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Early and absentee voting for the 2022 midterm elections is well underway.

President Joe Biden is making last-minute trips around the country to bolster Democrats candidates, talking to constituents about inflation and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's plans for Congress.

Meanwhile, Russian courts upheld WNBA star Brittney Griner's sentence for traveling with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. She's been sentenced to nine years in prison.

On Sunday's Brazilian voters go to the polls to vote in a face-off between incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, better known as Lula.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

Teenagers under 18 years old don't have a vote, but they do have a voice.

According to PEW research, Gen Z – those born between 1996 and 2012 — are the most racially diverse generation. They're also the first generation of so-called "digital natives" to grow up with smartphones.

These same young people can also be those most vulnerable to society's most pressing issues, like gun violence, poverty, sexual assault, and addiction.

We hear from high schoolers across Louisville, Kentucky and their concerns as we near the midterm elections. We also discuss the recent school shooting in St. Louis, Missouri.

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

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

The Darién Gap is a roadless stretch of treacherous jungle that connects Panama and Colombia. It is increasingly crowded with migrants who are risking their lives to make it to the United States.

"People will go to great extents to improve their lives or get away from danger. Even the greatest natural deterrents in the world won't stop them from seeking a better life," says Migration Policy Institute's Andrew Selee.

We discuss what it's like to trek through the Darien Gap and why so many more migrants choosing to make the perilous, week-long journey.

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Haiti is in crisis.

Violent gangs have grown in number and power over the last few years. Hospitals have closed their doors or reduced capacity during a cholera outbreak. And the costs of basic goods like food and gas have skyrocketed, at least half the country is facing acute hunger.

"Right now, [Jimmy Chérizier] is the most powerful gang leader that Haiti has ever known. He decided to block the place where 70 percent of fuel comes from and since then the country plunged into further problems," says journalist Widlore Mérancourt.

We discuss the situation in Haiti and how the country can move forward.

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Young voters had record turnout in 2020 and 2018.

With midterms just around the corner will they show up again in 2022?

We discuss young voters, what drives them to the polls and what first time voters should expect.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Millions of Americans are applying for student loan forgiveness this week as the online applications site goes live.

And coming to a quarter near you, the actress Anna Mae Wong makes history. The celebrated Hollywood icon will become the first Asian American featured on US currency.

Meanwhile, overseas, Britain's newest prime minister prepares for life as an old one. Liz Truss moves on from her role as Prime Minister of the UK after just 45 days in office.

In Ukraine, drone attacks leave millions in the dark. Russia's new military commander warns of 'difficult decisions' ahead as thousands leave a key city in the south.

And the United Nations warns that Haiti is on the verge of collapse.

We cover all this and more during this week's News Roundup.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Rising food and energy costs are hurting Americans' pockets, especially for those earning lower wages.

Wages haven't kept up with inflation. But low-income workers have seen some of the largest percent increases in pay since the pandemic.

But how long will those reported gains last? How do we fix a system that asks millions to work hard, but doesn't earn them enough to live on?

We partnered with WFPL in Louisville, Kentucky and talk to small business owners, consumers and workers impacted by inflation.

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

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Nearly five million American seniors across the U.S. are living below or at the poverty line.

The Social Security administration recently announced that benefits for the 2023 calendar year will increase by 8.7% to adjust for the surging cost of inflation. Medicaid premiums are set to decrease by a similar amount as well.

How much will that help?

We explore the challenges facing many older Americans.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Child poverty has dramatically decreased in the U.S. over the past 25 years. The now-defunct Child Tax Credit helped bring those numbers down even further by roughly 30 percent.

We discuss child poverty across the United States and what lessons can be learned from the decrease.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

In 2020, more than 37 million Americans lived in poverty according to new data from the U.S Census Bureau.

That number doesn't include those who are above the poverty line and struggling to make a living.

We discuss what it means to be poor and how people fall below the poverty line, and the difficulties associated with it. This is the first part of our discussion of poverty in America for our series "The Price of Poverty."

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.