An update to Meta's AI chatbot gives users a more social experience, but it'll be a long time before chatbots are able to solve the nation's loneliness crisis. Axios' Ina Fried explains more. And, for as little as $50, you can have a personal assistant. The catch? It's powered by artificial intelligence and records everything you say. The Wall Stre…

After the white smoke emerged above the Sistine Chapel on Thursday afternoon, Chicago native Robert Prevost was introduced as the new pope. Prevost is the first pope from North America. National Catholic Reporter executive editor James Grimaldi joins us. Then, President Trump has come to an agreement with the United Kingdom, marking the first trade…

We go to St. Peter's Square as Roman Catholic cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel to select the next pope. David Gibson of Fordham University is there, along with NPR's Daniel Burke and Claire Giangravè of Religion News Service. And, India launched what it called retaliatory missiles at Pakistan early Wednesday morning. Pakistan is considering i…

Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti talks about concerns for flight safety nationwide following an incident last week at Newark Airport, where air traffic controllers briefly lost all contact with airplanes trying to take off and land there. Then, a new immunotherapy drug could help some cancer patients avoid surgery. Oncologist Dr. Andrea Cer…

As consumers brace for fewer options and higher prices on store shelves, Northwest Seaport Alliance co-chair and Port of Tacoma president John McCarthy explains the ripple effect that an expected decline in shipping will have on the U.S. economy. And, Israel has a new plan to "capture Gaza" and take control of the distribution of humanitarian food …

Author Isabel Allende talks about her new book, "My Name is Emilia Del Valle," a historical romance set in the late 1800s about a young female journalist who goes to Chile to cover a brewing civil war. Then, author Zara Chowdhary tells her deeply personal story of growing up in India during a period of anti-Muslim violence in "The Lucky Ones." The …

As President Trump's tariffs take effect, many American consumers will have to wean themselves off cheap goods made in China. Former President Joe Biden's economic adviser Jared Bernstein joins us for more. And, as climate change makes heavy rainfall in London more frequent, Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports on the city's "super sewer" system, des…

Wednesday marks Trump's 100th day in office. NPR's Scott Horsley looks at the economy after 100 days of the second Trump administration. Then, government programs that serve kids are among the many being slashed by the Trump administration. ProPublica's Eli Hager tells us how those cuts will affect the nation's most vulnerable children. And, we che…

What does it really mean to ‘feel the AGI?’ Silicon Valley is racing toward AI systems that could soon match or surpass human intelligence. The implications for jobs, democracy, and our way of life are enormous. In this episode, Aza Raskin and Randy Fernando dive deep into what ‘feeling the AGI’ really means. They unpack why the surface-level debat…

Several American citizen children have been sent out of the U.S. in recent days, alongside a parent who was deported, including a four-year-old with late-stage cancer. Doris Meissner of the Migration Policy Institute shares more about what's happening. And, Trump border czar Tom Homan visited Rochester, New York Tuesday, after President Trump signe…

Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a plan to reorganize the State Department that would eliminate human-rights-focused bureaus and reduce U.S. staff. Jessica Stern, former U.S. special envoy for the human rights of LGBTQ+ persons, joins us. Then, concern is growing that extremism and white supremacism in the military may now be going unchecked…

Chicago is set to break ground on a pipeline that will bring water from the Great Lakes to some suburbs whose groundwater is running dry. Joliet, Illinois, is one of those suburbs. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports on the question of who is allowed to use Lake Michigan's water. And, as cities across the West brace for a drier future, they're inves…

President Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia's latest attack on Ukraine. NPR Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakissis shares the latest from Kyiv. And, Trump announced that he would have a private dinner with the top 220 holders of his meme coin. The Wall Street Journal's Josh Dawsey explains more. Then, musician Anoushka Sha…

Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders talks about his Fighting Oligarchy Tour and explains where the political battle lines are right now on hot-button cultural issues, health care and more. And, the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring a safe food supply. But cuts to the FDA have called into question the agency's ability to m…

The International Monetary Fund warns global economic growth is projected to slow due to uncertainty over Trump's trade war. The news comes as the Dow heads for its worst April since the Great Depression. Roben Farzad, host of the podcast "Full Disclosure," breaks down what's happening economically. And, Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia details his tr…

We reflect on Pope Francis and his legacy with John Allen, longtime Vatican reporter and Crux editor. And, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of Venezuelan migrants over the weekend. Georgetown University law professor Stephen Vladeck explains more about the ruling. Then, as Colorado River water le…

