The U.S. economy is in flux. And for millions of Americans, a new line item in their budget includes repaying federal student loans.
Making ends meet isn't just tough for student loan borrowers. Groceries cost a lot more now than they did in 2020. Tariff disputes make it difficult to plan future purchases and they can make it harder to find everyday items at affordable prices.
Housing — whether it's your mortgage or rent — remains expensive.
And the job market — well that's tough, too.
Unpredictable inflation, added expenses, a volatile stock market – the health of the U.S. economy is anything but certain right now. How can you manage?
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State of the World from NPR - India’s Relationship with the U.S.
There's been a political backlash in India after the Trump administration deported dozens of Indian migrants who were in the U.S. without legal status. This comes after the U.S. had announced 26 percent tariffs on India, which are currently suspended. Those events have changed Indian's perceptions of what they had thought was a cozy relationship with the U.S. and have cause a headache for the Indian prime minister. We go to western India to hear what people think of the U.S. now.
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1A - How Can States Improve Student Reading Scores?
The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known colloquially as the nation's report card, shows that reading scores dropped an average of two progress points for both 4th and 8th graders.
But two states that are bucking this trend? Mississippi and Louisiana.
How did two of the country's poorest states turn their literacy scores around in a matter of a few years? What can other states learn from those stories?
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But two states that are bucking this trend? Mississippi and Louisiana.
How did two of the country's poorest states turn their literacy scores around in a matter of a few years? What can other states learn from those stories?
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Up First from NPR - Trump’s Talk With Putin, Israel’s Incursion, Weather Service Budget Cuts
Unpacking President Trump's hourslong conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In Gaza, Israeli forces ordered the evacuation of Khan Younis, but residents have nowhere to go. Plus, a look at how Trump administration budget cuts have left the National Weather Service scrambling to cover basic forecasting needs amid climate change.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Neela Banerjee, Ryland Barton, Carrie Kahn, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
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Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Neela Banerjee, Ryland Barton, Carrie Kahn, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
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The Indicator from Planet Money - The rise of the credit card airport lounge
We are back to answer your questions, listeners. Today on the show, we tackle three big questions: Are airport lounges worth it for credit card companies? How effective have carbon taxes been for Canada? Why is gasoline getting more expensive over the last few months as the price of crude oil has sunk?
If you want to submit your OWN question to be considered in a future episode, send us a message at indicator@npr.org.
Related episodes:
Can cap and trade work in the US? (Apple / Spotify)
A Quick History Of Slow Credit Cards
Breaking down the price of gasoline (Apple / Spotify)
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If you want to submit your OWN question to be considered in a future episode, send us a message at indicator@npr.org.
Related episodes:
Can cap and trade work in the US? (Apple / Spotify)
A Quick History Of Slow Credit Cards
Breaking down the price of gasoline (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
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NPR's Book of the Day - ‘Original Sin’ argues Biden aides enabled his reelection bid, despite mental decline
Original Sin recounts a number of moments during which former President Joe Biden allegedly struggled to recognize the people around him, like close aide Mike Donilon or longtime donor George Clooney. The new book by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson argues that there were two versions of the former president, one "functioning" and one "non-functioning." Biden's inner circle, they say, worked to shield the "non-functioning" version from the American public – and even other White House officials. In today's episode, Tapper and Thompson talk with NPR's Scott Detrow about the book and the Biden team's decision to "cover-up" his alleged mental decline.
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Short Wave - Will Trump Unleash Energy Dominance Or Damage?
The Trump administration is rewriting policies and reducing funding for multiple agencies that handle climate change, including NOAA, EPA and FEMA. We asked NPR reporters Lauren Sommer and Alejandra Borunda what that the implications of that are — and who the changes will affect.
Want to hear more ways research is being impacted by the new administration? Email us at shortwave@nprg.org to let us know — and we may cover your idea in a future episode!
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Want to hear more ways research is being impacted by the new administration? Email us at shortwave@nprg.org to let us know — and we may cover your idea in a future episode!
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1A - ‘If You Can Keep It’: The Lawsuits Against The Trump Administration
A flood of executive actions and attempts to reshape the scope of the federal government have resulted in at least 328 lawsuits against President Donald Trump's administration as of May 1. A Bloomberg analysis found that judges have blocked Trump's policies more than they have allowed them.
We break down some of the biggest cases against the Trump administration and what they say about the balance of power in the U.S. today.
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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We break down some of the biggest cases against the Trump administration and what they say about the balance of power in the U.S. today.
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 - On the Ground in Gaza as Israel Launches a New Offensive
Israel has begun a new ground operation in Gaza in which it says it plans to take territory and hold it. Palestinians are fleeing the intense bombardment. At the same time, Israel and Hamas are holding peace talks. And Israel says it will start allowing food and medicine into Gaza after a nearly three month blockade to pressure Hamas to release hostages. We hear the latest in the new offensive and an interview with a resident in northern Gaza to hear what life has been like.
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Consider This from NPR - New book alleges Biden aides hid his decline
Joe Biden has stage four metastatic prostate cancer.
The former president made that announcement Sunday afternoon. It came just days before the publication of "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again."
An explosive book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson. Original Sin chronicles what the authors say was Biden's steep physical and cognitive decline.
Joe Biden repeatedly insisted he was capable of serving a second term. "Original Sin" argues his advisors and his family went to great lengths to hide that he wasn't.
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The former president made that announcement Sunday afternoon. It came just days before the publication of "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again."
An explosive book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson. Original Sin chronicles what the authors say was Biden's steep physical and cognitive decline.
Joe Biden repeatedly insisted he was capable of serving a second term. "Original Sin" argues his advisors and his family went to great lengths to hide that he wasn't.
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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