Riot Police Shutdown Columbia University Protests | NPR News Now

Since the 2016 election, America has witnessed college campus protests against “controversial” or “dangerous” speakers. The Coddling of the American Mind explores this phenomenon, showing how a set of dangerous and false beliefs have taken root in the minds of today’s college students, convincing these young people that they are inherently fragile and must be protected from the allegedly harmful impacts of speech with which they disagree. This attitude threatens academic freedom, undermines democracy, and is ultimately harmful to the social and emotional development of today’s youth.

In a pivotal update from NPR News Now, narrated by Korva Coleman and her colleagues, global politics take the center stage. Listeners will be drawn into the heart of diplomatic maneuvers as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares for his long-awaited proposal at the UN Security Council, a momentous occasion for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Furthermore, President Biden’s diplomatic discourse extends beyond Europe, with key dialogues involving Brazil and Israel, highlighting the multifaceted nature of international relations and peace efforts steered by the United States.

The podcast also delves into the gripping developments in the Middle East, as Daniel Estrin reports from Tel Aviv on escalating tensions between Israeli forces and Palestinians, offering a sobering account of the current state of conflict and security measures. On the home front, Camila Domonoske sheds light on the U.S. economic scene, from automotive worker strikes to the robustness of car sales amid looming challenges. As noted by the speakers, these diverse narratives from NPR News Now encapsulate a web of interconnected issues from peace propositions, diplomatic engagements, to the pursuit of impartial justice and economic resilience.

Although many Americans fear that abolishing the police would lead to uncontrolled crime and chaos, proponents argue that it’s the only way to make the country safer for everyone.

Venture into the geopolitical landscape with NPR News Now, anchored by Korva Coleman, as they delve into urgent developments in Middle Eastern politics, U.S. political shifts, and the fluctuations of social media under high-profile leadership. The latest episode charts the cautious optimism surrounding a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, signaling a move toward reconciliation and the liberation of hostages—a story given depth through the insights of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other key figures like Michele Kelemen and Tom Gjelten.

Meanwhile, in a somber note that reverberates through the halls of history, the podcast pays tribute to the late Henry Kissinger, a diplomat who shaped a century of American foreign policy. Coleman, along with other contributors such as Bobby Allyn and Nicole Malliotakis, weave through the complexities of Kissinger’s legacy, domestic political turbulence, and the risks and backlashes faced by corporate giants like Twitter as they navigate the choppy waters of contemporary society. Tune into this poignant mosaic of news, where the reporting of today's headlines meets the enduring conversations of our time.

Join the seasoned NPR News Now team, with Windsor Johnston, Maha Albana, David Gura, Roberto Roldan, and Harrison Malkin, for an episode that navigates the complexities of current geopolitical challenges and prominent legal trials. As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Tel Aviv in a diplomatic endeavor to negotiate humanitarian truces amidst Israel's military encirclement of Gaza. Windsor Johnston and Maha Albana provide on-the-ground perspectives on the critical situation affecting civilians and aid workers, while Albana shares a personal account of escaping the conflict zone and her lingering fears for her family still in peril.

Delve into the judicial system's workings as David Gura and Roberto Roldan dissect two high-profile legal cases with far-reaching implications. Hear the detailed breakdown of the swift guilty verdict against crypto titan Sam Bankman-Fried for grave financial misconduct, marking a stern warning to the fintech sector. Meanwhile, Roldan offers insightful commentary on the federal prosecution of ex-detective Brett Hankison in the tragic Breonna Taylor case, highlighting the contentious debate over police accountability. In a shift to municipal matters, Harrison Malkin discusses the closure of the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center, bringing to light the ongoing challenges within the correctional facilities landscape. This NPR News Now episode is a testament to the team's commitment to bringing forth the critical stories shaping our world.

In a timely episode of NPR News Now, speakers Louise Schiavone, Lauren Frayer, Windsor Johnston, Steve Hobbs, and Jennifer Homendy dive deep into several pressing global and domestic issues. The discussion begins with the dire situation in Gaza, where Secretary of State Antony Blinken, from New Delhi, expresses grave concerns over the loss of Palestinian lives and the dire need for humanitarian aid. The episode paints a stark picture of the conflict, emphasizing the importance of civilian safety as Israeli forces push into populated areas, and the temporary ceasefire that offers a slight reprieve in the face of adversity.

Back on U.S. soil, the podcast shifts its focus to address internal threats — the disturbing trend of fentanyl-laced threats to election officials and the concerning string of near-misses on U.S. runways. Washington's Secretary of State Steve Hobbs sheds light on a dual threat: physical harm and the undermining of democratic stability, highlighting the urgent need for security in electoral processes. Aviation safety is thrust into the conversation as Johnston and Homendy discuss recent disconcerting events and the contribution of understaffing among air traffic controllers to these dangers. This episode of NPR News Now provides a seamless connection between the turbulence abroad and the undercurrents of risk within America's own borders, calling attention to critical matters that need immediate and focused consideration.

In Why We’re Polarized, American progressive journalist, political commentator, and podcaster Ezra Klein argues that Americans are divided into two sharply contrasting groups rooted in partisan identities.

He writes that the clustering of nearly the entire electorate into the Democratic and Republican camps is a story about identity. Specifically, our partisan political identities have become overarching super-identities that encompass and activate our most deeply felt personal, religious, linguistic, socioeconomic, and ethnic/racial identities. In today’s America, these underlying lines of division all come together in one main division—between Democrats and Republicans—that makes bipartisan cooperation increasingly difficult.

In this guide, we explore the origins of modern political polarization and its differing impact on the two major political parties, how polarization has made American politics a winner-take-all struggle, and ideas for how we might depolarize our politics. We also supplement Klein’s ideas and analysis with commentary from other political scholars and analysts and explore additional perspectives that both support and challenge Klein.

The election of Donald Trump has sparked a great deal of discussion about the fate of American democracy. How Democracies Die explores some key questions that have become paramount in the Trump era. Does the election of a figure like Trump—an inexperienced outsider with obvious authoritarian instincts—suggest that democracy in the US is backsliding? Are we doomed to suffer the fate of other 21st-century democracies, like Hungary, Venezuela, and Turkey, where true democracy ceased to exist? By what processes was democracy killed in those and other countries—and how might we prevent it here?

What are the greatest threats to democracy today? How do healthy democratic states descend into illiberalism and authoritarian rule—and how can defenders and proponents of democracy prevent this from happening?

In Shortform’s Master Guide to Threats to Democracy, we’ve synthesized the ideas and recommendations of some of the world’s leading political scientists from across the ideological spectrum to bring insight to this important—and timely—question. We’ll explore forces like polarization, the decline of democratic norms, and extreme wealth inequality that combine to weaken and undermine democratic institutions.

We’ll also examine some of the ways proponents of democracy can promote stronger and healthier democratic institutions through specific institutional reforms, new economic policies to combat inequality, and actions at the individual and grassroots levels to overcome the social divisions that corrode democracy.