AI has upended schooling as we know it. Students now have instant access to tools that can write their essays, summarize entire books, and solve complex math problems. Whether they want to or not, many feel pressured to use these tools just to keep up. Teachers, meanwhile, are left questioning how to evaluate student performance and whether the who…

President Trump has floated the idea of firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who warned this week of "higher inflation and slower growth." MSNBC's Ali Velshi parses Powell's concerns about the economy and Trump's reaction. Then, board games are booming in part because manufacturing them in China has made them affordable. But the administrati…

Judge James Boasberg says he has probable cause to find the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court for violating orders to pause deportation flights to El Salvador. Former federal prosecutor and law professor Barbara McQuade explains what happens next. And, Pope Francis has moved architect Antoni Gaudí one step closer to sainthood. Pope…

A federal judge is ordering the Trump administration to show what it is doing to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. after immigration officials mistakenly sent him to a notorious prison in El Salvador. We get the latest on his case from longtime federal prosecutor Mary McCord. Then, we get the latest on the antitrust case that put Meta CEO…

President Trump is threatening Harvard's tax status, one day after he froze more than $2 billion in grants to the school after it refused to comply with a list of demands, including cutting diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Harvard psychology professor and co-chair of Harvard's Council on Academic Freedom Steven Pinker explains the impact. …

Over the weekend, the Trump administration says it sent another 10 alleged gang members to El Salvador, including some from the Tren de Aragua gang. NBC's David Noriega talks about where the gang comes from and why President Trump is targeting people he suspects are members. Then, NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep and NPR international corresp…

The deadline to get a Real ID is May 7. After that, U.S. residents will need a Real ID, a passport or other approved identification to travel domestically and enter federal buildings. Georgia Commissioner of Driver Services Spencer Moore joins us. And, author and chef Eric Adjepong talks about his newest cookbook, "Ghana to the World." Then, Grammy…

President Trump has mostly paused his global trade war, though one country still faces steep tariffs: China. China analyst Bill Bishop joins us to explain how this trade dispute could play out. Then, we speak with Liz Picarazzi, founder and CEO of Citibin, which makes welded aluminum rat-proof trash cans, about manufacturing in Vietnam and China an…

The Treasury Department has agreed to share tax data from immigrants living in the United States without legal status with the Department of Homeland Security. Former Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Danny Werfel explains the implications. And, layoffs at the Food and Drug Administration are expected to reduce the workforce by 20%. Susan Mayne…

A divided Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans that it claims are members of a gang. Law professor Amanda Frost joins us to explain the decision. Then, Nintendo canceled U.S. preorders for the Switch 2 days after President Trump announced sweeping global tariffs. We discuss headwinds …

David Mauro, creator of the Talking Jesus Dolls, is an American who stands behind President Trump's 'America First' ideology. But he worries about the impacts Trump's tariffs will have on his business. And, President Trump last week removed the head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command. Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the NSA j…

The Economist podcast "Scam Inc." tells the story of the global online scam industry, which is growing larger and more sophisticated. Host Sue-Lin Wong tells us about speaking with victims and perpetrators of online scams. Then, the vast global industry designed to perfect cyber scams takes in some $500 billion a year. Alona Katz, chief of the Broo…

Can tariffs be an effective economic tool? Former U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai says yes, when used strategically. Tai explains what President Trump's sweeping new tariffs mean for American consumers. And, Mark DiPlacido, a policy adviser at the conservative think tank American Compass, makes the case for why Trump's new tariffs make sense. Then, m…

Artificial intelligence is set to unleash an explosion of new technologies and discoveries into the world. This could lead to incredible advances in human flourishing, if we do it well. The problem? We’re not very good at predicting and responding to the harms of new technologies, especially when those harms are slow-moving and invisible. Today on …

The Supreme Court heard a case on Wednesday about South Carolina's efforts to stop Planned Parenthood clinics in the state from getting Medicaid funding. Mary Ziegler, law professor at the University of California, Davis, joins us. Then, Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat from Colorado, is leading a push to allow new parents in Congress to vote by…

In a court filing Monday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pointed to an "administrative error" for why it deported a man to a prison in El Salvador, even though he has protected legal status in the U.S. We speak with Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, who is a lawyer for the man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Then, Kevin Griffis, former director of the Ce…

The money spent on the Wisconsin Supreme Court election is likely to reach $100 million by the end of Election Day on Tuesday, which would make it the most expensive judicial race in American history. We check in on what's at stake with WUWM's Chuck Quirmbach. Then, Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, joins us to discuss the Trump admini…

