Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. He was the nation's 39th president, in office from 1977 to 1981. He will of course be remembered for his accomplishments in office. But also for all that he accomplished in the four decades after he left the White House. Host Andrew Limbong speaks about Jimmy Carter's legacy with two NPR journalists who have covered the White House for years: national political correspondent Mara Liasson and senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith. ...
Dec 30, 2024•11 min
When Syria's dictatorship fell in early December, celebrations broke out around the world - including nearly 6,000 miles away, in Toledo, Ohio. That's where Mohammed al-Refai, a refugee from Syria, lives now. NPR has followed his story for nearly a decade. In 2015, millions of Syrians fled the civil war in their country. al-Refai got a visa to come to the U.S. His parents and siblings, who fled to Jordan, did not. So, he moved on his own to Toledo, where built a new life for himself. He long dre...
Dec 29, 2024•9 min
The holiday season is joyous – and also expensive. From steep flight prices to a laundry list of presents to buy, when January 1st rolls around, you might feel like your bank account is hurting. Luckily, our friends at the "Life Kit" podcast have an answer for everything – including what they call "financial self-care." Today, we're bringing you one of their episodes that's all about creating routines for a healthy bank account in 2025 and beyond. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign...
Dec 27, 2024•17 min
It can be hard to resist jumping on the whole "New Year, New You" bandwagon. But if you've decided 2025 is your year to make some changes, we have tips to help you succeed. "Life Kit" host Marielle Segarra joins us to share the best ways to approach New Year's resolutions. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for C onsider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at [email protected] . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Priv...
Dec 26, 2024•12 min
What makes a movie a Christmas movie? When the movie Die Hard was released on Blu Ray a few years back, the studio called it "the greatest Christmas story ever told!" It does take place at an office Christmas party, but is that fact enough to make it a Christmas movie? What about "Elf," "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Eyes Wide Shut" are those Christmas movies? Yes, right? NPR producer Marc Rivers says, "not so fast." Just what makes any Christmas movie a true Christmas movie? For sponsor-free episo...
Dec 25, 2024•10 min
Whether you play it on loop or whether it drives you crazy, there's no question Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," song has become a permanent fixture of the Christmas song canon. But the holiday song canon is big, and a number of other pop artists have made their own Yuletide jingles since 1994 including John Legend, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. But not even the woman who shattered records with her Eras tour has given us a holiday song that has had staying power worthy of The ...
Dec 24, 2024•13 min
By most objective measures, the US economy is in good shape. Employers added about 2 million jobs this year. Unemployment is low. In much of the country, gasoline is now selling for less than $3 a gallon. The Economist has called the United States' performance "the envy of the world." But even as the U.S. is outperforming most other countries, many Americans remain frustrated by the high cost of living. And that's fueled a lot of unhappiness, and a political comeback for President-elect Donald T...
Dec 23, 2024•9 min
It was a hectic election season in America, to put it lightly, and we're not alone. What do this year's elections across the world say about the state of democracy at large? Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR correspondents about some of the most consequential global elections of 2024. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for C onsider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at [email protected] . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoi...
Dec 22, 2024•12 min
Given the fact that it seems like Hollywood churns out nothing but sequels, you would think the industry would have perfected the genre by now. Some sequels are pretty darn good, but many believe the perfect movie sequel came out 50 years ago this month. Of course, we're talking about Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather: Part II. It's not only considered the greatest sequel of all time, it's also considered one of the greatest movies of all time. So why does Godfather II work, and where so many...
Dec 20, 2024•11 min
At the start of this year Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was facing a crisis. Just a few months before, Hamas had breached Israel's border with Gaza, killing some 1200 people in Israel on October 7th. As the year ends, Netanyahu is spending some of it in a courtroom to fight corruption charges that have dogged him since 2019. The Israeli Prime Minister has called the charges absurd. You might think that would be detrimental to his political career, but instead Netanyahu looks stronger...
Dec 19, 2024•7 min
How does fitness and movement change across the lifespan? According to NPR's Allison Aubrey, who covers health and wellness, the official recommendation is to aim for more than 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity. That could be running, walking, biking, swimming, or weightlifting. We meet a group of active older people, who show it's never too late to find movement and exercise that works for you. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for C onsider This+ via ...
Dec 18, 2024•11 min
With just a handful of shopping days until Christmas, millions are making last minute online purchases. Unfortunately 'tis also the season for financial and identity theft. We ask an expert how you can avoid the scams. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Dec 17, 2024•8 min
Donald Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States in just over a month. Throughout his campaign, Trump laid out a list. Things he plans to accomplish in a second term — some on day one. They include: closing the border...imposing tariffs... and ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump also campaigned on bringing down food prices...in fact, he told NBC's Kristen Welker, it's the reason he won. President-elect Trump has a long to-do list for his first days in office. How much of...
Dec 16, 2024•13 min
For many of us, Christmas songs are dominating our playlists this week. There's the one you start hearing in October, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby," and the Christmas banger that went to number one last year, Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Lee, now 80, recorded the song when she was 13. The living legend talked to NPR last year when her song — finally — hit number one. We revisit that conversation. For sponsor-free episodes of Con...
Dec 15, 2024•10 min
The brutal regime of Bashar al Assad fell over the weekend with dizzying speed. Syrians within the country and around the world burst into celebration. Now, the rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al Sham, or HTS has to govern. They are designated a terrorist organization by the US. And some worry that HTS could slide into its own kind of autocratic regime. That fear is not unfounded. Across the Middle East and North Africa, many revolutions have overthrown autocrats, only for those countries to descend b...
