Here & Now Anytime
The news you need to know today — and the stories that will stick with you tomorrow. Plus, special series and behind-the-scenes extras from Here & Now hosts Robin Young and Scott Tong with help from Producer Chris Bentley and the team at NPR and WBUR.
Episodes
Trump is trying to restrict mail-in voting. Will it matter in the midterms?
The conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court sided with President Trump’s executive order to tighten rules around mail-in voting. Rick Hasen, director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project, explains how the battle over these ballots could influence midterm elections.Then, a powerful storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of people in Indiana. The outage is adding to their concern
Trump’s economic policies hit Iran, Canada and U.S. workers
As the U.S. war in Iran reaches the six-month mark, the Secretary of the Treasury announced new economic measures against Iran. Negar Mortazavi from the Center for International Policy shares more details about what’s to come.Then, President Trump’s new 50% tariff on $20 billion of Canadian goods went into effect after trade talks between the two countries fell apart last Friday. Author Elaine Wee
Why Amanda Knox is using comedy to reclaim her story
It’s been 15 years since Amanda Knox was released from Italian prison after a court overturned her conviction in the murder of her study-abroad roommate. In the time since, she’s become a writer, an activist for the wrongfully convicted, a mother and now, a stage performer. Knox joins us to talk about her one-woman comedy “Cartwheel," which she debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.And, John Le
Trump declared ‘economic warfare’ on Iran. What does that mean for Americans?
On social media, President Trump announced he'll launch “economic warfare and isolation” against Iran. We talk to Edward Fishman, senior fellow and director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomics at the Council on Foreign Relations, about what economic warfare is and the downstream consequences it'll have on both Americans and also the global economy. Then, Trump had threatened to imp
The personalized vaccine that could revolutionize cancer treatment
Merck and Moderna have announced that a new mRNA vaccine has succeeded in blocking the return of one of the deadliest cancers. Wall Street Journal reporter Xavier Martinez explains more about the trial and why its giving cancer researchers hope.Then, primaries are underway, and in many races, progressives are prevailing. David Hogg, a progressive Democrat and president of Leaders We Deserve, share
The trillion-dollar case against Meta
Opening statements began on Tuesday in a massive case against Meta that alleges the social media giant crafted its Instagram and Facebook platforms to hook children. We discuss the lawsuit with Russell Coleman of Kentucky, one of the state attorneys general suing Meta. Then, construction on a controversial border wall in Big Bend National Park in Texas is on hold after bipartisan opposition. Terre
Historic flooding kills at least 7 in Indiana
At least seven people have died after heavy rains and historic flooding in Indiana. IndyStar’s Sophie Hartley shares more about what she’s seeing on the ground.Then, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has targeted people with no criminal record who have been living in the U.S. for years. Those thousands of court cases are straining the justice system due to a seemingly mundane reinte
Why monotasking can make you more productive
Modern workplace culture pressures us to multitask even though research shows multitasking makes most people less productive, more stressed out and worse at their jobs. Journalist and author David Epstein joins us talk about why we need to prioritize monotasking over multitasking. His latest book is called “Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better.”Marsha Battle Philpot calls herself a "prim
Why does ICE want to use electronic shock gloves?