A special education leader under George W. Bush says the dismantling of the Department of Education will impact students with disabilities. Stephanie Smith Lee talks about what's at stake for the federal law that helped people with disabilities go from institutionalization to institutions of higher education. Then, Medicaid helps lessen financial a…

A Tufts University student from Turkey was arrested by plainclothes agents from the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday in Somerville, Massachusetts. We speak with attorney Ramzi Kassen. Then, President Trump on Wednesday announced a 25% tariff on cars and car parts assembled outside the United States. Bloomberg's Keith Naughton explains wha…

The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg talks with us about why he released nearly all of the transcript of the Signal group chat that he was included in, where administration officials planned a deadly military strike on Yemen earlier this month. Then, former deputy assistant secretary of defense Mick Mulroy talks about why he thinks the S…

The Trump administration has sent flights of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador. NPR's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán shares what we know about them.Then, while Kansas voted overwhelmingly for President Trump, police are reticent to advance his deportation agenda. Kansas News Service's Zane Irwin talks about why the state is an outlier on immigration enfo…

Columbia University has agreed to overhaul its student protest policies to win back $400 million in federal research funding that the Trump administration pulled from the university. Columbia Professor Reinhold Martin joins us to discuss the implications of the university's decision. Then, we catch up with Mohammed Hatem, a young man in Gaza. He te…

Lee Zeldin, the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, says he's eliminating environmental justice jobs that were largely focused on addressing pollution in low-income and minority communities. Grist's Lylla Younes explains the impact of these cuts. Then, more than 400 Fish and Wildlife Service workers — or about 5% of the agency…

At the end of March, Social Security recipients will no longer be able to verify their identities over the phone. They'll have to go online or in-person to a Social Security office. AARP's Bill Sweeney explains what the change means for the 72 million Americans who rely on Social Security. And, President Trump is dismantling the Department of Educa…

One of the hardest parts about being human today is navigating uncertainty. When we see experts battling in public and emotions running high, it's easy to doubt what we once felt certain about. This uncertainty isn't always accidental—it's often strategically manufactured. Historian Naomi Oreskes, author of "Merchants of Doubt," reveals how industr…

We look at two high-profile immigration cases under the Trump administration with Doris Meissner, senior fellow and director for the U.S. immigration policy program at Migration Policy Institute. Then, Democrats have struggled to reach a consensus on the best way to counter President Trump during his second term. Matt Bennett of Third Way, a Democr…

Israel launched a series of surprise airstrikes into Gaza on Tuesday, killing more than 400 people, according to Gaza health officials. NPR's Daniel Estrin shares the latest. And, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine. Cold War historian Sergey Radchenko explains the prospects of a pea…

Ranjani Srinivasan was an international Columbia University student finishing up her doctoral program in urban planning. But then ICE came knocking on her door, as a result of President Trump's recent crackdown on foreign nationals who took part in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. Srinivasan talks about the circumstances that led to he…

It's been 5 years since COVID-19 began rapidly spreading around the world. A Pew Research study surveyed almost 10,000 Americans, and 72% of respondents said the pandemic drove the country apart. Pew Research Center's Alec Tyson shares the impact of this political divide. And, millions of people lost loved ones to COVID-19. One of the first to die …

Senate Democrats say they will not provide the support needed to pass a funding bill that House Republicans muscled through their chamber. If the bill fails, the government could shut down this weekend. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) joins us Robin Young to explain his party's strategy. Then, Stephanie Hoopes, the national director of United For ALICE…

The Department of Education is cutting nearly half of its staff as part of President Trump's plan to reduce the federal government's role in education. Chalkbeat's Kalyn Belsha explains how this could impact schools, students and the future of education. And, federal employees were ordered to remove pronouns from their email signatures. Some states…

Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant from the International Criminal Court, charging him with crimes against humanity for the thousands killed in a drug war that Duterte waged across his political career. We get the latest from The New York Times' Sui-Lee Wee. Then, Lt. Cmdr. Geirid Morgan, a t…

Republican and Democrats in Congress must agree on a short-term spending bill before the government runs out of money on Friday night NBC's Scott Wong gives us the latest on negotiations. And, as people remember Roberta Flack, we meet the songwriter who wrote the lyrics to "Killing Me Softly": Lori Lieberman. Then, Mississippi mother Brandy Moore u…

A recent report from Gallup found that one in five people across the world said they felt lonely on a daily basis. People are lonely in every aspect of their lives — at home, in social settings, and at work. Researcher Constance Hadley joins us to discuss isolation at work. Then, losing your job can be devastating and overwhelming. Career coach Eli…