Here & Now Anytime

ABC News political director Rick Klein and NBC senior congressional reporter Scott Wong discuss the latest moves in the lame-duck Congress to avert a rail strike. And, this weekend, one of the NFL's most controversial players will step back onto the field. The Ringer's Lindsay Jones reminds us of the sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and what to expect. Then, Andrew Limbong, host of NPR's "Book of the Day" podcast, talks about NPR's Books We Love site, which has more than 400 suggestions for great reads from the staff at NPR.

On World AIDS Day, we look at the status of AIDS in the present day. Marnina Miller, community outreach coordinator for the Southern AIDS Coalition, joins us to share what she tells young people about living with HIV and other thoughts. Then, the European Union is set to hold a crucial vote on whether to put a price cap on Russian oil. The aim is to cut Russia's oil revenue, but some people fear that this could adversely affect the energy market that has seen low U.S. gas prices. MSNBC anchor and economics correspondent Ali Velshi joins us. And, rail workers' fight for paid time off sheds light on the millions of Americans who also go without paid sick leave. Joe McCartin, the executive director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University joins us.

Workers at Zhengzhou, China's big Foxconn factory are protesting against COVID restrictions. The factory produces half of the world's iPhones. China Labor Bulletin researcher Aidan Chau joins us. Then, even after laying off thousands of employees, Facebook's parent company Meta is still on track to spend millions of dollars on virtual reality. Why is Meta betting so heavily on VR and how does gaming fit into the picture? Here & Now's James Perkins Mastromarino joins us. And, following a poor Thanksgiving box office, there's still much to look forward to in terms of movie releases this holiday season. NPR's Aisha Harris and KPCC's John Horn join us to give their new movie recommendations, from "Glass Onion" to "Pinnochio."

Congress is set to take up legislation this week to impose an agreement between railroad companies and union workers. Clark Ballew from the BMWED national union joins us. Then, we get the latest on Hawaii's Mauna Loa — the world's largest active volcano which erupted for the first time since 1984 over the weekend — from Bill Dorman of Hawai'i Public Radio. And, Columbia University law professor Katherine Franke talks about what the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act would mean. Utah County marriage clerks Russ Rampton and Ben Frei explain why they perform online marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples from countries where same-sex marriage is banned, even though it runs contrary to their church's religious teachings.

Protests erupted in China over widespread restrictions as part of the country's zero COVID policy. Protesters have been calling for freedom of speech, freedom of the press and some even for Xi Jinping to step down. NPR China affairs correspondent John Ruwitch joins us. Then, the World Cup has also been rocked by protests as the U.S. team gears up to play Iran. Protests in Iran have continued for months since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody for allegedly wearing her headscarf incorrectly. Journalist and author James Montague joins us. And, effective altruism is a philanthropic model that encourages people to make a lot of money so they can donate a lot of money. But after the fall of FTX's founder Sam Bankman-Fried, the movement is at a crossroads. The Atlantic's Derek Thompson joins us.

Former "iCarly" and "Sam & Cat" star Jennette McCurdy never wanted to be an actor. But her mother wanted her to, so she spent her childhood at casting calls and on television sets. Her mother controlled her life off-screen, dictating what she wore, ate and did. McCurdy details it all in her best-selling memoir "I'm Glad My Mom Died," and joins us to tell her story.

Got some Thanksgiving leftovers that could work well as a taco? Make sure you're working with the best corn tortillas. Jorge Gaviria's book "Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple" explores the history and science behind the corn dough used to create tortillas. Then, apples get all the attention in fall cooking, so why not switch it up with some pears? Our resident chef Kathy Gunst drops by with recipes for a salad, pork chops and a sweet crumble, all utilizing the sweet, tart fruit. And, sweeten the deal with these easy dessert recipes, all of which can be baked on one sheet pan. Molly Gilbert joins us to talk about her book "Sheet Pan Sweets" where readers can find simple recipes for birthday cakes, blondies and more.

Traveling over Thanksgiving weekend? You're far from the only one. Airlines are expected to enter the busiest season of the year, close to pre-pandemic levels. But are they ready for that increased demand? Transportation analyst Seth Kaplan joins us. Then, it's easy to feel peckish while cooking Thanksgiving dinner all day long. Whether for yourself or your houseguests, resident chef Kathy Gunst has three recipes that'll keep you satisfied before dinner without spoiling your appetite. And, Latin jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri has made musical magic on stages around the world over the last seven decades. He joins us to reflect on his life and career, calling himself an eternal student who never stops learning.

In the wake of the Colorado Springs shooting, the Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church has rallied around folks from the community. Pastor Alycia Erickson says the church has an important role to play at this time. Then, Keir Radnedge, a reporter for World Soccer Magazine who is in Qatar, talks about Saudia Arabia's stunning win over Argentina in the World Cup. And, college student Natalie Ho lives by the beach in California for $300 rent. Her secret? Home sharing with an older adult. We hear about the trend.

A gunman opened fire and killed 5 people at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs. The club existed as a safe haven for the gay community in a predominantly-conservative area. Paolo Zialcita, a general assignment reporter at Colorado Public Radio, joins us to discuss what we know so far. Then, after two weeks of talks, the COP17 climate conference wrapped up with some major developments, namely an agreement over a climate reparations fund. However, some other aspects such as mitigating rising temperatures were deemed failures. Alden Meyer, senior associate at climate change think tank E3G, joins us. And, Jerry Seinfeld's show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and Seinfeld has debuted a book of the same nature. "The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book" comes out Tuesday, and Seinfeld joins us to discuss it.

Three young climate activists from around the world discuss what sort of climate action they want from their leaders and explain how high the stakes feel for them. And, after two days of pre-sale pandemonium, TicketMaster announced it would be canceling the general public sale for Taylor Swift's highly anticipated Eras Tour. Mike Regan, senior editor at Bloomberg News, joins us. Then, "Magic: The Gathering" invented the trading card game model nearly 30 years ago. But a recent decision to sell a collectible product for a whopping one thousand dollars has fans up in arms. Here & Now's James Perkins Mastromarino reports.

Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that she will step down from party leadership. Joe Garofoli, senior political writer at the San Francisco Chronicle, takes a look back on her remarkable career. And, the Washington Post's Ishaan Tharoor talks about the political debate surrounding the World Cup in Qatar. Then, why is it so hard for us to give up meat? We speak with a professor who studies the psychology of going vegetarian And we get some mouth-watering vegetarian recipes from award-winning chef Bryant Terry.

Today's episode is focused on COP27. First, we explore the challenges and opportunities that come with climate reparations with Saleemul Huq, director of the Bangladesh-based International Centre for Climate Change and Development. Then, we convene a roundtable of climate reporters from Brazil, Nigeria and Pakistan to hear about the key issues affecting their local communities — from deforestation to flooding. And, YR Media's Mukta Dharmapurikar visited her family's farm in India this summer and found the lack of rain and the changing monsoon season are causing fear and uncertainty about the community's future.

Republicans have won 217 seats in the House. The party is one vote short of retaking the chamber. Scott Wong, senior congressional reporter for NBC News, shares the latest. And, about 48,000 unionized academic workers across the University of California's 10 campuses have taken to the picket line, calling for better pay and benefits. Summer Lin, the Los Angeles Times reporter covering the strikes, speaks with us. Then, public radio voice Lauren Ober's new podcast "The Loudest Girl in the World" is all about her later-in-life autism diagnosis. Ober joins us now to tell us about the show and her journey.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a surprise visit to liberated Kherson Monday as workers try to restore basics such as power, water and phone services. NPR's Frank Langfitt was on the phone with Ukrainian soldiers who recaptured the city. And, Toledo City Council teamed up with RIP Medical Debt to rid hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt for thousands of Toledo residents. Michele Grim, who led the effort, explains what other cities can learn from this. And, we speak with two early childhood educators about their fight for better wages.

NBC News senior congressional reporter Scott Wong and Radio Iowa news director Kay Henderson discuss the latest news from uncalled congressional races. Then, a judge in Texas has just dealt another blow to President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. USA Today education reporter Chris Quintana explains what happens next in the legal fight as a pause on payments is set to expire in December. And, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced an 11% drop in homeless veterans since the start of the pandemic, the largest drop in more than half a decade. CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans Kathryn Monet talks about how this drop came to be but warns that it could be a temporary win.

