1A

The Trump administration now says a “softer touch” might be required when it comes to their immigration agenda in Minnesota. Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border head, says that 700 ICE agents will leave the state.

In another warning sign for Republicans in Washington, a Democratic candidate won an upset in a special election for a Texas State Senate seat.

And the Department of Justice released another round of Epstein emails on Friday, revealing communications between the late New York financier and several public figures, from Bill Gates to Elon Musk.

Talks between the U.S. and Iran got off to a stuttering start this week, one moment being tabled, and the next moment being back on. Arab leaders lobbied the White House on Wednesday to not walk away from the table entirely.

The Trump administration revealed a plan to create a critical mineral reserve and a new trade alliance, aimed at taking away China’s ability to use its near monopoly of the rare metals as leverage in trade negotiations.

Spain is set to follow Australia’s lead and implement a ban on social media use for minors.

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Immigration enforcement is arresting a growing number of refugees and detaining them in Texas.


It’s a strategy immigration lawyers call a conveyor belt. The number of children in ICE detention has also grown sixfold under the Trump administration – with most being held in Texas.

The ICE detention budget grew by billions last year. What’s the effect on refugees?

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This week, 330,000 Haitian immigrants who’ve lived and worked in the U.S. legally, sometimes for decades, were set to lose their immigration protections.

That’s after the Trump administration announced it would end Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Haitians on Feb. 3. After a federal court order on Monday, the program remains in place for now, but could still be undone. The administration says it will appeal the ruling, potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court.

What does it mean for Haitians who rely on TPS, who could go from integral parts of their community to undocumented immigrants? Even if they never crossed a border illegally or overstayed a visa?

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Thousands of people have signed up to document and protest the actions of immigration agents in Minnesota.

They say they are legal observers, exercising their constitutional rights. The government claims they’re impeding the lawful work of a federal agency.

Where is the line between observer and disrupter? And what are the limits to how federal agents can respond?

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The biggest news stories, the ones that shape our democracy, don’t just play out in Washington. They unfold in neighborhoods, on street corners, and around the country.

In many cases, the first images and explanations of what’s happening don’t come from national news outlets, but the people who are there with cellphones and cameras in hand. That includes local journalists who are out in their communities. Journalists are trained to confirm and contextualize, but what does that look like in today’s shifting media landscape?

Local reporters on the ground are crucial. But nearly 40 percent of local newspapers in the U.S. have disappeared since the early 2000s.Even the largest newspapers — providing national coverage out of major cities — are on shaky ground. Layoffs are expected at The Washington Post in the coming weeks.

What does it all mean for how news gets made and who gets heard? What’s at stake for our democracy? And who is trying to chart a new path forward?

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A man rushed towards Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar during an event in her home state on Tuesday, spraying the congresswoman with a liquid authorities later identified as vinegar. President Donald Trump told reporters later that evening he thought there was a chance that Omar had staged the attack herself as a stunt.

Another deadline for a government shutdown is fast approaching. And questions are mounting about whether Democrats will continue to dig their heels in over the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.

And more acts are pulling out of scheduled performances at the Kennedy Center. Composer Phillip Glass announced his decision to not debut a symphony he wrote in honor of Abraham Lincoln written for the Center’s 50th anniversary.

And, in global news, President Donald Trump said this week that Iran needed to give into a list of demands related to its nuclear disarmament and that “time was running out.” The military is now moving Navy and Air Force assets to the Middle East.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he couldn’t rule out further military intervention in Venezuela during testimony before the Senate.

And traditional U.S. allies are looking elsewhere for aid and trade deals, as the president continues to demolish the old world order in favor of one that centers himself.

We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.

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On Saturday, Border Patrol and ICE agents deployed to Minneapolis wrestled a member of the public to the ground and then shot him multiple times. Alex Pretti, 37, died as a result.

Pretti was a Minneapolis resident and an ICU nurse at a local VA hospital. It’s the second killing by federal agents in the state this month, and the third shooting.

The message from elected officials in Minneapolis and in Minnesota was simple: enough.

We look at how this operation, one the Trump administration says is about immigration enforcement, transformed into something else. Then, we turn to Congress and its lack of oversight of the Trump’s agenda. And we hear from a Democratic member of Congress about what she wants her colleagues to do in this moment.

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ICE is continuing its Minnesota crackdown. This week, agents were reportedly targeting members of the public based on race. Now, state officials are asking federal judges to end the agency’s campaign in their communities, despite the administration asking those same judges to let them keep going.

The Department of Justice said in a recent court filing that Elon Musk’s DOGE team may have accessed private and off-limits social security data.

And the House Oversight Committee voted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress after the pair ignored a summons to appear before a panel, saying it was politically-motivated.

And, in global news, President Donald Trump claims he has the framework of a deal in place with NATO for control of Greenland.

Despite that possibility, the president heavily criticized European leaders in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week. Now, America’s traditional allies are reportedly grappling with what the future might hold for the West.

President Trump also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, touted the progress his team has made with Russian leaders in finding a solution to the war in Ukraine.

We cover the most important stories from around the globe on the News Roundup.

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What's your most vivid school memory? Do you remember it as a time of exploration? Was it a place where you could figure out who you were and what you wanted to become?

Or did it feel like it wasn't made for you? Did it feel constricting, or like a place with lots of rules about how you had to act and what you couldn't do?

Your experience of schools likely depended on the administrators, who your teachers were, how your city or state set up the curriculum, and the resources your school received. Writer Eve L. Ewing argues that experience could also be shaped by who you are.

We sit down with Ewing to talk about her new book, "Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism."

What has school meant for students, and who influenced how schools function the way they do? And what are alternatives for how school could work for students?

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Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, affects tens of millions of people in the U.S.

About one in nine children and one in 16 adults have ADHD. That’s according to an analysis from the nonprofit Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or CHADD.

As researchers learn more about the brain and its complexities, they’re also gaining new insights into what the condition looks like across different ages, genders, and races.
In recent years, more adults — especially women — are being diagnosed than ever before.

In this installment of our series “In Good Health,” we focus on ADHD – from symptoms, to diagnoses, to treatments.

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On Dec. 22, 1984, Bernard Goetz, a white man, shot and seriously wounded four Black teenagers in a New York City subway car.

Their names were were Barry Allen, Darrell Cabey, Troy Canty, and James Ramseur. Goetz fled the scene resulting in a manhunt. In the meantime, New Yorkers dubbed him the “subway vigilante.”

The city was experiencing a crime wave and some residents championed the man who took matters into his own hands. The case sparked a conversation about race, vigilantism, and public safety that still has reverberates through our country today.

It’s also the subject of Elliot Williams' new book, “Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York’s Explosive 80s, and the Subway Vigilante that Divided the Nation.” Williams is a CNN legal analyst and 1A guest host. He joins us to talk discuss the book.

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The Trump administration sent hundreds more ICE agents to Minnesota this week as protests continue. President Donald Trump referred to the demonstrators as “professional agitators” and threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act.

Diplomats from Denmark and Greenland traveled to the White House to meet with Vice President JD Vance after President Trump once again threatened to annex Greenland following major foreign intervention in Venezuela.

Meanwhile, protesters in Iran are attempting to keep up their demonstrations against the country’s theocracy after a week of bloody crackdowns by authorities.

In an interview with Reuters this week, Donald Trump says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the one holding up peace negotiations for the war in Ukraine, not Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Life can bring major, unexpected changes without warning. How can we adapt when our best-laid plans are suddenly upended?

Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist. Her latest book, “The Other Side of Change,” attempts to answer this question by looking at how change affects the brain and our identities.

She joins us to talk about the neuroscience behind how we deal with different circumstances.

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The Trump administration’s recent evisceration of Venezuela’s government has leaders in Washington wondering where else they can meddle. And President Donald Trump’s eyes have wandered back to a familiar target: Greenland.

Trump has said he wants to buy the island or control it. Now, he could look to follow through on that threat.

This renewed focus caused Denmark and Greenland to send their foreign ministers to Washington D.C. on Wednesday for a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

What could a takeover of Greenland mean for its people, NATO, and the U.S.? And what’s in store for the future of the Arctic as it continues to warm faster than anywhere else in the world?

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Minnesota officials sued the Trump administration on Monday in order to end the surge of immigration enforcement officers in the state. A thousand more ICE officers are being deployed to the city in the coming days. That’s on top of 2,000 federal agents reportedly in the area already.

These moves follow days of protests in response to the fatal shooting of Renee Macklin Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last Wednesday. Since then, the agency’s officers have continued to ramp up raids and use increasingly aggressive tactics.

What are people on the ground in Minneapolis seeing in their city? What might the way forward look like?

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In the space of just one week, President Donald Trump ordered the seizure and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, asserted control over the country’s government, and took over its crude oil industry.

According to Venezuela’s interior minister, 100 people died during the U.S. abduction of Maduro. Since September, the administration has killed at least 115 people in 30 boat strikes in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

These military actions in the region are raising questions about the nature of U.S. intervention abroad. Last week, the Senate advanced a measure limiting Trump’s power to take further military action in Venezuela.

Now, the president is threatening intervention in Iran amid crackdowns on protests across the country. And here in the U.S., federal agents shot three civilians last week, injuring a man and woman in Portland and killing a woman in Minneapolis.

What does President Trump’s military intervention abroad mean for issues at home? And for our allies and enemies abroad?

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We start the week in Minneapolis where a 37-year-old woman was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Wednesday. Authorities claim the woman attacked officers while they were digging their car out of the snow, but video from the scene and the municipal officials heavily dispute that claim.

This week GOP lawmakers from Minnesota testified at a hastily-scheduled House Oversight Committee hearing about welfare fraud scandal allegations in their state. And on Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services froze $10 billion in five states including Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois and Colorado. That funding covers childcare subsidies, cash support for low-income families, and other social services.

Meanwhile, its been nearly one week since Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by U.S. forces and brought to face charges of narco-terrorism on American soil.

And the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela are having ripple effects across the globe. Europe is on edge as the U.S president this week suggested the territory could be in his crosshairs next, raising questions about America’s relationship with NATO.

Also this week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending U.S. support for global 66 organizations, agencies, and commissions, following his administration’s review of participation in and funding for all international organizations.

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In the first year of President Donald Trump’s new term, he issued hundreds of executive actions and his administration implemented sweeping changes to the federal government.

Changes to federal grant funding, DEI policies, the federal workforce were all met with fierce resistance and legal challenges, totaling more than 350 lawsuits so far. Judges across the country are also mulling whether Trump’s attempt to change birthright citizenship and his deployment of ICE agents for mass deportations are legal.

The administration has spent a lot of time defending its policy actions in court. We get up to speed on their record over the past year.

How successful has the administration been in the courts? And what cases from 2025 remain up in the air?

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Last night, President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela would start sending the U.S. oil. He’s voiced his desire to exploit the country’s vast reserves since ousting Nicolás Maduro in a midnight raid over the weekend.

The Venezuelan government hasn’t yet confirmed the move. And the country’s leaders continue to condemn U.S. actions in their country as they crack down on anti-Maduro sentiment.

This begs the question – who is in charge of Venezuela? And what does the relationship between the Trump administration and the Delcy Rodriguez, their pick to lead the nation, look like?

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Five years ago today, thousands of rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

A number of them assaulted police officers with weapons and even looted the building. They called for war, revolution, and political executions. That’s according to thousands of videos presented in court reviewed by NPR. One former federal prosecutor who led the Justice Department’s investigation into Jan. 6 called it the “most televised crime in American history, if not world history.”

But the narrative around what happened that day continues to shift. President Donald Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly every Jan. 6 defendant, ending the largest criminal prosecution in American history.

What are we still learning about Jan. 6 five years later? And how is that day still shaping our politics — and the country?

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After a year of new leadership, court fights, dramatic change to the federal government, and deep political division, where does American democracy stand as we move into 2026?

And what does it mean for you?

This is our first “If You Can Keep It” conversation of the new year. We take your calls and hear from you about your wants and concerns for American democracy in the days ahead.

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Have you ever fantasized about going back in time to relive a moment — or change it?

Maybe you’re more interested in traveling to the future where cars fly and the code to immortality has been cracked.If the idea of time travel resonates with you, you’re far from alone — particularly during a year of political upheaval.

Scientists moved one step closer to understanding time travel, at least hypothetically, this year. Two physicists at the University of Queensland in Australia created a model for studying the phenomenon

We’re not there yet. But when it comes to books, movies and TV shows, that’s a different story. We’ve been thinking about hurtling through history for a very, very long time.

Why do we return time and time again to stories about time travel? Will it ever become a reality?

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If you've been following the news lately — including with 1A — it can be a lot to take in.

We've heard from many of you about how the news makes you feel. But what can we do in chaotic moments of history to build a sense of control in our lives? Maybe it's organizing in your community, starting a new hobby, or picking up that TV show from 10 years ago that you promised you'd get around to watching.

What can finding agency in the chaos look like? Why should we actively focus on something rather than simply react to what's happening?

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Some of the best songs you can hear this spring aren't on the radio.

Hundreds of millions of birds make their annual migration back into North America in early March. Despite their return to our neighborhoods and backyards to wake us up bright and early, a new report reveals they're numbering fewer and fewer.

The 2025 State of the Birds report is a joint effort spearheaded by a coalition of science and conservation organizations. It found widespread population decline across nearly all habitats and that over one third of species require conservation help.

But it's not all bad news. The report also finds that an increased interest in birding has led to more volunteer data that helped shaped the report. What can we learn about our feathered friends and our environment while watching?

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Many of us know that being outside feels good.

Maybe it’s for a short walk to the store. Maybe for a hike at a nearby mountain. Or maybe spending time at the beach with loved ones for a holiday.

But did you know that a short walk in nature can improve your attention span by 20 percent? And that even fake plants have been shown to deliver health benefits?

