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The hosts of NPR's All Things Considered help you make sense of a major news story and what it means for you, in 15 minutes. New episodes six days a week, Sunday through Friday.

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The FDA is removing the black box warning on estrogen therapy after two decades. Should it?

Women who want to use estrogen to treat menopause symptoms often face a difficult choice.

That’s because those hormone treatments contain a “black-box warning.”

The Food and Drug Administration uses black box warnings to indicate a medication has potentially life threatening side effects.

In the case of estrogen for menopause symptoms, an increased risk of endometrial cancer, cardiovascular disorders, dementia and breast cancer.

Well those warnings are going away. 

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Mia Venkat and Erika Ryan. It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Scott Hensley.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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FDA reverses decades of guidance on hormone therapy for menopause

‘Affordability’ was the word that resonated across America during elections last week, reflecting voters’ demand for elected officials to address the rising cost of living. But the wealth gap in America and globally is increasing. Nobel-prize winning economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz talks about the repercussions for democracies worldwide.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Jordan-Marie Smith, with engineering by Peter Ellena.

It was edited by Ahmad Damen. 

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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'Affordability,' and the repercussions of the increasing global wealth gap

Tuesday’s election was the first time voters registered how they’re feeling since President Trump entered the White House.

And after Democratic candidates won marquee races in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City, the answer was clear: they are not happy with the party in power.

So what are the two major political parties taking away from this week?

NPR correspondents Domenico Montanaro and Tamara Keith break it down.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, Casey Morell, Connor Donevan and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Peter Ellena. It was edited by Kelsey Snell and Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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What this week’s elections could mean for the midterms

Nancy Pelosi is arguably the most powerful woman in American history. After her election to Congress in 1987, she accumulated more and more power, eventually rising to become Speaker of the House in 2007, the first and only woman to hold that office. 

Now in her 20th term, Pelosi announced Thursday morning that she will not seek reelection. 

Susan Page is Washington Bureau chief for USA Today and author of Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power. She joined Consider This host Juana Summers to talk about Pelosi's achievements -- and her legacy.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, with audio engineering by Jimmy Keeley. It was edited by Christopher Intagliata, Courtney Dorning and Nadia Lancy. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Nancy Pelosi announces end to nearly four decades in Congress

Next year, the Supreme Court will decide whether the President can use a five decade old emergency powers act to shape the U.S. economy.

Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or AYEEPA, last spring when he imposed sweeping tariffs of at least 10 percent across all countries.

Wednesday, the nine justices heard oral arguments in the case. And however they decide it — the ruling could affect economic policy and presidential power for years to come.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a democrat, was at the Court and joined Consider This host Juana Summers to talk about the suit and the steps his state is taking to rein in the Trump administration.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Brianna Scott and Erika Ryan with engineering by David Greenburg.

It was edited by Courtney Dorning. 

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Tariffs aren't a presidential power, says California Attorney General

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a major case about the administration’s use of tariffs. 

President Trump has long touted the power of tariffs as a tool for trade negotiations and even for ending conflict. 

But now the justices will hear about how that tool may be misused. 

NPR's Scott Horsley and Danielle Kurtzleben discuss President Trump's tariff policy and its economic impact.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Connor Donevan and Karen Zamora. It was edited by Courtney Dorning, Rafael Nam and Dana Farrington. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Tariffs are going to the Supreme Court. What's at stake?

Every year the President of the United States determines how many refugees can enter this country. The law says he must consult Congress on this number. 

But last week President Trump announced just 7,500 refugees would be admitted in the coming fiscal year – a 94% cut from the 125,000 cap set by President Joe Biden.

Sharif Aly leads the International Refugee Assistance Project - an organization that helps refugees and other immigrants navigate the legal process of resettlement. The International Refugee Assistance Project is also challenging Trump’s suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. 

Aly joined Consider This host Juana Summers to discuss how this historic drop means for the US refugee resettlement system.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Jonaki Mehta, Connor Donevan and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Becky Brown and Simon-Laslo Janssen. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Trump is slashing the number of refugees. What does that mean?

The legal definition of the term 'unlawful combatants' was used to justify detaining people at Guantanamo indefinitely, without ever charging them with a crime. Now, the president is using it to describe the alleged drug smugglers that the military is targeting with boat strikes.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Avery Keatley and Gabriel Sanchez. It was edited by Ahmad Damen. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Trump calls alleged smugglers 'unlawful combatants'. That term has a history.

Voters head to the polls next week in California, Virginia and New Jersey among other states. 

Senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro explain what they are watching in these elections — and what voters’ choices might say about the political moment.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Kai McNamee and Connor Donevan.

It was edited by Kelsey Snell, Ben Swasey, Jeanette Woods and Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Could next week's elections predict the political future?

It’s a critical week regarding the Affordable Care Act, which is at the center of the government shutdown impasse. “Window shopping" began for some people buying health insurance through the ACA – also known as Obamacare – giving enrollees estimates on how much their premiums could cost next year. 

Without the ACA tax credits that Democrats want to extend into 2026, many people could see big increases in their health care costs – 114%, on average, according to estimates by KFF, a nonprofit health policy think tank. 

While there’s still time for lawmakers to strike a deal on extending the subsidies, “the longer this goes on, the more damage there could be,” says Cynthia Cox, who conducts research on Obamacare for KFF.

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, with audio engineering by Hannah Gluvna. It was edited by Ashley Brown, Diane Webber, and Nadia Lancy. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

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Here's what could happen if Obamacare subsidies aren't extended

Is the United States headed toward autocracy?

That's a question prompted by a steady stream of executive orders seeking to consolidate power in the White House and upend long held policies and norms.

New York Times Opinion writer M. Gessen lived through much of Russia's slide into autocracy, and wrote a book about it. 

They argue that one of the ways Vladimir Putin consolidated power... was by making a series of arguments that seemed outrageous at the time — like the idea that the LGBT population was a threat to Russian sovereignty. 

President Donald Trump's second term has been marked by a string of policy proposals that would have been unthinkable in any other administration.

Even if they don't go anywhere, they're reshaping the boundaries of our democracy. 

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Is the U.S. headed for autocracy?

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