Fright Fest opens on Sept. 21.

The post Six Flags New England to debut a new haunted attraction for Fright Fest appeared first on Boston.com.

The Patriots are now 3-7 after Sunday’s win over the Bears.

The post Patriots may have a long way to go, but this win showed they are playing hard for Jerod Mayo appeared first on Boston.com.

Two expat voters – a Republican in London and a Democrat in Stockholm – share their thoughts about watching the US election from abroad. Then: experts who study America's extremist white supremacist groups say there's clear evidence that many of them are supporting Donald Trump's candidacy for president.

Plus, why Cuban Americans are in such stark disagreement over President Obama’s historic trip to Cuba. And: there are more than 20 towns in the US called Moscow – why is that?

Image: An Alabama resident urges townspeople to vote. (Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

We hear how the Migration Project is giving hope to the families of Guatemalan migrants who have gone missing en route to the United States. Then, how young migrant students from all across Central America are getting shut out of US schools. And, the Cuban Americans spending their own money to send others to Cuba.

Plus, we meet two Hmong American filmmakers who are shaking up Hollywood. We travel 8,000 miles in search of a Thai dish so delicious, it might be deadly. And an Indian writer living in the US curses his American doughnut habit.

Image: Indigenous family members walk into Mexico after illegally crossing the border from Guatemala on August 1, 2013. (Credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

Thousands of French women post the name of their sexual harasser on Twitter, using the hashtag, "Squeal on Your Pig".

Plus: we meet a woman helping undocumented immigrants in the US experiencing sexual harassment; we find out why the reaction to the Harvey Weinstein scandal in Russia is the opposite of the reaction in America; we learn about a burgeoning feminist movement in China; we hear about efforts to combat sexual harassment at work in Nigeria; and we close with the song "Come with Me" by Nneka.

(Image: Attorney Gloria Allred (L) and her client Heather Kerr speak during a press conference regarding the sexual assault allegations that have been brought against Harvey Weinstein on October 20, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Selina Wang, a tech reporter for Bloomberg News, says that Twitter could still do more to stop Russian and Ukrainian spam accounts from spreading misinformation on the platform.

Also: people on social media keep blaming “Sam Hyde’’ for mass shootings, even though he's innocent, and we finally find out why; Facebook saves a dying mill town in the Pacific Northwest; Uber meets its match in Lebanon; a robot becomes a Saudi citizen; and a couple of amateur astro-explorers plan a trip to Mars.

Image: Colin Stretch, general counsel at Facebook, Sean Edgett, acting general counsel at Twitter, and Richard Salgado, director of law enforcement and information security at Google, testify before Congress on October 31, 2017 in Washington, DC. Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Bananas and foreign travel: What it means to be a computer hacker in North Korea.

In North Korea’s spy agency, operatives aren’t just trained to gather intel. They also hack banks. We hear from a couple of North defectors about what it’s actually like to be a government hacker.

Also on the programme: we meet a robot assistant breaking down gender stereotypes; we get to the bottom of a robocall scam; we check our own voicemail box for messages from our listeners; and we visit a restaurant where the chefs are robots.

(Image: North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un waves from a car on April 27, 2018. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Martina Navratilova made some controversial statements about transgender athletes. She said that it’s cheating when transgender women compete in women’s sports. But many activists disagree with her and are pushing back.

Also, find out why NBA basketball Enes Kanter fears going back home to Turkey; we have the harrowing story of Eritrean runner Teklit Michael’s near death experience; next the directors of the Oscar winning film ‘Free Solo’ describe how they captured Alex Honnald’s solo climb up El Capitan summit; and the French Fencing Federation has officially recognized lightsaber dueling as a competitive sport.

(Martina Navratilova participates in the 28th Annual Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic at Delray Beach Tennis Center. Credit: Johnny Louis/Getty Images)

We join a group of American tourists on an organised trip across the border to find out what life there is really like.

Also, a trilingual interpreter tells us about the challenges of interpreting for asylum seekers who only speak indigenous languages; A group of American exchange students in Italy meet African migrants who risked their lives to make it to Europe; Why Chinese Sci-Fi is gaining in popularity around the world; And Kenyan musician JS Ondara on how Bob Dylan changed his life and inspired his journey to America.

(Andres Vega pours beer for American visitors on a gastronomic tour of Nogales with the Arizona nonprofit, Border Community Alliance. Credit: Katherine Davis-Young/The World)

This month marks 20 years since Vladimir Putin first became prime minister of Russia. Now serving his fourth term as Russia’s president, Putin has increased and consolidated his power over the past two decades. We look back at the events that have shaped his leadership and the course of his nation. Also, we reflect on the past 20 years of diplomacy between the US and Russia; and when Vladimir Putin finishes his fourth term as Russia’s President, what will he do next?

(U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a joint press conference after their 2018 summit in Helsinki, Finland. Credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Farmers in the US face a labour shortage, so they’re turning to new technology to fill the gap. Also, meet “Pepper", a robot that’s already replacing thousands of jobs around the world; a researcher from Silicon Valley finds a robot in his hotel room and discovers a potential security breach; how 3D printing could help the global housing crisis; and an instrument that sounds like it’s from outer space, but was invented on earth 100 years ago.

(Robots named “Pepper” work in banks across the US. They help answer basic questions and allow customers to skip the line for a cashier. Credit: Jason Margolis/The World)

The race to find a dependable vaccine for Covid-19 is on. More than 100 laboratories worldwide are competing to try to get there first, and that makes it more likely that a way to halt the pandemic will be found sooner. But with so many competing interests, it's far from clear that all of the world's citizens will have equitable access to a vaccine, once it is in production.

Also, immigrant ‘digital first responders’ provide vital services, informing people about coronavirus and helping local communities, but now they're in a financial crisis; the coronavirus pandemic is also disrupting remittances, and as a result immigrants' families are losing their safety net; many Filipino Americans are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, so a new initiative is bringing free meals to hospitals heavily staffed by Filipinos; and the surprising cultural contributions of the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Image: A scientist examines Covid-19 infected cells at a laboratory in St Petersburg, Russia (Credit: Anton Vaganov/Reuters)

By baseball’s modern viewership standards — and the standards of some other major professional sports — the World Series was a huge success.

The post Dodgers-Yankees World Series was a hit with viewers, but it could’ve been so much more appeared first on Boston.com.

At her home in Nantucket, the bestselling author keeps her collection personal, including where she puts her books: “Nobody else has to understand it.”

The post For ‘Perfect Couple’ author Elin Hilderbrand, book organization is optional appeared first on Boston.com.

The post Everything you need to know about the 2024 Mass. ballot questions appeared first on Boston.com.

Earlier this month, PEN issued a report that expands upon numbers released in September for Banned Books Week, when libraries and stores around the country highlighted censored works.

The post Jodi Picoult’s ‘Nineteen Minutes’ tops PEN America of books banned in schools appeared first on Boston.com.

American Airlines is testing a new technology at three airports across the country during the boarding process that aims to cut down on passengers who try to jump the line

The post American Airlines tests boarding technology that audibly shames line cutters appeared first on Boston.com.

Concerns about how movie studios will use AI helped fuel last year’s film and television strikes by the union, which lasted four months.

The post Robert Downey Jr. says he ‘intends to sue’ all future executives who use his AI replica appeared first on Boston.com.

"We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience."

The post Steamship Authority ferry out of commission, vehicle reservations on hold appeared first on Boston.com.

Plus: Holidays at the Newport Mansions, best places to visit in December, and the final Memorial Drive Recreation Sunday of the year.

The post The North End was named a hot spot for ‘authentic’ travel. Do you agree? appeared first on Boston.com.

A Tufts professor reportedly said they would no longer send students to Moulton's office for internships, but the university refuted the report.

