The nation continues to react to the unexpected death of South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham was a veteran politician, a dealmaker and military hawk. He was also one of President Trump’s staunchest critics before his election, only to become one of Trump’s close allies on Capitol Hill after his victory.


Former Republican Senator Jeff Flake served alongside Graham from 2013-2019, and said he and Graham were "friends to the end," despite moments of tension and disagreement. Flake weighs in on what will be Sen. Graham's legacy. 

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This episode was produced by Henry Larson, with audio engineering by Peter Ellena.
It was edited by Michael Levitt.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.


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For this week’s Reporter’s Notebook, we’re listening back with Jackie Northam, one of NPR’s longest-serving international correspondents, about how she became a journalist, what kept her going, and why some stories never really left her.

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July has brought a lot of changes to how the federal government handles student loans.

They include how much students are able to borrow.

And now, the government is assessing loans through a test: Based on how much money students make after graduating.

Could this change what students plan to study and the professions they enter?


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This episode was produced by Jeffrey Pierre, Zephyr Weinreich and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams.

It was edited by Nicole Cohen, William Troop and Tinbete Ermyas.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.

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What a difference three weeks makes.

It’s been about that long since the US and Iran agreed on a framework to end their war, but this week that changed.

President Trump said on Wednesday that the ceasefire is 'over' - and both sides have expressed deep mistrust in one another. 

Is diplomacy still possible?

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This episode was produced by Kathryn Fink and Tyler Bartlam.

It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Tinbete Ermyas.

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Heading into this week's NATO summit, the big agenda item was the future of the defense alliance and how President Trump would engage with it.

But on Tuesday, the US struck Iran dozens of times, with President Trump saying that the ceasefire between the US and Iran is "over."

At a meeting that was supposed to be about the unity of the transatlantic alliance, a conflict that’s further strained US-European relations has flared up again. 

How did we get here?
 

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This episode was produced by Jason Fuller, Zephyr Weinreich and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane and Hannah Gluvna.

Our director is Jonas Adams.

It was edited by Christopher Intagliata and Tinbete Ermyas.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.


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US Senate candidate Graham Platner's campaign has been thrown into chaos.

On Monday, Politico reported an allegation of sexual assault from Platner's former girlfriend. Platner has denied the claim.

The accusations have led to cratering support from prominent Democrats for his candidacy, in a race that is important for Democrats' ambitions to take back the Senate in November.

What's next for Platner and this key Senate race?


For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

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This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane.

Our director is Jonas Adams.

It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Tinbete Ermyas.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.

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FIFA's Disciplinary Committee suspended US striker Folarin Balogun's one-game red card ban in exchange for a probationary period of one year.

The decision was announced after President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked him to review the red card.

The suspended red card means Balogun can play in Monday night's win-or-go-home match in Seattle versus Belgium.

But the decision has faced harsh criticism from fans and The Union of European Football Associations, which said the red card suspension "crossed a red line."

What does the red card debacle tell us about political interference in elite soccer?


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This episode was produced by Jeffrey Pierre and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane and Tiffany Vera Castro.

Our director is Kai McNamee.

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Or interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.

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An historic and dramatic shift is underway for NATO. As it tries to adapt to increasingly complex global threats and as the U.S. changes its priorities, there’s a push to create a more European NATO. David M. Cattler of the Center for European Policy Analysis talks about what to expect at this week's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at [email protected].

This episode was produced by Daniel Ofman.

It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our director is Michael Levitt.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.

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The town of Primm, Nevada was once a thriving tourist destination.

Located on the Nevada-California border, the town has seen a sharp decline in tourism and has become like a ghost town, due in part to the proliferation of casinos across the country.

Now, one family wants to revive Primm's glory days. But how?


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This episode was produced by Erika Ryan and Tyler Bartlam.

It was edited by Christopher Intagliata and Tinbete Ermyas.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.

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It's been more than one week since twin earthquakes devastated northern Venezuela.

As of Wednesday, the death toll from the earthquakes had soared to nearly 2,300 people, with more than 11,000 people injured, according to Venezuela's government.

But behind the staggering numbers are the stories of people trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after a devastating event.

NPR follows people as they search for loved ones in the aftermath of the earthquake.


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This episode was produced by Jeffrey Pierre, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Elena Burnett.

It was edited by Tara Neill and Tinbete Ermyas.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.

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According to recent financial disclosures, President Trump made more than $1 billion from his crypto ventures in 2025.

That means President Trump earned more money in 2025 from crypto than he did from his real estate investments that took decades to build. 

How did he pull this off?


This episode was produced by Michelle Aslam and Tyler Bartlam. 

It was edited by Christopher Intagliata and Tinbete Ermyas.

Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.

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