Podcasts about public media

For many Americans, Public Media is the home of NPR, PBS, and is synonymous with the likes of Mr. Rogers, Elmo, and Ken Burns documentaries. It is also a crucial resource for local journalism, discourse, and even emergency alerts. In July 2025, the Rescissions Act of 2025 was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump, cutting all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting-which will close its doors in January 2026. The hardest hit are smaller market, rural, and tribal stations, some of which are seeing the loss of public safety grants intended to support disaster-prone regions of the nation. What are the impacts of these cuts? And what efforts are underway to support the most at-risk public media organizations?

“There was this huge divide in, like, social grouping and connection … No one really talked to each other.”“Making friends at the high school wasn't really my priority because I felt like I had nothing in common with them at all.”“I think the closer we got to graduation, the more it kind of came out.” “Financial class absolutely affects everything beyond financial class in the classroom. Absolutely it does.”In this episode, a series of recent grads from Middlebury Union High School in Addison County wrestle with class differences among classmates — and how those differences shaped their experiences there.One of those grads is winning question-asker Ari Graham-Gurland from Middlebury, who asked the question at the heart of this story: “How does socioeconomic diversity affect classroom dynamics in high school?”Find the web version of this story here.This episode was reported by Sabine Poux, with editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: Burgess Brown, Camila Van Order González and Josh Crane. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Stephanie Sherman and Ariell Slater.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network. 

WPSU-TV and radio will become part of Philadelphia-based WHYY, under a plan Penn State trustees unanimously approved Monday. There is also news affecting this media organization. Ron Hetrick, President and CEO of WITF, on Monday announced his resignation, effective immediately. Thousands of student teachers statewide are without pay as they wait for Pennsylvania lawmakers to agree on a budget. State officials are reminding Pennsylvanians we are now in the fall wildfire season. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn encourages people to practice safe habits when burning debris or building a campfire. Pennsylvania is investing more than $5.7 million in state money for the preservation of 24 farms across the state. Public media's federal funding has been revoked. Your support is now more vital than ever. Help power the independent journalism and trusted programming you find on WITF by making a gift of support now at www.witf.org/givenow.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's ties with Southeast Asia states are increasingly consequential for regional stability and global geopolitics. Over the past two decades, China has become the region's largest trading partner and a major source of investment and infrastructure financing. At the same time, China growing military presence and aggressive behavior in the South China Sea have caused anxiety and have prompted a number of Southeast Asian nations to seek closer security ties with the United States and other partners.  The Trump administration's policies of imposing tariffs, reducing foreign assistance, and implementing stricter immigration regulations have begun to erode US influence across the region, further encouraging Southeast Asian countries to rely on each other and to diversify their relationships with external partners.    To discuss Beijing's evolving approach to Southeast Asia and the efficacy of its policies, we are joined on the podcast today by Dr. Chong Ja Ian. He is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore and a nonresident fellow at Carnegie China. Ian's research focuses on Chinese politics, foreign policy, and US-China relations. Timestamps[00:00] Intro[01:50] China's Tools and Objectives in SEA[03:02] Economic Relations with SEA[05:52] Success and Failures of Beijing's SEA Strategy[07:47] Regional Media and Influence[11:40] SEA Views on China: Consensus and Discord[14:55] Regional Strategy Post-Trump[18:22] SEA Reactions to China Taking Taiwan by Force[22:40] Crisis Planning and How it Could Change[24:10] Long-Term Outlooks for China-SEA Relations 

Synopsis, Laura's Commentary:  As billionaires buy up our newsrooms and Congress defunds public media, the stakes for democracy couldn't be higher. If we don't reinvent and reinvest in independent media now, it may soon be too late.  For the transcript of this commentary and more articles by Laura subscribe to Substack.Watch Laura's interview with Documented NY's Labor Reporter Amir Khafagy and Capital B's Rural Issues Reporter Aallyah Wright on Laura Flanders & Friends on YouTube, or PBS stations and hear their take on commercial coverage of the NYC Mayor's race and anti-Black rule changes at USDA, or listen to past commentaries and full uncut interviews through subscribing to this free podcast.  Related Episode Information:  Documented NY's Labor Reporter Amir Khafagy and Capital B's Rural Issues Reporter Aallyah Wright- Watch: YouTube  Listen:  Episode & Full Uncut Conversation available wherever you get your podcasts. Full Episode Notes are located HERE.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

"In the Moment" sits down with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the leadership of public media organizations in Nebraska, Iowa and North Dakota.

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with MPR President Duchesne Drew about the future of local journalism and public media in the wake of government funding cuts. They talk about how MPR News is adapting, what's at stake for communities and what he thinks it will take for public media to survive and thrive.Guest:Duchesne Drew is senior vice president at American Public Media Group and president of Minnesota Public Radio. He leads the teams that produce MPR News, The Current, APM Reports and YourClassical MPR.Editors note: MPR receives money from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. When reporting on the business of MPR and public media, we do so independently from news executives and do not let them review material before it runs. 

We're taking you into newsrooms at community radio stations around the country. Federal funding, a critical resource for these news rooms is no longer. What does that mean for the local news listeners tune in to hear and the people behind the scenes producing it?We start nearly 800 miles away, gaining about 4,000 feet in elevation with a community radio newsroom that has developed a reputation for fastidious reporting. In 2025, the desk received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and two honors from the Public Media Journalists Association. We speak to Sophia Boyd-Fliegel (Managing Editor at KHOL in Jackson, Wy).Photo Caption: Senior Reporter Dante Filpula Ankney (left), Managing Editor Sophia Boyd-Fliegel, Executive Director Emily Cohen and Reporter Jenna McMurtry critique a recent episode of KHOL's podcast on local news, music and culture, Jackson Unpacked. 

This fall marks a turning point for public-media outlets across the country. As of Oct. 1, federal funding for PBS, NPR and their local stations stopped. This $1.1 billion cut — a directive from the Trump administration — triggered widespread job cuts, restructurings and closures of hundreds of outlets across the country.Radio Milwaukee is a public-media station, and as we begin our fall membership drive, we're feeling the impact — as are our sister stations across the state, like WXPR in northern Wisconsin.In this episode of Uniquely Milwaukee, host Kim Shine talks with WXPR CEO and general manager Jessie Dick about the impact of funding cuts, the value of public media – especially in rural communities – and how they're staying proactive.Radio Milwaukee's Fall Membership Drive goes through Oct. 10. You can donate now, and also reach out to us any time during the year to become a volunteer or to collaborate. --Episode host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

In this episode of the “Go Beyond Fundraising” podcast, we talk with Debbie Merlino, AGP's Executive Vice President of Client Relationships, to unpack the unprecedented funding challenges facing public media. With federal and state cuts reshaping station budgets, leaders are asking: what's next? Debbie shares how stations are navigating the immediate influx of donor support, the risks of relying on that short-term crisis giving, and the critical need to reframe this moment as a “new reality” rather than a temporary hurdle. She outlines strategies for sustaining momentum – stewardship that deepens trust, digital-first acquisition, and data-driven, mid-level upgrades that unlock donor potential. She talks about why closer collaboration among development, finance, and leadership is essential for resilience — and how proven tools like GivingDNA, staff augmentation, and AGP's Mid-Level Accelerator can help stations not only stabilize but thrive. Whether you lead a station, steward its donors, or build fundraising strategies, this conversation offers practical insights for moving beyond survival and into long-term growth.

There are five Great Lakes: Superior, Ontario, Michigan, Huron and Erie. But for a few fleeting weeks in the late 1990s, Lake Champlain made six.How did this happen? To answer that question from Erin Robbason of West Rutland, we pass the mic to our friends at Interlochen Public Radio and the podcast Point North for a story about Lake Champlain's brief and controversial stint as the sixth Great Lake.Find the web version of this story here.This episode was reported and produced by Ruth Abramovitz and Dan Wanschura. It was edited by Morgan Springer. Additional editing from Dan Wanschura, Ellie Katz and Claire Keenan-Kurgan.The Brave Little State team is Josh Crane, Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Our intern is Camila Van Order González. Our Executive Producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

As you know, public media is in a post-rescission world. With the loss of federal funding, public radio and television stations face big new problems and maybe new opportunities.

More than two months past Pennsylvania’s budget deadline, school districts across the state are grappling with uncertainty, borrowing costs, and the possibility of program cuts as they wait for billions in state funding. Also, on The Spark Weekly: At the heart of WITF’s mission to provide trusted news, cultural programming, and educational content lies a dedicated team working behind the scenes: the development department. Leading the charge is Elisa Balestra, Vice President of Philanthropy, who joined the station 11 months ago and has quickly immersed herself in connecting the community to the station’s mission.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Detrow, host of All Things Considered on NPR, discusses the effects of federal funding cuts to public media. Then, we revisit a conversation with Green Beret John Paluska.

We took a full-day detour to answer this question from Heather Channon of South Burlington: "Who is using all of the park-and-ride lots?"We spent 12 straight hours (yes, you read that correctly) at one of the busiest park and rides in the state, on one of the busiest travel days of the year, to find out. This is the story of our day — and all the people we met along the way. Check out photos from our experience, and a full episode transcript, in our web post. A big shoutout to a little-known podcast called This American Life, which has done two all-day (and all-night) episodes that inspired this piece: “24 Hours at the Golden Apple” and “Rest Stop.”This episode was reported and produced by Josh Crane, Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Our intern is Camila Van Order González. Our Executive Producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Elodie Reed, Amy Tatko, Tricia Roy, Jessica Fay, Betsy LeBlanc, Sara Walker, Robert Blandon, Terrance Sayers, Glenn Varricchione, Tricia Roy, Cliff Mix, Minda Stridsberg, Brendan Grahn, Jean Koegler, Brenda Rose, Pete Niarchos and everyone else we spoke to at the Richmond park and ride on Labor Day 2025. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network. 

A live broadcast town hall conversation about the local and national implications of a devastating federal funding cut to public broadcasting.

At the heart of WITF’s mission to provide trusted news, cultural programming, and educational content lies a dedicated team working behind the scenes: the development department. Leading the charge is Elisa Balestra, Vice President of Philanthropy, who joined the station 11 months ago and has quickly immersed herself in connecting the community to the station’s mission.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you know your neighborhood inside-out or you just moved and are getting to know the area, BirdNote adds another dimension to how you understand the place you live — by understanding the birds. Our hope is that by spreading knowledge about birds, BirdNote is helping you become more connected to your local ecosystems. A gift of any amount helps us continue to accomplish this goal.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. 

This summer, the U.S. Congress revoked more than $1 billion in previously allocated funding for public media. Because BirdNote provides its shows to stations for free, a gift to BirdNote has a multiplier effect: It helps produce a show you love and it helps provide free programming for the local public radio station you love.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. 

Every summer, we add a new chapter to our favorite annual tradition: investigating the origins of Vermont's strangest road names, as chosen by our listeners.This summer's crop included Horn of the Moon Road in East Montpelier, Scotch Hollow Road in Newbury and Goodenough Road in Brattleboro.Tune in to hear us raid town archives, chase down local lore… and spend an inordinate amount of time driving up and down the three roads in question (sorry, neighbors!) — all in the name of journalism. And don't miss the seven previous installments of this road-names-extravaganza. You can find them all here. This episode was reported by Burgess Brown, Lucia McCallum and Sabine Poux. Editing and additional production from Josh Crane. Our Executive Producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; Other music by Blue Dot Sessions and Universal Production Music.Special thanks to Craig Goodenough, Bill Holiday, Joe Rivers, Mary Collins, Aroline Putnam, Paul Cate, Steve Picazio, Karalyn Mark, Jessica Leal, Trina Magi, Olivia Campbell, Eric Anderson, Corinne Cooper, Jennifer Boyer, Sarah Wilds and Bob Nuner.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Today on AirTalk, LA sends out civilian response teams to certain 911 calls as part of a pilot program; a new report suggests that the Salton Sea is not as polluting as it seems; CA voters are pushing back on redistricting efforts; will philanthropy be able to save public media?; Pasadena's Humane Society has a new game plan and TV Talk. Today on AirTalk: City of LA's civilian response teams to 911 calls (0:15) The Salton Sea may not be as toxic as we think (11:06) Push back on Gov. Newsom's redistricting (22:54) Can philanthropy save public media? (43:01) Pasadena Humane's new game plan (53:44) TV Talk (1:04:25) Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Congress slashed funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, driving Boise State Public Radio to face a new reality. Host Lindsay Van Allen is joined by BSPR General Manager Tom Michael to break down what these historic cuts mean for the station and our state. Is this just the latest blow to Boise's shrinking media landscape, or a chance to reshape public media? Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you'll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning. We're doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We'd be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it's only 7 minutes long. You'll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast Boise swag. Learn more about the sponsor of this August 20th episode: Visit Walla Walla Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE. Reach us at boise@citycast.fm.

Starting this summer, Vermont farmers are some of the first in the nation to face major restrictions on neonicotinoids — a kind of pesticide widely used to treat corn and soy plants. In part, that's because neonics are killing honeybees.Quebec has had a similar law on the books for years. So we head north of the border to see what we can learn from our Canadian neighbors and answer this question from Curtis Mraz, of New Haven:“What is Vermont doing to protect our pollinators?”For a full transcript of this episode and photos from our reporting, check out our web post.This episode was reported by Sabine Poux. Editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: Burgess Brown and Josh Crane. Additional support from Ainslie McClellan, journalist at CBC Montreal and the host of a podcast called This is Montreal. Our intern is Lucia McCallum. Angela Evancie is our Executive Producer. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Abagael Giles, Howard Weiss-Tisman, Andrea Laurion, Laurie Kigonya, Todd Mallory, Seth Bedard, Noah Villamarin-Cutter, Valérie Fournier and Steve Dwinell. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network. 

The U.S. Congress cut federal funding for public media, shuttering the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. What does that mean for the future of local news across the country?

Today, we're sharing an episode of a podcast we really like. It's called Essential Salt, a show about connection, local storytelling and how getting to know your neighbors might change the way you see yourself. It's a collaboration between Maine Public and the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at the Maine College of Art and Design.In this episode, we get to know a famous figure who drew a city together while remaining completely anonymous. Then, we look at what being a good opponent at chess can teach us about building strong, long-lasting relationships.  As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

KYUK is the oldest Native American-owned radio station in the country. It broadcasts morning newscasts in both English and Yup'ik, the local Indigenous language, to 56 remote communities in Southwest Alaska. When there's a weather emergency or even just a local basketball game, these communities turn to KYUK for information. But soon, that could all change. Late last week, Congress passed a rescissions bill that claws back the money set aside for public broadcasting for the next two years. For KYUK, this money represents close to 70 percent of its entire budget. Without it, the station could go dark. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with KYUK's interim general manager, Kristin Hall, about what the loss of public media funding could mean for her community. Later, Elahe speaks with media reporter Scott Nover about how after decades of talking about defunding public media, Republicans finally made it happen. Today's episode was produced by Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Headlines for July 18, 2025; “Stunning Reversal”: Trump Stonewalls on Epstein Files After Campaigning on Full Transparency; Epstein Survivor Calls for Accountability: Release the Files, End Impunity for Rich & Powerful Abusers; Rep. Ro Khanna Pushes to Release All Epstein Files, Calls Gutting of Public Media “Devastating Blow”; Trump Cuts to Public Media Threaten Native Stations That Protect Culture & Public Health, Issue Alerts

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Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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Senate Republicans voted to take back billions of dollars in funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, President Trump has been threatening to fire Fed chair Jerome Powell before his term ends next year, and Israel launched airstrikes into Syria's capital of Damascus. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Gerry Holmes, Dana Farrington, Miguel Macias, Janaya Williams and Mohamad ElBardicy.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from David Greenburg. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Senate approved the Trump administration's rescission package today, which proposes taking back $9 billion in federal funding already allocated for programs such as public media and foreign aid. We'll get into the implications for the bipartisan nature of the budgeting process. Plus, we explain the latest development of a lawsuit against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and company leaders, which stems back to the 2018 privacy scandal involving Cambridge Analytica. Then, we'll smile at a piece of new technology that claims to shoot mosquitoes using lasers. And, do you believe in supernatural forces?Here's everything we talked about today:“Russ Vought: Appropriations process ‘has to be less bipartisan'” from POLITICO“The Appropriations Process Was Already Broken. The Rescission Bill May Have Just Shattered It.” from NOTUS“Meta investors, Zuckerberg reach settlement to end $8 billion trial over Facebook privacy litigation” from Reuters“This ‘Iron Dome' for mosquitoes shoots down bugs with lasers” from Fast Company“Angels, witches, crystals and black cats: How supernatural beliefs vary across different groups in the US” from The ConversationWe love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.