1A

For many, the pandemic has exposed cracks in our long-term care systems — from staffing shortages to chronic loneliness among residents.

What if a robot could fix both?

A program at the University of Minnesota-Duluth is using automation technology to find out.

The notion of using robots in nursing homes also raises ethical issues about data, privacy, and the importance of human-to-human contact.

We talk with Dr. Khan and others about the intersection of technology and geriatric care.

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At least 10 percent of pregnancies end in a miscarriage, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

But those are just the ones doctors know about. Some estimates put that number much higher to account for all the times a person didn't realize they were pregnant.

The care for a miscarriage is often identical to an induced abortion. With the Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, some doctors are raising the alarm about how that could affect routine miscarriage care.

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At least 10 percent of pregnancies end in a miscarriage, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

But those are just the ones doctors know about. Some estimates put that number much higher to account for all the times a person didn't realize they were pregnant.

The care for a miscarriage is often identical to an induced abortion. With the Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, some doctors are raising the alarm about how that could affect routine miscarriage care.

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From "Turning Red" to "Pachinko" to "After Yang," it's been a big year for stories about the Asian diaspora.

Even so, the entertainment industry — and the projects it greenlights — remains overwhelmingly white.

A new book chronicles Asian-American contributions to pop culture — from the problematic to the groundbreaking. It's called "Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now."

We talk with Yang, sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen, and "Pachinko" director Soo Hugh about telling stories of the Asian diaspora.

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The United States passed one million COVID-related deaths this week. It's now the third-leading cause of death in the country.

President Joe Biden traveled to Buffalo to visit a community devastated by a racist attack that claimed the lives of ten Black people at a supermarket.

Meanwhile, the United Nations is warning that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could cause a global food crisis. Global prices are rising, causing poorer nations to struggle to feed their citizens. Ukraine's ports, once major exporters of cooking oil and cereals, are closed — sparking concerns about the global food supply.

The former Somali president, a man relieved of his power in 2017, has been voted back into office by lawmakers in the country amid a lockdown in the capital of Mogadishu.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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On Saturday, a shooter targeted shoppers at the only Black-run grocery store in Buffalo, New York. Ten people were killed and three were injured. Eleven of the victims were African American.

The racist attack left residents of Buffalo and America reeling but has especially shaken the city's Black population.

As we continue the conversation about the weekend's tragedy, we look at the history of race in Buffalo and America.

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As the nationwide infant formula shortage continues, parents are scrambling to feed their children.

43 percent of formula is sold out nationwide as retailers struggle to keep it on the shelves. That's according to Datasembley, which collects real-time data on retail and grocery services.

There isn't a substitute for formula and that is especially true for children who require specialty formulas.

So where can parents go for help? And what solutions exist to ensure this crisis doesn't happen again?

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With the Supreme Court set to roll back federal protections for abortions, protesters have mobilized across the country.

A new report by Reveal looks into the growing number of calls to police from abortion clinics in Florida. It found that reports of harassment, violence, and intimidation doubled between 2016 and 2021, with one clinic reporting a 400 percent jump in calls within that time.

Now that Florida's new restrictive abortion measures take effect in July, providers are preparing for an escalation in that violence.

Later on, privacy advocates and supporters of the pro-choice movement have raised the alarm about how personal data could be used by law enforcement and anti-abortion activists if Roe vs. Wade is overturned by a Supreme Court decision this summer.

There have been several bills sponsored by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden to limit the information tech companies can collect from individuals and provide to law enforcement.He joins a panel conversation about the role digital privacy plays in reproductive rights.

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There have been nearly 200 mass shootings in the first 5 months of 2022, including a shooting at a Buffalo grocery store that left 10 dead. And incidents near a public school in Washington D.C. and on the New York City subway in April have the public concerned about safety in shared spaces.

We discuss the emerging field of research called behavioral threat assessment, which is used to prevent mass shootings before they occur. As well as take a look at the history of mass shootings in America.

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On the Greek island of Lesvos, refugees from the nearby Moria camp gathered in a fish restaurant for lunch.

The owners had converted the restaurant to a nonprofit dedicated to feeding refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and elsewhere. Families sat around tables, laughing, chatting, and playing music.

In 2020, Moria burned down leaving 13,000 people unsheltered. Before the fire, the camp was often called a living hell by those stuck in it.

But for a few hours a week, refugees could forget their political status. They could get lost in the taste of delicious food and be reminded of home.

This is one of many stories Yasmin Khan tells about the power of food in her third cookbook, "Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus." Khan's food writing is more than just recipes.

We speak to her about the stakes of a good meal in the moments you feel you have little else.

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Senate Democrats put forward a bill to codify Roe v. Wade after a leaked draft of a majority opinion suggested the Supreme Court was poised to overturn the landmark abortion access case. The effort failed.

Elon Musk said that he would reverse President Donald Trump's ban from Twitter. Musk added he thought the ban was morally wrong.

Inflation in the U.S. is beginning to come down, although it's still at a 40-year high.

Ukrainian troops pushed Russian invaders back from the city of Kharkiv. Russian authorities are calling for the military to cut its losses and annex the Ukrainian territory of Kherson.

The Kremlin is also worried about the expansion of NATO. Finland is signaling its intent to submit a bid for membership.

Shireen Abu Akleh, journalist for Al Jazeera was shot and killed while reporting on an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), 56 percent of Americans who died in 2020 were cremated.That's more than twice the rate two decades ago.

What's behind this surge? And what does it suggest about the way our cultural values have shifted?

For families scattered across multiple states, there often seems little point in investing the effort and expense to bury a loved one in a cemetery no one will visit. Like pet food and leisure footwear, cremation is now available through direct-to-consumer websites such as Solace and Tulip.

We talk with deathcare experts about the rise of cremation.

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Thanks in large part to the pandemic, home prices are soaring. In March, the median hit a record high of over $370,000. One affordable housing option is the mobile home.

Around 22 million Americans live in a mobile or manufactured house. It's the largest sector of non-subsidized affordable housing in the country. Unfortunately, they aren't turning out to be the haven many were hoping for. Now, investors are scooping up these parks during the pandemic.

New ownership from out of state has meant restrictive rules, price hikes, and sometimes even eviction. Mobile home residents are particularly vulnerable to these buyouts with few rights and protections.

We talk about what this means for affordable housing in the U.S. and mobile home parks across the country.

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As abortion gets harder and harder to access in the U.S., Latin America is moving in the opposite direction. In December 2020, Argentina legalized abortion up to 14 weeks and became the largest nation south of the U.S. to do so. Mexico and Colombia's courts did the same shortly after. The feminist movement responsible in part for this change is known as "the green wave" and has gained traction in a region where the Catholic Church has significant influence over politics and social beliefs. Now, activists have their sights set on Chile and Brazil.

However, the latest news of the leaked draft opinion on Roe v. Wade is concerning for Colombians. The U.S. Supreme Court's potential decision could sway the South American country's own courts which legalized abortion up to 24 weeks in February.

We speak with experts on Latin America about the lessons the U.S. can take away from these movements and what overturning Roe v. Wade could mean for global abortion rights.

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There's one person with the power to end the war in Ukraine in an instant: Russian President Vladimir Putin. He's a powerful figure, and new reporting on the source of his wealth reveals just how powerful he really is.

We discuss Putin's personal fortune and why he doesn't want anyone to know where he got it.

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While the term self-care was reimagined in the 1980s by Black civil rights activist and feminist Audre Lorde, the concept has been co-opted and commercialized.

Has the pandemic changed how we view self-care? What do we get wrong about it? And what does it take to really take care of ourselves?

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A leaked draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion suggesting the justices voted to overturn Roe v. Wade leaked this week, sparking nationwide protests in support of federally-protected abortion rights.

The Federal Reserve implemented its first half-point interest rate rise since 2000.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the U.N. to help evacuate the wounded from his country. Some 300 people were taken out of the contested city of Mariupol. Ukrainian fighters have pushed the Russian forces back from the city of Kharkiv.

The U.S. now says WNBA star Britney Griner is wrongfully detained in Russia after the player was held up by authorities as she tried to leave the country following its invasion of Ukraine.

We cover the most important news this week on the international portion of the News Roundup.

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The Midterm elections are six months away and the most recent polling suggests Republicans have an early edge. If they take the House, Rep. Kevin McCarthy is likely to become the majority leader.

He garnered attention in the past two weeks when The New York Times released audio of private phone calls and meetings he had with other GOP leaders. They were recorded in the aftermath of the Capitol riot and they tell a very different story than what he said publicly.

In the leaked tapes, McCarthy is critical of Donald Trump's role in the insurrection and other members of his caucus. But do Republican voters care?

We listen to the sound with one of the reporters who broke the story before heading to McCarthy's district to get a response from his community.

This conversation is part of our Remaking America collaboration with six public radio stations around the country, including KVPR, NPR for Central California. Remaking America is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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A leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion suggests that the justices have voted to strike down Roe v. Wade, eliminating 50 years of federal abortion protections.

Whatever the court decides, abortion laws are already changing across the United States.

We discuss how the Supreme Court's potential decision could impact what happens at the state level, and the ways abortion providers are preparing for those changes.

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The Ohio primary kicks off a month of similar contests in vital swing states from Pennsylvania to Georgia. And there's one unofficial candidate on the ballot: former President Donald Trump.

According to aNew York Times count, the former president has endorsed candidates in at least 40 Republican primaries.

We discuss what's at stake for the Republican Party — and for Trump — in these midterms.

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For almost all of us, $44 billion is an amount of money we can't even fathom—let alone access in order to buy one of the largest social media companies in the world.

But Elon Musk is poised to do just that. If the deal between Musk and Twitter pans out, it could be the second-largest deal of its kind in American history.

Here's the catch. Much of money isn't lying around in his bank accounts.

So how does someone—even a billionaire—borrow that much money?

We talk about Elon Musk's plans to purchase Twitter—and where he's getting the money to do it.

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Her claim to fame came in 2014 with her fourth novel, "Station Eleven"—a post-apocalyptic pandemic survival tale that's garnered new meaning over the last two years.

Now, Emily St. John Mandel is back with her latest work of speculative fiction, "Sea of Tranquility." It's a pandemic novel written during a pandemic... about an author who wrote a pandemic novel right before a pandemic — so it also hits close to home.

We talk with Emily St. John Mandel about making meaning with speculative fiction.

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Moderna has asked U.S. regulators to authorize low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under six. When can we expect a decision from the F.D.A.?

The top infectious disease expert in the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, was forced to clarify remarks he made earlier in the week about the pandemic. On Tuesday, Fauci told the PBS NewsHour "we are out of the pandemic phase". On Wednesday, he told 1Ahe misspoke and that "the pandemic is not over."

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called war in Ukraine both "evil" and "unacceptable" after seeing for himself the damage done by Russia on the outskirts of Kviv.

Also this week, Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the West not to underestimate the possibility of a nuclear confrontation.

And President Biden requested another $33 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine during a speech on Thursday.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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This week, Twitter accepted a $44 billion buyout offer from Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

As part of the purchase, Musk, who calls himself a "free speech absolutist," will gain total control of the company. And it's raising questions about how his leadership will affect open speech on the platform.

We discuss the impact Elon Musk will have on Twitter, and what social media moderation will look like in the future.

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If you've been on a flight or taken public transit recently, you might've seen fewer masks on fewer faces. This is because a Florida judge struck down the federal travel mask mandate last Monday.

While companies aren't being forced to drop their mandates many have. All of this while the Omicron subvariant BA.2 accounts for 75 percent of new COVID cases in the U.S.

To mask or not to mask continues to be a divisive question. We get into the psychology of why.

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The pandemic has prompted a lot of change.

One considerable shift? Workers telling bosses they're not gonna take it anymore. The so-called Great Resignation hasn't slowed so far in 2022. In February, over 4 million people quit their jobs. About 74,000 of those who left worked in retail.

In addition to quitting, workers are also taking back control via unions. In two recent high-profile moves, employees at Starbucks and Amazon voted to organize despite their respective employers' best efforts.

We discuss the movement and what's next.

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The shadow docket sounds like a bad movie from the 1940s. In real life, the phrase denotes the Supreme Court's emergency decisions that are usually procedural and come with little explanation.

But there's growing concern that the docket is being used more often to make major rulings in private with wide-reaching consequences.

We discuss how Justices justify the shadow docket and what a lack of transparency and Americans' waning trust in the court mean for our democracy.

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If you've ever watched Netflix's wildly popular show "Queer Eye," you definitely know Jonathan Van Ness.

The show's reboot was a smash hit, catapulting its stars into the spotlight. Recognizable for his hair and effervescent skincare advice, Van Ness became known for his infectiously positive outlook, heartwarming vulnerability, and humor.

Since the "Queer Eye" release in 2018, Van Ness hasn't stopped moving.

We sit down with Van Ness to talk about his latest book, "Love That Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life" and more.

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The federal government's mandate concerning masks on transportation was dropped this week after a judge in Florida overturned it. Airlines announced the change abruptly on social media, in terminals, and in some cases mid-flight. The Justice Department has announced it will appeal the decision.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced this week a new phase of his country's war in Russia is beginning as fighting continues to rage in Ukraine's Donbas region.

Bloomberg is reporting Kremlin insiders are quietly labeling Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a colossal mistake given the toll the conflict and resulting sanctions are taking on the country. They also say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is in no danger of losing power.

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Airports and planes went maskless for the first time in two years the same day that Philadelphia reinstated its indoor mask mandate.

A federal judge in Florida struck down a request to extend the deadline for the mandate by two weeks, calling it "unlawful."

All of this is happening as more than 30 states report a rise in cases. The Centers for Disease and Control estimates that the omicron subvariant, BA.2, makes up 86 percent of all U.S. COVID cases.

So how prepared is the U.S. for another potential wave? And how should we navigate a new maskless world of transportation?

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When it comes to women succeeding in the workforce, there's a lot to talk about.

The "She-cession," burnout, and, of course, wages.

Despite all of that, there is some progress in the way of gender pay parity. New analysis from Pew Research Center found that the wage gap is closing in 22 metropolitan areas.

In fact, in some cities, women are out-earning their male counterparts.

What's the state of the gender wage gap? And who is it closing for?

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The Biden administration has unveiled a new rule that regulates "ghost guns" — untraceable firearms that are built privately (sometimes through 3-D printing) and don't have serial numbers.

