Here & Now Anytime

As America turns 250 this year, the American flag has become more than just a symbol of the country. Some see it as a totem of freedom, power and patriotism. Others see it as an emblem of politics and far-right ideology.

We heard from listeners across the country about what the flag means to them. Here & Now producers Ashley Locke and Chris Bentley discuss the responses they received and the various perspectives they represent.

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George Washington could have stayed president for a third term, yet in his famous Farewell Address, he wrote that he would “decline being considered." He penned that address by candlelight in 1796, and curator Lisa Kathleen Graddy explains why the brass stand that held those candles is a significant part of American history.

Then, Ethel Payne was the first Black American woman to become an international news correspondent. A flowered, wide brim hat made her stand out in a room full of male reporters, and Smithsonian curator Jennifer Sieck shares how this hat represents Payne’s legacy.

And, few musicians have changed American music quite like John Coltrane did. He pushed jazz in new directions over his short career. Smithsonian curator Krystal Klingenberg talks about a tenor saxophone that Coltrane played in his final years.

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Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old Democratic Socialist, won the Democratic primary in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, in Denver, over 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette. KUSA politics reporter Kyle Clark breaks down more primary takeaways.

Then, a large part of the U.S. is under extreme heat warnings as temperatures are expected to hit triple digits this week. Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist at the Nature Conservancy, explains the dangers and causes of this potentially record-breaking heat.

And, Bobby Bonilla retired from the MLB in 2001. But every July 1, he gets a $1.19-million check from his former team, the New York Mets. Planet Money’s Kenny Malone breaks down one of the strangest contracts in baseball history.

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The Supreme Court has struck down President Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, explains the decision, which is in line with the longstanding legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

Then, Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, explains why he still believes birthright citizenship should be limited.

And, in another major decision, the Supreme Court ruled against two transgender athletes by saying schools can determine sports eligibility based on biological sex. Orion Rummler, LGBTQ+ reporter for The 19th, shares more.

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The president can now fire most independent regulators, ending a nearly century-old precedent. Mark Joseph Stern, who covers the courts and the law for Slate, weighs in on the consequential opinion.

Then, Alan Blinder, former vice chair of the Federal Reserve, talks about a separate but related decision that upholds the independence of the Federal Reserve.

And, a new bridge between the U.S. and Canada has been built but the Trump administration won't allow it to open. Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta explains how it may be an apt metaphor for a low point in U.S.-Canada relations.

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Every storyteller has a tool: a notebook, a camera, a microphone. For legendary author Octavia Butler, it was a powder blue typewriter. That typewriter is now in the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Community Museum, and acting curator Jennifer Sieck explains Butler’s influence on the country’s history. 

And, the megalodon was one of the biggest fish that ever lived, with seven-inch-long teeth and jaws with 40,000 pounds of bite force. Don’t worry: The megalodon swam between 3.6 and 23 million years ago. But you can still see a model hanging from the ceiling in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History. Curator Nick Pyenson explains why Americans remain fascinated with megalodons.

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The Supreme Court issued several opinions today that advance the Trump administration's agenda on immigration, gun access and the environment.

It ended Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants, allowing them to be deported. It overturned a law in Hawaii that required people get permission before bringing a gun on private property. And, it sided with the manufacturer of Roundup after multiple lawsuits claimed the weed killer caused cancer.

President and CEO of Global Refuge, Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, and law professor Kate Shaw join us to break down the decisions.

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Groundwater supplies in the Colorado River basin are falling fast as a historic drought continues to punish the West. Now, states like Arizona are considering new laws to regulate pumping from aquifers while keeping growing cities supplied with the water they need to grow in the desert. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd reports. 

And, it's summer gardening season. We hear tips for gardening during a dry summer from Sarah Perreault, managing editor for The Old Farmer's Almanac.

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Affordable housing is top of mind for voters, and lawmakers appear to be listening. The Senate on Monday passed a big housing bill that aims to increase supply and lower costs. But will it? University of Pennsylvania’s Vincent Reina explains.

Then, record-breaking heat is hitting Europe. In France, dozens of people have died. The Associated Press’ Sylvia Hui explains how Europe is trying to adapt to a warming climate.

And, the Supreme Court said the prison officials who forcibly shaved a Rastafarian man’s head did not violate his religious beliefs. What does this mean for religious freedom at large? Former federal prosecutor Paul Butler weighs in.

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Israel's wars in the Middle East have become a wedge issue in several congressional campaigns, especially in New York, where establishment Democrats are trying to fend off more progressive challengers backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. We discuss the impact Israel's wars are having on these key primary races with The New York Times' Benjamin Oreskes. 

And, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says President Trump is making up a story that she "begged" him for a photo at the G7 Summit in France last week. The rift could break up one of Trump's closest alliances in Europe. Federiga Bindi, who served as a senior advisor to Italy's then-Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, joins us to discuss what this means for Italy-U.S. relations.

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