Consider This from NPR

The owner of Facebook and Instagram has agreed to change the way its platforms work.  Can those changes be enforced? And are they enough to protect the mental health of young people?  Major changes are coming to the way young people experience Facebook and Instagram. They're part of a proposed landmark multi-billion dollar settlement between Meta and several states over claims its social media pla...

Dolly Parton's singular performing career spanned seven decades and only grew in prominence over that time.  With that bright crystalline voice and signature twang, Parton was one of country music's most recognizable and universally adored ambassadors to broader popular culture. Parton died on Tuesday at the age of 80. This episode was produced by Erika Ryan, Matt Ozug and Karen Zamora, with audio...

The United States was scheduled to impose new 50 percent tariffs on Canada, hitting about $20 billion worth of goods. But then, about a week ago, President Trump took to Truth Social to exclaim — with capital letters and exclamation points — that Canada and the U.S. had reached a trade deal. That deal, it turned out, was not final. Three days later, Canada walked away from the negotiating table. T...

For years, President Trump has been openly criticizing multilateral organizations like NATO and the United Nations. Criticisms like these were once rare from American presidents, since the US had such a prominent role in these organizations and the order they brought to global affairs. How might this shift affect how countries deal with conflict and one another? Support public media with NPR+ and...

As a political correspondent, NPR's Ashley Lopez regularly speaks to voters about their worries, and their dreams.  But finding swing voters in swing states — the people who can decide elections — can be a difficult assignment.  For this week’s Reporter’s Notebook, Lopez talks about her larger takeaways from working on NPR’s Swing Voter Project.  This episode was produced by Kai McNamee. It was ed...

Cody and Kaleigh Brendle grew up just inland of the Jersey Shore. The siblings, who both have disabilities, came of age knowing it is their right to live, learn and work in their community. Not long ago, millions of people like them could have been segregated in institutions. Then in 1999, in a case known as Olmstead, the Supreme Court ruled states must serve adults with disabilities in their comm...

The US national debt has soared to $40 trillion - a record high. How does that figure affect the lives of everyday Americans? This episode was produced by Megan Lim, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams. It was edited by Janaya Williams and Tinbete Ermyas. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 pod...

For decades, one of the most reliable trends in the American economy has been the growing number of women working. But lately, government data shows women’s participation in the labor force has been falling. What's behind this trend - and what does it tell us about the state of the US economy? This episode was produced by Linah Mohammad and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Hannah Gluvna and...

Concerns about social media have prompted a group of attorneys general to sue Meta. Could their case change the way social media is used? Meta’s lawyers are in federal court to defend against accusations from four state attorneys general that the company’s social media platforms are designed to hook children. Meta denies the allegations. We hear what happened on the first day of court. This episod...

Sociology professor Jason Arday was lauded as the youngest-ever Black professor appointed at the University of Cambridge in 2023. But since landing that position, he’d been, according to his family, “subjected to a campaign of sustained abuse,” stemming from scrutiny about his work and record. Arday faced growing accusations of plagiarism and fraud, was found dead in London on August 14th, just da...

Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ruled Hungary with an iron fist for 16 years. After he was unseated in a landslide election last April, many Hungarians wonder if the new government led by Peter Magyar can mend the deeply damaged democracy.  This episode was produced and edited by Michael Levitt. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign...

This week, President Trump made headlines when he confirmed he was secretly removed from Air Force One in Turkey last month, following a credible threat from Iran. The confirmation came days after  The Washington Post reported on an elaborate ruse to keep the president safe. This is just one of the quiet ways the Trump admin has tried to evade scrutiny. Are lawmakers doing anything to address it?...

This week, news broke that conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have deteriorated. MS Now and other outlets have reported that service members have jumped overboard. NPR has not independently verified this reporting.  Congressional lawmakers are demanding answers about conditions on the naval carrier, but is there more they can do? This episode was produced by Lauren Hodges, with audio engine...

Voters in half a dozen states went to the polls on Tuesday. For Democrats – who hope to win back Congress in the fall – it was a night of mixed messages about which direction the party should embrace. Did Tuesday's results hint at which path the Democrats may take? This episode was produced by Linah Mohammad and Kathryn Fink, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane.  It was edited by Patrick Jarenwat...

The scene of President Trump boarding Air Force One after last month’s NATO summit in Turkey is one that TV cameras and photographers have captured countless times.  What happened in the moments after that was far from routine, according to exclusive reporting from the Washington Post. The Post reports that Trump was shuttled in an airport catering truck to a smaller military plane in which he the...

President Trump's Department of Justice walked away from the case against David “Davey” Hearn. Prosecutors charged Hearn with vandalism in relation to peeling paint in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The charges have since been dismissed. But President Trump can't let the case go . Trump continues to insist it was so-called vandalism that led to peeling paint and blooming algae on the Nation...

Part of what has made Iran so effective in the war with the U.S. is its vast network of allies in the region. Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran-backed Iraqi militias are often referred to as the “Axis of Resistance.” Peter Salisbury, a professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, explains the Axis of Resistance and how it’s shaping the war. This...

Information around children's health is more accessible than ever. It's also never been more difficult to navigate that information. NPR's Maria Godoy talks about how her evidence-based reporting aims to help parents make decisions and find practical strategies - without feeling overwhelmed by today's often confusing headlines.  This episode was produced by Linah Mohammad and Vincent Acovino. It w...

President Trump and his Board of Peace are working to find a diplomatic end to the war between Israel and Hamas. But as they work towards an agreement, incidents of settler violence are increasing in the other Israeli-occupied territory, the West Bank NPR visited the region to learn how that violence is shaping daily life there. This episode was produced by Nuha Musleh, Christine Arrasmith and Kar...

In the US, about a quarter of a million people die each year from alcohol and drug-related illness, despite proven medical treatments for addiction.  So why aren’t doctors prescribing them more? This episode was produced by Liz Baker and Kathryn Fink, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane.  It was edited by Maureen Pao and Tinbete Ermyas. Our director is Elena Moore, and our executive producer is C...

Tuesday's Democratic primaries were a success for both the establishment and progressive wings of the party. These results are fueling a tug-of-war between two sides -- over who gets to control the party's message and priorities ahead of the midterm elections. What do Tuesday's primaries signal about where the Democratic party is headed? This episode was produced by Michelle Aslam and Karen Zamora...

After months of war with Iran, the United States is facing a new challenge: stockpiles of some precision missiles are almost depleted, NPR has learned from a U.S. official who is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. In this episode, we hear more about the implications of this weapons shortage – which one official says could make the U.S. more vulnerable in other parts of the world – and...

While there’s a lot of fear right now about AI taking people’s jobs, AI could actually help people get jobs – including those with some of the most significant barriers to employment. Tens of millions of Americans have some kind of criminal history. And helping those with low-level crimes and non-convictions on their records used to be a painstakingly slow and expensive process.  In this episode,...

Across the western US, many states are dealing with extreme heat and drought-like conditions. In times like these, water — and access to it — becomes a contentious issue. A new plan put forth by the federal government aims to allocate water from the Colorado River between states and Native American tribes. What's in the plan - and will it work? This episode was produced by Daniel Ofman, with audio...

Wildfires are raging across large swaths of Europe, prompting hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. The fires are the latest weather event on a continent that has experienced a lot of heat this summer, which scientists say has created conditions that make wildfires more likely. But at what point is it too late to adapt to a changing climate?   For sponsor-free episodes of  Consider...