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1A

Listening to the news can feel like a journey. But 1A guides you beyond the headlines – and cuts through the noise. Let's get to the heart of the story, together – on 1A.

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Episodes

The News Roundup For September 27, 2024

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted Thursday on at several federal criminal charges. Investigators have spent months looking into allegations of campaign finance violations and foreign influence in Adams' election. A new Senate report released this week revealed troubling details about the Secret Service's handling of security at the Pennsylvania rally where former President Donald Trump was shot. The document details "foreseeable, preventable" problems that have yet to be addressed. Isr...

Sep 27, 20241 hr 26 min

How Can We Change Work For The Better?

How do you start your work day? Sometimes there can be a lot to do, and a lot to keep in our heads all at once. Why has work turned into such a grind for so many Americans? What does overwork and stress from work do to us? And how can we change work for the better, no matter what career we're in? Author and journalist Brigid Schulte's new book, "Over Work" dives into America's obsession with working and how work culture affects our individual and a collective health. We sit down with Schulte and...

Sep 26, 202436 min

1A's Completely Normal And Not At All Uncomfortable Show On Awkwardness

Most of us have experienced awkward moments in our lives, whether it's stuttering in front of a crush or presenting an idea at a meeting that's met with crickets. But avoiding awkwardness can mean not having necessary conversations or missing out on meaningful connections that may have started with an awkward exchange. We discuss awkwardness and what we can learn from it if we embrace it. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? C...

Sep 25, 202434 min

Ask A Sushi Chef

When you're eating sushi, something's always in season. Sushi established itself in America in the 1960s and '70s in Los Angeles. Since the cuisine made inroads on the West Coast, it's gone national. You can find restaurants serving dishes like nigiri in every state and can find stripped-down versions of popular dishes in American drugstores sold alongside cheese and crackers. It's safe to say Americans are taken with sushi. But it's a genre of food with a long history and specific philosophy. H...

Sep 24, 202432 min

'If You Can Keep It': The Ins And Outs Of Campaign Donations

In this edition of If You Can Keep It, we're focusing on campaign donations – where those funds come from and where they go. New data from the Federal Election Commissions reveals how much the campaigns have raised and spent for the month of August. It was the first full month of fundraising for Vice President Kamala Harris since she became the Democratic nominee. How did she do? You might also be inundated with texts and emails from election campaigns asking for contributions. We discuss how th...

Sep 23, 202433 min

The News Roundup For September 20, 2024

Last Sunday saw yet another apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump's life at one of his golf courses in Florida. The Secret Service has come under renewed scrutiny. The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday after its September meeting that it has cut its main interest rate by half of a percent. It's the first cut to interest rates since the beginning of the pandemic in March 20-20. Meanwhile, two waves of deadly explosions involving pagers, walkie talkies, and other electr...

Sep 20, 20241 hr 23 min

How Does The Associated Press Call An Election?

How do some media organizations call an election before it's officially decided? Some have their own election analysts. Others, including NPR, rely on reporting from the Associated Press for breaking news from all around the country. Especially on election night. As votes roll in, the AP is regarded as the definitive source for when a state gets called in favor of one candidate or the other. It's how we find out who our next president is going to be. We take a closer look at the process and answ...

Sep 19, 202432 min

Highlights From The 2024 National Book Festival

Book festivals are special events where authors are celebrities and audiences are bookworms ready to nerd out among their our own. Every year, more than 100 of these festivals take place nationwide. And one of the largest is in the nation's capital, hosted by the world's biggest library: The Library of Congress. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden joins us to discuss highlights from this year's National Book Festival, in Washington D.C. We hear from some of the country's most prominent authors on...

Sep 18, 202425 min

ICYMI: Thousands Of Pagers Explode In Lebanon Near Simultaneously

Scenes of chaos struck in Beirut on Tuesday where authorities say that 9 people have been killed and thousands injured. That's after hundreds of handheld pagers exploded near simultaneously in parts of Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday. Among those wounded was Iran's ambassador to Lebanon. The pagers were used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah. In a statement released on Tuesday. Hezbollah said that two members of the Iran-backed group were among those killed. Hezbollah and the L...

Sep 18, 202412 min

The Rise Of Major Food Recalls

Delicatessen supplier Boar's Head is shutting down its Virginia plant indefinitely after being linked to a listeria outbreak which killed nine people and hospitalized 57. Some 7 million pounds of meat has been recalled. Two years before the outbreak, the USDA submitted reports indicating the Virginia plant posed an imminent threat to food safety. That report cited mold, rust, and insects, among other concerns. The deadly listeria outbreak comes amid a rise in food recalls. According to Public In...

Sep 17, 202436 min

ICYMI: Donald Trump Safe After A Second 'Attempted Assassination'

Former President Donald Trump is safe after what the FBI says was an "attempted assassination" while playing golf at a Trump property in Florida on. On Monday, the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was charged with federal gun crimes. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues. Officials say no motive has been determined at this time. The apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump – the second threat to his life in recent months – raises questions about how to ...

Sep 17, 202410 min

'If You Can Keep It': America's Many Ballot Measures

This November, voters in 41 states will consider 159 ballot measures. That's no more than usual. From 2010 to 2022, the average number in election years was 161. What is unusual is the number of abortion-related measures: 11, the most on record for a single year. Other consequential issues are up for consideration, too. Voters in multiple states will decide on non-citizen voting bans, electoral processes, and the minimum wage. We get an overview of ballot measures nationwide and the strategies o...

Sep 16, 202437 min

The News Roundup For September 13, 2024

Some 67 million people tuned in to watch Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump face off in their first and maybe only debate of this election season on Tuesday. On Wednesday, state and local officials across the country warned that issues with the U.S. postal service could result in disenfranchised voters this election. Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike on a U.N. school complex sheltering 1,200 displaced Palestinians killed six U.N. staffers at a refugee camp in Central Ga...

Sep 13, 20241 hr 24 min

The Local Impact Of Uncontested Elections

You've likely heard the saying "all politics is local." But here's the hitch. For many local offices, there's often just one candidate running in a race. Sometimes, nobody's running at all. In 2022, 67 percent of races went uncontested. That's according to the nonpartisan research organization BallotReady. That not only leaves voters with a lack of choice, but also raises questions about how and where we choose to live and who influences local policies. We discuss uncontested races and why they ...

Sep 12, 202432 min

Recapping The Presidential Debate

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took to the debate stage in Philadelphia last night. It was the first debate between the two presidential candidates this election cycle and it could be the last before November. And the stakes were high. According to the latest NPR-PBS Newshour-Marist poll, Harris leads Trump by one point among voters nationally. Thirty percent of voters polled said the debate would decide which candidate they vote for. We discuss the big takeaways ...

Sep 11, 202440 min

Using Offshore Wind To Slow Climate Change

It's NPR Climate Solutions Week. Across the network, we're talking about how to slow the effects of climate change. Offshore wind is a powerful source of clean, renewable energy. But it's deployment along U.S. shores has been slowed by supply chain challenges and significant local opposition. Just last week, the Biden Administration approved the nation's tenth offshore wind project. It's part of the president's goal to power 10 million American homes with offshore wind by the end of the decade. ...

Sep 10, 202436 min

'If You Can Keep It': The Role Of Abortion In The Election

A growing number of voters in swing states are saying that abortion could sway their decision in the election this November. But the presidency isn't the only place abortion is relevant on the ballot. At least 11 states—including Arizona, Montana, and Florida—are voting directly on the issue this fall. It's been two years since the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. For this installment of 'If You Can Keep It,' we discuss how the abortion rights landscape has changed and what...

Sep 09, 202434 min

The News Roundup For September 6, 2024

Officials last night in Georgia charged the father of the suspected Apalachee High gunman with two counts of second-degree murder. On Wednesday, his 14-year-old son was arrested and charged with four counts of felony murder after he allegedly killed two students and two teachers at his high school. Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Govs. Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo was charged this week with being an agent of the Chinese government. Meanwhile, overseas, Israel has been carrying out large-sc...

Sep 06, 20241 hr 22 min

How And Why The Humanitarian Crisis In Sudan Is Being Forgotten

It's one of the world's most serious current crises – and yet, this conflict is being deemed "forgotten." But it's certainly well known by the more than 25 million people in Sudan who are facing hunger and the 11 million who have been displaced from their homes. Since April of last year, conflict has raged between two Sudanese military groups, putting civilians in the middle of 500 days of violence and causing greater humanitarian crisis. One report predicts that more than 2.5 million people cou...

Sep 05, 202436 min

Housing Policy And The 2024 Presidential Campaign

If you've followed the past month of presidential politics – a month that might feel like a decade – you may have noticed a particular issue come up that hasn't gotten much attention from national campaigns in the past: housing. Both the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, and their vice-presidential picks, are talking about it on the stump. We discuss why housing is a central issue in the campaign and what the federal government can do to make renting or buying a home more afford...

