Month: February 2022

America’s child care system is in crisis. Experts say it’s a failed business model. Parents can’t afford it, and yet, daycare providers are some of the lowest paid workers in the country. The problem is an old one – but there’s new energy in the debate over solutions. In part, because of the proposed funding for childcare outlined in President Biden’s signature Build Back Better legislation, currently facing roadblocks. But also because the pandemic highlighted how broken the system is.

Brenda Hawkins operates a small home-based daycare in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. She’s been taking care of kids for 24 years, but the pandemic brought new uncertainty and stress. She was able to keep her doors open, but works longer hours, without increased pay, to keep her kids healthy and safe. She has never considered leaving the business, but understands why child care workers are quitting in droves.

Elliot Haspel, author of Crawling Behind: America’s Childcare Crisis and How to Fix It, outlines how the system broke down these past few years and the ways the US could fix it.

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Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court fulfills a promise President Biden made while running for office: to nominate the first Black woman for the highest court. Critics said he was prioritizing identity over qualifications, but many have praised Jackson for being well equipped for what could be a historic appointment.

Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean of the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, wrote a book about the first Black woman to ever become a federal judge, Constance Baker Motley. She explains how that, and much more, paved the way for this nomination.

And NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg reports on Jackson’s career and her path to the president’s top pick.

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Russia has launched an all-out, unprovoked invasion into Ukraine, the largest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II. There have been missile strikes throughout the country, including in the capital city, Kyiv. President Biden said this escalation means even more economic sanctions against Russia, but reiterated that U.S. forces won’t fight the battle in Ukraine.

NPR Correspondent Eleanor Beardsley is covering the invasion from within Ukraine. And Democratic Senator from Virginia and Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Mark Warner tells NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about what the the U.S. and its allies might do next.

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As winter begins to fade, COVID-19 maps are changing colors from those ominous dark shades to a more hopeful outlook. Infections are down dramatically in the past few weeks and death and hospitalization rates are dropping too. But there’s also reason for caution.

NPR correspondent Rob Stein reports on a new version of the Omicron variant referred to as BA.2. It’s been the dominant strain in some countries and it’s showing up in the U.S. too.

And NPR correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff discusses whether a fourth booster dose of vaccine may be in our future.

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On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing two breakaway republics in Eastern Ukraine and sent troops to the region. On Tuesday, President Biden called the move “the beginning of a Russian invasion” and announced a new set of sanctions.

While Russia’s actions reverberate throughout the world, no area has more at stake than Eastern Ukraine. That’s where NPR correspondent Eleanor Beardsley has been reporting.

And despite the escalation this week, U.S. diplomats are hoping to keep Russia at the bargaining table. But as Yale history professor Timothy Snyder explains, a sarcastic tone from Russian officials makes talks difficult.

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The U.S. is becoming more geographically polarized. Red zip codes are getting redder and blue zip codes are getting bluer. And this is because people are purposefully moving to places that reflect their views. Which is a trend that comes with consequences.

NPR correspondent John Burnett spoke with some Texan transplants about how their politics impacted their choice of community.

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During the Super Bowl, clever ads from cryptocurrency companies urged a mainstream audience of 101 million viewers to buy now or regret it later. But besides high-minded rhetoric, what exactly were these ads selling? And why are some critics warning against investing?

To understand the arguments for and against investing in cryptocurrency, you have to get a bit technical. YouTuber, Dan Olson helps us understand these digital currencies, how they function, what you can buy with them and the ideology behind the tech.

We’ll hear why Chinese dissident artist, Badiucao, thinks NFT’s – non-fungible tokens – are the new frontier for political art. And critics explain why the crypto craze may be a market bubble and a scam.

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Three weeks ago, semi trucks flooded the streets of Canada’s capital city. Drivers were protesting a vaccine mandate at the U.S. border. But since then, the demonstration in Ottawa has evolved to be about much more and is spreading to other cities throughout the world.

NPR correspondents Shannon Bond and Odette Youseff have been following this story and explain how the movement began and what has kept it going.

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Just under three dozen of China’s athletes competing at the Olympics this year were born in other countries. Most famously, ski prodigy Eileen Gu, who has dozens of brand sponsorships and is praised on Chinese social media. That’s in contrast to skater Zhu Yi, who has been called a “disgrace” after she fell during her short program. And the rhetoric appears on both sides. Some U.S. commentators have criticized Gu for her decision to compete for China.

Jules Boykoff is a political science professor at Pacific University and studies the politics of sports. He explains how politics play out in the Olympics. Amy Qin is a China correspondent for the New York Times. Her article on the subject is “The Olympians Caught Up in the U.S.-China Rivalry.”

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Despite reports that Russia may have withdrawn some troops from the Ukraine border, NATO says there’s no evidence of de-escalation and forces remain ready to attack. But it’s not just the border that is at risk.

NPR correspondent Frank Langfitt reports on hybrid war tactics like cyberattacks that Russia can, and may already be using to spark unrest in Ukraine.

And Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner about how the crisis feels in his country.

In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.

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