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For many people, how you work now might seem unusual to your 2019 self, with hours spent in online meetings. Or maybe it's back to exactly how 2019 was, in an office cubicle. Or maybe, you never had the ability to work remotely during the pandemic. At companies across the country with employees who still work remotely some or most of the time, executives are slowly falling in line and sending the same message to their workforces: return to the office — sometimes for a few more days per week, sometimes for all five. Data for office occupancy across major U.S. cities shows that on average, about 50 percent of office seats are occupied. More workers are heading in during the middle of the week, and some cities in the South have more employees working in person compared to the Northeast, Silicon Valley, and Washington D.C. We take a look at the state of remote work. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

U.S. flights to Haiti are grounded for the next 30 days. Three U.S. airline flights were fired on last Monday as they attempted to land in Haiti. That led to the closure of Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration has suspended all U.S. flights to Haiti for the next 30 days. Last week's gunfire came from gangs operating out of Haiti's capital city. It's the latest example of the extent of gang control in the country. Haiti has been in a state of chaos for more than three years since its last president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated. Last Monday also saw a new president sworn into office after the country's interim leader was ousted. Between a new prime minister and the continued presence of foreign security officers in Haiti — we discuss how the country is faring. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Last week, we started talking about the finer points of what Donald Trump's second presidency will look like — key policies he says he will implement, how much he can get done, and how quickly. Now, with another week of big cabinet picks behind us, and confirmation that Republicans will hold majorities in both the Senate and House, we dive into one goal Trump is already making good on: radically changing the shape of the U.S. government in Washington. We talk about what his choices mean for the government, and who might stand in the way of this overhaul. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Many of those in the federal government are often depicted as a distant and part of a deep state that seeks to uphold a bureaucracy over the needs of everyday Americans. But the work these people do improves our lives and often goes unnoticed. The annual Arthur S. Flemming awards honor the work done by those behind the scenes in government TenaVel Thomas, executive director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection field academy, is one of this year's winners. "To be a public servant, there is a certain level of passion that you have to have. Passion for the work, passion for the people, passion for change," she says. We speak to Thomas and two others being recognized for their outstanding work. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

President-elect Donald Trump has had a busy week floating his picks for his upcoming cabinet. Trump's team is also considering drafting an order that will create a board of retired military officials whose mandate will be to investigate generals it identifies as unfit for leadership. Trump and President Joe Biden met in the Oval Office after the former's election victory. Meanwhile, Donald Trump made his pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel this week, tapping former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee has previously questioned the existence of a Palestinian identity and opposed a two-state solution. COP29 is set to kick off in Baku, Azerbaijan this week. Very few actual heads of state are expected to attend leading analysts to wonder how much will actually be accomplished. We cover all this and more during the News Roundup. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Over the years, Donald Trump has not been shy expressing his disdain for our nation's capital. And in this year's campaign, he made Washington D.C. — which votes overwhelmingly for Democrats — a target in his reelection campaign. We discuss how much of his rhetoric will translate into action, and what the roughly 679,000 people who call the city home can expect. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

President Biden has a little more than 2 months until his term is up. The time between administrations is called a "lame duck period" for a reason. So what bread crumbs could that Delaware duck look to finish off before exiting the pond? Well, Biden officials are working on rushing out the last bits of aid to Ukraine before the end of his term. In the meantime, President-elect Donald Trump is building what will be his team for the next four years. We discuss what the next few months will look like for the new administration and the one in its final days. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Abortion was on the ballot this past election, not just in the country's choice of president, but in the form of state initiatives. Missouri is one of the seven states where abortion rights measures prevailed. Amendment 3 passed with 51.7 percent of the vote. The measure establishes a right to reproductive freedom in the Missouri constitution. That paves the way for advocates to ask courts to knock down the current near total abortion ban. Six other states including Arizona, Colorado, New York, Maryland, Montana and Nevada also voted to protect or expand current abortion protections. But the GOP has signaled that it will look to limit abortion access nationally in the coming years given the party's dominance in Washington. We discuss the future of abortion access in the U.S. could look like. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The election results are in, and Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. Responses to the outcome have been mixed. Some Americans are devastated while some are jubilant. An October survey by the American Psychological Association found that 77 percent of U.S. adults report the future of the nation as a significant source of stress in their lives. Some 69 percent said the 2024 election in particular was a source of significant stress. We discuss how we can cope with stress and anxiety related to politics, and how to navigate political divides in our personal lives and as a country. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

