For children across the country and the world, they're the centerpieces of weekend mornings, family holidays, and prized collections.We're talking about toys.The global toy industry is at a crossroads. How dolls, action figures, puzzles, skibidi toilets, and more find their way into the hands of kids is changing. The role that the internet and influencers play in getting kids excited about a franchise or specific toy is growing rapidly.But is the toy industry keeping up? Amid an uncertain economic climate worldwide, buyers for brick-and-mortar stores that sell toys are playing it safe and sticking with traditional offerings.We discuss what the toy industry is doing to keep up with the times. 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments have sprung up on college campuses across the country.Hundreds of students and professors have been arrested. Calls for universities to end their ties to Israel and for the U.S. to negotiate a ceasefire are growing.We check in on the protests across the country and what they tell us about how equipped colleges and universities are to deal with student protests.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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Last Thursday, the Justices heard arguments in a case all about presidential immunity. At the heart of the case is whether former President Donald Trump is immune from charges related to conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. The case is a first for the Supreme Court that could impact not only former president Trump but all future presidents, as stated by Justice Brett Kavanaugh.And the timing is just as significant as the outcome with the November election just six months away.We discuss the case and the impact the outcome could have. 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Supreme Court heard arguments this week in a case concerning presidential immunity. Former President Donald Trump is claiming he should be shielded from prosecution over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.President Biden signed a bill this week that included a provision that would ban the popular social media app TikTok in the U.S. unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells the company.Congress passed bipartisan legislation to provide military aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.Meanwhile, Russia is not backing down in its invasion of Ukraine. Despite the siege of over two years.And Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in hot water after calling Muslims "infiltrators" during a campaign rally this week.We cover all this and more during this week's 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's a right guaranteed not once, but twice in our constitution – a trial by jury. And many of us are asked to serve on them, whether we want to or not.Whether jury duty is a responsibility you dread or relish, the trial of former President Trump in Manhattan put the spotlight on the jury selection process – one that happens every day in courthouses across the country.We speak with legal experts about the role juries play in our justice system – and the psychology of jury selection. We also hear from someone who's served on a jury for another high-profile case.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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nearly 67 million people use some form of the federal government's health insurance program, which is for those over 65 and younger people with some disabilities. But untangling the multiple different parts can be a headache.And then there's Medicare Advantage.Unlike traditional Medicare, which is through the government, Medicare Advantage is a privatized insurance plan. With the help of some star-studded commercials, it's become increasingly popular.But it's also become controversial. According to a 2023 study from the Brown University School of Public Health, nearly half of those who signed up for Medicare Advantage left their plans by the end of five years.We try to untangle Medicare, Medicare Advantage and answer your questions about health care as a senior.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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Taylor Swift dropped her latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," at midnight on Friday. Like she did with her previous album, "Midnights", she posted a surprise for fans a few hours later: 15 extra tracks on the album. That brings the total track listing to 31 songs.She's released four albums since 2020, plus four re-recorded albums. Her Eras Tour sold out stadiums across the U.S. last year, and it continues through 2024. The hold Taylor Swift has on much of our popular consciousness defies comparison with other current artists.We discuss Swift's new music and where it fits in her catalogue. 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Here in the U.S., we can't have a people, a country, and a democracy – without, well: the Earth.Yes, the very large globe that we're sitting on right now. Many of you may be celebrating that today for Earth Day. Throughout this election season, we've asked you what's sending you to the ballot box. So far, your responses suggest that climate- is your third most dominant concern after "Trump" and "Democracy." For this installment of our weekly politics series, 'If You Can Keep It', we look at how each presumptive nominee for the 2024 presidential election is talking about climate and energy policy. 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

As Donald Trump's trials continue over the course of the spring, Joe Biden is taking advantage of his rival's absence from the campaign trail. A Boeing whistleblower made headlines this week, telling the Senate that the aircraft manufacturer is "putting out defective airplanes."Meanwhile, Israel, with the help of the U.S., more or less successfully defended itself from a missile and drone attack launched by Iran after the former killed Iranian officials in an attack on an embassy in Syria.As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, The BBC has now confirmed that more than 50,000 Russian troops have died in the conflict.We cover the week's biggest headlines. 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

According to the Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, at least 70 percent of firearms found in crime scenes in Mexico can be traced back to the neighbors to the north.Some 250,000 people crossed the southern border into the U.S. in December of last year. The majority of those were people from Mexico.And survey data pulled by Reuters from the Kino Border Initiative, a large migrant shelter in Nogales, Mexico, shows that violence, not economic factors, is forcing many families to leave Mexico.We discuss what work is being done to stop the flow of guns into Mexico. 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy