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Here & Now Anytime

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

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

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@hereandnow

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Episodes
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25 at 250: Lowriders and the flight suit that opened the skies for Black pilots

4/3/2026
Lowriders have long turned city streets into moving works of art. Now, a new exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution is tracing the history of lowriding from its roots in Chicano communities to its influence on art and activism. Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, talks about perhaps the most famous lowrider of all time, "Gypsy Rose." Then, in 1939, a Black aviator named Chauncey Spencer flew in a fragile biplane from Chicago to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Black representation among military pilots. Smithsonian curator Joseph Abel tells the story of that journey and the impact it made. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:15:56

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The energy crisis that may be coming for the U.S.

4/2/2026
While gas prices across the country have skyrocketed since the start of the war with Iran, the U.S. has been relatively insulated from Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. European and Asian countries haven’t been as lucky. But CNN’s Rana Foroohar said the energy crisis affecting them is likely to hit the U.S., too. And, a key panel approved President Trump's plans for a new ballroom. The vote came days after a federal judge ordered the project to stop until Congress signed off on it. The Washington Post's Dan Diamond explains more. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:15:48

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What happens if the U.S. pulls out of NATO?

4/1/2026
President Trump is threatening to pull out of NATO, calling the alliance a "paper tiger." Trump and NATO allies in Europe have been at odds since his first term, but the relationship hit a new low following Trump's decision in late February to go to war in Iran without first consulting them. Now, Trump is criticizing allies for not helping the U.S. military. Julianne Smith, former ambassador to NATO under the Biden administration, joins us. Then, the Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday on President Trump's executive order that attempts to end birthright citizenship, which makes almost every child born in the U.S. a citizen. In an unprecedented move, Trump sat in on the oral arguments. We speak with Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow at the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute, and Kim Wehle, former assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. And, Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that seeks to create a national list of citizens who are eligible to vote in each state, and then directs the U.S. Postal Service to only send mail-in ballots to verified voters. But election experts and state officials in Arizona and Oregon say the order is unconstitutional. We hear from Rick Hasen, director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:21:08

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Will Trump end Iran war without opening the Strait of Hormuz?

3/31/2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “not just a U.S. problem set.” NPR’s Tom Bowman weighs in on whether President Trump will wind down the war in Iran without reopening the narrow waterway through which a quarter of the world's oil travels. Then, the National Mall has become a stage for the deep division between the Trump administration and its many critics. Recently, artwork ridiculing President Trump appeared in front of the Lincoln Memorial. NPR’s Frank Langfitt explains more. And, NASA’s Artemis II will launch on Wednesday, sending four astronauts around the moon. Purdue University professor Briony Horgan explains the significance of this journey, which will send humans farther into space than they’ve ever gone before. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:18:25

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TSA agents are getting paid again. One union leader says it's not enough

3/30/2026
The Trump administration came through on its promise to pay Transportation Security Administration workers, with officers receiving a deposit into their accounts on Monday. But Aaron Barker, local AFGE union leader, explains how his first paycheck in weeks was lacking. Then, along with the war Israel and the U.S. are waging in Iran, Israel has been striking southern Lebanon. Reporter Borzou Daragahi details how the war is expanding across the Middle East. And, college is expensive. Is a four-year degree still worth it? And what can you do to save money for when that acceptance letter comes? CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger answers those questions and more. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:17:34

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Nevada residents facing economic hardship want mining boom, affordable housing

3/27/2026
More than 100 years ago, miners in Tonopah, Nev., risked their lives to pull a fortune of silver and gold from the nearby mountains. The mines are quiet now, but Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd visited the town of a little more than 2,000 people to learn why residents are betting that another boom is on the horizon. Then, O’Dowd heads to Las Vegas to understand the “desperate cry” for affordable housing there as real estate prices surge, but wages in the city's multi-billion-dollar hotel and gaming industry remain stagnant. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:26:26

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The whistleblower who thinks change is coming to social media

