1A

Here in the U.S., we can't have a people, a country, and a democracy – without, well: the Earth.

Yes, the very large globe that we're sitting on right now. Many of you may be celebrating that today for Earth Day.

Throughout this election season, we've asked you what's sending you to the ballot box. So far, your responses suggest that climate- is your third most dominant concern after "Trump" and "Democracy."

For this installment of our weekly politics series, 'If You Can Keep It', we look at how each presumptive nominee for the 2024 presidential election is talking about climate and energy policy.

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As Donald Trump's trials continue over the course of the spring, Joe Biden is taking advantage of his rival's absence from the campaign trail.

A Boeing whistleblower made headlines this week, telling the Senate that the aircraft manufacturer is "putting out defective airplanes."

Meanwhile, Israel, with the help of the U.S., more or less successfully defended itself from a missile and drone attack launched by Iran after the former killed Iranian officials in an attack on an embassy in Syria.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, The BBC has now confirmed that more than 50,000 Russian troops have died in the conflict.

We cover the week's biggest headlines.

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According to the Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, at least 70 percent of firearms found in crime scenes in Mexico can be traced back to the neighbors to the north.

Some 250,000 people crossed the southern border into the U.S. in December of last year. The majority of those were people from Mexico.

And survey data pulled by Reuters from the Kino Border Initiative, a large migrant shelter in Nogales, Mexico, shows that violence, not economic factors, is forcing many families to leave Mexico.

We discuss what work is being done to stop the flow of guns into Mexico.

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Imagine you're at a dinner party and the conversation turns to the latest news. Everyone has a different opinion. People begin raising their voices.

You notice the person beside you isn't talking, they're just watching. They turn to you and make a joke and you immediately relax. You hadn't even realized how tense you were.

They then ask what you think about the news. When you respond, they're attentive. When they look at you, you feel seen. They ask you another question and another. Before you know it, an hour has passed, and the arguing has died down around you.

Your dinner party partner is what journalist Charles Duhigg calls a supercommunicator. In his new book, "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection," by the same name, he explores what makes conversations work and how we can all be better at them.

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We've never been here before. A former president is being tried in criminal court while he's running for reelection.

Donald Trump faces four separate indictments. And only one of them will go to trial before November. That's a case that got underway yesterday in a Manhattan courtroom with jury selection. Trump is charged with falsifying business documents ahead of the 2016 election to cover up payments he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

We discuss what the treatment of a former president reveal about our legal system more broadly, and what sets the case in New York apart.

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Almost two years ago, The Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs case, overturning Roe v. Wade and declaring that access to abortion is not protected in the United States Constitution.

A lot has happened in the time since then.

Nationwide, citizens are arguing in the courts, legislatures, and ballot boxes over whether abortion should be banned, and if so, under what circumstances.

For this week's installment of our weekly politics series, "If You Can Keep It," we take a closer look at abortion and politics.

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The Arizona Supreme Court handed down a landmark abortion ruling this week, invoking an 1864 law that forbids abortions except to save a mother's life, and punishes providers with prison time should they choose to facilitate the procedure.

In other judicial news, an appeals court judge has rejected former President Donald Trump's effort to delay his hush money trial as he appeals a gag order.

Also from the courts, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

In global news, Joe Biden has spoken out about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions in his campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Biden also spent time this week with Japanese officials, promising a new era of strategic coordination this week alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

And after eight years of deadlock, the European Union passed a new asylum and migration pact.

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What do you remember about being in your twenties? Maybe it was the best time of your life. Maybe it brought challenges that you had to learn to overcome as you entered adulthood.

And if you're in your twenties now, life probably looks a lot different for you than it did for your parents.

Meg Jay is a psychologist and author. In her new book, "The Twentysomething Treatment: A Revolutionary Remedy for an Uncertain Age," she explores the way our twenties set up the rest of our lives, and how the uncertainties that come with entering adulthood affect our brain.

We sit down with her to talk about growing up, becoming an adult, and how our twenties stay with us all our lives.

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We're hitting the open road.

There are an estimated 3.5 million freight drivers in the U.S., according to the American Trucking Association.

But some of those big rigs could soon be going driverless. Automated 18-wheelers are already hauling freight in Dallas.

What's being done to keep those of us sharing the road with these road-bots safe?

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Millions of people watched the NCAA women's basketball tournament over the past few weeks. The last three rounds of the tournament sold out and set viewership records, especially games involving the Iowa Hawkeyes and their star point guard, Caitlin Clark.

On Sunday, Iowa faced off against the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks in the most-watched basketball game on ESPN since 2019. South Carolina pulled ahead in the second half to win it all, 87-75.

We talk about how the women's March Madness tournament got so big this year and the role Clark and other star players, like Angel Reese of LSU, played in turning out an unprecedented audience.

What's next for women's basketball at the collegiate and professional levels after this year's burst of enthusiasm and viewership?

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With his several divorces, violent rhetoric, and long list of criminal charges, former President Donald Trump may not be your idea of a God-fearing Christian. But that hasn't stopped him from appealing to his Christian base.

Roughly 8 out of 10 white Evangelicals supported Trump in the 2016 general presidential election. And a recent Pew Research survey found that among religious groups, white Evangelical Protestants had a more positive opinion of Trump than any other group, whereas the majority of Jewish Americans, Black protestants, and atheists all had an unfavorable opinion of Trump.

Despite their outsized political power, the white Evangelical church is shrinking. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, about 14 percent of the population identifies as white and evangelical. That's compared 25 percent in the 1990s.

Today, we focus on white Evangelical Christians and the effect they will have on the 2024 election.

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Former President Donald Trump posted the $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud judgement thanks to some help from a supporter.

Democrat Tina Smith is pushing to repeal the 1873 Comstock Act because she says it could be "misused" by Supreme Court justices to try to ban abortion nationwide.

And the women's March Madness tournament is doing numbers. Monday night's game between Iowa and LSU boasted an audience of 12.3 million people, a record for women's college basketball game.

In global news, outrage is echoing through America and the world following an Israeli Defense Force attack on a convoy of World Central Kitchen workers providing aid to the people of Gaza. At least 7 workers died.

NATO is putting together a $108 billion fund to help Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's forces repel a Russian invasion at the country's eastern border.

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The port of Baltimore, one of the nation's busiest, remains partially shut down, more than a week after a giant cargo ship collided with the Key Bridge.

Last Tuesday, when the ship hit, eight construction workers were there that night making road repairs. Six workers were killed as a result of the collision.

What concerns remain about safety in the port? What impact will this have on the economy, locally, nationally, and abroad?

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This ain't Texas. It's 1A.

And today, our record club is listening to some Beyoncé. Her new album, "Cowboy Carter," clocks in at 27 tracks and a little over an hour.

The musical powerhouse plays a string of sounds rooted in country music. She even throws in her takes on some of the genre's classics. But Black artists have long pioneered the country genre.

We break down the sounds Beyoncé explores in her latest project and how Black artists have long been excluded from the genre.

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If you're just now planning travel for next week's total solar eclipse, you may be a little behind.

Hotels are booked up and campgrounds are sold out in and around towns in the eclipse's path of totality.

Nearly 4 million people are expected to make the trip to the viewing zone which stretches from Maine to Texas.

Local businesses are taking advantage of the extra foot traffic, from hosting watch parties to rolling out solar eclipse-themed menus.

How are cities and local businesses preparing for the spending boom? And what should you do to prepare if you plan on traveling to see the solar event?

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It's been about a week since NBC fired former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel just days after hiring her as a contributor.

The network drew a ton of backlash for the decision after it aired an interview with McDaniel done by Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, in which McDaniel openly criticized the Republican party and reversed course on some claims she made in the years after the 2020 election.

So why was she hired? And what does this politics-to-pundit pipeline say about the state of our democracy?

We examine the role of television networks that the media plays in our elections and governance.

We also take a look at the role social media plays in moderating what kind of political information makes its way to our screens.

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A container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore this week causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River. Now, officials have suspended the search for four missing construction workers who are presumed dead. The remains of two others were recovered.

The Supreme Court heard arguments this week in a case that could affect Americans' access to the abortion pill mifepristone.

In global news, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that "radical Islamists" were responsible for an attack on a concert venue in Moscow last Friday that killed at least 137 people and injured over 100 more.

Hamas is calling for the cessation of aid delivery by air, saying that people in Gaza and other areas to which Palestinians have fled are putting themselves in danger trying to get to packages that have fallen in hazardous places.

We cover the week's biggest headlines.

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Everything is bigger in America. The portions, the cars, and now, our water bottles.

Does it seem like everyone is carrying around a 30-ounce tumbler? The reusable water bottle industry is a multi-billion dollar business. But don't forget about plastics. The sales of single-use bottled water also continue to rise.

We discuss how much of the hype around water is marketing versus science for the latest installment of In Good Health.

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When it comes to explaining global politics and world events, few faces are more familiar to viewers than Fareed Zakaria's.

He hosts CNN's international affairs show, "GPS," which debuted in 2008. He's also a best-selling author and columnist for The Washington Post.

And now, he's gathered his insights covering and commenting on world events into a new book called "Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the present."

He highlights revolutions past to help us understand the revolutionary moment we're living in.

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Many people hear the term "psychedelics" and think of hippies, acid, and the music of the 1960s. But it may soon take on a whole different meaning for the U.S. military.

Last December, Congress passed legislation that included funding for clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy for active-duty service members. And just last month, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will also begin funding psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat veterans with PTSD and depression.

This comes at a time when suicide rates amongst active-duty service members are at an all-time high.

We dive into what psychedelic-assisted therapy is and the effect it could have on active-duty and veteran mental health.

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Shakira released her first new album in seven years, "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran."

The cross-genre, cross–culture singer's 12th album is expected to cover her most recent breakup and journey of self-discovery. She says that making the album was "an alchemical process" where "[her] tears transformed into diamonds."

We dive into the musical world that Shakira has built, including a career that's spanned multiple continents, languages, cultures, and audiences.

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This week in news, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has to come up with $454 million in under a week. The bond is part of a ruling handed down by a New York court that found that Trump, his son, and his organization conspired to inflate the value of their assets. Trump has indicated that he is unable to pay.

In news that seems somewhat overdue, the EPA has moved to ban the most common form of asbestos, which causes cancer and kills tens of thousands of Americans a year.

Meanwhile overseas, despite warnings from U.S. President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is renewing his vow to launch an attack on the city of Rafah, where many Palestinians fled for shelter from violence elsewhere in Gaza.

In expected news, Russian President Vladimir Putin won reelection to his position in another sham election.

And the U.S. is no longer one of the world's top-20 happiest countries according to the World Happiness Report, while Nordic countries, maintained their hold on the top spots.

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When you look up the word "intimate" in the dictionary, there are a few definitions. They include things like warmth, private, sex, personal, and familiarity.

Our "Ask A" series returns, this time to talk to intimacy coordinators about their work.

Parts of Hollywood production teams have practiced parts of the role for years. But the job itself is still in its youth.

We discuss what it takes to do this work and the impact it's had on workspaces so far.

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Some 170 million Americans use the social video app TikTok, according to the company.

And scrolling through it – you'll see everything from discussions about economics, and foreign policy to viral dance trends. Lawmakers are concerned that TikTok poses a national security threat because of who owns it – Beijing-based Bytedance.

Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher sponsored a bipartisan bill that overwhelmingly passed the house in a 352-65 vote. It calls for TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company in six months, or face a ban in the US.

President Joe Biden has said he would sign the bill into law, but it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

We discuss the future of TikTok in the US.

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What do LGBTQ+ youth in America need right now?

The death of Nex Benedict was ruled as a suicide by a medical examiner in Oklahoma. Hundreds of anti-Trans legislation has been proposed and passed by state legislatures since 2021.

According to a Washington Post analysis of FBI data, hate crimes at schools nationwide are on the rise. The steepest increases are in conservative states that have implemented bills restricting queer expression.

We discuss what LGBTQ+ students need to feel supported in the current hostile environment.

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A new congressional map drawn up in Alabama produced 19 candidates to choose from this primary season. That's something Alabama doesn't see often in its elections.

Today we're bringing you a conversation we had earlier this month in Birmingham, Alabama. We were back as part of our Remaking America collaboration with six partner stations across the country, including WBHM. Remaking America looks at the state of our democracy, and trust in our government.

We discuss the importance of competitive elections in a democracy, and how much power voters have.

