Weekend Edition Sunday

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzle master Will Shortz and NEPM listener Alison Triebwasser of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

After the Trump administration took over control of the police department in Washington, D.C. last week, experts attending a conference on authoritarianism in the capital said they recognized some of the president's tactics.

This weekend, people in Washington, D.C., have been adapting to their police department being under federal control as the Trump administration has taken over policing.

Israelis are holding protests calling for their government to end the war in Gaza. Palestinian leaders have also condemned a far-right Israeli politician for berating a notable Palestinian prisoner.

As part of a tourism campaign, Michigan has developed fragrances inspired by some of the state's aromas – including its coastline, flowers and vineyards. But what do people make of the fragrances?

Iran is in the grip of a devastating drought. Searing heat and government mismanagement have left water levels in the country's dams, rivers and lakes at record lows.

At Vermont's famed Middlebury Language School, opera singers perfect their German — right down to mastering the elusive umlaut.

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with filmmaking duo, Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin, about their new comedy, "Splitsville."

Artificial intelligence is driving a data center building boom across rural America, including in central Washington. But critics say the centers do not produce enough jobs — and drain resources.

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Ashley Cullins about the "Scream" franchise. Cullins writes about it in her book "Your Favorite Scary Movie."

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Sam Greene, Professor of Russian Politics at King's College London, about what kind of deal could be reached to end the war in Ukraine.

After adding a pro-Palestinian protest group to a list of terrorist organizations, the U.K. has been arresting hundreds of demonstrators at weekly rallies. Critics say the move endangers free speech.