Episodes

  • Survivors' lawyer on DOJ's 'misguided approach' to Epstein files

    Survivors' lawyer on DOJ's 'misguided approach' to Epstein files
    Feb 10 2026
    The Department of Justice unredacted some names in the released Epstein files after some Congress members accused the DOJ of protecting convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's alleged co-conspirators. Spencer Kuvin, an attorney representing several Epstein survivors, talks about why he thinks the DOJ has engaged in a "misguided approach" to reviewing the files.

    Then, in Haiti, a presidential council that was meant to promote stability and move the country towards elections has ended, and the country is still plagued by violence, instability and hunger. The Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles joins us.

    And, we hear from Andrew Athias, a content creator from Philadelphia who is sharing his experience about performing as dancing grass during Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show.

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    24 mins
  • Epstein co-conspirator refuses to answer lawmakers' questions

    Epstein co-conspirator refuses to answer lawmakers' questions
    Feb 9 2026
    On Monday, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's convicted co-conspirator, invoked her Fifth Amendment rights during a virtual deposition before the House Oversight Committee. Investigative journalist Vicky Ward talks about what that means and explains how the release of files related to the Epstein investigation threatens to take down UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

    And, pro-democracy advocate and former media mogul Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison after he was convicted in a Hong Kong court last year on charges of endangering national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. His daughter Claire Lai joins us.

    Then, Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show took viewers on a musical tour of Puerto Rico. Alana Casanova-Burgess of the podcast “La Brega” dissects his performance.

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    22 mins
  • 25 at 50: An antique gunboat and America's first mail-order record club

    25 at 50: An antique gunboat and America's first mail-order record club
    Feb 6 2026
    The Smithsonian Institution is restoring a gunboat that sank in a 1776 Revolutionary War battle. As part of a series with the Smithsonian Institution presenting 25 objects that tell the story of America, Jennifer Jones, a curator at the National Museum of American History, talks about the story of the vessel, its recovery and its restoration. Then, Young People's Records was a popular mail-order subscription club in the 1940s, '50s and '60s. Smithsonian Folkways director and curator Maureen Loughran talks about why the music became such a hit, how the record club works and why it's important for telling the story of America.

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    15 mins
  • Why New Mexico is taking Meta to court

    Why New Mexico is taking Meta to court
    Feb 5 2026
    New Mexico's Department of Justice says Meta has knowingly allowed the social media platforms Instagram and Facebook to become the "largest online marketplace for predators seeking to exploit children." NM Attorney General Raúl Torrez tells us about the "shocking" evidence he says his office has uncovered as opening arguments in the state's lawsuit against Meta begin next week. Then, the last remaining nuclear arms deal between U.S. and Russia expired today. Here & Now security analyst Jim Walsh explains what comes next. And, UNICEF spokesperson Jonathan Crickx is on his sixth mission to Gaza. He talks about the state of the ceasefire, the impact of recent heavy rains in the area, and the effort to bring children back to schools and learning centers.

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    19 mins
  • Ukraine and Russia start peace talks as attacks continue

    Ukraine and Russia start peace talks as attacks continue
    Feb 4 2026
    Representatives from the U.S., Ukraine and Russia met in Abu Dhabi for a second round of peace talks as Russia continues to bomb Ukraine. The Financial Times' Christopher Miller of the Financial Times talks about the latest developments from Kyiv. Then, a judge blocked the Trump Administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for 350,000 Haitians living in the U.S. Rose-Thamar Joseph, co-founder of the nonprofit Haitian Support Center in Springfield, Ohio, joins us. And, seven fishermen aboard their vessel called the Lily Jean are presumed dead after it sank in the Atlantic Ocean last Friday. WBUR's Anthony Brooks reports on how it's hitting the Gloucester community, the anchor of the country's oldest fishing port.

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    19 mins
  • Epstein survivor: ‘We will not stop’

    Epstein survivor: ‘We will not stop’
    Feb 3 2026
    The Department of Justice released 3.5 million documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019. Liz Stein, a survivor of Epstein’s abuse, said she and other survivors will not stop fighting for the other 3 million files to be made public.

    Then, the FBI seized records from the 2020 election from an election center in Georgia this week. And the Justice Department is also creating a database of voter information and trying to make it easier for states to reject mail-in ballots. Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows talks about election integrity ahead of 2026.

    And, a number of people, including journalists, have been arrested in connection with a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, last month. Reporter Georgia Fort is one of them. She shares more about her experience.

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    24 mins
  • The future of ICE funding and reform

    The future of ICE funding and reform
    Feb 2 2026
    Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Department of Homeland Security official John Sandweg talks about what it means if the DHS remains shut down in a dispute over reforming tactics used by ICE agents.

    Then, ICE agents have an array of surveillance technologies at their fingertips, including facial recognition software, cellphone tracking devices and drones. WIRED reporter Caroline Haskins reports that the agency has been utilizing these tools in its immigration crackdown. She joins us.

    And, evidence shows that singing is not just a natural and enjoyable human activity, but it also has real health benefits. It can lower blood pressure, improve oxygen flow, and lower stress. We hear from lecturer in dance Elinor Harrison.

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    20 mins
  • Remembering the Challenger explosion, 40 years later

    Remembering the Challenger explosion, 40 years later
    Jan 30 2026
    On Jan. 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff. All seven crew members on board were killed. The disaster was one of the most significant events in NASA history, watched live by millions of people around the world. It grounded all space shuttle missions for almost three years. Adam Higginbotham, author of the book "Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space," talks about what happened, the lives lost, and what NASA learned from the disaster.

    Then, Christa McAuliffe, a 37-year-old high school teacher from New Hampshire, was one of those crew members. She was set to become the first teacher in space. NHPR's Patrick McNameeKing discusses McAuliffe's life and legacy.

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    22 mins