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $20 million to equip its officers with gloves that can deliver electric shocks. The agency says the new tools can help with de-escalation, but critics aren't so sure. Former officer trainer and ICE attorney Ryan Schwank discusses what the new devices say about ICE's policing tactics. Then, Haitians in Ohio who lost Temporary Protected S
What tight Democratic primaries reveal about midterm voters
The Democratic Party is fracturing over how best to combat President Trump. Tuesday night’s primaries underscore the divide between mainstream Democrats and progressives. Strategist Katrina Gamble joins us. Then, former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman is in frail condition after his release this week from a Russian prison. Kieran Ramsey of Global Reach tells Gilman's story as Gilman gets medical treatme
Former secret service agent on ruse to smuggle Trump out of Turkey
Lawmakers are calling for more details after The Washington Post reported that an Iranian assassination threat against President Trump prompted the Secret Service to use a catering truck and a secret plane to smuggle President Trump out of Turkey. Paul Eckloff, former supervisor of the Presidential Protective Division of the Secret Service, joins us.Then, Trump signed an executive order Monday red
AOC’s egg freezing sparks conversation about fertility
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced she will be freezing her eggs and will be taking followers along with her on social media. For more on why this matters and the state of egg freezing, we hear from journalist and author Emi Nietfeld. Then, oldest siblings tend to have higher educational achievement and lifetime earnings than their younger siblings. A new study shows that germs pla
How teeth are uncovering the origins of enslaved Africans
After Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807, it began intercepting slave ships on the Atlantic Ocean and taking the Africans aboard to the remote island of St. Helena, where thousands died of disease and were buried in mass graves. A new study published in the journal Science, featuring lead author Hannes Schroeder, reveals new insights into the origins of some of those buried on the island, w
Big changes to Head Start could upend early education
The Trump administration released plans to give local governments more control over Head Start early education programs. Tommy Sheridan, deputy director at the National Head Start Association, explains the implications.Then, the Food and Drug Administration approved an mRNA-based flu vaccine for older adults. Virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen details what to know about the vaccine which uses the sam
Feds backtrack on border wall water after public outcry
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has told contractors building the border wall in New Mexico to stop drilling new wells for groundwater. We get the latest from Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd, who reported on the unpermitted wells when drilling started in July. Then, we speak with a family in Spokane, Washington, who evacuated less than half an hour before their home caught fire. And, one reason there
What history says about a split Democratic Party
This primary season has left many Democrats wondering which way the party will go: moderate or progressive. But Princeton University historian Julian Zelizer explains why that’s the wrong question to ask.And, President Trump’s second term has been drastically different from his first. New York Times reporter and “Regime Change” author Maggie Haberman shares what she found about the inner workings
Historic wildfires burn through Washington State
As wildfires continue to burn in northeast Washington near Spokane, Gov. Bob Ferguson tells us how the state is managing the disaster. Then, Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche has won the support of two Republican holdouts after he agreed in writing to rescind a controversial plan to create a fund that would compensate President Trump's allies. The Wall Street Journal's Sadie Gurman tells us mo
What ospreys can tell us about climate change
Osprey populations are falling across the East Coast. In the past year, the number of chicks documented is at its lowest since 2014. One cause is overfishing, meaning less food for the birds to eat. Miley Bull and Matt Joyce from the Connecticut Audubon Society share more of their concerns.Then, like many artists, James Cook focuses his work around portraits of notable people, iconic landscapes an
States vs. federal government in prediction market battle
A majority of states are demanding more regulation of the billion-dollar prediction market industry, while federal regulators have sided with the companies in their lawsuits against state regulation laws. MS NOW's Ali Velshi shares the latest. Then, men are more scarce in HEAL careers, short for health care, education, administration, and literacy, than women are in STEM. Darby Saxbe argues that t
Fauci remains silent as senators grill him on COVID-19 origins
Senators are questioning Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert for decades, about how he handled the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Atlantic staff writer Katherine J. Wu unpacks the hearing, including Fauci’s repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment.Then, the Department of Homeland Security’s top lawyer is publicly condemning district court judges at a time when threats agains
Haitians are losing immigration protection. Many fear what comes next
Immigration and customs enforcement agents could begin deportations at any time as Temporary Protected Status ends for Haitians and Syrians. We get the latest from CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez. Then, a new rule proposed by the White House would give political appointees veto power over scientific research. ProPublica's Lisa Song tells us more. And, despite President Trump's resolve to repeal th
Michigan's Midterm moment
In Michigan, two races are getting national attention. One is for governor, and the other is for U.S. Senate. Host Scott Tong reports from Michigan on the two Democrats competing in the primary for Senate and the gubernatorial candidate endorsed by President Trump.Then, AJ Jones, a reporter with WCMU in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, breaks down what swing voters are thinking ahead of midterm elections
The 50,000-year-old crater that prepared NASA for the moon
Fifth thousand years ago, a meteor slammed into the Earth outside of modern-day Flagstaff, Arizona. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd recently hiked into the mile-wide hole that was left behind to learn how NASA used the iconic crater to train astronauts before the Apollo moon mission. Then, Mexican artist Diego Rivera came to Detroit in 1932 to paint a monumental series of murals dedicated to Detroit's i
'Never a good idea': Security expert slams Saudi nuclear deal
The administration says the nuclear deal signed with Saudi Arabia would allow American companies to run commercial nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia and supply nuclear reactors and fuel. But less than 24-hours after the administration signed it, Trump suggested he would call it off unless Saudi Arabia normalized relations with Israel. Here & Now security analyst Jim Walsh explains what's in the deal
Can a $25K pickup with crank windows change the EV game?
