What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Why So Many Racist Group Chats?

Right after JD Vance was done dismissing concerns about racism in a group chat of GOP staffers and Young Republicans, POLITICO released messages from Trump nominee Paul Ingrassia that were so explicitly racist it may cost him the support of what has been an extremely compliant congressional GOP. And lest any vice presidents tell you otherwise, racism is as evident in policy proposals as it is in the chats.

Guest:  David A. Graham, staff writer for The Atlantic.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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NPR's Book of the Day - A new James Baldwin biography asks how the writer’s lovers might’ve shaped him

The scholar Nicholas Boggs has a new perspective on James Baldwin. The new biography Baldwin: A Love Story considers how the writer and Civil Rights leader’s lovers might’ve shaped him. In today’s conversation with NPR’s Michel Martin, Boggs argues Baldwin provided a dynamic model for how we relate to other people – both in platonic and romantic relationships.

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Short Wave - Migrating Birds Have a Big, Clear Problem

Around this time of year, every night, a quiet exodus is occurring. Hundreds of millions of birds are migrating thousands of miles south for the winter. One of the biggest dangers for these tiny travelers? Glass. 

Researchers estimate that every year in the U. S., collisions with glass windows take out at least a billion birds. Even if the birds initially fly away, these collisions can cause concussions, broken bones, and other injuries; most victims don’t survive. 

After much reporting, NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce has found … it doesn’t have to be this way. Scientists and researchers have studied how to stop collisions from happening, and examples around the country indicate that even little solutions can make a big difference.

Interested in more seasonal animal science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

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Ologies with Alie Ward - Critical Ponerology (WHAT IS “EVIL”?) with Kenneth MacKendrick

What is evil? Who is evil? Does evil exist? Who decides? Can we scream over turkey at grandma’s house? Let’s chat Critical Ponerology with scholar, professor, author of Evil: A Critical Primer, and a gem of a person, Dr. Kenneth MacKendrick of the University of Manitoba. He’s been teaching courses on the notion of evil for 25 years and it’s a much deeper rabbit hole than you’d ever expect. So rub your fingers together and enjoy a discussion about different cultural approaches to evil, if your toddler is evil, vampires, angry mobs seeking vigilante justice, news personalities saying unhinged things, and subjects vs. objects. Also: why you should be nicer to your coffee table. 

Get Dr. MacKendrick’s book, Evil: A Critical Primer, on Amazon or Bookshop.org

A donation went to North Point Douglas Women’s Centre

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Other episodes you may enjoy: Spooktober: Topics to Startle and Love, Demonology (EVIL SPIRITS), Vampirology (VAMPIRES), Teratology (MONSTERS), Genocidology (CRIMES OF ATROCITY), Momiology (MUMMIFICATION), Witchology (WITCHES & WITCHCRAFT), Indigenous Pedology (SOIL SCIENCE), Environmental Toxicology (POISONS + TRAIN DERAILMENT), Disinfectiology (BLEACH), Obsessive-Compulsive Neurobiology (OCD), Disgustology (REPULSION TO GROSS STUFF), Medieval Codicology (WEIRD OLD MANUSCRIPT ART & MEMES & SNAILS), Victimology (CRIME VICTIMS), Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?)

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The Indicator from Planet Money - No AI data centers in my backyard!

In the rush to power AI, data centers are popping up in small communities across the U.S. But a growing backlash against this build-out is pitting communities against developers over energy prices and water use. Today on the show, one Michigan community’s fight to stop a data center and what it means for Big Tech. 

Related episodes: 
What $10B in data centers actually gets you 
Is AI overrated or underrated? 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

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Global News Podcast - US shelves plan for Trump-Putin talks

President Trump has said he doesn't want a "wasted meeting" after plans for a summit on Ukraine with Vladimir Putin in Bucharest were put on hold. Also: a court in Colombia overturns two convictions against the former president, Alvaro Uribe; the US vice-president JD Vance says he's optimistic that the Gaza peace plan will work, despite the killings of dozens of Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers on Sunday; the tech company OpenAI launches a new AI-powered web browser called ChatGPT Atlas; and a 33-year-old socialist is leading the race for mayor of New York City.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

It Could Happen Here - The Economics of the Tariff Regime

Mia looks at the economics behind American and European steel tariffs to explain the push behind the broader tariff regime and how capitalism works.

Sources:

https://archive.ph/YUg11

https://foleyhoag.com/news-and-insights/publications/alerts-and-updates/2025/october/eu-proposes-new-safeguard-measures-to-protect-its-steel-industry/

https://www.piie.com/blogs/china-economic-watch/chinas-excess-capacity-steel-fresh-look

https://www.librarysearch.manchester.ac.uk/discovery/fulldisplay/alma992976480893401631/44MAN_INST:MU_NUI

https://endnotes.org.uk/articles/misery-and-debt

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Amarica's Constitution - The Threads of Liberty – Special Guest Jeffrey Rosen

The President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, Jeffrey Rosen, joins us for a timely discussion of his new book, The Pursuit of Liberty. The relevance to today’s dilemmas is matched only by the fascination of the deep historical analysis and amazing characters the book unearths.  In the differences that separated Hamilton and Jefferson, Professor Rosen finds the genesis of a divide that he maintains has informed most if not all of American constitutional history.  Centralized power versus states’ rights; industrial centers vs rural life; a robust protest culture vs governmental support, and more.  We are honored to celebrate publication (today!) of this important book with its distinguished author.  CLE credit is available for lawyers and judges from podcast.njsba.com.