3/26/2026
You might be cynical about the size of awards this week in two trials looking at social media harm against children. But Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says rulings against Meta and Google could signal a larger trend. She joins us. Then, the war with Iran is having massive ripple effects across the Middle East. Princeton University's Bernard Haykel explains how Iran's neighbors across the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, see the war. And, Corpus Christi, Texas, is weeks away from a potential water emergency, with reservoirs below 10% and demand outpacing supply. KEDT's Spencer Cihak talks about who gets water in Texas and what happens when there isn’t enough. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:19:24

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Why NM Meta child safety verdict could be 'first crack in the dam'

3/25/2026
In a first-of-its-kind verdict, a jury in New Mexico found Meta hid what it knew about child exploitation on its social media platforms. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez explains how the company misled children and teenagers about the safety of Facebook and Instagram. Then, the Department of the Interior is paying a French energy company nearly $1 billion to stop plans to build an offshore wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean. Grist staff writer Jake Bittle details why the Trump administration is so against wind energy. And, the war in Iran continues to harm energy markets around the world. Samantha Gross, director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at the Brookings Institution, discusses the long-term effect. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:24:43

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Could Iran be the next 'forever' war?

3/24/2026
President Trump says there is a good chance for a deal to end the war in Iran, but Iran has denied that any peace talks are happening. Wendy Sherman, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, details the state of affairs. Then, traders bet hundreds of millions of dollars on oil contracts before Trump announced the U.S. would pause strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure. Roben Farzad discusses why some observers are questioning whether insider trading is at play. And, the Supreme Court is considering the legality of a policy that bars migrants at the border from entering the U.S. and applying for asylum. The Wall Street Journal’s Michelle Hackman explains more. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:20:34

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Is Cuba about to collapse?

3/23/2026
A former top American official in Cuba discusses whether President Trump's pressure campaign on Havana could lead to the collapse of the country's communist leadership. Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, who was charge d'affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Havana from 2015 to 2017, joins us. Then, the war with Iran is costing the U.S. tens of billions of dollars as it enters its fourth week. The Harvard Kennedy School's Linda Bilmes joins us to discuss the long-term economic costs. And, after 24 years as an immigration officer with the Department of Homeland Security, Eric O’Denius is now training to be a paralegal on immigration cases as enforcement has grown broader and more aggressive. We talk with O'Denius about his journey from deportation officer to paralegal. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:23:16

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25 at 250: Costumes from ‘The Wiz’ and the car that changed America

3/20/2026
“The Wiz” premiered on Broadway a little more than 50 years ago, reimagining a classic American story, “The Wizard of Oz,” as an all-Black production filled with gospel, funk and soul music. Dwandalyn Reece from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, shares the story of one of the show’s iconic costumes, worn by André De Shields, who played “The Wiz” himself. And, the Ford Model T first hit the road in the early 1900s. Kathleen Franz from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History explains how the car not only changed transportation, but nearly all facets of American life. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:18:56

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Why Iran and Israel are targeting energy facilities

3/19/2026
Iran launched attacks on the world's biggest liquefied natural gas complex in Qatar on Thursday. These strikes are in retaliation for Israel's attack on a major natural gas field in Iran. NPR's Aya Batrawy shares the latest. Then, AP's Cristiana Mesquita explains what life is like now in Cuba, where there's an energy shortage, frequent blackouts and an uncertain future. President Trump pledged to do "something with Cuba very soon," and the island's socialist government vowed to resist any U.S. aggression. And, more than a month into the shutdown, Transportation Security Administration officers are still working without pay. Christine Vitel, a TSA officer at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and executive vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 777, shares the conditions workers are facing. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:20:40

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What China thinks of Trump's war with Iran

3/18/2026
President Trump was scheduled to go to China for a summit in Beijing at the end of the month, but he has postponed the trip to focus on the Middle East. Professor David Lampton explains China’s interests in the conflict and the significance of a U.S.-China meeting. Then, Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday in protest of the war in Iran, saying the country posed “no imminent threat to the U.S.” Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey explains the significance of the departure. And, the Wall Street Journal reports Amazon plans to cut back on how many packages it sends through the U.S. Postal Service. Roben Farzad of the Full Disclosure podcast explains what this could mean for the Postal Service’s already fragile financial situation. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:20:16

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War is deadly. Why is Trump turning it into a meme?

