The United Nations released a major report on climate change yesterday, offering perhaps the most comprehensive understanding of how the planet is heating. Experts are urging industrialized nations to slash greenhouse gasses roughly in half by 2030. French President Emmanuel Macron survived two no confidence votes in parliament on Monday, all but ensuring that the French retirement age will be raised. This comes amid widespread protests led by labor unions across the country who want the policy ...
Mar 21, 2023•21 min
Former President Donald Trump said he expects to be arrested tomorrow in connection with the yearslong investigation into a hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump called on his supporters to protest in opposition. Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Journalist and author Spencer Ackerman, who’s known for his work as a national security correspondent during the Iraq war, joins us to look back on his reporting and how its impact is still fel...
Mar 20, 2023•23 min
Eleven of the largest U.S. lenders agreed to deposit $30 billion into First Republic Bank in an effort to rescue it. The move was also meant to stop the ongoing panic in the financial world, following the failure of three smaller banks this past week. Starting next Tuesday, tens of thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District service workers plan to walk off the job for three days. Members of the district’s teacher’s union are also joining the strike in solidarity, shutting down schools acro...
Mar 17, 2023•20 min
A federal judge in Texas held a hearing on Wednesday in a case that could block access to the widely-used abortion medication mifepristone — and suggested he may side with the anti-abortion advocates who want the drug taken off the market. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels met with New York prosecutors, who are investigating the hush money payments she received on behalf of former president Donald Trump in 2016. She agreed to be a witness and provide additional information about her affair with ...
Mar 16, 2023•19 min
The Pentagon says two Russian fighter jets hit an American surveillance drone over the Black Sea, forcing it to crash into international water. It’s the first known instance of the two countries making contact since the invasion of Ukraine, which U.S. officials warned could lead to a dangerous escalation. North Carolina’s state Supreme Court is rehearing a gerrymandering case that could have major impacts on future elections. The court’s new Republican majority seems ready to reverse an earlier ...
Mar 15, 2023•19 min
Following the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the federal government has taken drastic action to protect the financial system, and to make the bank's depositors whole. Business and tech journalist Jo Ling Kent joins us to discuss the backlash from both sides of the political aisle about the intervention — and whether or not it was technically a “bailout.” And in headlines: Donald Trump’s one-time lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen testified before a New York grand jury investigating the form...
Mar 14, 2023•18 min
Silicon Valley Bank abruptly shut down on Friday, in what was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history. The bank serviced many startups and other tech companies, and the federal government is now taking steps to protect its deposits, and stop a potential financial crisis. The 95th Academy Awards were held Sunday night, though the ceremony has been criticized over its lack of diversity. April Reign, the creator of the #OscarsSoWhite movement, joins us to discuss whether the conversations i...
Mar 13, 2023•24 min
President Biden unveiled his $6.8 trillion budget plan for the 2024 fiscal year. The plan would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade while shoring up Medicare, bolstering military spending, and raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans. A third Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama, just hours before the company’s CEO testified before Congress about the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio last month. And in headlines: Russia launched its largest airstrike in weeks into Ukraine,...
Mar 10, 2023•22 min
A fresh round of public anger is growing in Iran, and the focus is now on a series of suspected school poisonings, which may be targeting girls and young women. Suzanne Kianpour, a foreign affairs correspondent for BBC News, explains why Iranians fear it could be “retaliation” for the women-led protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. And in headlines: Israeli military forces killed at least six Palestinians during a raid in the occupied West Bank, the Justice Department found widespread racist a...
Mar 09, 2023•16 min
Five women who were denied abortions have filed a lawsuit against Texas over the state’s near-total abortion ban. It’s the first time that pregnant patients who are affected by such laws are taking legal action. Florida Republicans have introduced bills that would further restrict abortion in the state, including one that would prohibit the procedure before most people even know they’re pregnant. If passed, the measures could also jeopardize abortion access across the South. And in headlines: tw...
