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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? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Jobs numbers are out. They indicate a stalling labor market, with U.S. employers adding just 22,000 jobs in August and unemployment rising to 4.3 percent. After rumors about the president’s supposedly failing health swirled online last weekend, Donald Trump appeared in public at a press conference this week announcing the relocation of the Space Force headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. Florida announced this week that it’s set to become the first state in the U.S. to end vaccine mandates in schools, including for young children. The leaders of China, India, Russia met this week in a display of friendship meant to signal unity to the world. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping convened in China for a summit of powers not aligned with the West. Meanwhile, Putin told officials in Kyiv he was willing to try and negotiate the end the war in Ukraine should “common sense prevail.” However, he also threatened that he was prepared to continue should he not find terms agreeable. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Every August, New York City becomes the headquarters for all things tennis thanks to the U.S. Open.And a lot has happened for the sport in the Big Apple. This year marks 75 since Althea Gibson broke the tennis color barrier at the tournament. So, ahead of the finals this weekend, we sit down with a panel of experts to talk about the biggest takeaways from this year’s event and the future of the sport. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

A 6.0 earthquake hit Afghanistan on Sunday night leaving more than 1,400 dead and at least 3,000 injured. Rescue crews struggled to reach affected villages in remote areas of the country’s Kunar Province as powerful aftershocks continued to rattle the area. All of this is happening in a country already reeling from deep cuts to aid funding, a struggling economy, and an influx of millions of Afghans forcibly returned from Iran and Pakistan. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Congress returned to the Capitol on Tuesday after their month-long summer break. They’re already in a time crunch. Lawmakers have around four weeks – or around just 14 legislative days – to pass a spending measure and avoid a government shutdown before Sept. 30. Tensions between Republicans and Democrats are high. After the passages of President Donald Trump’s spending and rescission bills, Democrats say they are ready for a fight. But the potential for being blamed for a government shutdown also puts them in a tough spot. On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the ball is in the Democrats’ court, but will Republicans play ball at all? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Donald Trump says the office of the president gives him the right to deploy the National Guard to U.S. states. But does it? And who decides? The president signed an executive order last week calling for a restructuring of the National Guard. It also asks the nation’s defense secretary to create a rapid response force to be deployed to states for “quelling civil disturbances and ensuring public safety.” Meanwhile, Trump says the city of Chicago is in need of National Guard presence due to a rise in crime. But the president has declined to say how the federal government can intervene outside of D.C., a federal enclave. Violent crime in Chicago is on a decline. In the first half of 2025, gun violence is down 25 percent compared to last year and down 41 percent from the average reported between 2020 and 2024. That data is from the CBS News Chicago Gun Violence Tracker. What could that deployment look like? And what has the response been from city officials? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

We love talking about food at 1A. From the latest cookbooks to answering your questions about your favorite foods. As a holiday weekend treat and a fond look back at summer, we bring you highlights from an episode of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio Podcast. The team discusses grilling and answer listener questions. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

A shooter opened fire in a Minneapolis church on Wednesday, injuring 17 people and killing two children. Parishioners and students were gathered at a Mass marking the first week of school A federal grand jury in the nation’s capital this week declined to indict a man who threw a sandwich at a federal officer in Washington DC. Emails between top Florida officials show that they expect the state’s newest immigration detention facility, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” to be emptied in the coming weeks. The White House is fighting a judge’s order to shut it down. Israeli and U.S. officials met this week in Washington to discuss plans for post-war Gaza. This comes as the Israeli military expands the offensive in Gaza City and they come under fire for a “double-tap” bombing of a hospital. In the war in Ukraine, both sides are attacking energy resources. In Europe, leaders sit down to try and negotiate peace in the region. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

It’s been two decades since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, making landfall in the city as a Category 3 storm. The massive storm surge broke through levees and the flood walls. Some 80 percent of New Orleans flooded. Entire neighborhoods were wiped out. The official death toll totaled nearly 1,400 people. And what happened in the storm’s wake changed the face of emergency response in this country forever. We mark 20 years since Hurricane Katrina hit. We take you back to that time, look at what rebuilding has meant for New Orleans, and what lessons were learned. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump is ramping up his attacks on the Federal Reserve. On Monday, the president posted orders on Truth Social to remove Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook – effective immediately. The president claims she committed mortgage fraud, an allegation first raised by a Trump loyalist and housing official. Cook, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, responded in a statement saying that Trump has no authority to remove her and that she will continue her duties. Cook has not been charged with a crime. It’s an unprecedented move that puts into question the independence of the central bank. So, what comes next and what does this mean for the Fed? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Another Friday, another move against a perceived enemy of the president. Last week, the FBI searched the Maryland home and Washington office of President Trump’s former national security advisor, John Bolton. Since he was fired from the administration during Trump’s first term, Bolton has turned into one of the president’s most vocal critics. Vice President JD Vance confirmed in an interview that aired this weekend that this raid was in part connected to a criminal investigation over Bolton’s handling of classified documents and information. What does this investigation say about the priorities of the Justice Department in Trump’s second term? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Corrupt. That’s the word President Trump is using, without evidence, to describe mail-in voting – which is how almost one third of Americans cast their ballots in the last election. States including Florida and Pennsylvania also saw recent jumps in GOP mail-in ballots, after President Trump in his campaign called for votes by any means possible, including by mail. And while mail-in voting has historically favored Democrats, there is no evidence of the fraud Trump is claiming. But his push to end it fits a pattern: our President wants to change how elections are run in the United States. In this installment of our weekly series, “If You Can Keep It,” we get to the issue right at the very heart of U.S. democracy: the ability to cast a ballot in free and fair elections. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy