The Takeaway

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Aging Infrastructure, Vaccine Appointments, And More

Governor Murphy joins the Takeaway for a conversation about the state’s pandemic response, school reopenings, and election reform in the state.

Divisions Emerge Over Biden's Proposal to Raise the Corporate Tax Rate

One of the biggest debates emerging around President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal is how to pay for it.

Kentucky Passes Law to Expand Voting Access

This Wednesday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed into law a bipartisan bill to expand voting access in the state. 

Biden Announces Executive Actions to Address Gun Policy

The new actions attempt to address recent violent mass shootings in the U.S.

A Procedural Ruling Allows Senate Democrats to Pass Some Bills with Simple Majority

This week, the Senate parliamentarian determined that Democrats could pass additional legislation through the budget reconciliation process. 

Arkansas Becomes First State to Ban Gender-Affirming Treatment for Transgender Youth

Earlier this week, the Arkansas state legislature overrode a veto by Governor Asa Hutchinson on House Bill 15-70. 

Is Civilian Oversight Effective?

Following last summer's protests against police brutality, calls for civilian oversight of police became widespread in cities across the U.S.

Derek Chauvin Trial: Expert and Police Testimony Denounces Chauvin's Actions

A look back at what expert and police witnesses have said. 

What's Lost When Lesbian Bars Permanently Close their Doors

Before the pandemic, the number of lesbian bars in the U.S. had dwindled down to just a handful. 

Corporations Take A Stand Against Republican Voting Laws

Senator Mitch McConnell retaliated by accusing corporations of “behaving like a woke parallel government."

Rethinking the Federal Response to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Last week, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the creation of a new unit to coordinate between federal agencies on cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous women. 

Brain Fog is Everywhere During the Pandemic

After a year of isolation, wearing masks, and staying six feet apart, our brains—like most everything else—have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Vaccine Versus Variants: The State of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the U.S.

More than 61 million people have been fully vaccinated in the U.S., with more than 106 million people at least partially vaccinated.

Vaccine Distribution Disparities in Africa

The continent of Africa has administered less than two percent of global vaccine distribution, despite making up 17 percent of the global population.

President Biden Pushes to Shape the Federal Courts

Last week, President Joe Biden announced 11 nominees for the federal bench. 

Cooking Shows Slowly Open Up to Broader Range of Cultural Backgrounds

The lack of representation on many popular cooking shows extends into the fine-dining world as a whole. The Takeaway speaks with chef Eric Adjepong about his experience on Top Chef. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Disparities Persist Worldwide

High-income countries have purchased over half of the world’s supply of vaccines, even though they make up less than a fifth of the global population.  

Why Advocates Say D.C. Statehood is Long Overdue

Momentum has grown around statehood for Washington, D.C., and advocates say it has wide-ranging implications on issues ranging from racial equity to gun control. 

Natalia Lafourcade and her Powerful Relationship with Traditional Mexican Music

Natalia Lafourcade discusses her Grammy win for her album "Un Canto por México, Vol. 1." 

Georgia's Newest Voting Law Aims to Reduce Access to the Polls

Lawmakers in Georgia are part of a national trend in which legislators across the country have introduced more than 250 bills that aim to restrict voting.  

In Texas, Lawmakers Advance Legislation for New Restrictions on Voting

SB7 would do everything from limit early voting hours to prohibit drive-thru voting in the state.

What the American Jobs Plan Will Mean for the Care Economy

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden unveiled his $2 trillion plan to boost the economy and rebuild infrastructure across the U.S.   

Cities Across New York Submit Plans for Police Reform, Critics Say Many Don't Go Far Enough

An executive order signed by Andrew Cuomo required every city and town in New York to submit a plan for policing overhauls by today or risk losing state funding.  

As States Expand Vaccine Eligibility, Incarcerated Populations Are Not Prioritized

Insufficient medical care and congregate settings mean that prisons have struggled to contain coronavirus outbreaks throughout the pandemic. 

Unemployment Fraud Surges During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the pandemic began, there have been more than 425,000 fraudulent unemployment benefit claims in New York State alone. 

What a Unionization Effort in Alabama Could Mean for the Labor Movement 

The fight over whether or not to unionize at an Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama has reenergized conversations around organized labor, particularly in the American South. 

Get Ready for Billions of Cicadas This Spring

Billions of cicadas have been living underground for the past 17 years as part of the so-called Great Eastern Brood, or Brood X.

How the Pandemic Is Deepening the Divide in Education

Schools and families have struggled to adjust to the abrupt change in how children learn over the past year. 

Legal Weed in New York: Will It Reverse Decades of Racial Inequity?

A new bill is set to be passed, making marijuana legal in the state.

Brazil Struggles to Contain COVID-19

Amid ongoing political debates over the pandemic, Brazil has seen record high daily death totals from COVID-19 in recent weeks and experienced nationwide I.C.U. shortages.

House Investigation Will Look Into How the Capitol Insurrection Happened

Last Thursday, seven Democratic-led House committees launched a probe into the federal government’s handling of the events on January 6th and what preceded it. 

The Battle Against the Controversial Line 3 Pipeline Project Rages on in Minnesota

The nearly 400-mile Line 3 pipeline expansion faces fierce opposition from Indigenous and climate activists in Minnesota.  

How the Press Handled President Biden's First News Conference

Critics are frustrated that members of the White House press corps failed to ask about the ongoing pandemic or the rise of anti-Asian violence. 

Music credit to Luke Cissell (https://lukecissell.bandcamp.com/).