There are real benefits to surrounding yourself with the natural world.

We sit down with the pioneer of environmental neuroscience, Marc Berman. He’s out with a new book all about the science behind the benefits spending time outside called “Nature and the Mind.”

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Last year, Americans spent more than 300 billion minutes on navigation apps, like Waze or Google Maps.

The GPS systems in our pockets have come a long way from the first known map, carved into a mammoth tusk 30,000 years ago.

But even with satellites tracking us and the ever-changing Earth from the skies – digital maps aren’t fact. Errors can show up and are sometimes as old as maps themselves. The phantom island of Sandy Island appeared on Google Maps until 2012, when Australian scientists sailed to its supposed location and found only open ocean.

Mistakes on maps were sometimes intentional, sometimes not – but every single one tells a bigger story.

How and why did it get there? What does it reveal about the creator of the map and the world around them?

We sit down with Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones, better known as the Map Men on YouTube, to talk through these questions and more.

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In-home elder care costs are rising more than three times faster than inflation.

AARP estimates that caregivers in the U.S. spend an average of $7,242 out of pocket each year.

Cuts to federal spending have gutted programs that support them. And amidst the longest government shutdown in history, what little help was left is quickly drying up.

Why is the cost of care going up? What can be done to combat those costs?

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Abraham Lincoln was the first U.S. president to sport a beard. For the next 50 years, whiskers were commonplace in the White House. But then, they went out of style.

Now, Vice President JD Vance is the first executive branch leader in more than a century with a furry face.

And others are following suit. From the Senate to the campaign trail, more and more men in politics are letting their facial hair grow free. But what does that tell us about masculinity, power, and how we see each other?

Why did our politicians remain bare faced for so long? And what does the reemergence of whiskers in the White House represent?

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President Donald Trump delivered a national address on Wednesday in an attempt to set the record straight on his economic record.

Gun violence dominated the news this week. Two people were killed in a shooting at Brown University. Six teenagers were injured in a shooting outside of a birthday party in Brooklyn. And an MIT professor was shot and killed inside of his home Tuesday.

And an appeals court signals it will allow the National Guard to continue in Washington D.C. while litigation continues.

And, in global news, two shooters opened fire on a Hanukkah gathering at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on Sunday.It was the country’s deadliest shooting in 30 years.

President Donald Trump continues to escalate tensions between Washington and Caracas. This week Trump ordered the blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers.

And Russian President Vladimir Putin is warning that his country will extend its gains of Ukrainian territory if peace talks aren’t successful.

We cover the most important stories from around the globe in the News Roundup.

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The modern world is a noisy, chaotic place. News about what’s happening in the world is constantly available on a device in your pocket. The internet offers more content than any person could consume in their lifetime, or in 10 lifetimes.

Politics can feel unstable, with elected officials changing the norms and rules of our political system. AI is upending our ideas about what work will look like in the next few decades. And social media, designed by technology companies to monetize attention, offers up millions of rabbit holes in which to lose yourself — self improvement hacks, niche interests, impossible beauty standards.

Taking all of that in can feel like an insurmountable task most days. So try doing it with a brain and a body that are changing dramatically at the same time.

How do young people — adolescents going through puberty — experience the world today? How is the adolescent experience changing? And how can adults make their journey easier?

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It’s a stressful day at the office. You want to get away from work. The sounds of notifications, meeting alerts, and Zoom calls ring through your ears. You step outside for your lunch break. No matter where you are in the world, you’re likely to hear the same thing: the sounds of birds.

They’re everywhere, after all.Despite their constant presence in our lives and our world, there’s still a lot left to understand about our clawed compatriots. What if we could learn more about them with a bit of intentional observation? And in watching birds, maybe learn something about ourselves?

We sit down with University of Colorado Boulder professor Scott Taylor to talk about his new podcast, “Okay, But… Birds.”

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to tightly control the news that comes out of the Pentagon — even as he deals with the fallout over strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

In October, nearly all mainstream media outlets left the Pentagon press pool after refusing to comply with restrictive rules from the Trump administration. The exodus included the Associated Press, NPR, and The New York Times along with conservative outlets like Newsmax and Fox News.

Two weeks ago, the Pentagon held its first press conference with a new hand-picked press corps, now mostly made up of right-wing outlets and Trump allies including former Rep. Matt Gaetz and right-wing media influencer Laura Loomer.

Now, The New York Times is suing the Pentagon over violating the first amendment rights of journalists.

As more questions arise over the Venezuela boat strikes and the contentious relationship between the Trump administration and the press heats up, what does the absence of traditional press at the Pentagon mean for accountability for the U.S. military, press freedom, and our democracy?

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Democrats were on the receiving end of some midterm election momentum this week. In Indiana, Republicans lawmakers defied intense pressure from President Donald Trump rejecting his demands for a newly gerrymandered Congressional map.

In Miami, residents elected Eileen Higgins as mayor, the first woman to hold the job in the city’s history. She’s also the first Democrat to hold the office in 28 years. And a Georgia state House seat flipped in a district Trump won by double digits.

And Congress is considering limiting the Pentagon’s travel budget after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth refused to release footage of a “double-tap” strike he ordered on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, can the United States legally seize a Venezuelan oil tanker or is it an act of “international piracy.”? What does this latest move by the Trump Administration towards Nicolas Maduro mean for escalating the ongoing pressure campaign? President Donald Trump says the vessel was taken “for a very good reason.”

Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, 600 trucks per day carrying aid must be allowed into Gaza. This week, an analysis by the Associated Press showed an average of only 459 are crossing into the territory daily. This comes as torrential rain from Storm Byron swept across the Strip flooding overcrowded tents sheltering tens of thousands of families displaced by the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is sounding the alarm about the role China is playing in helping Russia beef up its military industry.

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What would you sacrifice to push efforts forward on eliminating diseases? What about to make sure our products and medicines are safe, especially for our most vulnerable?

These questions lead us to ethical quagmire and, oftentimes, to the use of animals for research, testing, and experimentation. We’ve long heard the term “lab rat.” Its popularity in conversation belies an understanding that these creatures are popular subjects for experimentation. But they’re far from the only ones.

Around 40,000 dogs were used as test subjects in labs last year, according to a leading advocacy group. The most common breed used are beagles.

Journalist Melanie Kaplan adopted Hammie in 2013, a lab beagle who had been used for research for nearly four years. It led her down a years-long rabbit hole to find out more about her companion’s past. It took her to a sanctuary farm for former research animals in Wyoming, a naked mole rat lab at Boston University, and the homes of former researchers.

We discuss her book, “Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research.”

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On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel voted to end a recommendation that all newborns be immunized at birth against hepatitis B. That guidance had been in place for more than 30 years. Hepatitis B is a highly infectious virus that can cause severe liver damage, including cirrhosis and cancer.

The members of this panel, known as ACIP, were handpicked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Junior. That’s after he abruptly fired all the previous 17 members of the panel earlier this year. That which led top officials at the CDC to resign in protest.

His new members have publicly stated they want to revisit the entire childhood vaccine schedule. And after the panel’s recent meeting, President Donald Trump expressed support for such a review.

How will ending the recommended Hepatitis B shot for newborns affect public health? And what’s next for childhood vaccinations?

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As of Thursday, the Pentagon says it’s attacked 23 boats and killed at least 87 people as part of the Trump administration’s campaign against drug trafficking in the Caribbean.

In the months since the first strike on Sept. 2, one question has emerged that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cannot seem to shake: Are these boat strikes legal?

The White House says yes. But several members of Congress, legal experts, and former defense and intelligence officials have their doubts. Questions also remain about whether it’s legal for President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard in cities across the country.

In this installment of our weekly politics series, “If You Can Keep It,” we convene a panel of experts on military law to help us find answers.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was under the spotlight this week. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are demanding video and audio of a “double-tap” strike he ordered on a boat allegedly carrying drugs into the U.S.

The Trump administration has halted immigration applications from 19 countries. This comes after the shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national in Washington D.C.

The city of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against food manufacturers over ultra processed products. It’s the first of its kind and argues that cities and states have been burdened with treating the diseases the food causes.

Meanwhile, graphic depictions of at least two survivors being killed by a second U.S. military strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat sparked outrage on Capitol Hill. This comes as tensions between Caracas and Washington reach a fever pitch.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro confirmed that he did speak with President Donald Trump in a phone call that he described as “cordial.”

An American delegation attended talks in Moscow, hoping to end the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to compromise during negotiations.

And the Israeli government announces it will reopen the Rafah border crossing, but only to for Palestinians to leave Gaza.

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Between 2010 and 2022, pedestrian deaths in the U.S. jumped nearly 80 percent.

Since then, the number of walkers struck and killed by cars has remained stubbornly high – with pedestrian deaths in some cities continuing to rise.

What’s made our streets so dangerous and what can we do about it?

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No matter where you live in the U.S., you’ve probably heard stories — or have your own — about not being able to afford to live. The couple in their 30s that can’t buy a home. The 20-something who can’t afford rent without living with several roommates. The family of five who feel pinched every time they visit the grocery store. The retiree struggling to pay their health insurance premium.

Whatever the situation, these stories are becoming central to how Americans are experiencing the economy. And this feeling is shaping politics.

A CBS poll from October suggests inflation and the economy are now the top concern among Americans. According to the Urban Institute, 52 percent of U.S. families don’t have the resources to cover what it costs to live. The average monthly cost of groceries has also risen 32 percent since 2019.

What do when we mean when we say something is “affordable?” And how do we achieve that goal when the target keeps moving?

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Over 210,000 federal workers left their jobs this year because of the Trump administration.

That’s according to the Partnership for Public Service Harms Tracker. For many, it’s meant walking away from, or being pushed out of, a decades-long commitment to public service.

And one trend that’s emerging? Fired or laid-off former federal employees and contractors are running for public office.

We feature the voices of several former federal workers to hear why they see politics as the next step, especially after being forced out of jobs that were always meant to stay apolitical. What does it mean for the future health of our democracy?

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Have you ever fantasized about going back in time to relive a moment — or change it?

Maybe you’re more interested in traveling to the future where cars fly and the code to immortality has been cracked.If the idea of time travel resonates with you, you’re far from alone — particularly during a year of political upheaval.

Scientists moved one step closer to understanding time travel, at least hypothetically, this year. Two physicists at the University of Queensland in Australia created a model for studying the phenomenon.

We’re not there yet. But when it comes to books, movies and TV shows, that’s a different story. We’ve been thinking about hurtling through history for a very, very long time.

Why do we return time and time again to stories about time travel? Will it ever become a reality?

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Headaches are one of the most common neurological conditions in the world. They’re also one of the most debilitating, mysterious, and misunderstood.

According to the World Health Organization, 3 billion people worldwide suffer from headache disorders. And one in six Americans suffers from headaches that are so severe they limit their ability to work, sleep, or otherwise function.

We discuss headaches as a part of our series “In Good Health,” where we talk about the bodily issues that most affect us.

What do we know about headaches and who they affect? What works when it comes to treating headaches?

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The Democratic party has been plagued by infighting over everything from its aging leadership to the war in Gaza. We talked about those divisions on the program earlier this month.

Now, we’re turning our attention to the cracks in the GOP, which over the last few weeks, have only grown wider.

Shortly after President Donald Trump won the 2024 election, the Republican party appeared to be in lockstep. Nearly a year later, a lot has changed.

Internal divisions within the GOP include backlash over antisemitism and the release of the Epstein files. President Trump finally signed the order to release said files last week.

In this installment of our weekly politics series, “If You Can Keep It,” we discuss what these divisions in the Republican party mean for the midterm elections and for its future.

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Congress voted overwhelmingly to authorize the release of the Epstein files. President Donald Trump welcomed the decision, signing the bill on Wednesday.

ICE activity in Charlotte, North Carolina, ramped up this week; authorities reportedly made some 250 arrests.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the economy added 119,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate edged up to 4.4%. It is the only jobs report the BLS will release until December. On Wednesday, the agency canceled the October jobs report for the first time in 77 years.

And, in global news, US President Donald Trump said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “knew nothing” about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in direct contradiction of U.S. intelligence. The president welcomed the kingdom’s de facto ruler to the Oval Office where they announced military and investment deals between the two nations.

In Gaza this week, some of the deadliest Israeli airstrikes since the U.S. brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10. On Monday, the UN Security Council endorsed Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, including the deployment of an international stabilisation force.

And the war of words between Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is heating up. However, both sides have indicated they’d be willing to meet face to face.

We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.

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Groundbreaking. Transformative. A new way to unlock human creativity and productivity.

Tech CEOs have promised artificial intelligence will do many things for us. They’ve used these promises to justify billions of dollars of investment in building the language models and data centers needed to power AI.

Four of the world’s biggest tech companies – Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google – have promised to collectively spend $380 billion this year in the AI space.

That spending has led to huge rallies in these companies’ stock prices. There are now hundreds of private AI companies with values – on paper – of over a billion dollars. And in October, the AI boom created the world’s first company worth $5 trillion – Nvidia.

So, is this spending justified? Do these companies’ stock values hint at a financial bubble in AI? Or is this situation different?

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The typical American supermarket carries more than 30,000 products.

There are nearly as many opinions about what items you should buy to maintain a healthy diet.

Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says changing how Americans eat is key to improving our public health — but some of his advice has nutritionists scratching their heads.

Throw in the influence of a multi trillion-dollar food industry, and the grocery aisles can become a very confusing place.

That’s where Marion Nestle comes in. She is one of our country’s foremost nutrition experts — not only on what we should eat, but about the invisible forces that shape our options.

Her new book is titled “What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters." We discuss her new book.

Why do we have so many choices when it comes to groceries? How can we cut through the noise of fad diets and get the nutrition we need each day?

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The last two weeks have highlighted fractures within both the Republican and Democratic parties.

