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Analysis

Drones, TikTok & Luigi Mangione have us asking: who's watching us?

How prevalent is surveillance, and how much should we be paying attention? Getty Images hide caption

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Drones, TikTok & Luigi Mangione have us asking: who's watching us?

From the drones over New Jersey, to the surveillance cameras that captured Luigi Mangione, to even TikTok - our movements, our likeness, even our shopping habits can be tracked. But how did we get to this point? Host Brittany Luse sits down with NPR Cybersecurity Correspondent Jenna McLaughlin and the Brennan Center for Justice's Faiza Patel to get into just how much of our daily lives are up for grabs.

Drones, TikTok & Luigi Mangione have us asking: who's watching us?

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Blocking your mom: why adult children are going no contact

Is the culture around family estrangement changing? Peter Dazeley/Getty Images hide caption

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Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

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Blocking your mom: why adult children are going no contact

It's the holiday season. The time of year when many of us go back home to see our families. But this year, a lot of people aren't going home, and maybe haven't been back in a long time. 27% of Americans are estranged from at least one family member, and the term "no contact" is increasingly being used to describe estrangement between adult children and their parents. But is estrangement happening more often, or are we just more open to talking about it? And is our culture around family shifting? Host Brittany Luse sits down with culture journalist Kui Mwai and Whitney Goodman, licensed marriage and family therapist and the host of the Calling Home podcast, to find out.

Blocking your mom: why adult children are going no contact

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Can Syria avoid another slide into autocracy?

A torn portrait of Bashir al-Assad, that appears to have been arranged, is seen inside the Presidential Palace on December 10, 2024 in Damascus, Syria. Parts of the palace were ransacked in recent days as rebel forces in Syria seized the capital from longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, who fled the country to Russia. (Photo by Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images) Getty Images/Getty Images hide caption

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Consider This from NPR

Can Syria avoid another slide into autocracy?

The brutal regime of Bashar al Assad fell over the weekend with dizzying speed. Syrians within the country and around the world burst into celebration.

Can Syria avoid another slide into autocracy?

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Luigi Mangione & America's pent up pain

Why is Luigi Mangione, an alleged gunman, being praised online? Pennsylvania State Police via AP / ASSOCIATED PRESS hide caption

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Pennsylvania State Police via AP / ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Luigi Mangione & America's pent up pain

Luigi Mangione is alleged to have shot and killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and even before he was identified, the reaction to the shooter was far different than other instances of gun violence.

Luigi Mangione & America's pent up pain

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Wray is out. Patel may be in. What's it mean for the FBI?

Kash Patel, a former chief of staff to the secretary of defense, is President-elect Donald Trump's pick pick to lead the FBI. Rebecca Noble/Getty Images hide caption

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Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

Wray is out. Patel may be in. What's it mean for the FBI?

FBI Director Christopher Wray announced yesterday that he will resign before President-elect Trump takes office. This comes after Trump announced he would appoint loyalist Kash Patel to lead the Bureau.

Wray is out. Patel may be in. What's it mean for the FBI?

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A suspect is in custody. Some Americans are celebrating his alleged actions

Suspected shooter Luigi Mangione is led into the Blair County Courthouse for an extradition hearing December 10, 2024 in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images hide caption

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Consider This from NPR

A suspect is in custody. Some Americans are celebrating his alleged actions

Five days after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan, police arrested 26 year old Luigi Mangione in Pennsylvania. He's facing charges including murder, the illegal possession of a firearm, and lying about his identity.

A suspect is in custody. Some Americans are celebrating his alleged actions

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk (left), co-chair of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), carries his son "X" on his shoulders, as he walks with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (second from left) and DOGE co-leader, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (center), before a meeting with members of Congress at the Capitol on Dec 5.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (left), co-chair of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), carries his son "X" on his shoulders, as he walks with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (second from left) and DOGE co-leader, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (center), before a meeting with members of Congress at the Capitol on Dec 5. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

Politics

Musk and Ramaswamy's DOGE echoes past budget promises that faced big hurdles

Vows to shrink the deficit, pay down the debt and run government more like a business have long been a stock element of politics. Candidates for office who have business backgrounds made it a mantra.

The 'Chinese Exclusion Era' shows how Trump's mass deportation plan could unfold

Document with photograph certifying that a certificate of identity was issued from the 1900s. National Archive Catalog hide caption

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National Archive Catalog

Consider This from NPR

The 'Chinese Exclusion Era' shows how Trump's mass deportation plan could unfold

Donald Trump promises to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants once he returns to the White House. If he follows through, the scale of it would be unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes.

The 'Chinese Exclusion Era' shows how Trump's mass deportation plan could unfold

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The 'little r' racist idea that swung the election
Jackie Lay

Code Switch

The 'little r' racist idea that swung the election

What lessons should we all be taking from the historic match-up between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris? New York Times political correspondent Astead Herndon says the big takeaway from this election isn't the divide between Republicans and Democrats, it's the divide between political elites and the American public. And he says it may be time to rethink our presumptions about how much voters care about representation.

The 'little r' racist idea that swung the election

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Some Trump cabinet picks are accused of sexual misconduct. What's it mean for #MeToo?

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters as he leaves the Russell Senate Office Building. Hegseth is one of Trump's cabinet picks to face accusations of sexual assault. Hegseth denies the charges. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

Some Trump cabinet picks are accused of sexual misconduct. What's it mean for #MeToo?

