What A Day

Russian and Ukrainian delegates agreed to what’s being called “humanitarian corridors” so trapped Ukrainian citizens can leave the country. But after a phone call with Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly believes that the “worst is yet to come” as the invasion heads into its second week.A Texas judge issued a restraining order to halt the state’s investigation of a family that supported their trans kid’s gender-affirming health care. But an appeal by state Attorney General Ken Paxton put that order on hold, as well as a hearing that could’ve extended protections to more families. Adrí Perez with the Texas ACLU, which represents the family under investigation, explains how trans kids, adults and their families are all being harmed by the state’s anti-trans policies.And in headlines: A jury acquits the only officer on trial in the death of Breonna Taylor, Idaho advances its own Texas-like anti-abortion law, and Harvey Weinstein is caught with contraband Milk Duds. Show Notes:Transgender Education Network of Texas - https://www.transtexas.org/Equality Texas - https://www.equalitytexas.org/ACLU of Texas LGBTQ Equality - https://www.aclutx.org/en/issues/lgbtq-equalityFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Russian forces captured the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson yesterday, making it the first to fall since the invasion that began last week. Today, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to talk about Russia’s attack with NATO foreign ministers in Belgium, while another round of conversations between Ukraine and Russia are reportedly set to take place soon as well.March For Our Lives, the organization founded by student survivors of the 2018 Parkland shooting, released a statement following President Biden's State of the Union address last night, saying that Biden hasn’t treated gun violence like the “emergency it is.” David Hogg, one of the co-founders of March For Our Lives, joins us to discuss gun reform activists’ view of Biden as well as where the country is in terms of reform efforts.And in headlines: Texas GOP Governor Greg Abbott secured the Republican nomination in his quest for a third term, the White House unveiled its new coronavirus response plan, and the United Nations agreed to make the world's first global plastic pollution treaty.Show Notes:March for Our Lives – https://marchforourlives.com/Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continued into its sixth day, with explosions shaking the cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv, and the death toll rising. According to the United Nations, approximately 660,000 people have fled Ukraine already, and this could become “Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century.”President Biden gave his first State of the Union address last night. In it, he devoted large sections to address Ukraine along with the course of the pandemic, the economy and inflation, a “unity agenda,” and more. Jon Favreau, co-host of Pod Save America and the host of Offline, joins us to discuss his takeaways as someone who used to be in charge of writing State of the Union speeches for former President Barack Obama.And in headlines: Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that four Palestinian families facing eviction in Sheikh Jarrah can stay in their homes, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is investigating one of its own employees who has a transgender daughter, and Major League Baseball canceled the first two games of the season.Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Monday, Russian forces made progress in their efforts to encircle Ukraine’s capital Kyiv despite being slowed down by continued resistance from Ukrainian forces. Russia and Ukraine also sent delegations to southeastern Belarus for initial talks amid hopes that the two countries could come to some kind of agreement, but did not come to a resolution.Today, Texas holds the very first primary of the midterms. The elections will tell us a little bit about how strong of a hold former President Trump has on the GOP, and show us if the state is ready to elect more progressive candidates. Jessica Cisneros, a progressive-backed candidate who’s running for Texas’s 28th Congressional District, joins us to discuss how she’s feeling about her race.And in headlines: A new study shows that Pfizer-BioNTech shots offer barely any protection from infection in kids 5 to 11 years old, a new climate change report found that countries are not doing enough to combat global warming, and jury selection began in the first criminal trial related to the January 6th insurrection.Show Notes:Vote Save America: Texas – https://votesaveamerica.com/state/texas/Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Ukrainian officials will reportedly talk with Russia as early as today on the border of Ukraine and Belarus. Matt Duss, Senator Bernie Sanders’ foreign policy advisor, joins us to discuss today’s expected talks and what he thinks is on the negotiation table for both sides.President Joe Biden named Ketanji Brown Jackson his nominee for the Supreme Court to replace the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. If confirmed, she would be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. In headlines: The Supreme Court will hear one of the most important environmental cases today, thousands of African students in Ukraine have found themselves trapped in the country amid Russia’s attacks, and new studies confirm that COVID-19 originated at a live animal market in Wuhan, China. And we talk with Chesa Boudin, District Attorney of San Francisco, about his decision to drop the case against a woman who was the victim of a