Mar 08, 2023•21 min
Florida’s 2023 legislative session begins today. Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled state legislature are expected to push Governor Ron DeSantis’s conservative agenda, ahead of his widely-expected 2024 presidential bid. Police in Atlanta, Georgia charged 23 people with domestic terrorism this week for allegedly attacking police during a protest against “Cop City” — a proposed $90 million police training center in a wooded area near a predominantly Black neighborhood. And in headlines: Israel...
Mar 07, 2023•19 min
A second Norfolk Southern train derailed in Ohio over the weekend, just over a month after the crash in East Palestine. Local hazmat teams verified that toxins were involved in this latest accident, though it’s raising more questions about rail safety and regulations. President Biden visited Selma, Alabama to mark the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Biden renewed his promise to protect voting rights, which he said was "under assault" by...
Mar 06, 2023•20 min
The House Ethics Committee is officially investigating New York Rep. George Santos over whether he broke campaign finance laws. He’s also facing scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct from a prospective staffer. Lawmakers are sounding the alarm over TikTok, with some members of Congress calling for a total ban of the video-sharing app in the U.S. TikTok has been under scrutiny for its data privacy practices, and because its parent company is based in China. And in headlines: Tennessee Go...
Mar 03, 2023•22 min
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid on Tuesday, becoming the first one-term mayor of the city in 40 years. Lightfoot failed to capture enough votes to make it to the April 4th runoff, in a campaign marked by growing concerns over crime. Drug maker Eli Lilly announced that it would cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin it makes to $35, bringing relief for the millions of Americans who rely on it to treat diabetes. Vernessa Shih, the story bank director for the U.S. Surgeon Gener...
Mar 02, 2023•21 min
The Supreme Court heard arguments over President Biden’s plan to cancel more than $400 billion in federal student loans, and whether his administration has the authority to do so. We cover the two cases challenging the loan relief program, and how the court's conservative majority responded. And in headlines: a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey, California ended its statewide coronavirus emergency order, and President Biden announced that he will nominate Julie Su to be the next Se...
Mar 01, 2023•17 min
The Biden administration has promised new measures to crack down on child labor. It follows a recent investigation by the New York Times, which found that many migrant children are being forced to work in dangerous, labor-intensive jobs. Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee said he will sign House Bill 9, a measure that would ban public drag performances in the state. The law would be the first in the country specifically targeting drag, and comes amid an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation...
Feb 28, 2023•22 min
Abortion rights advocates are bracing for a ruling in a case that could revoke the FDA’s decades-old approval of mifepristone — the most common and effective drug used for medication abortions. Dr. Kristyn Brandi, chair of the advocacy group Physicians for Reproductive Health, tells us how the decision could impact access to reproductive care nationwide. And in headlines: at least 59 migrants have died after their boat sank off southern Italy, Israeli and Palestinian officials met in Jordan over...
Feb 27, 2023•20 min
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Rolling Stone correspondent Jack Crosbie joins us from Kyiv to reflect on his time covering the conflict. We also check in with Julia Knyupa, a Ukrainian refugee who fled the country on the first day of the invasion, about how her life has changed. And in headlines: federal safety investigators said there was little warning before the Ohio train derailment, R&B singer R. Kelly received more prison time for child sex abuse, and...
Feb 24, 2023•24 min
Wes Moore made history this year when he was sworn in as Maryland’s first Black governor. He joins us to discuss his vision for his home state — and his improbable journey to its highest office. And in headlines: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were reportedly subpoenaed by the special counsel investigating the insurrection, Norfolk Southern plans to spend $7.5 billion to buy back its own shares, and National Public Radio announced it will cut 10% of its workforce. Show Notes: What A Day – Honori...
Feb 23, 2023•20 min
President Biden reaffirmed his support for Ukraine during a fiery speech in Poland on Tuesday. His address followed his clandestine trip to Kyiv – and hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow will suspend its participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the U.S. Wisconsin voters headed to the polls for the state’s Supreme Court primary — a nonpartisan race that will nevertheless decide the court's ideological majority. Shaniqua McClendon, Crooked...