We hear part of that conversation that we taped a few days after Alabama voted in the Super Tuesday primaries.

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Let's take a moment to focus on the stakes of the 2024 election: for the people, for the country and for our democracy.

New data analysis shows that Democratic support among Black, Latino and Asian American voters is the lowest it's been in over 60 years. That's according to polling data collected by Financial Times journalist John Burn-Murdoch.

According to a recent Gallup poll, this decline has largely happened in the past few years.

We discuss what losing a portion of important voting blocs means for Democrats and their political strategy.

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After months of discussion about his advanced age, President Joe Biden leaned into the issue of his health and mental acuity in his first ad of the general election.

A former Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, was found dead this week of apparent self-inflicted wounds.

His lawyers told CNN they saw no indication as to why Barnett would take his own life and were devastated at the news.

Meanwhile in Haiti, Haiti's prime minister has announced his resignation amid rampant gang violence, a major jailbreak, and a state of emergency.

And we get to the latest in Gaza, where aid from around the world is finally flowing in. The World Food Programme successfully delivered food for 25,000 people.

We discuss all this and more during this episode of the Friday News Roundup.

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It's a day at the races for 1A!

The popularity of F1 in the US skyrocketed after Liberty Media bought Formula 1 in 2017. Netflix's Drive to Survive helped boost interest in the sport (for both new and old fans) during the height of the pandemic. Netflix's series has remained popular ever since and is now in its sixth season.

But among all the glitz and glamor, F1 is not without controversies, which could make it a hard sell for American audiences.

We discuss where F1 fits in America's racing scene, and what it'll take for the US to full embrace the sport.

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Think back to your earliest video game memories.

As technology changes and video games become increasingly released only on digital, many of the titles you grew up on may be unplayable today.

87% of classic video games — those released before 2010 — are in danger of being lost to time. That's according to a study from the Video Game History Foundation.

In this edition of Game Mode, our series where we cover video games and the gaming industry, we'll talk about the efforts being made to preserve classic video games.

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Imagine you're at a dinner party and the conversation turns to the latest news. Everyone has a different opinion. People begin raising their voices.

You notice the person beside you isn't talking, they're just watching. They turn to you and make a joke and you immediately relax. You hadn't even realized how tense you were.

They then ask what you think about the news. When you respond, they're attentive. When they look at you, you feel seen. They ask you another question and another. Before you know it, an hour has passed, and the arguing has died down around you.

Your dinner party partner is what journalist Charles Duhigg calls a supercommunicator. In his new book, "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection," by the same name, he explores what makes conversations work and how we can all be better at them.

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Super Tuesday might be over, but election season is just ramping up.

President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump held dueling campaign rallies in Georgia over the weekend.

We continue our election series, "If You Can Keep It," and dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week. For this installment, we discuss the Georgia primary and check in with local election officials.

The state's elections have a sordid history with one of the candidates almost certainly set to stand come November.

We discuss what Georgia tell us about the general election and the state of our democracy more broadly.

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Muslims around the world are fasting for Ramadan. The holy month began in Gaza with ceasefire talks at a standstill, hunger worsening across the territory, and no end in sight to the Israel-Hamas war.

In the city of Rafah, war-weary Palestinians shopped at an open-air market to find whatever they could.

More than 31,100 people have been killed in Gaza since the war started on Oct. 7. That latest tally is from Gaza's health ministry. More than two-thirds of Palestinians killed in ongoing air strikes from Israel are women and children.

Where does the possibility of a ceasefire stand as Ramadan begins?

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It's that time of year again.

Time for Hollywood's finest to sport their finest as they head to the Oscars to find out which movies will be honored with cinema's highest achievement.

But how much does an Academy Award actually move the needle for the average movie goer? Does the bestowal of a statue put butts in seats in theaters?

How much do youcare about awards when you decide what to watch?

We discuss the impact and potential benefit of awards in the age of streaming.

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President Biden delivered his State of the Union address Thursday evening. It was fiery, but was it enough to convince voters that he deserves four more years?

Super Tuesday saw 16 states and one American territory report their primary results this week. As expected, President Biden and former President Donald Trump won big, setting up a rematch for the presidency come this November.

Meanwhile, authorities warn that famine in Gaza is imminent after Israeli attacks on aid trucks in areas where Palestinians have sought refuge.

The U.S. says it will build a port on the Gaza coast to bring more aid to starving Palestinians. In his State of the Union, President Biden's message to the Israeli government last night was direct.

Every month since June of 2023 has set some kind of record for high temperatures for that time of year. The surface of the world's oceans is at its hottest ever.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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A cyber attack on one of the biggest healthcare companies in the U.S. is disrupting pharmacies and hospitals throughout the country.

The company attacked, Change Healthcare, is owned by UnitedHealth Group, the biggest processor of medical claims in the nation.

The Department of Health and Human Services released a plan encouraging private health funding to the organizations hardest hit by the hack.

We discuss the attack and other healthcare news, including; rising drug prices, the latest on reproductive rights, and discuss the end of the federal free at-home Covid test program.

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Another Super Tuesday is in the books and the race to the White House is underway.

Millions of Americans finished primary voting yesterday across 16 states and one US territory – solidifying some of the matchups we'll be watching come November.

It's looking like a rematch – with former President Donald Trump taking on the incumbent president, Joe Biden.

Nikki Haley may have won Vermont's delegates, but after numerous defeats elsewhere, she's decided to bow out of the presidential race.

But what about other races on the ballot?

We discuss the latest – who's up, who's down – and break down the results. Later on, we e take a look at voting at the state and local levels.

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Everyday, we're being asked to trust in something. We trust that our jobs will pay us on time. We trust that our partners will come home in the evening. We trust that our apartment won't suddenly collapse on us, that our neighbors won't steal our mail, and that our kids will be safe at school.

But what happens when that trust is broken?

According to one 2013 study from the Journal of Couple and Family Psychology, 60 percent of couples cited a partner's unfaithfulness as the reason for their divorce.

Trust isn't just an issue in relationships. A 2022 Gallup poll found that Americans' trust in major institutions like the Supreme Court and Congress is at a historic low.

We discuss trust and why often it's so easy to lose in the first place.

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This week, we're broadcasting from one of the states holding their primary election today – Alabama.

Votes are also being cast across the country. After some uncertainty, we now know Donald Trump is eligible to appear on the ballot in all the remaining contests.