The post Tufts refutes report that it’s broken ties with Seth Moulton over transgender comments appeared first on Boston.com.

The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin.

The post Trump says Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy will form outside group to advise White House on government efficiency appeared first on Boston.com.

Miller was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018.

The post Trump names former Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead EPA, adviser Stephen Miller to be deputy chief of policy appeared first on Boston.com.

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="5"><b>Pune FC decry format change by AIFF for under-15 event</b></font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="5"><b><br></b></font></div><div><span name="advenueINTEXT" id="advenueINTEXT" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="storydiv" id="storydiv" style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); line-height: 17px; float: left; margin-right: 20px; "><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; ">MUMBAI: The <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Pune-FC&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Pune FC</a> Under-15 squad would not figure in this year's <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Manchester-United-Premier-Cup&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Manchester United Premier Cup</a> (MUPC) following a change in its format by the All India Football Federation. <br><br>The AIFF has restricted the tournament to one club per state. <br><br>"In a shocking development, the <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/All-India-Football-Federation&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">All India Football Federation</a> (AIFF) and the sponsors of the tournament - leading sports apparel manufacturer <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Nike&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Nike</a> - decided to restrict the tournament to one club per state," a media release from Pune FC said, adding that the club to represent Maharashtra was chosen by a draw of lots in which <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Premier-International-Football-Academy&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Premier International Football Academy</a> of Mumbai got lucky. <br><br>"In the past editions of this one-of-a-kind tournament, all <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/I-League&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">I-League</a> clubs received invitations in lieu of the tournament, national body and sponsors objective of promoting grassroot talent (particularly Under-15s) of I-League clubs," said the club which added the change in format was not communicated to the I-League clubs by AIFF. <br><br>"The change was not informed to clubs. At least we (Pune FC) did not receive any intimation and came to know about the change late Thursday evening. It's very disappointing on the part of the National body," said Pune FC's Head Operations, Chirag Tanna. <br><br>This year's MUPC is to be held at Jamshedpur in the last week of this month. <br><br>"As if changing the format is not enough, the selection process for Maharashtra by the state body<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Western-India-Football-Association&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Western India Football Association</a> (WIFA) was conducted by a lucky draw! Premier International Football Academy (PIFA), Mumbai got lucky and will represent the state as per the 'one-club-per-state' format," the club said, adding it had used the tournament to promote Pune city players in the last four years of MUFC. <br><br>"The tournament provided players their first touch of professionalism. Moreover, it attracted a lot many to the game with the hope of performing and showcasing talent on a national-level platform early," Tanna said. <br><br>"I can only imagine how disappointed the players feel. They have been training regularly since July 2011 and these whimsical decisions taken will only hurt the popularity of the sport," he added.</div><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; "><br></div><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; ">________________________________________________________________</div><div class="Normal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; "><font face="'Arial Black'">What bull****. Yet another reason why youth football will never do well. We can say "Oh we have these FIFA Academies" but what about at Indian club youth level. This tournament should be for any team that meets a criteria. No matter how many teams from each state.</font></div><div style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; "><br></div></div></span></div>

I still pick out an Easter dress. While I am well past the age of ruffles and bows (mostly), it is a tradition that I just can’t bring myself to discard. It’s the last of these kinds of traditions from my childhood that survived into my adult life. And though my vehement grasp on my Easter clothing habits may seem a little silly, if you are in any way familiar with church, you are most likely well aware of the unspoken difference between Easter and every other Sunday of the year. Traditions vary, and memories are as individual as the people that possess them, but generally Easter is a day set aside for family, fun, and, at its core, taking a moment to really reflect on and celebrate the massive sacrifice that saved us. So yes, I remember the dresses and the overflowing Easter baskets, but more so I remember my mother sitting in the floor with us reading the story of the crucifixion, explaining the verses to us so that we could begin to really understand the gift we have been given. Easter Sunday is not just another Sunday, and that distinction can be felt across denominations, locations, demographics, and most any other factor, and if you are someone involved in church planning, it stands to reason that you have experienced the stark contrast between preparing for this particular Sunday as opposed to the rest. After all, on top of being a day that marks such an integral and sacred event to the Christian faith, churches can expect a doubling or even tripling in attendance by many visitors for whom this will be one of two church visits (including Christmas) over the entire year.

So how does that factor that in? Where do we find the balance between a new audience with an entirely different set of needs and the spiritual journey of the regular Sunday morning crowd? With such an emphasis placed on this day, questions and concerns arise from just about any staff of any church dedicated to making the most of this exceptionally unique opportunity. For insight on how to steward this chance, I spoke to Michael Farren, a Grammy nominated writer who spends almost every Sunday with the congregation he has been leading in worship for upwards of a decade.

AAW: Just to start, what are your overarching thoughts on Easter?

Michael: I love Easter, but the reality is, the power of Easter is there every Sunday, and every other day for that matter; it just so happens that culturally, Easter is a day where people actually slow down long enough to remember that something significant happened.

AAW: So how do you plan for Easter differently knowing that there is a cultural weight assigned to the day?

Michael: There’s no way around the fact that, again, culturally, people tend to go to church on Easter and Christmas in Western Civilization and in our context, America for sure. So, churches have just come to use it as an opportunity to introduce the gospel, or at the very least, remind people of the gospel when they walk in that one time a year. So, we do try our best to optimize the simple telling of what Easter is about and so, whether that’s songs or generally. Also, the message during our services on Easter, it’s very intentional that we present the gospel again because we know that there will be many, many there that haven’t been to church in a very long time.  If you haven’t been to church in a long time that can be for a lot of reasons, but more than likely its because you don’t have the connect with the God of resurrection

Me: What specific measures or actions do you take that differ from a regular Sunday when planning for Easter?

Michael: We’re going to make sure that all songs and all conversation that day reflect the simple gospel that people that particular day especially. We don’t run with other topics, we run with this is what happened on Easter, this is the power that was released on Easter, just knowing that there’s going to be a ton of people there that don’t know the message, or have forgotten the message or don’t know the power of the message and you don’t want to squander that opportunity to reach more people.

In the end, each church is different, but whether you meet in a school, a warehouse, a one hundred year old church, a barn; whether you are leading six people or six hundred; the gospel remains the same. The power of what we celebrate on Easter is unchanging. The God at the center of the story is unwavering. As daunting as the facts can be, as wildly unpredictable as the attendance is, as intimidating as it sometimes sounds, Easter truly is an unparalleled opportunity. One Sunday in April, churches everywhere get to open their doors to people who may not have set foot in a place like theirs for literally decades, people who might not even know why they wandered in, people who may even be hearing the story of their redemption for the first time. While the incredible significance of what we celebrate on Easter is present every day, it can’t be denied that this holiday carries a special weight. So, churches, as you dive into the process of planning for this day, I would encourage you to take a moment, step beyond the set lists, the bullet points, the logistics, and every other minute technical aspect of this visitor-heavy service, and just let it sink into your spirit how beyond amazing it is to not only have received this gift beyond measure, but to have the chance to give and re-give it to every starving heart that still needs to receive; and on Easter, they come right to you. 

Anyone who has been serving in the local church long enough knows that ministry is a 24/7 - 365 gig. There is no off-season. There are no slow months. And there definitely is no such thing as part-time. In fact, those times of the year when everyone else is enjoying extra time with family and friends, church leadership is usually pulling overtime like it’s a lifeline.

As I type these words, we are waist deep in the Christmas season. Trees are up and decorated. Garland is strung on anything that will sit still. Sales are in full bloom. On the church front children’s Christmas programs are wrapping up, Christmas Eve service times are being blasted all over social media, and worship leaders all over the world are trying to figure out the perfect set lists. 

That all sounds so simple, doesn’t it? 

If only that were the case. But for most people in church leadership, the Christmas season is anything but simple. I don’t know about you, but this year in particular seems uncharacteristically heavy. It feels like every time I turn around, I learn about someone else in my little corner of the world who is walking through something tragic . . . a death, job loss, divorce, a diagnosis, and the list goes on. Sure, there are plenty of wonderful things happening in the midst, but the fight every single day is to not let those wonderful things get overshadowed by the not-so-wonderful. And I have a feeling that until Jesus comes, that fight is going to get tougher every year. 

So as worship leaders, what role do we play in helping both our worship team members and the people we serve navigate a season that at times can feel more joyless than joyful? Unfortunately there is no secret formula, but I do have a few tips that might resonate with some of you who are entering into Christmas surrounded by people who are suffering, or even walking a tough road yourself.

1. Acknowledge the hurt.

A precious friend of mine lost her 2 1/2 year old little boy unexpectedly right before Thanksgiving this year. Not terribly long after his death, she posted a quote that basically said not to avoid mentioning him out of fear of somehow reminding her that he was gone. She hasn’t forgotten, and never will. Instead what you’re reminding her of is that he lived. The people around us who are hurting don’t wake up some days having forgotten what is going on. They don’t walk through the doors of our churches and suddenly feel all better. So what good does it do for us to tip toe and pretend like nothing is going on, whether face to face or from the stage? When the Bible tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep, it doesn’t say anything about holidays being exceptions or saving it for certain settings. The church operates at her best when she comes around those hurting especially at times like these. So call it for what it is - painful - and you might be amazed at the new level of freedom that is felt in the room.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. - Romans 12:15

1. Give a reason to celebrate.

When everything is on the table and there is a rich sense of acceptance for everyone regardless of their mental, emotional, or spiritual state, the door to authentic celebration tends to open a little easier. It may not look the same as the person sitting next to them, but reminding them of the truths of who God is, what He’s done, and what He’s still doing will always prove fruitful - even if it’s just one more layer of doubt being broken off. At their lowest points, those who are hurting need to be reminded that there are still things in their lives to find joy in. Then once they are tapping into that joy that only comes from the Lord, they begin to experience a renewed strength they might not have thought was possible.

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. - Nehemiah 8:10

1. Root it all in HOPE.

The most important piece to the puzzle of loving well those who are hurting is to keep everything established and fixed on HOPE. Nothing you say or do is going to make things all better for them or take their pain away, but the HOPE of Christ can and will move the needle. If a hurting person leaves your presence or your church service knowing and believing that things will not always feel this way and that Jesus is able to replace their suffering with victory, their pain with joy, and their grief with peace, then you’ve done your job well. So keep HOPE as your North Star. Center it all around the fact that a baby was born to change everything, that our current sufferings are not in vain, that He wastes nothing. 

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

Whether it’s someone on your team walking through the most painful time of his or her life or a family in your congregation experiencing a tragedy, you have been given the opportunity to breathe life back into a place where death has begun settling in. Pray for open eyes to see the hurt around you. Ask the Lord to open doors for you to speak into those lives. Make the most of those chances and watch the Holy Spirit do what He does best. 

Here are the top 10 MLB outfielders set to become free agents this offseason.

The Boston Red Sox reportedly are “in” on free agent Teoscar Hernández. ESPN's Jeff Passan on Tuesday published a wide-ranging MLB offseason preview and reported the Red Sox, while not the favorite to sign the outfielder, are among teams interested. “The Dodgers are the favorites to bring him back where he thrived in 2024,” Passan wrote.

Red Sox prospect David Sandlin pitching for Oklahoma vs. UCLA in 2022. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) Getty Images By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com The Red Sox had 10 players make their MLB debut in 2025. Richard Fitts was the most high-profile prospect to the group. The 24-year-old righty, who Boston acquired from the Yankees last offseason in the Alex Verdugo trade , allowed just four earned runs in 20 ⅔ innings (1.74 ERA) over four starts after being promoted from Triple-A Worcester on Sept. 8. More Red Sox coverage Making sense of the reported Red Sox-Juan Soto meeting | Sean McAdam Both Red Sox finalists denied Silver Slugger awards Red Sox 'in' on outfielder they had interest

This week Zorba and Karl discuss how doctors should balance traditional and alternative medicine, and they examine new research that explains why some people don’t experience COVID symptoms. Plus, they […]

This week Zorba and Karl discuss a new replacement proposed for BMI, and they talk about the effectiveness of statins for older people. Plus, they share a healthy recipe for […]

This week Zorba and Karl discuss how certain foods can improve your mood, and they talk about the FDA claiming a decongestant in popular cold medicines doesn’t work at all. […]

Southern California's Fast-Moving Mountain Fire Out of Control as 800 Firefighters Battle Inferno

Efrem Graham sits down with Poet, Evangelist, & Apologist Preston Perry. He talks about his new book called How to tell the Truth. We have a Studio 5 First Look at the film Average Joe. Plus, we talk to the director of the new film White Bird.

Michele and her husband, George, saw their incomes triple and double respectively. Michele learned to trust God instead of her paycheck and the results have led to prosperity, joy, and satisfaction. These positive things can be yours too!

Secretary of State of Blinken in Israel again pushing for a ceasefire- with Israel considering some possibilities, Israel continues to plan to strike Iran, Israel confirms it eliminated the upcoming leader of Hezbollah- Hashem Safieddine, and ...

Dear Dave, I’ve been struggling financially for the past few months, so I’ve been playing the lottery once a week. To me, the chance to win millions is worth a few dollars a month, even if things are tight. Paula Dear Paula, You’ve told me you’re having money troubles, and at the same time you’re throwing money out the window every week? Honestly, the small amount you’re talking about doesn’t make a difference. Even if it’s just two or three bucks a week, that action represents a lot of...

As audio producers, one of the most fun things we get to do is bring the soundscape of a novel to life — cue the monsters, the storms, the footsteps of a creature emerging slowly from the ocean. So that’s what we’re bringing you today: Great writers, epic sound design.

Original Air Date: July 03, 2021

Guests:

Nnedi Okorafor — Neil Gaiman — Lidia Yuknavitch — N. K. Jemisin — Ann Patchett — Richard Powers — Pattiann Rogers — Lorrie Moore — Kelly Link — Mark Sundeen

Interviews In This Hour:

Nnedi Okorafor's Alien Invasion of Lagos — Neil Gaiman Brings Us To The End Of The World — Lidia Yuknavitch’s Dream World: How Dreams Shaped Her Dazzling Speculative Novel — A Not So Distant Future in the N.K. Jemisin's 'Broken Earth' Trilogy — Ann Patchett on 'State of Wonder' — Richard Powers on Writing the Inner Life of Trees — Pattiann Rogers on Bee Poetry — Lorrie Moore on Bringing Characters To Life With Brevity — Kelly Link on 'Pretty Monsters' — Mark Sundeen on 'The Making of Toro'

Africans are moving into cities in unprecedented numbers. Lagos, Nigeria, is growing by 77 people an hour — it's on track to become a city of 100 million. In 30 years, the continent is projected to have 14 mega-cities of more than 10 million people. It's perhaps the largest urban migration in history.

These cities are not like Dubai, or Singapore, or Los Angeles. They’re uniquely African cities, and they’re forcing all of us to reconsider what makes a city modern. And how and why cities thrive.

To find out what's going on, we go to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to talk with entrepreneurs, writers, scholars and artists. In this hour, produced in partnership with the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes (CHCI) — a global consortium of 270 humanities centers and institutes — we learn how the continent where the human species was born is building the cities of the future.

Original Air Date: December 14, 2019

Guests:

Dagmawi Woubshet — Julie Mehretu — Emily Callaci — James Ogude — Ato Qyayson — Teju Cole — Meskerem Assegued

Interviews In This Hour:

Rediscovering the Indigenous City of Addis Ababa — 'People As Infrastructure' — A Tour Of The Networked City — 'I Am Because We Are': The African Philosophy of Ubuntu — How Pan-African Dreams Turned Dystopic — Decoding Global Capitalism on One African Street — Life in the Diaspora: How Teju Cole Pivots Between Cultures — Can Artists Create the City of the Future?

Further Reading:

CHCI

The pandemic has made it clear that parents are walking a tightrope with no safety net. We talk to parents about how they want to change the system, what it's like to raise black boys in a time of racial injustice, and how we might learn from ancient cultures to improve our parenting skills.

Original Air Date: May 22, 2021

Guests:

Alissa Quart — Brittany Powell — Michaeleen Doucleff — Amaud Jamaul Johnson — Cherene Sherrard

Interviews In This Hour:

A Parenting Movement Emerges From the Pandemic — Modern Parenting Tips From Ancient Civilizations — Two Poets On Raising Black Teenage Boys In America

Further Reading:

Economic Hardship Reporting Project

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Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Jane Goodall has seen wild chimpanzees dance and bristle with excitement around roaring waterfalls — and she thinks it’s an experience of awe and wonder — and possibly a precursor to animistic religion. 

But can we ever know why our ancient human ancestors developed spiritual beliefs? Can evolutionary science uncover the roots of religion?  

At some point our ancestors went from admiring waterfalls to worshipping them - and all kinds of spirits and gods. They developed sacred rituals and turned stones into totems. And then came the Battle of the Gods. 

This was produced in partnership with the Center for Humans and Nature, an organization that brings together scholars from a diversity of disciplines to think creatively about our relationships with nature and each other. What do you think evolution can tell us about love and morality? Share your thoughts at humansandnature.org. This episode was made possible through the support of the John Templeton Foundation.

Original Air Date: May 14, 2017

Guests: 

Jane Goodall — Laura Kehoe — Frans de Waal — Barbara King — Ara Norenzayan — Jeff Schloss — Andrew Newberg

Interviews In This Hour: 

Do Chimpanzees Have Spiritual Experiences? — How 'Big Gods' Transformed Human History — An Evolutionary Biologist Searches for God — What Bliss Looks Like In Your Brain — Are Morals a Part of Our Evolution?

Further Reading:

Center for Humans and Nature

Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.

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LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY  People are living far longer than they did in decades past. Dr. Roizen says life expectancy in the U.S. has increased 2.5 years every decade for the last 170 years. For example, a woman who was expected to live to age 42 in 1850 is now likely to see age 80. One reason for this, he points out, is better sanitation, public health measures, and vaccines which produced an increase in the survival and health of the young in the first half of the 20th century. In later years,...

BURNED OUT  Burnout can occur for many reasons, and is common in certain professions, including the military, clergy, and healthcare. As a busy physician with young children, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith was a prime candidate. She remembers the day her chaotic life simply stopped her in her tracks: “So I did what any burned-out human would do after picking up the kids from day care. I set them in front of the TV with a snack, and I lay on the floor.” She remained there for quite a while. “The smile...

“I just spoke to his body and told it to come to life -- I didn't realize at the time that, that was the first breath he took.”  Ana Hankins and her husband Anthony had just arrived at a high school gym in Westminster, California for their son Macaiah’s basketball tournament. Moments later, everything came to a halt. “There was a tournament director who came in and he stopped all of the games; he said that there was, there was someone's son or child passed out”, says Anthony. His wife Ana said...

“Polly Prius” was the first car I ever purchased brand-spanking new. I vowed to read the 636-page operating manual that arrived with Polly from her trans-Pacific Ocean trip from Japan. It wasn’t until a few years later, when the dashboard lights flashed a maintenance issue, that I scrambled and looked up the engine icon in the diagnostic section of the manual.  I have yet to read any more of that manual.  When a crisis happens, I tend to hurriedly flip through the Bible for answers. But...

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