Vox Quick Hits

Student debt in America now totals some $1.7 trillion, and the debate about what to do that debt is part of the mainstream political conversation. Pressure is growing on President Joe Biden and Democrats to try to do something about it — including canceling some or even all student loan debt altogether. Fenaba Addo, an associate professor of public policy at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, talks about the burden student debt represents for borrowers and what it would mean for that debt to be forgiven. This is the first of a two-part series from Tell Me More on student debt cancellation.

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This one goes out to all the dog lovers out there.

This weekend, Alissa and Emily recommend Stray, a documentary that follows a trio of (very good) dogs who live on the streets of Istanbul as they explore the city and interact with humans. Even if you're not a dog person, it's still a fascinating look at the city's culture and people. Up for a double-feature? Check out Kedi, which follows the stray cats of Istanbul.

Stray is available to rent on digital platforms including Amazon Prime, YouTube and Google Play.

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People want to move on from Covid-19, but that doesn’t mean forgetting its victims. Vox reporter Alissa Wilkinson explain why a memorial could help us all heal and find accountability.

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Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss the raft of problems stymying Europe’s vaccine rollout, which has been slower and messier than expected, given some of the earlier successes the continent had controlling infection rates. They talk about why some countries decided to pause administering the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and how the EU’s decision to negotiate for vaccines as a bloc, rather than as individual countries, slowed down the rollout and exacerbated tensions between some of the wealthier and less-wealthy countries in the bloc. They also discuss what all of this turmoil might mean for the future of the EU as a political institution.

References:

Politico Europe has a great piece on how the EU fell behind on vaccines.

Here’s the survey showing Europe is the most vaccine-skeptical region of the world.

The New York Times reported politics may have played a bigger role in the AstraZeneca vaccine freeze than science.

The Washington Post reported that Europe may be headed into a third coronavirus wave.

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Eight people were killed in shootings at three Atlanta-area spas. Most of the victims were women. Six were Asian American. Georgia state Sen. Michelle Au explains how her community is coping

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As the Covid-19 vaccine rollout continues, finding an appointment is competitive. Very competitive. So the federal government is working with national pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS to help distribute more vaccines. But to make an appointment, you may need to share some of your personal data. Recode's Sara Morrison explains.

References: Read Sara's story here

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Vox's Sigal Samuel talks with the author of Wintering, Katherine May, about the lessons we can learn during life's darkest seasons. They talk about our long collective pandemic winter, about how times of retreat can allow for personal and political transformation, and about how we might carry new wisdom with us as we emerge into spring.

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A growing number of unaccompanied minors at the US-Mexico border is highlighting President Biden’s struggle to fulfill his campaign promises on immigration.

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A caller from Florida asks for help finding books that explore social class with humor and are not set in New York City. Vox’s book critic Constance Grady recommends:

Ask a Book Critic is an exclusive series from Vox Quick Hits. New episodes every other Wednesday and you can read the column here. 

If you’d like Constance to recommend a book for you, email [email protected] with the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.” The more specific your mood, the better!

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Vox's Ian Millhiser joins Matt Yglesias and Dara Lind to discuss whether or not the Biden administration has followed through on a campaign promise to reverse Trump's immigration policies.

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