President Biden on Thursday announced the negotiated release of WNBA star Brittney Griner from a penal colony in Russia and her return to the U.S. She had been detained since February, when Russian authorities found a small amount of hash oil in vape cartidges that were in her luggage when she arrived in the country. In return, the U.S. released convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. NPR's White House Correspondent Franco Ordoñez and Moscow Correspondent Charles Maynes walk through the detai...
Dec 08, 2022•14 min
In Georgia, Democrat Raphael Warnock held on to his U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican candidate Herschel Walker in a special runoff vote. Warnock's reelection is a big win for Democrats, as it gives them a slightly expanded majority in the Senate. It also further supports the idea that Georgia, a historically red state that Democrats managed to flip in 2020, really is becoming more purple. We speak with Republican strategist Janelle King, and Democratic strategist Fred Hicks about the lesso...
Dec 07, 2022•12 min
Jewish ultranationalists are about to have a lot more power in Israel. Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to return to office after his far-right coalition won elections last month. And he's already named two of the most incendiary figures in Israeli politics to key positions in the government. The new government could stir internal divisions among Israel's citizens, push to erode the rights of minorities and set off further conflict with Palestinians. NPR's Daniel Estrin has been t...
Dec 06, 2022•12 min
It's been more than a year now since many kids across the country returned to their classrooms. And many of them brought grief and trauma with them, too. But some educators just don't feel equipped to support kids who are grieving. NPR's Rhitu Chatterjee speaks with a handful of school mental health professionals who recently attended a special training on grief and trauma. Also in this episode, NPR's Eric Deggans speaks with a psychologist on collective trauma in the wake of mass shootings. In ...
Dec 05, 2022•14 min
On Sunday, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will return to the field for the first time in nearly two years. This comes after an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine imposed by the NFL after more than two dozen female massage therapists filed allegations against him ranging from sexual misconduct to sexual assault. The allegations stem from incidents that occurred in 2020 and 2021, while Watson was a quarterback for the Houston Texans. And while he doesn't face criminal charges, the...
Dec 03, 2022•13 min
It didn't take long for Elon Musk's stated vision for Twitter—a "digital town square" where all legal speech flows freely—to run head long into reality. Namely, the fact that many citizens of that town square want to share inaccurate, racist or violent ideas. Yoel Roth used to lead the team that set the rules for what was allowed on Twitter, and aimed to keep users safe. Not long after Musk took over the company, Roth quit. In an interview, he explains why he left and what he thinks is ahead for...
Dec 02, 2022•14 min
The protests in China may have been silenced, for now. But could this be the start of a new political awakening among young people in the country? Host Juana Summers talks to Yangyang Cheng, a Fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center , and Professor Mary Gallagher, who directs the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan about why this is happening now. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your comm...
Dec 01, 2022•12 min
The advocacy group Human Rights Campaign reports that in the past year, more than 300 bills targeting LGBTQ rights have been introduced by state legislatures around the U.S. A recent NPR analysis shows that about 15% of those bills were signed into a law. NPR's Melissa Block breaks down the current landscape of anti-LGBTQ legislation. At the same time, a record number of openly LGBTQ candidates were elected to public office across the nation this year. We hear from two just-elected state represe...
Nov 30, 2022•14 min
Russian attacks have repeatedly targeted Ukrainian energy and heating infrastructure, threatening to leave millions vulnerable to the approaching bitter cold of winter. Winter will also force both sides to change their tactics on the war's frontlines. NPR's Nathan Rott reports on what leafless trees and frozen fields mean for the battlefield. 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.o...
Nov 29, 2022•10 min
Christina Zielke went to an ER in Ohio bleeding profusely while experiencing a miscarriage. This was in early September, before the state's 6-week abortion ban was put on hold by a judge. What happened to her next is an example of how new state abortion laws can affect medical care in emergency situations. Doctors who run afoul of these laws face the threat of felony charges, prison time and the loss of their medical license. NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin reports that some doctors are asking thems...
