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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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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." Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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 Journal investigation revealed 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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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?Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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? Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

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. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.