On Monday, all nine Supreme Court justices rejected a move by Colorado voters, who cited a provision of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, to bar the Republican frontrunner from appearing on the state's ballot.

We work through what that means for the election this year – and any future attempt to disqualify the former president.

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According to an October poll, only around 30 percent of Americans trust the media to report on news fairly.

It raises the question as we head into Super Tuesday and a long election year: How can the press responsibly cover the 2024 election?

Some news organizations have already committed to working differently this year. The Arizona Mirror announced last week that it's ditching "junk food" election coverage.

We discuss how media can best center voters and ignore the noise ahead of complex, and in many cases misleading, news cycles.

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Have you ever wondered what would change if you could rewind your life and redo one small moment? Brian Klaas, a professor of Global Politics at University College London, explores this theme in a new book called "Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters."

He argues that tiny, chance moments can change our individual lives, maybe even the course of history on a global scale. Klaas offers several examples of big events that could have gone down very differently had one small thing been slightly altered.

The 1997 Zambian coup attempt in Southern Africa was prevented – almost literally, by a thread. The U.S. bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki and killed hundreds of thousands of people in 1945. Kyoto, originally considered for targetting, was spared because a U.S. official had vacationed there with his wife 19 years earlier and asked President Harry Truman to spare it.

Klaas joins us to discuss why social scientists, and all of us, could benefit from acknowledging the world is chaotic and uncertain, and why in an interconnected world, everything we do matters.

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he will retire from his position on Capitol Hill in November. The GOP leader leaves behind a legacy of partisan gamesmanship, fundraising advocacy, and thwarted oversight.

Michigan sends a message. Could its primary shape US foreign policy between now and November?

Meanwhile, in Russia, thousands showed up to pay their respects to Alexei Navalny – despite the risk of arrest.

Gaza's Health Ministry says the number of people killed in the blockaded territory since October 7th has now surpassed 30,000.

We cover all the biggest news from around the world.

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"Ah, those were the good old days."

Who hasn't thought something like this before? These feelings of warmth and longing can be about a time in our personal lives or about an era in history. The feeling is called nostalgia.

Nostalgia is something we all experience, and according to psychologists, the past can help us make sense of the present and can even offer us tools for a more resilient future.

We discuss nostalgia; it's complications and how we can learn to use it for good.

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There was a chance that this week's Michigan primaries would be a pair of sleeper contests. A sitting president and a former president are running in both races. They've each already racked up wins in other states by large or overwhelming margins.

But Michigan has proven a bit more lively than expected. The media spotlight has been fixed on the perpetual swing state due to the still active, if lopsided, Republican primary.

And on the Democratic side, President Joe Biden swept another contest. But the details are what matter. There were concerns that a protest vote against the president would follow more than a month of real-life protests over his handling of Israel's war against Hamas.

We discuss what happened during Michigan primaries and the impact voters who want to make sure Biden heard their discontent.

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How has foreign policy changed since the presidency of Donald Trump?

For decades, the U.S. aimed to create a more interconnected and globalized international landscape that would lift all boats, creating a more democratic world and a safer United States.

But all of that changed in 2016. Donald Trump's presidency shook the very foundations of what the U.S. traditionally tried to achieve abroad. His administration pushed a populist agenda, strained alliances, and praised dictators.

How is the Biden administration taking on the challenge of repairing international relations?

We discuss that and the role that foreign policy will play in the upcoming presidential elections with Alexander Ward, a national security reporter for POLITICO and author of the new book "The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy After Trump."

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Local newsrooms are struggling to stay alive. Major outlets, including public radio stations, continue to lay-off journalists.

While some of those layoffs can be chalked up to the economic impact of the pandemic or private equity firms that buy and shut down newspapers – a lot of it is the online migration of advertising.

But what it means for you is fewer reliable sources to tell you what's going on and why. Americans in "news deserts" tend to rely on social media to get the latest on their communities and beyond. But relying on social media for information can be less than awesome.

We discuss what can be done to keep Americans looking for news about where they live informed — especially in an election year.

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This week the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos were children, establishing a legal precedent that will affect reproductive rights in the state.

The court argued that the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act "applies to all children, born and unborn, without limitation."

The Biden administration is weighing action to make it more difficult for migrants at the southern border to pass initial screenings for asylum and to make it easier for those who don't pass the screening to be deported.

In election news, the Biden election campaign continued to amass cash. The president raised $42 million during the month of January.

Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden's campaign manager, said the amount was "an indisputable show of strength to start the election year."

We cover all this and more during the news roundup.

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It's been nearly two years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

With Putin's forces making strategic gains in the eastern part of the country, there's increasing international pressure for the U.S. to step up its military aid.

America has provided more than $47 billion in support to Ukraine since the war began.

But a new package of aid is stalled in Congress. Last week, the Senate passed a foreign aid package that included $61 billion for Ukraine.

That was blocked by the Republican-controlled House which insisted it include a border security package. So what does that mean for the war going forward? And how do European allies view the need for American aid?

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Three Alabama couples stored frozen embryos at a fertility clinic in the state. A patient wandering around the clinic dropped the embryos, making them unusable.

On Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that the couples could sue for wrongful death in an unprecedented decision that means frozen embryos are now considered "children" in the state. The court argued that the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act "applies to all children, born and unborn, without limitation." What does this decision mean for reproductive rights beyond abortion?

Also: this week, emotions are running high at the United Nations Security Council.

"The veto of this draft resolution is not only regrettable... it is absolutely reckless and dangerous against shielding Israel even as it commits the most shocking crimes," said Riyad Mansour, Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations.

Those comments came after the United States vetoed an Arab-backed and widely supported U.N. resolution. It demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Where does this leave negotiations now?

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Twiddling your thumbs is often associated with wasting time. But feel shame about thumb-twiddling no longer. In a world of calendars and to-do lists, something has got to give.

We so often fear doing nothing, missing out, or getting behind. Our smartphones make it increasingly hard to disconnect from the attention economy.

But studies show there are benefits to dilly-dallying when it comes to your work and your health.

We'll discuss what it takes to reap the benefits of doing absolutely zilch on any given day.

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William Shakespeare once said that the eyes are the window to the soul. We make eye contact with others to show that we're listening, to connect, or simply as a way of saying, "I see you."

Cultures around the world have understood the power of eyes for centuries. If you travel to India, Chad, Japan, Iran, or just around the corner from your house, you'll probably see the same thing around the eyes of the people who live there: eyeliner.

In her new book, "Eyeliner: A Cultural History," Lebanese-British journalist Zahra Hankir explores beauty, power, identity, and resistance through the lens of the iconic cosmetic.

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It's been another busy week.

Closed-door hearings in the case of the classified documents former President Donald Trump kept at his Mar-a-Lago estate began this week. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon first met with Trump's team and the special counsel's prosecutors on Monday.

Meanwhile, America's political turmoil surrounding the 2024 presidential election is hot conversation at the Munich Security Conference. Former President Trump's remarks last week suggesting he wouldn't come to the aid of Europe in the event of a Russian invasion are causing concern among U.S, allies.

Israel attacked Rafah Sunday evening, killing many Palestinians who had fled to the city to seeking shelter.

And in South America, Guyana has accused Venezuela of violating international law in a dispute over a swath of oil-rich territory.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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The 2024 Super Bowl was the most watched television event in history with over 123 million viewers. Many eyes watching were trained on Taylor Swift as she made the journey from Tokyo to Las Vegas in a highly scrutinized flight on a private jet.

A total of 882 private planes flew into Las Vegas during and just before Super Bowl Sunday.

One report found the world's richest 10 percent make up for 50 percent of the global emissions through investments, personal consumptions, and other means.


Last week, Swift threatened legal action against a Florida student who's been tracking the jet travel of the rich and famous.

We talk about personal responsibility, climate change, the rules for the rich, and more.

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What's your love language? Acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch, gifts, or quality time?

The concept has been around since the early 1990s. Gary Chapman, a Baptist pastor, published a book in 1992 called, "The Five Love Languages: Secrets to Love That Lasts."

But new research is debunking the popular love languages theory. And there's little evidence linking it to happier partnerships.

For Valentine's Day, we speak with a researcher and relationship experts about what really makes for healthy relationships.

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The Declaration of Independence promises the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

At a time when the language and intent of the Constitution are under intense scrutiny, one legal scholar is particular is out to explore what the founders may have meant when they defined that last part as an inalienable right.

Nowadays, most of us think of happiness as something that results from the pursuit of pleasure. But writer and historian Jeffrey Rosen says the Founding Fathers had other ideas.

We talk to Rosen, the president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, about his latest book, "The Pursuit of Happiness," and what the founders had in mind for our country.

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Last week, Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan border bill that would send billions in wartime aid to Ukraine, Israel, and other nations.

The bill links the GOP requests for stricter immigration policy changes to Democrat requests for foreign aid. It unraveled last week in a surprise turn, but Senate Democrats still hope to push a plan forward.

We get into what's at stake for Ukraine without U.S. support and discuss how the southern border has become a leveraging tool for a divided Congress.

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In October 1989, a white man named Charles Stuart called 911 in distress, saying a Black man had shot him and his wife, Carol, in their car. Carol died from the wound and police cracked down hard on the predominantly-Black Boston neighborhood of Mission Hill, looking for the killer.

It turned out, Charles had committed the crime. He was seen jumping from a bridge not long after he became the police's main suspect.

The Boston Globe recently revisited the story in a series of articles and a podcast produced in association with HBO, "Murder in Boston: The untold story of the Charles and Carol Stuart shooting." An HBO docuseries about the story is also currently streaming on Max.

Their investigation revealed new findings about the case that stirred a media and police frenzy, as well as the subsequent backlash.

For this installment of Local Spotlight, we speak with the host of the podcast, who is also a longtime reporter on The Boston Globe's staff.

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The Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments this week concerning whether former President Donald Trump will be included on the Colorado primary ballot due to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of Hamas' proposed terms for a ceasefire means Egyptian, U.S., and Qatari negotiators are gearing up for another round of negotiations.

Ukraine is shaking up its military hierarchy despite having reportedly killed 890 Russian soldiers in in 24 hours this week. A U.S. deal to send aid to Ukraine fell through.

Former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera died in a helicopter crash this week, sending the country he led for two terms into mourning.

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A new show is poking fun at, well, us. Peacock's latest, "In the Know" is set in a public radio station. This includes nervous producers on the mic for pledge drives, and NPR's third most popular host, Lauren Caspian.

The host is played by Zach Woods, who is best known for his roles in "Silicon Valley" and "The Office." He's now making his directorial debut with "In the Know."

It's a stop animation show that includes live-action, unscripted interviews with celebrities like Roxanne Gay, Jonathan Van Ness, and Mike Tyson.

We sit down with creator and star Zach Woods to talk all about it.

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Many people hear the term "psychedelics" and think of hippies, acid, and the music of the 1960s. But it may soon take on a whole different meaning for the U.S. military.

Last December, Congress passed legislation that included funding for clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy for active-duty service members. And just last month, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will also begin funding psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat veterans with PTSD and depression.

This comes at a time when suicide rates amongst active-duty service members are at an all-time high.

We dive into what psychedelic-assisted therapy is and the effect it could have on active-duty and veteran mental health.

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It's American Heart Month.

When it comes to heart disease and heart attacks, women commonly face misdiagnoses and delays in receiving care.

These medical missteps mean women are twice as likely as men to die after having a heart attack. That's according to the European Society of Cardiology.

That's also one of many reasons the CDC says heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. New technological advancements are also helping women have more agency over their heart health.

We discuss how women can better understand the risk factors of heart disease.

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The U.S. and Britain launched a series of air and missile strikes against Iranian targets over the weekend.

The strikes were in retaliation for a drone strike that killed three American service members and wounded 40 others at a base in Jordan last Sunday.

The offensive comes at a time when foreign policy is beginning to become more relevant in the 2024 election. The Democratic primary in South Carolina took place this weekend, with President Joe Biden walking away with the win as expected.

We discuss foreign policy and its impacts on the election.

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This week, the House passed a bipartisan tax bill that expands the child tax credit and expands tax cuts for businesses. The bill, however, is expected to have to satisfy several demands from Senate Republicans before it makes it to President Joe Biden's desk.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a dire warning this week, claiming the Middle East is at its most volatile state since the Yom Kippur war between Israel and its neighbors in 1973. He's currently on a trip around the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, meeting with leaders to discuss tensions and relationships in the regions.