sexual assault, but whose DNA from a rape kit was used by the SF Police Department to link her to a different crime.Show Notes:USA Today: “Rape survivors, child victims, consensual sex partners: San Francisco police have used DNA from all of them for 7 years” – https://bit.ly/3MaXxyUFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Russia invaded Ukraine early Thursday morning, and Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said that over 130 people died – both soldiers and civilians – and hundreds more were wounded. In a televised statement, Zelensky called for everyone and anyone who is able to join the military to do so, and said Russia is on a “path of evil” in their attack on the country. Foreign policy expert Max Bergmann, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, joins us to discuss his view of the situation.Florida’s House of Representatives passed its notorious, Republican-backed “Don’t Say Gay” bill yesterday, bringing it one step closer to being signed into law. The measure would effectively ban educators from engaging in any and all discussions of queerness and gender identity in Florida classrooms. Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting and an LGBTQ+ activist with Equality Florida, joins us to discuss his reaction to the news. And in headlines: Three former Minneapolis police officers were convicted in federal court of violating George Floyd’s civil rights, the World Health Organization is changing how it distributes COVID vaccines to African countries, and Citigroup announced it will eliminate overdraft fees this year.Show Notes:Take Action via Equality Florida – http://eqfl.org/actSafe School South Florida – https://safeschoolssouthflorida.org/SAVE LGBTQ – https://www.save.lgbt/The Florida Coalition for Trans Liberation – https://www.fc4tl.org/Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In a televised speech early Thursday Moscow-time, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” to protect Donbas, the Russian-backed separatist-held region in eastern Ukraine. Around the same time, explosions were heard in multiple cities throughout the country including Kyiv, Kramatorsk, which is in the disputed Donetsk region, Kharkiv in the northeast, and more.The Supreme Court said that it will take up a case that could allow businesses to use their religious beliefs as an excuse to refuse service to LGBTQ customers. Leah Litman, professor of law at the University of Michigan and one of the hosts of Crooked’s podcast about the Supreme Court, “Strict Scrutiny,” joins us to discuss the case and its broader implications.And in headlines: The trial began for the only officer facing criminal charges for Breonna Taylor’s death, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to investigate gender-affirming care for trans kids as ‘child abuse,’ and American truckers protesting COVID restrictions started their own Canada-inspired caravan.Show Notes:Resources for TX Trans Kids:www.txtranskids.orgwww.transtexas.org/resourceswww.transequality.org/additional-helpwww.transhealthconsulting.com/mentalhealthFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Biden announced sanctions against Russia on Tuesday while referring to President Vladimir Putin’s recent actions as the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.” CNN’s senior international correspondent Matthew Chance, who is currently reporting out of Kyiv, joins us to discuss what’s happening on the ground in Ukraine.And in headlines: Ahmaud Arbery’s killers were found guilty of committing federal hate crimes, members of the U.S. Women’s Soccer team reached a $24 million settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation, and the Supreme Court will hear a case that could allow businesses to refuse service to LGBTQ couples.Show Notes:CNN’s Matthew Chance – https://twitter.com/mchancecnnFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Russia-Ukraine crisis ramped up this past weekend, and in a controversial address on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two Russian-backed territories in eastern Ukraine: the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. In response, the White House announced sanctions on Ukraine’s separatist regions but not yet Russia, as there had been hopes of further diplomatic solutions. Michael McFaul, the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014 and professor at Stanford University, joins us to discuss his view of the situation.And in headlines: England is ending most COVID restrictions this week, the Supreme Court of Colombia decriminalized abortion, and the horse Medina Spirit was stripped of his Kentucky Derby title after he tested positive for a banned drug last May.Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Thursday, there was a big spike in shelling across the front line between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists within Ukraine. The separatists claim that Ukrainians are the ones firing at them, and the fear is that Russia could use this as a “justification” for military action to invade. The Beijing Winter Olympics conclude this Sunday. Ava Wallace, who has been in China reporting on the Olympic Games for the Washington Post, joins us to discuss what it’s been like to cover them.And in headlines: Over 100 people are dead and dozens more missing in Brazil after mudslides, Florida’s House Republicans passed a bill that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and a judge ordered former President Trump to testify under oath within the next 21 days.Show Notes:WAD will be taking a break on Presidents’ Day, and will be back with a new episode on Tuesday, February 22.Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday