Franco Ordoñez

Wonderful night in conversation with @francoordonez.bsky.social at @wonderlandbookss.bsky.social! Thank you to our amazing hosts @amyjoycewords.bsky.social and Gayle Weiswasser, and extra thanks to @c-span.bsky.social, which will air their taping soon. So many good dogs in attendence!

As I told NPR’s Morning Edition, the new Travel Ban is part of a much broader effort — one that has seen this administration move swiftly and systematically to close LEGAL pathways and protections across the immigration system.

Link to full segment by @francoordonez.bsky.social below 👇

Trump's tariff tug of war : The NPR Politics Podcast After days of market turmoil, President Trump walked back some tariffs on some countries, but kept a near universal 10 percent tariff in place and increased tariffs on goods from China. What's behind ...

Went on (my first!) @npr.org Politics Podcast yesterday, to discuss w/ Asma Khalid and @francoordonez.bsky.social all things tariffs, markets whiplash, and the role billionaire Wall Street CEOs played this week:
www.npr.org/2025/04/10/1...

As Trump’s Tariffs Stoke Economic Uncertainty, the Fed Debates Its Next Steps The central bank’s outreach to companies has taken on new significance as the outlook for growth and inflation gets cloudier.

We spoke with business owners about how their economic conditions are evolving as the Fed tries to figure out to what extent President Trump's policies will reignite an inflation problem.

Trump wants a quick end to the Ukraine war. That's a tall order The war has reached a critical point. A real peace seems unlikely, but a ceasefire is possible, most experts agree. The question is whether it can be achieved without placing Ukraine in further peril.

The war has reached a critical point. A real peace seems unlikely, but a ceasefire is possible, most experts agree. The question is whether it can be achieved without placing Ukraine in further peril.

Inflation Rises Again, Hitting 2.9% in December U.S. inflation picked up last month as gas prices rose sharply, though price gains for other goods were more muted.

www.wsj.com/economy/cent...

Takeaways From Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for defense secretary said nothing that would alienate the Republican senators on the Armed Services Committee.

Here are four takeaways from Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing.

I am a former incarcerated firefighter. I served in a California fire camp from 2009 to 2012.

Misinformation is afire on the internet, so here are facts about the prison firefighter program, all in one place.

A thread.

Supporters of ousted dictator Bashar Al-Assad flee Syria A new type of Syrian refugee is fleeing across the border into Lebanon: those who once supported dictator Bashar Al-Assad.

In the shadows of a Shiite shrine in Lebanon, we met dozens of Syrian Hezbollah fighter and their families. They're among those who fought for the regime that fell - and now have a lot to lose.
www.npr.org/2025/01/14/n...

How Jimmy Carter's love of music helped launch his presidential campaign Former President Jimmy Carter's close friends included the likes of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and the Allman brothers.

Former President Jimmy Carter's close friends included the likes of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and the Allman brothers.

A small seafood restaurant turns into a national donation hub for LA fire victims In response to the devastating fires raging in LA, a small restaurant in Surf City USA has become a channel for big help — from locals to people across the country — to support their neighbors up nort...

In response to the devastating fires raging in LA, a small restaurant in Surf City USA has become a channel for big help — from locals to people across the country — to support their neighbors up north.

Opinion: When Jimmy Carter and I spoke about UFOs NPR's Scott Simon recalls a conversation he once had with the late President Jimmy Carter about the possibility of UFOs.

NPR's Scott Simon recalls a conversation he once had with the late President Jimmy Carter about the possibility of UFOs.

Jack Smith, Who Led Prosecutions of Trump, Resigns Mr. Smith, a special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, had signaled that he would step down before Donald J. Trump’s inauguration.

Jack Smith resigned his post this week, according to an announcement buried in the footnote of a legal filing. @GlennThrush.bsky.social and Alan Feuer www.nytimes.com/2025/01/11/u...

Special counsel Jack Smith resigns after submitting Trump report to the attorney general The Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court to move swiftly in reversing a judge’s order that had blocked the agency from releasing any part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigative ...

apnews.com/article/trum... Special counsel Jack Smith resigns after submitting Trump report to the attorney general

Bomb threats shadowed international reporters who covered Chinese celebrity dissident Reporters covering a Chinese dissident in Europe were accused of making bomb threats. An NPR investigation now has them wondering if it was the work of the Chinese government or someone else.

Reporters covering a Chinese dissident in Europe were targeted with bomb threats. An NPR investigation later found evidence the dissident was linked to a con which included the specter of bomb threats.

Amid Evacuations for the L.A. Fires, Fears of Looting Take Hold Residents barred from returning to their neighborhoods face a secondary threat, and the city, with painful collective memories of looting, is on guard.

As people around the Palisades and Eaton fires whose houses survived the blaze wait to return home, many dread a secondary threat: looting. Officials announced 22 arrests in the two evacuation zones as of Saturday morning, most of them for burglary or looting, and enacted a curfew.

Cheat Sheet: These are the steps fire victims need to take to make an insurance claim We have tips from California's insurance commissioner on how to contact the state and start the claims process, and how to keep you and your loved ones from falling for scams.

@laist.com has tips from California's insurance commissioner on how to contact the state and start the claims process, and how to keep you and your loved ones from falling for scams.

The world’s most turbulent flights revealed | CNN In travel news this week: misbehavior on planes, secrets of a cruise ship doctor and the flight routes that were most prone to turbulence in 2024.

Turbulence on flights is usually caused by mountains, storms or powerful jet stream currents, so it’s not surprising that rocky ranges feature prominently in a new list of flight routes that had the most turbulence in 2024.

A Hindu cookbook writer challenges notions about Indian food Mashed blood, dried squirrel, spicy fish eggs: A writer from an oppressed Hindu caste publishes a cookbook that he hopes will shatter the notion of a mostly vegetarian India.

Mashed blood, dried squirrel, spicy fish eggs: A writer from an oppressed Hindu caste publishes a cookbook that he hopes will shatter the notion of a mostly vegetarian India.

www.npr.org/2025/01/02/n...

The Scandal of Trump’s Cabinet Picks Isn’t Just Their Personal Failings The President-elect and his appointees now view their internal enemies as America’s biggest national-security threats.

The scandal of Trump’s Cabinet isn’t just their personal failings…

My new column:

www.newyorker.com/news/letter-...

A love letter to Taiwan's meticulous — and frustrating — trash collection system NPR's Emily Feng bids goodbye to Asia — and to Taiwan's strict trash collection system, which she unexpectedly grew to love.

So, NPR let me do an audio postcard on my very particular trash routine in Taiwan that turned into more of a self-reflective essay on my neuroses...
www.npr.org/2024/11/30/n...

Judge sets January hearing for possible resentencing of Menendez brothers Some family members say they believe the brothers were molested by their father and that it's "time for them to go home."

Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said he postponed the hearing "out of respect for the new administration," noting that a new district attorney — Nathan Hochman — had been elected. The judge said he wanted to give Hochman a chance to "weigh in." via @laistofficial.bsky.social

Books We Love Here are 350+ great reads from 2024 hand-picked just for you by NPR staff and trusted critics.

it's that great time of year — BOOKS WE LOVE from NPR is out! honored as always to have written a few blurbs here & there for some of the books that really caught my eye this year

Animal rescuers evacuate a lion cub from war-torn Lebanon to South Africa The group Animals Lebanon says it rescued Sara the lion cub from abuse by a Lebanese social media influencer, kept it safe in Beirut and sent it to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.

"We're helping the community by helping animals," says a rescuer of a lion cub that was evacuated from Lebanon to a South African sanctuary
www.npr.org/2024/11/15/n...

Wohoo!

Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX'

Wyatt Flores: Tiny Desk Concert The young country artist solidifies himself as a rising star in this captivating performance.

The young country artist solidifies himself as a rising star in this captivating performance.

Judge indefinitely postpones sentencing in Trump's hush money case The decision to indefinitely adjourn next week's sentencing date comes several days after both lawyers agreed that a stay would help sort out unprecedented legal questions.

The decision to indefinitely adjourn next week's sentencing date comes several days after both lawyers agreed that a stay would help sort out unprecedented legal questions.
www.npr.org/2024/11/22/g...

There's a surprise new Kendrick Lamar album. @npr.org's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento writes: "Lamar dropped his sixth studio album, GNX. He did it without sharing a hint of its existence" www.npr.org/2024/11/22/n...

Tesla won the plug war. Enter the age of the EV charging adapter The auto industry is embracing Tesla's charging technology in order to share its vast Supercharger network. This is going to be a slow transition — expect to see a lot of adapters.

The auto industry is embracing Tesla's charging technology in order to share its vast Supercharger network. This is going to be a slow transition — expect to see a lot of adapters.