1 big thing

Here in the U.S., the COVID vaccine conversation has mostly been focused on Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J. But with Delta’s strong hold on much of the U.S., Axios’ health care business reporter Bob Herman reports that we should be paying attention to other emerging vaccines. Plus, Mexico moves to decriminalize abortion. And, Latino voters’ role in deciding the fate of California Governor Gavin Newsom....

It’s been a turbulent political summer, most recently with the Texas abortion ban that dominated headlines last week. As summer ends, a host of crises are putting roadblocks before President Biden and his agenda for the fall. Plus, Afghan refugees at the mercy of an overwhelmed immigration system. And, the new growth of organized labor in the U.S. Guests: Axios' Mike Allen, Stef Kight, and Dan Pri...

Natural disasters punished the country this week. There’s been devastating flooding in Louisiana and the New York region, alongside wildfires in California and Nevada. Plus, how Texas could affect abortion laws in other states. And, inside the first all-civilian space flight. Guests: Axios' Andrew Freedman, Oriana González, Miriam Kramer, and Nick Halter. Credits: Axios Today is produced in partne...

Firefighters in Northern California have been working to halt the aggressive Caldor Fire, one of 13 large fires burning in the state, and one which has displaced tens of thousands of people. Climate change plus decades of decisions around land management are partly to blame. Plus, police accountability in Colorado. And, the new 'Shang-Chi', Marvel’s first Asian American-led movie. Guests: Axios' A...

The ongoing battle among local, state and federal officials over COVID precautions in schools continues. The US Department of Education has now launched a civil rights investigation into five GOP-led states that have banned mask mandates in schools. Plus, the return of evictions in America. And, Amazon steps into the live audio business. Guests: Axios' Ben Montgomery, Linh Ta, Felix Salmon, and Sa...

Today was President Biden’s deadline for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. After two decades of war, the final US plane left Kabul yesterday afternoon. Plus, Biden waives ethics rules for top officials. And, one reverend’s fight against a Texas abortion ban. Guests: Senior minister of First Unitarian Church in Dallas Daniel Kanter, Axios' Dave Lawler and Lachlan Markay. Credits: Axios Today is pr...

Hurricane Ida made landfall in Port Fourchon, Louisiana yesterday afternoon. Just shy of a category five storm, it’s one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the state in recorded history. It also hit on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina which ravaged the state and the city of New Orleans. Plus, ambulance wait times are skyrocketing. And, Silicon Valley’s biggest fraud on trial. Guests: Axio...

Two explosions at the Kabul airport yesterday left at least 100 people dead -- including 13 U.S. service members -- and 150 more wounded. The blasts came from at least two suicide bombers, and The Islamic State has claimed responsibility. Plus, the last marine to escape Saigon in 1975 on the evacuation crisis in Afghanistan. And, the rising role of women in the gig economy. Guests: Axios' Dave Law...

In the middle of messy evacuations from Afghanistan and just before a meeting with the Israeli prime minister, President Biden yesterday held a cybersecurity summit with tech and business leaders at the White House. Arvind Krishna, the chairman and chief executive officer of IBM, was one of them. Plus, retailers tackle the shipping crisis And, Afghanistan’s all-women robotics team flees Kabul and...

President Biden yesterday confirmed the US is on track to get US troops and allies out of Afghanistan by August 31st. This is despite calls from other world leaders - like British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French president Emmanuel Macron - to extend the timeline. Plus, the first airline CEO to mandate employee COVID vaccines...hopes others will follow suit. And, fallout from the popular si...

The FDA yesterday granted full approval to the Pfizer BioNTech COVID vaccine. Will it convince more people to get vaccinated? The answer to that question will be especially important in states with low vaccination rates and surging hospitalizations, like Alabama. That state is currently one of the hardest hit by COVID in the nation. Plus, FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine raises questions about y...

President Biden spoke yesterday afternoon to the American people, again defending his withdrawal from Afghanistan, and saying the exit could take longer than planned. Plus, images out of Kabul are being put to political use. And, a new push to make the outdoors safer for people of color. Guests: Axios' Glen Johnson, Lachlan Markay, and Russell Contreras. Credits: Axios Today is produced in partner...

