Tainan is considered the culinary capital of Taiwan. At one of the oldest wet markets in that Southern city, Shuixian Gong Market, the island's vibrant cuisine is on the display. There are displays of shiny orange and silver fish, bright rows of glistening pork ribs and overflowing crates of dragon fruit and guava. It's the place for everyday grocery shopping for cooks around here. But it's much more it's a portrait of all the forces – both indigenous and colonial – that have shaped modern Taiwa...
Jan 11, 2024•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's been nearly a hundred days since Hamas' deadly attack on Israel, which prompted Israel's ongoing bombardment of Gaza. Israel says it aims to destroy Hamas. By Palestinian officials' tally - more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and about one in every 40 people there have been wounded in just three months. Israel's military is now pushing deeper into central Gaza. The World Health Organization says the most important hospital there is al-Aqsa Hospital. American pediatrician ...
Jan 11, 2024•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Saturday, the Taiwanese people vote for a new president. It's one of the most important and closely-watched elections around the world this year. While most of the world – including the United States – does not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent country, they are watching the results. On New Year's Eve, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said China would "surely be reunified" with Taiwan – reiterating Beijing's aspiration to one day control Taiwan. Caught in the middle of this are the islan...
Jan 09, 2024•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 2015, then-South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley led the way for the removal of the Confederate Flag from the state Capitol. The move came after a white gunman had murdered nine Black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. Fast forward almost eight years. At a town hall in New Hampshire, a voter asked Haley what she believed caused the Civil War. Haley failed to identify slavery in her answer, and she's been trying to clean up that misstep ever since. When Haley rose to political pro...
Jan 08, 2024•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Accessing mental health services can be challenging for people on Medicare, the federal health insurance program available to most people over 65. At the beginning of this year, the program expanded coverage to licensed professional counselors and licensed marriage and family counselors. But is this expansion enough to address a growing mental health gap in the United States. NPR's Juana Summers talks to a licensed professional counselor and professor about what these changes could mean. Email u...
Jan 07, 2024•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Longtime CEO of the National Rifle Associate has announced his resignation. LaPierre steps down amid accusations of misappropriating funds from the non-profit. Facing a civil trial, what will the NRA look like after LaPierre? Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR's Brian Mann, who's been following the case. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jan 05, 2024•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Several hundred pages of documents were released Wednesday in a lawsuit brought against Jeffrey Epstein. They include the names of dozens of powerful men with alleged connections to Epstein. Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, magician David Copperfield, Prince Andrew and more. Most of those publicly named — many of whom are already known to have links to Epstein — have denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019. We make sense of the ne...
Jan 04, 2024•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Twin bombings in Iran and a senior Hamas leader killed in Lebanon are just two recent events that are prompting concern that the war between Israel and Hamas could be expanding to other parts of the Middle East. NPR correspondents Jane Arraf and Peter Kenyon , both with deep experience in the region, talk to All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly about the days events, and what it could mean for the stability of the region going forward. Email us at considerthis@npr.org Learn more about sp...
Jan 03, 2024•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Former President and likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has been kicked off primary ballots in Maine and Colorado. His name on the ballot is being challenged in several other states across the country. All the challenges are based on the insurrection clause in the 14th amendment and stem from Trump's involvement in the January 6th attack on the US Capitol. Trump is appealing the Maine decision, and is expected to appeal the Colorado decision. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bell...
Jan 02, 2024•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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 considerthis@npr.org Learn more about sponsor ...
Dec 19, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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 considerthis@npr.or...
Dec 15, 2023•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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 considerthis@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Dec 13, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 
