The author Ann Patchett has talked about her decision to focus on her writing and to forgo entering the world of motherhood. But in her latest book, Tom Lake, the main character Lara made a different choice: She chose being a mother over pursuing acting and the fame that may have come with it. In today's episode, Patchett speaks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about the decision to make Lara a mother who is reveling in time spent with her daughters, sharing the tale of one seminal summer before they were born.
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Short Wave - These Critters Call The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Home
For this second installment of the Sea Camp series, we explore the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It's the largest of five gigantic garbage patches in the sea. These patches hang out at the nexus of the world's ocean currents, changing shape with the waves. These areas were long thought to have been uninhabited, the plastics and fishing gear too harmful to marine life. But researchers have uncovered a whole ecosystem of life in this largest collection of trash. Today, with the help of marine biologist Fiona Chong, we meet the tiny marine life that calls this place home.
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Also, exciting news!! WE HAVE A NEWSLETTER! It lets you go even deeper with the marine research each week of Sea Camp. Sign up here!
Interested in hearing more sea stories? Tell us by emailing shortwave@npr.org!
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
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Consider This from NPR - What do we know about what’s driving political violence?
It's been a year since the assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania and the motivations of the shooter are still unclear.
The US Capitol Police threat assessment cases have risen for the second year in a row, with the total number more than doubling since 2017.
At times political violence is starting to feel as pervasive as school shootings. But what do we know about what's driving this anger?
NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Katherine Keneally, from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, about her threat analysis research and recommendations for countering a rise in political violence.
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The US Capitol Police threat assessment cases have risen for the second year in a row, with the total number more than doubling since 2017.
At times political violence is starting to feel as pervasive as school shootings. But what do we know about what's driving this anger?
NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Katherine Keneally, from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, about her threat analysis research and recommendations for countering a rise in political violence.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
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Up First from NPR - Chinese manufacturing meets Small Town, USA
The Trump administration is pushing to bring manufacturing back to America. But what happens when one multinational company actually tries to set up shop in Small Town, USA?
Today we bring you the Planet Money story of how a battery factory ignited a political firestorm over what kind of factories we actually want in our backyard. And what happens when the global economy meets small town democracy.
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Today we bring you the Planet Money story of how a battery factory ignited a political firestorm over what kind of factories we actually want in our backyard. And what happens when the global economy meets small town democracy.
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Consider This from NPR - Inside the Diddy trial: why it felt like a watch party at the courthouse
On July 2nd, Sean Combs was acquitted of the most serious charges he faced: racketeering and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution — and he remains in prison awaiting sentencing in early October.
Over the course of eight weeks, the trial became a spectacle, even by the high standards of celebrity courtroom dramas. One reason? All of the influencers.
For our weekly Reporter's Notebook series we bring you the the view from inside the courthouse as the Diddy spectacle unfolded.
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Over the course of eight weeks, the trial became a spectacle, even by the high standards of celebrity courtroom dramas. One reason? All of the influencers.
For our weekly Reporter's Notebook series we bring you the the view from inside the courthouse as the Diddy spectacle unfolded.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
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Up First from NPR - President Trump Visits Texas, Immigration Raids Ruling, New Antidepressants Study
President Trump visits Texas a week after the devastating floods. Questions are now being raised whether cuts to FEMA hampered the rescue response. Also, a federal judge orders a stop to indiscriminate immigration raids in Los Angeles. Plus, a new study on antidepressants sheds light on the severity of withdrawal when people come off the medications.
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Planet Money - Made in America
What people might picture when they think of "Made in America" ... might not look like the "Made in America" we have today.
The U.S. does have a domestic manufacturing industry, including a garment manufacturing industry.
In today's episode: We buy a garment made by factory workers in the U.S. – a basic purple sports bra – and learn how many people it took to make it, how much workers got paid to work on it ... and whether garment manufacturing is a job Americans want, or even know how, to do.
Plus: why domestic garment manufacturing exists at all in the U.S., and whether the industry can grow.
Other episodes:
- What "Made in China" actually means
This episode was reported and hosted by Sarah Gonzalez. It was produced by Willa Rubin with production help from Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Marianne McCune, and it was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez who also helped with research. It was engineered by Robert Rodriguez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.
Support Planet Money, get bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening and now Summer School episodes one week early by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.
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The U.S. does have a domestic manufacturing industry, including a garment manufacturing industry.
In today's episode: We buy a garment made by factory workers in the U.S. – a basic purple sports bra – and learn how many people it took to make it, how much workers got paid to work on it ... and whether garment manufacturing is a job Americans want, or even know how, to do.
Plus: why domestic garment manufacturing exists at all in the U.S., and whether the industry can grow.
Other episodes:
- What "Made in China" actually means
This episode was reported and hosted by Sarah Gonzalez. It was produced by Willa Rubin with production help from Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Marianne McCune, and it was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez who also helped with research. It was engineered by Robert Rodriguez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.
Support Planet Money, get bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening and now Summer School episodes one week early by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.
Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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Consider This from NPR - When old oil wells become ‘orphans,’ that’s a problem
All across the U.S., there are aging oil and natural gas wells no longer in use.
A lot of them don't have anyone on the hook to seal them up. Some estimate over a million such "orphan wells" still exist.
Because they haven't been plugged, they're still leaking greenhouse gases and other chemicals into the atmosphere and into the land around them.
What would it take to plug them — or even just one of them?
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A lot of them don't have anyone on the hook to seal them up. Some estimate over a million such "orphan wells" still exist.
Because they haven't been plugged, they're still leaking greenhouse gases and other chemicals into the atmosphere and into the land around them.
What would it take to plug them — or even just one of them?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
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1A - The News Roundup For July 11, 2025
Search crews and volunteers continue to scour miles along the Guadalupe River for the dozens of people still missing after deadly Texas flooding last week.
President Trump's reciprocal tariffs are put on hold, again. And while the president calls the U.S the "hottest" country in the world, economists and industry experts warn his policies are positioning the country to be less competitive on the global stage.
Meanwhile, President Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize once again, this time by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Pentagon freezes munitions to Ukraine and within hours the president made a U-turn on that move. Also this week new audio emerges of the U.S president expressing frustration with Russian president Vladimir Putin. This comes as Russia launches fresh aerial attacks on Ukraine.
And, the world's most famous pygmy hippo turns one.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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President Trump's reciprocal tariffs are put on hold, again. And while the president calls the U.S the "hottest" country in the world, economists and industry experts warn his policies are positioning the country to be less competitive on the global stage.
Meanwhile, President Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize once again, this time by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Pentagon freezes munitions to Ukraine and within hours the president made a U-turn on that move. Also this week new audio emerges of the U.S president expressing frustration with Russian president Vladimir Putin. This comes as Russia launches fresh aerial attacks on Ukraine.
And, the world's most famous pygmy hippo turns one.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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State of the World from NPR - Russia Intensifies Its Air War in Ukraine
Russia ratcheted up air attacks by drones and missiles on Ukraine this week. The increase comes as President Trump has expressed frustration at Russian President Vladimir Putin's seeming unwillingness to enter talks to end the war. Trump indicated the U.S. would resume shipments of weapons to Ukraine that had previously been suspended. Our correspondent in Kyiv gives us the latest.
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