Consider This from NPR

It may be too soon to crown the "song of the summer". NPR Music's Stephen Thompson says there's no one quality that the songs that carry that title have... it's a collective feeling, a shared vibe. For so many Americans on this July 4th, songs of the summer and songs of protest feel one and the same. NPR's Ann Powers is a music critic, and Shana Redmond is a professor at Columbia University, and t...

In states across the country, long before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, pregnant people were already being criminally charged, convicted, and imprisoned for loss of pregnancy. Advocates for reproductive rights say this is because laws created to protect pregnant people from violence and abuse are being used to prosecute people whose pregnancies end prematurely. We speak with Dana Sussm...

As many countries have loosened their COVID-19 restrictions and reopened their borders, the demand for travel is high. Meanwhile, there are hundreds of flights getting canceled and delayed on a daily basis across the globe. A shortage in airline staff, especially pilots, is a big reason why. Pilots took to the picket lines this week to protest this shortage. They are also frustrated by stalled con...

While the last few decades have shown major progress when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights globally, queer people have had to continue to fight for them. During Pride month there have been several high-profile instances of violence targeted at queer people. These events are stark reminders that the struggle for equal rights and safety for LGBTQ+ people continues. NPR's Ari Shapiro spoke with three high-l...

Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony before the January 6th committee landed with a bang. The surprise hearing on Tuesday, featuring this aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, was the most powerful evidence to date in the case that House investigators have been building through hours of public hearings. NPR Senior Political Editor and Correspondent Domenico Montanaro and NPR National J...

There are 1.5 million people in state and federal prisons in the United States. Very few of them get a chance to earn a bachelor degree. That's due to a decades-old ban on the use of federal money to help people in prison pay for college classes. But that's about to change. Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, people in prison will be eligible to receive Pell grants in the amount of nearly $7,...

Congress and the Supreme Court took big steps in opposite directions last week, in the country's long standing debate on whether and how to regulate guns. Congress passed the first major federal gun legislation in decades, with bipartisan support. President Biden signed it into law on Saturday. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 opinion striking down a major gun control law in...

Omar Little, Jimmy McNulty, Stringer Bell, Snot Boogie. If you recognize these names, you are probably a fan of the HBO series The Wire. This month marks 20 years since the series premiere. It ran for five seasons, following the lives of the cops, criminals, political players, and everyday folks caught up in Baltimore's often futile war on drugs. Many argue that The Wire is the best television sho...

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court officially reversed Roe v. Wade , declaring that the constitutional right to abortion no longer exists. For nearly 50 years, Americans have had a constitutional right to an abortion. We're about to find out what the country looks like without one. The court's ruling doesn't mean a nationwide ban– it allows states to do what they want. NPR's Nina Totenberg walks us...

Listed rents are up 15% nationwide, and as much as 30% in some cities. At the same time, inflation and rising interest rates are pricing many buyers out of the housing market — increasing the pressure to rent. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports that competition is so intense, some people find themselves in bidding wars. The red-hot rental market could mean that more people face the threat of eviction a...

Two American citizens who'd traveled to Ukraine to join the fight against Russia have reportedly been captured by pro-Russian forces. The State Department says it's "closely monitoring" the situation and has urged Americans not to travel to the country, noting the risk and danger. But still, thousands of foreign fighters have journeyed there. NPR's Ryan Lucas met some of them — a group of American...

As soon as Thursday, the Supreme Court could rule on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization . A leaked draft opinion in that case showed a majority of justices agreeing to overturn Roe v. Wade , which would end the constitutional right to an abortion. However the court rules, this moment is the culmination of a decades-long effort by conservative activists around the country. One man in part...

After two years of pandemic disruptions, this school year was supposed to be better. But for many teachers, it was harder than ever. Teachers say they are stressed and burned out. Many are considering leaving their jobs sooner than planned. We speak to three teachers about the past school year and their concerns about the future. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to h...

Many of the people affected by the current global monkeypox outbreak are reported to be men who identify as gay or bisexual, or men who have sex with men. The virus can affect anyone, but in response to where the majority of cases are, public health officials are gearing their information toward communities of gay and bisexual men. And that has some saying that the messaging echoes back to the HIV...

There are few issues as highly debated and emotionally charged as abortion. And in the coming days, the Supreme Court will issue a ruling that could fundamentally change the landscape for abortion in the U.S. The possibility that the court could strike down Roe v. Wade has raised all kinds of legal questions, as people consider what a post-Roe America might look like. We asked members of the NPR a...

The war between Russia and Ukraine is reverberating in Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as its own and has threatened to invade if Taiwan declares independence. Residents of the island are watching intently as Ukraine defends itself against a much larger and more powerful adversary. And they are thinking about what it takes to galvanize international support. The U.S. has a longsta...

It's been ten years since the Obama administration announced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The policy provided protection from deportation for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children. President Obama called it a "temporary stopgap measure," at the time, but Congress hasn't passed any legislation in the intervening years to create permanent...

A bipartisan group of Senates say they have reached a deal on a package of safety and gun-related measures. The deal is not yet done, but lawmakers say they are closer than they've been in a long time. The package includes measures to enhance background checks for gun buyers under 21, incentivize states to pass so-called "red flag laws," and fund school safety and mental health initiatives. Is it...

Prices rose more than expected in May. Gas is averaging $5 a gallon. Food, rent, and housing all cost more, too. NPR's Scott Horsley spoke to consumers trying to cope. Some CEOs are predicting a recession — but not all. NPR's David Gura reports. Additional reporting in this episode from NPR's Chris Arnold on the growing cost of housing . Transportation company owner Dennis Briggs spoke to NPR's Ay...

After years of struggling to pay federal student loans used to attend the for-profit Corinthian Colleges, hundreds of thousands of student borrowers will have their debt canceled. Corinthian closed in 2015 after investigators found it had defrauded students with misleading claims about future job prospects. Earlier this month, The Department of Education discharged all outstanding debt for all Cor...

On Thursday, the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol began presenting its findings in the first in a series of high profile public hearings. The panel showed videos of aides to former President Trump testifying that his claims of a stolen election were simply not true. Some used more colorful language. The committee seeks to show that the mayhem at...

There have never been more options for drivers who want an electric car. But the demand — fueled by high gas prices — is almost over-powering, and supply chain constraints aren't helping. NPR's Brittany Cronin reports on one of the biggest EV launches of the year: Ford's F-150 Lightning. NPR's Camila Domonoske explains why China dominates the market for electric car batteries. Also in this episode...

Nearly everyone agrees the cryptocurrency industry needs regulation, but there are huge disagreements about what that should look like. A Senate bill proposes a new regulatory framework for the industry. Cosponsors Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) argue that their bill hits the "sweet spot" between allowing innovation and protecting consumers. Software engineer Molly Whit...

President Biden urged Congress to act and the House is preparing to pass multiple gun control measures. But the Senate is where a compromise must be made. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is reportedly discussing policies like enhanced background checks and a federal red flag law. While it's unclear what Congress might agree to, researchers do have ideas about what policies could help prevent mass...

In the third summer of the pandemic, White House COVID response coordinator Ashish Jha tells NPR it's a good thing that many people feel less afraid of getting sick. But he says the Biden administration still has work to do. One of their latest challenges is managing the vaccine rollout for children under 5, which could begin in weeks — and educating parents and caretakers about the importance of...