
Here & Now
Monday through Thursday from 2-4 p.m.
Breaking news. Supreme Court rulings. Thoughtful interviews.
A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with public radio stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it’s happening in the middle of the day, with timely, smart and in-depth news, interviews and conversation.
The show's daily lineup includes interviews with newsmakers, NPR reporters and contributors, plus innovators and artists from across the U.S. and around the globe.
Here & Now began at WBUR in 1997, and expanded to two hours in partnership with NPR in 2013. Today, the show reaches an estimated 5 million weekly listeners on over 450 stations across the country.
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Halifax, Nova Scotia, Mayor Mike Savage talks about the massive wildfire that forced 16,000 people from their homes. And, Bloomberg's Eliyahu Kamisher discusses State Farm's decision to stop accepting applications for homeowner's insurance in California. Then, is $15 an hour a livable wage to raise a family? Pulitzer Prize-winning business journalist Rick Wartzman says wages need a big boost and that $20 per hour should be the floor, not the aspiration. The author of "Still Broke: Walmart's Remarkable Transformation and the Limits of Socially Conscious Capitalism" joins us.
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After passing in the House, the debt ceiling bill has landed before the Senate. Now, the Senate is rushing to pass it before Monday. NBC's Scott Wong and Radio Iowa's Kay Henderson join us. And, June is LGBTQ Pride Month, but anti-LGBTQ sentiment is harshing many celebrations. We speak with Tuck Woodstock, journalist, educator and host of the "Gender Reveal" podcast. Then, 14-year-old Dev Shah won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, beating hundreds of other spellers. The eighth grader joins us to talk about the victory.
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Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, a founding mother of the LGBTQ rights movement in Uganda, talks about her challenge to Uganda's new law that calls for the death penalty for some gay people. And, MSNBC's Ali Velshi, discusses Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that shows fewer babies were born in the U.S. in 2022 compared to the year before. Then, as another summer grilling season begins, resident chef Kathy Gunst has new recipes to share. Plus, Samantha Brown, host of her travel series "Places to Love" on PBS, shares her tips and tricks to plan a successful summer getaway.
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Recycling plastic creates microplastics that contaminate the air and water, a new study found. Grist reporter Joseph Winters joins us to talk about what this means amid a pollution crisis. And, an alleged Russian spy has surfaced in the waters of Sweden. The spy, Hvaldimir, is a beluga whale. There is a long history of animals being used for espionage in military conflict, and Manchester Metropolitan University lecturer Gervase Phillips joins us to unpack it. Then, Linda Skeens won 25 ribbons at the Virginia-Kentucky district fair last summer. She's cataloged this impressive feat in a new book, "Blue Ribbon Kitchen." The cookbook details her award-winning recipes and offers some insight into her life in Appalachia.
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A six-story building in Davenport, Iowa, partially collapsed and nine people have been rescued so far. Officials say the building is a total loss and will be demolished on Tuesday. WVIK's Herb Trix joins us. Then, President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy reached a proposed deal on the debt ceiling debate. The House Rules Committee will consider it. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), who helped negotiate the deal, joins us. And Samantha Sanders, director of government affairs and advocacy for the Economic Policy Institute, joins us to talk about who will be most affected by this proposed deal. And, most people know Andy Cohen as an eccentric TV personality who spars with the "Real Housewives" and co-hosts New Year's Eve specials with Anderson Cooper. But he's also written 10 books, the most recent of which titled "Daddy Diaries." Cohen joins us to talk about the book and his journey through single parenthood.
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The House is slated to vote Wednesday on the debt ceiling deal hashed out over the weekend by President Joe Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. National Economic Council Deputy Director Bharat Ramamurti and the Washington Post's Jeff Stein join us. And, First Sgt. William "Jack" McDowell, Marine Corps was among the first Black men enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. His granddaughter, Sonia Smith Kang, tells us about his service. Then, Memorial Day is the traditional start of the summer movie season. John Horn, arts and entertainment reporter for LAist, gives us a preview.
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La Marisoul and Max Baca of Los Texmaniacs talk about their latest album, "Corazones and Canciones." And, Maverick City Music is a diverse collective that's changing the Christian music landscape. Maverick City Music co-founder Jonathan Jay and member Norman Gyamfi talk about what they bring to contemporary Christian music. Then, Sidney Madden and Rodney Carmichael, hosts of the NPR podcast "Louder Than A Riot," talk about how the specific discrimination against Black women plays out in hip-hop.
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Target says it's removing some of its Pride Month merchandise from store shelves after it received threats that made employees feel unsafe. But critics say that Target's decision sends a signal to right-wing extremists that their intimidation is working. NBC News' Ben Collins tells us more. And, Tina Turner was a true icon in every sense of the word. Superfan Donovan Marcelle, who once had the opportunity of a lifetime performing with her on stage during her reunion tour in 2000, joins us. Then, children of color face multiple barriers when it comes to learning how to swim. We learn about a new initiative called Swim Seattle that aims to tackle racial disparities in drowning deaths in the city.
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One year ago, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas. The community is still grieving. Pastor Tony Gruben and Pastor Joe Ruiz join us. And, A24's film "You Hurt My Feelings" explores the dynamic of a marriage in crisis after the wife discovers her husband has been lying about liking her latest book. Writer-director Nicole Holofcener joins us. Then, how many Kyles does it take to break a world record? An event in Kyle, Texas sought to answer that by bringing together as many people named Kyle as possible. Kyle Gassiott of Troy Public Radio.
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Arizona Department of Water Resources director Tom Buschatzke and California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot talk about a temporary deal to restrict the use of Colorado River water while Western states come up with a longer-term plan to share the river's limited water amid a historic drought. And, researchers are learning more about how relationships with caregivers and sound nutrition can impact a child's immune, metabolic, and cardiovascular systems as they get older. Dr. Jack Shonkoff tells us more. Then, climate change is here, but your child likely isn't learning much about it at school. We learn about the state of climate literacy in education from Jennifer Jones of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists and science writer Mary Batten.
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A big part of the WNBA's growing popularity is the return of Brittney Griner — the star player returning to the Phoenix Mercury after enduring a harrowing stay in Russian detention. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd was at her first home game on Sunday night. Then, AI has become a sticking point in the ongoing strike by the Writers Guild of America. What happens in Hollywood could have implications for other industries, too. Signal Foundation President Meredith Whittaker tells us more. Then, many of the wives — and husbands — of active-duty military members say they feel isolated. A new pilot peer support group aims to help military spouses find connection and resources. We hear from three spouses across the country.
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Officials at the Alpine Crest Elementary School canceled a program designed by librarian Caroline Mickey to be sensitive to children who might not have a mother. Mickey and Hamiton County School Board representative Ben Connor join us. And, Shakespeare's first folio was published 400 years ago. The Folger Shakespeare Library in D.C. has 82 of the 235 known surviving copies and is currently renovating to exhibit them all free to the public. Folger librarian Greg Prickman tells us more. Then, resident chef Kathy Gunst shares three new recipes using peas, which are in season.