1A

Talks in Washington on the debt ceiling are reportedly not going well. President Joe Biden has remained upbeat in his public comments on the situation. But Congressional Republicans say there's still a ways to go before they'll agree to any sort of deal. Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis attempted to announce his 2024 Presidential bid via Twitter Spaces this week. However, the online meeting was marred by technical difficulties, despite the social media platform's owner, Elon Musk, being present. Meanwhile, the head of the Wagner mercenary group fighting in Ukraine said that he's lost more than 20,000 troops during the invasion. Meanwhile, the European Union is exploring ways to send billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine to fund its war effort. Elsewhere in Europe, countries are taking steps to fight climate change. France banned short flights in order to cut emissions from the use of jet fuel and Germany is considering banning gas boilers. And we remember the legendary Tina Turner who passed away on Wednesday, at the age of 83, in her home in Switzerland. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

This week, The Atlantic magazine published an exclusive interview with Harlan Crow, the ultra-rich real estate developer whose friendship and financial relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is the subject of much scrutiny. The interview was done by Atlantic staff writer Graeme Wood at Crow's home in Dallas, Texas. Crow told Wood, "My hope is that this is the last conversation I have on this topic in public." Wood joins Jenn White with the latest. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Fifty years ago, Princeton University ethicist Peter Singer made the case that humans assume they're morally superior to other animals and that their actions against them are justified. At the time, speciesism was a radical concept that was adopted by some animal rights groups but was largely ignored by the general public. Today, roughly 10 to 15 percent of Americans identify as vegan or vegetarian according to researchers at Oklahoma State and Kansas State University. But Singer argues there's still much more progress that needs to be made on animal rights. His new book "Animal Liberation Now" revisits the themes of his 1975 seminal classic, Animal Liberation, and examines how the animal rights movement intersects with climate change, social justice, and more. We discuss his latest book and the animal rights movement. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Today marks one year since the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, left 19 children and two teachers dead. Even though nearly 400 officers were at the scene, it took over an hour for police to get to the gunman. The police response was widely viewed as a failure, but investigations into what exactly happened that day remain ongoing. The families of the victims are still searching for answers. So far this year, there have been 22 school shootings and 234 mass shootings in the U.S. We discuss the shooting in Uvalde a year later. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Every year, thousands flock to the south of France to watch the most anticipated movie premieres from directors around the world. The titles on show at this year's Cannes Film Festival are stirring up excitement in cinephiles everywhere and for good reason. It's also happening amid a backdrop of social and political unrest in France, and a weeks-long writers' strike in Hollywood. We dive into all the happenings from Cannes with a panel of experts. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

The U.S. has the highest number of pregnancy-related death of any developed nation. During the pandemic, those numbers increased. According to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maternal mortality rose for the third consecutive year in 2021. And while the CDC's report covers maternal mortality during the height of the pandemic, factors like age and other pregnancy-related illnesses contributed to the number of deaths reported. We discuss why Americans continue to die during childbirth and what resources expecting parents have to combat the crisis. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

We collaborated with our friends at Bloomberg News to bring you the 'Life and Debt' series. We covered everything from the federal debt ceiling, medical debt, credit cards, and the impact of student loans. Today we're bringing you an episode of Bloomberg News' daily podcast, The Big Take. Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Mary Pilon joins host Wes Kosova this episode to talk about the promise–and challenges–of building a fanbase for the Women's Football Alliance, an all-female, full-contact league that has 60 teams in four divisions across 32 states. And we head to a nighttime practice of the DC Divas, to hear from the players and coaches about why they love the game and what it means for women to play tackle football. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Joe Biden is coming home. The President is cutting his trip to Japan for the G7 meeting short to help negotiate a deal ahead of the debt ceiling deadline on June 1. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been busy. In recent days, he's met with the Pope, French President Emmanuel Macron, and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to drum up support for his country's war against the Russian invasion. The CIA is urging Russian citizens to share secrets about its country's war efforts with the U.S. in a new video posted to Telegram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. 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.

According to the Education Data Initiative, the average student loan debt balance is upwards of $40,000. And the cost of college keeps rising. Over the past 20 years, college tuition at in-state public universities has risen 175 percent. The numbers can be dizzying, especially for recent high school grads. Currently, the Supreme Court is deciding the fate of President Joe Biden's student relief plan. At the same time, the pandemic-era pause on student loan payments is set to end. For over three years now, borrowers haven't had to pay a dime, but it all may be about to change. We wrap up our Life and Debt series in collaboration with Bloomberg to look at student debt and what comes next for student loan borrowers. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported last year that there's around $88 billion of medical debt in collections, and about 43 million Americans have medical debt on their credit report. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – three major credit reporting companies in the U.S. – have eased how much medical debt impacts someone's credit score. The companies no longer include medical debt that is paid off or less than a year old on a report. But a medical bill can be plenty stressful before it goes to a debt collector. People often turn to crowdfunding sources like GoFundMe to help pay those costs when they get them. We continue our series with Bloomberg News with a discussion about medical debt in the U.S. and how we deal with it. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Credit cards seem like a great deal. But interest rates, late fees, and the cycle of debt can come back to bite cardholders. Nearly half of U.S. credit card owners had an average of more than $5,200 in outstanding debt in 2022. Credit card debt overall is at a historic high. In the last three months of 2022, credit card balances in the U.S. rose from $61 billion to nearly $990 billion according to the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. It's likely to surpass $1 trillion this year. We discuss why credit card debt is so high and what cardholders can do to break the cycle of debt. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Congressional leaders will meet with President Joe Biden next week to discuss the federal debt ceiling as they face a looming deadline to avoid a default on U.S. debt obligations. The Treasury Department has warned that if an agreement isn't reached prior to June 1, there could be severe implications for global markets and the U.S. economy. The federal debt ceiling has been in place for more than a hundred years. But it's been the subject of consistent conflicts internally between congressional leaders and the White House for more than a decade now. We discuss debt ceiling and potential solutions to avoid a government default. It's the first installment of our ongoing series with Bloomberg: Life and Debt. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

It made for an unlikely hit in 1966. The authentic Chicago blues sound of "Wang Dang Doodle" packed a punch and put a hole through the popular and poppier tunes at the time. Koko Taylor was born Cora Walton in Tennessee in 1935. For this song, she teamed up with blues composer, bassist, and producer Willie Dixon. She was backed by a team that included Buddy Guy and a cast of characters featuring "Automatic Slim" and "Razor Totin' Jim."Taylor went on to become one of the great voices of Chicago Blues. But what is a "Wang Dang Doodle?" We hear from singer Bonnie Raitt, actor Dan Akroyd, artist Shemekia Copeland, and producer Bruce Iglauer. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Border restrictions put into place during the pandemic ended this week. The controversial policy known as Title 42 expired on May 11, and states on the Southern border are preparing for a surge of migrants. Republican Congressman from New York George Santos turned himself in this week to authorities over charges of stealing money from his campaign, lying to donors, and lying to Congress. Former President Donald Trump was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll by a New York jury this week. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces broke through advancing Russian forces near the city of Bakhmut. The Pentagon announced another $1.2 billion in aid for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's forces. 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 out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

"Um, like, literally, you know?"If those words sound to you like nails on a chalkboard, you're not alone. At NPR, we get lots of messages from listeners critiquing the way our hosts, reporters, and guests speak. Why does what we say and how we say it irk so many so much? Language norms are standardized over time, most often by groups with the most power in society. Words that some dismiss often have greater meaning, value, and history than you might expect. We talk to sociolinguist Valerie Fridland about why she's arguing for the good in so-called bad English. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Abortions are now illegal in 12 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute. That means many pregnant people now have to travel hundreds of miles to get an abortion. When Roe v. Wade was still the law of the land, it took on average 30 minutes for an abortion patient to get to a clinic. Now it takes an hour and ten minutes, according to a 2022 study from the Journal of the American Medical Association. Abortion patients now have to go to "safe haven" states like Kansas. But can these states keep up with the increased demand? We discuss safe haven states, and how grassroots groups are helping those seeking abortions get there. This conversation is part of our Remaking America collaboration with six public radio stations around the country. The series explores Americans' trust in institutions and the health of our democracy. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

The AR-15 is the best-selling rifle in America. According to polling by The Washington Post and Ipsos, about 1 in 20 adults, or roughly 16 million people in the U.S., own an AR-15. It's been used in 10 of the 17 most deadly mass shootings in the United States since 2012. And while they weren't initially designed for civilian use, they've become a powerful symbol for pro-gun advocates. We get into the rise and history of the AR-15, and how its cultural legacy impacts the gun law debate. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

It's been more than a week since the 11,500 television and film writers that make up the Writers Guild of America have gone on strike. Thousands of writers have joined picket lines to demand higher compensation, increase the number of writers hired per show, and regulation on how networks and streaming companies can use artificial intelligence. This is the first writer's strike in 15 years. The last strike lasted 100 days. Many industry analysts believe this one could last even longer given the number of production companies involved in the negotiating process and their varied demands. We assemble a panel of writers, academics, and industry experts to discuss the strike and how it could impact the future of film and television. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website

Diamonds are more than just pretty objects. Passed down over centuries, they can tell the story of their pasts. But that story isn't always a happy one. For many South Asians, the diamond that invokes this painful colonial history is the Kohinoor diamond. It's one of the largest diamonds in the world. And it was taken during British colonial rule in the 19th century from what is now modern-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Today, the diamond belongs to the British royal family. But the death of Queen Elizabeth last September revived calls for its return. We discuss how artifacts taken during colonial periods should be handled in modern times, and what empires owe the people they've colonized. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Winifred Phillips is a video game music composer. She describes this history-making entry into the National Recording Registry as, "one of the, if not the most memorable game music melodies ever created." The audio that's selected for the Registry is based on their historical, cultural or aesthetic importance to American society. The registry includes all kinds of audio: from music and radio broadcasts, to speeches, audiobooks, and comedy performances. For this installment of Sounds of America, we profile music that was composed for a video game. The original Super Mario Brothers was released by Nintendo in 1985 on the Nintendo Entertainment System. To help tell the story behind the Super Mario Brothers video game theme music, we speak to its composer Koji Kondo, Super Mario actor Charles Martinet, video game music composer Winifred Phillips, and author Jeff Ryan. The Sounds of America is produced by Jennie Cataldo for Accompany Studios. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.