The tradition of the New Year's resolution can be alluring. What better moment in time to resolve to accomplish important goals ? New year, new you, right? But research and polling show that a lot of people who set out make resolutions give up on them. If the temptation of an extra hour of sleep is likely to crush your dream to attend that 6am spin class, maybe you need to rethink your resolution. Host Juana Summers talks with Marielle Segarra, host of NPR's Life Kit , about why focusing more on...
Jan 01, 2024•14 min
If you've had a tough 2023, it might be hard to jump into 2024 with enthusiasm. For our last episode of the year we check in with a writer who's advice on life and writing has resonated with millions of readers. NPR's Adrian Ma speaks with author Anne Lamott who shares some tips for a happier new year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Dec 31, 2023•9 min
The trauma of war and its aftermath can leave scars on those who survive - deep scars that can be both physical and emotional. For children who experience war, trauma can cut deep, reshaping every part of their lives. While we hear news reports from war zones, stories from survivors don't often include children's voices. The War Childhood Museum is a unique place, dedicated to creating a space for those affected by war as children to tell their stories and donate items of significance. The museu...
Dec 30, 2023•13 min
The United Nations says more than 2,500 people died in the Mediterranean Sea this year as they tried to reach Europe. Those who survive the journey on smuggler's boats mostly arrive on Italy's shores – where their future will be determined, in large part, by the EU's new migration process, should it be ratified next year. This fall, NPR's Ruth Sherlock joined a rescue ship run by the charity Doctors Without Borders where migrants picked up at sea told her about the risks they took escaping their...
Dec 28, 2023•13 min
Fentanyl has killed an unprecedented number of people in the United States again in 2023. But so far Washington's political leaders haven't been able to workout creative solutions to the crisis together. Like the pandemic before it, the fentanyl crisis has divided Americans along political and cultural fault lines. NPR's Asma Khalid speaks with three reporters — NPR's addiction correspondent Brian Mann, WBUR's Martha Bebinge r, and KFF Health News' Aneri Pattani — about the depth of the crisis a...
Dec 27, 2023•10 min
2023 might go down as the year that artificial intelligence became mainstream. It was a topic of discussion everywhere - from news reports, to class rooms to the halls of Congress. ChatGPT made its public debut a little over a year ago. If you'd never thought much about AI before, you're probably thinking - and maybe worrying - about it now. Jobs are an area that will almost certainly be impacted as AI develops. But whether artificial intelligence will free us from drudge work, or leave us unemp...
Dec 26, 2023•11 min
It's the stuff of legend. In the months after World War I erupted, young men in Europe were killing each other by the tens of thousands. Yet on a frozen Christmas Eve in 1914, the guns briefly fell silent. That simple act of humanity in the midst of war has inspired operas, movies, and even television commercials. NPR's Ari Shapiro highlights the many ways in which this incredible event inspired generations of artists, and brings you the voices of the soldiers themselves, who were on the frontli...
Dec 25, 2023•12 min
Maybe you and your family are gathering round the new 65 inch TV that Santa brought and snuggling in with some hot cocoa for your yearly holiday movie marathon. Your tradition may include It's a Wonderful Life , or cheering on the Grinch's loyal dog Max, or fighting with your spouse over whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. If you celebrate Christmas, you probably have a movie that you consider the best. There's personal preference, but what other elements give a Christmas movie staying...
Dec 24, 2023•13 min
Today we're sharing an episode of NPR's podcast Trump's Trials , hosted Scott Detrow . In this episode, Scott is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson . This week's focus: The Supreme Court and presidential immunity. The court decided they would not take up Special Counsel Jack Smith's request to fast-track arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for alleged crimes committed while in office. Instead, the case will continue to make its way throug...
Dec 23, 2023•13 min
It was the year of Beyoncé! It was the year of Taylor! Both musicians had highly successful tours, highly successful concert films and both women pumped billions into the economy. And each has been supportive of the other this year, and in the past. So why is there a narrative that they're rivals? NPR's Juana Summers revisits the year that was for Beyoncé and Swift, and talks to Miami University of Ohio Music Professor Tammy L. Kernodle about the tendency of society, and the media, to pit succes...