A buzzy Michigan startup is betting that bringing down the price will expand the market for electric vehicles in the United States. Slate Auto is planning to release a bare-bones electric truck for just under $25,000. We hear from Slate CEO Peter Faricy and longtime auto writer Paul Eisenstein about the EV market. Then, OpenAI says two of its artificial intelligence models acted on their own and h
Nevada's top election official on Trump's midterm threats
Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar lays out what his office is doing to protect voters ahead of the midterm elections. Nevada is one of the states Trump is targeting as he pushes false claims about the 2020 election.And, the Food and Drug Administration said that a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms turned up a false positive for the cyclospora parasite. We talk with attorney and food safety ad
Traffic stops, body cameras and the fight to hold ICE accountable
Dozens of Democratic senators are demanding immediate, independent and transparent investigations into two fatal shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We talk about what accountability would look like with John Sandweg, former ICE acting director who served from 2013 to 2014 under then-President Barack Obama. Then, scientists say human-caused climate change is driving longer fire seaso
Border wall fuels water fight
Emery, Utah, rancher Kirk Christiansen says the lack of water in his town is changing how he does his job raising cattle. He joins us. And, amid a blistering drought, the federal government is drilling unpermitted water wells in New Mexico for use in border wall construction, according to the Office of the State Engineer. Customs and Border Protection says it doesn't need permission to tap the gro
Is Trump out of options to end the Iran war?
The U.S. and Iran are exchanging strikes for the sixth day in a row, as the two countries battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Negar Mortazavi, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, joins us with the latest. Then, nearly half of House Democrats voted Wednesday to end billions of dollars in aid to Israel. The vote marks a major shift in the Democratic Party's long support for
What's behind America's data center revolt?
America’s data center revolt shows no signs of slowing down. Data center construction is broadly unpopular across political divides, but approaches to its construction vary by city and state. We hear from two communities, one that stridently opposes data centers, and another that's open to them. Then, dozens of data centers have been canceled in the past year due to local opposition. Heatmap repor
ICE pauses most traffic stops amid uproar over 2 killings
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will pause non-urgent vehicle stops after two deadly shootings in less than a week, according to Maine Sen. Angus King's office. The most recent shooting occurred Monday morning, just 20 miles south of Portland, where an ICE agent shot and killed a Colombian man. Maine Public reporter Ari Snider shares more about the investigation.Then, on July 24, hundreds
The plan to bring more electricity to the West
The demand for power is growing, but the grid can't handle it. Now, the governors of 11 Western states are trying to move forward with a $60 billion plan to upgrade transmission lines. Joel Ferry, Utah’s commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, joins us to explain what the plan would do.Then, many teachers say performance pay unfairly pits teachers against one another. But two new stud
What Jayson Tatum wants kids to learn from 'Baby Dunks-A-Lot'
NBA and two-time Olympic champion Jayson Tatum talks about "Baby Dunks-A-Lot: The Day the Basketballs Stopped Bouncing," his new children's picture book. Then, the razorback sucker has been swimming in the Colorado River for an estimated 5 million years before humans nearly fished them out of existence. Now, high schoolers are teaming up with a local baseball team and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Se
Trump family is making billions on crypto. Their investors are losing money
Reuters reporter Michelle Conlin details how President Trump and his family have made billions off the cryptocurrency industry, while most ordinary investors have lost money.And, Ai Weiwei, an acclaimed artist and activist, has faced censorship and surveillance throughout his career. He joins us to talk about his short book, “On Censorship.”See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection
Trump promises to hit Iran 'hard' as ceasefire crumbles
Former Biden administration deputy national security adviser Jon Finer talks about the latest from the NATO summit in Turkey, where President Trump vowed to escalate military strikes against Iran. Trump also offered new security guarantees to Ukraine during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Then, of the 48 teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, only eight are left. Socce
What do Democratic Socialists want?
Democratic Socialists have had a string of primary wins across the country, and Megan Romer, co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America, weighs in on how the Democratic Party is reacting to the rise of the left.Then, millions of people in the U.S. are affected by harmful levels of air pollution. Harvard University professor Mary Rice explains how hotter temperatures can make air quality even
Why FIFA is allowing U.S. men's soccer star to play after red card
FIFA's Disciplinary Committee suspended U.S. World Cup team member Folarin Balogun's one-game red card ban in exchange for a probationary period of one year. The suspended suspension means the striker can play in Monday night's win-or-go-home match in Seattle versus Belgium. Reporter Steve Futterman joins us. Then, in Tehran on Monday, Iranians thronged the funeral procession for Ayatollah Ali Kha
What does the American flag mean to you?
As America turns 250 this year, the American flag has become more than just a symbol of the country. Some see it as a totem of freedom, power and patriotism. Others see it as an emblem of politics and far-right ideology.We heard from listeners across the country about what the flag means to them. Here & Now producers Ashley Locke and Chris Bentley discuss the responses they received and the variou
What do a hat, saxophone and candle stand have in common? They tell America's story
George Washington could have stayed president for a third term, yet in his famous Farewell Address, he wrote that he would “decline being considered." He penned that address by candlelight in 1796, and curator Lisa Kathleen Graddy explains why the brass stand that held those candles is a significant part of American history.Then, Ethel Payne was the first Black American woman to become an internat
Democratic Socialists score big wins in Colorado
Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old Democratic Socialist, won the Democratic primary in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, in Denver, over 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette. KUSA politics reporter Kyle Clark breaks down more primary takeaways.Then, a large part of the U.S. is under extreme heat warnings as temperatures are expected to hit triple digits this week. Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist at the
Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship in blow to Trump
The Supreme Court has struck down President Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, explains the decision, which is in line with the longstanding legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment.Then, Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, explains why he still believes bir
How the Supreme Court expanded Trump's power
The president can now fire most independent regulators, ending a nearly century-old precedent. Mark Joseph Stern, who covers the courts and the law for Slate, weighs in on the consequential opinion.Then, Alan Blinder, former vice chair of the Federal Reserve, talks about a separate but related decision that upholds the independence of the Federal Reserve.And, a new bridge between the U.S. and Cana
Octavia Butler imagined the future on this typewriter
Every storyteller has a tool: a notebook, a camera, a microphone. For legendary author Octavia Butler, it was a powder blue typewriter. That typewriter is now in the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Community Museum, and acting curator Jennifer Sieck explains Butler’s influence on the country’s history. And, the megalodon was one of the biggest fish that ever lived, with seven-inch-long teeth a
Supreme Court makes it easier to deport immigrants
The Supreme Court issued several opinions today that advance the Trump administration's agenda on immigration, gun access and the environment.It ended Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants, allowing them to be deported. It overturned a law in Hawaii that required people get permission before bringing a gun on private property. And, it sided with the manufacturer of Roundup a
The race to save Arizona's groundwater
Groundwater supplies in the Colorado River basin are falling fast as a historic drought continues to punish the West. Now, states like Arizona are considering new laws to regulate pumping from aquifers while keeping growing cities supplied with the water they need to grow in the desert. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports. And, it's summer gardening season. We hear tips for gardening during a dry su
Washington’s plan to ease the housing crisis
Affordable housing is top of mind for voters, and lawmakers appear to be listening. The Senate on Monday passed a big housing bill that aims to increase supply and lower costs. But will it? University of Pennsylvania’s Vincent Reina explains.Then, record-breaking heat is hitting Europe. In France, dozens of people have died. The Associated Press’ Sylvia Hui explains how Europe is trying to adapt t
How Israel's wars are reshaping the Democratic Party
Israel's wars in the Middle East have become a wedge issue in several congressional campaigns, especially in New York, where establishment Democrats are trying to fend off more progressive challengers backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. We discuss the impact Israel's wars are having on these key primary races with The New York Times' Benjamin Oreskes. And, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says Pr
Reverse Course: Solutions for the climate crisis
Our series Reverse Course has explored environmental crises and possible fixes, from water vapor harvesting to electric trucks. At the WBUR Festival in Boston last month, Here & Now's Chris Bentley and Peter O'Dowd discussed climate solutions on stage with Leah Bamberger, global sustainability leader at Textron and former director of sustainability at the City of Providence, and Tik Root, who cove
America's 250th birthday must reckon with racism, historian says
In the new book "America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries," author Eddie Glaude looks at the cycles of American history and how they obscure the dark truth of the country. We speak with him. Then, 10 years ago, a gunman walked into the LGBTQ-friendly Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and opened fire, killing 49 people and injuring 50 more. Trauma surgeon Dr. Joseph Ibrahim w
Why ending the war won't heal the economy
There’s a preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran to end the war, but experts say energy prices and inflation are not expected to come down quickly. MS NOW’s Ali Velshi explains why.And, housing official Bill Pulte is set to become acting director of national intelligence on Friday. Sen. Mark Warner, Democrat from Virginia and the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committe
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