Maricopa County election supervisor Bill Gates addresses the technical error that caused a delay at some voting centers in Arizona on Tuesday and assures that it was a technical glitch, not fraud or incompetence. He joins us. And, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won reelection in Michigan and a ballot proposal that adds the right to abortion and contraceptive use to the state constitution also passed. Matt Grossmann, a political scientist at Michigan State University, talks about the midterm results in Michigan. Then, we speak with Tim Petrowski, a steelworker in Michigan, and Georgetown University professor Sherry Linkon, who studies working-class issues, about which political messages resonated with working-class voters this midterm election.

Midterm voting ended on Tuesday, and results are still rolling in from some states. What do the results we already have mean for American politics at large? NPR's Ron Elving and Princeton University historian Julian Zelizer join us to discuss what it all means. Then, abortion has been a hot-button issue seemingly forever, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion legislation up to individual states. Vermont, California, Michigan, Montana and Kentucky all had abortion rights on the ballot this midterm, and NPR's Sarah McCammon has been tracking the results. She joins us. And, more than 300 election deniers — people who believe falsehoods about election fraud in 2020 or do not accept that former President Donald Trump lost the election — appeared on ballots across the country. Some won their races, some lost and Joanna Lydgate, president of the non-profit States United Democracy Center, joins us to unpack what that means.

NPR's Don Gonyea tells us which House and Senate races to watch on election night. Then, the U.S. Postal Service has advised customers to avoid sending mail using blue drop boxes due to a rise in mail theft. A small number of ballots appear to be getting caught up in the net. David Maimon, who studies cybertheft at Georgia State University, explains that ballots are unlikely to be the target of the theft. And, looking for some comfort on this tumultuous Election Day? Chef Kathy Gunst has three new stew recipes for fall.

Midterm voting ends on Tuesday, but election results may not be available then. Election night is when most states start counting absentee and mail-in ballots. Domenico Montanaro, NPR senior political editor and correspondent, joins us. Then, emotion plays a heavy role in politics, especially when it comes to believing wholly-unfounded claims of election fraud from the 2020 election. Arlie Hochschild is a sociologist who's spent the past decade trying to understand how conservatives see the world and joins us. And, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" comes out on Nov. 11, and Angela Bassett stars as Queen Ramonda. Bassett joins us to talk about the film and the late franchise star, Chadwick Boseman.

Ahead of midterm voting ending on Tuesday, both President Biden and former President Donald Trump held rallies to motivate voters to cast their ballots. ABC News political director Rick Klein and USA Today White House correspondent Francesca Chambers join us to talk about what issues are driving voters this election season. Then, as Elon Musk takes over as head of Twitter, he faces pressure to combat hate speech and misinformation on the platform. Rashad Robinson, president of the civil rights nonprofit Color of Change, met with Musk and joins us. And, according to estimates by some in the industry, nearly 95% of celebrity memoirs aren't written by the person on the cover. So who is penning these autobiographies? Ghostwriters who remain nameless but make a hefty profit off the projects, for the most part. Here & Now's Grace Griffin reports.

In a prime-time speech to the American public, President Biden called out lies about the 2020 presidential election that have led to political violence. But is that enough to embolden Democratic voting blocs like young and Black voters to turn out at the polls? Peniel Joseph, director of the University of Texas Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, joins us. Then, as midterm elections approach, five states have slavery on the ballot. In Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont, loopholes exist that allow for the forced labor of incarcerated citizens, and voters will weigh in on whether to remove them from state constitutions. Christina Carrega, a national criminal justice reporter for Capital B News, joins us. And, "Listen, World!," a new book from Allison Gilbert and Julia Scheerer explores the life of Elsie Robinson, a prolific journalist and columnist born in the early 1900s. She became the most-read woman in America, though many didn't know her name. Author Gilbert joins us.

As the U.S. Supreme Court hears two cases involving affirmative action in relation to college admissions, the Washington Post found that the lawyers arguing cases in front of the Justices are mostly white and male. WAPO's Tobi Raji joins us. Then, a new Greenpeace report shows that only 5% to 6% of plastics in the U.S. are recycled. The report also concludes that plastics are "fundamentally not recyclable" and calls for the petrochemical industry to end the narrative that places blame on individual consumers instead of the corporations producing so much plastic. Lisa Ramsden, senior plastics campaigner at Greenpeace, joins us. And, the right song can lift us up and make us feel alive. How have some anthems — like "ABC" by the Jackson 5 or "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys — transcended decades, remaining popular the whole time? Music journalist Steve Baltin spoke to some of the hitmakers for his new book "Anthems We Love: 29 Iconic Artists on the Hit Songs that Shaped our Lives," and joins us.