Nov 28, 2022•14 min
For over a year, we've been working on a series of stories on climate migration that spans thousands of miles and multiple continents. Our team of journalists saw firsthand how climate change is making places like Senegal less habitable. They saw how that's pushing some people to places like Morocco, where they cross international borders in search of a better life. And how that migration is driving a rise in far-right politics in wealthier countries, like Spain. We're pulling back the curtain w...
Nov 27, 2022•19 min
Every time stand-up comic Dave Chappelle gets in front of a mic, he seems to reignite a debate over when, or whether, a comedian can go too far. Chappelle has been heavily criticized for jokes about gay people and the trans community. Most recently the comedian came under fire while hosting SNL. During his monologue, he made comments that critics say elevated longstanding, prejudiced tropes against Jewish people. Can a joke become harmful, can comedy cross the line? Who decides what happens when...
Nov 26, 2022•15 min
There are two tiny patches of Spain on the African continent. One is a city called Melilla that's surrounded by Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea. The European Union has spent billions to keep migrants from sub-Saharan Africa from crossing the border between Morocco and the Spanish city. This episode, we look at what that means for the people who make it through and for the city they arrive in. This story is part of an NPR series on climate migration and the far-right. In participating regions, ...
Nov 25, 2022•15 min
As people across the U.S. celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy their long holiday weekend, Consider This provides listeners with a list of TV shows and movies to binge over the holiday weekend. One of them is the HBO breakout hit The White Lotus, featuring Michael Imperioli in a lead role for season two of the show. Viewers might best remember Imperioli for his previous role as Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos . NPR's Erika Ryan takes a deeper look at the arc of Imperioli's career. In particip...
Nov 24, 2022•12 min
Hospitals around the country are overwhelmed, but this time it's not just with COVID. Cases of the flu and RSV are also spiking earlier this year. We hear from a pediatrician in Seattle who says it is the worst season she's seen in her 16-year career. And NPR's Rob Stein reports on what infectious disease specialists recommend to stay healthy this season. 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 consi...
Nov 23, 2022•11 min
North Korea says it has successfully tested its largest intercontinental ballistic missile. And experts say it could potentially deliver a nuclear warhead to targets in the continental United States. But what is North Korea's ultimate goal? And how can the United States and its allies deter Pyongyang? Mary Louise Kelly discusses that with NPR correspondent Anthony Kuhn and Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news se...
Nov 22, 2022•14 min
Jake Thacker of Portland, Ore. says he had $70,000 trapped in FTX when the the cryptocurrency exchange collapsed this month. That money may be gone. And he's not the only one. The company's bankruptcy filing says it could owe money to more than a million people. NPR's Chris Arnold reports on how the FTX implosion is affecting everyday investors. And NPR's David Gura looks at whether it could spur Congress to pass new regulations on the crypto industry. In participating regions, you'll also hear ...
Nov 21, 2022•12 min
Thanksgiving is probably the most celebrated meal of the year. But for a lot of home cooks or new cooks, or would-be cooks-- it's also the most daunting. But what if there was a much easier approach to Thanksgiving for cooks who don't have the time - or frankly, the patience? What if you could make Thanksgiving dinner in a few hours with one pot and one pan ? No kidding! Host Michel Martin speaks with Melissa Clark, a food writer for the New York Times. Clark shares a super easy Thanksgiving din...
Nov 19, 2022•14 min
At COP 27, the annual U.N. conference on climate change, one of the big questions that's been raised is how some of the wealthier nations should be paying for the effects of climate change in less developed countries. The U.S. is one of those wealthier nations, and the Biden administration supports creating a fund to help developing countries deal with climate change. But year after year, the money isn't there. We speak with national climate adviser to President Biden, Ali Zaidi, to understand t...
Nov 18, 2022•11 min
During the past 50 years, more than 1,550 death sentences have been carried out across the U.S. Many of the hundreds of people involved in carrying out those executions say their health has suffered because of their work. NPR's Chiara Eisner and the investigations team spoke with all kinds of current and former workers about their experiences. 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....
