Short Wave

Though both parties have agreed for decades that the U.S. immigration system is in dire need of reform, the optics of border-crossing migrants have become a red-meat campaign tactic for Republicans, precluding the possibility of compromise legislation. Recent moves by the governors of Florida and Texas have put the issue back in the spotlight.

This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, immigration correspondent Joel Rose, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

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Last week, Lauren Sommer talked with Short Wave about the dangerous combination of heat and humidity in the era of climate change and how the heat index can sometimes miss the mark in warning people how hot it will feel. That reminded us of producer Thomas Lu's conversation about relative humidity with Maddie Sofia. He digs into why some meteorologists say it's important to pay attention to dew point temperature and how moisture in the air and temperature influence the way our body "feels" when we're outside. (Encore)

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Abortion access and inflation are the top issues driving the midterms, but they're motivating very different sets of voters. And an under-discussed force driving the midterms? The long shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, political correspondent Susan Davis, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

Thanks to Krishnadev Calamur, Gianna Capadona, Brandon Carter, Scott Detrow, Jessica Goldstein, John Isabella, Lexie Schapitl and Arnie Seipel.

Muthoni Muturi is the executive producer of The NPR Politics Podcast. The show is produced by Elena Moore and Casey Morell. Eric McDaniel is our editor. Fact-checking by Maya Rosenberg. Engineering by Patrick Murray.

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The world has been warily watching the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. The nuclear complex is being held by Russian forces, while the plant itself is being run by an increasingly ragged and exhausted Ukrainian workforce. Shells have fallen on the complex, and external power sources have been repeatedly knocked out, endangering the system that cools the nuclear reactors and raising the specter of a meltdown. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports from inside Ukraine.

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Cody Keenan talks to NPR's Tamara Keith about writing for Barack Obama, the impact of Donald Trump's rhetoric and whether a president needs to be a compelling speaker to be an effective leader.

He's the author of a new book, Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America.

This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith.

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Heat—it's common in summer in much of the world, but it's getting increasingly more lethal as climate change causes more extreme heat. NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer talks with Short Wave's Regina G. Barber about how human bodies cope with extended extreme heat and how current information on how hot it feels need updating.

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Republican J.D. Vance and Democrat Tim Ryan are contesting Ohio's open Senate seat. Social issues including abortion are top-of-mind and the race is surprisingly tight in a state that has trended increasingly red.

This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh.

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A century ago, astronomers were locked in a debate about the scope of our universe. Were we it?

The answer is no. There are other galaxies beyond the Milky Way, and they are speeding away from us. Answering that question left astronomers with an even bigger puzzle. Why is everything sprinting away from us and what does that mean for the center of the universe? Today, Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber brings back astronomer Dr. Vicky Scowcroft for the final episode in our series on cosmic distances and humanity's place in the universe. It's a big one: The mystery of our expanding universe.

If you haven't heard the other two episodes in the series yet, check them out here:
- Venus And The 18th Century Space Race
- The Stars that Settled The Great Debate

Curious about other intergalactic goings on? Tweet us @NPRShortWave or email us at [email protected].

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Rates of political violence, armed protest, hate crime and white supremacist activity all became more prevalent during the Trump administration. Can a campaign by a broadly unpopular Democratic president turn the tide? Is there another option?

This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, and White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez.

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Updated COVID boosters are now available that target the Omicron subvariant and many Americans 12 and older are eligible for the shot. Host Emily Kwong and health correspondent Allison Aubrey talk about who should get it, when, and whether there's a case to be made for skipping this booster.

You can read more about Allison's reporting at "Omicron boosters: Do I need one, and if so, when?"

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