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How the economy upended expectations of a recession in 2023

5m 56s
It was a year in which many experts got a lot of things wrong about the economy. Many economists believed the Fed's battle to tame inflation with interest rate hikes would trigger high unemployment and a recession. Instead, inflation was cut in half, the economy added more than 2.5 million jobs and the S&P 500 rose to near record highs. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Roben Farzad.
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Why reports of a surge in retail theft may be overblown

7m 22s
Most Americans think there’s more crime in the U.S. than there was a year ago, according to a recent Gallup poll. That’s despite clear data showing violent crime has actually dropped sharply in 2023. So why the misperception? Economics correspondent Paul Solman takes a deep dive into one type of crime that may be getting outsized attention.
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Brooks and Capehart on states blocking Trump from ballot

10m 39s
New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the backlash around Nikki Haley's comments on the causes of the Civil War, the question of whether Donald Trump should be barred from the 2024 ballot and 2023's political highlights.
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Election law expert on states blocking Trump from ballot

6m 3s
Maine’s top election official ruled that Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s primary ballot, citing his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The secretary of state said she made her decision after receiving three challenges from voters. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Rick Hasen, an election law expert and Director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project At UCLA’s Law School.
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Trump's criminal and civil cases could shape the campaign

5m 45s
While Donald Trump holds a decisive lead in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, his 2024 calendar will be full of legal challenges and court appearances. In four major criminal cases, the former president faces 91 felony counts and two key civil cases could cost him millions of dollars in damages. Geoff Bennett discussed Trump's legal troubles with NPR's Carrie Johnson.
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The war over fake content linked to Israel-Hamas conflict

8m 22s
The Israel-Hamas war is nearing its third month in Gaza, but there is another front in this war and it’s taking place on screens worldwide. Fake or mislabeled content linked to the conflict has been viewed online millions of times. Amna Nawaz discussed the disinformation war with Shayan Sardarizadeh and Valerie Wirtschafter.
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How U.S. oil production reached an all-time high in 2023

7m 14s
As the year comes to a close, gas prices in the U.S are at their lowest point of 2023. And not coincidentally, domestic oil production is at a record level. But it comes at a time when the U.S. is trying to wean itself off fossil fuels. William Brangham examined the big changes and the implications with Clifford Krauss, the national energy correspondent for The New York Times.
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Israel and Hezbollah fight raises fears of a wider war

6m
With the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza showing no signs of stopping, exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanese border are raising fears of a widening conflict. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Paul Salem, the president and CEO of the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based non-partisan think tank.
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A Brief But Spectacular take on music empowering communities

3m 15s
Andrés González is a conductor, musician, and advocate for youth music education. He was trained from a young age through El Sistema, a renowned music program in Venezuela, before moving to the United States. He is a mentor at Play on Philly, providing access to music education to low-income and minority students. González shares his Brief But Spectacular take on how music empowers communities.
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Physician discusses demand for weight-loss drugs and risks

7m 59s
One of the biggest health stories of this past year is the surge in demand for popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Those drugs are in such demand that there’s a nationwide shortage of them. Pharmaceutical companies are scrambling to keep up at a time of rising obesity rates in the U.S. Ali Rogin reports.
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Israeli bombardment of Gaza cities and camps kills dozens

3m 27s
An Israeli American Canadian who was believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas was actually killed during the attack on Oct. 7, according to the Kibbutz Nir Oz where she was from. At the same time, Israel continues its assault on Gaza and the war of words between Israel and Hezbollah is heating up. Stephanie Sy reports.
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Israeli ambassador to U.S. on war tactics, future of Gaza

10m 27s
As the Israel-Hamas war approaches the three-month mark, there are many questions about Israel's strategy and tactics and what the future of Gaza may look like. Amna Nawaz discussed that with Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog, who is also a retired IDF brigadier general.
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Immersive exhibitions change the way people consume art

6m 23s
In recent years, immersive art exhibitions that place viewers amid the art have been a hot ticket. Popular ones featuring works from artists like van Gogh and Monet travel from city to city. But there are a growing number of permanent immersive art spaces, including a new one special correspondent Cat Wise recently visited in Portland, Oregon. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS.
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How 'lab-grown' meat is made and will people accept it?

7m 18s
The Department of Agriculture recently approved the production of what’s known as cultivated meat, which is chicken grown in a lab. That approval clears the way for companies to begin selling poultry produced from animal cells rather than animals bred in factory farms and killed. But the industry still faces hurdles before Americans see it in their grocery stores. William Brangham reports.
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U.S. asks Mexico to help stop migrants from reaching border

8m 38s
The Biden administration is closing out 2023 in much the same way it began, with headlines about a migrant crisis. Border patrol agents are encountering a record number of people entering the country and cities are struggling to keep up with asylum seekers. The president has dispatched three top advisers to Mexico in search of solutions. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Elliot Spagat.
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Hostage affairs envoy on efforts to free detained Americans

6m 53s
While the United States was able to negotiate the release of detained Americans in Venezuela, there are at least four Americans in Russia and approximately seven held in Gaza. The U.S. government's point person working to get them all home is Roger Carstens, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. Amna Nawaz spoke with Carstens about those still held captive.
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Why congregations are leaving the United Methodist Church

5m 9s
One of the dominant Christian denominations in the U.S., the United Methodist Church, is experiencing a major split. Since 2019, more than 7,000 congregations have received approval to leave the church. The factions have disagreements in theology, namely how the church considers LGBTQ+ ministers and congregants. Amna Nawaz discussed more with communities correspondent Adam Kemp in Oklahoma.
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Israel shows no sign of slowing down strikes in Gaza

3m 17s
Israel's ground offensive in Gaza continues to expand. As the death toll rises, Gazans still desperately need basics to survive. Aid trucks roll in, but many Palestinians are starving or without water and Israel announced it will now consider United Nations employee visas on a case by case basis, instead of automatic admission. Amna Nawaz reports.
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