Consider This from NPR

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 M...

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 w...

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was viewed as brilliant by some and a war criminal by others. The only man to ever hold the jobs of National Security Advisor and Secretary of State at the same time died at his Connecticut home at the age of 100. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to author and historian Jeremi Suri about Kissinger's complicated legacy. Listen to Throughline's deeper dive on Kissing...

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter leaves behind a rich and expansive legacy, including fierce and enduring advocacy for better mental health care in the US. But her commitment to the issue extended well beyond her role as First Lady. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to Anne Mahoney Robbins, a friend of the Carters and member of President Jimmy Carter's mental health commission, about how Rosalynn Car...

In different places throughout the country, police are pushing back against the policies of progressive prosecutors. NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer tells the story of one such struggle in St. Louis where a detective wouldn't testify in a case. That refusal may have helped a man charged with murder walk free. Email us at considerthis@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

Dozens of hostages have been released by Hamas over the last four days. Now after 50 days in captivity, and joyous reunions, the long journey of healing and rebuilding begins. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to Hostage US executive director Liz Cathcart about that process. Email us at considerthis@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and...

Next year Gen Z and Millennials will make up nearly half of the electorate. What exactly that will mean in the 2024 election is an open question. Host Scott Detrow talks with NPR political reporter Elena Moore about the different ways new voters approach politics than older voters. Email us at considerthis@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data fo...

Consumer spending is a huge part of the economy and sends a strong signal about how Americans feel about the financial health of the country. Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR business correspondent Alina Selyukh about what Black Friday shopping says about where the economy has been and where it might be headed. Email us at considerthis@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our colle...

For this holiday episode, we're bringing you a story from the Radio Diaries podcast, The Unmarked Graveyard: Stories from Hart Island . Hart Island is a narrow strip of land in New York, off the coast of the Bronx. More than a million people are buried there in mass graves, with no headstones or plaques. Annette Vega never met her biological father. She had been searching for him for decades. That...

On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas announced details of a deal that calls for the freeing of at least 50 Israeli women and minors taken hostage during last month's Hamas attack on Israel in exchange for at least 150 Palestinian women and minors held in Israeli jails. NPR correspondents Brian Mann in Israel, and Lauren Frayer in the occupied West Bank, report on how Israelis and Palestinians are reacti...

It's just a few days before Thanksgiving, but there's a good chance your holidays are already underway. Maybe you are hosting, or attending, a Friendsgiving celebration. The increasingly widespread alt-holiday meal and gathering happens in November. It's a time to eat, drink, and bask in the glow of our closest friends. But it turns out there can be just as much stress within our social circles as...

It was announced on Sunday that former first lady Rosalynn Carter had died, at age 96. The Carter family had said she was suffering from dementia earlier this year. Although President Jimmy Carter only served for one term, Rosalyn Carter transformed the role of first lady. And her influence continued for decades after she left the White House. NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with journalist Judy Woodruf...

Pope Francis says he will attend the COP28 climate conference in Dubai next month, which would make him the first pontiff to attend the annual UN gathering. The pope has made addressing the climate crisis an important focus since 2015, when he published an encyclical on climate change and the environment. Last month, he doubled down on his stance with a new document – Laudate Deum. It's a scathing...

Today we're sharing an episode of a new NPR podcast called Trump's Trials , hosted by Scott Detrow with regular analysis from Domenico Montanaro . 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. In this week's episode, Scott and Domenic...

In an interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu often referred to post-WW II Germany as a possible road map for what he called the "de-militarizing" and "de-radicalizing" of Gaza. Netanyahu said Gaza needs a new 'civilian government,' but won't say who. NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre parses what Netanyahu said in a conversation with co-host Ari S...

Nearly 7 million federal student loan borrowers are in default, and now the U.S. Department of Education is rolling out a new program, called Fresh Start, to make getting out of default easier. NPR's Cory Turner reports on the Fresh Start program and the ripple effects of landing in default. Email us at considerthis@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

There's a very real possibility that the 2024 presidential election could come down to a few thousand votes in a few pivotal states. One of those states is Michigan, which is home to a large Arab American community — with some two hundred thousand registered voters. Many of those voters say that the White House has disproportionately supported Israel, while doing little to protect the lives of Pal...

The United Auto Workers secured its biggest victory in decades in deals with the Big 3 car companies after weeks of strikes. While the union won a lot of concessions for workers: big pay raises, cost of living adjustments tied to inflation and increased retirement contributions, some workers are focused on what the new contracts are missing. NPR Labor and Workplace Correspondent Andrea Hsu reports...

Researchers, election officials and former tech executives are concerned the federal government, fearful of kicking up a storm, has pulled back from its rumor fighting efforts that were effective in 2020 and 2022. NPR correspondents Miles Parks and Shannon Bond joined our co-host Ailsa Chang to discuss their reporting on misinformation. Email us at considerthis@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for info...

Elections in Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and elsewhere showed slightly surprising Democratic strengths and the enduring power of abortion as a campaign issue. Meanwhile, a series of polls indicate that President Joe Biden is unpopular, and struggling against former President Donald Trump, a year out from the elections. In the background, Trump's multiple criminal cases which could impact his popular...

This year the U.S. has experienced devastating natural disasters. Outbreaks of tornadoes leveled entire neighborhoods. Flooding trapped people in their homes. Wildfires burned out of control. When people go missing during these catastrophes, it's a race against time to find them alive – or their remains. That crucial search is often carried out by specially trained dogs. FEMA has 280 certified det...

It's olive harvesting season in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. But farmer Ayoub Abu Hejleh hasn't been able to harvest olives from any of his 370 trees yet this year. He says Israeli soldiers and settlers have blocked him from his land since the war started. That was back on October 7, when Hamas insurgents attacked Israel, killing more than 1,400 people. While the world has focused on Israel's r...

Across America, big cities facing an influx of migrants, struggling to provide basic resources. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

At the Supreme Court on Tuesday, justices seemed inclined to uphold a federal law that bans anyone covered by a domestic violence court order from having a gun. But if they do that, the decision will likely be a narrow one, leaving many questions about the future of gun regulations unanswered. NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg reports. A note to listeners, there is a graphic descripti...

Since the Rafah border opened between Egypt and Gaza opened last week, it has been flooded with people hoping to leave. With food, water and electricity in short supply, thousands of people in Gaza are hoping for a chance to flee to Egypt. But so far, only a trickle of people have been allowed to pass through, a few hundred at a time. NPR's Mary Louis Kelly is reporting from Tel Aviv, and spoke wi...