Feb 22, 2023•24 min
Fisk University made history in January when it became the first historically Black college to launch a women's gymnastics program. Head coach Corrinne Tarver tells us about her journey from being the first Black gymnast to win an all-around NCAA title, to training the next generation of trailblazers. Fisk University made history in January when it became the first historically Black college to launch a women's gymnastics program. Head coach Corrinne Tarver tells us about her journey from being ...
Feb 21, 2023•14 min
Days after three objects were shot down over North American air space, President Biden confirmed they were not linked to Chinese spy activity – and they were taken down out of an abundance of caution. A report from the special grand jury investigating alleged election interference by former President Donald Trump and his allies was partially made public. It found no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, and concluded that "one or more" witnesses who testified may have committe...
Feb 17, 2023•21 min
It’s been nearly two weeks since a freight train derailed outside of East Palestine, Ohio and the controlled burn of toxic chemicals it was carrying. Though officials say the area is now safe, some residents are afraid to return home, amid worrying signs that toxins may be lingering in the surrounding environment. The CDC says teenage girls in the U.S. are “engulfed” in record-high levels of depression, violence, and trauma. According to a new report, early 3 in 5 said they persistently feel sad...
Feb 16, 2023•22 min
A shooting at Michigan State University Monday night left at least three students dead and five others critically injured. It came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida school shooting, and has, once again, renewed calls for Congress to take on gun control reform. California Senator Dianne Feinstein announced that she will not seek re-election in 2024. As the oldest sitting member of the Senate, Feinstein’s pioneering political career spanned decades – though some have que...
Feb 15, 2023•19 min
For years, transgender activists and journalists have criticized the New York Times and other mainstream news organizations for their inadequate – and harmful – coverage of trans issues. Some of that reporting and opinion writing is now being cited in anti-trans state legislation across the country. Journalist Katelyn Burns, co-host of the Cancel Me, Daddy podcast, breaks down how it has a direct impact on trans livelihoods. And in headlines: tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated against bi...
Feb 14, 2023•24 min
After the U.S. military downed a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean last week, three more “unidentified aerial objects'' have been shot down in North American airspace since Friday. While we don’t yet know what they were – or where they’re from – lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say they want answers from the Biden administration about its response. And in headlines: the death toll from the Turkey-Syria earthquake reached over 33,000 people, the EPA said a major railway could be lia...
Feb 13, 2023•19 min
It's Super Bowl Sunday! We're pleased to present the latest episode of America Dissected, tackling America's love of what can be a dangerous (and sometimes deadly) sport just in time for the big game. Host Dr. Abdul El-Sayed reflects on his complicated relationship with football, then interviews Garrett Bush, sports commentator and former college football player, who recently went viral over a rant about the sport. Listen and subscribe to America Dissected wherever you get your podcasts...
Feb 12, 2023•59 min
The death toll from the earthquakes that have devastated Turkey and Syria passed 21,000 people on Thursday, with many more injured and without shelter. Dr. Houssam al-Nahhas, a Middle East and North Africa researcher at Physicians for Human Rights, tells us about the difficulties of getting relief to people in both countries. And in headlines: federal officials disclosed more information about the Chinese spy balloon that crossed the U.S. last week, an evacuation order was lifted near the scene ...
Feb 10, 2023•20 min
Despite some combative moments from Republican lawmakers, Tuesday's State of the Union address was meant to deliver a message of unity to a divided Congress. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to What A Day co-host Juanita Tolliver about some of President Biden's bipartisan wins – and his challenge to Congress to "finish the job." And in headlines: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid a surprise visit to the U.K., Disney announced a massive restructuring plan that will cut 7,000 jobs wor...
Feb 09, 2023•21 min
President Biden delivered the annual State of the Union address Tuesday night, speaking to a divided government amid some swipes and heckling from far-right Republicans. Jon Favreau, co-host of Crooked’s Pod Save America, joins us to unpack the president’s message — and his agenda for the year ahead. And in headlines: the death toll from the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria rose to over 7,700 people, transgender rights activists occupied Oklahoma’s State Capitol to protest attacks on gend...
Feb 08, 2023•18 min