With Election Day behind us, the past week has consisted of a lot of analysis — of what happened and how. But we're looking ahead. President-elect Trump has big plans right out of the gate come January: mass deportations, hefty new tariffs on foreign goods, and more he promises to make good on. We discuss how much of Trump's plans are possible and what headwinds he may face in Washington compared to his first term. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Every presidential term, the chief executive is charged with appointing a cabinet to serve as their most trusted advisors. As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to enter the White House once more, we're learning more about who he plans to appoint to his inner circle. He's already selected one of the most important positions in his cabinet: the chief of staff. Last week he tapped his campaign manager, Susie Wiles. She'll become the first woman chief of staff. We discuss how the choice in chief of staff could change the trajectory of Trump's second term. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Tuesday. His victory saw big shifts in voting demographics, with one in three people of color voting for the GOP candidate. The dollar, Bitcoin, the global stock market, and Wall Street all saw monumental jumps in value at the announcement of a Trump presidency. As congratulations for the president-elect rolled in this week, officials and analysts from around the world are trying to figure out what a Trump presidency means for issues dominating global assets and attention. And despite being embroiled in conflicts on multiple fronts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his country's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, this week.| Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

As the nation continues to digest the results of the election, data on the decisive victory by Donald Trump is revealing more about how Americans voted and why. For months, Vice President Kamala Harris and now President-elect Donald Trump courted communities they thought would move the needle. But who actually came out in droves and what were the issues that brought them to the ballot box? With most of the ballots counted, we know more about the voting blocs that made a difference. One of the big takeaways is that a growing group of Latino voters threw their support behind Trump. Gender also played a role, with more women voting for Harris and men voting for Trump. We dig into the data. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The presidential race is called. And the candidates have spoken. That includes Vice President Kamala Harris, who spoke Wednesday afternoon in Washington D.C. after conceding to President-elect Trump. But it's not just the presidency the Republicans managed to sew up this election cycle. The GOP is now in control of the Senate. And as votes are still being counted, it looks like the party has a solid chance of taking the House as well. We discuss what the Republican Trifecta means for the election. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The results are in. Donald Trump will be 47th president of the United States come January. He'll return to the White House as the first president who's been re-elected after being impeached during his first term. He's also been convicted of a felony since his win in 2016. Trump won several key swing states this election, outperforming how the pollsters and pundits projected he'd do in America's electoral battlegrounds. We discuss what the U.S. looks like now that the election is over, and what the results tell us about who we are. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

"How about this weather?" There's a reason this line is one of the most famous cliche bits of smalltalk. The weather affects everyone. And most everyone wants to know what the weather's going to be like. That's where forecasts come in. People plan their days and sometimes their futures around what sort of weather they can expect. Sometimes itd can be a life-or-death situation. That's why some are balking at the Project 2025 plan to defund the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We discuss the science behind forecasts and the potential impact of Project 2025. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

As this election season wraps up, we step away from what the Harris and Trump campaigns are doing in the final stretch. Instead, we look to what's happening outside the U.S. that could impact the election. The federal government and technology companies like Microsoft are reporting that, once again, foreign actors are trying to interfere in the presidential election and down ballot races. That includes hostile countries like Russia and geopolitical competitors like China. We discuss why countries want to interfere in this election, what they hope to gain, and what these operations typically look like. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Tomorrow is election day. More than 74 million Americans have already cast their votes. Over the weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump made what will likely be their final pitches to voters. We discuss what we can expect the rest of the week and more importantly, in the weeks to follow. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

In the final days of his campaign, former President Donald Trump held a rally at Madison Square Garden in his home city of New York. The supposed success of the event was unfortunately overshadowed by racist comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who was invited to open for the former real estate mogul. House Speaker Mike Johnson took aim at the Affordable Care Act this week, promising massive reform to the law at an event in Pennsylvania should Trump emerge victorious from the election. Meanwhile, despite multiple warnings from the United States, aid to Gaza has fallen to its lowest level since the beginning of Israel's campaign against Hamas, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in the region. The Pentagon said this week that North Korea sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia that are likely meant to reinforce Russian troops as the latter army continues its invasion of Ukraine. Georgia's prime minister is taking a victory lap following a supposed "landslide" election result. Irakli Kobakhidze, however, also took time to reject allegations of vote-rigging and violence in an interview with the BBC. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

What scares you the most? Is it something creepy and crawly? Something that slithers? Maybe it's the dark, or the end of the world, or, even worse, a bad report card. We all have things that scare us. And movies are good at making us experiencing those things in a safe way. But why do we even want to do it in the first place? We discuss what we like about being scared. And later... Vampires have been a pop culture staple for decades — as movie monsters and as metaphors for our deepest desires. And whether your favorite vampires are Nosferatu and Dracula, or Louis and Lestat, they all have a few bloody things in common. We get into why the vampire myth prevails and how the vampire genre is changing, during our Spooky Roundup. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy