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The U.S. is evacuating thousands of people a day from Kabul, prioritizing Americans and citizens of NATO allies. The Taliban insist that all troops must be out of the country by the end of the month. That has left Americans who were deployed to the country worried about the fate of their Afghan allies — particularly those outside of the capitol city.
This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and veterans correspondent Quil Lawrence.
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President Biden spoke about the situation in Afghanistan again Friday, emphasizing his commitment to evacuating all Americans and Afghan allies after the Taliban's swift takeover. NPR's Scott Detrow asked him why these evacuations didn't begin months ago when the U.S. still had more control in the country.
And as COVID cases continue to rise, many school administrators are implementing mask mandates for teachers and students despite orders in some states that prohibit the rules. The Biden administration said this week that ensuring a safe learning environment for students is a civil rights issue.
This episode: congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, White House correspondent Scott Detrow, White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, and education reporter Clare Lombardo.
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Frantic evacuations continue in Afghanistan as President Biden publicly defends the way in which the withdrawal of U.S. troops was conducted. And in an interview with ABC on Wednesday, Biden said that using military force to deal with human rights issues was "not rational."
This episode: congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, international correspondent Jackie Northam, and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving.
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The nation's top election officials met in Iowa last weekend. They discussed the ongoing challenge presented by false conspiracy theories pushed by Republicans about the presidential election.
This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, voting and misinformation reporter Miles Parks, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
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Hospitals across the country are nearing capacity as they struggle to treat unvaccinated Americans. Children represent eighteen percent of all new cases, as parents and pediatricians push to get those under twelve access to the vaccine as schools begin to reopen.
This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and health correspondent Allison Aubrey.
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In a speech at the White House Monday, President Biden forcefully defended his decision to withdrawal from Afghanistan — rebuking the Afghan government for being unwilling to fight the Taliban and emphasizing that spending more time and money in the country would not, in his view, have changed the outcome.
The president devoted very little of the speech to criticism he has faced over how the withdrawal was conducted. He took no questions from reporters.
It remains to be seen how many of tens of thousands of Afghans who aided the American war effort will be successfully evacuated.
This episode: congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.
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The unexpected announcement from the Pentagon comes as the Taliban is rapidly increasing their control over the country. And new census data out this week shows that the share of Americans who identify as multiracial is up nearly 300 percent since 2010.
This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, congressional correspondent Susan Davis, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and national correspondent Hansi Lo Wang.
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In the latest installment of the Docket, our series on legal issues, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben and Carrie Johnson talk about vaccine mandates with Lindsay F. Wiley, a law professor at American University.
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Once talked about as a future presidential candidate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) will leave politics in disgrace after the release of a report detailing multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Some allegations he denies, others encounters he says are being mischaracterized. Now, there are big questions about the future of politics in the state.
This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, New York State Public Radio reporter Karen DeWitt, political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
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President Biden's infrastructure deal passed the Senate with 19 Republican votes, bolstering his claim that he can secure deals in today's Washington. But now he has to contend with competing priorities within his own party.
Also: Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) has said he will resign.
This episode: political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving.
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