Musician Rhiannon Giddens has won Grammys, a Pulitzer, and a MacArthur "Genius Grant."

But her new album is a true love letter to her North Carolina roots and features former Carolina Chocolate Drops bandmate Justin Robinson. The album is called "What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow."

Giddens and Robinson join us to talk about North Carolina's musical past, taking the time to learn at the feet of a master, and what it means to call a place home.

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The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known colloquially as the nation's report card, shows that reading scores dropped an average of two progress points for both 4th and 8th graders.

But two states that are bucking this trend? Mississippi and Louisiana.

How did two of the country's poorest states turn their literacy scores around in a matter of a few years? What can other states learn from those stories?

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A flood of executive actions and attempts to reshape the scope of the federal government have resulted in at least 328 lawsuits against President Donald Trump's administration as of May 1. A Bloomberg analysis found that judges have blocked Trump's policies more than they have allowed them.

We break down some of the biggest cases against the Trump administration and what they say about the balance of power in the U.S. today.

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The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a case about President Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship. House Republicans unveil a bill to cut congressional spending.

The U.S. and China hammer out a trade deal that reduces tariffs for 90 days. President Donald Trump visits the Middle East, announcing a slew of economic deals and partnerships. But back home, a luxury jet from the Qatari government takes over the headlines.

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June is around the corner. It means the end of the Supreme Court's term, and with it, decisions on its most high-profile, high-stakes cases.

That's the "what" of the Court's work – but how does the Court decide its cases today? One book tries to answer that.

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On Sunday, Catholic churches across the world celebrated Mass while a new leader took the top seat in Vatican City. That new leader is Pope Leo XIV.

But when white smoke rose last week, some of the faithful may have been surprised when Robert Prevost walked out of St. Peter's Basilica victorious. He's the first US-born pope in history.

What do we know about the man now leading the church? What does it mean for someone born in the U.S. to be the pope?

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We're talking all about electric vehicles.

The month of May was made for racing. From the Kentucky Derby to the Indy 500. And now, there's a new sound getting louder.

Prime Video is offering a look into the fast lane of Formula E racing with the recently-released show Formula E: Driver. The series follows the lives, and the close calls of four Formula E drivers, including Andretti Racing's 2023 Formula E World Champion, Jake Dennis.

And later, new polling from Gallup suggests fewer Americans are interested in EVs now than two years ago. In 2023, 59% of those polled were open to buying an EV. That's now dropped to 51%.

Still, EV sales continue to rise. And that's despite the Trump administration's tariffs and potential repeal of EV tax credits. The administration also halted a program aiming to build a network of EV chargers. But some states are suing to restore the funding.

We discuss the future of EVs in America.

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President Donald Trump has been clear about wanting to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the world. What's becoming clearer is how much Trump is personally invested in the industry succeeding.

A new report from State Democracy Defenders Action finds that Trump's crypto holdings represent nearly 40 percent of his net worth. The president has his own meme coin and is offering a dinner and private White House tour to the highest investors.

Meanwhile, a recent deal by the Trump family's crypto firm, World Liberty Financial, to an Emirati state backed venture fund has raised eyebrows.

On Tuesday, Democratic Representative Maxine Waters of California blocked a joint hearing on cryptocurrency policy. On Thursday, a key cryptocurrency bill stalled over concerns of the president's crypto dealings.

We get into all of this during our latest installment of, "If You Can Keep It."

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There's a new Pope in town, the first American. We discuss what we know about the new pontiff.

This week, President Trump says he wants the world to see the United States as a "luxury store." But who can afford it?U.S. ports say the trade war is already slowing traffic. We get to the latest on trade talks.

Also, more on the right to due process and fresh U.S. intelligence that undercuts arguments about the president's power to remove those in the U.S. without legal status to prisons overseas.

The latest as tensions escalate between India and Pakistan. Israel ramps up its war in Gaza. Vice President Vance calls out the Kremlin for stalled efforts to agree a peace deal with Ukraine.

And during his visit to the White House, Canada's newly elected prime minister tells President Trump what's up for debate and what's not for sale.

The News Roundup covers the biggest stories from this week.

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John B. King Jr. has worked in nearly every role an educator can — teacher, principal, administrator, higher education chancellor, and education secretary (under Barack Obama).

Some big changes for education in America could be coming. The Trump administration has signaled its intention to close the Department of Education. That could have far-reaching ripple effects on parents, teachers, and, most importantly, students.

We discuss what it takes for teachers to impact students' lives for the better, and what can teachers do to steer them to success in school and in life.

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