In the fourth episode of the WBUR and Trace podcast, "The Gun Machine," we look at the problem of urban violence and get a snapshot into the types of guns available on the street. These days those include military-grade weapons. Find new episodes every Saturday on Here & Now Anytime.

'The Gun Machine' Ep. 4: Many guns on the streets of the U.S. are illegal

The news you need to know today — and the stories that will stick with you tomorrow. Plus, special series and behind-the-scenes extras from Here & Now hosts Robin Young, Scott Tong and Deepa Fernandes with help from Producer Chris Bentley and the team at NPR and WBUR.

News

A new Florida law will delete most references to climate change from state policy come July. Grist's Jake Bittle tells us more. Cancer 'super tests' screen for more than 50 cancers with a single finger prick. But are they saving lives? Dr. Benjamin Mazer talks about the Galleri test. Then, for Mental Health Awareness Month, Sesame Workshop released new emotional well-being resources for parents and kids. Elmo and Sesame Workshop's Kama Einhorn join us.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Elmo wants to know how you're feeling this Mental Health Awareness Month

A lack of rain in the Panama Canal has snarled cargo ships traveling through the crucial global shipping route and set off water concerns in Panama. Here & Now's Scott Tong reports. And, AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is the most prominent pro-Israel lobbying group in U.S. politics. Politico's Nicholas Wu explains where the group is spending its money this election season. Then, anthropologist Jason De León spent seven years embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Mexico. He joins us to talk about his new book "Soldiers and Kings," which tells their stories.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

How drought put the Panama Canal in troubled water

The International Criminal Court's prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, among others. The Washington Post's Louisa Loveluck joins us. As 17 American doctors evacuated Gaza late last week, three stayed behind. We talk with one of them, Dr. Jomana Al-Hinti, about her decision to stay.And, a new HPV test where patients can self-collect samples is designed to make screenings for cervical cancer more accessible and prevent it early. OB/GYN Dr. Jessica Shepherd joins us.Then, in her new book "American Diva: Extraordinary, Unruly, Fabulous," author Deborah Paredez tells stories of great divas, including Tina Turner and Venus and Serena Williams. Paredez joins us.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

What we can learn from 'American Divas'

Tuesday marked 76 years since Israel's creation. Aaron David Miller, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explores Israel's history and how the the day was observed amid the ongoing war in Gaza. At the same time, Palestinians across the world commemorated Al Nakba, which directly translates to "The Catastrophe." Brown University's Beshara Doumani joins us. And, West Charlotte High School was seen as a model for how schools could integrate in the 1970s. But in the 1990s, a federal judge ruled that bussing was no longer needed. Ella Dennis, historian for the school's Alumni Association, Rev. Joe B. Martin, and student government president Malachi Thompson join us. Then, 20 years ago, David Wilson and Rob Compton were one of the first same-sex couples to be married in the U.S. They join us to reflect on the anniversary.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

How one school has changed, 70 years since Brown v. Board of Education

The Supreme Court ruled that a map that draws a second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana can be used in this year's elections. Law professor Spencer Overton explains its impact. And, patients in Gaza with conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson's and cerebral palsy are uniquely challenged by the ongoing violence. Dr. Jomana Al-Hinti talks about the need for neurologists in Gaza. Then, the Department of Health and Human Services has barred disability discrimination in health care. Disability Scoop's Michelle Diament breaks down the new rule and how it relates to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Finally, this week is peak time for bird migration in the northern part of the U.S. But lights and windows can make their journey tougher. Scientist Andrew Farnsworth explains how people can help.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

'The Gun Machine' Ep. 4: Many guns on the streets of the U.S. are illegal

Download our free app to listen on your phone