Here & Now

Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News explains where things stand as Senate Republicans race to pass President Trump's tax and spending bill by July 4. And, the Supreme Court's ruling last week on birthright citizenship is causing confusion as Trump's ban is expected to take effect in some parts of the country in less than 30 days. Martha Jones, a historian of citizenship at Johns Hopkins University, explains more. Then, a no-buy period can help you get your finances in order. The Washington Post's Michelle Singletary explains how to reset your financial goals and your relationship to spending so that you can reach those goals.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In 2016, the Mississippi River punched a hole in the Len Small levee, built to protect farmland along an S-shaped curve in the river known as Dogtooth Bend. That hole was never repaired. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports on how some farmers in the area have had to give up their land. And, John Ruskey calls the Mississippi River "a creative force" that sculpts the landscape and rejuvenates the people who experience it up close. But climate change is making that force stronger and more destructive. Bentley took a canoe ride with Ruskey and reports on the future of the river. Then, Bentley and Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reflect on their reporting along the Mississippi River and share thoughts on how the river has shaped the history and landscape of North America.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In 2019, an unrelenting flood swamped more than half a million acres in the Mississippi Delta's Yazoo Backwater. It took more than six months to recede. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports on a pumping station project that could protect against destruction from future floods. And, after a yearslong journey, Anderson Jones is back at home. The sandbag levee protecting his house failed during the 2019 floods. O'Dowd reports on Jones' rebuilding process and his hopes for the new pump project. Then, Sierra Club Mississippi's Louie Miller says the pumps project would be an environmental injustice for poor communities in Vicksburg.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Progressive state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani stunned the political world after he defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday's hotly contested Democratic primary for NYC mayor. Errol Louis, host of NY1's Inside City Hall, joins us to discuss what it means for New York and the rest of the country. And, when California Rep. Jimmy Gomez tried to visit an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, he was denied access after ICE began enforcing a new rule that blocks members of Congress from making unannounced visits to detention centers. Critics say the new policy is illegal. Gomez explains his efforts to see inside immigration operations. Then, New York is looking to expand nuclear energy after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to build a nuclear power plant in upstate New York. The goal is to create clean and reliable power. Heatmap News' Robinson Meyer explains more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ernest Moniz, former energy secretary under President Obama and lead negotiator on the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, talks about what comes next now that a shaky ceasefire is underway between Iran and Israel. Then, new research highlights that indoor air quality can have a powerful impact on the health and development of babies and young children. Dr. Lindsey Burghardt tells us more. And, Kelly Ramsey spent two years as a hotshot firefighter in California beginning in 2020. In her new memoir, "Wildfire Days," she said she had to prepare mentally and physically to perform like her male counterparts.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We get the view from inside Iran with former news editor Ali Safari, a resident of Tehran who unpacks how Iranians are responding to the conflict. And, Here & Now's security analyst Jim Walsh joins us to explain what the U.S.'s strikes and Iran's response mean for national security. Then, in the wake of escalating conflict in Iran, Republican senators squabble over the details of a massive policy bill to extend President Trump's deep tax cuts and slash spending to Medicaid. NPR congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales joins us.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Though the U.S. and Iran were once allies, their relationship has since turned tense in the last 40 years. Now, President Trump is weighing U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. Historian and author John Ghazvinian joins us to unpack decades of history in U.S.-Iran diplomacy.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently fired all members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's independent vaccine panel, prompting criticism from health experts. One of those experts is Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as surgeon general in the first Trump administration. And, New York City's mayoral race is coming down to the wire, with progressive state representative Zohran Mamdani closing in on former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's lead. WNYC reporter Brigid Bergin explains what the race says about the state of the Democratic Party. Then, honoring Juneteenth in Charleston from the past to the present. Chad Stewart, curator of history at the Charleston Museum, explains Charleston, South Carolina's role in the transatlantic slave trade and the role slave tags played in it. And singer Mumu Fresh shares the joy and celebration of Juneteenth through music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump said on Wednesday that he hasn't decided whether the U.S. will strike Iran's nuclear facilities. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine joins us to discuss a resolution he introduced that would require approval from Congress before the U.S. military could get involved in Iran. And, as Ukraine continues to endure deadly air strikes, the G7 conference ended with no strong condemnation of Russia or much mention of Ukraine at all. The Washington Post's Lizzie Johnson shares the latest from Kyiv. Then, pop singer Vanessa Hernandez, known as NEZZA, sang the official Spanish version of the U.S. national anthem at a Los Angeles Dodgers game, against the wishes of the team. NEZZA explains more about her decision.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump is calling for a "real end" to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Vali Nasr, a professor of Middle East studies and international affairs at Johns Hopkins University, joins us to talk about how Trump is navigating the crisis. And, the Trump administration's immigration raids have targeted farm workers. California farmer Lisa Tate shares the impact of those raids on the farm workforce. Then, Tuesday marks 10 years since a white supremacist opened fire at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine parishioners. Marcus Amaker, the first poet laureate of Charleston, reflects on the past decade.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy