Here & Now

As Iran and Israel continue to lob airstrikes at each other, civilian casualties are climbing in both countries. Negar Mortazavi from the Center for International Policy shares how Iran sees the escalating conflict. And, authorities in Minnesota have arrested a suspect in the killing of State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the shootings of State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. Minnesota Public Radio's Matt Sepic joins us. Then, Meta is pursuing artificial "superintelligence." It bought a 49% stake in Scale AI for $14.3 billion. Ina Fried, chief technology correspondent for Axios, explains more about Meta's race to create a more powerful AI.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Apple sent engineers to China to make its sophisticated products cheaply. The company sent engineers to train workers and paid for expensive specialized equipment at factories there. This helped push China to become the world's leader in high-tech electronics manufacturing and helped Apple create the iPhone, one of the most iconic products of the 21st century. Patrick McGee, author of "Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company," explains how China and Apple have become entwined.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rev. Zachary Hoover explains what's motivating protesters to go out and oppose the Trump administration's immigration raids in Los Angeles. And, in 2016, the Mississippi River punched a hole in the Len Small levee, built in 1943 to protect farmland along an S-shaped curve in the river known as Dogtooth Bend. That hole was never repaired. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports on how some farmers in the area have had to give up their land. Then, Brian Wilson, the visionary force behind the Beach Boys, died at 82. Host Robin Young reflects on his life, legacy and musical impact.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Trump administration has deployed a military presence to Los Angeles amid protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Retired 4-star General Barry McCaffrey explains his concerns about how Trump is using the armed forces in an American city. And, as Trump's tax bill makes its way through the Senate, the food assistance program SNAP could see cuts. Pamela Irvine, CEO of Feeding Southwest Virginia, details how the work her food bank does might be be impacted. Then, in 2019, the sandbag levee protecting Anderson Jones' home failed, letting floodwaters seep past the barrier. After a years-long journey, Jones is back at home. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports on the rebuilding process and how a new pump project could mitigate future floods.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The ongoing protests in Los Angeles started after immigration raids and workplace arrests in the city. The Wall Street Journal's Michelle Hackman explores the decision-making that led the Trump administration to carry out recent immigration actions. And, hundreds of scientists with the National Institutes of Health have signed a letter calling to protect biomedical science from what they called forced politicization by the Trump administration around important research. Jenna Norton, a researcher with the NIH and one of the organizers behind this letter, explains more. Then, in 2019, an unrelenting flood swamped more than half a million acres in the Mississippi Delta's Yazoo Backwater. It took more than six months to recede. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports on a pumping station project that could protect against destruction from future floods.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump ordered the Pentagon to send around 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration raids in the city. Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, explains the legal implications. Trump ignored California Gov. Gavin Newsom's objections to deploying the National Guard. The last time a president called in the National Guard without the governor's approval was in 1965 during the Selma march. Historian Julian Zelizer explains more. Then, John Ruskey calls the Mississippi River "a creative force" that sculpts the landscape and rejuvenates the people who experience it up close. But climate change is making that force stronger and more destructive. Here & Now's Chris Bentley took a canoe ride with Ruskey and reports on the future of the river.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The federal trial of media mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs is ending its fourth week. Combs faces charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. We get the latest from the Washington Post's Samantha Chery. Then, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, the Kenyan writer who is considered to be one of the founders of African literature, died last week at the age of 87. Kenyan writer Dennis Mugaa joins us. And, the blockbuster hit "Jaws" would not have been possible without the support of locals on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. A new exhibit on the island celebrates the helping hands that made the film come to life 50 years ago. WBUR's Andrea Shea reports.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump signed a proclamation Wednesday to ban nationals of 12 countries from entering the U.S. One of those countries is Afghanistan, where thousands of Afghans helped the U.S. military fight its 20-year war there. Zia Ghafoori, a former interpreter for the U.S. military, and Shawn Van Diver, founder and president of AfghanEvac, a group that helps resettle Afghans, join us. Then, two food distribution sites have reopened in Gaza after violence in the region temporarily shut them down. UNICEF's James Elder joins us from on the ground in Gaza. And, researchers are praising the results of two studies that used immunotherapy to fight one of the most difficult-to-treat types of brain cancer, glioblastoma. We hear from STAT's Angus Chen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ms. Rachel became a YouTube star with her educational videos for toddlers. Now, she's getting attention and some pushback over her advocacy for children in Gaza.Ms. Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Accurso, tells us why she's willing to risk her career to stand up for children in war-torn Gaza.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nearly 1,500 migrants in Massachusetts have been arrested by immigration officials over the past month. Federal agents say most were criminals, but many were not, including 18-year-old high school student Marcelo Gomes Da Silva. WBUR's Simón Rios explains more. And, Ukraine launched a major drone attack on airbases in Russian territory over the weekend. Peace talks followed in Turkey, but yielded little progress. Siobhan O'Grady of the Washington Post shares a view from Ukraine. Then, bird flu has wiped out nearly six million chickens at Hickman's Family Farms in Arizona. Glenn Hickman, president and CEO of Hickman's Family Farms, details the impact on one of Southwest's largest egg producers.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri was arrested in March by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while walking toward his Virginia home. The Trump administration has called him a threat to foreign policy, but Suri has not been charged with a crime and ICE agents never showed him a warrant. Suri speaks with Asma Khalid about his nearly two-month 'nightmare' detainment in facilities across Virginia, Louisiana and Texas, and why he still believes in American ideals.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Tens of thousands of researchers are out of work amid President Trump's ongoing purge of the federal workforce. One of those workers is Peggy Hall, a biologist who worked at the National Institutes of Health. Hall joins us with freelance reporter Virginia Gewin, who recently wrote about fired workers for Nature. And, a study from the Rochester Institute of Technology estimated more than 10,000 tons of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports on efforts to curb pollution, including a robot that combs the shores for trash. Then, the North American prairie is biologically diverse, but it's rapidly disappearing. In their book "Sea of Grass," Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty unpack the threats to the prairie and profile the people trying to save it.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement Wednesday that the State Department "will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields." NPR's Emily Feng joins us to explain what it means. Then, President Trump pardoned a man sentenced to tax fraud after his mother reportedly paid $1 million to attend a Trump fundraiser. Law professor Kim Wehle tells us more. And, a group of British climbers made it to the top of Mount Everest in a matter of days after they inhaled xenon gas. Mountaineer and Everest chronicler Alan Arnette talks about the controversial new way of climbing the world's tallest mountain.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rural hospital CEO Kevin Stansbury talks about what the Medicaid cuts being debated by lawmakers could mean to his 25-bed county-owned hospital in Hugo, Colorado. Then, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Tuesday that the CDC would no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children or healthy pregnant women. OBGYN Dr. Linda Eckert weighs in. And, landmark climate legislation from the Biden administration would be dismantled in the massive spending bill that House Republicans recently passed. Grist's Zoya Teirstein breaks down the potential impacts on renewable energy projects already underway.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR and three Colorado public radio stations filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging President Trump's executive order to bar federal funding from going to NPR and PBS. NPR's David Folkenflik explains more. And, the Trump administration on Tuesday ordered federal agencies to unwind all federal funding to Harvard University. Trump claims the university fosters antisemitism and stifles viewpoint diversity. Connor Murnane — campus advocacy chief of staff at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression — argues that Harvard's failures do not justify Trump's dramatic steps against the university. Then, if you've seen the hit TV show "Bridgerton," you've likely heard the musical stylings of the Vitamin String Quartet. The group reimagines pop songs as string instrument covers, and members Rachel Grace and Derek Stein share more about their musical journeys.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This year's National Teacher of the Year is wrapping up classes with her students and getting ready to embark on a yearlong tour to inspire fellow teachers around the country. Ashlie Crosson, an English teacher from Pennsylvania, joins us. Then, if you are feeling stressed about speaking in front of others, you can transform that pressure by playing with your voice. Performance coaches Michael Allison and Mathilde Shisko explain how vocal play exercises help build confidence. And, thousands of U.S. schools had their students race the clock to stack cups in gym class. Why? A former circus clown from Colorado holds the key. We hear from sport stacking royalty, Kit Fox.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The year 1963 was a watershed moment for civil rights, with Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Medgar Evers leading the movement. But rollbacks of civil rights and racial justice ideals abound in 2025. Author Peniel Joseph unpacks the progress made in 1963 and the political climate in the U.S. now that is undoing some of that progress. And, the new horror movie "Sinners," where Michael B. Jordan plays twin brothers who return to their Mississippi hometown after years working for the Chicago Mafia. The film is making waves in the box office, and author and professor Tananarive Due explains how it challenges ideas around the Black horror genre.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