If you're tracking Donald Trump's cabinet picks, you may have noticed common threads among them: top jobs are going to people fiercely loyal to Trump, people with experience appearing on TV, but no experience directly relevant to the jobs they would be doing.

Some Trump cabinet picks are accused of sexual misconduct. What's it mean for #MeToo?

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Linda McMahon speaks during the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Linda McMahon speaks during the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption

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Matt Rourke/AP

Education

Trump picks business executive Linda McMahon to lead the Education Department

McMahon is a professional wrestling business magnate and co-chair of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team. She has limited experience working with K-12 public schools.

Trump picks business executive Linda McMahon to lead the Education Department

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Make America Male Again? Fifteen years of aggrieved men

Trump's male supporters Getty Images hide caption

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Perspective

It's Been a Minute

Make America Male Again? Fifteen years of aggrieved men

The boys are not alright. They are falling behind in education and employment, and many have responded by leaning into the politics of the aggrieved. For decades, these major cultural developments have laid the groundwork for Donald Trump's re-election.

Make America Male Again? Fifteen years of aggrieved men

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From Trump opponent to Trump loyalist: The evolution of Marco Rubio

President-elect Donald Trump with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) earlier this month. Rubio is Trump's pick for Secretary of State. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Consider This from NPR

From Trump opponent to Trump loyalist: The evolution of Marco Rubio

When compared to some of president-elect Trump's other cabinet picks, Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State is a pretty conventional choice.

From Trump opponent to Trump loyalist: The evolution of Marco Rubio

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Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., speaks after being elected Senate Majority Leader for the 119th Congress following the Senate Republican leadership elections on Nov. 13.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., speaks after being elected Senate Majority Leader for the 119th Congress following the Senate Republican leadership elections on Nov. 13. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Politics

Trump picks loyalists for top jobs, testing loyalty of Senate GOP

Nominees for several key Cabinet posts in the new administration of President-elect Trump caught officials in Washington off guard and ignited a firestorm of criticism — not all of it from Democrats.

With Trump's win, federal student loan borrowers will need to get used to a new normal and new priorities.

With Trump's win, federal student loan borrowers will need to get used to a new normal and new priorities. Moor Studio/Getty Images hide caption

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Moor Studio/Getty Images

Education

What a Trump presidency might mean for student loan forgiveness

Several of President Biden's efforts at loan relief are in jeopardy, including a repayment plan with millions of borrowers waiting in limbo.

What student loan borrowers can expect as the presidency changes

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Sabrina Carpenter, seen here at Coachella earlier this year, is nominated in each of The Big Four categories.

Sabrina Carpenter, seen here at Coachella earlier this year, is nominated in each of The Big Four categories at the 2025 Grammy Awards: album, song and record of the year, plus best new artist. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images North America hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images North America

Music

The 2025 Grammy nominations are out. Here are the big takeaways

Stephen Thompson on the biggest surprises, trends and questions to be found in the Grammy nominations, plus the most interesting stories to be found beyond the major categories.

The 2025 Grammy nominations are out. Here are the big takeaways

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International Reaction to Trump's Victory

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump during an election night watch party on Wednesday. Amir Levy/Getty Images hide caption

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Amir Levy/Getty Images

State of the World from NPR

International Reaction to Trump's Victory

Germany, China and Russia react to Donald Trump's re-election to the U.S. presidency with cautious words of welcome— and sometimes, silence. NPR's International Correspondents Rob Schmitz, John Ruwitch and Charles Maynes report.

International Reaction to Trump's Victory

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Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 30, 2024.

Donald Trump speaks to the media at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 30, 2024. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Culture

How personality trumped policy in this media election cycle

President-elect Trump has excelled at creating his own media image, from his earliest days as a real estate baron. His supporters find him entertaining and feisty, and even critics find it difficult not to talk about him.

President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a campaign rally in October. Kennedy, who is skeptical of vaccines, is among Trump's advisors on health.

President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a campaign rally in October. Kennedy, who is skeptical of vaccines, is among Trump's advisors on health. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

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Alex Brandon/AP

Shots - Health News

How health care could change under the new Trump administration

KFF Health News

Trump's victory gives a broader platform to critics of federal health programs. Among other moves, he may try to weaken the Affordable Care Act and cut funding for Medicaid coverage.

Who's paying to elect the president?

Elon Musk speaks during a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

Who's paying to elect the president?

The homestretch of the presidential campaign means huge rallies, a final barrage of campaign ads, and massive multi-state get out the vote efforts.

Who's paying to elect the president?

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The hot mom rom-com phenomenon

The hot mom rom-com boom is happening all over film this year. Alisha Wetherill/Prime, Courtesy of Prime/Tina Rowden/Netflix, Courtesy of Netflix hide caption

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Alisha Wetherill/Prime, Courtesy of Prime/Tina Rowden/Netflix, Courtesy of Netflix

It's Been a Minute

The hot mom rom-com phenomenon

It's Election Day, but instead of focusing on politics, we decided to do something a little lighter for the occasion: we're looking at this year's hot mom rom-com boom. Host Brittany Luse is joined by New York Magazine features writer Rachel Handler to get a little deeper into three movies from this genre: A Family Affair, The Idea of You, and Between the Temples. They discuss how hot moms on screen have changed, but why movies like these often still feel behind the times.

The hot mom rom-com phenomenon

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