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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, Scott Tong and Deepa Fernandes with help from Producer Chris Bentley and the team at NPR and WBUR.

  • 27 minutes 31 seconds
    Israel blocks aid to Gaza as it pushes new ceasefire terms
    Israel has stopped humanitarian aid to Gaza as the first phase of the ceasefire deal expired this weekend. The Guardian's Julian Borger talks about why Israel has stopped that aid and ongoing negotiations with Hamas. Then, New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, discusses what he thinks needs to happen next in the U.S.-Ukraine relationship after Friday's disastrous meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. David Rennie, geopolitics editor at The Economist, tells us what Europe is doing to contain the fallout from Friday's meeting. And, the company JetWind Power harnesses the wind produced by airplanes to power airports. We speak with Dr. T.O. Souryal about how this technology works and the potential it has to create renewable energy.

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    3 March 2025, 7:43 pm
  • 34 minutes 44 seconds
    The loneliness cure: How 'third spaces' help people build connections
    A café. A dog park. A gym. A library. A playground. A bar. We often take these spaces for granted, but they're vital for fighting the loneliness epidemic. We look into how these spaces help people combat isolation and form new connections. And, birds serve as a guide for social advocacy and joy in Tracy O'Kane's memoir "Birding to Change the World." O'Kane explains her newfound passion for birding and how birds influence her activism. Then, the sea glass hunting community is robust and often marked by controversy over what constitutes as 'real' sea glass. Dave Lee Valle, a 'glasser' or sea glass collector, shares a look into the community.

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    28 February 2025, 3:43 pm
  • 31 minutes 32 seconds
    What to know about the Texas measles outbreak
    The country's first measles death in a decade was recorded Wednesday in Texas. Health and Human Services head Robert F. Kennedy Jr said Wednesday that the outbreak is not "unusual," something disputed by infectious disease experts such as Dr. Peter Hotez, who joins us. Then, the Trump administration says it's cutting 90% of USAID's foreign aid contracts, according to a White House internal memo and court filings first reported by the Associated Press. Bloomberg's Iain Marlow joins us to explain what's going on with the Agency for Foreign Development. And, the U.S. Agency for International Development providing food and humanitarian aid in Africa and other places is one example of U.S. soft power. Now that it has been dismantled by the Trump administration, some see a soft power void that China may fill. The New Yorker's Jay Caspian Kang tells us more. Plus, as February comes to an end, Here & Now's James Perkins Mastromarino shares the latest and greatest from the gaming world.

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    27 February 2025, 7:35 pm
  • 27 minutes 45 seconds
    Recent plane crashes spark anxiety. Flying is still safe
    Recent alarming close calls, near-collisions and fatal airline crashes have sparked worry in plane passengers. Transportation analyst Seth Kaplan explains that statistically, flying is no more dangerous than it has been in recent years. And, the U.S. rejected a UN resolution calling for Russia to immediately pull troops out of Ukraine this week. Ukrainian organizer Oleksandra Matviichuk talks about the three-year anniversary of the war. Then, Elon Musk said federal employees working remotely must return to their offices or be fired. Many have already been let go. Among them is a Fish and Wildlife Service worker, who joins us to share the economic costs of ending critical projects.

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    26 February 2025, 8:59 pm
  • 25 minutes 47 seconds
    The conservative case for Trump's new world order
    President Trump said this week that U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will go forward when a month-long suspension expires next week. Peter Navarro, Trump's senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, joins us to discuss Trump's trade agenda. Then, U.S. allies have been expressing frustration with some of President Trump's foreign policy moves: falsely blaming Ukraine for Russia's invasion and calling for U.S. control of the Panama Canal, Greenland and the Gaza Strip. Victoria Coates, former deputy national security adviser to Trump in his first term, talks about the world order in Trump's second administration. And, the Trump family has reportedly made nearly $80 million since the election, and that's not counting the crypto assets they've been pushing. Wall Street Journal reporter Rebecca Ballhaus joins us to discuss the Trump family's growing fortunes

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    25 February 2025, 9:07 pm
  • 22 minutes
    Former NATO chief says Putin 'won't stop' with Ukraine
    As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, President Trump is moving closer to Russia, rattling the United States' relationship with Europe and NATO. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen joins us to discuss. And, Elon Musk sent an email to federal workers on Saturday demanding they detail their weekly accomplishments or be fired. The Washington Post's Carol Leonnig details what's to come. Then, the Trump administration is trying to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What does that mean for you? Jill Schlesinger, CBS News business analyst, explains.