On Wednesday, two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot and killed following an event at a Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Police say the suspect shouted "free Palestine" after being detained. We hear from Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, the organization that hosted the event that the victims were leaving when they were killed. Then, the Department of Justice is backing off plans to oversee policy changes at police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville. Louisville Public Media's Roberto Roldan joins us. And, the market for energy drinks is rapidly expanding with an emphasis on health and wellness. But that marketing may be misleading consumers about the health risks of energy drinks. STAT's Sarah Todd tells us more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This week, families of infants and toddlers rally in Washington, D.C., in favor of protecting Medicaid as the program faces potential cuts by President Trump and House Republicans. Two caregivers share their experiences: Jaid Greene, a mother from Colorado, and Felicia Harvelle, a grandmother from Virginia. And, Medicaid expert Adrianna McIntyre of Harvard University explains the impact of the program on mainly low-income families and people with disabilities. Then, kick off your summer reading with stories about family drama. Traci Thomas, host and creator of "The Stacks" podcast, shares her picks for fiction and nonfiction family-focused books.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Israel says it will start allowing some aid to flow back into Gaza after a nearly three-month blockade. UNRWA's Juliette Touma joins us. Then, researchers have come up with a device to take the guesswork out of a common breastfeeding challenge: figuring out how much your baby is actually drinking in real time. Dr. Jennifer Wicks tells us more. And, "Crazy Rich Asians" author Kevin Kwan talks about his novel "Lies and Weddings." The book centers around the family of an English earl and a former Hong Kong supermodel whose fortunes appear to depend on their son marrying money.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. We learn more about the disease and its treatments from Dr. William Dahut. Then, the FBI warned last week about what they call "an ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign" that uses artificial intelligence to impersonate U.S. government officials. Axios' Ina Fried joins us. And, a new study suggests chimps understand the specific medicinal properties of certain plants and will go out of their way to treat the maladies of their peers. Primatologist Elodie Freymann talks about these healthcare-related behaviors.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

New reporting from ProPublica finds the Trump administration is subtly changing the mission of a government agency tasked with helping migrants and protecting kids who cross the border alone. We hear from investigative reporter Lomi Kriel. Then, Author Anthony Horowitz is out with a new book that takes jabs at mystery novels, while still being a great mystery read. He talks about "Marble Hall Murders." And, Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, who front the band Lucius, join us. They're currently on tour behind their new self-titled album, which came out May 2.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Supreme Court has been hearing arguments about President Trump's executive order trying to end birthright citizenship, which has been paused by numerous federal courts. Law professor and former U.S. attorney Kim Wehle joins us. Then, Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, explains why he thinks House leaders should cut more from the spending plan they are drawing up, and why it won't pass in the U.S. Senate if they don't. And, the Trump administration reduced tariffs against China from 145% to 30% over the weekend. The lowered rate elapses after 90 days. One board game designer is still suing the administration over its ability to levy these tariffs and argues that the trade chaos is hurting his industry. We hear from Jamey Stegmaier, president of Stonemaier Games.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The U.S. and China have agreed to a 90-day pause on steep tariffs, though products from China will still be taxed at 30%. Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, shares what he's seeing as businesses navigate an uncertain trade climate. And, President Trump is in Qatar, the second stop on his trip in the Middle East. But Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy calls the trip a "public corruption tour," citing a number of personal business interests Trump has in the region. Then, as part of his trip, Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and announced the U.S. planned to lift sanctions on Syria. NPR international correspondent Aya Batrawy explains more about Trump's Middle East tour.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The trial of Sean Combs, the media mogul known as Diddy, is underway. Claudia Rosenbaum, a freelance writer for Vulture who is covering the proceedings, joins us. Then, dozens of white South Africans landed outside of Washington on Monday after the Trump administration granted them refugee status. Journalist Kate Bartlett tells us why President Trump is welcoming them into the U.S. And, a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that fewer than half of Americans trust the government to respond to disease outbreaks, act independently, or ensure the safety of drugs and vaccines. For more on the state of public health, we speak to Dr. Katherine O'Brien, the director of the immunization, vaccines and biologicals department at the World Health OrganizationLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The U.S. and China have agreed to a ceasefire in a trade war that has rippled across the global economy, with both nations slashing tariffs for the next 90 days as trade negotiations continue. Cornell University's Eswar Prasad explains more. And, President Trump will soon visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Jon Gambrell, Gulf and Iran news director for the Associated Press, shares a view from the region. Then, Qatar has proposed a deal to gift the Trump administration a new jumbo jet to serve as Air Force One. Don Fox, former acting director of the Office of Government Ethics, explains the ethical concerns.