The director of the CIA also commented on the state of global conflicts. William Burns said Tuesday that cutting off U.S. aid to Ukraine would be a mistake of "historic proportions."

The FBI also got in on the action, with Director Christopher Wray revealing that Chinese hackers are getting ready to "wreak havoc and cause real-world harm" to U.S. citizens and institutions.

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The popularity of Dry January is part of a larger zero-proof movement here in the U.S. Non-alcoholic sales totaled half a billion dollars in sales as of July 2023.

One poll found that 21 percent of adults said they would be cutting back on drinking to begin 2024.

Restaurants and bars are offering more mocktails on their menus. Even brands like Guinness and White Claw are adding non-alcoholic options to their lineups.

During the first year of the pandemic, alcohol sales saw the largest increase in over 50 years. Is the zero-proof movement a backlash to the boozy pandemic?

We take a closer look at non-alcoholic brews and concoctions.

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In the United States, Kratom is sold in its concentrated form, oftentimes in potent capsules or liquid shots. Kratom is a tropical plant with leaves that contain a chemical compound with similar effects to opioids.

The Kratom industry is worth roughly $1.5 billion, but unregulated.

For this installment of our "Local Spotlight" series, we take a closer look at The Tampa Bay Times investigation into kratom in Florida. Reporters found that more than 580 died from a kratom-involved overdose in Florida the last decade. Most of those deaths involved other substances too, but 46 were due to kratom alone.

We discuss what we know about Kratom, its possibilities, dangers and why it's unregulated.

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Are parents criminally responsible if their child commits a mass shooting?

That's the question being debated in Oxford, Michigan, where a trial on parental responsibility after a tragic shooting is underway.

On Nov. 30, 2021, a 15-year-old student opened fire at Oxford High School in Michigan, killing four students and injuring seven others. The gunman received a life sentence last year. Now, his parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley, are facing involuntary manslaughter charges.

We discuss what accountability looks like when shootings involving minors occur.

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As the curtain falls on the New Hampshire primary, Democrats and Republicans are looking ahead to South Carolina and Super Tuesday.

And even though Nevada is next on the calendar, the nomination process there is looking unconventional for Republicans.

GOP frontrunner and former President Donald Trump is still facing 91 criminal charges across four different court cases. How are these cases affecting Trump's campaign and the overall GOP strategy?

We discuss what we should keep an eye out for during these primary races.

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The path to victory for GOP hopefuls not named Donald Trump is growing slimmer. The 45th president walked away winner of both the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire GOP primary.

The United Auto Workers union endorsed the campaign of President Joe Biden this week and the president and Vice President Kamala Harris held their first rally in Virginia.

Meanwhile, this week talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt remain underway for deal calling for a two-month pause in fighting.

Turkey's parliament voted this week to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO. Now, Hungary's government is the last hurdle the Sweden must clear to gain full membership to the bloc.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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If a loved one called you in a panic asking for help—maybe they just got arrested or kidnapped and needed money immediately. What would you do?

Here's the thing, the voice on the other end of the line might not be them. It could be AI.

Artificial Intelligence is now making it possible to clone someone's voice – and use it to trick family or friends. Scammers are taking advantage of the technology to con panicked loved ones out of hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars. AI is also being used to devise more realistic romance scams and AI generated videos, also known as deepfakes.

Washington has been watching. A bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced the No AI Fraud Act this month. The bill would protect Americans' likenesses and voices against AI-generated fakes.

We learn more about these scams and what people can do to protect themselves from falling victim.

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Think back to your earliest video game memories.

As technology changes and video games become increasingly released only on digital, many of the titles you grew up on may be unplayable today.

87% of classic video games — those released before 2010 — are in danger of being lost to time. That's according to a study from the Video Game History Foundation.

In this edition of Game Mode, our series where we cover video games and the gaming industry, we'll talk about the efforts being made to preserve classic video games.

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When you look up the word "intimate" in the dictionary, there are a few definitions. They include things like warmth, private, sex, personal, and familiarity.

Our "Ask A" series returns, this time to talk to intimacy coordinators about their work.

Parts of Hollywood production teams have practiced parts of the role for years. But the job itself is still in its youth.

We discuss what it takes to do this work and the impact it's had on workspaces so far.

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The Iowa caucuses are in the rearview mirror. Now, the GOP candidates have their sights set on the Granite State.

Former President Donald Trump, who has had a busy month in court facing 91 criminal felony charges, traded jabs with his opponents on the campaign trail in New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday's primary. Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race ahead of the South Carolina primary– where opponent Nikki Haley served six years as governor.

Meanwhile, Democrats in New Hampshire will also cast their ballots Tuesday, but President Biden will not be on it. Democrats in New Hampshire who want to cast their vote for Biden will have to write his name in.

We discuss what's at stake in New Hampshire for both parties.

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The Biden Administration asks the Supreme Court to intervene in Texas where National Guardsmen are preventing federal agents from accessing a swathe of land that's a popular crossing spot for migrants.

A stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded passed.

Meanwhile, Pakistan carried out deadly strikes against targets inside Iran, retaliating for attacks by Iran earlier this week that followed similar attacks in Iraq and Syria.

Israeli officials disagree over the way forward in Gaza.

And Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's vice president, and the candidate put forward by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, won the presidential election in Taiwan.

We discuss all this and more during the News Roundup.

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In the years since COVID-19 forced schools to move instruction online, we've seen a renewed effort to get kids back into the classroom.

Chronic absenteeism has doubled since before the pandemic. Now, more than 14 million kids are chronically absent, according to education advocacy nonprofit Attendance Works.

And this is happening as schools grapple with the lowest reading and math test scores in decades.

We discuss the trend and what it tells us about what's at stake if we don't get kids back to class.

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If it seems like everyone is sick – it might be the trifecta of viruses circulating the country.

Health officials say RSV, flu, and a new strain of COVID are leading to an uptick in respiratory illnesses in most states. And the Centers for Disease Control say JN.1, the latest COVID variant, is spreading quickly.

Meanwhile, research on long COVID is telling us more about how the virus can linger in the body as a chronic disease.

We discuss the new variant and what we're learning about long COVID.

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The stakes are high in Iowa, as voters head to the polls in record-breaking cold and snow.