Supreme Court Justices heard arguments in two cases with major implications for whether race can be used as one factor in college admissions. Slate's Dahlia Lithwick joins us. Then, ahead of the November midterm elections, we are hearing how people want to prioritize inflation and the rising cost of living. Demographer Beth Jarosz with the nonprofit Population Reference Bureau dives into the math behind poverty lines. And, musical icon Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton wrote a kid's book, "The First Notes: The Story of Do, Re, Mi," which tells the story of the 11th-century monk who invented a system of musical notation that we use today. The authors join us.

A new bulletin warns of a heightened "domestic violent extremist threat" in the final days of this midterm election cycle and following the outcome. Robert Pape, director of the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats, has been tracking the potential for domestic political violence since the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Then, Chelsea Manning tells her story in a new memoir, "README.txt." The book goes from her struggles with gender as a child to being charged with 22 counts related to the unauthorized possession and distribution of classified material. And, happy Halloween! In the last two years, witches spelled over into romance novels — making contemporary romance just a little bit more magical. Here & Now's Kalyani Saxena reports.

The federal free lunch program ended, and now some states are looking into reinstating the program at the state level. Colorado is one state considering bringing the program back, and Colorado Public Radio reporter John Daley joins us. Then, as midterms approach, how elections are run and more is at stake on the ballot, especially in Ohio and Nevada. Cleveland-based NBC senior national political reporter Henry Gomez and editor of the Nevada Independent Elizabeth Thompson join us. And, the American beaver is back in Milwaukee. Beavers were hunted and trapped beavers for their pelts, and the population plummeted. But now that they're returning, ecologists say it's a sign the ecosystem is recovering. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports.

All the promises countries have made to reduce carbon emissions are not enough to prevent a climate catastrophe — and the window for action is closing, according to a new United Nations report. Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Program, talks about the report. And, in swing state of Pennsylvania, voters won't have the option to select their secretary of state this November. Here & Now's Samantha Raphelson reports. Then, a genre of music from Ghana and Nigeria is gaining traction around the world. King Promise, a rising Afrobeats star, talks to us while on a recent U.S. tour stop.

With COVID, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus all on the rise, public health care professionals warn against a "triple-demic." Patients of all three are filling hospitals nationwide. Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alamaba Birmingham, joins us. Then, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has always been a controversial figure. But his recent antisemitic comments have caused an uproar among his professional and business contacts. NBA players dropped out of his sports agency, Donda Sports. Adidas, Balenciaga and other major brands ended their partnerships with him. Chenjerai Kumanyika, assistant professor at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, and Karen Attiah, columnist for the Washington Post, join us. And, Here & Now's newest co-host Deepa Fernandes is getting ready to take her daughter to her first concert. Ahead of it, she caught up with other staff members about their early concert memories and shared some of her own.

Multiple allegations of voter intimidation have been reported in Arizona as early midterm voting gets underway. The Arizona Republic's Sasha Hupka joins us. Then, after Los Angeles City Council members were caught on an audio recording making racist remarks including comments about Oaxacans, Indigenous people from Southern Mexico who make up a large portion of the city's immigrant population. Author and restaurateur in Los Angeles Bricia Lopez and assistant professor at the University of California Irvine Brenda Nicolas join us. And, as the weather cools down, pick up some winter squash at the grocery store and try out these three recipes from Kathy Gunst, our resident chef. She shares how to make a ramen dish, a farro salad and an herbaceous galette.

The National Report Card came out Monday and paints the broadest picture of student achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report finds children have suffered record declines in the past few years. Head of the National Center for Education Statistics Dr. Peggy Carr joins us. Then, we reflect on what the U.S. can learn from the Cuban Missile Crisis, 60 years later. As the war in Ukraine weathers on and North Korea threatens missile usage, tensions are heightened yet again. Senior research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Security Studies Program Jim Walsh joins us. And, it's Black In Physics week and NASA scientist K. Renee Horton is carving out a space for Black and disabled people in STEM fields. Horton herself experiences hearing loss and will soon embark on a special flight with other people with disabilities. She joins us to talk about her career and advocacy work.