Consider This from NPR

Two American citizens who'd traveled to Ukraine to join the fight against Russia have reportedly been captured by pro-Russian forces. The State Department says it's "closely monitoring" the situation and has urged Americans not to travel to the country, noting the risk and danger. But still, thousands of foreign fighters have journeyed there.NPR's Ryan Lucas met some of them — a group of Americans and Brits who have formed a unit that is fighting in the east. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

As soon as Thursday, the Supreme Court could rule on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. A leaked draft opinion in that case showed a majority of justices agreeing to overturn Roe v. Wade, which would end the constitutional right to an abortion. However the court rules, this moment is the culmination of a decades-long effort by conservative activists around the country. One man in particular has played an outsized role in that effort: Leonard Leo, Co-Chairman of the Federalist Society. He's devoted his career to getting conservatives appointed to the country's most powerful courts.We look at how he came to have so much sway.In this episode, you'll hear excerpts from the interview NPR's Deirdre Walsh conducted with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

After two years of pandemic disruptions, this school year was supposed to be better. But for many teachers, it was harder than ever. Teachers say they are stressed and burned out. Many are considering leaving their jobs sooner than planned.We speak to three teachers about the past school year and their concerns about the future.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Many of the people affected by the current global monkeypox outbreak are reported to be men who identify as gay or bisexual, or men who have sex with men. The virus can affect anyone, but in response to where the majority of cases are, public health officials are gearing their information toward communities of gay and bisexual men. And that has some saying that the messaging echoes back to the HIV/AIDS crisis and has the potential to stigmatize the gay community while missing others who are susceptible to the disease. We speak with Dr. Boghuma K. Titanji, physician and clinical researcher in infectious diseases at Emory University, about the lessons public health officials can learn from the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s.And Northwestern University journalism professor Steven Thrasher talks about his recent article for Scientific American, "Blaming Gay Men for Monkeypox Will Harm Everyone."In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

There are few issues as highly debated and emotionally charged as abortion. And in the coming days, the Supreme Court will issue a ruling that could fundamentally change the landscape for abortion in the U.S.The possibility that the court could strike down Roe v. Wade has raised all kinds of legal questions, as people consider what a post-Roe America might look like.We asked members of the NPR audience what questions they had about abortion access and reproductive rights. Khiara Bridges, a law professor at UC Berkeley who studies reproductive rights, and NPR's Sarah McCammon, who covers abortion policy, answer some of their questions. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The war between Russia and Ukraine is reverberating in Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as its own and has threatened to invade if Taiwan declares independence.Residents of the island are watching intently as Ukraine defends itself against a much larger and more powerful adversary. And they are thinking about what it takes to galvanize international support. The U.S. has a longstanding policy of ambiguity when it comes to talking about Taiwan and independence, not wanting to risk a conflict with China. So it was surprising last month when President Biden said the that U.S. will defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion by China.We speak to journalist Chris Horton, who is based in Taiwan. His recent piece in The Atlantic is headlined, "The Lessons Taiwan is Learning from Ukraine."In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's been ten years since the Obama administration announced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The policy provided protection from deportation for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children.President Obama called it a "temporary stopgap measure," at the time, but Congress hasn't passed any legislation in the intervening years to create permanent protection for the people covered by DACA.Last year, a federal judge in Texas ruled the program is illegal, and the program is essentially frozen in place while the Biden administration appeals. Current DACA recipients can reapply, but the administration can't grant any new applications. NPR's Joel Rose reports that that has left roughly 80,000 DACA applications indefinitely on hold.Two early DACA recipients and advocates for undocumented immigrants, Diana Pliego and Esder Chong, discuss how they view the program, on its tenth anniversary. Help NPR improve podcasts by completing a short, anonymous survey at npr.org/podcastsurvey. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A bipartisan group of Senates say they have reached a deal on a package of safety and gun-related measures. The deal is not yet done, but lawmakers say they are closer than they've been in a long time. The package includes measures to enhance background checks for gun buyers under 21, incentivize states to pass so-called "red flag laws," and fund school safety and mental health initiatives. Is it enough? We put that question to Gabby Giffords, a former congresswoman who was injured in a 2011 shooting. Since then, Giffords has dedicated her life to calling for action on gun control, co-founding Giffords, an advocacy group that promotes gun safety. The group's executive director, Peter Ambler, also spoke to NPR. Help NPR improve podcasts by completing a short, anonymous survey at npr.org/podcastsurvey. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Prices rose more than expected in May. Gas is averaging $5 a gallon. Food, rent, and housing all cost more, too. NPR's Scott Horsley spoke to consumers trying to cope. Some CEOs are predicting a recession — but not all. NPR's David Gura reports. Additional reporting in this episode from NPR's Chris Arnold on the growing cost of housing. Transportation company owner Dennis Briggs spoke to NPR's Ayesha Rascoe on Weekend Edition Sunday. Help NPR improve podcasts by completing a short, anonymous survey at npr.org/podcastsurvey. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

After years of struggling to pay federal student loans used to attend the for-profit Corinthian Colleges, hundreds of thousands of student borrowers will have their debt canceled. Corinthian closed in 2015 after investigators found it had defrauded students with misleading claims about future job prospects. Earlier this month, The Department of Education discharged all outstanding debt for all Corinthian borrowers.With over a trillion dollars owed, federal student loan debt has been called a national crisis. Advocates for the cancellation of all federal student loans hope the Department of Education's latest move could signal a step in that direction.We speak with political strategist and student loan cancellation advocate Melissa Byrne. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy