1A

Throughout this episode, we discuss suicide which may be distressing to some listeners and may not be suitable for young listeners. If you or anyone you know needs to talk to someone, you can call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Millions of people enter jail in the U.S. every year. Carceral centers have become a revolving door for those with mental health issues or substance-abuse disorders.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that inmates are entitled to life-saving medical care, but that isn't quite guaranteed.

Jail deaths rose 11 percent since 2000 when the U.S. Department of Justice began tallying these deaths. Suicides are the leading cause of jail deaths. Fatal drug overdoses are the fastest growing cause of death.

We look at why jail can be so harmful. And we talk about what mental health and substance abuse resources are available to inmates.

This show is part of 1A's "Remaking America" project. We begin the program by looking at a string of recent jail deaths in Louisville, Kentucky, with help from our partner station WFPL.

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When President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, he allocated $80 billion for the Internal Revenue Service.

The IRS says the money will help close the yearly deficit of $600 billion between the taxes the IRS collects and the taxes owed.

The agency plans to spend the money on hiring new enforcement agents, modernizing technology, auditing the wealthiest Americans, and improving the taxpayer experience. But the plan has attracted partisan pushback.

We discuss the obstacles the IRS has historically faced. We also talk about how far the new money will go to help the agency.

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California's state senate passed a bill last week that could revolutionize the west coast and U.S. fast-food industry. The bill aims to create a council that would set wages and working conditions for the industry.

According to a study by UCLA and UC-Berkley, nearly two-thirds of fast-food workers in Los Angeles said they'd experienced wage theft. Nearly half experienced injuries or faced health and safety hazards on the job.

This legislation would be the first of its kind in the country.

We discuss the bill and what impacts it could have on the fast-food industry and across the U.S.

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More than a century ago, physicist Albert Einstein predicted the existence of black holes—points in space where gravity is so powerful nothing, not even light, can escape their pull.

Since then, black holes have become fixtures in science fiction. They're potent symbols of mystery in part because we know so little about them.

But a lot has changed in the past decade. We now understand more about these cosmic phenomena than ever before, including what they sound like.

We speak to the scientist who led the project to capture the sound and two astrophysicists to better understand black holes—points where the laws of physics don't apply.

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The fallout from the FBI investigation into what classified documents former President Donald Trump kept at Mar-a-Lago continues to unfold. A Department of Justice court filing says classified documents were likely "moved and hidden." That filing also noted that FBI agents found twice as many documents as had been initially turned over by Trump.

The FDA authorized additional Pfizer and Moderna booster shots. The approvals have many Americans wondering how many booster shots citizens will need to be safe, and what the next wave of COVID vaccines will look like.

Meanwhile, Asian countries are feeling the effects of climate change. Flooding in south Pakistan has claimed the lives of at least 1,191 people. China is trying to stay cool amid its longest heat wave on record.

In Russia-related news, the European Union suspended a visa program with Russia, but hasn't banned Russian visas altogether. Former USSR politician Mikhail Gorbachev died at the age of 91.

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

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Elections officials across the country are reporting an increase in poll watchers and poll observers in the lead up to the midterms. But what happens when those keeping an eye on the democratic process are trained by groups promoting election disinformation?

A survey of elections directors in North Carolina found violations in 15 counties. Officials there observed poll watchers harassing voters and attempting to enter restricted areas to view confidential voting records, according to the Associated Press.

We speak with elections officials about the role of observers at voting sites, and who's watching the poll watchers as they show up at polling places.

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.

Bruce Springsteen built his reputation on being a man of the people. That's part of why some of his fans were especially aghast at the ticket prices for his upcoming tour. Some cost upwards of thousands of dollars each.

Many popular artists take advantage of a pricing system used by live events company Ticketmaster that sets prices based on demand. The more people waiting in line for tickets, the higher the prices go. But many fans aren't happy with the ballooning costs.

Live Nation, Ticketmaster's parent company, owns concert venues, promotes tours, and sells tickets. Some say that leaves little room for competition, hurting fans, artists, and the industry at large.

We discuss Live Nation as a monopoly, who it hurts, and what's being done to address the lack of competition.

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The Department of Education estimates that 45 million Americans have borrowed $1.6 trillion dollars in debt.

Tens of millions of those borrowers are getting a break. President Joe Biden announced a plan last week to forgive some student loans.

The plan will do more for some than it will for others. A breakdown of who holds the most student debt shows a clear disparity in how much of the financial burden has fallen on women and people of color.

As higher education has become essential for upward social mobility, student loan debt has slowed that trajectory for many people of color.

We discuss which parts of Biden's plan will benefit those who have taken on the most financial burden. We also discuss how less student debt can increase economic opportunities for people of color.

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This year's midterm election spending is set to break records.

Super PACs and other groups have dropped over $53 million in Democratic House primaries so far, according to OpenSecrets. In the 2018 and 2020 elections, that number was closer to $30 million.

We talk about these megadonors and how much influence they have on policy decisions. We also look at a report from The New York Times about a little-known conservative nonprofit and the $1.6 billion donation they received to distribute to campaigns and causes.

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President Joe Biden unveiled a plan to forgive some student debt and change the repayment structure for some loans this week. Americans making under $125,000 can receive $10,000 in forgiveness, while Pell grants recipients can receive $20,000. The plan also caps interest at 5 percent and sets a 20-year maximum repayment schedule.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is stepping down from his post as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases this December. He will also leave his role as chief medical advisor to President Biden.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden announced an additional $3 billion in military aid to Ukraine as it continues to fight back against Russian invaders. The conflict has raged for six months.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin was the subject of a sexist "scandal" after footage of her partying with friends at a private residence began circulating on social media.

We cover the stories that made headlines around the world on the international portion of the 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.