It's the first contest in the Republican presidential primary. Donald Trump maintains a lead among GOP voters. And according to a new poll, Republican county chairs in Iowa feel the same.

We discuss what the results of the Iowa caucus tell us about the right's playing field this election season. We also take a look at what we've learned from the 2020 Democratic caucus.

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Caffeine is the most used psychoactive stimulant across the world.

According to the National Coffee Association, 60 percent of Americans drink coffee every day. That's more than any other beverage, including tap water. And 85 percent of people in the U.S. have one caffeinated beverage per day, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Coffee and tea aren't the only way to get a caffeine fix anymore. Synthetic caffeine sources are increasingly available through energy drinks and other supplements.

For this installment of our In Good Health series, we discuss the good, the bad, and the risky when it comes to our caffeine consumption.

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Former President Donald Trump warned of unrest and "bedlam" this week following a hearing in an appeals court over his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The former real estate mogul warned that if he were to be found guilty and lose the 2024 election, the potential for violence would skyrocket.

Following an incident on an Alaska Airlines flight, the federal government has grounded all Boeing 737-9 MAX jetliners. A door was ripped off the airplane, which the pilots returned safely to the ground.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in the Middle East. He said this week that the cost of the conflict between Israel and Hamas being paid by the civilians, especially the children, of Gaza is far too high and that Palestinians displaced from their homes must be allowed to return.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said this week that the country is "at war" with drug gangs in Guayaquil, the country's largest city, who are holding prison staff hostage and briefly captured a television station.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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Last May, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory addressing the epidemic of "loneliness and isolation."

The Surgeon General's advisory underscores the negative impacts that loneliness and isolation have on our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

One way to offset the negative impacts of loneliness and isolation can be simply saying hello to your neighbors, according to a 2023 Gallup poll.

It's a simple practice — taking as little as seconds to minutes of conversation to get a quick chat in.

For this installment of our "Listner Picks" series, we discuss how we can we be a good neighbor in a time of isolation.

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Last year, Endeavor, the parent company of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) purchased World Wrestling Entertainment, the largest professional wrestling company in the world, for $9.3 billion.

The sale is one indication of many of the continued prominence and popularity of professional wrestling.

The movie "The Iron Claw," starring an all-star cast of Zac Efron, Lily James, and Jeremy Allen White, opened in theaters in December. It tells the story of the Von Erich brothers, pro-wrestling stars from the 1980s.

For this installment of our "Listener Pick" series, we discuss the popularity of professional wrestling in America.

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2024 is the biggest global election year in history. More than 60 countries, representing half the world's population, will head to the polls.

And the people vying to be elected will use all manner of tactics to get a leg up on their competitors – including social media bots.

Across social media sites, it's estimated that there are billions of bots – which are partially or fully automated social profiles intended to be passed off as humans. These automated accounts are often used to drum up perceived support for political candidates, giving us a false sense of how popular they really are.

Social media companies, like Twitter, TikTok, and Meta have come under fire in recent years for not doing enough to stem the spread of disinformation and propaganda on their platforms from such bad actors.

Our panel of experts explains how bots warp reality and what we know about the dangerous forces behind them.

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The Supreme Court said it will hear a case to determine whether former President Donald Trump will appear on Colorado's primary ballot due to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

The original decision is based on language from the Fourteenth Amendment. Maine's secretary of state issued a similar decision. Trump appealed both rulings last week.

The court's decision to hear the appeal has major implications for the 2024 election and beyond. The former president also faces a slew of other legal challenges, including four criminal cases and multiple civil suits.

We discuss what this means for the country's democracy.

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Former President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court this week to overturn the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to keep him off the ballot for the 2024 election. He's also appealed a decision by Maine's top election official to do the same.

Meanwhile, South Africa has accused Israel of perpetrating a genocide in Gaza in the United Nation's highest court. The case will likely drag on for years as Israeli Defense Forces continue their military campaign against Hamas.

Several explosions close to the tomb of slain Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani killed hundreds of people during a ceremony marking the anniversary of his death. Islamic State has claimed responsibility. As tensions in the Middle East rise, analysts fear a widening regional conflict.

And ahead of elections in his country this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to intensify attacks against his military targets in Ukraine.

We discuss all this and more during the first News Roundup of 2024.

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It's been three years since a group of insurrectionists, emboldened by former President Donald Trump, attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

More than 1,069 people were arrested for their involvement in the attack and over 500 have been sentenced. But has justice really been served?

Trump is running for reelection this year. And despite being the first president in the history of the United States to face criminal charges, he has remained the top Republican candidate for the 2024 election.

As we approach the anniversary of one the most politically scandalous days in U.S. history, we reflect on the lessons learned.

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2024 will be a historic year for elections all around the world.

According to The Economist, 76 countries will be heading to the polls, that's more than half of the world's population. That of course includes the United States, as well as places like Brazil, Mexico, and the members of the E.U.

But not every election will be free and fair. Russia's authoritarian reign will likely not come to an end, but the stakes are high in Taiwan where the presidential election could set the tone for relations with China.

2024 will be a test of the state of democracy in the world today. We highlight some of the most consequential contests.

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While Shakespeare is long gone, but theater – and thus playwriting – is very much alive.

Theater, in contrast to television or film, offers a unique chance for audiences to come together and experience a one-of-a-kind production. Playwrights, in collaboration with actors, directors, and stage crew work, are chiefly responsible for bringing that magic to life.

For this installment of our "Ask A" series – where we talk to interesting people about what they do and why it matters – we speak to a group of playwrights about the power of storytelling on stage.

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Before we leave 2023 behind, we're looking back on the movies it gave us.

We got blockbuster moments like Barbenheimer, a showdown between two very different but highly anticipated movies releasing in theaters on the same day.

There were also moments of original content that might make you laugh like "Bottoms," and ones that might make you cry like "The Holdovers" or "Past Lives."

And the other historical moment: new contracts for the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild after historic months of striking. That pushed some other highly anticipated movies like "Dune: Part 2" and "Challengers" to 2024.

Before we look forward to them — we look back on 2023 with the 1A Movie Club.

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We're wrapping up the year in music.

It was a big year for boygenius, an indie supergroup made up of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. Their album "The Record" was nominated for album of the year. And they received five Grammy nods altogether.

Another first this year – the song "Ella Baila Sola" by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma became the first regional Mexican song to ever reach the top 10 of the U.S. Billboard charts after going viral on TikTok.

And what's old is new again. Tracy Chapman's 1988 hit "Fast Car" had a resurgence after a cover by country singer Luke Combs went platinum in July.

We'll discuss some of the biggest music stories, songs, and maybe some hits you missed, from the last year.

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By 2030, the Census Bureau estimates that the nation's population will consist of more adults over 65 than children.

As the youngest of the baby boomers enter their sixties, and younger adults are having children later in life, many Americans – from Gen Z to Gen X – are finding themselves sandwiched between taking care of elderly parents and young kids at the same time.

Today's 65-year-olds have a 70 percent likelihood of needing long-term care in the future, all while the supply of home health aides is dwindling.

Nursing homes are also increasingly costly and inaccessible for families of low and moderate incomes.

We discuss what it's like to balance caring for young kids and aging adults simultaneously and managing your money or time as a family caregiver.

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Everyday, we're being asked to trust in something. We trust that our jobs will pay us on time. We trust that our partners will come home in the evening. We trust that our apartment won't suddenly collapse on us, that our neighbors won't steal our mail, and that our kids will be safe at school.

But what happens when that trust is broken?

According to one 2013 study from the Journal of Couple and Family Psychology, 60 percent of couples cited a partner's unfaithfulness as the reason for their divorce.

Trust isn't just an issue in relationships. A 2022 Gallup poll found that Americans' trust in major institutions like the Supreme Court and Congress is at a historic low.

How can trust be repaired once it's broken? And why is often so easy to lose in the first place?

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Marcus du Sautoy is a mathematician who loves games, travel, and, unsurprisingly, math. His new book is titled "Around the World in 80 Games: A Mathematician Unlocks the Secrets of the Greatest Games."

In it, du Sautoy tours the world's games, exploring how they are built around (and can be won using) mathematics.

We discuss how math and games are interwoven worldwide, and learn the history of some of our favorite games.

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Christmas comes but once a year. But Christmas music? Well, that seems to come earlier and earlier each year.

Brenda Lee made headlines this month when her 1958 tune, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," made the Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the first time. That's 65 years after the original was recorded, proving some classics never go out of style.

But the world of Christmas songs isn't always good times and cheer. For decades, Christmas music in America reflected the country's mood – happy and not so happy.

Some can be right down sobering like Nat King Cole's version of "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot," while others stay forgotten under the tree.

We dive into the world of Christmas music, and discuss what makes a great Christmas song. We also revisit the documentary "Jingle Bell Rocks!" as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

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2023 was a big year in games.

"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" brought a new installment to a beloved series, six years after the last game. It broke sales records and became the best-selling Zelda game to date.

And it wasn't the only blockbuster game this year. Marvel's "Spider-man 2," "Final Fantasy 16," "Diablo 4," and "Super Mario Wonder" were released this year as well.

But at the 2023 Game Awards, the big winner was "Baldur's Gate 3" — scoring five awards, including game of the year.

We recap the year in video games and check in with Adam Smith, lead writer on "Baldur's Gate 3." Later we revisit our Legend of Zelda conversation from earlier this year.

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The Colorado Supreme Court disqualified former President Donald Trump from their primary ballot for the 2024 election this week.

Congress is in gridlock again over funding for the war in Ukraine. House Republicans held a bill passed by the Senate that would send money to Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy's troops hostage over immigration restrictions.

Meanwhile, a Hamas political chief was in Egypt this week for discussions with Israeli officials who proposed a pause of violence in exchange for around 40 hostages. Talks were reportedly less than fruitful.

Pope Francis cleared the way this week for Catholic priests to give blessings to same-sex couples, angering conservative officials in the Vatican.

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Complaints against U.S. airlines hit a record high in 2022. And it's not getting any better. Consumer complaints nearly doubled in the first three months of this year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

With only four major airlines in the U.S., there's little choice for consumers in the market. And with air travel expected to reach a record high this holiday season, many will be subjected to the worst of travel: long lines, high prices, and of course, awful airplane food.

But why does our time in flight have to be riddled with anguish? And what can be done to make the skies friendly again?

For that, we're turning to Ganesh Sitaraman, a professor at Vanderbilt University Law School and director of the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator. He's also out with the new book, "Why Flying is Miserable: And How to Fix It."

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Years ago, if you opened your kitchen drawer, you'd probably find a stack of takeout menus.

There's a good chance one of those menus would've been for a Chinese restaurant.

Despite the decline of these doorstep stuffers, Chinese food remains a popular dinnertime choice in the U.S. and around the world.

According to a 2023 Pew Research study, Chinese restaurants were found in every U.S. state and in 70 percent of all U.S. counties.

We discuss how Chinese food become so popular outside of China, and why the cuisine is so beloved and misunderstood.

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It's the holiday season which means bright lights and parties. It can also mean an unusually high credit card bill.

From gift giving, to travel, to that item you just had to buy for yourself, end-of-year spending is up. Black Friday shoppers spent a record $9.8 billion dollars online this year. Shoppers spent a record $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday.

But not everyone is putting cash upfront. Buy Now/Pay Later usage hit an all-time high in November, with an increase of over 42 percent from last year, according to Adobe Analytics. And half of Americans expect to take on debt to pay for the holidays, according to the personal finance company Achieve.

We discuss the best way to deal with the rush of holiday expenditures.

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Retail experts have long said that U.S. malls are dying out. But a recent market analysis paints a different picture.

According to a report from Coresight Research published in June, foot-traffic in top-tier malls was up 12 percent in 2022 compared to before the pandemic. Last year, these same malls had more than 95 percent occupancy rates.

Younger shoppers are in part driving this resurgence. Approximately 73 percent of Gen-Z shoppers said they visited a mall in the past month.

We discuss why malls are making a comeback and how they're keeping up with online shopping.

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For Irish comedian Dara Ó Briain life right now is just grand.

He's been involved in the comedy world since the late 90's.

His long list of TV shows and stand-up tours includes the BBC's "Mock the Week," which was on air for 17 years. But Ó Briain has been known to talk about a range of topics from science and history to the Irish experience.

His "So...Where Were We" tour, comes to the U.S. early next year. In this latest show, he talks about searching for his birth mother and more.

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