How Rebels Gained Control of Syria

The main electric grid operator in Texas, ERCOT, is dropping the ball on providing services again, this time during extreme heat. It’s asking residents to conserve electricity until Friday to keep up with demand. Approximately 12 gigawatts of generating capacity was offline on Monday, and the electricity demand by residents came dangerously close to exceeding the grid's capacity.The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 climbed over 600,000 yesterday, according to the tracker from Johns Hopkins University. Still, there's progress in the country towards the new normal, with California and New York among the states fully reopening on Tuesday.And in headlines: Israel's military launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip despite the ceasefire, Biden announces a plan to combat domestic terrorism, and a lawsuit resurfaces phony poison milkshake allegations from last summer.Show Notes:NYT: "The Amazon That Customers Don’t See" – https://nyti.ms/35nsYSHFor a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

16 Juni 202115min

President Biden meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow in Geneva for the final stop as part of his overseas trip as President. We spoke with Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor in the Obama administration and a host of "Pod Save the World," to talk about the takeaways from Biden's trip and what to expect for Biden and Putin's meeting.And in headlines: a driver kills a protestor in Minneapolis and injures three others, the Novavax vaccine is over 90 percent effective, and Marjorie Taylor Greene apologizes for Holocaust comparisons.For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

15 Juni 202117min

The G7 summit ended on Sunday, with President Joe Biden and several other world leaders pledging to send one billion COVID vaccines to poorer nations and endorsing the idea of a global minimum tax. Today, Biden is set to meet with NATO leaders before meeting with Vladimir Putin in Geneva on Wednesday. Yesterday in Israel, the Knesset voted to approve the new coalition government which includes eight different parties of varying politics who unified to oust former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Naftali Bennett was sworn in as the new prime minister. He and most of his cabinet worked in Netanyahu’s at various times during his 12 year tenure, indicating that massive changes won’t come quickly. And in headlines: Darnella Frazier receives an honorary Pulitzer Prize, Nancy Pelosi promises to probe the Trump DOJ, and a ride on Bezos’s rocket sells for $28 million.For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

14 Juni 202114min

On Saturday, four Republican-led states will pull out of the federal government’s pandemic-related unemployment benefits program early. Congress hasn't moved on the wage issue at all, either, with Senate GOP members this week blocking the Paycheck Fairness Act.An extreme drought is affecting the West, with the entirety of Oregon, California, Utah, and Nevada under drought conditions, along with parts of other states. Unfortunately, things are expected to heat up and dry out from here, with certain places in the Southwest facing temperatures as high as 120 degrees next week.Plus, we’re joined by comedian and actor Maz Jobrani for headlines: National Geographic says there's a new ocean, Starbucks sees shortages of ingredients, and Kim Jong-Un's body transformation.Show Notes:CNET: "Is your state ending unemployment benefits this weekend? Update on $300 bonus checks" – https://cnet.co/2SoasXeWashington Post: "These businesses found a way around the worker shortage: Raising wages to $15 an hour or more" – https://wapo.st/3gnaIxTFor a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

11 Juni 202116min

President Biden is expected to announce a deal today where the U.S. will buy 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID vaccine and send them to 100 countries that are short on shots. This is great, but those doses alone won't help us achieve global vaccine equity. We discuss what else is being done and what more can be done.Biden's attempt to agree on an infrastructure bill with Senate Republicans broke down this week, with Republicans fulfilling their promise of obstructing the President whenever possible. Now, Biden is working with a bipartisan group of senators and is examining the possibility of passing a bill through budget reconciliation.And in headlines: the Keystone XL Pipeline is cancelled, Nicaragua's dictatorial president arrests opposition candidates, and Uber drivers aren't seeing proportional benefits from surging prices.For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

10 Juni 202118min

A more infectious coronavirus variant called the Delta variant is becoming the dominant strain in the UK, accounting for more than 60 percent of new infections there. We discuss what we know and don't know about the variant, which has yet to take hold in a major way in the U.S.International law enforcement agencies arrested more than 800 people in a sting operation that had criminals sending messages through an app they believed was secure...but was actually created and overseen by the FBI.And in headlines: activists protest a pipeline's construction in Minnesota, U.S. billionaires pay little in federal taxes, and Sir Richard Branson could try to race Jeff Bezos to space.For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

9 Juni 202115min

Several social programs launched during the pandemic are set to expire soon, including an eviction moratorium and enhanced unemployment benefits. Federal student loan payments will be due again starting October 1st, with no movement from the White House yet towards cancellation. The Supreme Court ruled that immigrants who came to the U.S. for humanitarian reasons can’t apply for a green card if they entered unlawfully. SCOTUS will continue issuing big decisions through the end of the month on issues that include healthcare, voting rights, LGBTQ rights, and more.And in headlines: a deadly train crash in Pakistan, Google pays $270 million for anti-trust violations in France, and the FDA approves a new Alzheimer’s treatment.Show Notes:Washington Post: "The eviction moratorium is about to end. Rent relief hasn’t arrived. These renters decided to take action" - https://wapo.st/3iqTK43For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Juni 202114min

The twelve year tenure of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may come to an end as early as this week if the broad coalition of officials that are set to replace him can hold together and form a new government. We spoke with Haggai Matar, the executive director of +972 magazine in Israel about the coalition, which includes representatives from eight ideologically distinct parties. Last week, U.S. Marshals shot and killed 32-year-old Winston “Boogie” Smith Jr. in Minneapolis while attempting to arrest him. Now, people in the city are calling for more transparency into the shooting and asking that anyone who might have video footage come forward. And in headlines: a federal judge overturns California’s 30 year ban on assault weapons, Vice President Kamala Harris travels to Central America, and Joe Manchin reiterates his support for the filibuster and opposition to HR1.Show Notes:+972 Magazine's Haggai Matar – https://twitter.com/Ha_MatarFor a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

7 Juni 202115min