According to White House data, the number of "ghost gun" seizures has increased ten-fold since 2016.

Efforts among Senate Republicans to block the measure are already underway.

We answer your questions about "ghost guns" with a panel of experts.

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President Joe Biden declared that Russia's actions in Ukraine are a "genocide" this week. The president made this remark just one day before the U.S. promised more aid to Ukraine in the form of military hardware.

Biden's pick to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is facing an uphill battle to be confirmed as the administration expects staunch opposition to his confirmation from gun rights groups. Steve Dettelbach previously served as the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio under President Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, satellite imaging shows more Russian military deployments in eastern Ukraine. Two bases, likely for resupplying forces near Mariupol, have been established to aid Russian troops in their invasion.

According to a New York Times report, former Trump administration officials Jared Kushner and Steve Mnuchin secured billions of dollars in payments from Saudi Arabia in the form of investments in their private equity funds.

We cover the most important stories from the week duing the News Roundup.

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More than a dozen states have drafted or voted on restrictions to critical healthcare for trans youth.

But it's not just the 150,000 American kids who identify as transgender trans youth that are being targeted. The livelihoods of doctors and pediatricians who provide this care are at stake too.

Across the country doctors in this field are being harassed and threatened, and can even be legally charged.

We speak to three doctors about what gender-affirming care is and the toll this legislation is taking on their patients and professions.

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This week, the European Union announced it will provide funding and support to prosecutors from the International Criminal Court who are investigating alleged war crimes.

The United States has a complicated relationship with the ICC. Neither the U.S. nor Russia are signatories to the Rome Statute, which established the court back in 2002. And the U.S. has long been opposed to allowing the court jurisdiction over citizens of countries that aren't part of the ICC.

We discuss the path forward on war crimes in Ukraine with a panel of experts.

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As Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine rages on, authoritarianism is surging.

A report from the pro-democracy nonprofit Freedom House found that global democracy has declined for the 16th year in a row.

So why is authoritarianism on the rise? And what do we really mean when we say "authoritarianism"?

We talk with historians and analysts about Putin and beyond.

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The latest report from the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change focuses on how communities can prevent the worst of the climate crisis. It goes well beyond meatless Mondays and driving an electric car. The scientists also make clear what will happen if we don't.

According to the report, if we have any hope of a livable world in the future, we need to stop using fossil fuels now. Getting there might be easier than you think. The only question is whether we have the will.

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More than 50 million Americans each year suffer from neurodegenerative disorders, from Alzheimer's Disease to Huntington's Disease.

We speak with University of Pennsylvania neuroscientist Sara Manning Peskin about her new book, A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of a Hijacked Brain. In it, she unpacks the molecular changes in our brain's chemistry that cause these diseases in Peskin weaves personal stories from her patients and their families into the history of researchers uncovering these illnesses.

We also speak with author Sarah Fay about her new book, Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses, which chronicles her uphill battle to find a reliable diagnosis.

In the book, Fay explores the limited tools available for pinpointing depression or anxiety.

We talk with Fay and a panel of experts about how we diagnose mental health.

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Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been confirmed as President Joe Biden's first nomination to the Supreme Court.

Lawmakers are headed to Europe. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is leading a bipartisan trip to the region, specifically to Poland and its border with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the town of Bucha to witness the aftermath of gruesome acts perpetuated by Russian troops in the area. Ukrainian officials have concluded that enemy soldiers tortured captured Ukrainians in the area.

Pakistan is facing a constitutional crisis. Its courts are set to decide if the country's prime minister, Imran Khan, had the power to dissolve parliament as he was facing a vote of no confidence.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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Texas' new law restricting abortion is felt beyond its borders. In neighboring Oklahoma, the governor says he's ready to approve a bill that would make performing an abortion a felony — punishable by up to 10 years in prison. And Idaho's governor signed a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

At the same time, states like Colorado are bracing themselves to become abortion safe havens. This week, the state legislature there signed the Reproductive Health Equity Act, which solidifies the state's abortion laws.

We take a look at how two states are handling the question of abortion access and what the state of abortion laws nationally could mean for you.

This conversation is part of our Remaking America collaboration with six public radio stations around the country. Remaking America is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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The pantheon of classic American parenting techniques is vast. But parenting changes over time, even if its difficulty stays the same. And many families choose to tackle that difficulty differently.

A popular trend in child rearing now is "gentle" or "respectful" parenting. Instead of punishing or correcting a behavior, gentle parenting focuses on acknowledging a child's feelings and understanding how those feelings affect their behavior.

How much does parenting style affect the outcome of a child's life? And where does "gentle" parenting land on the wide spectrum of approaches?

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The war in Ukraine is continuing to affect people living in the country's cities.

Bombing in Kiev and Mariupol has left homes, schools, and hospitals destroyed. Comparisons are being drawn between these cities and places like Aleppo and Baghdad. But someday the conflict in Ukraine will cease. How will its cities be rebuilt?

We discuss what gets lost when warfare enters urban areas.

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"America has a free speech problem."

That New York Times headline recently reignited an ongoing debate over free speech and how it's applied.

Critics were swift to debunk that Times' argument online and across national editorial boards, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and Portland Press Herald.

So, does America have a free speech problem? And how has "cancel culture" affected people's engagement with free speech?

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This year, CODA won three Oscars, including the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

"CODA" takes us into the world of the close-knit Rossi family.

Jackie and Frank are happily married with one adult son and a daughter about to graduate high school. But money is tight where they live, a fishing town on Massachusetts' coast. Finding a way to make ends meet is even harder as a deaf family.

So they rely on the only hearing person in their family, their daughter Ruby, to help them for practically everything.

Marlee Matlin stars as Jackie Rossi. She received an Academy Award for her role in "Children of a Lesser God" in 1987 and is the only deaf actor to have won an Oscar. Troy Kotsur stars as Frank Rossi. He recently became the first male deaf actor to be nominated for a SAG Award.

We revisit our conversation with Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur about authentic representation of deaf culture in Hollywood and why this film breaks barriers.

Their interpreters were Jack Jason and Justin Maurer.

A transcript is available here.

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As the war in Ukraine rages on, and oil prices remain in flux. President Joe Biden has promised to send more aid to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his forces while also releasing barrels from the U.S. oil reserve to soften gas prices.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the so-called "don't say gay" bill into law.

Meanwhile, European countries are strategizing to cut dependence on Russian gas. Germany has thrown the switch on a plan to ration gas as the war in Ukraine continues.

And security was bolstered across Israel and the occupied territories this week after a Palestinian gunman killed five in what is their fifth attack in less than two weeks.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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From the food wheel, to the food pyramid, to MyPlate, schools in the U.S. have incorporated food education into their curricula. But does the way we learn about nutrition really set us up for a healthy relationship with food and our bodies?

With the pandemic moving classrooms to dining room tables, parents have levied criticism against current nutrition lessons, worried that the way educators discuss food and health is missing the mark.

For this episode of our In Case You Missed It series, where we've tackled the topics you told us you wished you'd learned about in school, we're tackling nutrition.

We're busting the myths you might've heard in your seventh grade health class and breaking down what "healthy" actually means.

What do you remember learning, or not learning, about food in school?

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If you could put a grade on your financial wellness, what would it be?

When we asked you earlier this year about what you wished you learned in school, many of you said personal finance.

And you're not alone: in states across the country, dozens of personal finance education bills are pending.

But what makes for an effective financial education course? And how prepared are Americans to take on their own finances?

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Each year, the federal government spends roughly $50 per student on STEM education. It spends 5 cents per student per year on civic education.

It's no wonder that nearly a quarter of Americans can't name a single branch of the government.

What is civic education? And what's at stake when schools don't require it?

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Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson concluded a week of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, facing aggressive questioning by GOP lawmakers regarding her past as a public defender and her sentencing in child porn cases. A confirmation vote could come as early as Monday.

President Joe Biden traveled to Brussels for emergency talks with NATO leaders. The White House announced plans for additional sanctions, and will open the U.S. to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have kept Russian troops out of Kyiv this week. Hundreds of miles away in Mariupol, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that more than 100,000 Ukrainians are trapped, facing a devastating attack by Russian forces.

The Taliban suddenly reversed its decision to open high schools for girls, just days after announcing plans to reopen all schools — including girls' high schools.

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Our series, "In Case You Missed It," dives into topics you maybe wish you'd learned in school. We speak with leading experts and educators so we can help catch you up.

In this episode, we're getting into all that you didn't learn in school about media literacy and critical thinking.

Critical thinking skills are at the heart of media literacy – and there's a movement to make media literacy a requirement in schools across the country. Last year, Illinois became the first state to pass a law requiring it in all high schools.

But what exactly is media literacy? How do you teach it? And if you didn't learn it in school, what do you need to know now?

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For the first time since the Supreme Court's founding in 1790, a Black woman may sit on the bench.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's Supreme Court pick, is expected to be confirmed after four days of testimony before Congress.

The hearings have been a marathon during which Jackson has answered a barrage of questions, many of which have had little to do with her or the position she's hoping to fill.

We speak to a law professor, a former judge, and a current law student who all know the struggle of trying to break glass ceilings.

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More than 1,000 Russians and their families have been hit with economic sanctions since Russia invaded Ukraine. The list includes Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English Premier League team Chelsea, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Attorney General Merrick Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced a multi-lateral task force called Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs (REPO) with representatives from Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

It's part of the Justice Department's Kleptocature task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping economic sanctions against Russian oligarchs.

Authorities have already seized hundreds of million dollars in assets including private yachts, jets, and luxury villas.

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It's been more than six months since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

The United Nations refugee agency predicted that by the end of last year, more than half a million people would flee the Taliban-controlled country. Some of those refugees settled in Ukraine, and are once again in the middle of a conflict.

The war in Eastern Europe is "potentially apocalyptic" for Afghanistan's growing famine, and for its collapsing economy.

So, how is the war on Ukraine weighing on the humanitarian crisis there? And what does it mean for refugees in the US and elsewhere?

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The Oscars are just around the corner. And Disney's "Encanto" is going for a trio of Academy Awards including best original score, best original song, and best animated feature.

But before the awards season began — and people refused to talk about Bruno — two of the women putting the music and film together were already breaking barriers.

Germaine Franco is the first woman to ever score a Disney animated feature. And Charise Castro Smith is the first Latina to receive a directing credit on a Disney animated film. They join us to talk about representation, the music of "Encanto," and their careers.

Then we speak with Colombian singer-songwriter Sebastián Yatra about his newest album, working on soundtrack and his life as pop-star.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Congress in a special session this week, asking the United States to send more aid to his country as they continue to fight off Russian invaders.

The White House announced that it will have to wind down a program that pays to test, treat, and vaccinate uninsured people amid the pandemic. The administration says it's run out of money for the program.

Meanwhile, the Russian government continues to arrest people protesting against the country's invasion of Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin says "pro-Western Russians are scum, need to be removed from society."

China is attempting to reopen the city of Shenzhen after a lockdown due to a surge of COVID-19. Authorities enforced a "zero tolerance" policy and paused the lives of millions across the country.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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According to the most recent guidance from the CDC, most of the country no longer needs to mask up in public But those loosened restrictions don't apply to at least 7 million people nationwide who are immunocompromised. Their weakened immune systems put them at much higher risk for severe illness and death from exposure to COVID.

With elected officials advocating a so-called "return to normal," what does the present and future hold for the immunocompromised? What can we do to protect the most vulnerable?

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The U.S. produces a lot of oil — currently more than 11 billion barrels a day. It produces so much oil and natural gas that overall, it sells more to other countries than it buys from foreign sources.

Yet a war almost 5,000 miles away has pushed U.S. gas prices to record levels – more than $4.30 per gallon, on average. This has lawmakers on both sides of the aisle wondering how the U.S. can become better insulated from global price shocks.

But Republicans, including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, want to see more drilling on U.S. soil.

So what are our options to become more energy secure? And if we produce so much of our own oil, why are gas prices so high anyway?

We discuss all that and more.

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Sportswashing is the practice of laundering one's reputation through sports; whether that be through team ownership, hosting a major tournament, or sponsorship. A country or politician gets involved with the hope that some of the sport's popularity will improve their image.

Sportswashing isn't a new problem. In fact, it's one of the oldest tricks in an autocrat's international relations playbook. Those familiar with European history probably remember Adolf Hitler's reasons for hosting the 1936 Olympic games.

Why is sportswashing effective? And what can the international community do to combat it?

We discuss all this and more.

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This weekend marked the beginning of Daylight Saving Time.

And there's a bill in Congress to make it permanent, which would mean never changing our clocks again.

Nineteen states have already made it clear that they'd make the switch if Congress says okay.

How did this biannual ritual come about anyway? And what are our other options?

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Harvey Fierstein first questioned his gender when he was 7 years old. The Tony-award-winning playwright behind Broadway hits including "Kinky Boots" and "Newsies" recounts the story in his new memoir, "I Was Better Last Night."

Fierstein brought queer characters to the stage and screen. He won Tonys for "Torch Song Trilogy" and "La Cage Aux Folles," both of which he wrote. The shows, which premiered in the 1980s, introduced gay relationships and characters to Broadway audiences.

Off-stage, Fierstein was living through the AIDS epidemic, a harrowing and tragic experience that led to him turning away from show business and towards substance abuse.

We talk to Fierstein about his career and take questions from you.

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Despite discussions to the contrary, U.S. authorities at the Pentagon have ruled out sending fighter jets to Ukraine, fearing Russian escalation of the conflict.

Governments and companies continue to put the financial squeeze on Russia as it continues to try and push deeper into Ukraine. President Joe Biden announced a ban on Russian oil imports this week. McDonald's announced it would close all 850 of its locations in the country.

Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian authorities sent to negotiate with one another failed to agree on the terms of a ceasefire. Russian troops have ramped up shelling against Ukrainian civilians, targeting their evacuation routes.

WNBA star Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia on charges of drug smuggling. U.S. authorities have been quick to condemn her detention and Russian authorities are providing few details on her whereabouts.

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A big story has been lurking in the background these last few weeks – climate change. Last week the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest report: "Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability." The report gives example after example of ways climate change is impacting human lives now.

The report is concerning, but it also makes one thing clear: it's not too late.

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A new report from the CDC reveals that pregnancy-related death rates are going up. In 2020, pregnancy-related mortality rose by nearly 20 percent compared to the previous year.