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Street Journal's Joanna Stern wore one for 3 months and shares more. Then, YouTube is officially 20 years old. Author Mark Bergen joins us to reflect on the video-sharing platform.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 deal since Trump imposed tariffs on a host of countries. We outline the details of the deal with The Financial Times' Rana Foroohar. Plus, officials from the United States and China are meeting in Switzerland this weekend for the first talks since the Trump administration jacked up tariffs on Chinese imports to 145% and China responded with 125% tariffs on U.S. goods last month. China expert Elizabeth Economy talks about the trade war. And, a federal judge is warning the Trump administration against its plans to deport migrants in the U.S. to Libya. Abdulkader Assad, senior political editor at the Libya Observer, tells us more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 it an act of war. Milan Vaishnav of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace explains what's at stake for the two countries. Then, President Trump reportedly plans to shut down Energy Star, a program that has helped consumers find energy-efficient appliances since 1992. Grist's Tik Root tells us what the move could mean.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Cercek joins us to discuss. And, Black Dandyism and superfine tailoring took the stage at Monday night's annual Met Gala. Jonathan Square, an adviser to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, talks about what this celebration of traditional Black fashion means in our cultural and political moment.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 and aid supplies. CNN's Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond shares more. Then, a U.S. official tells NPR Ukraine is getting more military support as the Trump administration sends a Patriot air-defense system to the country from Israel. Ukraine-based foreign policy analyst Hanna Shelest tells us what the move means.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 book has just been announced as a finalist in the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Non-Fiction. And, when his wife, the fashion designer Anna Huling, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in her forties, author Stephen Sicliano began documenting the beautiful settings and local trips the couple and their son took around their Southern California home. Stephen eventually turned it into a book called "Three Surfin' Safari Summers."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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, designed to keep sewage out of the Thames River. Then, Here & Now's James Mastromarino discusses three surprising video game hits: an unexpected remaster of "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion," the French RPG "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33," and indie puzzle game "Blue Prince."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 check in with two people who voted for Trump. We hear from Jordan Willey and Tracey Danka.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 signed an executive order targeting federal funding for "sanctuary cities". Reporter Gino Fanelli explains more. Then, it has been 80 years since the liberation of Hitler's concentration camps. Elly Gotz, a 97-year-old survivor of Germany's Dachau, and Dan Stone of the Holocaust Research Institute join us.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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. The Trump administration did away with a program to track and combat the issue. Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, tells us more. And, author Chris Whipple talks about the role that President Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles has played in Trump's action-packed second-term honeymoon period.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 investing in advanced water purification technology. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports on scientists who are turning wastewater into drinking water. Then, desalination — pulling fresh, drinkable water from saltwater— can offer some relief in areas facing water shortages. Robert Bergstrom, CEO of OceanWell, explains how the company's desalination pods work. And mechanical engineer Amos Winter details how his team uses an electrodialysis system to purify groundwater.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Shankar talks about her new mini album "Chapter III: We Return to Light," her legacy, and her connection to her late father, sitar legend Ravi Shankar.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 maintain that standard. NBC News' Suzy Khimm shares what the impact could be. Then, climate change is impacting water supplies around the world. But desalination — pulling fresh, drinkable water from saltwater— can offer some relief. OceanWell CEO Robert Bergstrom and MIT mechanical engineer Amos Winter join us to share more on their work with desalination.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 trip to El Salvador to demand the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported there in March. Then, Joliet, Illinois, is in a long-standing water crisis. A pipeline from nearby Lake Michigan could solve it, but it also opens up a host of other questions about who can drink water from the Great Lakes. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 levels dwindle, some cities are looking for alternative ways to curb water shortages. Some are turning wastewater into drinkable water with advanced water purification technology. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 administration's tariffs are strangling game designers. Gwen Ruelle and Sam Bryant, co-owners of Runaway Parade Games, join us. Then, struggling to pay for groceries? Financial coach Allison Bishop joins us to discuss her tips on how to navigate rising grocery prices.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy