In one of Russia's most expansive attacks since the beginning of the war, several Ukraine cities were hit by explosions. Ukraine bureau chief for the Washington Post Isabelle Khurshudyan joins us. Then, one Native American inventor has built robots designed to teach Indigenous languages and culture to children who may not be exposed to it any other way. Danielle Boyer, the founder of the nonprofit The STEAM Connection who is making these robots, joins us. And, we revisit a conversation with Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich about her novel "The Sentence" about a haunting at a Native American bookstore in Minneapolis in 2020.

As midterm elections approach, absentee ballots are a source of contention in Wisconsin. The number of mail-in ballots skyrocketed during COVID-19 and some used that as a way to spread baseless claims of voter fraud and call for changes to the election process. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports. Then, human rights advocates in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus were awarded Nobel Peace Prizes. All three recipients oppose Russian and Belarusian state rule and Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine. NPR's Rob Schmitz joins us. And, we try to settle a staff-wide debate about whether brunch is just an over-hyped breakfast or truly the best meal of the weekend. Farha Ternikar, author of "Brunch: A History," joins us to talk about brunch's cultural significance.

Despite the claims of voter fraud propelled by former President Donald Trump that were wholly unfounded, widespread distrust in the election process lingers in Wisconsin. Here & Now's Chris Bentley reports from Green Bay about the election officials and poll workers trying to restore trust in the system. Then, underserved communities were disproportionately impacted by hurricane Ian, and many wonder how disaster relief will get to them. Former Tampa emergency manager and CEO of the Institute of Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, Chauncia Willis, joins us. And, OPEC+, or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, announced plans Wednesday to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. This comes amid security concerns around the Nord Stream pipeline. Andreas Eriksen, Norway's State Secretary for Petroleum and Energy, joins us.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC+ Alliance, is meeting Wednesday to consider a cut in oil production of up to 2 million barrels a day. Managing editor at S&P Global Platts Herman Wang joins us to talk about how this could be disastrous for gas prices. Then, Brookings Institution senior fellow John Hudak joins us to examine the importance of political debates and why lately, many candidates have opted not to participate in them. And, a new documentary "Singing Our Way To Freedom" celebrates the life and music of Ramon "Chunky" Sanchez. Director Paul Espinosa joins us to talk about the film.

The Supreme Court is hearing a case Tuesday that experts say could further erode the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. Yurij Rudensky, senior counsel at the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, joins us. Then, some residents in southwest Florida are seeking shelter at a local high school after Hurricane Ian flooded their homes. WUSF's Cathy Carter reports. And, Henry Louis Gates Jr. talks about a new PBS series focusing on the vast richness of Black life in American history called "Making Black America: Through the Grapevine."

Sanibel and Captiva Islands were hit with a barrage of tropical weather from Hurricane Ian. Maria Espinoza, the executive director of FISH, a nonprofit providing disaster assistance, joins us. Then, Florida's already-existing insurance crisis was worsened by the storm's damage. Florida State University associate professor Charles Nyce joins us to explain why state residents were paying some of the highest homeowners insurance rates in the country, even before the hurricane struck. And, the government's role in preserving the country's wetlands is at the center of a Supreme Court hearing on Monday. Dr. Bob Bond, who grew up going to Priest Lake — the site at the center of the case after a couple tried to fill in wetlands on their property to build a house — joins us.

Law professor Kimberly Wehle recaps what the House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 has revealed in recent months and what to look out for as it continues its investigation. Then, apartment rents dropped for the first time in two years in August. Roben Farzad of Public Radio's "Full Disclosure" talks about whether renters can expect this trend to continue. And, New York Magazine Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi explains why mainstream media should have paid more attention to the story of Hunter Biden's laptop and what she learned after viewing its supposed contents.

After Hurricane Ian rocked Sarasota County, Florida, the area is beginning recovery efforts. Jamie Carson, communications director for the county, joins us. Then, Sigourney Weaver joins us to discuss her new movie "The Good House," in which she plays Hildy Good, a woman trying to recover from alcoholism and care for her family and business. Plus, Black-led bike clubs carry on cyclist Major Taylor's legacy while carving out an inclusive space in Missouri's bicycling community. KCUR's Luke Martin reports.

Todd Dunn, a public information officer for Charlotte County, Florida talks about how the county is preparing for Hurricane Ian. And, three leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines that run under the Baltic Sea between Russia and Europe were most likely caused by explosions near the pipeline that happened almost simultaneously. NPR's Jackie Northam explains why European leaders say it's Russian sabotage. And, Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey talks about their new album "This Machine Still Kills Fascists," which sets previously unpublished Woody Guthrie songs to new music.

As Hurricane Ian bears down on Florida, residents in several counties are under an evacuation order. Hillsborough County Fire Chief Dennis Jones describes how local residents are preparing for the region's biggest hurricane in 101 years. Then, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business professor Jeremy Siegel explains why the Federal Reserve's policy of hiking interest rates could lead to a major recession. And, many credit Bill Monroe as the "father" of Bluegrass. But when you listen to his music, you hear echoes of the man who mentored Monroe — Arnold Shultz, the son of a formerly enslaved man in Ohio Country, Kentucky. Among those working to restore that legacy is Dr. Richard Brown, a dentist and acclaimed mandolin player.