Nov 17, 2022•14 min
Former President Trump is launching his 2024 campaign with a cloud of legal issues hanging over his head. They include the federal investigation into the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, another into the top secret documents he kept at Mar-a-Lago and a criminal tax fraud trial in New York. University of Michigan Law Professor Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. Attorney, explains how his status as a candidate might weigh on those investigations. And NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik...
Nov 16, 2022•12 min
Even a former first lady who's lived an extraordinary life has ordinary and relatable fears. NPR All Things Considered host Juana Summers sat down with Michelle Obama, who talked about how she navigates the world, even when it feels like things are at their "lowest point," and about her new book, "The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times." 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...
Nov 15, 2022•11 min
Climate change is a present tense disaster in some parts of the world. In Senegal, rising seas are destroying neighborhoods and once-fertile farm fields. That's pushing young Senegalese like Mamadou Niang to make the treacherous journey to Europe. He's attempted it three times: twice he was deported, the third time, he narrowly escaped drowning. But he says he's still determined to make it there. We visit Senegal to see how climate migration is reshaping life there. And we meet a rapper named Ma...
Nov 14, 2022•14 min
A surge in anti-Semitic and racist tweets, an incoherent rollout of a paid verification service, and thousands of layoffs. Then a scramble to rehire some employees. This is only a couple of weeks into Elon Musk's ownership of Twitter. It's impossible to deny that Musk is a highly successful businessman who made some high-visibility missteps on the way to Tesla and SpaceX. But unlike those two companies, Twitter is not about goods and services. For millions of users, it's about community. And man...
Nov 12, 2022•15 min
Takeoff, from the Atlanta trio known as Migos, was shot and killed at the beginning of November outside a bowling alley in Houston. The issue of violence, specifically gun violence, is often associated with rap culture. But those who follow the industry closely, and know its history, say the culture isn't the culprit. We speak to A.D. Carson, a professor of hip-hop at the University of Virginia, about how death and violence have impacted the rap and hip-hop industry, and how the music is just a ...
Nov 11, 2022•14 min
As Russian forces have retreated in Ukraine, people in newly liberated towns and villages have been trying to pick up the pieces. But it's a process that can be long and painful. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf met a woman named Ludmilla, six months ago in the liberated town of Borodianka. Somehow, Ludmilla happened to know Kat's childhood neighbors in Wisconsin. She had stayed with them years ago. That random encounter stayed with Kat, so she checked back in with Ludmilla to see how she is doing. In partici...
Nov 10, 2022•11 min
The "red wave" of Republican gains that some predicted didn't come to pass during the midterm elections. As of Wednesday afternoon, control of both houses of Congress was still up for grabs. But it appears likely that the country is headed for a divided government. And if history is any guide, that could mean a lot of stalemates. Two political veterans explain what to expect: Ron Bonjean, a strategist with a long career of working for Republicans in both chambers of Congress, and Jim Messina, fo...
Nov 09, 2022•12 min
Haiti is a country in crisis. Armed gangs have overtaken the capital of Port-au-Prince. Electricity and clean drinking water are in very short supply and there's been an outbreak of cholera. Half the population is facing acute hunger. Haiti's government has asked for international assistance. But many Haitians don't want that. NPR's Eyder Peralta spoke to Haitians who are actively resisting the idea of international intervention. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports on the debate at the United Nations ...
Nov 08, 2022•15 min
National issues are increasingly crowding out more local concerns in elections across the country. With that in mind, we hear from five NPR correspondents covering some of the issues that may shape the course of the midterms. Scott Horsley unpacks inflation. Sarah McCammon explains how this year's Supreme Court decision striking down a constitutional right to abortion is shaping voter decisions. Joel Rose puts immigration numbers in context. Martin Kaste explains why Republicans are making crime...
Nov 07, 2022•14 min
Over the last four decades, affirmative action has helped transform diversity on college campuses in the United States. But soon, affirmative action in higher education may come to an end. This week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments challenging affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Many Court observers believe that the current 6-3 conservative supermajority will rule that higher education can no longer consider race as a factor in admitting students. ...
Nov 05, 2022•12 min