The fight over releasing the Epstein files has shaken the GOP, causing some of President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies – like Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene – to call him out. And recent incidents of antisemitism within the MAGA movement have prompted infighting about how (and whether) to root it out.

Despite that, the party in the country’s crosshairs is on the left.

The longest government shutdown in American history ended last week after 43 days. And it ended with eight senators breaking with the Democratic caucus to pass a spending bill – without securing the health insurance provisions they had demanded.

Many Democrats across the country — from Washington strategists to local activists — called the move a surrender. They say the defectors gave up a winning hand right when public opinion was on their side. The loudest criticism came from younger Democrats who called for new party leadership.

In this latest installment of “If You Can Keep It,” our weekly series on the state of democracy, we look at the fractures the shutdown exposed on the left and how a new generation of lawmakers thinks the party should govern in the years ahead.

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The civil war in Sudan has claimed the lives of some 150,000 people.

From the outside looking in, the story of the war is one of two competing generals, foreign involvement complicating matters, and mass casualties among the innocent.

Now, following a massacre in the city of El Fasher, the rebels have agreed to a humanitarian ceasefire proposed by the Quad — a group of group of four countries including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. But for how long will it hold?

We discuss the latest on the conflict in Sudan and the humanitarian crisis. What is the international community doing to help (or hurt) the situation?

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In-home elder care costs are rising more than three times faster than inflation.

AARP estimates that caregivers in the U.S. spend an average of $7,242 out of pocket each year.

Cuts to federal spending have gutted programs that support them. And amidst the longest government shutdown in history, what little help was left is quickly drying up.

Why is the cost of care going up? What can be done to combat those costs?

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Late Sunday, while most eyes were on the Senate’s shutdown negotiations, the Trump administration was busy rewriting the history of the 2020 election.

Just before midnight, a Justice Department lawyer posted a list on X of dozens of the president’s top allies and former aides who’d received pardons related to their efforts to overturn that election.

Among them are Trump’s former lawyer, Rudy Giuliani; Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows; and Sidney Powell, a former federal prosecutor who tried to overturn election results in key swing states and spread false claims of widespread voting machine fraud.

What do these pardons do? And how is the president using the Justice Department to shield those closest to him from future legal consequences?

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In the first general election since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term, Democrats won big. But they might also be set to kill a lot of that momentum.

Exit polls have found that in major races across the country — in states like Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and California — the economy and affordability were the biggest issues that drove voters to the polls.

An NPB News poll from October suggests that 63 percent of registered voters believe the Trump administration has fallen short when it comes to the economy.

As part of our weekly series on the state of democracy, If You Can Keep It, we dive into some of the biggest local races and what they tell us about the issues that matter most to you – and what Democrats and Republicans can take away from this year’s results. 

But first, we dive into a potential deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history that has some critics claiming Senate Democrats are caving to President Trump.

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Democrats swept on election night this week, winning several key gubernatorial races, state legislature positions, and the New York City mayoral election.

As the government shutdown continues, airports are struggling to run at maximum capacity. The Federal Aviation Administration is looking to cut 10 percent of flights at high traffic airports as they struggle with delays and staffing shortages.

The Supreme Court began hearing arguments over whether or not Donald Trump’s tariffs on America’s trading partners are legal.

Meanwhile, a top Israeli military lawyer was incarcerated this week after she leaked footage of Israeli soldiers allegedly sexually assaulting a Palestinian prisoner. Now, Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are working to combat what he calls the “most severe public relations attack that the state of Israel has experienced.”

U.S. officials are mulling possible regime change in Venezuela. The federal government’s operations in and around Caribbean and South American waters have intensified in recent weeks.

Donald Trump is also threatening to take action in Nigeria if the country’s government doesn’t take action to protect Christians within its borders.

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It’s open enrollment season. And for the 20 million Americans who buy their own health insurance, prices are through the roof.

Rates are up an average of 30 percent for a typical plan in the 30 states where the federal government manages markets. In states that run their own markets, rates are up an average of 17 percent. That’s according to an analysis from the health policy research group KFF.

Meanwhile, the longest government shutdown continues in Washington. Lawmakers still can’t agree over whether to extend subsidies that would make health insurance more affordable. Without those subsidies, experts estimate that more than 4 million people could lose access to insurance.

How did health insurance get so expensive in the first place? And who stands to benefit from higher costs?

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Tariffs are getting their day in court.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases about the legality of President Donald Trump’s favorite policy tool.

Shortly after he took office, Trump started signing executive orders imposing tariffs on America’s trading partners. He declared April 2 “Liberation Day,” and enacted a broad package of import duties from Canada to China and way beyond, upending U.S. economic policy and reshaping global trade.

He did it all without input from Congress. And that might, or might not, have violated presidential power under the Constitution.

So, are the Trump administration’s tariffs legal?

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Farmers are being hit hard by President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The cost of fertilizer and machinery is up, while the market for certain crops is nearly gone.

But last week’s trade deal with China could provide relief. And the administration says it’s readying a $12 billion farm aid package to pay out post-shutdown.

What kind of impact have Trump’s economic policies had on the American farmer?

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As it’s filled election security roles at the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, the Trump administration has elevated people who are known election deniers — activists who’ve pushed unproven claims about fraud in the 2020 election or in American election systems more generally.

And the administration has asked states to turn over voter roll data that includes private information. It’s even sued eight of them for some of that data in an unprecedented push for federal control of voter information.

How are the systems and processes behind the 2026 midterm faring in 2025? Especially as the federal government pushes to have more control over what’s traditionally been the jurisdiction of state and local officials? We hear one of those officials as well as a panel of experts.

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The government shutdown has gone on for longer than one month.

Now, Republicans are considering ending the Senate filibuster to reopen the government.

The Supreme Court requested more information as it heard arguments about whether President Donald Trump is within his rights to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.

Two prosecutors who went after January 6 rioters were put on leave this week for filing a sentencing memo in the case of a man who showed up armed outside of the Obama residence.

Amidst a brutal trade dispute, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping sat down for a face-to-face meeting in South Korea.

Despite recent Israeli strikes killing more than 100 people in Gaza, the Trump Administration says the ceasefire with Hamas is still on.

Following a snub by President Trump and a successful nuclear weapons test, intelligence officials say Russian President Vladimir Putin is showing no signs of seeking a compromise to end the war Ukraine.

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Bruce Springsteen is an American music legend. Songs like “Born to Run” and “Born in the USA” have echoed through ballparks, dive bars, TV shows, and politics for decades.

That’s why his new biopic, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” is unique. Instead of reckoning with The Boss’ glittering legacy, it focuses on a darker period of his career starting in 1981.

Played by Jeremy Allen White, Springsteen finishes touring his album “The River,” rents a house in New Jersey by himself, and turns his focus inward to grapple with his past and write a new album, “Nebraska.”

The 1A Movie Club convenes to talk about the film.

What has audience reception been to the movie? And what did "The Boss" have to say?

