The rate of jobless Americans who’ve been out of work for over 27 weeks — also known as “long-term unemployed” — hit 26% in December, according to the latest jobs report. That’s the highest it’s been since February 2022. In this episode, why the rate is rising and what it says about the broader economy. Plus: Businesses curb 2026 growth plans, a farmer discusses AI in agriculture, and we check in with an Asheville, North Carolina, tea company over a year since Hurricane Helene.
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It's been one year since the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fires tore through Los Angeles, destroying thousands of homes and killing more than 30 people. In his new book, journalist Jacob Soboroff offers a deeply reported account of the catastrophe, told through the voices of firefighters, political leaders and residents. Soboroff joined Geoff Bennett to discuss "Firestorm." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
A new NPR/Ipsos poll found Americans across the political spectrum want the U.S. to be the moral leader of the world, but far fewer believe it actually is.
The physician and health-policy veteran lays out six "simple" rules for a long, healthy life, arguing that most wellness advice fails by demanding perfection—and that moderation, sociability, and routines matter more than optimization. He gets data-nerdy on risk (Everest versus skydiving), alcohol as social lubricant, and why "good" ice cream can fit into a sane diet. Plus, a look at the Trump administration's politically self-sabotaging response to the Minneapolis ICE shooting—and a detour through the seized "ghost fleet" tanker Marinera (formerly Bella 1), the kind of ship that survives by constantly changing its identity.
Produced by Corey Wara
Coordinated by Lya Yanne
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com
On today’s show, WNYC reporter Brigid Bergin joins Kimberly to talk about New York City’s brand new Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose campaign on affordability caught nationwide attention. We’ll get into how Mamdani is tackling affordability during his first days in office, how the business community is reacting, and how his administration is navigating an unpredictable White House. Plus, the case for daydreaming more in 2026.
P.M. Edition for Jan. 9. The U.S. taking up to 50 million barrels of Venezuela’s oil could end up being an economic boon for the South American country. But WSJ reporter Kejal Vyas says that depends on a number of things going right. Plus, President Trump hosted executives from nearly two dozen oil companies at the White House to push them to invest in Venezuela. He was met with a lukewarm response. And new data shows the U.S. labor market finished out 2025 with another month of slow job gains. We hear from Journal economics correspondent Harriet Torry about what those numbers suggest for this year’s economy. Alex Ossola hosts.
White House releases alternate video of the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. President Trump meets with oil execs as he justifies the raid on Venezuela that captured its dictator. Economic protests spread in Iran as supreme leader signals crackdown.
Mass protests across Iran: but how will the authorities respond? We hear from the BBC Persian Service, where journalists are trying to monitor events amid an information blackout, and discuss Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's options with Iranian-American journalist Hooman Majd.
Also in the programme: Colombian President Gustavo Petro's views on United States policy in Latin America; and Elon Musk's former partner Ashley St Clair explains her concerns about sexualised images made by the Grok AI chatbot on X, formerly known as Twitter.
(Photo: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, taken on 3 Jan 2026; Credit: IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock)
The stock market was all over the map this week but the biggest news was the U.S. government potential spending $1.5 trillion on defense. Of course, there are strings attached, which investors don’t like, but this could be an opportunity long-term. We also touched on Alphabet potentially becoming the most valuable company in the world and what moonshots we’re interested in.
Travis Hoium, Jason Moser, and Lou Whiteman discuss:
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President Trump raised eyebrows when he told the New York Times that there was only one thing that could stop him on the global stage: his own morality.
So what do Americans think about the moral standing of the United States? Well, a new NPR-Ipsos poll finds Americans still want the U.S. to be a moral leader in the world — but far fewer think it actually is.
Senior Political Editor and Correspondent Domenico Montanaro shares more from the poll, and Senior International Affairs Correspondent Jackie Northam helps make sense of what it means globally.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
