The Daily Dive

Top U.S. military leaders were testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee and took aim at actions by both Presidents Trump and Biden when it came to Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the deal Trump made with the Taliban had a demoralizing effect on Afghan soldiers. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that he thought we should keep at least 2,500 troops there to maintain stability, despite Biden denying his advisors told him so. Daniel Flatley, Congressional Reporter at Bloomberg News, fills us in on what to know.

Next, could a DNA test help you have a better drug experience? There is an emerging industry making at-home testing kits that look at different genetic traits that could help people understand how they will react to cannabis or psychedelic drugs and find the right dose. Companies that are looking into alternative therapies for depression, pain, PTSD and other ailments are trying to make sure you don’t have a bad trip. Tiffany Kary, consumer reporter at Bloomberg News, joins us for more.

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Police officers are continuing to resist vaccinations even as we see more mandates for public employees and as it becomes the number one killer for officers with gunfire coming in second. Cops are lagging behind the general public they serve and for many of the same reasons we hear in other sectors…not wanting to be forced and skepticism over safety. Policy unions are calling for more exemptions or weekly testing. Zusha Elinson, national reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Next, R&B singer R. Kelly has been found guilty on all counts in his sex-trafficking and racketeering trial. The prosecution called on 45 witnesses to make their case that he was a sexual predator that abused young women and underage girls for more than two decades. The defense tried to say that his victims were just groupies who tried to exploit him. Sentencing will come on May 4th. Lou Shapiro, criminal defense attorney and legal analyst, joins us for what to know.

Finally, the pandemic has amplified the social anxiety that some young people are experiencing, and it was intensified by the isolation many underwent. They aren’t necessarily scared about catching Covid, but just have the intense fear of being watched and judged. Eduardo Medina, reporter at the NY Times, joins us for post pandemic social anxiety.

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The Biden administration has been bogged down with some stumbles recently in Afghanistan, immigration out of control in Del Rio, Texas, and the fate of the massive spending bill still unclear. Analysts say that Biden badly needs a win and the passage of his domestic plan could be the last thing possible before the midterm elections. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this and the fight over lifting the debt limit.

Next, the liquor shortage caused by the pandemic still continues in some states and they are having to resort to rationing liquor supplies to keep up. As with many other industries, problems at every step of the supply chain are affecting liquor stocks. Some producers are having a hard time sourcing glass bottles, the cost of importing liquor is high, and there is a shortage of truck drivers hampering delivery. Joe Hernandez, reporter at NPR, joins us for why some states are still short on liquor.

Finally, the future of retail could feature live-stream-shopping. Ntwrk, is a shopping app that functions sort of like a QVC for hyped up streetwear. It offers up a digital shopping experience where clothing makers and customizers can talk about their products through live broadcasts and shoppers can buy directly from the app. The app also has some big investors behind it such as Drake, Live Nation, and Foot Locker. Jacob Gallagher, On Trend columnist at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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Good news for home buyers! The crazy housing market cooled down last month, albeit by some very modest numbers. Still, it’s an improvement for many buyers that have struggled and been outbid. Average number of offers per house have gone down, less inspection and appraisal contingencies are being waived, and we are seeing more price cuts. Nicole Friedman, U.S. housing reporter at the WSJ, joins us for why some prices have eased.

Next, there has been a huge hack of internet company Epik. They have long been the last hope of websites belonging to groups like the Proud Boys, QAnon conspiracy theorists, and others known for extreme posts. The hacker group Anonymous dumped tons of private data including names and other identifying data and extremism researchers say it will allow them to gain new insight into how they operate online. Drew Harwell, tech reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

Finally, you’re not crazy… you are spending more time in that fast food drive-thru and they are also a little less accurate. A new study done with mystery shoppers found we are spending about a minute more in these lines than we were last year. When it comes to accuracy, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell top the list. Amelia Lucas, restaurant reporter at CNBC.com, joins us for what to know.

