1A

As the pandemic rages worldwide, opioid overdose deaths in the US rose, with deaths up 29 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. The 93,000 deaths are attributed to isolation, disruption of addiction services, and other consequences of the pandemic.

At the same time, a $26 billion settlement between states and some of the biggest manufacturers in the opioid industry is being finalized, but not everyone is on board.

We talk about how we got to where we are and the details of the biggest settlement since the tobacco agreement in 1998.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. birthrate fell by 4 percent in 2020 — hitting a record low. People are having fewer children than the 2.1 needed to maintain a steady population. That's been true for years across all domestic communities.

Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly why people want fewer children. Others are finding that even if they wanted more children, a rise in infertility that a lot harder.

Why is the birth rate in the U.S. right now so low? And if we can find ways to encourage people to have more children, should we?

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The Delta variant is ripping its way through the United States, where it now accounts for 83 percent of new U.S. Covid-19 cases.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected two Republican selections for the bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection. And a federal judge in Texas ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is unlawful and suspended new applicants to the program.

Meanwhile, as disasters strike around the world, calls for action on climate change intensify. Record-breaking floods have left dozens dead in China, at least 197 dead in Germany and Belgium, and roughly 4,000 displaced in Nigeria.

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

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Extreme weather has dominated headlines for most of 2021. Fires, floods, droughts, and record-shattering heatwaves have swept over the U.S. and the world.

The United States has already spent $29 billion fighting extreme weather events in the first six months of the year. That number is expected to only go up.

Both climate scientists and disaster researchers say the growing frequency of climate-related disasters shouldn't shock anybody. And there's still a lot we can do to prepare and adapt... if we're willing to actually do any of it.

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In early 2021, the CEO of the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, Aziz Hasan, announced that the company will be piloting a four-day work week in 2022. The schedule consists of 32 working hours per week rather than 40.

But a growing number of companies have already successfully moved to a four-day week and the pandemic has accelerated the movement.

But is a four-day work week possible for every type of workplace? What would it take for the idea to really catch on? We discuss all that and more.

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Jeff Bezos successfully completed Blue Origins' first ride to the edge of space. It's a clear milestone in the Amazon founder's long-held desire to reach the final frontier. It's just about a week after British billionaire Richard Branson did the same.

But for those without billions, a trip aboard these kinds of flights could break the bank. Regardless, these companies are hoping these flights might kickstart interest in the space tourism industry for the future.

Is space tourism something we terrestrials are interested in? And even if we are, should we be? We get to all that and more.

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In early 2021, Congress voted to temporarily expand the child tax credit, opting to send monthly payments to more families. The first payments rolled out last week.

Families received between $250 to $300 per child, depending on that child's age. Some estimates say that money could cut child poverty in half if they can reach every family eligible.

How does that tax credit change raising a family in America? And what does the future of the program look like? We discuss all this and more.

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Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, and Ron Wyden drafted legislation this week to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. Laws permitting either medical or recreational marijuana use have become increasingly common at the state level in recent years.

In COVID-19 news; Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, and Louisiana are the U.S. states to see the greatest increase in new cases of COVID in the last 14 days. The delta variant of the virus continues its spread through the country, especially in communities where vaccination rates are low.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, at least 212 people were killed this week as the country grapples with the worst political violence since the era of apartheid. Protesters began to mobilize following the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma. Now, the government has deployed some 25,000 troops to quell riots and looting.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed the United States for encouraging the country's protests this week. He's also admitted his government mishandled the distribution of food, power, and medicine.

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

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It's been 60 years since the birth control pill hit the market in the U.S.

The pill transformed lives, but when it comes to contraceptive options, it's no longer the end-all, be-all. Scientists continue to have breakthroughs, including in the development of male birth control options.

What contraceptive options will the next 60 years bring us?

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It's been 60 years since the birth control pill became available on the market. Since then, the array of contraceptive options available to the public has grown substantially (the shot, the patch, and IUDs).

But with more options come more questions about what's right for you.

And even with all the options available today, access is still an issue for many. Efforts to maintain access in some states are ongoing across the country.

We answer your questions about birth control and talk about the barriers to access today.

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