Dorothy Hastings

The U.S. and other parts of the world are in the midst of another COVID-19 wave. Infections and hospitalizations are on the rise this winter and a new variant is responsible for most of those cases. John Yang discussed these current trends and if the approach to the virus needs to change with Dr. Eric Topol.

Chronic absenteeism is a problem for school districts and students and the situation has grown significantly worse since the pandemic. Nearly 30 percent of students were chronically absent during the 2021-2022 school year, missing at least 10 percent of school days. Communities Correspondent Gabrielle Hays joined Geoff Bennett to discuss how schools in Missouri are struggling with it.

President Biden on Friday announced another $5 billion in student loan forgiveness for 74,000 borrowers. It’s the latest batch of student debt cancellations after the Supreme Court struck down his larger forgiveness plan last year. John Yang reports on Biden's efforts and speaks with Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, who covers the economics of higher education for The Washington Post, to learn more.

A trial in Michigan is seeking to answer a difficult question: can parents be held responsible when their child commits a mass shooting? In this particular case, the teenage shooter has already been convicted. But as William Brangham reports, officials are also seeking to prosecute his parents in a case that could break new legal ground.

Alcohol remains one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S. Every year, more people die of alcohol-related causes than drug overdoses. While states have focused their attention on fighting the opioid epidemic, the problems with alcohol have largely been overlooked. William Brangham discussed how this is affecting Colorado with Denver Post reporter Meg Wingerter.

In a landmark 2015 settlement, the National Football League promised to compensate former players who developed dementia and other brain diseases tied to concussions. The NFL has since awarded $1.2 billion to more than 1,600 athletes. But The Washington Post found the league saved hundreds of millions of dollars by rejecting payouts. Will Hobson, who reported the story, joined Amna Nawaz for more.

The number of Americans getting health insurance through the Affordable Care Act has hit a record high with more than 21 million people signed up through the marketplaces. As it has in the past, the law known as Obamacare is becoming an election issue. We hear from people who currently get insurance through ACA and William Brangham discusses what’s at stake with Sabrina Corlette.

A long legal battle ended Thursday when a jury found that two conservative writers defamed the prominent climate scientist Michael Mann. William Brangham looks at what this verdict means and speaks with another renowned scientist who’s also endured this kind of vitriol, Dr. Peter Hotez.

A shooting outside of Minneapolis over the weekend is putting the spotlight once again on domestic violence. Two police officers and a paramedic responding to a domestic-abuse call were killed. Rachel Louise Snyder, who covers domestic violence and is author of the memoir, “Women We Buried, Women We Burned,” joins William Brangham to discuss how the incident fits into a broader national picture.

A new investigation looks at the disturbing world of so-called "kidfluencers" and the moms who run their accounts. One in three preteens say being an influencer is a career goal, but the reality poses serious risks to underage girls. Stephanie Sy discussed those concerns with New York Times reporter Michael Keller.