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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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It's been a week since a federal shutdown ground work at numerous government agencies to a halt. 

There's no indication that an agreement could come soon, as Republicans and Democrats in congress trade continue blame. Meanwhile, federal workers are stuck in limbo, and its unclear when or if they'll be able to return to their jobs. 

NPR's Labor Correspondent Andrea Hsu and political reporter Stephen Fowler explain what's causing the impasse in congress and what's at stake for the federal employees caught in the middle.

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.

It was edited by Courtney Dorning, Padma Rama and Emily Kopp.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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A week into the shutdown, federal workers are stuck in limbo

The clock is ticking for Chicago and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

President Trump has deployed the National Guard to the country’s third largest city, and he says they’ll begin operations no later than Wednesday.

Pritzker, a democrat, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are fighting the administration’s efforts in the courts.

Trump says Chicago and other cities need the National Guard on the streets. Illinois governor JB Pritzker says it’s an "invasion." What now?

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Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Megan Lim.

It was edited by Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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The National Guard arrives in Chicago. What now?

Nearly a quarter century after the September 11th attacks, the Trump administration is using the language of terrorism to target a new enemy: Latin American drug cartels.

The president says we’re in armed conflict with drug cartels.

We talk to a Bush-era lawyer who says the powers of war are too extraordinary to use against crime.

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. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Trump calls cartels terrorists. Is that enough to go to war?

As peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas made significant progress over the weekend, many in the region are expressing some cautious optimism about an end to the two-year war. 

NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with James Elder, a UNICEF spokesman, about what he is seeing in Gaza now and the urgent need for food and medical supplies. 

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. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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When will sufficient aid be allowed into Gaza? UNICEF says Gazans need more

Federal workers across the United States are feeling the impact of the government shutdown. This comes after months of turmoil for federal workers as agencies have slashed their workforces as part of the Trump administration's large-scale government job cuts.

NPR's Andrea Hsu talks to Andrew Limbong about her reporting on the federal workforce and the challenge of finding people willing to talk about their experiences. 

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 Kira Wakeam and Avery Keatley. It was edited by Adam Raney. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Federal workers reaffirming loyalty to the Constitution, not politics

Eight years ago, Daniel Day-Lewis announced he was retired from acting. He offered no further comment. Retirement notwithstanding, the three-time winner of the Oscar for Best Actor stars in a new movie, out this week. He plays a man who long ago left the world he once knew – and then is contacted by a family member to come back.

It was written with and directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis.

Father and son speak about their new film, Anemone.

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 Kathryn Fink and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Jimmy Keeley. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Daniel Day-Lewis was retired. His son is just getting started

The government shutdown is on. Already, it’s being felt across the country.

National Parks are preparing to scale back or close. Furloughed federal workers are facing tough choices about how to pay the bills when they can’t count on their paychecks. Some people trying to access government services have found locked doors. 

Democratic and Republican lawmakers are at an impasse after dueling proposals on the senate floor failed Wednesday.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has vowed that his party is in the shutdown fight to win it. He weighs in on Democrats’ strategy and what he’s hearing from his constituents.

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 Kathryn Fink and Vincent Acovino, with audio engineering byTed Mebane.

It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Sarah Handel.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Here's how the shutdown is playing out across the U.S.

When President Trump came into office, he promised to fuel an economic boom with a magic bullet: tariffs. They're taxes added to a wide range of imports. And money is coming in, more than $30 billion a month so far. 

Eight months into Trump's second term, it’s unclear what the larger impact of these tariffs will have on the economy. Despite that, the president keeps promising to roll out new ones. NPR's Chief Economic Correspondent Scott Horsley explains.

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Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Erika Ryan, Kathryn Fink and Lauren Hodges. It was edited by Adam Raney, Courtney Dorning and Raphael Nam. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Trump’s economy is marked by uncertainty. What could more tariffs mean for you?

NPR’s National Security Correspondent Greg Myre spent the summer reporting on the war in Ukraine. He saw the devastation of the conflict. But he also saw something else: the country leveraging its resources at home to meet the moment…including in Lviv where they’re racing to make as many of their own weapons as fast as they can.

And at a hospital near the frontlines in central Ukraine where Ukraine's neurosurgeons are conducting state-of-the-art operations with cutting-edge technology.

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 David West and Matt Ozug. It was edited by Andrew Sussman. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Ukraine's scrappy wartime innovation

The deadline for a government shutdown is quickly approaching. If Democrats and Republicans can't make a deal, the government will run out of money after Sept. 30.

A government shutdown is always a political gamble. For Democrats, the stakes of this one are even higher. 

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 Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio engineering by Jay Czyz. It was edited by Kelsey Snell, Courtney Dorning and Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Why the stakes for this shutdown are higher

Extreme wildfires doubled worldwide over the last two decades, according to a new study of NASA satellite data.

You'd think, if the wildfire crisis is getting worse, there'd be more and more firefighters in place to meet that demand. But at agencies like the U.S. Forest Service, adequate staffing has been a huge challenge.

But as organizations like the Forest Service raise alarm about firefighter shortages, there's also a whole group of people who are trained to fight fires and are struggling to get jobs in the field: formerly incarcerated people.

We hear from Royal Ramey, a formerly incarcerated firefighter who started an organization to help others build firefighting careers once they're released from prison.

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Wildfires are getting more extreme. And so is the need for more firefighters

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