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    24 February 2025, 8:21 pm
  • 29 minutes 4 seconds
    The loneliness cure: How new apps are helping people combat isolation
    The United States is in an "epidemic of loneliness," according to the former U.S. surgeon general. The internet and social media have played a part in Americans suffering from isolation and mental health declines. But technology isn't all bad. We hear about apps that can help people make friends. Then, in her book "Do You Still Talk To Grandma?," Brit Barron explores what to do when the people we love have views and opinions that might be hurtful to us. She talks about empathy, the problems with social media and the hope for learning, open conversation and transformation. And, then nothing brings people together like food. Here & Now resident chef Kathy Gunst has been easing back into the kitchen after a tennis court fall sidelined her for over a month. She shares insights and a couple of simple recipes.

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    21 February 2025, 9:41 pm
  • 24 minutes 15 seconds
    Will Trump's IVF executive order lower costs?
    President Trump this week signed an executive order aimed at expanding access and reducing costs for people seeking in vitro fertilization treatments. The 19th's Shefali Luthra explains what that means. And, some Republicans are talking about cutting Medicaid access to pay for President Trump's proposed tax cuts. Former Ohio Medicaid director Barbara Sears Roshon details what that could mean for people who rely on the program. Then, a slew of recent plane crashes has escalated flying anxiety for many people. Psychologist Andrew Rosen offers some tips for dealing with stress around flying.

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    20 February 2025, 8:00 pm
  • 23 minutes 38 seconds
    Trump sides with Russia, tossing decades of U.S. foreign policy
    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says President Trump is spreading disinformation after Trump falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia. The comments come as the United States begins talks with Ukraine to end the war. Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges joins us from the former Soviet republic of Lithuania to talk about the shift in U.S. policy towards Russia. Then, one of the largest employers of people with disabilities in this country is the federal government. Now, disability advocates are worried the Trump administration's downsizing of this workforce will have a negative impact that could take decades to make up for. Maria Town, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, joins us. And, we're marking Black History Month by looking at the impact of Black artists on popular music over four decades. As we rewind to the 2000s, it seems only proper to focus on Missy Elliott. Author Clover Hope talks about Elliott's impact.

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    19 February 2025, 8:46 pm
  • 24 minutes 51 seconds
    Mass government firings leave workers 'disappointed,' 'heartbroken,' 'afraid'
    The Trump administration has fired thousands of federal workers in recent days. We speak to one of them: Nina Emlemdi, who worked in a division of the Department of Education. And, Lizz Wright always dreamed of performing at the Kennedy Center. But just as she was about to take the stage this week, she learned of President Trump's takeover of the famed arts institution. She explains how she approached the performance. Then, a poll shows that for about 30% of Americans, voice notes are a crucial and intimate way of connecting with other people. Colorado State University's Natalie Pennington joins us to explain the allure of the voice note.

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    18 February 2025, 8:16 pm
  • 25 minutes 8 seconds
    Federal layoffs hit National Parks, veterans' health care and more
    Thousands of federal workers have lost their jobs in recent days. The Washington Post's Lisa Rein talks about the impact of the Trump administration's big cuts to the federal workforce. Then, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine will not recognize any peace agreements made without its participation, as top Russian and American officials arrive in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending the war in his country. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, joins us to discuss. And, the January fires in the Los Angeles area devastated communities across Southern California. Among the worst hit was the historic Black community of Altadena. Residents Adonis Jones Jr. and his daughter Rochele Jones discuss their community's history and loss.

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    17 February 2025, 7:53 pm
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