, more ice is melting near the poles. And that is a huge driver of sea level rise around the globe. But some coastal communities are threatened by this more than others. Places like the Gulf coast of Texas, for example, are feeling the impact of melting ice in West Antarctica, thousands of miles away. NPR Climate Correspondent Rebecca Hersher traveled to Galveston, Texas, to see how that ice melt is affecting sea levels there and what experts are doing to prepare. This re...
Apr 19, 2023•11 min
Just a few years before the violence and chaos currently engulfing Sudan, it seemed to be on a tenuous path toward democracy. NPR's Emmanuel Akinwotu explains how two rival generals who had promised to transition the country to civilian rule are instead tearing it apart in a bloody power struggle. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...
Apr 18, 2023•12 min
While the country seemingly moves on from the pandemic, an estimated 15 million U.S. adults are suffering from long COVID. Scientists are trying to understand what causes some people to develop long COVID while others do not. NPR's Will Stone spoke with researchers and reports on a growing body of evidence that points to one possible explanation: viral reservoirs where the coronavirus can stick around in the body long after a person is initially infected. In participating regions, you'll also he...
Apr 17, 2023•10 min
Millions of children have left Ukraine since the Russian invasion. They have relocated across the country and the globe. And while these children are survivors, for many the emotional scars are difficult to heal. A team of NPR journalists spent months following the stories of 27 kindergarten students - 6-year-olds - who were forced to leave their homes and school in the northeast city of Kharkiv in Ukraine when Russian troops invaded. Two of the children, Aurora and Daniel, were best friends. Al...
Apr 15, 2023•19 min
The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled ambitious new emissions rules this week. The agency estimates car makers would need up to 67% of their new vehicle sales to be electric by 2032 in order to comply with the stricter standards. Michelle Krebs, executive analyst with Cox Automotive says the changes "reinvent the vehicle" and will require a reinvention of the auto industry. In the face of these impending changes, Keith Barry, an automotive reporter for Consumer Reports, walks through what...
Apr 14, 2023•15 min
Syria is buckling under the stresses caused by civil war, a brutal dictatorship, punishing international sanctions, and most recently the devastation caused by earthquakes in the region last February. At the same time, the effectiveness of sanctions meant to hurt and isolate the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad is being questioned. Recently, a group of former U.S. officials and Syria experts urged President Biden to rethink U.S. policy and make sanctions more effective. NPR's Aya Batrawy trave...
Apr 13, 2023•11 min
Millions of Ukrainian children had their schooling interrupted by Russia's invasion. The war has also shaped their childhood in lasting ways. NPR's Elissa Nadworny visited a kindergarten classroom in Kharkiv, Ukraine, that was hit by Russian artillery last August. She set out to find out what happened to the children who had been students there. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@np...
Apr 12, 2023•13 min
Democrats and Republicans disagree on a lot of issues. But there's a growing consenus in both parites that China represents a threat to the U.S. And some worry that the rise in anti-China rhetoric could pave the way for xenophobia against Asian-Americans. Congresswoman Judy Chu, D-Calif., is concerned about that. She herself has been accused of disloyalty by a fellow lawmaker, and she says she worries about a "new McCarthyism," in the Republican Party. And Erika Lee, a professor of history and A...
Apr 11, 2023•15 min
A majority of the Nashville Metro Council supports reappointing former state Representative Justin Jones to the seat he was expelled from last week. Jones was one of two Democrats ousted by the Republican-controlled Tennessee state legislature after taking part in protests calling for stricter gun control in the state. NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Nashville Council Member-At-Large Zulfat Saura about her vote to send Jones back to the State House. In participating regions, you'll also hear a loc...
Apr 10, 2023•13 min
Whether you're a politician, a mental health expert, or a parent, it seems everyone has a problem with TikTok. Some concerns stem from the social media platform's addictive qualities or its effects on one's mental health. Critics have also noted dangerous video trends. Members of Congress in both parties are calling for a ban over fears that the Chinese government could harvest Tik Tok user information. And many states and colleges have taken steps to regulate the platform. But for tens of milli...
Apr 08, 2023•15 min
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, a 19th century abortion ban took effect in Wisconsin and forced those practicing and seeking reproductive healthcare to travel across state lines. Earlier this week, voters elected Judge Janet Protasiewicz to become a justice on Wisconsin's Supreme Court, flipping control of the court to liberals for the first time in 15 years. That could have big implications on the future of abortion in the state. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Dr....
Apr 07, 2023•11 min
