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Consider This from NPR - The Foreign Fighters Who’ve Gone To Ukraine

Two American citizens who'd traveled to Ukraine to join the fight against Russia have reportedly been captured by pro-Russian forces. The State Department says it's "closely monitoring" the situation and has urged Americans not to travel to the country, noting the risk and danger. But still, thousands of foreign fighters have journeyed there.

NPR's Ryan Lucas met some of them — a group of Americans and Brits who have formed a unit that is fighting in the east.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

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Short Wave - ‘Smell Ya Later, COVID!’ How Dogs Are Helping Schools Stay COVID-free

A Massachusetts elementary school welcomes "Huntah," the COVID-sniffing dog. Scientist-in-residence Regina Barber talks with NPR science reporter Ari Daniel about how a specialized K-9 unit is helping keep kids in classrooms.

For more of Ari's reporting, check out "Dogs trained to sniff out COVID in schools are getting a lot of love for their efforts."

You can follow Regina on Twitter @ScienceRegina and Ari on Instagram @mesoplodon_. Email Short Wave at ShortWave@NPR.org.

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NPR's Book of the Day - A new book shows how the South – and its history – shapes our nation

Frye Gaillard and Cynthia Tucker are old enough to remember Jim Crow in the South. But they recognize the part of the country they grew up in for both its flaws and its significant role in the history of the country. In their new book, The Southernization of America, Tucker and Gaillard make an argument about how the South shapes the nation's political and cultural landscape – for good and bad. In an interview with Debbie Elliott on Weekend Edition Saturday, they discuss the South's problematic contradictions and pushback now by some against learning about them.
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Consider This from NPR - Meet The Man Who Helped Build The Court That May Overturn Roe

As soon as Thursday, the Supreme Court could rule on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. A leaked draft opinion in that case showed a majority of justices agreeing to overturn Roe v. Wade, which would end the constitutional right to an abortion.

However the court rules, this moment is the culmination of a decades-long effort by conservative activists around the country. One man in particular has played an outsized role in that effort: Leonard Leo, Co-Chairman of the Federalist Society. He's devoted his career to getting conservatives appointed to the country's most powerful courts.

We look at how he came to have so much sway.

In this episode, you'll hear excerpts from the interview NPR's Deirdre Walsh conducted with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

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Short Wave - Good Things Come In Trees

Do you ever feel better after walking down a street that's lined with lush, green trees? You're not alone! For decades, researchers have been studying the effects of nature on human health and the verdict is clear: time spent among the trees seems to make us less prone to disease, more resistant to infection and happier overall.

Aaron Scott talks with environmental psychologist Ming Kuo about why we need greenery and how you can bring more of it into your life.

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NPR's Book of the Day - In Séamas O’Reilly’s memoir, a tribute to a widowed father raising 11 kids in Ireland

As a little boy grieving his mother, Séamas O'Reilly couldn't entirely grasp the monumental task it was for his father to have to raise 11 children all on his own. In his new memoir, Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?, he uses humor to get through all the sad, tragic parts of his childhood and to help celebrate the joy and love of his unusually large family. In an interview with Scott Simon on Weekend Edition Saturday, O'Reilly spoke about how his memoir is ultimately a tribute to his father who, despite the circumstances, was always a source of delight.
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Consider This from NPR - Teachers Reflect on a Tough School Year: ‘It’s Been Very Stressful’

After two years of pandemic disruptions, this school year was supposed to be better. But for many teachers, it was harder than ever.

Teachers say they are stressed and burned out. Many are considering leaving their jobs sooner than planned.

We speak to three teachers about the past school year and their concerns about the future.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

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NPR's Book of the Day - Nicole A. Taylor’s cookbook puts a spin on traditional African American food

Junteenth was celebrated across the country this weekend and is observed nationally Monday. In a new, Juneteenth-inspired cookbook, Nicole A. Taylor puts a summery spin on traditional African American food: making cocktails with sweet potatoes, fresh salads with collard greens and tons of ice cream. Although many people argue against commemorating the holiday with barbecues and other celebrations, Taylor spoke to Here and Now's Scott Tong about the juxtaposition of sorrow and sadness and how Black Americans have always had to make space for both.