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It's clear that baseless allegations about the mechanics of elections are still circulating, and they're powerful enough to shape events — and keep affecting our elections.

A bevy of other partisan-led efforts, including court cases and state-level legislation, are shifting election policy ahead of 2024.

We discuss how states will continue to ensure free and fair elections.

This conversation is part of our Remaking America collaboration with six public radio stations around the country, including WBHM. Remaking America is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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Donald Trump has become the first president – former or current – charged with criminal activity.

In a 34-count felony indictment, prosecutors allege that Trump conspired to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election through hush money payments to two women who said they had sexual encounters with him. The charges stem from an investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

The former president has called the indictment "political persecution" and pled not guilty to all counts.

We go over the charges, answer your questions, and talk about what happens next.

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Republicans in state legislatures across the U.S. have found their focus for the 2023 legislative session: drag.

But drag has been around for a long, long time.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed one of these drag-restricting bills into law on March 3. But a federal judge blocked the law from taking effect on April 1.

The law would prohibit people in Tennessee from being in drag in public places or where it could be seen by people under the age of 18. It defines drag as "adult cabaret."

Other states like Texas have more than one bill on the legislative floor that would ban drag.

We discuss these bills, the response to them, and whether or not they violate free speech.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed the planned overhaul of the country's judicial system, but his people are still taking to the streets in protest.

The government's plans to weaken Israel's supreme court have been subject to months-long demonstrations and general strikes. Most recently, walkouts across several industries closed Israel's schools and airports for a day.

The move to suspend the legislation comes after Netanyahu fired Israel's head defense official, Yoav Gallant, for advocating against the legislation.

Now, Netanyahu's party is in talks with the opposition, with hopes of reaching a compromise.

With the clocking ticking for a resolution, we look at the country's national security and foreign relations hanging in the balance We discuss what Netanyahu plans to do next.

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A shooter entered and attacked an elementary school in Nashville this week, killing three children and three adults. President Joe Biden said he could do no more on his own to address gun violence and asked Congress to act. Republicans signaled there was little more they were willing to do to address the issue.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has, for the moment, backed down from proposed reforms to his country's Supreme Court. His citizens, however, are still taking to the streets in protest.

A fire claimed the lives of at least 38 people in an immigration detention center in the Mexican city of Juarez.

The president of Ghana has intervened in his parliament's efforts to pass an aggressively anti-LGBTQ bill, saying that "substantial elements" of the bill have been changed. The move comes as Vice President Kamala Harris visits the country.

We cover these stories and more during the News Roundup.

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Experts have repeatedly said that the world has to stop burning fossil fuels if we want to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

The latest United Nations climate report reminded us just how soon that needs to happen. The U.S. should cut two-thirds of fossil fuels in the next decade.

When it comes to carbon-free energy, many people think of renewables like solar or wind. But there's also the nuclear option. Nuclear currently accounts for 20 percent of our electricity production, according to the Energy Information Administration.

We discuss where nuclear energy fits into a carbon-free future and how safe the nuclear power we already have is.

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On May 11, the United States will end the public health emergency declaration over COVID-19.

As the emergency phase of the pandemic winds down, so too have infection rates. But the CDC still links about 2,000 deaths a week to COVID. And the end of COVID's emergency status will mean big changes in how Americans receive COVID care, including access to tests and vaccines.

In this edition of our series Vaccination Nation, we talk about what it means for a pandemic to end, and how these changes will impact you and your family.

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For some Americans, the dream of ownership is becoming less of a reality.

A new report from the National Association of Realtors shows the rate of first-time homebuyers is at its lowest point since the organization began tracking the data in 1981. Also, the race and gender gap in homeownership is widening.

The pandemic helped skyrocket home prices. And as the number of available homes remains slim, affordability continues to be an issue.

We discuss the market and what it'll take for homeownership to become possible for most Americans again.

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Last week, the government announced plans to completely overhaul the organ transplant system in America. This includes breaking up The United Network for Sharing Organs (UNOS)'s multi-decade monopoly.

For those who need an organ transplant, the process is far from easy. On average, 17 people die each day awaiting transplants. More than 100,000 people are currently on the transplant waiting list according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. UNOS has been criticized for exacerbating the organ shortage. An investigation by the Senate Finance Committee released last year found that the organization lost, discarded, and failed to collect thousands of life-saving organs each year.

We discuss the government's plan for overhaul and what it means for those whose lives are on the line.

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More than 40 million Americans receive federal SNAP benefits.

Congress boosted these benefits during the pandemic. But the public health emergency is ending on May 11, along with the SNAP boosts.

Just as these cuts end, Congress is debating the future of SNAP. Republican lawmakers are calling for stricter work requirements, while Democrats say current funding levels are nowhere near adequate.

We discuss how food-insecure Americans, and the food banks that help them, are making do.

This show was part of 1A's Remaking America collaboration with six partner stations around the country. Remaking America is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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