1A

Some political historians believe the roots of our presidential nomination process and much of the polarization in our politics can be traced to a presidential campaign 50 years ago.

In 1972, Democratic Sen. George McGovern made a run for the presidency. Despite having little experience on Capitol Hill, McGovern secured the Democratic nomination.

The podcast "Of the People" takes a deeper look inside the 1972 Presidential campaign. It examines how party realignment and the changes to our primary system continue to impact our politics today.

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In honor of Valentine's Day, we're taking on two love-centered topics.

First we'll explore how a 'broken heart' is more than just a figure of speech and the science behind heartache.

And later on, for this month's installment of the Writers' Room—our series where we talk to writers about their craft—we get romantic and talk about what it takes to write a great love story.

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After 25 years on the air, PBS Kids' "Arthur" is ending.

But don't worry. We'll find out what the characters are like all grown up in the show's finale, which airs at the end of the month.

We talk with the creators and voices of "Arthur" — and hear your stories about connecting to the show.

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Despite state after state easing masking restrictions in both indoor and outdoor spaces, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to recommend using masks in indoor settings.

The Republican National Committee censured two of its Congresspeople this week for participating in the inquiry into the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol. Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois were accused of participating in the persecution of Americans participating in "legitimate political discourse."

Meanwhile, as estimates of the number of Russian troops stationed at the country's border with Ukraine grow, the Russian military is undertaking training exercises in the Black Sea and Belarus, stoking fears that an attack may be imminent.

Protests against the COVID-19 vaccine in Canada have reached a fever pitch, causing Ford, Honda, and Toyota to halt production of their cars in some of their Canadian plants. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the demonstrations have to stop.

We cover all this and more during the News Roundup.

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For-profit faith apps are rising in popularity and the tech industry is on board.

The popularity of the apps was buoyed by the pandemic. Religious services moved online and people sought out new ways to engage with their faith from home. But that shift has also raised questions about user privacy.

Members of religious minorities have particular reason to be wary of surveillance and breaches of privacy online.

What privacy expectation should there be for faith-based apps? And how does the movement of religious experiences into the virtual world align with spirituality?

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Rental rates across the country are increasing, and when it comes to whose rent is rising fastest Austin, Texas, is on top. According to Redfin's rental market tracker, Austin's rental rates for new leases rose 40 percent over the last year.

According to online apartment rental site Zumper, average rent increased 12 percent in 2021 and is now at an all-time high. Why are they rising now? And what can tenants, landlords, and policymakers do about it?

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Joe Rogan and Spotify came under fire again last week.

In response to the aftermath of an interview Rogan did with a doctor that spread falsehoods and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine, Spotify's CEO Daniel Ek wrote that he doesn't want to "take on the position of being content censor."

However, over the weekend, the company removed some 70 episodes where Rogan used racist language. Despite this, the company is standing its ground to keep its $100 million dollar contract with the comedian in tact.

Where does Spotify draw the line on content moderation? And how much longer can it claim to remain neutral?

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For parents with young children, the anxiety induced by the pandemic has been compounded by the stress that accompanies school closures and childcare shortages.

Additionally, children under 5 are the last demographic in the U.S. unable to get vaccinated against COVID-19. However, that might change soon as Pfizer and its partners at BioNTech are filing a submission for emergency use of its vaccine to the Food and Drug Administration for a regimen for children under 5.

We talk about the challenges that come with vaccinating children. And we examine the psychological toll the pandemic has taken on parents with young kids.

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Now entering its 20th year, ABC's popular franchise, "The Bachelor", is one of the longest running and most popular programs on the air.

But, despite the show's long history on the air, its track record in terms of representation and diversity is less than stellar. In 2012, the show even faced a class action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination.

It wasn't until 2017 that the show finally cast its first Black lead. Rachel Lindsay became not only the show's first Black bachelorette, but one of its biggest critics as the show continued to be plagued by missteps concerning race.

We talk to Rachel about her experience in reality television and her new book of essays, "Miss Me With That: Hot Takes, Helpful Tidbits, And A Few Hard Truths."

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The situation at the border between Ukraine and Russia continues to develop. U.S. troops were sent to Poland and Romania as peace talks between Russia, the U.S., and other NATO member nations stalled.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is submitting a request to the FDA asking for emergency authorization for use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children under the age of 5.

Meanwhile, Russia and the U.S. continue to send supplies to forces positioned around the Russian border with Ukraine.

The U.S. has sent 500 tons of defensive equipment to the region so far. Russia has sent stores of blood to the border.

The diplomacy surrounding the potential Russia/Ukraine conflict has been fraught. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the U.S. of trying to goad his country into conflict.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Moscow this week. He returned from his trip calling Russian demands of NATO reasonable and sanctions pointless.

We get into all this and more during 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.