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Can Kamala Harris find her footing on immigration?

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a meeting with US government leaders and private sector representatives to address the root causes of migration from northern Central America. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

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Can Kamala Harris find her footing on immigration?

In just a matter of hours, a Kamala Harris for President campaign has gone from a far-flung possibility, to all but certain likelihood.

Can Kamala Harris find her footing on immigration?

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USA Gymnastics made a miraculous comeback — but is it actually safer for Olympians?

Simone Biles competes on the balance beam during the Senior Women's competition of the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Jamie Squire/Getty Images hide caption

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USA Gymnastics made a miraculous comeback — but is it actually safer for Olympians?

In 2017, the Larry Nassar scandal rocked the Olympic community.

USA Gymnastics made a miraculous comeback — but is it actually safer for Olympians?

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Home insurance rates are rising due to climate change. What could break that cycle?

A structure burns during the Oak Fire in Mariposa County in 2022. David Odisho/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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David Odisho/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Home insurance rates are rising due to climate change. What could break that cycle?

A warming planet is making storms and wildfires more intense, and more destructive. That's making homeowners insurance more expensive and harder to find.

Home insurance rates are rising due to climate change. What could break that cycle?

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What will Trump tell the RNC after an attempt on his life?

What will Donald Trump say at the Republican National Convention this week, after an attempt on his life? Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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What will Trump tell the RNC after an attempt on his life?

Donald Trump's message for America has long been one of grievance and retribution.

What will Trump tell the RNC after an attempt on his life?

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The political evolution of J.D. Vance

Trump's pick for Vice President, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) arrives on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption

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The political evolution of J.D. Vance

When President Biden heard that Donald Trump had picked J.D. Vance to be his running mate, he called the Ohio senator "a clone" of Trump. But when Vance first gained national attention, he was one of Trump's loudest critics.

The political evolution of J.D. Vance

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After the assassination attempt, Trump gets a string of wins

A man wears a mask of Donald Trump in front of the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Florida on February 12. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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After the assassination attempt, Trump gets a string of wins

In the days after the assassination attempt, Donald Trump secured the Republican presidential nomination, announced his VP pick and had a legal case dismissed.

After the assassination attempt, Trump gets a string of wins

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A would-be assassin targets Trump. What it could mean for America.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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A would-be assassin targets Trump. What it could mean for America.

Shortly after 6pm on Saturday, a would-be assassin took aim at former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

A would-be assassin targets Trump. What it could mean for America.

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Older voters have thoughts on whether Biden's up to the job

President Joe Biden holds a news conference at the NATO Summit on July 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

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Older voters have thoughts on whether Biden's up to the job

In the weeks since Biden's disastrous performance in the presidential debate, a steady drip of high-profile supporters – everyone from members of Congress, to big donors like George Clooney – has urged him to step aside.

Older voters have thoughts on whether Biden's up to the job

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Supermajority: The Could-Be Candidate

Covenant Mom Melissa Alexander watches the Tennessee state legislature from the gallery. Kevin Wurm for NPR hide caption

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Kevin Wurm for NPR

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Supermajority: The Could-Be Candidate

The end of the 113th General Assembly of Tennessee is fast approaching. Melissa Alexander, Mary Joyce and Sarah Shoop Neumann have reached a new stage in their understanding of the statehouse. But they also face a new challenge: how to square their long-held conservative beliefs with the new politics they've picked up in the year since the shooting at their kids' school. When two of the women make a controversial decision, it threatens to upend everything they've worked for and splinter the bonds they've formed with one another. How will the women continue on? And what do the bills they've been tracking – ones that pass, and those that fail – mean for Tennessee's future? To listen to this series sponsor-free and support NPR, sign up for Embedded+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

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The Roots of Poverty in America
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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The Roots of Poverty in America

The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet over 10 percent of people – nearly 40 million – live in poverty. It's something we see, say, if we live near a tent encampment. And it's also something we feel. More than a third of people in the U.S. say they're worried about being able to pay their rent or mortgage. Medical bills and layoffs can change a family's economic status almost overnight.

The Roots of Poverty in America

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Russia is Top of Mind at NATO summit

Heads of state pose for a group photo during the NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington D.C. (July 9, 2024) Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

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Russia is Top of Mind at NATO summit

Four years after World War II, leaders from Europe and North America formed an alliance largely aimed at deterring Soviet expansion — the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — NATO.

Russia is Top of Mind at NATO summit

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California is trying to lead the way on reparations but not clear on the path to take

California Gov. Gavin Newsom. This past week he signed a nearly $300 billion state budget in which $12 million was allocated for reparations legislation. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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California is trying to lead the way on reparations but not clear on the path to take

California recently allocated $12 million for reparations for the state's Black residents as a way to compensate them for the harm caused by the legacy of slavery and current discrimination.