This is all taking place during a global pandemic that has strained hospital systems and made even routine procedures a difficult and sometimes dangerous task. But pregnancy-related deaths have been going up long before COVID-19, having almost doubled in the past 30 years.

How has the pandemic impacted maternal mortality and what is being done to reverse this long-standing trend?

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Following the passage of laws in Russia last week, people can now receive up to 15 years in prison for publicly opposing the war in Ukraine—or for even calling it a "war" to begin with.

The law doesn't only impact traditional media. Russia blocked access to Facebook and Twitter in retaliation for removing content by Russian-backed media outlets like Russia Today and Sputnik.

We dive into the troubling pattern of censorship in Russia.

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Truck driving in America remains in crisis. There are 80,000 fewer drivers on the road than needed, according to the American Trucker's Association.

This dearth is having a ripple effect on the supply chain crisis. Approximately 71 percent of all freight moved across the United States was carried by trucks last year.

What challenges are truck drivers facing today and what does the future of the industry look like?

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Marlon James is the author of five books. His 2014 novel, "A Brief History of Seven Killings," won the Man Booker Prize in 2015.

"Seven Killings" tells the story of post-colonial Jamaica through the voices of twelve narrators and spans decades of contemporary Jamaican history.

His latest work is a little different. The Dark Star Trilogy is a series of fantasy novels that take place in a fictionalized version of ancient Africa.

There are monsters, violence, and an epic quest. It's been called "an African Game of Thrones."The second book in the series, "Moon Witch, Spider King," was released in February. James joins us to discuss creating a fantasy world and what's next in the series.

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U.S. authorities continue to explore the nation's options in Ukraine. Sanctions continue to be placed on Putin's economy, leading the country's currency to fall in value and many Russians to withdraw their money from banks. At the State of the Union President Joe Biden indicated he supports a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but still spoke against sending American troops to the country.

Texas announced that it will investigate the parents of transgender children in the state for possible instances of child abuse.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a reduction in the severity of their mask guidelines. Major cities are dropping vaccine and mask mandates in a variety of settings.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian citizens are fleeing the country as Russia continues to attempt to take control. The Ukrainian government announced that 2,000 civilians have died as a result of Russian attacks.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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More than a million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded last week.

It's the largest mass exodus in Europe since the Balkan War in the 1990s. The U.N. warns that number could reach four million in the coming month.

Where are those who are leaving going? And why are some Ukrainians staying put?

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Last month, 22-year-old Amir Locke was killed by a Minneapolis SWAT officer during a raid in the apartment in which he was staying.

The officer was using a no-knock warrant, allowing law enforcement to enter the apartment without giving notice of their presence. Locke, a Black man, was not a suspect in the investigation that led to the raid.

Amir Locke's death has raised concerns over the use of no-knock warrants, which have been banned in four states. Minnesota is not one of those states, but state and city legislators are once again calling for no-knock warrants to be restricted.

We talk about no-knock warrants and the impact they have on police reform measures.

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Texas kicks off the 2022 midterm elections March 1. But Democrats and political strategists have been raising the alarm about a problem months before ballots were ready to be cast: Spanish-language misinformation.

Latinos were the second-largest voting bloc in the 2020 presidential election for the first time. And nearly 70 percent of those voters get political information from social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, according to the research group Equis Labs.

So how does Spanish-language misinformation fit into that voting pattern? And how will it affect the midterms?

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The battle for Ukraine could come to an end soon. Despite Russia's best efforts to invade its neighbor this weekend, Ukrainians held the capital city of Kyiv. Now, ceasefire talks between the two nations have begun.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fled to safety while others have taken to underground bomb shelters.

The world is watching the situation tensely as Russian President Vladimir Putin put his country's nuclear forces on high alert.

Where does the conflict stand and how are global leaders responding?

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Twenty years after Avril Lavigne released her first album, "Let Go," the pop-punk star is back with a new record.

Her return coincides with a resurgence of the pop-punk genre. Olivia Rodrigo brought the early 2000s sound to the radio last year with her hit, "good 4 u" and Machine Gun Kelly's 2020 album hit number one. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker launched a new label, DTA Records, that fosters pop-punk artists like jxdn and Willow.

Today's pop-punk sound is similar to twenty years ago, though it's more likely to blend with other genres like electronic music and hip hop. Its creators, though, are more diverse than back then.

Put on your band tee and eyeliner, because the 1A Record Club is breaking down the resurgence of pop-punk.

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After weeks of speculation and diplomacy, Russia invaded Ukraine. Explosions reported in Ukraine Wednesday night into Thursday and Russian troops are moving into the region.

The House Intelligence Committee is working on legislation to provide support for pro-Ukraine independence fighters.

Vladimir Putin is rewriting history in an attempt to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His government has recognized two "independent states" in the Donbass region of Ukraine.

President Joe Biden announced new sanctions on Russia in response to its military action against Ukraine. He met with leaders from the G7 on Thursday.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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Last September, a set of voting restrictions known as SB-1 was signed after a flood of protests, peaking with state Democrats flying to Washington to break quorum and delay a vote on the bill.

Meanwhile, that same month, a six-week abortion ban known as SB-8 went into effect. The Supreme Court later ruled it would remain in effect even as it wound its way through the court system.

And SB-1 faces its first big test Tuesday, as Texas goes to the polls to decide on its governor, lieutenant governor, and a slew of other top positions.

What has the fallout been for these two pieces of controversial legislation? We talk Texas and get some answers.

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Why is so much money flowing into crypto? Whether its ads for new apps or the big bucks behind those lobbying for digital currencies, it is here. Central Bank digital currencies (CBDC's) are coming.

People are making money. Plenty are losing money too.

Is crypto a safe space for Americans' money?

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After weeks of tension between Ukraine, Russia, and the West, things seem to have quickly bubbled over.

Last night, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his defense ministry to send troops into two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.

The forces have been ordered to "fulfill peacekeeping functions." But the move has set off a wave of international condemnation and anxiety over whether we're seeing the start of a full-scale invasion.

Where does this situation go next?

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Many of us know what it feels like to have anxiety even if we don't know what to call it. It may feel like tightness in your chest or an overwhelming fear of what's to come.And it's no surprise that the pandemic has made this overwhelming fear worse.

According to the CDC, the number of adults experiencing symptoms of anxiety or a depressive disorder grew more than 5 percent between 2020 and 2021.

In this month's installment of the Scientific Method, we talk about anxiety and the science behind it.

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When pandemic lockdowns hit in 2020, Yola had a choice to make: stay in her hometown of Bristol, England, or move full time to Nashville and finish her new album, "Stand For Myself."

Yola chose Nashville, and now that album is nominated for best Americana album at this year's Grammy awards.

We ask her about writing in a pandemic, leaving home, and what her future holds.

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As the year progresses, case counts of the omicron variant are falling to levels below the peak of the delta variant. However, deaths due to COVID-19 remain steady.

The Biden administration rejected Trump's claim of executive privilege in an attempt to block White House visitor logs from being released to the Jan. 6 committee.

Russia is claiming it's removed some of the tens of thousands of troops it had sent to its border with Ukraine after weeks of appearing to prepare for an invasion. However, NATO countries are dubious this is actually the case, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken claiming there's no evidence the pullback is actually happening.

Following days of protests in Canada against the COVID-19 vaccine, the county declared a national emergency to end the demonstrations.

Trucks blocking Ambassador Bridge were removed. However, protests in the city of Ottawa continue.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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When the 1990s began, hardly anyone in America was online. When it ended, nearly everyone was.

In between, a lot happened: Nirvana, "Seinfeld," "Friends," the Clinton presidency, "The Matrix," Tupac, Beanie Babies, "Titanic," The Spice Girls, the Columbine shootings, compact discs, AIM, Anita Hill's testimony... shall we go on?

In his new book, "The Nineties," cultural commentator Chuck Klosterman looks back at the years that he argues may be "the last decade."

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Schools continue to be at the center of today's political conflicts. Lawmakers across the U.S. are introducing bills that would significantly impact LGBTQ students.

We talk about why these bills are cropping up and what they actually mean for schools and students.

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Some political historians believe the roots of our presidential nomination process and much of the polarization in our politics can be traced to a presidential campaign 50 years ago.

In 1972, Democratic Sen. George McGovern made a run for the presidency. Despite having little experience on Capitol Hill, McGovern secured the Democratic nomination.

The podcast "Of the People" takes a deeper look inside the 1972 Presidential campaign. It examines how party realignment and the changes to our primary system continue to impact our politics today.

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In honor of Valentine's Day, we're taking on two love-centered topics.

First we'll explore how a 'broken heart' is more than just a figure of speech and the science behind heartache.

And later on, for this month's installment of the Writers' Room—our series where we talk to writers about their craft—we get romantic and talk about what it takes to write a great love story.

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After 25 years on the air, PBS Kids' "Arthur" is ending.

But don't worry. We'll find out what the characters are like all grown up in the show's finale, which airs at the end of the month.

We talk with the creators and voices of "Arthur" — and hear your stories about connecting to the show.

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Despite state after state easing masking restrictions in both indoor and outdoor spaces, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to recommend using masks in indoor settings.

The Republican National Committee censured two of its Congresspeople this week for participating in the inquiry into the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol. Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois were accused of participating in the persecution of Americans participating in "legitimate political discourse."

Meanwhile, as estimates of the number of Russian troops stationed at the country's border with Ukraine grow, the Russian military is undertaking training exercises in the Black Sea and Belarus, stoking fears that an attack may be imminent.

Protests against the COVID-19 vaccine in Canada have reached a fever pitch, causing Ford, Honda, and Toyota to halt production of their cars in some of their Canadian plants. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the demonstrations have to stop.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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For-profit faith apps are rising in popularity and the tech industry is on board.

The popularity of the apps was buoyed by the pandemic. Religious services moved online and people sought out new ways to engage with their faith from home. But that shift has also raised questions about user privacy.

Members of religious minorities have particular reason to be wary of surveillance and breaches of privacy online.

What privacy expectation should there be for faith-based apps? And how does the movement of religious experiences into the virtual world align with spirituality?

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Rental rates across the country are increasing, and when it comes to whose rent is rising fastest Austin, Texas, is on top. According to Redfin's rental market tracker, Austin's rental rates for new leases rose 40 percent over the last year.

According to online apartment rental site Zumper, average rent increased 12 percent in 2021 and is now at an all-time high. Why are they rising now? And what can tenants, landlords, and policymakers do about it?

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Joe Rogan and Spotify came under fire again last week.

In response to the aftermath of an interview Rogan did with a doctor that spread falsehoods and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine, Spotify's CEO Daniel Ek wrote that he doesn't want to "take on the position of being content censor."

However, over the weekend, the company removed some 70 episodes where Rogan used racist language. Despite this, the company is standing its ground to keep its $100 million dollar contract with the comedian in tact.

Where does Spotify draw the line on content moderation? And how much longer can it claim to remain neutral?

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For parents with young children, the anxiety induced by the pandemic has been compounded by the stress that accompanies school closures and childcare shortages.

Additionally, children under 5 are the last demographic in the U.S. unable to get vaccinated against COVID-19. However, that might change soon as Pfizer and its partners at BioNTech are filing a submission for emergency use of its vaccine to the Food and Drug Administration for a regimen for children under 5.

We talk about the challenges that come with vaccinating children. And we examine the psychological toll the pandemic has taken on parents with young kids.

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Now entering its 20th year, ABC's popular franchise, "The Bachelor", is one of the longest running and most popular programs on the air.

But, despite the show's long history on the air, its track record in terms of representation and diversity is less than stellar. In 2012, the show even faced a class action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination.

It wasn't until 2017 that the show finally cast its first Black lead. Rachel Lindsay became not only the show's first Black bachelorette, but one of its biggest critics as the show continued to be plagued by missteps concerning race.

We talk to Rachel about her experience in reality television and her new book of essays, "Miss Me With That: Hot Takes, Helpful Tidbits, And A Few Hard Truths."

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The situation at the border between Ukraine and Russia continues to develop. U.S. troops were sent to Poland and Romania as peace talks between Russia, the U.S., and other NATO member nations stalled.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is submitting a request to the FDA asking for emergency authorization for use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children under the age of 5.

Meanwhile, Russia and the U.S. continue to send supplies to forces positioned around the Russian border with Ukraine.

The U.S. has sent 500 tons of defensive equipment to the region so far. Russia has sent stores of blood to the border.

The diplomacy surrounding the potential Russia/Ukraine conflict has been fraught. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the U.S. of trying to goad his country into conflict.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Moscow this week. He returned from his trip calling Russian demands of NATO reasonable and sanctions pointless.

We get into all this and more during the News Roundup.

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The world's eyes will once again fall on China at the end of the week when the country hosts the 2022 Winter Olympics.

But China itself will be keeping at least some of its attention a continent away – in Africa.

In 2020 alone, China invested $4.2 billion into the continent – that's double what the United States spent.

Some say it's providing much-needed infrastructure help. Others think it's just colonialism by another name.

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More than one million people have died of overdoses in the U.S. since 1999. That rate has increased in the age of COVID-19.

Two months ago, New York City opened the United States' first overdose prevention centers. They're sites where people can safely use drugs under the supervision of people trained to spot and reverse overdoses.

These centers are part of a broader strategy of harm reduction, a set of strategies designed to minimize the negative effects of drug use.

What is the philosophy of harm reduction? And what does it mean to create a safe drug consumption site?

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A new report from the nonprofit Zinn Education Project found that 45 states have insufficient or non-existent lesson coverage of Reconstruction in schools.

Historians warn that eclipsing the aftermath of the Civil War will lead students to be uninformed about the seeds of racial inequity today.

We hear from experts about the legacy of Reconstruction. Plus, we share highlights from our tour of a special exhibit on Reconstruction at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

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Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement last week. The departure of the oldest justice on the bench allows President Joe Biden to make good on his promise to nominate a Black woman to the court. It's a promise he has since reiterated.

The Breyer's replacement will not change the ideological makeup of the court, which leans conservative. But it will mean a younger justice on the court and would give President Biden a much-needed win.

We talk about what to expect for the road ahead with a confirmation battle and midterms on the horizon.

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For this episode of 1A's Sunday Podcast, we bring you two conversations with two authors.

First, we speak with Hanya Yanagihara about her new novel, "To Paradise." It's topped almost every list of the most anticipated books of 2022.

We talk to Hanya about her new novel and her work as a magazine editor.

Later, we speak with British author Bernardine Evaristo. In 2019, she won the Booker Prize for her novel "Girl, Woman, Other."She's the first Black woman to do so in the award's 53-year history.

But before that, she had a long career writing plays, poetry, and short stories centered around the African diaspora.Her new memoir, "Manifesto,"is a story of perseverance.

We talk with Evaristo about finding her voice and never letting it go.

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Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced plans to retire. Now, President Joe Biden has the chance to make his first SCOTUS nomination, indicating he will select a Black woman as his pick to send to the Senate for confirmation.

The trial of the three officers involved in the murder of George Floyd begins this week. Prosecutors must prove that Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng had a responsibility to intervene as Derek Chauvin killed Floyd.

Meanwhile, the world continues to watch the border between Russia and Ukraine. Countries in Western Europe are sending military aid and repositioning their defenses. President Joe Biden warned Russia that an invasion would change the nature of world diplomacy.

The military has assumed control in Burkina Faso in the latest coup in the country's history. Now, 20 million people on the edge of the Sahara are waiting to see if the military will keep its promise to return the country to constitutional order within a "reasonable time."

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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This year, scientists at the University of Alabama performed the transplant of genetically-modified pig kidneys into a brain-dead human being. And this month, surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Center transplanted a heart from a genetically-modified pig into a living human patient.

The need for organs in the U.S. is dire – more than 100,000 patients are on the national transplant list, and 17 of them die each day waiting for organs.

How can the use of xenotransplantation address this need?

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Most of us also know how good we are at navigating. If you rate yourself on a scale of one to ten, a scientific test will likely give you about the same score.

Scientist and science writer Christopher Kemp rates himself a one out of ten. He sometimes gets lost in his own neighborhood. His lack of navigation skills align with a condition known as developmental topographical disorientation, or DTD, which is passed down genetically. His wife, in comparison, is excellent at finding her way, and can easily orient herself in new places. That stark contrast inspired an investigation into the neuroscience of navigation.

Why do some humans navigate better than others? What happens when we rely on GPS devices instead of our internal sense of direction? What's going on inside our brains when we try to find our way?

Kemp helps us navigate these questions and more.

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With vaccines in play and a better understanding of air ventilation, theaters were supposed to open their doors again. And they did... sort of.

Ticket sales in 2021 outpaced 2020. But were still nearly 70 percent behind the haul from 2019.

A lot of that is the pandemic, but moviegoers have been gravitating away from theaters for years now.

In a world where reboots and franchises dominate the box office (and even they aren't doing pre-pandemic numbers), how can other films compete? And what does that mean for the future of American cinema?

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The potential for a Russian invasion in Ukraine continues to grow. According to the U.K.'s Foreign Office, Russian officials are already discussing potential pro-Russian leadership to replace Ukrainian leaders.

How close is Russian military action against Ukraine? And how will the U.S. and the rest of Europe respond?

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The post-holiday omicron wave seems to have crested as case totals in states across the nation are beginning to fall. COVID-related deaths, however, are still high, totaling approximately 2,000 a day.

The Democrats failed in the Senate to pass voting rights reforms and end the filibuster. Now there are questions of what's next for President Joe Biden's agenda.

Reports indicate that in 2021 Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko alerted the Department of Defense before the U.S.'s withdrawal from Afghanistan that the Afghan air force would not survive once the military had left.

And the western world is watching the border of Ukraine and Russia as Valdimir Putin continues to threaten invasion. In a press conference this week, President Joe Biden warned Russia against moving against Ukraine, but said the U.S. would not send troops in the event of invasion.

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Nestled near the small town of Institute in West Virginia is the Union Carbide chemical manufacturing plant. And while it's been a source for jobs in the area for decades, many residents of Institute associate the plant with chemical leaks and fires.

Last year, a West Virginia state health department report found that Institute is seeing a spike in cancer related to ethylene oxide, a chemical produced at the plant.

We talk to the reporter behind an investigation into the toxic air pollution in the town and explore how Institute compares to other Black communities in the country that face disproportionate health risks from air pollution.

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Omicron is surging. That means hospitals are filling up again.

That also means it's a pretty bad time to need an ICU bed if you don't have COVID-19. Dozens of hospitals across the country started the year by delaying routine surgeries. Millions of people worldwide have had surgeries delayed or canceled since the pandemic started.

How can hospitals bounce back from omicron? And what do all these delays mean for hospitals and patients?

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According to a recent survey from the Center for Democracy and Technology, around 80 percent of K-12 schools are now using software that tracks students' computer activity.

Companies can monitor students' online activity while on school accounts or devices and will flag warning signs for suicide or violence.

Even so, some privacy advocates are concerned about the growing surveillance and how the data is stored and used.

Colleges also expanded their monitoring capabilities. Proctoring programs meant to prevent cheating use artificial intelligence to try to identify when a student's eyes move away from the screen. They have provoked privacy concerns and proven unreliable.

How should schools monitor students online? How do we keep kids safe while also protecting their privacy?

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Building wealth has never been easy, and the racial wealth gap makes that obvious. As recently as 2016, the median wealth of a white household was $171,000 dollars. That's eight times the median $20,600 of Hispanic households. For Black households? Just $17,000, according to Pew Research Center.

So what needs to change? And what should people keep in mind as they try to build wealth for future generations?

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Omicron continues to spread through the U.S. this winter. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have doubled in more than a dozen states.

The President Joe Biden announced a plan to require health care insurers to reimburse Americans for at-home COVID-19 tests.

Inflation is rising (7 percent over the last year, the highest since 1982), but so are wages. The public's focus on the former rather than the latter has Democrats worried about election season.

Meanwhile, the developing situation at the border between Ukraine and Russia wasn't deescalated following NATO talks with Russian officials. U.S. diplomats are growing frustrated, telling their Russian counterparts to choose diplomacy over conflict.

We cover the most important headlines of the week on the news roundup.

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The advanced child tax credit has ended. Families will have to pay for rent, food, and child care without that help from the federal government.

The credit, however, wasn't meant to be temporary. But since Congress chose not to save it after failing to pass President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act, December was the last month families received that monthly few hundred dollars.

We talk about how the child tax credit could have been the key to ending childhood poverty for millions of Americans.

This show is a part of our listener-suggested series. At the beginning of the year, we ask our listeners what topics they want to learn more about.

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In 2020, the Department of Defense awarded more money in federal contracts than all other government agencies combined. And one study found that nearly half of defense spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan went to private contractors.

Even after America's complicated withdrawal from Afghanistan, Congress approved the biggest defense spending bill in history.

We focus in on why we rely on for-profit defense businesses and how much money the government continues to throw their way.

This show is a part of our listener-suggested series. At the beginning of the year, we ask our listeners what topics they want to learn more about. This idea came to us from Leo in Tucson, Arizona.

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2021 was a challenging year for the auto industry. A chip shortage and supply chain issues meant that we saw an estimated seven million fewer cars on the market.

And fewer cars means consumers are experiencing a lot of sticker shock. Last year saw record high prices for both new and used cars. In December, used cars cost around 35 percent more than they did at the beginning of 2021.

We take a look at the market today and what it all means for consumers and for the industry in 2022.

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New CDC guidance says people who've tested positive for COVID-19 only need to quarantine for five days as long as they wear a mask in public for five more days and are no longer symptomatic.

Even with these caveats, some members of the medical community don't think that's enough.

They aren't the only ones who are concerned. Essential workers will likely bear the brunt of the CDC's decision to shorten the isolation period.

Staffing shortages are hitting hospitals, airlines, and schools. The nation's economy and critical infrastructure are straining under omicron.

Are we putting the health and safety of frontline workers at risk to keep the country running?

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This week saw the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Thursday, saying, "You can't love your country only when you win."

Approximately 1 million new infections of COVID-19 were reported nationwide in a single day. As cases pile up, the U.S. government announced that it will buy 20 million of Pfizer's COVID antiviral pill, doubling its previously announced order.

Meanwhile, after backlash over his COVID vaccine exemption, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has been denied entry into Australia and faces possible deportation.

The government of Kazakhstan has resigned as protests about rising fuel prices lead to clashes on the streets. Dozens if demonstrators were killed. Now Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has ordered security forces to "kill without warning."

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A new poll from the Harvard Institute of Politics paints a grim picture of the way most young Americans view our democracy: "in trouble" or "failing."

We ask three young voters to reflect on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection and ask how they're feeling about the state of our democracy.

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Nearly 90 percent of those arrested in relation to the Capitol insurrection were not part of far right extremist groups or militias. And though their actions were extreme, their motivations and beliefs are part of a larger movement that University of Chicago political scientist Robert Pape describes as "mainstream."

How have those groups evolved in the year since the Insurrection? And what does it mean for the extremism that fueled the insurrection to become mainstream?

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When Trump supporters stormed the Capitol a year ago, they were motivated in part by what some analysts and authorities call "the big lie."

It's a conspiracy theory embraced by former President Donald Trump that claims the 2020 presidential election was stolen by Democrats.

According to one poll from Monmouth University, nearly three-quarters of Republicans believe Biden's 2020 election win was illegitimate. Republicans' belief in the stolen election has become a litmus test for the party.

As part of our week-long series on Jan. 6, we're diving into how the GOP got here and what this means for the 2022 midterm election.

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Last year on Jan. 3, an internal Capitol Police intelligence report warned that Congress could be targeted by a mob of Trump supporters in the coming days. Later that day, then-U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund began to worry about the growing number of protestors expected to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally.

Most of us know what happened next.

The morning of Jan. 6, Trump supporters migrated towards the White House. Then-President Donald Trump gave a speech in which he repeated false claims about a stolen election and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol where Congress was confirming Joe Biden's victory.

They did. Thousands of them.

A year later, many of us are still trying to understand what went wrong in the immediate response to the Jan. 6 riot — and what's been done to make sure another attack won't happen.

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While the pandemic meant a major touring hiatus for a lot of musical artists, writer, rapper, and singer Dessa kept creating content.

She hosts a new BBC podcast called Deeply Humanand has a radio drama in the works.

In January, she announced a single series called "Ides," where she releases a new song on the 15th of every month. There's even one called "Terry Gross."

We talk with Dessa about keeping busy during the last year.

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Dave Grohl's shadow looms large over the music industry. He's the founder of the Grammy-winning rock group Foo Fighters. And he was the drummer for the groundbreaking grunge band Nirvana.

His musical footprint is matched only by the life he's led. In his new book "The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music," Grohl recounts some of his life-changing musical moments.

We talk to Grohl about his new book and some of his most memorable moments.

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Nashville singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun found wild success this past year despite a deep uncertainty surrounding the music industry.

Her soulful, honest lyrics are finding their way into popular TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and "This Is Us." Her new album, "In Defense Of My Own Happiness," delves into her relationship with the church and what it means to be the American child of immigrant parents.

We talk with her about all of it. Plus we hear her play live music straight from her home studio.

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Carmelo Anthony has spent his adulthood at the top of the NBA. He was drafted in 2003 after leading Syracuse University to an NCAA championship win his freshman year. Since then, the ten-time NBA all-star has worked his way onto the league's list of all-time scorers.

But after nearly two decades in the NBA, Anthony wants to be known as more than a basketball player.

Anthony's latest project is a new memoir, "Where Tomorrows Aren't Promised." It recounts his childhood growing up in the housing projects in Brooklyn and the Murphy Homes in West Baltimore.

We talk to Anthony about his childhood, basketball, his passion for social justice and philanthropy, and his legacy.

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If you were asked to describe all the different emotions you've felt in the last year, what would you say?

You might say you've felt fear or worry. Maybe you'd recall moments of joy and wonder or disappointment and frustration. But even if you said all of these, you'd still probably be overlooking more than a few others.

How we feel shapes our lives, but most of us have limited language to describe what we're feeling. This limitation is the focus of Brené Brown's new book, "Atlas of The Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and The Language of Human Experience."

We talk to her about her new book.

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Trejo has become one of Hollywood's go-to badasses and bad guys. He's got over 380 acting credits to his name. Growing up, he was in and out of the most notorious prisons in California, enmeshed in crime and struggling with substance use.

Now he's written about those life experiences in his new memoir, Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood.

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Omicron is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the U.S., accounting for 73 percent of new cases. Health authorities say this strain is likely to result in more infections but fewer hospitalizations.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin continues to be at odds with many of his Democratic colleagues on the Build Back Better plan. He is in contact with President Joe Biden.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is blaming the West for heightened tension between Russia and NATO member nations after Russian troops began amassing on the country's border with neighboring Ukraine. State Secretary Anthony Blinken said Putin would face massive consequences if he moved to invade.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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The holiday season is underway, just as the nation grapples with an alarming surge of COVID-19 cases.

In New York state, reports of new cases shot up 80 percent in two weeks. Washington, D.C. is in the same boat. More than three times as many infections have been reported each day since the start of December.

Federal officials say these new cases are being driven by the omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say accounted for 73 percent of new infections last week. Omicron was first reported in South Africa less than a month ago.

How are Americans planning holiday gatherings at this point in the pandemic? And what is the outlook for the new year?

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Last week, the Pentagon announced that no one would be disciplined for the U.S. drone airstrike that killed ten Afghan civilians in August.

New reporting suggests that decision follows a pattern. Locals in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria are killed by U.S. drones and there's little accountability after. But for many higher ups in the military, the civilian death toll is simply a cost of war. The benefits outweigh the collateral damage.

We discuss how drones are transforming modern warfare, and what accountability should be in place.

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It's been more than 20 years since scientists set their sights on creating a successor for the Hubble telescope.

Now, the James Webb Space Telescope — a $10 billion infrared instrument — is set to launch and begin its million-mile journey away from Earth on Dec. 24.

What will it help us discover? And what's at stake?We meet one of the head scientists behind the telescope — plus, three astronomers whose future work hinges on the discoveries of the mission.

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Jane Goodall is best known for her groundbreaking work studying chimpanzees in the wild. She's dedicated nearly 60 years to environmental activism, and says she's remains hopeful.

We talk to her about her new book, "The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide For Trying Times," what fuels her optimism and how the next generation can follow in her footsteps.

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The COVID death total in the United States has now passed 800,000. Measures to fight this pandemic are developing. Dr. Anthony Fauci announced that the current COVID booster shots are strong enough to address the threat of the Omicron variant.