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More than 400 bills challenging longstanding public health practices, including vaccines and milk safety, are making their way through statehouses across the country.

According to an Associated Press investigation that tracked said legislation, these bills would do everything from ban certain types of immunizations to making the sale and consumption of unpasteurized milk more accessible.

Anti-vaccine bills are by far the most common. At least 350 of the 420 bills were related to vaccines. Some 11 states have already adopted more than two dozen laws restricting vaccine access.

Who are the highly organized groups behind this wave of anti-science legislation? And how do these bills fit into the broader dismantling of the country’s public health system?

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Hurricane Melissa is on track to make a direct hit on Jamaica today, with rains and winds already lashing the island.

Melissa is a category five storm, with winds clocked at up to 175 miles per hour. It’s the strongest storm on the planet this year and one of the most devastating on record.

Authorities in Jamaica and Cuba have issued evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.

For years, scientists have been telling us that climate change will make hurricanes more dangerous.

What does this mean for the people of Jamaica? And what does a climate-change fueled future of hurricanes look like?

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A Hitler-praising group chat. A government official with a self-proclaimed “Nazi-streak.” A swastika flag in a sitting U.S. representative’s office.

Those are a few of the racist, antisemitic forms of speech and expression tied to notable Republicans in recent weeks. Vice President JD Vance downplayed outrage over some of these incidents as “pearl clutching.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump signed a memo designating groups like “Antifa” and Black Lives Matter as terrorist organizations. It’s part of the administration’s larger effort to crack down on what it calls a widespread left-wing conspiracy to carry out acts of political violence.

In this installment of “If You Can Keep It,” our weekly series on the state of our democracy, we talk about the Trump administration and the fine lines between hate speech, violence, and political dissent.

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The government shutdown is now the second longest in the nation’s history, and federal workers missed their first full paycheck this week. Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats seem to be going nowhere.

Following a federal court’s approval, the Trump administration is one legal hurdle away from getting the green light to send National Guard troops into Portland, Oregon. And Trump reversed his decision to send troops to San Francisco after a conversation with the city’s mayor.

Plus, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson continues to refuse to swear in newly-elected Arizona congresswoman Adelita Grijalva.

And, in global news, Israel returned the bodies of several hundred Palestinian prisoners this week. And the fragile ceasefire holds between Israel and Hamas holds; despite Israel killing more than 100 Palestinians and injuring at least 230over the last two weeks.

Donald Trump says a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine has been called off.

And, days before President Trump is set to visit the country, Japan swears in its first-ever female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.

We cover the most important stories from around the world on the News Roundup.

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A stroll down the supplement aisle is a walk filled with hope.

One pill offers stronger hair and nails. Another promises better memory (which will help when you have to remember to take all these pills). And if you added just one more, you might be able to finally recapture the energy of your teenage years.

But how true are these claims? Currently, the Food and Drug Administration does not approve the contents or the labeling dietary supplements before they hit the shelves.

Around 75 percent of Americans take a supplement, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He once said he took so many vitamins he couldn’t remember them all. But RFK Jr., who champions supplements and other alternative medicines, is now pushing the FDA for stronger regulations.

What could that mean for the supplement industry? And why are so many Americans turning to health alternatives today?

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The ISS has been in low orbit above the earth for almost 25 years.

It’s played host to astronauts from around the world. But that’s about to come to an end.

NASA is gearing up to deorbit the ISS in 2030 and it’s working with private companies to begin development of commercial space stations to take its place.

What will that transition look like? And what does the commercialization of space hold for humanity in the near and far futures?

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Last year, Americans spent more than 300 billion minutes on navigation apps, like Waze or Google Maps.

The GPS systems in our pockets have come a long way from the first known map, carved into a mammoth tusk 30,000 years ago.

But even with satellites tracking us and the ever-changing Earth from the skies – digital maps aren’t fact. Errors can show up and are sometimes as old as maps themselves. The phantom island of Sandy Island appeared on Google Maps until 2012, when Australian scientists sailed to its supposed location and found only open ocean.

Mistakes on maps were sometimes intentional, sometimes not – but every single one tells a bigger story.

How and why did it get there? What does it reveal about the creator of the map and the world around them?

We sit down with Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones, better known as the Map Men on YouTube, to talk through these questions and more.

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The Trump administration has cut federal funding to colleges and universities it says don’t align with conservative priorities. And now, the White House says it will reward schools that follow in its ideological footsteps.

Earlier this month, the administration sent a list of demands to nine schools. Officials are calling it the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” Its stipulations include ending considerations of race and sex in admissions and hiring, capping international student enrollment, and limiting what faculty can say about certain issues.

Five institutions — Brown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Southern California, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Virginia — have rejected the proposal. The others have yet to comment.

Trump’s compact is the latest chapter in the story of how his administration is trying to exert influence over higher education. In March, the White House canceled $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University over allegations of antisemitism.

In this edition of “If You Can Keep It,” our weekly series on the state of democracy, we talk about higher education and what’s at stake if academic freedom is compromised.


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The Trump administration has decimated the Department of Education with staffing cuts.

Now, the latest round of layoffs all but wipes out the Office of Special Education Programs. So, what does that mean for the millions of kids who rely on these services?

We sit down to talk about how Education Department cuts will affect children with disabilities.

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Last month, the Trump administration started blowing up boats off the coast of Venezuela, calling it part of an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. The White House’s so-called “war on cartels” is increasingly centered on Venezuela, not Mexico or Haiti, where most of these organizations actually operate.

The president is linking these cartels to the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The South American strong man has indicated he’s ready to declare a state of emergency in his country if things progress much further.

So, are these actions about drugs, or are they really about regime change?

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As part of a special issue this November, The Atlantic tasked writers and historians with looking at the country’s founding era to find out what America’s political thinkers valued at its beginning.

The goal is to remind people in the U.S. about the abstract ideas enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and other important revolutionary documents. And, how reconnecting with those ideals might help us as we struggle to keep American democracy together 250 years later.

We discuss this edition of The Atlantic with two of its contributing writers, hear about why the founding of the country is relevant today, and where we might be going next.

And we want to hear from you. How would you fill in the blanks for these four statements?

1. “At the founding of the United States, some of the country’s most important political values were BLANK.”

2. “After 250 years of U.S. history, I would describe the country’s *track record* of following through on those values and ideals as BLANK.”

3. “Right now, an outside observer would likely look at our politics and say we value BLANK.”

4. “When it comes to the United States as a country over the next decade or the next century, I want to see BLANK.”

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President Donald Trump promised to crackdown on immigration in Democratic-led cities using aggressive tactics like detaining people based on their race and deploying the National Guard to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

He deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. this summer. He launched an ICE operation in Boston.

Now, he’s escalating his crackdowns in Chicago and Portland.ICE has made more than 1,000 arrests in Chicago according to the Department of Homeland Security since it began what it’s calling “Operation Midway Blitz” last month.

Nearly half of the FBI agents working in major U.S. offices have been reassigned to immigration enforcement, according to newly released bureau data. What does this radical shift in law enforcement priorities mean for the cities at the center of the president’s crackdown — and for the country more broadly?

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President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act this week.

He continues to clash with state and municipal authorities over the limits of his abilities to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into American cities.

Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are eyeing their Democratic counterparts, looking for someone from the opposition to join them in voting for a bill that would reopen the government, more than a week into a shutdown.

Former FBI Director James Comey was arraigned this week, pleading not guilty on Wednesday to charges that he lied to Congress, and saying he would move to have a court dismiss the case.

Meanwhile, the first phase of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas was agreed to this week. But questions remain over how both parties will move forward with the details of the agreement.

Despite a friendly summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump in Alaska in August, the Russian government is claiming that any headway made during that meeting has largely been undone.

And after just 28 days, Sébastien Lecornu’s time as France’s prime minister came to an end this week. He’s President Macron’s fifth government leader to head for the exit in less than two years.

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It’s been two years since Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and seized more than 250 hostages from inside Israel.

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory war. On Monday, Israeli and Hamas negotiators met in Egypt to discuss President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza.

Over the weekend, thousands of Israeli citizens took to the streets in Tel Aviv in support of a deal to release the hostages and end the war in Gaza.

What do we know about the U.S.-backed plan to end the war in Gaza? And what does this plan mean for Israelis and Palestinians two years into this conflict? 

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The Supreme Court begins its new term this week.

It’s agreed to hear cases on several hot button issues like tariffs, trans athletes in sports, and the use of presidential power.

The rulings could change constitutional precedent as we know it. What’s at stake in these cases?

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President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined some stark changes to the U.S. military’s policies and norms at last week’s gathering of its top brass.

From new standards that question the fitness of women in combat roles, to deploying the military to U.S. cities, the White House is outlining a new vision for the armed forces.

It’s also looking to eliminate existing channels to report abuse and harassment within the ranks and implement random polygraph tests.

We talk through all these changes, how they affect our troops, and what they mean for civilians.

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After Congress failed to reach an agreement to keep the doors in Washington open, the government has shut down.

This comes as tens of thousands of federal workers are set to exit the federal payroll due to firings and deferred buyout agreements.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called all military generals to Quantico, Virginia, to listen to an address about his vision for the armed forces.

President Donald Trump said he plans on sending troops to Portland, Oregon, to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents working there.

Meanwhile, overseas, President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a 20-point plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza.

Following multiple Russian incursions into NATO airspace, the alliance has stepped up its drone defense, with Ukraine sharing its expertise with Denmark.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is ready to declare a state of emergency, as the U.S. military builds up presence in the Caribbean.

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How does hatred towards women relate to violence?

We’ve seen more than a few incidents of political extremism and mass violence in the U.S. over the last few years.

In the days, weeks, and months after acts like these, we seek motives. We try to understand why violence is perpetrated in hopes of preventing it in the future.

One expert argues that in that search for answers – we’re missing something crucial. Something that keeps us from addressing this violence and extremism head on. That blind spot is misogyny.

We sit down with Cynthia Miller-Idriss. She is a sociologist and founding director of the Polarization and Extremism Research & Innovation Lab, or PERIL at American University. She’s also the author of “Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism.” She joins us to talk about her book and latest research.

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The White House is continuing its mission to hollow out the federal workforce.

The Trump administration has signaled that it will use the government shutdown to prompt and encourage mass resignations and layoffs.

More than 150,000 federal employees plan to leave the U.S. government payroll this week. It’s the largest single-year exodus of federal workers since World War II.

For workers who opted into the deferred exit program, those resignations began on Tuesday. Workers who didn’t take the buyouts were recently threatened with dismissal.

We check in on the state of the federal workforce.

What happens now that tens of thousands of these employees are leaving? And what’s life like for those who remain?

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Many of us know that being outside feels good.

Maybe it’s for a short walk to the store. Maybe for a hike at a nearby mountain. Or maybe spending time at the beach with loved ones for a holiday.

But did you know that a short walk in nature can improve your attention span by 20 percent? And that even fake plants have been shown to deliver health benefits?

There are real benefits to surrounding yourself with the natural world.

We sit down with the pioneer of environmental neuroscience, Marc Berman. He’s out with a new book all about the science behind the benefits spending time outside called “Nature and the Mind.”

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President Donald Trump has, according to many legal experts, crossed the Rubicon.

After years of railing against his perceived enemies and publicly threatening to use the government for revenge, he’s pressured the Justice Department to bring charges against someone he hates despite warnings from top prosecutors.

Late last week, a grand jury narrowly indicted former FBI Director James Comeyon allegations that he lied to Congress in 2020. The 5-year statute of limitations was set to expire on Tuesday.

So, how independent is the DOJ? And how much independence should it have? We talk about how the Justice Department is treating Trump’s enemies and also how it’s treated his friends.

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A gunman opened fire at an ICE detention facility in Dallas leaving one person dead and two more injured.

All three of the victims were detainees and no ICE agents were hurt. The shooter was found dead according to senior law enforcement officials.

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel returned to the air on ABC this week. He was suspended after he made comments concerning the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The deadline to pass the government funding bill is fast approaching. The Trump White House is threatening mass firings if the government does shuts down.

And, in global news, President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week. In a nearly hour-long speech, he attacked the U.N., criticized the immigration policies of its member states, and called climate awareness the “greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.”

Spanish and Italian frigates were sent to protect the Global Sumud Flotilla. The boats carrying aid were attacked by drones on Tuesday.

And in a meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Donald Trump said Ukraine could win back all its territory taken by Russia with NATO assistance.

We cover the most important stories here and around the globe in the News Roundup.

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More than 50 years ago, President Richard Nixon declared war on cancer when he signed the National Cancer Act in 1971.

Since then, the United States has emerged as a juggernaut in cancer research, funded largely by the government.

But since President Donald Trump took office in January, the administration’s sweeping cuts to the federal workforce and government funding are upending the country’s research system.

So, how are these funding and staffing cuts affecting cancer research and treatment? And how could they impact our progress towards scientific breakthroughs?

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A record number of people are being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

And the conditions they’re reporting have been described as cruel and inhumane.Last month, 60,000 people were detained by ICE, breaking a record set by the previous Trump administration.

A Los Angeles Times analysis of public data found that more than a third of detainees have spent time in a dedicated facility that is over capacity.

And now, county jails and ICE field offices are being transformed to fill those gaps.

Jails held an average of about 10 percent of all detainees (7,100 people) each day in July, according to the Prison Policy Initiative.

So, what fallout is the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown having on ICE detention centers? What are the conditions in these centers like? And what legal options do detainees have?

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It happens every year — sometimes even more frequently than that.

A fight is brewing over funding the government before a deadline at the end of September. On Friday, Republicans in the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, passed a stop-gap measure to fund the government through Nov. 21.

This is all happening against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s summer of immigration raids, the deployment of the National Guard to Washington D.C., and the claw back of approved federal funding.

In this installment of 1A‘s weekly politics series, we talk about how this month’s government funding fight could turn into a shutdown, and what Democrats could demand in exchange for keeping the government open.

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In a blow to free speech, TV host Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was suspended from ABC’s lineup after the comedian made jokes about President Donald Trump’s relationship with the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The 22-year-old suspect in Kirk’s killing was charged on  Tuesday in Utah County with aggravated murder. The state is seeking the death penalty.

This week the president announced the National Guard will be deployed to Memphis, Tennessee.

Meanwhile, a United Nations commission concluded that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza against the Palestinian people.

The UK rolled out the red carpet for President Trump during his visit with the royal family and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In a press conference at the conclusion of the trip Trump said the two governments were making ties “closer than ever before.”

Following recent Russian drone incursions in its own airspace, Poland suggests the European Union should set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine. 

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Fourteen people are dead after the U.S. military launched strikes on two Venezuelan boats this month in international waters. President Donald Trump says they were heading towards the U.S.

That’s despite reports from several agencies saying the boat attacked two weeks ago was headed away from the U.S. when it was hit. Trump is also accusing the boats of being connected to Venezuelan drug trafficking cartels that he says posed a threat to the U.S.

Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, says the U.S. is trying to start a war.

We discuss the stakes and what we know about the situation.

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FBI Director Kash Patel appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for a second day of questioning by lawmakers.

He faced questions about his leadership of the bureau including the firing of dozens of FBI agents and officials, the release of investigative files related to alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and the shooting of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.

Patel began his hearings on Wednesday by defending the agency under his leadership.

What were some of the biggest takeaways from the the hearing?

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Various states in the U.S. are locked in a fight over redistricting.

It’s all centered on which party will keep the House next year. Republicans now have a slim majority, 219 seats to 213.

It started this summer when President Donald Trump asked Republicans in Texas to redraw the state’s congressional maps early. The goal he said, was to improve Republicans’ shot at winning five more seats in the House of Representatives during the 2026 midterm elections. After a standoff with Democrats in the state legislature, Republicans passed a map that did just that.

Democrats in California, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom, responded with their own map. It’s a redraw aimed at giving Democrats five more seats in the House. Newsom signed that bill into law in late August, saying it would “neutralize” what happened in Texas. Unlike Texas, California’s map goes to the voters this November for approval. It would last through the 2030 elections.

But the redistricting fights don’t end there. Another GOP effort is nearing the finish line in Missouri. Republicans pushed a new map that will set them up to win seven seats instead of the usual six. Democrats currently hold two House seats in Missouri.

Missouri Senate Republicans passed their redistricting bill on Friday. Now, it’s at the desk of Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe for his signature. So, what does this mean for the state, the Democrats, and the midterms?

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer broke the norm when he handed President Donald Trump an invitation for a second state visit.

The pomp begins on Wednesday, and leadership across the pond is making no secret of its intention to woo President Trump. But there’s more on the docket than making nice – and more at stake, too.

What does the visit mean for both the U.S. And the UK?

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On Friday, law enforcement authorities announced the arrest of a 22-year-old for the shooting death of Charlie Kirk. 

Kirk, a Trump ally and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, died after being shot at an event at Utah Valley University. He was speaking to a large crowd at an outdoor “Prove Me Wrong” debate, where he invited students to challenge his political and cultural views. 

At a press conference, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox asked Americans to consider what happens from here – an escalation or an off ramp.

Kirk’s killing is the latest in a spate of rising political violence across the country. A Minnesota state legislator was murdered in her home in June. The Pennsylvania governor’s house was set on fire in April. And last year on the campaign trail, Donald Trump faced two assassination attempts.

Experts who study political violence say the frequency and seriousness is increasing significantly. So, how did we get here. And is it possible to pull back? We examine the effect political violence has on the health of our democracy.

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Republican provocateur and online personality Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while hosting an event at Utah Valley University this week. Despite authorities searching for the person responsible, no suspects are in custody.

Donald Trump’s takeover of the Washington D.C. police department expired Thursday evening. Trump signaled that he would seek an extension, but that desire has reportedly cooled.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to harm Hamas, Israel bombed the Qatari capital of Doha this week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that he and his forces are prepared to do so again despite a rare condemnation of Israeli military strategy by the U.S.

Poland invoked NATO’s Article 4 this week after Russian drones entered its airspace, leading to consultations between representatives of the alliances member nations.

France’s government has collapsed again. Now, President Emmanuel Macron has appointed outgoing defense minister Sébastien Lecornu as the country’s next prime minister.

We get into all this and more during this week’s News Roundup.

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The nation’s patchwork system of abortion laws is once again being challenged.

This time, opponents are targeting telehealth abortions. That’s when a provider in a state where abortion is legal meets virtually with a patient and sends them pills to take at home.

Those patients come from states all over the country – even those with abortion bans. A quarter of all abortions in the U.S. are done via telehealth. That’s according to a June report from the Society of Family Planning.

Now, attorneys general in Texas and Louisiana are suing a doctor in New York for prescribing pills to patients in their states, where abortion is almost completely banned. New York is one of several states that’s enacted shield laws after Roe was overturned. These statutes ban cooperation with other states’ attempts to enforce abortion bans.

Now that this has evolved into a battle between states, the Supreme Court is expected to weigh in soon. Their decision could drastically change access to abortion nationwide.

So, what’s at stake in this case? And how did states’ rights become the latest flashpoint in the battle over abortion access?

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What’s behind Donald Trump’s ongoing battle with the Federal Reserve? That’s the question on some analysts minds as the White House proposes staff shakeups at the historically independent central bank.

Trump has been attempting to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook since Aug. 25. Cook was nominated by Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2022.

The administration is attempting to fire her based on allegations that she committed mortgage fraud before joining the Fed – that’s despite the fact that she hasn’t been convicted or charged with any crime.

On Tuesday night, a federal judge temporarily blocked the president from removing Cook from the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. She’ll continue to serve as she contests her dismissal.

The Fed has operated independently since its inception more than a century ago. How do the Trump administration’s proposed changes threaten that independence? And what effect could changes at the Fed have on the U.S. economy?

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President Donald Trump has tested the limits of the law since the day he took office at the start his second term.

This includes signing an executive order to end birthright citizenship, terminating or freezing billions of dollars in federal funding, and enacting sweeping tariffs on foreign goods without congressional approval.

But these actions have not been met with silence.

Over the last eight months, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed by state attorneys, physicians, media organizations, international students, and others to challenge the Trump administration’s policies.

We check in on major lawsuits against the administration. Where do they stand now? What do they mean for our country’s system of checks and balances?

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In recent weeks, we’ve seen a seismic shakeup inside the Department of Health and Human Services and unprecedented discord between the agency, scientists, and doctors.

HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. is bucking the science-backed guidance of physicians on vaccines. That’s angered some Democrats. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren went after Kennedy over his pseudoscientific approach to running the agency during a Senate hearing Thursday.

So, what happens when political ideology outweighs medical consensus?

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