Dec 22, 2023•14 min
Nearly two years into Roe v. Wade being overturned, pregnant people continue to have a hard time accessing abortion and miscarriage care. This year saw the addition of new restrictive abortion laws in some states and protection of existing abortion laws in others. What does this mean for abortion care in 2024, and how might all of this affect the 2024 elections? NPR's Juana Summers digs into these questions with health policy reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin and national political correspondent Sa...
Dec 21, 2023•15 min
Americans are increasingly using drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro to lose weight. And they got a big endorsement last week when Oprah Winfrey announced that she, too was using weight loss drugs. And it's not just Oprah, the decades-old weight management company Weight Watchers is also embracing the drugs, integrating them into the business model. NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Weight Watchers CEO Sima Sistani about the company's decision, and talks to NPR consumer health correspondent Yu...
Dec 21, 2023•15 min
Former President Donald Trump has always embraced dehumanizing rhetoric, but now as he tries to capture the presidency again, he's making even more extreme statements. It's a strategy that gets him lots of attention and that fuels his base. NPR's Juana Summers talks to White House correspondent Franco Ordonez and domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef about Trump's use of increasingly autocratic statements and social media posts. Email us at [email protected] Learn more about sponsor ...
Dec 19, 2023•10 min
For Russian President Vladimir Putin, 2023 began with his war against Ukraine stagnating. It went on to deliver one of the most public challenges to his leadership, ever. Now as 2023 comes to a close, the man who lead the rebellion against Putin Yevgeny Prighozin is dead. US aid to Ukraine is on the Congressional chopping block, and Putin is getting ready to embark on a fifth campaign for the presidency of Russia. Odds are, he'll win. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to Russia correspondent Charles...
Dec 18, 2023•14 min
On January 15, Iowa will take center stage as the first leg of the Republican primary race to the presidential nomination. Usually, the caucuses signal the kickoff to primary season. But this year, there isn't a lot that is usual about the Republican race so far. Former President Donald Trump is vying for his party's nomination - against an increasingly smaller pool of challengers. And despite the fact that Trump is currently facing 91 felony charges from state and federal jurisdictions, and has...
Dec 17, 2023•12 min
Today we're sharing an episode of NPR's podcast Trump's Trials , hosted Scott Detrow with regular analysis from Domenico Montanaro . They are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman . This week's focus: the January 6th federal election interference case. Prosecutor, Special Counsel Jack Smith, made an unusual move, and sidestepped the appeals court and went straight to the Supreme Court to answer a fundamental question at the heart of the case:. Can presidents be criminal...
Dec 16, 2023•18 min
The auto industry, along with the Biden administration, has bet billions on the electric vehicle industry, but as 2023 comes to a close the auto industry is scaling back on its investment in EVs, prices are higher than many consumers can afford and charging stations can be hard to find. NPR's Scott Detrow digs into the state of EVs in the United States with Biden administration Infrastructure Czar Mitch Landrieu and Keith Barry senior writer with Consumer Reports. Email us at [email protected]...
Dec 15, 2023•14 min
Protests by students supportive of Israeli and Jewish communities, and protests by students supportive of Palestinian communities, have reignited the debate over free speech on college campuses. That debate only intensified when the Presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and MIT testified before a Congressional committee last week about antisemitism. NPR's Scott Detrow talks with NPR education correspondent Elissa Nadworny and first amendment lawyer Greg Lukianoff about the climat...
Dec 14, 2023•15 min
Hanukkah's origin story has been a moving target since the beginning says Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie , but throughout its evolution, it's been associated with bringing and sustaining light. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Lau-Lavie about the how the lights of Hanukkah can be a tool for those trying to find peace amidst the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Email us at [email protected] Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Dec 13, 2023•10 min
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spent Tuesday in Washington pressing American lawmakers to approve a new funding package for his country's war with Russia. Zelenskyy's lobbying effort comes as the current U.S. aid package is rapidly dwindling, and the fight between Ukraine and Russia has all but stalled. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman about the state of the war, what new funding would be used for, and what the country can – and can't – do without m...