Dec 13, 2024•11 min
FBI Director Christopher Wray announced yesterday that he will resign before President-elect Trump takes office. This comes after Trump announced he would appoint loyalist Kash Patel to lead the Bureau. President-elect Trump's pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, held several national security positions in the first Trump administration. Since then, he's found money and attention as a pro-Trump influencer promoting conspiracy theories. What can that tell us about his plans for the FBI? For sponsor-...
Dec 12, 2024•11 min
One of the triumphs of modern medicine is that children diagnosed with cancer today have an 85 percent chance of surviving at least five years. That is up from a rate of about 50 percent a generation ago. But survival brings new challenges. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports on the unique needs of young people as part of the series, Life After Diagnosis . For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for C onsider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at [email protected] . Lea...
Dec 11, 2024•10 min
Five days after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan, police arrested 26 year old Luigi Mangione in Pennsylvania. He's facing charges including murder, the illegal possession of a firearm, and lying about his identity. Authorities believe they have arrested the person responsible for gunning down the CEO of a health insurance company. What have we learned about Luigi Mangione, and his possible motivations? For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for C ...
Dec 10, 2024•10 min
For half a century, one family has brutally ruled Syria. Nearly overnight, that reign ended. Syria is not only a home to millions of people. It's also a crucial piece in a geopolitical chess game. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Dec 09, 2024•10 min
You never know if president-elect Donald Trump is bluffing, but when you have billions of dollars on the line, you have to take him seriously. So car companies took notice, when Trump announced a plan for huge new tariffs in a social media post before Thanksgiving. A 25 percent tax on imports from Canada and Mexico would have a major impact on the car industry, which depends heavily on cross border trade. Trump's tariffs could have huge consequences for the people who make cars, and the people w...
Dec 08, 2024•11 min
An epic poem and an epic reunion come to the big screen. The Return looks for new meaning in Homer's ancient story of Odysseus' return to Ithaca — and to his wife Penelope. We talk to co-stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for C onsider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at [email protected] . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Dec 06, 2024•10 min
Syrian anti-government insurgents claim they have entered the city of Hama — a major Syrian government stronghold. This continues their momentum over the last week, when they also seized Syria's second largest city, Aleppo. Since the war started in 2011, half a million people have been killed and many millions of others displaced. The Syrian Civil War has been locked in a stalemate for years. Now, rebel forces are gaining ground against the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad. Will the group ul...
Dec 05, 2024•7 min
At the time we publish this episode, Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's pick to run the Pentagon, is struggling to hold onto his nomination. There's an ever growing list of accusations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and financial misconduct. The former Fox and Friends weekend host has spent Wednesday meeting with Senators and doing interviews trying to control the damage. Pete Hegseth's nomination for Secretary of Defense hangs in the balance...will he survive? For sponsor-free episodes ...
Dec 04, 2024•9 min
Just before Donald Trump took office the first time, he held a press conference, announcing that he would turn over control of his business empire to his sons. He said he wanted to address concerns about conflicts of interest even though he maintained he didn't really have to. Saying, "I could actually run my business. I could actually run my business and run government at the same time. I don't like the way that looks, but I would be able to do that if I wanted to." Trump's second term may put ...
Dec 03, 2024•11 min
Hunter Biden no longer has to worry about going to prison. That's because his father President Joe Biden pardoned him with just weeks left in his presidency. The President's son was convicted in June on federal gun charges. Hunter Biden lied about his addiction to crack cocaine when he purchased a gun. And he pleaded guilty in September for failing to pay more than a million dollars in federal taxes. The younger Biden was due to be sentenced in both cases later this month. President Biden has gr...
Dec 02, 2024•8 min
Donald Trump promises to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants once he returns to the White House. If he follows through, the scale of it would be unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes. Many supporters of Trump's mass deportation agenda say expelling unauthorized immigrants will help the US economy. But a look back at America's first major immigration crackdown suggests otherwise. On this episode, host Adrian Ma and his colleagues from NPR's The Indicator podcast look at that immigrat...
Dec 01, 2024•12 min
If you've followed Stephen Colbert's career closely, you might have picked up on something. It's there back in his days on The Colbert Report , when he issued a throw-down about the proper way to make barbecue sauce and that time on The Late Show , when he took calls on the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line the weekend before Thanksgiving. Colbert has opinions about food. Like, strong opinions. And it turns out that's true off-camera, too. Stephen and his wife, Evie McGee Colbert say they basically li...
Nov 29, 2024•11 min
Thirteen bestselling cookbooks, a thriving food business in the Hamptons that she sold decades ago, and now her memoir "Be Ready When the Luck Happens" has hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list. None of that was in Ina Garten's plan. Her legendary career began when she was working in Washington DC as a somewhat discontented government employee, and saw an ad for a food store in the Hamptons. For this Thanksgiving, a holiday celebrating gratitude and food, we take a look at how Ina...
Nov 28, 2024•10 min
On a Sunday in mid-July, Pastor Chris Morgan welcomed worshipers to Christ United Methodist Church in suburban Pittsburgh with a simple message. That Sunday was particularly difficult. A day earlier, a man had nearly assassinated then-candidate Donald Trump forty miles north in Butler. Morgan asked people to pray for Trump and those killed and injured in the shooting, and asked the congregation to pray for the family of the shooter. Morgan had already planned a sermon series, called Do Unto Othe...
Nov 27, 2024•10 min
In her new memoir, Angela Merkel writes about the many dilemmas she had to navigate as Chancellor of Germany. Dilemmas her male colleagues never had to sweat. Like, can you wear a pantsuit instead of a skirt in the Bundestag, Germany's parliament? She decided the answer was, yes. Merkel is the only woman ever to rise to the most powerful political post in Germany. She served as chancellor from 2005 to 2021. Angela Merkel has gone toe-to-toe with world leaders like Vladimir Putin, led Germany thr...
Nov 26, 2024•15 min