On our latest installment of our Hard Truths series, we look at how the process to get tenure at many universities in the U.S. is shutting out academics of color. Guests: Paul Harris, associate professor of education at Pennsylvania State University, and Patricia Matthew, associate professor of English at Montclair State University and editor of Written/Unwritten: Diversity and the Hidden Truths o...

It’s an interesting moment for president Biden right now, as the American public reacts to his decisions around Afghanistan, alongside his handling of the Delta variant surge and the economic impacts of COVID. And while it’s hard to say exactly where American opinions fall right now - polling shows the approval ratings honeymoon is over for President Biden. Plus, the view on the ground from Haiti....

It’s been four days since the Taliban took over the capital city of Kabul and declared victory in Afghanistan. In the past few days, we’ve seen shocking images of people clinging to planes at the Kabul airport trying to get out of the country. Plus, consumer spending isn’t deterred yet by the Delta variant. And, Facebook claims vaccine hesitancy is on the decline. Guests: Truman Center for Nationa...

Today, President Biden is expected to announce his administration’s recommendation for a third dose for all vaccinated Americans. This follows the CDC and FDA approval last week of a third shot for those who are immunocompromised. But a "third dose" and a "booster" can refer to different things. Plus, what the new school year looks like for parents across America. And, companies address employee m...

President Biden addressed the nation yesterday about the situation in Afghanistan, after the Taliban seized control and declared that “the war is over.” The Pentagon estimates approximately 6,000 U.S. troops will assist with the evacuation of American personnel in Afghanistan. Plus, a new kind of back-to-school. And, understanding plans for new construction in the occupied West Bank. Guests: LA Ti...

The Taliban have declared victory in Afghanistan this morning. The group took control of Kabul yesterday, 20 years after they had been run out of the capital city by US-led forces. President Biden has authorized sending 5,000 troops to Afghanistan to help with evacuation. Plus, the Haitian diaspora rushes to help after a deadly earthquake. And, a repeat COVID milestone we didn’t want. Guests: Axio...

Florida’s COVID-19 rates are worse than they have ever been. The state now makes up almost 20 percent of the entire caseload in the country. Meanwhile in Texas, as of Tuesday there were just 368 ICU beds available across the state. These two states are becoming heated battlegrounds over the way forward. Plus, Afghanistan’s security situation collapses. And, a Palestinian-American sprinter on her u...

Yesterday, California became the first state to require all teachers and school staff to get vaccinated or get tested weekly for COVID. In other states, like Texas and Florida, school districts are fighting state and local government to implement mask mandates for students. All of this is happening as students are starting to go back to in-person schooling and as pediatric COVID hospitalizations a...

Yesterday was dominated by political news, with the bipartisan win on infrastructure and Governor Andrew Cuomo's resignation. We get at why they matter with Axios' political team. Guests: Axios' Alayna Treene, Glen Johnson, and Margaret Talev Credits: Axios Today is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Dan Bobkoff, Alexandra Botti, N...

It may seem like the 2022 midterms are far off, but issues like rising crime, border crossings and inflation are already starting to shape political discourse and early campaigns. Plus, the Taliban seizes more cities in Afghanistan. And, why it’s extra easy to get a car loan right now. Guests: Axios' Stef Kight, Dave Lawler, and Courtenay Brown. Credits: Axios Today is produced in partnership with...

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest report on climate change this morning. It shows that warming is happening more quickly than we realized, and calls the connection between human activity and global warming “unequivocal.” It's the strongest stance by global scientists on climate we've seen yet. Plus, the pandemic has changed our relationship with trash. And, Ina...

The CDC has called the HIV outbreak in Kanawha county the most concerning HIV outbreak in the entire U.S. associated with injection drug use. This week, the CDC issued a report on how to manage this outbreak, but their recommendations are almost impossible to implement because of current local laws. Plus, Biden gets tough with GOP governors on COVID. And, lab-grown salmon coming to a sushi bar nea...

The Biden administration is close to meeting its accelerated deadline for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. But it's leaving behind thousands of translators and interpreters who are waiting for special immigrant visas designated for people who worked with US troops. Najib is one of those translators in limbo. Plus, the Mexican government sues U.S. gunmakers. And, vaccine passports come to New Yor...