Top Democrats are at odds with Sen. Joe Manchin over the child tax credit included in the $2 trillion Build Back Better plan. Manchin would like the tax credit to be removed completely.

Despite early reports that the omicron variant of COVID-19 was less severe than its previous iterations, the United Kingdom's health authority is warning that this variant is the "most significant threat" since the pandemic began.

World health authorities are scrambling to contain outbreaks of COVID-19. South Korea has moved to restrict gatherings in the country amid crowding at hospitals. The WHO estimates that Africa, at its current vaccination rate, won't be 70 percent vaccinated until 2024.

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The prosecution rested its case last week in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the New York socialite and alleged accomplice of billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Advocates for survivors of child sex trafficking say the Maxwell case is unique. They argue it's more common for law enforcement to target trafficking survivors than their abusers.

Who are the children being sex trafficked in the U.S? What's being done to support survivors and hold traffickers accountable?

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On Friday, deadly tornadoes tore through parts of the Midwest and the South. They touched down in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri, with western Kentucky the hardest hit. More than 100 are feared dead because of the storm.

While FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell called the event "unprecedented," she also described it as "our new normal."

Vulnerable populations like people living below the poverty line, the disabled, and the elderly are likely to feel the brunt of such extreme weather events.

What's the link between climate change and the weekend's tornadoes? And what can we do to be as prepared as possible for the future?

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It's estimated that over half of the 270 million people diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide since December 2019 will experience post-COVID symptoms.

These symptoms can be wide-ranging and debilitating — from fatigue to joint pain, to depression, to brain fog, to a rapid heartbeat.

We convene a panel of scientists — one who's currently battling long COVID — to talk about the latest research and treatment.

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A $768 billion defense bill passed the House last week. This was over $20 billion bigger than what President Joe Biden had asked for. Now, it's going to the Senate.

The United States already spends more on national defense than China, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia combined.

Where is all this money going? And how could shifting national security concerns impact the future of military spending?

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Some 60 percent of Americans are now fully vaccinated. Pfizer says tests show that its booster shot is promising in protecting against omicron.

Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump's former chief of staff, had agreed to cooperate with the House committee investigating the events preceding the Jan. 6 insurrection. Now, Meadows has reversed course, saying he won't help.

Meanwhile, following the amassment of Russian troops on the country's border with Ukraine, President Joe Biden spent three hours on a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin is concerned about NATO expanding its sphere of influence. Biden wants troops away from the border.

The World Health Organization reported COVID-19 cases in South Africa more than doubled last week as Omicron spreads.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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It's extremely rare for gun owners to be held responsible when a child gets a hold of their weapon.

A Washington Post investigation found that there were 84 school shootings from 1999 to 2018 where a minor took the gun from parents or relatives. The gun owners faced punishment in only four of those cases.

And that's just school shootings. So far in 2021, there have been at least 322 unintentional shootings by children resulting in 132 deaths. That's according to data compiled from media reports by advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.

But more states – including Michigan – are considering passing laws to hold gun owners responsible.

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In September, Albuquerque became the latest city to establish a new category of first responder: social worker.

It's part of a growing movement to shift 911 calls for mental health, substance abuse, or homelessness away from armed officers.

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It's been thirty years since Anita Hill testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee over allegations of sexual harassment against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas.

Since then, Hill has continued to fight against gender violence and sexual harassment. And in her new book, "Believing: Our Thirty-Year Journey to End Gender Violence," she explores the systems that perpetuate that violence and the lessons that our country has yet to learn.

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Countries worldwide are scrambling to address the spread of the omicron variant. Part of that response has included travel restrictions.

The U.S. has restricted travel from a number of countries in Southern Africa. Similar restrictions have been made by countries in Europe and Asia despite, the fact that the variant was in the Netherlands a week before it hit South Africa. The World Health Organization is also urging those age 60 or over and other vulnerable people to avoid air travel.

What do these new rules mean? And how effective are these travel advisories?

Nick Offerman is an actor, a woodworker, and he's also written a few books. But you may know him best as the super libertarian Ron Swanson from NBC's hit comedy, Parks and Recreation.

We talk to him about his new book called Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside.

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Following South Africa's initial reports, the omicron variant was detected in the United States. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control are working to impose strict testing requirements for international travelers. But questions have been raise over such measures' efficacy when Americans traveling abroad are allowed into the country without hesitation.

Despite earlier refusals to cooperate with the House committee investigating the insurrection on Jan. 6, President Donald Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, agreed to cooperate. Meadows has revealed that Trump tested positive for COVID-19 days earlier than previously thought.

The Women's Tennis Association has suspended all tennis tournaments in China following the disappearance (and videotaped reappearance) of star player Peng Shuai, who accused a Chinese official of sexual assault. The International Olympic Committee announced it held a video call with the tennis player.

Following the mustering of forces by Russia on its border with Ukraine, President Joe Biden said the U.S. will harshly sanction Russia should it decide to invade.

We cover the most important stories on the News Roundup.

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The future of Roe v. Wade is uncertain.

The case legalized a woman's right to an abortion in 1973, and this week the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that considers the legality of a Mississippi state law banning abortion 15 weeks after conception.

How likely is an overruling of Roe v. Wade?And what did this week's hearings tell us about the Justices' stances on abortion?

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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital fundraises on the promise that "families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live."

But a new investigation from ProPublica investigates that claim, a statement which helps the charity out-raise any other hospital of its type.

We dive deep into the investigation and that statement.

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An estimated 53 million Americans returned from their holiday travel this weekend to news of a new variant of COVID-19.

The Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa and cases have since been reported in a growing number of countries including Germany, Canada, Australia, and the U.K.

Experts say it's only a matter of time before cases are reported in the U.S. President Joe Biden spoke yesterday about the new variant, telling Americans not to panic.

But even as we consider the immediate concerns over Omicron, scientists are pointing to a longer-term issue: a growing number of animals becoming infected with COVID-19. These spillover events where germs jump from humans to animals and back again can create new viral strains.

We discuss what this means for the state of the pandemic.

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On January 25, President Biden reversed the Trump administration's ban on transgender people serving in the military.But the door remains open for future administrations to reinstate it.

So what would it take to protect the ability for trans troops to serve openly?

We talk with active duty trans service members about life in the military — and what it would take to protect their right to serve.

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Last year, many families across the U.S. chose to stay home and go without their Thanksgiving and other holiday traditions to limit the spread of coronavirus. But for some, a minimal holiday season brought new traditions and menus, such as hosting a 'Friendsgiving' or celebrating solo.

What can you do to make the holiday season extra special this year – both on and off the table? And what are some easy, but delicious recipes for those who may be hosting for the first time?

Our panel of cooking and hosting experts answer those questions and more.

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When cities shut down at the start of the pandemic, streets were emptier. There was more speeding, more drinking and driving, and less seatbelt-wearing. Deaths and serious injuries spiked for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.

And it didn't stop once cities reopened. The first half of 2021 had the largest six-month jump in traffic fatalities on record. City leaders and advocates hope the infrastructure bill will help strengthen safety policies.

What's causing this spike in traffic deaths and what's being done to stop it?

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In July 2019, Rax King published an essay about Food Network Star Guy Fieri. The so-called mayor of Flavortown is known for his bleached hair, bowling shirts, and rhyming exclamations ("so much salami, call my mommy").

King wrote about how Fieri's unadulterated tackiness was the perfect balm to help her move on from her ex-husband — a preppy, uptight, anti-Guy kind of guy.

That essay went viral. King's followed it with her new book, a collection of essays that extol the benefits of what the subtitle calls "the worst culture we have to offer." These supposedly include things like "The Jersey Shore," The Cheesecake Factory, and the band Creed. King argues that guilty pleasures shouldn't make us feel guilty at all, but are where we find the most joy. They help us connect with each other, without surroundings that demand we play it cool.

We talk about King's book and what guilty pleasures are all about.

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Kyle Rittenhouse has been acquitted of all charges in a criminal trial that's underscored deep divides over gun rights, vigilantism, and racial justice protests.

And throughout the trial, Judge Bruce Schroeder has garnered a lot of attention.

The trial has raised tough questions about judges — who gets to be one, how they're assigned cases, how they're appointed, and how they're removed.

A former judge and a legal expert answer your questions.

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The 12 jurors charged with deciding the verdict in the case of Kyle Rittenhouse began deliberations Tuesday morning.

Eighty percent of Americans 12 and over have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. However, some 62 million Americans remain completely unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka have added their voices to a chorus of concern over the fate of fellow player Peng Shuai, who's now missing after accusing China's former vice-premier of sexual assault.

A missile test conducted by Russia destroyed a satellite and created a cloud of space debris, forcing astronauts in the International Space Station to take shelter.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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Between Adele's new album"30," Taylor Swift's re-release of "Red," and a new song from Mitski, it's been quite a month for so-called "sad girl" music – a category of female artists whose searing, poetic lyrics about breakups and heartache accompany us through our days.

Even before November, this year has been dominated by a bevy of sad girls – from Olivia Rodrigo to Julien Baker, and from Phoebe Bridgers to Billie Eilish.

But what really is sad girl music? Is it anything new? And what makes it so resonant right now?

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Jury deliberations are underway in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. The 17-year-old is charged with homicide following the shooting deaths of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum. The shooting occurred during the Black Lives Matter protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last summer.

Meanwhile, in Brunswick, Georgia, the trial of Greg and Travis McMichael for the shooting death of Ahmad Arbery is now going ongoing. The men are charged with homicide after shooting Arbery while he was on a run last February. The defense claimed Arbery was a burglar and they were defending property.

Both cases are predicated on the argument of self-defense. Will the jurors find that the McMichaels and Rittenhouse were justified in their actions?

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The pandemic exposed many gaps in modern society, but few people are more familiar with those gaps than those experiencing homelessness. That's especially true in Washington D.C., where the number of chronically unhoused people increased by more than 20 percent last year. That's also meant an increase in encampments across the city.

This year, the district launched a pilot program to clear encampments and put people into housing.

We also look at what's happening in Los Angeles, where homelessness is a top concern. The city passed a ban on camping and is set to clear at least 70 spots with hundreds more possibly on the horizon.

From D.C. to L.A., how are cities responding to encampments and what are the best solutions?

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It's that time of the year: states are releasing their new congressional maps.

The maps drawn during the redistricting process are significant because of what they could reveal about the 2022 midterm elections. Roughly half the country has proposed or finalized new maps, but some think Democrats have already missed their shot.

We unpack what these maps mean and where they might lead us in 2022.

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If you follow Keke Palmer on social media, you're probably familiar with her alter ego, Lady Miss Jacqueline, and her southern belle insults.

Now, the character is being brought to life as a part of a short story collection by Palmer and writer Jasmine Guillory, author of the best-selling romance novels "The Wedding Date" and "The Proposal."

The collection is aptly titled "Southern Belle Insults." The stories are full of fun, shade, and wit, but also cover deeper themes like confidence and self-love.

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Republican Rep. Paul Gosar came under for this week for tweeting an animated video of him killing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Joe Biden. Gosar's face is superimposed over a character from the popular anime series "Attack on Titan" as they kill other characters sporting the faces of his Democratic colleagues.

President Biden is continuing to advance his agenda. His administration is touting the infrastructure bill as a win for the former senator. But now the White House must shift its focus to addressing rising consumer prices and funding the government through Dec. 3.

Meanwhile, thousands of migrants are stranded at the border of the European Union in Poland, stuck in camps in freezing weather.

The government of Ethiopia has detained at least 16 U.N. staff members working in the capital city of Addis Ababa, accusing them of "wrongdoing and participation in terror."

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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In late October, Republican Texas state legislator Matt Krause wrote a letter to the Texas Education Agency asking it to look into how 850 books are being used in state schools. According to a breakdown of Krause's list from Book Riot,about two-thirds of the books explore LGBT storylines or feature LGBT characters. Another 15 percent or so could be categorized as sexual education. About 8 percent discuss race and racism.

While the censorship of some books in schools is nothing new, a growing number of challenges are against books about identity.

And pushback on certain books isn't limited to Texas.

We look into which books are being challenged and why. Then we sit down with the authors of three of those books for their perspectives.

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At least eight people have died and 300 hundred were injured due to crowd surges this weekend at a Houston-based music festival called Astroworld. It's estimated that 50,000 people attended. It was the third annual festival run and headlined by rapper Travis Scott.

Scott released a video in response to the tragedy saying he plans to cover the funeral costs of those who died. But lawsuits are still piling up against the artist for "negligence and encouragement of violence."

And it's not the first time the artist, sometimes called hip hop's "King of Rage," has come under fire for fan casualties at his concerts. In 2017, a man named Kyle Green was paralyzed after he jumped off a balcony at a Travis Scott show.

So how will this tragedy affect Scott's image now? And what responsibility does an artist have in crowd control?

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Climate change is a global problem. That's why most of the world's leaders have been meeting in Scotland for the last week at a United Nations Climate Conference known as COP26.

It's the conference where many of those same countries committed to the lofty emissions goals in the Paris Climate Agreement. To date, progress toward that goal has been less than stellar.

Should we expect anything major to come from COP26? What promises are being made this time around?

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Last month, California became the first state to outlaw "stealthing" — the slang term for removing a condom during sex without consent.

Advocates say the ban could catalyze a legislative sea change and help people understand that stealthing is a form of sexual violence.

We talk with the assembly member behind the bill and a survivor about the road ahead.

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From Hillary Clinton's time in the White House as the first lady to her most recent presidential run, Huma Abedin has walked briskly behind.

She's been called Hillary's shadow and right-hand woman. She quickly became a trusted aide – although firmly in the background.

But Abedin's life came crashing into the spotlight during her now estranged husband's sexting scandal. Her marriage to former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner was marked by public scrutiny and betrayal. All the while, she was trying to work behind the scenes to elect the first woman president.

Now, she steps out from behind the scenes, this time on her own terms in her new memoir, Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds.

We talk to Abedin about her new memoir.

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It was a big week for elections around the nation. Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the Virginia gubernatorial election. Michelle Wu became the first-ever person of color to be elected mayor of Boston.

The Centers for Disease Control approved the COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11.

The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse began this week. Rittenhouse is accused of murdering two protesters in Wisconsin during protests over racial justice.

The government of Ethiopia declared a state of emergency this week as rebels from the Tigray region near the capital of Addis Ababa. Authorities have called on citizens to "arm themselves."

