The Takeaway

U.S.-Taliban Talks Stall Days Before September 11th Anniversary

On Saturday, President Trump said he was canceling a secret meeting at Camp David between U.S., Taliban, and Afghan officials. The Takeaway looks at what's next for the negotiations.

FTC Fines YouTube for Violating Child Privacy 

YouTube was collecting information from children to help target them with ads. 

The One Where We Talk About Friends (Sorry, We Had To)

It’s been 25 years since the world met Rachel, Ross, Chandler, Joey, Monica, and Phoebe.

Other segments:

The Secret Life of Credit Card Data 

A single swipe of your credit card hands your data over to at least a half dozen different types of companies.

Bahamas in Desperate Need of Relief After Hurricane Dorian

The death toll continues to climb as the true nature of the storm's devastation comes into relief.

Amy Walter's take:

There’s something of a consensus-building within the so-called mainstream political media that it’s only a matter of time before Biden’s Teflon shield is deflated. His debate performances have been shaky. He is not as quick on his feet as the other candidates. And, he’s spent most of the campaign on defense - either explaining past votes, or changing long-held positions on policy. 

But, it also seems to me that many in the political class may be underestimating the staying power of a flawed - but popular and well-known - candidate. In 2016, for example, the assumption among the political elites - me included - was that once the summer ended, so would Trump’s hold on the lead in the GOP race. Voters would start to get serious about electability and stability and would reject this unorthodox candidate. Obviously, we know that didn’t happen. 

This isn’t to say that Biden’s destined to win the nomination. But, just that his staying power may be more durable than we think. He’s built up a lot of goodwill over his many years in office that no one else can claim. 

Guests:

Annie Linskey, National politics reporter for The Washington Post

Josh Jamerson, National politics reporter for The Wall Street Journal

Elaina Plott, White House correspondent for The Atlantic

Matt Paul, Democratic Strategist based in Des Moines 

Is Vaping More Dangerous Than It Seems?

Hundreds of patients with severe respiratory illnesses have reported using e-cigarette products.

The Legacy of Venus and Serena Williams 

Serena Williams won her 100th singles victory at the Open, despite reports that she injured her ankle just days before. 

Pro-Beijing Counter-Protesters in the U.S. Clash with Pro-Hong Kong Protesters

What do these clashes tell us about the protests' future?

Other segments: 

North Carolina Judges Rule Republican-Drawn Legislative District Map Is Unconstitutional 

Three North Carolina judges gave the Republican state legislature until September 18th to redraw the map. 

When Can the Government Separate a Parent from Child at the Border? 

Beth Fertig is a senior reporter with WNYC and she told us one father’s story.

What's Happening at the NRA?

For the last year, the National Rifle Association has been in turmoil, from financial uncertainty and legal disputes to leadership struggles and the shuttering of NRATV.

Congressman Lacy Clay Demands Action After 12 Children Shot to Death in St. Louis

Missouri Governor Mike Parson refused to address gun violence in a special legislative session.

Domestic Workers are Still Fighting for Basic Labor Rights 

Domestic workers don't have basic labor rights like paid sick time. The Domestic Workers Bill Of Rights Act, introduced in July, is trying to change that. 

Need for Home Care Workers Grows, But They're Exploited

These positions are among the hardest and lowest paid in the country.

Other segments:

Methane Regulation Rollbacks Meet Resistance from Oil and Gas Companies

Environmental organizations, climate scientists and public health groups, as well as oil and gas companies, have all spoken out against this rollback. 

What's the Link Between Hurricanes and Climate Change?

Some experts say hurricanes like Dorian are becoming more intense due to global warming.  

Hong Kong Students are Heading Back to School, But Protesters Still Aren't Backing Down

Authorities in mainland China had hoped the demonstrations would die down by the fall.

Rural Communities Struggle to Continue Providing Emergency Medical Services

In the rural United States, communities depend on emergency medical services, but operating an ambulance in these areas comes with a unique set of challenges. 

Why are Workplace Menopause Polices Being Pushed For in the UK and Not the US?

Politicians in the UK have been calling for workplace's to have menopause policies and awareness, that's not the case in the US. 

More Than a Century After 'The Jungle,' Meatpacking Industry Still Relies on Immigrants

On Labor Day, the horrifying realities of being an undocumented immigrant worker in the meatpacking industry. 

U.S.-Born Latinos Struggle to Gain Visibility in Hollywood

A new report outlines the bleak state of Latino representation in the film industry, but the research also undersells the lack of opportunity for U.S.-born Latinos in Hollywood.

by José Olivares

A warning to listeners: some of the audio in this story is disturbing and hard to listen to.

An exclusive Takeaway and The Intercept investigation shows that correctional staff at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center skirted rules when dealing with a migrant with mental illness. The detainee, a 40-year-old undocumented Mexican migrant, killed himself after spending 21 days in solitary confinement in July 2018.

The investigation shows that correctional staff at the Stewart Detention Center did not follow the ICE national detention standards during the classification process, the disciplinary process and even on the night he killed himself.

The migrant, Efraín Romero de la Rosa, took his own life at the Stewart Detention Facility in Georgia, which is run by the private corrections company CoreCivic. He had been previously diagnosed with schizophrenia.

While in ICE custody, Efraín was placed in solitary confinement for 15 days, was later placed on suicide watch and, separately, spent time at a mental health institution for over a month. On his return to Stewart to continue immigration proceedings, correctional staff neglected to recognize his mental illness and classify him accordingly.

Staff had noted his fixation on death, repeatedly telling staff he would "die three terrible deaths," and telling other detainees he was a "prophet."

Yet, CoreCivic's correctional staff sent Efraín to solitary confinement for 30 days. None of the disciplinary records released by CoreCivic in response to courtroom discovery demands and provided by family attorney Andrew Free make mention of his worsening mental illness.

The Takeaway and The Intercept accessed hundreds of pages of records, photos, audio with witnesses and correctional staff, and 18 hours of security footage from within the facility.

Efraín’s story helps the public gain insight at the tangled and opaque world of ICE detention. As the Trump Administration continues to round up migrants at an increasing pace, more people diagnosed with mental illness will inevitably be placed in ICE detention.

You can listen to the entire investigation by clicking "play" above.

You can read the detailed investigation on The Intercept here.

A special thank you to Cindi Kim, Associate General Counsel at New York Public Radio. For The Takeaway, Deidre Depke, Ellen Frankman, Lee Hill, Arwa Gunja and Jim Schachter edited; Jay Cowit sound designed and composed the score.

For The Intercept, Ali Gharib edited the story, Ariel Zambelich was the visual designer, and Travis Mannon and Lauren Feeney made the accompanying film.

In the episode before Labor Day, we look at the rise and fall of the labor movement, particularly unions. By collectively bargaining for better work conditions, unions elevated the middle class. Over the years, many unions have watched their membership numbers decline. As a result of a few Supreme Court decisions, a loss in manufacturing jobs, and a lack of increased federal protections, the influence of unions was reduced.

As we edge closer to 2020, candidates hoping to win the Democratic nomination have made rebuilding the middle class the central tenant of their candidacies. So, what role will unions and organized labor play in 2020? Plus, we look at domestic workers and caregivers and how they've been left out of the conversation when it comes to labor protections.

Guests:Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers

Lee Saunders, President of AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO

Rusty McAllister, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada ALF-CIO

Rick Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

Dave Jamieson, Labor Reporter at the Huffington Post

Ai-jen Poo, Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance

In Kashmir and Elsewhere, Digital Authoritarianism is on the Rise 

Kashmir's blackout has meant that millions of people in the state have not been able to communicate with the outside world, so reports on conditions in Kashmir have been scarce. 

Rohingya Babies Born In Bangladeshi Refugee Camps

Around the second anniversary of the mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh, we look at the babies that have been left stateless. 

U.S. Soccer Fans Rebel Against the Banning of Political Speech in the Stands

For 33 minutes, many fans of the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders stayed silent. Then, the anti-fascist banners came out.

South Asian Actors Are Finally Getting Hollywood Leads -- No Accent Required

2019 has seen a spread of movies starring South Asian actors. Is it a sign of a shift, or just a blip?

Growing Concerns about U.S. Election System Ahead of 2020

On Monday, vice chairman of the Federal Election Commission Matthew Petersen announced his resignation. 

Will Brazil's Far-Right President Fight Raging Fires in the Amazon?

Brazil’s space research center reported a 77 percent increase in fires in the Amazon. Climate scientists worry that large parts of this rain forest will not be recoverable.

Leakers are Making Bank by Uploading Bootlegs and Fake Songs to Music Streaming Services

Streaming services are struggling with the fact that unscrupulous posters are gaming their platforms to make tens of thousands of dollars off of stolen music.

You Can Now Track Gun Suspects in Chicago 

The Chicago Police Department has launched a controversial new online tool that lets the public track people who have been arrested for gun-related offenses.

It Could Get Harder to Prove Housing Discrimination

The rule change would make it almost impossible to sue for housing discrimination if an algorithm is involved — but algorithms aren't free from bias. 

The Rise of the Term "Identity Politics"

The term “identity politics” is often reserved for when candidates talk about issues that affect minority communities, but not for coded appeals to white voters.

Newark Announces Plan to Get the Lead Out of its Water

But after years of confusion over the true scale of the problem, residents remain skeptical.

'It's Not Really Going to Support My Children': The Fight to Keep Child Support in the Family

In many states, child support payments go to the government if a parent is on welfare.

Beyond 1619: Slavery Under the Spanish Crown

Under the Spanish crown, slavery dates back a full century before 1619.

How the U.S. Prison System Fails Those With Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is far more common in jails and prisons than in the general population.