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This week, the House passed a bipartisan tax bill that expands the child tax credit and expands tax cuts for businesses. The bill, however, is expected to have to satisfy several demands from Senate Republicans before it makes it to President Joe Biden's desk.Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a dire warning this week, claiming the Middle East is at its most volatile state since the Yom Kippur war between Israel and its neighbors in 1973. He's currently on a trip around the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, meeting with leaders to discuss tensions and relationships in the regions.The director of the CIA also commented on the state of global conflicts. William Burns said Tuesday that cutting off U.S. aid to Ukraine would be a mistake of "historic proportions."The FBI also got in on the action, with Director Christopher Wray revealing that Chinese hackers are getting ready to "wreak havoc and cause real-world harm" to U.S. citizens and institutions.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The popularity of Dry January is part of a larger zero-proof movement here in the U.S. Non-alcoholic sales totaled half a billion dollars in sales as of July 2023. One poll found that 21 percent of adults said they would be cutting back on drinking to begin 2024. Restaurants and bars are offering more mocktails on their menus. Even brands like Guinness and White Claw are adding non-alcoholic options to their lineups.During the first year of the pandemic, alcohol sales saw the largest increase in over 50 years. Is the zero-proof movement a backlash to the boozy pandemic? We take a closer look at non-alcoholic brews and concoctions.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find more shows and information online.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In the United States, Kratom is sold in its concentrated form, oftentimes in potent capsules or liquid shots. Kratom is a tropical plant with leaves that contain a chemical compound with similar effects to opioids. The Kratom industry is worth roughly $1.5 billion, but unregulated.For this installment of our "Local Spotlight" series, we take a closer look at The Tampa Bay Times investigation into kratom in Florida. Reporters found that more than 580 died from a kratom-involved overdose in Florida the last decade. Most of those deaths involved other substances too, but 46 were due to kratom alone. We discuss what we know about Kratom, its possibilities, dangers and why it's unregulated. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find more shows and information online.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy