Author: NPR

Posted on

Planet Money - Iran, protests, and sanctions

Book tour tickets and details here.

The recent protests in Iran are about so many things. Human rights, corruption, freedom. But this time – they are also motivated by economic hardship. Hardship caused, in part, by US sanctions. 

The US has been sanctioning Iran in one way or another for 47 years. But sanctions, as a tool, only work some of the time, and US sanctions on Iran have not always conformed to what experts consider best practices.

On today’s episode: What did US sanctions do to Iran's economy? How did they feed into the latest protests and crackdown in Iran? Sanctions are supposed to avert war, but how different from war are they?

Subscribe to Planet Money+

Listen free: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.

Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.

This episode was hosted by Mary Childs and Nick Fountain. It was produced by James Sneed with help from Willa Rubin. It was edited by Marianne McCune, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Cena Loffredo and Jimmy Keeley. Planet Money’s executive producer is Alex Goldmark. 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Posted on

1A - The News Roundup For February 6, 2026

The Trump administration now says a “softer touch” might be required when it comes to their immigration agenda in Minnesota. Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border head, says that 700 ICE agents will leave the state.

In another warning sign for Republicans in Washington, a Democratic candidate won an upset in a special election for a Texas State Senate seat.

And the Department of Justice released another round of Epstein emails on Friday, revealing communications between the late New York financier and several public figures, from Bill Gates to Elon Musk.

Talks between the U.S. and Iran got off to a stuttering start this week, one moment being tabled, and the next moment being back on. Arab leaders lobbied the White House on Wednesday to not walk away from the table entirely.

The Trump administration revealed a plan to create a critical mineral reserve and a new trade alliance, aimed at taking away China’s ability to use its near monopoly of the rare metals as leverage in trade negotiations.

Spain is set to follow Australia’s lead and implement a ban on social media use for minors.

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Posted on

State of the World from NPR - What is the environmental impact of the Winter Olympics?

As the Winter Olympics get underway in Milan and across the Italian Alps, our correspondent looks back at a bold pledge made by the organizers: that these games would be sustainable. They said they would slash the event’s carbon footprint and protect sensitive mountain ecosystems. Environmental groups say that’s not what is happening.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Posted on

Consider This from NPR - The sound of dad

NPR's Bob Mondello and the search for a voice lost to time.


Each day on this podcast we bring you the context behind the headlines.

Headlines about President Trump or foreign policy or what's playing out on America's streets.

This story is smaller. More personal. About one person’s search for a voice he thought he’d never hear again.

But it moved us. And we wanted to share it. 

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.

This episode was produced by Chloe Weiner <> and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Damian Herring.

It was edited by Clare Lombardo and Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.


Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Posted on

Up First from NPR - US-Iran Talks Begin, Dems List Of DHS Demands, Search For Nancy Guthrie Continues

The U.S. and Iran begin high-stakes talks in Oman today over Tehran’s nuclear program, If they can't reach a deal, President Trump could launch a military strike from the large military force assembled in the Middle East.
Lawmakers now have just one week to fund the Department of Homeland Security, as Democrats release a detailed list of demands to overhaul how immigration enforcement officers operate.
And the FBI confirms a ransom letter in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, as investigators search for answers and her family pleads for proof she is alive.

Want more 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 Andrew Sussman, Jason Breslow, James Doubek, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.

Our Director is Milton Guevara.

We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Stacey Abbott.

Our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.

(0:00) Introduction
(02:12) US-Iran Talks Begin
(05:36) Dem List of DHS Demands
(09:24) Search For Nancy Guthrie Continues

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Posted on

The Indicator from Planet Money - Just how bad are these job numbers?

It’s a weird time for jobs numbers. Another month, another jobs report pushed back by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Averaging two private sources, ADP and Revelio Labs: an estimated 4,500 jobs were added in January. Sounds like … not many. 

And, yet, the unemployment rate hasn’t seemed to have risen. This might be, in part, due to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. We’ll explain through the story of one Angeleno.

On today’s show, how bad are these job numbers? Or are they not bad at all? And what does immigration have to do with it? 

Related episodes: 
Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update) 
What you need to know about the jobs report revisions 
What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update) 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.  

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Posted on

NPR's Book of the Day - Two new books take on lesser-known chapters of WWII and Cold War-era Black history

Two new books focus on lesser-known chapters of Black history. First, Kings & Pawns tells the story of Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson, who were pitted against each other during the Red Scare. In today’s episode, author Howard Bryant, a frequent contributor to NPR’s Weekend Edition, speaks with Scott Simon about how the men got caught between patriotism and activism. Then, NPR investigative reporter Cheryl W. Thompson tells NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about Forgotten Souls, a history of the 27 Tuskegee Airmen who went missing during World War II.


To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Posted on

Short Wave - Babies got beat: Why rhythm might be innate

Rhythm is everywhere. Even if you don’t think you have it, it’s fundamental to humans’ biological systems. Our heartbeat is rhythmic. Speech is rhythmic. Even as babies, humans can track basic rhythm. Researchers wanted to find out if there were more layers to this: Could babies also track melody and more complicated rhythms? So they played Bach for a bunch of sleeping newborns and monitored the babies’ brains to see if they could predict the next note. What they found offers clues about whether melody and rhythm are hard-wired in the human brain or learned over time. We also get into what powers the eating habits of some snakes and chameleons, and insights into the role of sleep in problem-solving.


Have a scientific question you want us to answer? Email us at 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.


Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 


This episode was produced by Jordan-Marie Smith and Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Christopher Intagliata. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineers were Jimmy Keeley and Hannah Gluvna. 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Posted on

Consider This from NPR - Will new limits on gender-related surgeries change anything?

The Trump administration is celebrating an American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommendation to delay gender-related surgeries, which are rare. So how much is changing?


The American Society of Plastic Surgeons declared this week that it recommends surgeons delay gender-related surgeries until a patient is at least 19 years old.

The Trump administration called the move "another victory for biological truth in the Trump administration,” and said the group "has set the scientific and medical standard for all provider groups to follow.”

The administration is describing the new recommendations as a “watershed moment”, but gender-affirming surgeries in minors are rare. So how much will this change?

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.
This episode was produced by Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro.

It was edited by Diane Webber, Courtney Dorning and Patrick Jarenwattananon.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Posted on

State of the World from NPR - Russia’s Hybrid War on Europe

Ever since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, experts say Russia has stepped up its hybrid war on Western Europe. Attacks on critical infrastructure or using drones to shutdown airports are meant to undermine support for Ukraine. We go to Poland to see one such attack.

And in Kyiv, Ukrainians are getting through Russian attacks that have shut down the power grid in the coldest months by holding dance parties on ice.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy