Category: International

Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch of Britain since 1952, died on Thursday at the age of 96. She reigned for longer than any other ruler of the United Kingdom, spanning seventy years and fifteen prime ministers.

NPR’s Frank Langfitt brings us the story of her life and reign, including the ups and downs of the royal family during her tenure.

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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For more than a month, residents of Jackson, Mississippi, have not had access to safe drinking water. The city is under a boil water advisory after problems with the pumps at the city’s main water treatment plant.

It’s the latest emergency in a city that has had problems with its water system for decades.

We talk to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan about efforts to fix Jackson’s water infrastructure.

This episode also features reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner and Jennifer Ludden.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what’s going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Traffic fatalities have surged since the early days of the pandemic, reversing a persistent decline since the 1970s. Roads in the U.S. are now more dangerous than they’ve been in 20 years.

Vox’s Marin Cogan tells us about the deadliest road in the country, a stretch of US-19 in Pasco County, Fla.

And we speak to Ryan Sharp, director of transportation and planning in Hoboken, N.J. That city has managed to bring traffic deaths to zero for the past four years.

This episode also features reporting from KCUR’s Frank Morris.

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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When Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in 2017, she was in the midst of reporting on corruption within the island’s government. After her death, a small team of reporters picked up her work where she left off, determined to find the people behind her assassination.

In this episode, we’ll talk with one of those reporters — Stephen Grey from Reuters — about their investigation, which has uncovered new evidence about the network of people responsible for killing Caruana Galizia.

This episode also features reporting from NPR’s Joanna Kakisiss.

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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After decades of scandals over horrible conditions, many states are reimagining prisons and jails and reusing those properties to benefit the community.

After the 2016 election – and Russian hacking attempts targeted at local election offices – hundreds of local governments across the country made changes.

Among them, installing something called an Albert sensor. It’s designed to warn of hacking attempts.

But in Washington State, this cybersecurity tool has become the subject of suspicion on the political right. It’s part of a trend that one voting expert described as “using the language of election integrity to dismantle the infrastructure of election integrity.”

The Northwest News Network’s Austin Jenkins and NPR’s Miles Parks explain what’s happening.

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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Students in Uvalde, Texas are going back to school for the first time since a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School back in May. But parents and kids are still worried about security in the district — and some families are opting to homeschool instead of going back in-person.

NPR’s Juana Summers spent a week in Uvalde speaking with families about how the community is trying to move forward — and balance education with the need to keep students safe.

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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It’s been 17 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, permanently changing life for many people across the country.

Over a thousand were killed, and many more were displaced. The city suffered billions of dollars of damage.

New Orleans has slowly recovered over the years, but for many, the trauma of the natural disaster lingers on.

NPR’s Juana Summers talks with filmmaker Edward Buckles Jr. about his new documentary, ‘Katrina Babies,’ which explores the trauma experienced by families and children from Hurricane Katrina.

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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Serena Williams dominated tennis for the better part of two decades. Her athleticism and aggressive style changed the way the women’s game is played. And she inspired a generation of young Black players who followed in her footsteps.

Coco Gauff was one of them. At 18 years old, she was born five years after Williams’ first Grand Slam singles title. Today, she’s ranked 12th in the WTA rankings.

“Growing up, I never thought I was different,” she said, “because the number one player in the world was somebody who looked like me.”

As Williams plays in what may be the final matches of her career, in the U.S. Open, Chanda Rubin of Tennis Channel reflects on Williams’ career and her legacy.

This episode also features reporting on the Williams family’s time in Compton, California, from NPR’s Danny Hajek.

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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This summer, just weeks after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the story of a 10-year-old girl in Ohio became a flashpoint in the national abortion debate.

The girl had become pregnant as a result of rape and had to travel across state lines to Indiana to get an abortion.

For one rape survivor, the case reminded her of what she lived through long ago, before Roe was the law the of the land. She spoke with NPR’s Sarah McCammon about her experience.

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.