California is trying to lead the way on reparations but not clear on the path to take

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Supermajority: A Common-Sense Caucus

Tennessee State Senator Richard Briggs speaks with a colleague. Kevin Wurm for NPR hide caption

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Kevin Wurm for NPR

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Supermajority: A Common-Sense Caucus

Melissa Alexander came to the Tennessee statehouse to convince members of the Republican party – her party – to adopt gun control measures after a mass shooting at her son's school. A year later, she doesn't feel like she's gotten through to many lawmakers. But there's at least one Republican senator who's made Melissa and the other Covenant moms feel welcome: Richard Briggs. Briggs has been in office for about a decade. He's a doctor and an army veteran. And recently, he's had to navigate a statehouse in transition. Briggs represents a faction of the Republican majority that isn't often visible: those who are concerned about the GOP's shift further to the right. They feel that they are a minority within the majority – stewards of what the party used to be. As Melissa contemplates a big decision, we turn to Briggs' story. What can more moderate Republicans achieve in the Tennessee legislature? And will Melissa decide to follow the path that Briggs has already been down? To listen to this series sponsor-free and support NPR, sign up for Embedded+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

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Supreme Court rules Trump is immune from prosecution for certain official acts

The US Supreme Court on July 1, 2024, in Washington, DC. DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images

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Supreme Court rules Trump is immune from prosecution for certain official acts

On Monday the Supreme Court issued its most anticipated decision of the term — expanding the power of the presidency, and calling into question whether former President Trump will ever face a trial in federal court for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election.

Supreme Court rules Trump is immune from prosecution for certain official acts

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Biden tries to reassure voters after a shaky debate performance

U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at a post-debate campaign rally on June 28, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Allison Joyce/Getty Images hide caption

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Biden tries to reassure voters after a shaky debate performance

The day after a debate in which he faltered many times, President Joe Biden hit the campaign trail to try and reassure supporters that he is still up for the job and capable of beating former President Donald Trump in November.

Biden tries to reassure voters after a shaky debate performance

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Gun violence is getting worse. Can a shift in perspective be the solution?

Participants hold signs during March for Our Lives 2022 on June 11, 2022 in Washington, DC. Paul Morigi/Getty Images for March For Our Lives hide caption

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Paul Morigi/Getty Images for March For Our Lives

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Gun violence is getting worse. Can a shift in perspective be the solution?

The surgeon general's office has declared gun violence a national public health crisis.

Gun violence is getting worse. Can a shift in perspective be the solution?

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Lena Waithe's religion is 'The Wizard of Oz.' Here's what she learned from it.

Lena Waithe on Wild Card Vivien Killilea/Getty hide caption

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Vivien Killilea/Getty

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Lena Waithe's religion is 'The Wizard of Oz.' Here's what she learned from it.

At 40, Lena Waithe already has an impressive legacy, with dozens of writing, acting and production credits. She was the first Black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing (for Master of None). And she's also the creator of The Chi, which is just wrapping its sixth season. She tells Rachel one of her core beliefs is a lesson from The Wizard of Oz. They also discuss being bad at being wrong.

Lena Waithe's religion is 'The Wizard of Oz.' Here's what she learned from it.

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The truth and lies behind one of the most banned books in America
Jackie Lay

Code Switch

The truth and lies behind one of the most banned books in America

Author Mike Curato wrote Flamer as a way to help young queer kids, like he once was, better understand and accept themselves. It was met with immediate praise and accolades — until it wasn't. When the book got caught up in a wave of Texas-based book bans, suddenly the narrative changed. And like so many books that address queer identity, Flamer quickly became a flashpoint in a long, messy culture war that tried to distort the nature of the book.

The truth and lies behind one of the most banned books in America

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Supermajority: The Roll Call

Melissa Alexander and Mary Joyce speak to state representative John Gillespie at the Tennessee statehouse. Kevin Wurm for NPR hide caption

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Kevin Wurm for NPR

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Supermajority: The Roll Call

It's been four months since the Covenant moms – lifelong conservatives Melissa Alexander, Mary Joyce and Sarah Shoop Neumann – pleaded with their lawmakers to pass gun control measures during a special session at the Tennessee statehouse. Now they're back – for months, not days – and this time, they feel prepared to face the GOP-dominated legislature. But when the 2024 legislative session begins, the mothers realize that the Republican majority's new bills may be more complicated than they anticipated. The women discover a long line of dissenters flocking to the statehouse, to protest bills about abortion, education, police violence and LGBTQ rights. Will the women stand alongside these other constituents and broaden their objectives beyond gun control? And what happens when they begin to imagine unseating one of their lawmakers? To listen to this series sponsor-free and support NPR, sign up for Embedded+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

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Biden's executive actions on immigration send mixed signals

Wimberly Muñoz, a Venezuelan migrant waited at the Chaparral pedestrian border in Tijuana, Mexico to cross into the US. She is traveling with her mother, Ana Muñoz, right, and son Matia Muñoz. Carlos A. Moreno/NPR hide caption

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Carlos A. Moreno/NPR

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Biden's executive actions on immigration send mixed signals

In early June, President Joe Biden severely restricted asylum requests from migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization.

Biden's executive actions on immigration send mixed signals

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The Lavender Scare (Throwback)
Kay Tobin/New York Public Library

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The Lavender Scare (Throwback)

One day in late April 1958, a young economist named Madeleine Tress was approached by two men in suits at her office at the U.S. Department of Commerce. They took her to a private room, turned on a tape recorder, and demanded she respond to allegations that she was an "admitted homosexual." Two weeks later, she resigned.

The Lavender Scare (Throwback)

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Taylor Tomlinson's mom died young. This is how she stays connected to her memory

Taylor Tomlinson on Wild Card Monica Schipper/Getty hide caption

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Monica Schipper/Getty

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Taylor Tomlinson's mom died young. This is how she stays connected to her memory

Taylor Tomlinson has found the kind of success many comedians dream about, with multiple Netflix specials and a late-night hosting gig — After Midnight on CBS. She tells Rachel that part of the secret to her success is fear. They also swap stories about their Christian upbringings, the search for validation and getting things stuck up their noses.

Taylor Tomlinson's mom died young. This is how she stays connected to her memory

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