At the COP26 summit, India pledged to work to be carbon-neutral by 2070.

And as Afghanistan's economy continues its freefall, the Taliban have made the decision to ban the use of foreign currency.

We discuss all this and more during the News Roundup.

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President Joe Biden campaigned on the promise to build a fair and humane immigration system. Now, immigration advocates are pressuring him to end two policies from the Trump Administration, including the Migrant Protection Plan (MPP), better known as Remain in Mexico.

MPP was announced in 2018 and requires asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while they wait for a court decision on their case, which can often take months. Immigration advocates called it illegal and inhumane.

Biden announced he would end the controversial policy earlier this year. But in August, the Supreme Court ordered MPP to be reinstated. Now his administration is fighting to terminate the policy in court.

Meanwhile another Trump-era immigration policy is in effect. Title 42 has been enforced since March of last year, making it even harder for migrants to seek asylum. Trump authorized Title 42 due to fears of spreading COVID-19. The policy expels migrants back to Mexico or their home country if they cross the border illegally. Biden has not said anything about when he might end that policy despite criticism from lawmakers, and immigration lawyers.

We discuss the Biden administration's stance on immigration and how these policies affected asylum seekers.

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The National Rifle Association is in trouble. The organization filed for bankruptcy in January 2021 in an attempt to head off ongoing litigation threatening the group. The most serious is a case brought in August 2020 by the attorney general of New York, Letitia James, which is "seeking to dissolve the organization entirely." The lawsuit accuses NRA leaders of corruption and diverting millions of dollars for their own pleasure.

NPR correspondent Tim Mak has been tracking the NRA in his reporting for years. In his new book, Misfire: Inside The Downfall of the NRA, Mak investigates the group and its longtime CEO, Wayne LaPierre.

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This weekend marks the end of Daylight Saving Time... for this year anyway.

But there's a bill in Congress to make it permanent, which would mean never changing our clocks again.

Nineteen states have already made it clear that they'd make the switch if Congress says okay.

How did this biannual ritual come about anyway? And what are our other options?

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Prices are going up, and according to economists, there's a good chance they're not coming back down for a while.

A breakdown in the global supply chain and a shortage of workers are driving the cost of many goods up.

Periods of inflation always have ripple effects on the economy and this time is no different.

We find out what's up with inflation, and how long the consequences could last.

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Phantoms. Spirits. Apparitions. The other side.Nearly half of Americans believe in ghosts. The concept of spirits is present in cultures around the world. Their existence permeates books, movies, and folklore.

What would you do if you were faced with the existence of something you couldn't explain?

Glynn Washington, the host of the podcast Spooked, presented by Snap Judgment, joins us to share some of his favorite ghost stories. And we hear from professor Chris French about a scientific explanation for the paranormal.

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Reports indicate that the Biden administration privately told interested lawmakers that the portion of the social spending bill devoted to climate will amount to $500 billion. If true, the climate portion of the bill will be its biggest slice.

The Virginia gubernatorial election, touted as one of the year's most important, is heating up as it reaches its final stretch.

And state and local authorities continue to resist federal vaccine mandates.

Meanwhile, it's been a big week for the Vatican. President Joe Biden is meeting with Pope Francis. And the pope has also agreed to visit Canada following revelations concerning the Church's role in the deaths of thousands of native children.

Following rising tensions with China, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen confirms U.S. troops have been training the Taiwanese military.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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WhatsApp has over 2 billion users worldwide, but some Americans were unaware of just how popular it is until the Facebook outage earlier this month.

WhatsApp has also fallen victim to privacy and misinformation scandals in recent months, but that's gotten less buzz.

What are the implications of millions of people relying on one app for communication, news, and business?

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The last year and a half has certainly been rough on teens across the country.

But what else has it meant? Introspection? Growth? Connection? Action? For three high school students, all of the above.

We hear from them about what it's really like to be a young person during the pandemic. Plus, how they're connecting with their community — and with themselves — through student activism and documenting teen life.

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Since 2017, the podcast Ear Hustle has showcased the daily realities of life inside San Quentin State Prison in California. Eight seasons later, it's still going strong.

Earlonne Woods is the show's co-host and co-producer. In 1999, he was sentenced to 31 years to life in prison. In November 2018, his sentence was commuted after 21 years served.

Nigel Poor is also a co-host and co-producer. She's a visual artist and photography professor at California State University in Sacramento.

They are co-authors of the new book "This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life."

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Last week, actor and producer Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his new film "Rust." The film's director, Joel Souza, was also hit and injured by a bullet and was hospitalized before being released.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees sent an email to its members alleging that the gun used in the scene contained a live round.

IATSE has been arguing that America's film sets are unsafe since before the shooting, even threatening to go on strike over the issue. A strike is off the table for now, but many members still feel unsatisfied.

What's the state of America's film sets?

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If you've ever burnt your hand on a stove and someone told you it's "all in your head," they're technically not wrong. Our sensory receptors communicate with the brain to create the sensation of pain.

But if pain is... painful, why do some of us seek it out?To find out, journalist Leigh Cowart interviewed ultramarathoners, spice aficionados, lovers (practitioners) of BDSM, and other pain-seekers about why they do what they do.

We talk about the link between pain and pleasure — and hear your stories and questions about pain on purpose.

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The Freedom to Vote Act failed in the Senate this week. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the bill was an overreach by Democrats in an attempt to federalize elections.

Members of the Trump administration clashed with the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. The committee recommended that former White House advisor Steve Bannon be held in contempt after he ignored their requests for cooperation.

Vaccine mandates are being extended. New York City will now require all city employees to be vaccinated. General Electric will also soon require all its U.S. workers to be vaccinated.

Meanwhile, a gang that kidnapped a group of American and Canadian missionaries has asked for a ransom of $17 million for their safe return. The White House said that the FBI is working on a solution.

The international community is struggling to address climate change. A U.N. report found that governments are on track to produce twice as much fossil fuel pollution as is necessary to keep global temperatures down by 2030.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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As the power of Silicon Valley's tech companies has grown, so too has the number of people willing to air their dirty laundry.

Facebook is the latest in the line of fire after whistleblower Francis Haugen's congressional testimony in early October.

Apple is also reeling from an internal crisis. One of the organizers of the #AppleToo movement was fired last week. But even though these organizations seem to be on the back foot, blowing the whistle is complicated and risky.

What does it take to be a whistleblower? And is it enough to actually implement change in Silicon Valley?

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Since the the Child Tax Credit went into effect in July, millions of children have been lifted out of poverty according to one study done by Columbia University. The program is set to end in a few weeks if Congress doesn't vote to make it permanent.

But there's a fight unfolding around what a permanent Child Tax Credit should look like—and who should get it.

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Non-unanimous jury convictions are no longer constitutional according to a 2020 Supreme Court ruling. But earlier this year, the court decided the decision does not automatically apply retroactively to old cases.

That's why more than 1,500 people in Louisiana are still imprisoned on non-unanimous verdicts — a law that originated in the Jim Crow era to "reestablish the supremacy of the white race." This includes the case of Brandon Jackson.

We talk about Jackson's case and the lasting impact of Jim Crow laws in Louisiana.

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A new investigation by The Atlantic looks into Alden Global Capital, the secretive hedge fund that's gutted newsroom staff and owns more than 200 papers across the country including The Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, and the New York Daily News.

We speak to the reporter behind that investigation about what is lost when local newspapers are shut down.

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Dave Grohl's shadow looms large over the music industry. He's the founder of the Grammy-winning rock group Foo Fighters. And he was the drummer for the groundbreaking grunge band Nirvana.

His musical footprint is matched only by the life he's led. In his new book "The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music," Grohl recounts some of his life-changing musical moments.

We talk to Grohl about his new book and some of his most memorable moments.

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The Biden Administration's investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection is heating up. Former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen appeared before the committee to give testimony. Four other persons of interest have been subpoenaed this week and all have yet to appear.

Approximately 78 percent of the country is now some degree of vaccinated. Reporting indicates the racial disparities in whose received the jab has narrowed significantly. But, 1,900 people are dying per day due to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, China announced it had imported 20 percent more coal in September than it did the prior month, that's despite claims that it would cease funding coal mining operations abroad.

The European Union announces it would finance a $1 billion aid package for Afghanistan, raising questions over who exactly will be in control of the aid money.

Polish authorities are concerned with an uptick in human trafficking in Belarus, citing an increase in flights to Minsk from Iraq.

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A major investigation by The Athletic has brought accusations of sexual and verbal harassment by coaches in the National Women's Soccer League to light.

It prompted a weekend of game cancellations and calls for change. And when players returned to the field again last week, it was not to play as usual.

How was this allowed to happen? And where does the league go from here?

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The CDC is amping up its plea for pregnant people to get vaccinated.

Vaccination rates for pregnant people are far lower than those of the general public – fewer than one-third were vaccinated before or during their pregnancy despite pregnancy being on the CDC's list of conditions that increase the risk of contracting a severe case of COVID-19.

Clinical vaccine trials have historically excluded pregnant people and COVID-19 vaccines were no different. But studies conducted after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were authorized showed that they have no adverse effects on those who were pregnant.

We'll talk about the factors contributing to those low vaccination rates among pregnant and breastfeeding people, including vaccine fertility misinformation.

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In the newest James Bond movie, "No Time to Die", the main villain in the film, Safin, has scars covering his face. This has been the case for many past Bond villains.

But the trope isn't just limited to the Bond films. In Disney's "Black Widow," the main villain is revealed to have facial scarring covering her face. The same is true of the villain in "Wonder Woman,"and even "The Lion King".

People with facial differences are speaking up about the harmful impact of being vilified on screen.

Changing Faces is an organization in the U.K. pushing the film industry to change the way it represents facial differences on-screen through the campaign "I Am Not Your Villain."

Why does the trope persist? And what does it mean for people with facial differences?

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Last week, whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before Congress about Facebook's problems.

A leaked trove of documents revealed that the company purposely hid research about its platform's negative effects on mental health in teenagers. Haugen also claimed that the company stoked division by allowing disinformation on the platform to go unchecked.

All of this and a worldwide outage that made Facebook and its family of apps inaccessible for hours.

But the platform's reputation has been crumbling for years and calls for internet regulations have been renewed.

Is this the final straw? Or just the latest installment in the Facebook saga?

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A whistleblower has come forward to detail how Facebook's products "harm children, stoke division, and weaken democracy." Then, a worldwide outage of Facebook's products, including Instagram and WhatsApp, disrupted communication and business in multiple countries.

A federal judge has placed a pause on Texas' draconian abortion restrictions. However, the Texas attorney general has filed an appeal.

Meanwhile, an investigation of more than 12 million documents, dubbed the "Pandora Papers," have revealed how the rich and powerful worldwide hide their wealth while dodging regulation and taxes.

France's first major study of sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church revealed a shockingly large estimate of the number of victims of sexual assault at the hands of the clergy.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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The Indian Child Welfare Act was signed into law following decades of U.S. policies aimed at forcibly assimilating Native children — including sending them to boarding schools.

Now, it's facing its most significant challenge yet: Brackeen v. Haaland. The case could be taken up by the Supreme Court this term.

The second season of the podcast "This Land" follows Brackeen v. Haaland — and the impact of ICWA — as it moves through the courts.

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The four-month-long stalemate over the fate of two big bills in Congress continues. Progressives refuse to budge on infrastructure until there's movement on a social policy package. Party leaders say Oct. 31 is the new deadline to act on these bills.

But another huge deadline is on the horizon.The debt limit looms over both bills. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says we'll face an "economic catastrophe" if we don't raise it within the next two weeks.

With the party's agenda on the line, can Democrats get it all done?

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The "Pandora Papers" investigation involves a massive leak of 12 million documents obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and examined by news organizations worldwide. These documents include private emails, spreadsheets, and other financial records.

An analysis of the papers shows evidence of tax evasion and money laundering — as well as proof that millions of dollars from outside of the U.S. are being sheltered in South Dakota.

So how do the world's rich get away with it? And what implications could the Pandora Papers have for the U.S. tax code?

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More than 20 animals and one plant were declared extinct by the Fish and Wildlife Service last week — one of the longer extinction announcements in the history of the agency.

Declaring extinction is not as straightforward as you might think. Many of the species on this list likely disappeared decades ago but knowing for certain can be difficult.

And climate change is only exacerbating the problem. A report released by the United Nations last year estimates that one million plant and animal species are at risk of being gone for good.

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When you think of Mt. Everest, you might picture towering, snow-covered peaks. But what do you hear? What does a snowstorm atop the world's highest peak actually sound like?

Photographer and filmmaker Pete McBride has been photographing these wild places for years. But for his new book, he wants you to hear them, too.

We ask him about the places he's documented in his book "Seeing Silence: The Beauty of the World's Most Quiet Places."

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The Senate is expected to vote on a revamped spending bill that would forestall a government shutdown at the end of the week. In the face of Republican resistance, Democrats have left action on the debt limit out of the bill.

Vaccine production and use continue to develop. The first booster shots for the elderly and high-risk individuals were administered this week. Pfizer and BioNTech released data backing their vaccines for children under the age of 11.

Meanwhile, top U.S. defense officials testified on the subject of Afghanistan before both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. Gen. Mark Milley told lawmakers that the war was a "strategic failure."

The Taliban is continuing to implement its ideology after taking over Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal of troops.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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On Monday, Facebook announced it was pausing the development of Instagram Kids — a service designed for children 13 and under.

The move comes after a Wall Street Journalinvestigationrevealed Facebook's own internal research about how its platforms are negatively impacting the mental health of young users.

On Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing about the toxic effects of social media on young people.

So who's responsible for ensuring their wellbeing? We put that question to a panel of experts.

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Everyone is talking about the Great Resignation—employees leaving their jobs en masse due to burnout amplified by the pandemic. When it comes to childcare, those employee exits are causing a domino effect for all American workers.

According to the Department of Labor, daycare and other childcare jobs are down 10 percent – that's a decline of nearly 127,000 since the pandemic started. And in a nation where childcare and paid family leave aren't guaranteed, it's having devastating effects.

How do we fix the childcare shortage?

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It's been nearly 20 years since the Patriot Act was passed. How has surveillance changed over the years?

And why, exactly, are we so watched now?

We discuss changes in privacy, surveillance and so much more.

