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Destructive flooding caused by torrential rains has created a deadly disaster in California. The death toll rivals the worst wildfires and points to a common cause for both: drought.

Brian Ferguson with California’s Office of Emergency Services explains how a “weather whiplash” of dry years followed by heavy rain and snow can lead to dangerous outcomes. And NPR’s Lauren Sommer reports on how officials are hoping to store more storm water as a way to prevent future floods and fight the ongoing drought.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

The attack on Brazil’s congress and presidential palace Sunday was reminiscent of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Both are part of a broader transnational extremist movement.

We talk about that with Guilherme Casarões of the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Sao Paulo, and with NPR correspondents Shannon Bond and Sergio Olmos.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

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Parents who have their kids placed in foster care often get a bill to reimburse the state for part of the cost. NPR found that in at least 12 states there are laws that say parents could lose their kids forever if they fail to pay it.

We hear about one family in North Carolina who had a child taken away because of an unpaid bill. And NPR investigative correspondent Joseph Shapiro takes a closer look at the laws behind such cases.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

‘Tis the season for lists! Best films of the year, best albums, best podcasts. Lists can provoke strong emotions- from spirited debate to outrage – over who or what made the cut or ranked higher.

This week, Rolling Stone magazine faced backlash over their list of the 200 greatest singers of all time, which omitted some big names (Celine Dion, Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole to name a few)

Lists! We love to hate them. and yet they are almost irresistible. Can they function as more than just clickbait?

NPR’s Andrew Limbong talks to Aisha Harris and Stephen Thompson, hosts of Pop Culture Happy Hour.

It’s been two years since rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, leaving an indelible mark on American democracy.
We speak to NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and NPR Senior Political Correspondent Domenico Montanaro, about how the events of that day continue to impact the country two years later.
In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

The world faces key deadlines for climate action in coming decades. But most of us are more focused on the short term — today, tomorrow, maybe next year. So what do we do about that?

NPR’s Rebecca Hersher explains why humans have so much trouble prioritizing climate change.

And Esme Nicholson reports on climate protesters in Germany who are taking increasingly disruptive steps to demand action.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

A small group of Republican hardliners set out to block Kevin McCarthy, their party’s leader in the House of Representatives, from becoming Speaker. That same faction has taken on GOP leaders before.

We speak to Paul Kane, senior Congressional correspondent and columnist for the Washington Post, about the history behind this week’s standoff in the House and what it means for Congress.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

High mortgage rates and a low supply of homes for sale has made homeownership feel out of reach for many Americans. And yet it remains an important way for Americans to build wealth.

We speak with Chris Herbert, with the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, about how homeownership became such an important part of the American Dream, and about other ways to build wealth.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Although not widely known, 37-year-old Tobias Jesso Jr.’s name pops up on the credits of some of today’s biggest musical hits. He’s written for Adele, Harry Styles and FKA twigs among many others.

Jesso Jr.’s body of work as a songwriter has earned him a Grammy nomination in the brand-new category Songwriter of the Year. And although he got his start in the music industry as a solo artist, he says he feels more at home behind the scenes.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

It’s that time of year – the ball has dropped, the champagne bottles are empty and you have a list of resolutions to start living your best life in 2023.

There’s plenty of expert advice to help us succeed at making a budget or running a 5K. But research and polling show that many people fail to reach their goals. If you routinely give up your resolutions by February, maybe the key to succeeding is rethinking the whole idea of what a resolution is.

NPR’s Elissa Nadworny talks with Marielle Segarra, host of Life Kit about why focusing less on goals and more on intentions may be a better approach to making resolutions. And Faith Hill of The Atlantic shares why she decided to stop making New Year’s resolutions.