Consider This from NPR

In different places throughout the country, police are pushing back against the policies of progressive prosecutors. NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer tells the story of one such struggle in St. Louis where a detective wouldn't testify in a case. That refusal may have helped a man charged with murder walk free. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

Dozens of hostages have been released by Hamas over the last four days. Now after 50 days in captivity, and joyous reunions, the long journey of healing and rebuilding begins. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to Hostage US executive director Liz Cathcart about that process. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

Next year Gen Z and Millennials will make up nearly half of the electorate. What exactly that will mean in the 2024 election is an open question. Host Scott Detrow talks with NPR political reporter Elena Moore about the different ways new voters approach politics than older voters. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

Consumer spending is a huge part of the economy and sends a strong signal about how Americans feel about the financial health of the country. Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR business correspondent Alina Selyukh about what Black Friday shopping says about where the economy has been and where it might be headed. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

For this holiday episode, we're bringing you a story from the Radio Diaries podcast, The Unmarked Graveyard: Stories from Hart Island. Hart Island is a narrow strip of land in New York, off the coast of the Bronx. More than a million people are buried there in mass graves, with no headstones or plaques. Annette Vega never met her biological father. She had been searching for him for decades. That search finally led to Hart Island. Along the way, she found the family that she never knew.

On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas announced details of a deal that calls for the freeing of at least 50 Israeli women and minors taken hostage during last month's Hamas attack on Israel in exchange for at least 150 Palestinian women and minors held in Israeli jails. NPR correspondents Brian Mann in Israel, and Lauren Frayer in the occupied West Bank, report on how Israelis and Palestinians are reacting to this moment. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

It's just a few days before Thanksgiving, but there's a good chance your holidays are already underway. Maybe you are hosting, or attending, a Friendsgiving celebration. The increasingly widespread alt-holiday meal and gathering happens in November. It's a time to eat, drink, and bask in the glow of our closest friends. But it turns out there can be just as much stress within our social circles as within our families. So what can you do to handle any potential stress or drama? NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with friendship coach Danielle Bayard Jackson about how to avoid unneeded stress and have an enjoyable holiday gathering with your friends.

It was announced on Sunday that former first lady Rosalynn Carter had died, at age 96. The Carter family had said she was suffering from dementia earlier this year. Although President Jimmy Carter only served for one term, Rosalyn Carter transformed the role of first lady. And her influence continued for decades after she left the White House. NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with journalist Judy Woodruff, who covered the Carter administration, about Rosalynn Carter's life and legacy.

Pope Francis says he will attend the COP28 climate conference in Dubai next month, which would make him the first pontiff to attend the annual UN gathering. The pope has made addressing the climate crisis an important focus since 2015, when he published an encyclical on climate change and the environment. Last month, he doubled down on his stance with a new document – Laudate Deum. It's a scathing rebuke of the inaction by world leaders over the last eight years. As Francis takes on an even bigger role in climate activism. What does he hope to achieve? And how does this all fit into his broader legacy as leader of the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics. NPR's Scott Detrow spoke with Fordham professor Christiana Zenner, and Associated Press Vatican correspondent Nicole Winfield, about Pope Francis and his role in advocating for action on climate change. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Today we're sharing an episode of a new NPR podcast called Trump's Trials, hosted by Scott Detrow with regular analysis from Domenico Montanaro. Each week they'll break down the latest courtroom drama, testimony, and legal maneuverings in the criminal and civil cases facing former President Trump — and talk about what it all means for American democracy. In this week's episode, Scott and Domenico spoke with NYU's Melissa Murray about leaked confidential videos of two former Trump lawyers — and what they could mean for the Georgia election interference case. Plus: a development in the January 6th case. Follow Trump's Trials on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for episodes available every Saturday.

In an interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu often referred to post-WW II Germany as a possible road map for what he called the "de-militarizing" and "de-radicalizing" of Gaza. Netanyahu said Gaza needs a new 'civilian government,' but won't say who. NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre parses what Netanyahu said in a conversation with co-host Ari Shapiro. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

Nearly 7 million federal student loan borrowers are in default, and now the U.S. Department of Education is rolling out a new program, called Fresh Start, to make getting out of default easier. NPR's Cory Turner reports on the Fresh Start program and the ripple effects of landing in default. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

There's a very real possibility that the 2024 presidential election could come down to a few thousand votes in a few pivotal states. One of those states is Michigan, which is home to a large Arab American community — with some two hundred thousand registered voters. Many of those voters say that the White House has disproportionately supported Israel, while doing little to protect the lives of Palestinians. And that position could cost President Biden their votes. Meanwhile, the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll shows how the Israel-Hamas War has divided Americans along racial and generational lines. NPR National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea reports from Detroit on the concerns of Arab American voters. And Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Senior Political Editor and Correspondent Domenico Montanaro about what the latest polling tells us about Americans' changing views on Biden's support of Israel. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

The United Auto Workers secured its biggest victory in decades in deals with the Big 3 car companies after weeks of strikes. While the union won a lot of concessions for workers: big pay raises, cost of living adjustments tied to inflation and increased retirement contributions, some workers are focused on what the new contracts are missing. NPR Labor and Workplace Correspondent Andrea Hsu reports on what the historic contracts include and what they don't. Host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR business reporter Camila Domonoske about how the UAW is looking to build on its gains. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

Researchers, election officials and former tech executives are concerned the federal government, fearful of kicking up a storm, has pulled back from its rumor fighting efforts that were effective in 2020 and 2022. NPR correspondents Miles Parks and Shannon Bond joined our co-host Ailsa Chang to discuss their reporting on misinformation. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

Elections in Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and elsewhere showed slightly surprising Democratic strengths and the enduring power of abortion as a campaign issue. Meanwhile, a series of polls indicate that President Joe Biden is unpopular, and struggling against former President Donald Trump, a year out from the elections. In the background, Trump's multiple criminal cases which could impact his popularity going forward. Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Senior Political Editor/Correspondent Domenico Montanaro and White House Correspondent Asma Khalid about the emerging battle lines in the 2024 election. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

This year the U.S. has experienced devastating natural disasters. Outbreaks of tornadoes leveled entire neighborhoods. Flooding trapped people in their homes. Wildfires burned out of control. When people go missing during these catastrophes, it's a race against time to find them alive – or their remains. That crucial search is often carried out by specially trained dogs. FEMA has 280 certified detection dogs trained to find people in disasters. Another 80 dogs are trained to search for human remains. NPR's Scott Detrow visits a Maryland training facility where dogs, and their handlers, learn skills that could save lives. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

It's olive harvesting season in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. But farmer Ayoub Abu Hejleh hasn't been able to harvest olives from any of his 370 trees yet this year. He says Israeli soldiers and settlers have blocked him from his land since the war started. That was back on October 7, when Hamas insurgents attacked Israel, killing more than 1,400 people. While the world has focused on Israel's response in Gaza, violence in the West Bank is also spiking. The International Crisis Group estimates more than 130 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the war began. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly and her team traveled to Abu Hejleh's village. They saw first-hand how the war between Israel and Hamas is upending lives for Palestinians in the West Bank, sometimes in extremely frightening ways. Email us at considerthis@npr.org

Across America, big cities facing an influx of migrants, struggling to provide basic resources.

At the Supreme Court on Tuesday, justices seemed inclined to uphold a federal law that bans anyone covered by a domestic violence court order from having a gun. But if they do that, the decision will likely be a narrow one, leaving many questions about the future of gun regulations unanswered. NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg reports. A note to listeners, there is a graphic description of violence in this episode. Email us at considerthis@npr.org