Sep 04, 202436 min

Aspen Ideas Festival: The Crisis In Trust

In a time of widespread suspicion and cynicism, everyone has a role to play in strengthening social trust and building bridges. How can we create optimism about the present and the future? That big question was central to a conversation at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June. We discuss how individuals and organizations can work together to repair the fundamental bonds of a healthy society. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Co...

Sep 03, 202435 min

The Past, Present, And Future Of Our Favorite Bookstores

You're listening to a public radio show. There's a good chance you're into books and the stores that sell them. And what's not to love? There might be few greater joys in life than a warm drink, a kind clerk with good recs, and the scent of freshly printed pages wafting through the air. But in the age of the internet (and especially of Amazon) the future of the world's independent book sellers looks murky. But not hopeless. We discuss what the future holds for these brick and mortar institutions...

Sep 02, 202432 min

The News Roundup For August 30, 2024

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have wrapped a two-day campaign swing through Georgia. They also gave their first major TV interview. It's been an eventful week for Donald Trump. Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a revised criminal indictment against the real estate mogul this week. The former president's campaign is also under fire for breaking protocol at Arlington National Cemetery. Meanwhile, the Israeli military launched its most intense operation in the north of the Occupied West Bank since 2002...

Aug 30, 20241 hr 26 min

In Good Health: The Effect of Energy Drinks On Children And Adolescents

It's back to school season, which means America's students are back to studying. And some kids are turning to energy drinks to handle their workload. But energy drinks aren't the same as your morning cup of coffee. In one serving, there's way more caffeine and other ingredients to enhance the "energizing" effect. But that's nothing new. They've been around for years, with flashy branding and the promise of a quick jolt of activity. But they might not be the healthiest option for those of us whos...

Aug 30, 202433 min

ICYMI: Gaza, The Presidency, And The Uncommitted Movement

Ten months into Israel's war with Gaza, Vice President and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris is highlighting the White House's work towards a ceasefire deal. But negotiations have stalled. The most recent talks in Cairo, sponsored by the U.S., ended without an agreement. And as tensions escalate on the border between Israel and Lebanon, the path forward seems even more unclear. Organizers and uncommitted delegates at the Democratic National Convention protested for a ceasefire in Gaza, an arms ...

Aug 29, 202420 min

The 1A Paris Paralympics Preview

The Paralympic Games in Paris kick off today. Athletes with varying physical disabilities from 177 countries are heading to the city of light to compete in 22 different sports. NBC promises record coverage of the Paralympic Games, but it wasn't until the Tokyo Games when the Paralympics received prime time coverage. This summer's competition promises plenty of other firsts such as the largest refugee Paralympic team in history, a record number of women athletes, and more. We sit down with some P...

Aug 28, 202439 min

'Sugarcane' And The Dark History Of Indigenous Residential Schools

In May of 2021, archaeologists discovered over 200 unmarked graves at an Indigenous residential school in Canada. The discovery exposed the dark history of systemic abuse faced by Canada's Indigenous community. At least 150,000 Indigenous children attended Indigenous residential schools in Canada . For decades, they were removed from their homes and families and held in institutions run by the Catholic church and Canadian government. "Sugarcane" is a new documentary that follows one of those sch...

Aug 27, 202433 min

'If You Can Keep It': The Realities Of Ranked Choice Voting

Ranked choice voting is a way of electing candidates that's different from what most Americans are used to. As a voter, you get to rank your preferred candidates. So, you don't just choose one name. You may have a first, second, and third preference for who represents you. When voting is over, a process of elimination takes place. The lowest vote-getter in the first round is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to higher vote-getters, according to how voters ranked the other candidates....

Aug 26, 202432 min

The News Roundup For August 23, 2024

The Democratic Party gathered in Chicago this week for the party's national convention ahead of November's election to ceremonially confirm their nominee in the 2024 presidential race: Vice President Kamala Harris. Elsewhere and across the aisle, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the GOP vice presidential nominee, made an appearance in Wisconsin Tuesday, criticizing Democrats over crime in communities like Kenosha. Meanwhile, after further talks between mediators this week, a ceasefire agreement between Israe...

Aug 23, 20241 hr 23 min

Unpacking The Legacy Of Dr. Ruth

Dr. Ruth Westheimer was unassuming – a small woman with a friendly smile and an ever-present German accent. As she would say, she could be someone's mother or grandmother. But a grandmother who told you what you needed to know about sex. She died in July at the age of 96. She spent more than 50 of those years teaching America how to talk about sex, using straightforward medical terms and rejecting a sense of shame around the subject. We look at her legacy, and how she impacted the way Americans ...

Aug 22, 202433 min
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