3/17/2026
Israel says it killed two of Iran’s highest-ranking leaders in an airstrike on Monday night. And President Trump is bashing allies for declining to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed. Jon Finer, former principal deputy national security advisor to former President Joe Biden, joins us to discuss what this means for potential diplomacy in this war. Then, artificial intelligence is playing an important role in the war in Iran. We look at how it's being used and how it is changing warfare with Paul Scharre of the Center for a New American Security. And, the internet is full of memes around the ongoing war, many made and posted by the White House account on X. Nottingham Trent University's Tine Munk weighs in on the objective of these memes. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:23:18

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Why U.S. allies are saying 'no' to Trump

3/16/2026
As the war in Iran enters its third week, the Straight of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with Iran blocking oil tankers from moving through. This has caused oil and gas prices to skyrocket. Now, President Trump is demanding U.S. allies help reopen it. Journalist Negar Mortazavi details the latest in the war. Then, new artificial intelligence-powered headsets will give Burger King workers a "friendliness score" based on their customer interactions. Law professor Ifeoma Ajunwa unpacks the ethical questions surrounding this type of workplace surveillance. And, the Irish music scene in Japan is growing, and O'Jizo is one of the bands driving it. WBUR's Amelia Mason reports on the band’s contemporary grooves and inventive arrangements. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:18:52

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Oscars: ‘Sinners,’ ‘Sentimental Value’ and ‘Hamnet’ vie for Best Picture and more

3/13/2026
"Sinners”, the horror film that blends blues music, history and vampires, is up for a record-breaking 16 Academy Awards. One of those nominations is for the new Best Casting category. Casting director Francine Maisler joins us. Then, the Norwegian film “Sentimental Value” is up for nine Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Co-writer and director Joachim Trier joins us to discuss the film. And, “Hamnet,” based on Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel of the same name, is nominated for eight awards. Director Chloe Zhao, who co-wrote the screenplay with O’Farrell, and Jessie Buckley, who stars as William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes, join us. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:30:39

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What swing voters think of the war in Iran

3/12/2026
Radin Yad was born in Iran and now lives in Europe. He shares what he's hearing from his family in Tehran and how he views the U.S. and Israeli war against his country. Then, we hear about how swing voters in Michigan are viewing the war in Iran from Rich Thau, who runs the firm Engagious, which hosts focus groups for the Swing Voter Project. And, singer-songwriter David Archuleta joins us to discuss his new memoir, “Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself.” Archuleta first rose to fame as a teenager when he came in second place on the seventh season of "American Idol." In his new memoir, he writes about coming to terms with his sexuality and leaving the Mormon church. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:23:06

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The race to secure Iran's nuclear material

3/11/2026
President Trump said he is still considering sending U.S. troops into Iran to secure its hidden stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the key building block of a nuclear weapon. Weapons expert David Albright explains what that would take. Then, the United Nations said that Israeli strikes have displaced nearly 700,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Lebanon. Professor Fawaz Gerges details how violence is harming the region. And, CBC Sports digital host and Paralympian Allison Lang breaks down the winners and medal count on day five of the 2026 Milan Cortina Paralympics. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:22:14

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Why MAGA is all in on Iran

3/10/2026
As the war with Iran continues, we look at the potential risks of an attack by Iran on U.S. soil. Phil Mudd, former deputy director of the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center and the FBI's National Security Branch, joins us. Then, Republican foreign policy and politics expert Colin Dueck talks about why many of President Trump's Make America Great Again supporters back the war in Iran. And, this weekend, two desalination plants came under attack in Iran and Bahrain. Georgetown University professor Marcus King explains why this technology is so vital for the arid Middle East and the precedent these attacks set in future conflicts. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:20:39

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The cost of war with Iran

3/9/2026
Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was named as Iran's next supreme leader. Retired Army Gen. David Petraeus offers his thoughts on the latest news out of Iran. Then, Negar Mortazavi, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, unpacks how the Iranian public is responding to the new leader and why his selection is a signal that Iran's leadership is digging in against the Trump administration's campaign against it. And, defense spending expert Mark Cancian estimates the war is costing the U.S. nearly $1 billion each day. He talks about how expensive it could get. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Duration:00:24:21