Elizabeth Holmes, one-time billionaire and Theranos CEO, is facing prison time for defrauding investors and customers. How did she get so many prominent people to financially back her start-up? And teachers and school staff across the country are out sick with COVID-19. How are families dealing with the sudden shift back to virtual classes? Plus, hearings are underway over the deaths of nine service members who drowned off the coast of California in 2020.

It's a new year and there are new vaccines, yet Omicron shows no signs of letting up. What have we learned about keeping kids safe in school? Also, a new NPR/Ipsos poll reveals a majority of Americans believe democracy is in crisis. What's driving that sentiment? Plus, the head of the Capitol Police reflects on what his force has learned in the year since the U.S. Capitol attack.

How has a talk show on daytime network television managed to stay relevant in an era of streaming and social media? And also become one of the more telling political shows of our time? It's Been a Minute host Sam Sanders dives deep into the history of The View and how it became both a cultural and political phenomenon over the course of its 20+ year run.

The Colorado wildfires that ripped through subdivisions northwest of Denver are all but extinguished — why were they so devastating? And, as a COVID surge grips the U.S., scientists are working to find out what makes the Omicron variant so transmissible. Also, talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal are slated to continue in the New Year — how are they going?

Tens of thousands of people in Colorado are sleeping in shelters after wildfires forced them out of their homes. President Biden again warned President Vladimir Putin of more sanctions should Russia invade neighboring Ukraine. And, while more than 42 percent of the U.S. population are people of color, NPR finds that the leadership at the U.S. Census Bureau has historically been mostly white people.

The Omicron variant is behind the new record for daily infections in the United States, but there are scientists who say it isn't as bad as some may think. A jury found British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of facilitating the abuse of underage girls at the hands of wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein. And, President Vladimir Putin has requested a phone call with President Joe Biden amid heightened tension on the Russian border with Ukraine.

The CDC explains its reasoning behind lowering quarantine time for asymptomatic people infected with COVID-19. The year 2021 has been unusual for the auto industry as supply shortages drive up prices. And, legendary Hall of Famer John Madden legacy touched many generations of football lovers, he died suddenly at age 85.

Some experts are concerned about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated guidance on isolation for asymptomatic people infected with COVID-19. Students, parents and teachers are preparing to return to school amidst another surge of COVID-19 infections. And, organizers of the Winter Olympics in Beijing are putting some strict measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The Omicron variant is spreading at an alarming rate, but people who are vaccinated may be protected against severe illness. COVID-19 is complicating holiday travel with more than a thousand flights getting canceled. And, South Africa begins a week of mourning as they remember Archbishop Desmond Tutu who died on Sunday at age 90.

After five seasons of love, friendship and early-adulting awkwardness, Insecure is officially coming to an end. The series finale airs on HBO Sunday, Dec. 26 and it's got critics and fans looking back on the show's larger pop culture legacy.

The award-winning comedy-drama has been hailed for its complex, revolutionary depictions of millennial Blackness. To look back on the show's influence on TV and music, NPR Music's All Songs Considered podcast held a roundtable retrospect discussion with Insecure music supervisor Kier Lehman.