Call Them What You Want To: Voting Bills, COVID Variants, Royal Offspring

First up: We’ll break down Biden’s first overseas trip as president, how the U.S. hopes to stay the world’s top tech country, why its RIP for Keystone XL and what leaked docs show the ultra-wealthy really pay in taxes.

Next: This week, the F.D.A. approved a new Alzheimer’s drug — but not everyone’s thrilled. We’ll get into why experts aren’t so sure about aducanumab.

Then: Dozens of bills restricting voters’ rights have passed in states all over the U.S. this year. We’ll dive into some of the most common restrictions being passed, and the impact they’re likely to have. You can find theSkimm’s breakdown of voting rights bills by state here. 

ICYMI: A 6-3 conservative majority in the Supreme Court and aging liberal judges has some calling for Justice Breyer to step down. We’ll break down why a guy with a lifetime gig might choose to throw in the towel early.

Plus: What’s in a name? A lot, if you ask the W.H.O — which is asking news outlets to call COVID-19 variants by Greek letter nicknames.

Finally: Hear ye, hear ye. There’s a new royal baby in town. So we’re talking royal baby names with an expert… and breaking down why Meghan and Harry’s choice of Lilibet Diana might be a diplomatic masterstroke.

On this episode, you’ll hear from: 

• Eliza Sweren-Becker, counsel, Brennan Center for Justice
• Omid Scobie, royals correspondent, Harper's Bazaar, author, “Finding Freedom”

P.S. If your appetite for learning about the royals knows no bounds, check out our list of 9 essential royal reads.

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Skimm'd by Alex Carr and Luke Vargas. Engineered by Andrew Callaway. With additional support from Ciara Long. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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