Dec 12, 2023•9 min
Anyone who spends time on social media has seen it — the post from someone about a current event, or issue that's dividing people — abortions, mask wearing, the election. But do those posts change minds? Researchers have been gathering data on this question for years. They've found that social media affects opinions on these issues, but probably not the way you think. NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with researchers, who've studied the relationship between social media posts and opinions, and outlines ...
Dec 11, 2023•11 min
If Donald Trump is elected next November, he's promising to use the power of the presidency to go after political enemies and perceived rivals. In a recent interview with Fox's Sean Hannity, the former President said he'd only be a dictator on "day one." At other moments, he's pledged to "root out the communists," and said he'd have his Attorney General go after people who run against him. Consider This host Scott Detrow and NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson breakdown what a second Trump ...
Dec 10, 2023•11 min
Today we're sharing an episode of NPR's podcast Trump's Trials , hosted by Scott Detrow with regular analysis from Domenico Montanaro . This week they're joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson . Each week they'll break down the latest courtroom drama, testimony, and legal maneuverings in the criminal and civil cases facing former President Trump — and talk about what it all means for American democracy. This week we focus on the January 6th federal election interference case led by s...
Dec 09, 2023•19 min
Brenda Lee was just 13 years old when she recorded "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" in 1958. It's a true Christmas classic, a bouncy earworm — and pretty much everyone knows the lyrics. But it's never made it to number one on Billboard's Hot 100 — until now. NPR's Scott Detrow spoke with the 78-year-old about her long career and how she feels now that her iconic holiday tune is finally at the top of the charts. Email us at [email protected] Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcast...
Dec 08, 2023•9 min
A woman has never been president. Hillary Clinton has come the closest, but that highest, hardest glass ceiling is still intact. Now Republican Nikki Haley wants to succeed where her predecessors have not. The list of reasons a woman hasn't won is long — sexism, lack of representation in circles of power, and lack of representation in circles of money. But Nikki Haley has just scored an endorsement from the Koch Network that could change that. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to Political Scientist...
Dec 07, 2023•12 min
Diplomat and former US Ambassador Manuel Rocha is facing charges related to secretly serving as an agent of Cuba's government. Rocha is the latest in a long line of spies, who have worked for the federal government while spying for other countries. Some for decades at a time. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to former CIA officer Robert Baer about the charges against Rocha and how he might have managed to go undetected for four decades. Email us at [email protected] Learn more about sponsor mess...
Dec 06, 2023•10 min
Keffiyehs, checkered scarves most closely associated with Palestinians, have been in the news lately. In Vermont, three men of Palestinian descent, two of whom were wearing keffiyehs, were shot. NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Wafa Ghnaim, a fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and curator for the Museum of the Palestinian People, about the history of the garment, what it means to Palestinian identity and what it means to her. Email us at [email protected] Learn more about sponsor message c...
Dec 06, 2023•10 min
Israel has stepped up military operations in Gaza after the temporary ceasefire ended last week. Gaza health officials say several hundred Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more have been wounded since the fighting resumed, complicating how the U.S. maintains its alignment with Israel. NPR's Fatma Tanis speaks with analysts who say that U.S. support for Israel is undermining American interests and NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for the N...
Dec 04, 2023•13 min
Ranked choice voting has become the latest political change touted as a way to strengthen democracy. Instead of choosing one candidate, in ranked choice voting a voter picks a favorite candidate, a second favorite and so on. According to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll conducted after the midterm elections, more than 8 in 10 Americans feel there is a serious threat to Democracy in the U.S. NPR's Miles Parks reports on whether ranked choice will live up to the hype as a cure-all for the country's...
Dec 03, 2023•13 min
Every year world leaders gather at the Conference of the Parties, or COP, to devise solutions to what amounts to a growing existential crisis for humankind: our rapidly heating planet. The United Arab Emirates is hosting COP28 this year. The goal of the conference is to decrease emissions and protect the planet. But leading the climate talks is the head of one of the biggest oil companies in the world, in a nation that derives much of its wealth from oil. Are the goals of this meeting truly in s...
Dec 01, 2023•10 min