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The Biden Administration is attempting to curtail an uptick in ransomware attacks on American businesses.

In June, the world's largest meat processing company was hit by a ransomware group and paid $11 million dollars to resume its operations. And in May, the Colonial Pipeline Company was attacked, disrupting gas supplies to the east coast for a week.

And the attacks are becoming more frequent.

So, what can government and business leaders do to combat these attacks? And who's responsible for improving our cybersecurity?

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The FDA authorized a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine for people aged 65 and older. The company is also claiming that its vaccine is safe for children. Dr. Anthony Fauci says it could be available in "weeks," in time for Halloween.

Haitian migrants are crammed into a tent city at the Texas border. Some have taken refuge under a bridge for more than a week, while some are being flown back to Haiti by the Biden administration.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden visited the U.N. this week and promised attendees a decade of "relentless diplomacy." In his speech to the assembly, the president promised to double the U.S.'s donation of COVID-19 vaccine doses.

We cover all these stories and more during the News Roundup.

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A now-infamous tweet by rapper Nicki Minaj is the latest example of false messaging about the COVID-19 vaccines.

It's reignited a conversation about how to fight vaccine misinformation online — and whether calling it out actually works.

And it's not just those outside the medical establishment who are hesitant or actively spreading false information. A small percentage of doctors are, too.

We talk with experts about the tangled web of vaccine misinformation online — and how to fight it.

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You may have been one of the many people recently glued to their screen watching Amazon's "LuLaRich" documentary. The series uncovers the rise and fall of the multi-level marketing clothing business LuLaRoe.

The documentary exposed the inner workings of the MLM business model. These companies recruit contractors to sell their products and recruit more independent contractors.

Many of these businesses recruit their contractors through flattery and promises of wild riches. However, according to one estimate, only 25 percent of those in an MLM turn a profit. And the Federal Trade Commission has even designated some MLMs as pyramid schemes.

We talk about the business of MLMs, how to spot a scam, and the experiences of those who were involved in that world.

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What role can schools play in making the country greener and cleaner?

Public schools serve nearly one in six Americans, and a new commission concludes the role of schools in the U.S. has yet to be clearly defined. The K12 Climate Commission from the Aspen Institute seeks to make amends.

Its report lays out a path that would see schools successfully transition into using clean energy, rethinking food use, and embracing non-fossil fuel transportation over the next decade.

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According to AARP, at least 186,000 nursing home residents and staff have died from COVID-19.

For many, the pandemic has exposed cracks in our long-term care system — such as staffing shortages and unenforced rules. Some have seen those cracks for much longer.

Most Americans prefer to age at home, according to a 2018 AARP survey. But the need for facility-based care is not going away, especially for those who can't afford another option.We talk with experts about the future of nursing homes and long-term care.

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Carmelo Anthony has spent his adulthood at the top of the NBA. He was drafted in 2003 after leading Syracuse University to an NCAA championship win his freshman year. Since then, the ten-time NBA all-star has worked his way onto the league's list of all-time scorers.

But after nearly two decades in the NBA, Anthony wants to be known as more than a basketball player.

Anthony's latest project is a new memoir, "Where Tomorrows Aren't Promised." It recounts his childhood growing up in the housing projects in Brooklyn and the Murphy Homes in West Baltimore.

We talk to Anthony about his childhood, basketball, his passion for social justice and philanthropy, and his legacy.

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One in 500 Americans has died of COVID-19. Intensive Care Units in many states, especially in the South, are critically full, causing those without the disease to wait to see a physician or receive treatment.

House Democrats prepped a plan to bump the corporate tax rate to pay for President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion infrastructure package.

Despite political analysts predicting a tighter race, California Gov. Gavin Newsom convincingly defeated a recall election.

Meanwhile, following the U.S. troop withdrawal in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover of the country, millions of Afghans now face starvation per a United Nations report. Overseas, thousands of Afghans are stuck on military bases in the U.S. waiting for resettlement.

The European Union announced a new biomedical authority to fight future pandemics.

We cover all these stories and more during the News Roundup.

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School boards are used to dealing with local grievances. But these days, their meetings are becoming venues for national issues. These often mundane gatherings have become ground zero for heated debates over mask mandates, critical race theory, and gender pronouns.

But school boards have long been local flashpoints for national issues. Are the current disputes much different from those in the past over sex education, textbooks, or the fight to keep evolution out of the classroom?

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Congress is back in session and one of its most important tasks now is to figure out how to pay for President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion dollar plan to expand the social safety net.

Democrats hope to fund it by raising taxes for wealthy corporations and individuals, which Republicans are pushing back on.

So how does Congress move forward?

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A week after the Supreme Court declined to block Texas' new abortion restrictions, the Justice Department sued the state of Texas.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, who announced the lawsuit, says the statute is unconstitutional.

We talk about the new lawsuit — and answer your questions about the most restrictive abortion law in the country.

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As the delta variant rages on, President Joe Biden says he will issue an executive order that would require certain businesses to mandate the Covid-19 vaccine for their employees.

There's a high likelihood this move will spur legal challenges, and it also raises the question of what the federal government can and can't mandate.

Biden's executive order could be a unifying force when it comes to the vaccine. It could also deepen the power struggle between federal and state authorities.

So, who should have that power? And how does polarization complicate things?

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It's wedding season... during a pandemic.

Many couples set their eyes on 2021 to host their big day with hopes of a semi-normal summer after a year of uncertainty. That normal summer didn't come, but still, nearly half of couples with wedding dates in 2020 postponed their receptions until 2021 according to a study by The Knot. That means we're seeing a lot more weddings than normal this year.

And the wedding boom is likely here to stay for at least another year.

How should couples hoping to tie the knot be thinking about their big day when Covid isn't going anywhere anytime soon?

We talk about how to stay safe during these celebrations of love, and what happens when your dream wedding has to stay just that... a dream.

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As the new school year starts, current cases of Covid-19 have now topped 40 million. A fourth of these cases are children.

President Joe Biden warned the nation of a "code red" climate emergency. His administration is laying out a solar plan to provide half of the nation's electricity by 2050.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has named its interim cabinet as it works to establish its government in Afghanistan. Women have taken to the streets in protest of the group's gender policies which include a ban on women playing sports.

Local officials in Ethiopia are claiming that Tigray forces have killed more than 120 people in recent days following battlefield losses. If true, it would be one of the deadliest massacres of the 10-month war. Tigray forces have denied these reports.

We discuss all these headlines and more during the News Roundup.

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As we near the 20-year anniversary of the September 11th attacks, many Americans are reflecting on that moment and its fallout.

For Muslim Americans, that fallout included a rise in Islamophobia. Hate crimes against Muslims spiked 500 percent from 2000-2009, according to data from Brown University.

Our panel of experts reflects on the anti-Muslim discrimination following 9/11 and what change still needs to happen.

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In less than a week, Californians will head to the polls in a recall election to decide the fate of their governor, Gavin Newsom.

It's the second recall of a California governor in the state's history and 46 candidates are hoping to take his job — including conservative talk show host Larry Elder, reality television star Caitlyn Jenner, and financial YouTuber Kevin Paffrath.

But do any of them have a chance of replacing Newsom in one of the bluest states in the U.S.? And what's with California's recall elections anyway?

We talk about the Golden State's unique practice of direct democracy.

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At the age of 18, a Yemeni man named Mansoor Adayfi says he was traveling in Afghanistan when he was kidnapped and sold to the CIA by Afghan warlords. The U.S. government had distributed flyers across the region offering bounties in exchange for "suspicious people."

He became "Detainee 441" and was held without charge at Guantánamo Bay Detention Center for 14 years until his release in 2016. Adayfi tells his story in his new memoir, "Don't Forget Us Here."

President Barack Obama signed an executive order to close Guantánamo Bay in 2009. Twelve years later, it remains open, with 39 detainees. A tribunal will begin hearing the case soon of five of those men who are accused of being involved in the 9/11 attacks. Much of the evidence is tainted by torture.

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The world of work has inspired some of our best-known classical music. From Schumann to Shostakovich, to one of the most respected American classical composers of the twentieth century: Aaron Copland. For Labor Day, Copland is our focus.

Leonard Bernstein called him "the best we've got." Works like "Appalachian Spring," "Rodeo," "A Lincoln Portrait," and "Fanfare for the Common Man" have been described as embodying the classic American virtues of simplicity, goodness, and love of wide-open spaces.No wonder he is often called the "dean of American composers."

Politics and public affairs were at the center of Copland's life. He was attacked by Sen. Joe McCarthy in the 1950s. As a liberal, at one time he supported a Communist candidate for governor of Minnesota and a Communist candidate for president.

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A million Americans are still without power after Hurricane Ida made landfall in the South. Rescue efforts are underway as the storm makes its way north, flooding the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast.

A Wall Street Journal report suggests that the majority of Special Immigration Visa applicants —including interpreters for the U.S. military — were left behind when U.S. forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan. Now, Republican senators are pressing President Joe Biden to find out how many Americans, green card holders, and SIV applicants remain.

The Supreme Court chose to uphold Texas' new abortion restrictions which analysts say are the most intense in the country and effectively end Roe v. Wade protections in the state.

Meanwhile, America's international allies are dealing with a shared sense of unease following the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. NATO allies were given little choice in supporting the hasty exit.

And state regulators in China are now enforcing new rules that drastically limit the amount of time minors can online game on Fridays and weekends.

We cover the most important stories during the News Roundup.

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In his latest film, Mogul Mowgli, actor and rapper Riz Ahmed stars as Zed, a rapper diagnosed with an autoimmune disease right before he's set to go on a major tour.

The film's subject reflects a bit of a trend. Earlier this year, Ahmed was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in The Sound of Metal, another film about a musician dealing with a life-altering medical condition.

But Mogul Mowgli is arguably darker – and weirder. The film uses rap, lyricism, and magical realism to tell the story of a man navigating identity, family, and illness. Ahmed co-wrote the film and drew on elements from his own life – including his music career, as rapper Riz MC and one half of the hip hop duo Swet Shop Boys.

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Legislation that bans abortions after about six weeks is now the law of the land in Texas. It effectively ends Roe v. Wade protections in the state. The law, passed in May, bans all abortions in the state after about six weeks of pregnancy — that's well before many women even know they are pregnant.

The U.S. Supreme Court chose not to act on an emergency request to stop the law from taking effect at midnight.

Meanwhile, the death toll continues to rise in the southeast as officials assess the damage from Hurricane Ida.

Nearly a million people are still without power two days after the storm slammed into Louisiana's coastline. Some had evacuated and some were forced to remain.

Hurricanes have always been an issue. But if they're heating up – and speeding up – how can we be prepared?

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The deadline for the U.S. to withdraw from Afghanistan has arrived. Since the Taliban seized Kabul on Aug. 15, the U.S. has helped evacuate around 116,000 people.

Thousands of Afghan refugees have already arrived at military bases in Virginia, Texas, and New Jersey. Tens of thousands are expected to follow in the weeks to come.

The evacuation from Afghanistan has been anything but smooth. U.S. officials estimate thousands are still stuck in the country and trying to get out.

What happens next for the hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees seeking safety?

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Nearly one in seven people who give birth experience postpartum depression.

Right now, there's only one PPD medication, called brexanolone, currently approved by the FDA.

While it's known to be extremely effective, access is very limited.

But a revolution in treating perinatal and postpartum depression may be underway.

We talk with experts about the current landscape of treatment for perinatal and postpartum depression and what FDA approval of a new medication, zuranolone could mean.

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Love is in the air. And unfortunately, so is the Delta variant.

Even before the pandemic, getting (and staying) in a relationship had its challenges. Now there's the added task of navigating things like vaccination status, mask mandates, and the social anxiety that comes after a long lockdown.

We talk with experts and take a second look at how to navigate love in the time of coronavirus.

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The Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer Covid vaccine. The endorsement has caused a wave of vaccine mandates from offices, universities, and even the Pentagon.

Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths hit pandemic highs in Florida as the Delta variant continues to ravage the state. Many Florida residents are still unvaccinated and Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to make it difficult for institutions to protect their communities.

Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan continues to evolve. The Taliban is now in control in Kabul and has rejected an extension to the Aug. 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden for the withdrawal of some 1,500 Americans still in the country. In addition, explosions rocked areas around the airport in Kabul Thursday, killing dozens. Officials have warned of a possible terrorist threat. Injuries to civilians and Americans are expected.

Despite high rates of vaccinations among its many populations, Israel is seeing a surge in Covid-19 case numbers experts have attributed to the abandonment of all other safety measures meant to guard against the spread of infection.

We talk about the most important stories during the News Roundup.

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It was news that broke the internet.

OnlyFans, a website synonymous with porn, would ban.... well, porn. Site officials say the over 2 million creators on OnlyFans have earned over $5 billion dollars on its platform.

But even in the successful business of selling sex, the site's CEO says its run into an issue with payment providers who are cracking down on sexual content.

Now, after blowback from their creators and many others, OnlyFans has made a surprise U-turn, saying it won't change its policies on explicit content. Still, many questions remain for creators on the site and for the future of sex work online.

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The Pfizer Covid vaccine has received full approval from the FDA. This could pave the way for more vaccine mandates as well as reassure some Americans who are vaccine-hesitant.

But we're still learning about the Delta variant—including that fully vaccinated people can still contract and spread the virus. That's part of why the CDC is recommending booster shots for certain groups—and will likely recommend it for everyone later this fall.

We unpack boosters, breakthroughs, and Pfizer's FDA approval. And we answer your questions.

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The Taliban, now in control of the country of Afghanistan, has promised that women will be treated well under its new government.

Advocates working on the ground say those promises are nothing more than a publicity stunt. They point to the women's rights violations under the Taliban, not just when the group was last in power, but also in the past year.

Women living in the Afghan provinces where the Taliban had already taken control have been the victims of targeted beatings and killings.

Though women are largely off the streets, they've been leading protests against the new government, unwilling to sacrifice the massive gains in rights they've earned themselves in the past two decades.

What's at stake for the girls and women of Afghanistan? And what can be done to protect women's rights moving forward?

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This week marks the start of the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where over 4,000 athletes will compete during the ongoing pandemic. And while the audience for the games is large, equal treatment for the athletes has taken time. It took until this year for the Paralympics to be covered on prime-time television and for Paralympians to be paid comparably to their Olympic counterparts.

Japan's Covid-19 cases hit a record high just days before the opening ceremony.

We talk through what to expect this year and why it's taken so long for the Paralympics to make it to prime time.

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The withdrawal from Afghanistan has left analysts, government officials, and the American public wondering what two decades of the "forever war" really accomplished as Taliban fighters made their way into Kabul.President Joe Biden has claimed the U.S. will accept some refugees from the region.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, the Taliban is in the early stages of forming its government and has begun to impose its ideology on the country's population.

On the COVID-19 front, medical authorities are now advising those Americans who have received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that they will need a booster shot in the near future for protection from the Delta variant.

Haiti is in the news again after a massive 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the island, killing at least 1,900 people. The disaster struck as the island was trying to find its political future following the assassination of its president earlier this summer.

We discuss all this and more during the News Roundup.

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In June, President Joe Biden said those who helped the U.S. military would not be "left behind."

He vowed his administration would step up plans to evacuate thousands of Afghan interpreters.

Now that the Taliban is back in control of the country, thousands remained trapped. Can the president deliver on his promise? What happens to those who get left behind?

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Remote learning has meant unexpected challenges for schools around the country. For students who receive special education, those challenges have been especially acute.

For starters, students' access to paraprofessionals, such as occupational therapists or speech therapists, has been pared down in the transition away from in-person learning.

We reflect on the past year and a half of special education during the pandemic.

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Between virtual classes, a little bit of in-person learning, and a whole lot of anxiety, kids did not exactly get a full school year in 2020.

This means some students fell behind, especially in reading and math.

For this installment of our Back to School series, we're focusing on elementary through high school.

How should we be thinking about where our students are? How do we know where they should be anyway?

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For a lot of students, school is back in session. But for those in early childhood education, the path isn't very clear.

Last year, America's public schools lost more than one million students who had been expected to enroll but didn't show up. Most of them were younger and living in low-income neighborhoods. The biggest loss was seen in the country's kindergarten classes.

We talk about the little ones who got left behind and how to get them back on track in the first installment of our Back to School series.

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Amanda Knox was incarcerated in Italy for four years after being wrongfully convicted of the 2007 murder of her roommate, Mereditch Kercher.

Now, the new film "Stillwater," directed by Tom McCarthy and starring Matt Damon, tells her story.

Amanda says she was powerless to keep control of her own narrative during her trial. Today, she wants to fight to reclaim her story.

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Students are heading back to class as the Delta variant breathes new life into the coronavirus pandemic. Pediatric hospitalizations are on the rise.

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a booster shot for some immunocompromised people who received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

The Senate reached a $1 trillion bipartisan deal on infrastructure. But it still has to get it through the House.

And New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced his resignation, leading to a woman taking the state's top spot for the first time.

A new report from the United Nations says climate change puts us at "code red."

The Taliban continues to make headway in Afghanistan, as the White House continues to withdraw American troops. U.S. officials say Kabul could be captured in the next 30 days.

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Millions of Americans are suddenly wondering whether it's safe to pack up and get out of the house with the delta variant on the rise.

And for those with kids or unvaccinated relatives, the calculus on whether or not to travel is even more complicated.

How safe is it to travel right now? And just how much are Americans traveling at the moment?

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People are tired. They're frustrated. They're angry. And they've had enough. The country is averaging about the same number of Covid-19 as it did in February.

The surge we're seeing now can't be divorced from the fact that nearly one-third of eligible Americans are unvaccinated.

The question now isn't whether the anger some of us are feeling is valid, but what do we do with it? And how do we find a way forward when a difference in opinion costs lives?

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The delta variant of COVID-19 is having a major impact on kids.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of kids filling up emergency rooms has risen since early July. Last week saw an average of 203 children hospitalized with Covid-19 each day.

Are children and teens worried about the upcoming school year? In this episode, we chat with kids of all ages about COVID-19 and answer their questions.

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As the debate over the bipartisan infrastructure package continues, some Democrats have turned their attention to the climate actions the deal left behind.

Including a clean electricity standard.

What will it take to clean up our electric grid? And how long will it take?

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All 50 states have reported an increase in Covid-19 vaccination rates. That means, at least 70 percent of American adults have now received at least the first shot of the vaccine.

New York Attorney General Letitia James released a report this week that found that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed and assaulted women during his time in office. Democrats have pressured Cuomo to resign, but so far he's stayed put.

The World Health Organization called for a moratorium on vaccine booster shots in developed nations through September to allow for poorer countries to have access to doses. The White House says there's enough supply for boosters and to increase access for poorer countries.

Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya refused orders to fly home early from the Olympics after criticizing her coaches on social media. She's now in Poland where she has been given a humanitarian visa.

Protesters in Lebanon have taken to the streets to mark the one-year anniversary of the Beirut port explosion.

We cover all these headlines and more during the News Roundup.

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By 2025 over 1.1 billion people will be postmenopausal, but if you ask the average person on the street, they'll likely say no one talks about it.

We get into the nitty-gritty of what happens during menopause, why, how to deal with the symptoms with our panel of experts, and why don't we talk more about The Change.

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President Joe Biden announced last week that the U.S. combat mission in Iraq will end this year. The news follows a similar notice earlier this year that U.S. troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by Aug. 31. Together, they mark the looming conclusion of what Biden has called "the forever wars."

However, many question whether the end of the Iraq mission is just rebranding rather than an actual change. The 2,500 troops currently in Iraq will stay in place.

We discuss why the U.S. combat mission in Iraq is ending, what was accomplished, and what its conclusion really means for the future of Iraq and the region.

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Pandemic lockdowns didn't change our shopping habits. But it did change where many consumers wanted to buy clothes.

Instead of spending time and money at the mall, many turned to online retailers for their fashion fix.

Chinese clothing giant Shein had its biggest year of sales during the pandemic. The company is following in the cheaply made, quickly produced footsteps of competitors H&M, Zara, and Forever 21.

And just like traditional fast fashion, the ethical implications and low costs are hard for consumers to reconcile. What defines ultra-fast fashion? And how will it redefine how we think about buying our clothes?

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Covid-19 is surging in largely unvaccinated parts of the country. Parts of the South are being hit especially hard by the Delta variant.

But the danger has been slow to translate into policy or action.

What will it take to get the unvaccinated vaccinated? We speak to two doctors living and working in places with some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

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As the Delta variant continues its rapid spread in the U.S., the CDC released updated guidelines recommending that vaccinated citizens wear masks indoors in areas where Covid-19 transmission is high. Currently, about two-thirds of all U.S. counties qualify.

The House committee on the Jan. 6 insurrection met for the first time this week. It heard testimony from four Capitol police officers present the day of the attack. Committee members have signaled they are ready to begin issuing subpoenas for further witnesses and may meet again in August.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has pledged to remove its forces from Iraq by the end of the year — a goal that presents some huge challenges, logistical and otherwise.

The U.S. is also facilitating the return of some 17,000 Iraqi archaeological treasures, the oldest of which dates back 4,000 years.

The first person to be tried under Hong Kong's new, restrictive security law has been found guilty of secessionism and terrorism. Tong Ying-kit's conviction is being condemned by human rights groups.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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It wasn't without controversy, but the House managed to put together a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

And this week, Capitol police officers who were present for the insurrection testified before the committee, detailing their experiences on the day.

Aside from the committee's investigation, the criminal investigations into finding those who broke into the Capitol are still underway.

Where do these hearings and these investigations go from here? We discuss all that and more.

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More than 30,000 people have been shot in Chicago over the past decade. Of them, five out of six survived.

A new series from The Traceinvestigates the impact of gun violence on survivors and communities, specifically in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago.

We talk about the toll of gun violence in the neighborhood.

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As the pandemic rages worldwide, opioid overdose deaths in the US rose, with deaths up 29 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. The 93,000 deaths are attributed to isolation, disruption of addiction services, and other consequences of the pandemic.

At the same time, a $26 billion settlement between states and some of the biggest manufacturers in the opioid industry is being finalized, but not everyone is on board.

We talk about how we got to where we are and the details of the biggest settlement since the tobacco agreement in 1998.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. birthrate fell by 4 percent in 2020 — hitting a record low. People are having fewer children than the 2.1 needed to maintain a steady population. That's been true for years across all domestic communities.

Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly why people want fewer children. Others are finding that even if they wanted more children, a rise in infertility that a lot harder.

Why is the birth rate in the U.S. right now so low? And if we can find ways to encourage people to have more children, should we?

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The Delta variant is ripping its way through the United States, where it now accounts for 83 percent of new U.S. Covid-19 cases.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected two Republican selections for the bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection. And a federal judge in Texas ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is unlawful and suspended new applicants to the program.

Meanwhile, as disasters strike around the world, calls for action on climate change intensify. Record-breaking floods have left dozens dead in China, at least 197 dead in Germany and Belgium, and roughly 4,000 displaced in Nigeria.

We cover all this and more during this week's News Roundup.

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Extreme weather has dominated headlines for most of 2021. Fires, floods, droughts, and record-shattering heatwaves have swept over the U.S. and the world.

The United States has already spent $29 billion fighting extreme weather events in the first six months of the year. That number is expected to only go up.

Both climate scientists and disaster researchers say the growing frequency of climate-related disasters shouldn't shock anybody. And there's still a lot we can do to prepare and adapt... if we're willing to actually do any of it.

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In early 2021, the CEO of the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, Aziz Hasan, announced that the company will be piloting a four-day work week in 2022. The schedule consists of 32 working hours per week rather than 40.

But a growing number of companies have already successfully moved to a four-day week and the pandemic has accelerated the movement.

But is a four-day work week possible for every type of workplace? What would it take for the idea to really catch on? We discuss all that and more.

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Jeff Bezos successfully completed Blue Origins' first ride to the edge of space. It's a clear milestone in the Amazon founder's long-held desire to reach the final frontier. It's just about a week after British billionaire Richard Branson did the same.

But for those without billions, a trip aboard these kinds of flights could break the bank. Regardless, these companies are hoping these flights might kickstart interest in the space tourism industry for the future.

Is space tourism something we terrestrials are interested in? And even if we are, should we be? We get to all that and more.

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In early 2021, Congress voted to temporarily expand the child tax credit, opting to send monthly payments to more families. The first payments rolled out last week.

Families received between $250 to $300 per child, depending on that child's age. Some estimates say that money could cut child poverty in half if they can reach every family eligible.

How does that tax credit change raising a family in America? And what does the future of the program look like? We discuss all this and more.

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Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, and Ron Wyden drafted legislation this week to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. Laws permitting either medical or recreational marijuana use have become increasingly common at the state level in recent years.

In COVID-19 news; Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, and Louisiana are the U.S. states to see the greatest increase in new cases of COVID in the last 14 days. The delta variant of the virus continues its spread through the country, especially in communities where vaccination rates are low.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, at least 212 people were killed this week as the country grapples with the worst political violence since the era of apartheid. Protesters began to mobilize following the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma. Now, the government has deployed some 25,000 troops to quell riots and looting.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed the United States for encouraging the country's protests this week. He's also admitted his government mishandled the distribution of food, power, and medicine.

We cover all these stories and more during this week's News Roundup.

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It's been 60 years since the birth control pill hit the market in the U.S.

The pill transformed lives, but when it comes to contraceptive options, it's no longer the end-all, be-all. Scientists continue to have breakthroughs, including in the development of male birth control options.

What contraceptive options will the next 60 years bring us?

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It's been 60 years since the birth control pill became available on the market. Since then, the array of contraceptive options available to the public has grown substantially (the shot, the patch, and IUDs).

But with more options come more questions about what's right for you.

And even with all the options available today, access is still an issue for many. Efforts to maintain access in some states are ongoing across the country.

We answer your questions about birth control and talk about the barriers to access today.

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It's been over 60 years since the Food and Drug Administration first approved the birth control pill.

The pill provided more control over fertility and reproductive health for generations of people.

But its history is troubled.

The pill was first tested on low-income women in Puerto Rico, and today, the burden of responsibility when it comes to reproductive health is still placed mostly on women.

For our first installment in our series on birth control, we'll be looking back at the history of this form of contraception.

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A record 4 million people quit their jobs in April alone, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

It's all part of a larger uptick that economists are calling "The Great Resignation." And the reasons why workers are leaving will likely shape our economy for years to come.

What's behind The Great Resignation? And how will it shape a workforce that's already in flux?

We answer those questions and more.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control, The Delta variant of COVID-19 is now the dominant strain in the U.S. Studies suggest the approved vaccines protect against it. However, the Biden administration is working to find new strategies to reach the vaccine-hesitant, as America appears to be reaching its vaccine ceiling among adults.

After testing positive for marijuana during the U.S. trials, Sha'Carri Richardson's name has been left off the U.S. track and field team roster, ending any chance she had at going to the Olympics in Tokyo this summer.

Meanwhile, the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated in his home this week. The nation's first lady was also wounded during the attack.

President Biden announced that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan is complete 'for all intents and purposes" and that the country's "mission" in Afghanistan would be concluded by Aug. 31.

And Japan has declared a state of emergency due to rising COVID-19 case numbers ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

We cover all these headlines and more during the News Roundup.

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Michael Pollan's latest work looks at your mind on plants — specifically, three psychoactive plants.

In the follow-up to his 2018 bestseller, How to Change Your Mind — What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, he says it wasn't just coal that fueled the Industrial Revolution, but caffeine.

Alongside opium and mescaline, caffeine features prominently in his new book, "This Is Your Mind on Plants."

He talks to us about a new wave of interest in the psychedelic drug revolution; its complexities, cultural significance, and how these mind-bending substances change how we see ourselves and each other.

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Trejo has become one of Hollywood's go-to badasses and bad guys. He's got over 380 acting credits to his name.

Growing up, he was in and out of the most notorious prisons in California, enmeshed in crime and struggling with substance use.

Now he's written about those life experiences in his new memoir, Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood.

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Building wealth has never been easy, and the racial wealth gap makes that obvious. As recently as 2016, the median wealth of a white household was $171,000 dollars. That's eight times the median $20,600 of Hispanic households. For Black households? Just $17,000, according to Pew Research Center.

So what needs to change? And what should people keep in mind as they try to build wealth for future generations?

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The blues grew out of the Black experience in the American South. It generated jazz, R&B, rock and roll, rap – virtually every piece of modern music.

We're spotlighting blues recordings selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. These recordings have been chosen for their historic, aesthetic or cultural importance to American society.

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