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All of the available vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective against serious illness and hospitalization, but is there one that stands out above the rest? A series of studies have found that the Moderna vaccine may provide the most protection when it comes to antibodies and hospitalization. Part of it may be that the vaccine delivers a larger dose that Pfizer. Apoorva Mandavilli, reporter at the NY Times, joins us for why Moderna has the edge.

Next, schools have not been spared in the labor shortage going on in the country. There is an urgent need for more substitute teachers and cafeteria workers, but school bus drivers are also sorely needed in districts all over the country. School districts have resorted to offering signing bonuses and even paying parents to drive their own kids to school. Reid Wilson, correspondent at The Hill, joins us for the bus driver shortage.

Finally, Amazon is continuing its plans to expand beyond the online marketplace. They are planning on brick and mortar department stores where they can sell their own apparel brands with high tech dressing rooms. Apparel is seen as a big winner for the company who has over 100 private label brands and just surpassed Walmart as the country’s largest seller of clothing. Sebastian Herrera, technology reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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It didn’t take much time for the first test to come through on the Texas abortion law. A San Antonio physician named Alan Braid, recently wrote an op-ed admitting that he performed an abortion despite the new law. What came next were actually two lawsuits against him with neither of the plaintiffs having a particular objection to the abortion, but rather looking to challenge the law. Elizabeth Findell, Texas reporter for the WSJ, joins us for why they are suing.

Next, immigration at the southern border continues to be a problem with the latest epicenter in Del Rio, Texas as thousands of Haitian immigrants have set up a makeshift camp under a bridge as they wait to be processed by Border Patrol. In the meantime, the Biden admiration is getting heat from both Republicans and Democrats for the worsening situation. Sabrina Rodriguez, national political correspondent at Politico, joins us for more on the latest immigration crisis.

Finally, as commercial companies have taken over most of the flight to low Earth orbit, NASA is reorganizing to put a new focus on deep space. With plans to reach the moon and Mars, NASA is looking toward the development of new tools like habitats and rovers, to new propulsion systems. Christian Davenport, space reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for how NASA is looking to deep space for its long-term goals.

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The story of Gabby Petitio has been getting national attention and had some new developments in the last few days. On Sunday, the FBI found a body that resembles Petito’s description and on Monday they searched the family home of her fiancé Brian Laundrie who has gone missing. Many questions still remain and Laundrie has yet to be named an official suspect. Hannah Knowles, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for more.

Next, starting in November, the U.S. will ease restrictions for international travelers who are vaccinated against Covid-19. The will have to show proof of vaccination and a negative test within three days of departure. There are also new rules for unvaccinated U.S. citizens who will need to have a negative test one day before departure and another test after returning. Leslie Josephs, airline reporter at CNBC, joins us for the latest travel changes.

Finally, love in the time of Covid has been a difficult one. For single people, many relationships started quickly and passionately and also ended just as quickly during the pandemic. Finding someone during a time of loneliness made them hold on tighter, but once the vaccines came along, a lot of relationships fell apart since you didn’t have to lay low anymore. Diana Spechler, contributor to the Guardian, joins us for Covid-era romances.

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President Biden is going all-in on vaccine mandates. Much of his presidency hinges on getting the pandemic under control and the administration sees these mandates as the path toward getting back to normal. While some see these vaccine requirements as infringing on people's personal freedoms, many more seem to be in favor of the mandates and getting as many people vaccinated as possible. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for how the mandates play out politically and how time is ticking to get the Democrats $3.5 trillion spending bill worked out.

Next, Facebook knows that Instagram can be a problem for teen girls. According to their own internal research, 32% of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse. While there are many social media platforms out there, some of these problems are worse on Instagram. TikTok is focused on video and performance, Snapchat keeps the focus on the face with filters, but Instagram centers on the body and lifestyle making the social comparisons worse. Georgia Wells, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for Facebook has consistently played down the apps negative effects, despite research showing it has been a problem.

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