Child care is incredibly expensive. This state just made it free.

Summary

Episode Overview

Theme:
This episode of Apple News Today with host Shemitah Basu covers a diverse mix of top news stories, centering first on New Mexico’s groundbreaking new policy of universal free childcare, then exploring the growing use of beta blockers for anxiety, and highlighting recent major developments in global affairs, specifically in the Middle East and Nepal.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Israel's Unprecedented Strike in Qatar

• Summary:
  Israel conducted a targeted strike in Doha, Qatar, aiming at Hamas leadership. This marks the first such action in Doha, a central hub for diplomatic negotiations in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
• Reactions:
  • The strike was widely condemned internationally, including by the United Nations and the U.S. government.
  • Qatar, a key U.S. ally and mediator, has temporarily suspended its role in peace negotiations following the incident.
  • The timing of the strike coincided with a U.S. ceasefire proposal to Hamas, now thrown into uncertainty.
• Notable Quotes:
  • [01:24] White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt:
    "Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America's goals."
  • [01:57] Mona Yakubian (CSIS):
    "Increasingly there's just worry that these kinds of actions are really transgressing international norms, international law, and they're creating a far more dangerous Middle east with implications not just for the region, but certainly for U.S. security and frankly for Israel's security."
  • [02:43] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
    "On this day, as in previous day, Israel acted wholly independently... And this action can open the door to an end of the war... Israel has accepted the principles, the proposal put forward by President Trump, to end the war beginning with the immediate release of all our hostages."

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2. New Mexico Makes Child Care Free for All Families

• Summary:
  Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced New Mexico will be the first state in the U.S. to provide free childcare to every family, regardless of income. This builds on earlier reforms and major investments in early childhood education.
• Key Details:
  • Average American families spend ~$13,000 annually on childcare; in New Mexico, it’s even higher.
  • State funding comes in part from rising oil and gas revenues, with a constitutional amendment funneling land fund profits toward childhood programs.
  • The expansion is expected to cost nearly $130 million per year. The Early Childhood Education and Care Department’s budget now stands at nearly $1 billion.
  • Efforts are underway to add 55 new childcare centers and license 1,000 new in-home daycares, addressing the challenge of sufficient supply.
• Notable Quotes:
  • [04:15] Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham:
    "Universal access. Free childcare for every New Mexico family in the state of New Mexico that starts in New Mexico."
  • [05:24] Ashley Escobel, Parent:
    "You want to make the most money you can and you want to not need all this assistance. But until you get to that point, it's really hard to find a middle ground. Now I don't have to worry about will my next raise affect my kids being able to go to daycare."
  • [06:41] Sarah O'Brien, childcare market economist:
    "Even for middle and high income families, childcare is expensive. It takes up a huge fraction of people's budgets, often as much, sometimes more than a mortgage. This is great as long as people can still find slots for their kids."

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3. Rising Use of Beta Blockers for Anxiety

• Summary:
  The episode explores the increasing off-label use of beta blockers, especially propranolol, for managing anxiety symptoms—a trend popularized even by celebrities. Despite its cardiac origins, propranolol is increasingly prescribed for performance and situational anxiety.
• Key Details:
  • Propranolol prescriptions have increased by 28% since 2020.
  • The FDA has not specifically approved propranolol for anxiety; concerns persist about telehealth prescribing practices and potential medical risks (e.g., masking asthma attacks, exacerbating diabetes).
  • Experts note its non-addictive nature and compare its risks to commonly prescribed anti-anxiety drugs.
  • The broader question: Should prescription access be this easy for off-label uses?
• Notable Quotes:
  • [07:45] Celebrity on Golden Globes stage (referenced by Basu):
    "I took a beta blocker, so this is going to be a breeze."
  • [08:29] Sarah O'Brien (WSJ reporter):
    "It really works to like, slow the heart rate and lower your blood pressure, which can reduce like the physical symptoms that people might feel when they're anxious or nervous about something like a presentation going on a first date."
  • [08:56] Sarah O'Brien:
    "Some of the people I spoke to mentioned that they sought this out via telehealth, and they were asked to input their most recent blood pressure reading... there was little kind of guardrails on that so they could do a little math themselves..."
  • [10:07] Sarah O’Brien:
    "If you can get a medication like should you take it?... if I can medicate myself for the anxious jitters that I might have on my wedding day, should I do that?"

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Other Major Stories (Highlights & Timestamps)

• [10:46] Federal Judge Blocks Trump Attempt to Fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook
  • Judge says Cook is likely to prevail in her suit, questioning Trump’s justification for dismissal.
• [11:15] Nepal’s Social Media Ban Sparks Unrest, PM Resigns
  • The attempted Instagram ban incited youth protests, parliament set ablaze, 20 dead, 200 injured. The ban has since been lifted, though unrest may persist.
• [12:06] Jobs Report Reveals Major Overstatement in U.S. Hiring
  • Nearly 1 million fewer jobs were added than previously reported; sign of a weakening labor market, with a 40-year low in employment for mothers with young children.
• [12:46] 2026 World Cup Ticket Lottery Opens
  • Huge demand anticipated; pricing expected to range $60–$60,000 with Visa cardholders getting first access via a lottery.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• [05:24] Ashley Escobel, on no longer having to choose between career advancement and childcare affordability:
  "Now I don't have to worry about will my next raise affect my kids being able to go to daycare."
• [07:45] Celebrity at Golden Globes (as relayed by Basu, exemplifying shifting attitudes toward mental health interventions):
  "I took a beta blocker, so this is going to be a breeze."
• [02:43] Prime Minister Netanyahu, defending Israel's independent action:
  "Israel acted wholly independently. Wholly independently. And we take full responsibility for this action."

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Conclusion

This episode offers a snapshot of sweeping policy reforms in New Mexico aiming to ease the burden on families, probes the evolving medicalization of anxiety via easily accessible prescriptions, and maps out pressing international developments with significant political fallout and humanitarian implications. Listeners gain insight into the policy decisions shaping American lives, shifting international alliances, and the rapidly changing global context.

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Transcript

[Shemitah Basu]

Good morning. It's Wednesday, September 10th. I'm Shemitah Basu. This is Apple News Today. On today's show, the state making child care free for everyone. Why so many people are talking about beta blockers to treat anxiety. And one country's parliament is set ablaze as it tries to ban Instagram. But first to the Middle east, where yesterday Israel carried out a strike targeting Hamas's senior leadership in Doha, the capital of Qatar. It's the first time that Israel has carried out an attack in Doha, a major metropolitan city that's been the main base of diplomacy between the sides in this conflict. Hamas says the strikes hit none of their senior officials, though it did kill the son of Hamas's chief negotiator and a few other members. A member of Qatar's internal Security forces was also killed. The attack in Qatar, a US ally and country that served as the primary mediator in trying to bring an end to Israel's war in Gaza, was criticized by the international community, including the UN's Secretary General. President Trump called it unfortunate. And White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt questioned the move in a briefing yesterday.

[White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt]

Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America's goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.

[Shemitah Basu]

Mona Yakubian, director of the Middle East Program at the center for Strategic and International Studies, told Bloomberg Radio that the international condemnation of Israel strike was indicative of broader concerns.

[Mona Yakubian]

I think increasingly there's just worry that these kinds of actions are really transgressing international norms, international law, and they're creating a far more dangerous Middle east with implications not just for the region, but certainly for U.S. security and frankly for Israel's security.

[Shemitah Basu]

The strike in Qatar came at a moment when the United States had sent its own proposal to Hamas for a ceasefire. It's an open question now whether or how that proposal can proceed. Qatar has, for now, suspended its role as mediator. Speaking at an event at the US Embassy in Israel yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he had authorized the strike to hit the planners of the October 7 Hamas attack.

[Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu]

On this day, as in previous day, Israel acted wholly independently. Wholly independently. And we take full responsibility for this action. And this action can open the door to an end of the war, end of the war in Gaza. Israel has accepted the principles, the proposal put forward by President Trump, to end the war beginning with the immediate release of all our hostages.

[Shemitah Basu]

He and his defense minister said that they had instructed officials to prepare for this strike in retaliation to a shooting earlier this week that killed six Israelis in Jerusalem. Hamas later claimed responsibility for that shooting as Israel struck in Qatar and asserted that the precision attack was a means of helping to reach a ceasefire. It also issued an urgent evacuation order for Gaza City, warning of an impending full invasion of the city where the UN has already confirmed a famine is taking place. Last week, UN agencies had said that many households are unable to move due to costs and logistical challenges, and that an order to relocate could be construed as a coercive act that violates international law. Now to the issue of childcare and a first in the nation policy being introduced in New Mexico, announced this week by governor Michelle Lujan Grisham at a press conference.

[Mona Yakubian]

Universal access. Free childcare for every New Mexico family in the state of New Mexico that starts in New Mexico.

[Shemitah Basu]

It's an expansion of a policy they put into place three years ago when the state decided to offer free child care to qualifying families. Most American families spend an average of $13,000 on child care annually. In New Mexico, it's a little higher than that, more than what people in the state spend on housing. On average, the state is comparatively one of the poorest in the nation, and it's long been ranked at the bottom for child well being. That's partly why when Grisham first took office in 2018, she declared a moonshot for education with major investments in early childhood through college. Since then, the state has gradually expanded its child care access and subsidies. First, it had a pretty high income cap, which meant many families in the state qualified for free care. But as one parent, Ashley Escobel, told local news outlet krqe, that income ceiling was making her think twice about whether to pursue her career goals.

[Ashley Escobel]

You want to make the most money you can and you want to not need all this assistance. But until you get to that point, it's really hard to find a middle ground. Now I don't have to worry about will my next raise affect my kids being able to go to daycare.

[Shemitah Basu]

The governor's office says expanding the policy will cost nearly $130 million a year, and in recent years, both parties and the public have shown a willingness to invest in this way. The Early Childhood Education and Care Department, which was launched in 2020, now has an operating budget of nearly $1 billion, half of which goes to childcare payment, support and the money generated from New Mexico's unique Natural resources plays a big role, too. Three years ago, 70% of New Mexican voters approved a constitutional amendment directing a small percentage of its permanent land fund toward childhood programs. As oil and gas revenues in the state have risen, so too has the money earmarked for child. Speaking to NPR's Marketplace, Jessica Brown, an economist studying childcare markets at the University of South Carolina, said New Mexico's natural resources give it an unusual way of funding this issue. But now the challenge will be ramping up facilities to meet needs.

[Sarah O'Brien]

I mean, even for middle and high income families, childcare is expensive. It takes up a huge fraction of people's budgets, often as much, sometimes more than a mortgage. This is great as long as people can still find slots for their kids.

[Shemitah Basu]

The state says it's targeted building 55 more licensed childcare centers and registering 1,000 new in home daycares to accommodate additional families. An estimated 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety. And according to the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders are the world's most common mental health issue. But as the stigma around mental health issues continues to lessen and treatment methods become more prevalent, one prescription pill is rising in popularity, even getting shout outs from celebrities like Robert Downey Jr. On stage at the Golden Globes last year.

[White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sarah O'Brien]

I took a beta blocker, so this is going to be a breeze.

[Shemitah Basu]

And here's reality star Paige DeSorbo on a recent episode of the podcast Giggly Squad.

[White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt]

So I'd never taken a beta blocker before.

[Shemitah Basu]

I didn't know what it was like.

[Sarah O'Brien]

My makeup artist had one of them.

[White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt]

It takes away the physical symptoms of a panic attack.

[Shemitah Basu]

The Wall Street Journal recently examined how prescriptions for a type of beta blocker, propranolol, the fastest growing pill in the category, have risen 28% since 2020. The pill was approved by the FDA in 1967 to treat cardiovascular disease. But as reporter Sarah O' Brien told us, increasingly it's become popular for other reasons.

[Sarah O'Brien]

It really works to like, slow the heart rate and lower your blood pressure, which can reduce like the physical symptoms that people might feel when they're anxious or nervous about something like a presentation going on a first date.

[Shemitah Basu]

The FDA has not specifically approved propranolol for treatment of anxiety, and o' Brien said there are concerns in the medical community about its increased use, particularly around the ease of getting a prescription.

[Sarah O'Brien]

Some of the people I spoke to mentioned that they sought this out via telehealth, and they were asked to input their most recent blood pressure reading. Now they said that there was little kind of guardrails on that so they could do a little math themselves if they wanted to, if they were really trying to seek out this prescription and fudge the numbers.

[Shemitah Basu]

One doctor told o' Brien they didn't think it was practical to prescribe propranolol through telehealth, noting that without physically examining a patient, it's hard to know if it's appropriate. That same doctor also notes that it can mask the signs of an asthma attack and exacerbate diabetes. One medical expert o' Brien spoke with said that propranolol is non addictive and far milder than drugs like Xanax or Valium, two other well known anxiety medications. O' Brien also spoke to a number of women who said that taking propranolol for a huge event like their wedding day was enormously helpful and that it led to a sense of calm in an otherwise stressful situation. But in an era of easier access to medications like weight loss drugs called GLP1s that have proliferated in the United States, new questions about whether people should take certain prescriptions just because they can.

[Sarah O'Brien]

Have come up if you can get a medication like should you take it? So with the GLP1s, it became, you know, if you could lose weight, should you access these medications, even if you may not be sort of the intended person for this medication, for off label treatment, should you lose five to ten pounds? And this is sort of the people are seeking this out with the question of like if I can medicate myself for the anxious jitters that I might have on my wedding day, should I do that?

[Shemitah Basu]

Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook while her lawsuit challenging her dismissal proceeds. And the judge said she'll likely prevail in showing that Trump didn't comply with the requirement that officials can only be removed for cause. Trump had accused Cook of mortgage fraud, which he said justified her removal. Cook denies any wrongdoing. The administration is expected to appeal. Nepal's attempt to ban social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram has backfired badly, sending its younger population to the streets in protest and forcing its prime minister to resign. The demonstrations turned violent, the parliament building was set on fire and clashes with police have led to at least 20 deaths and around 200 injuries. Nepal's Gen Z critics accused the government of attempting to stifle a broader anti corruption campaign with the social media ban, which quickly became a catalyst for unrest. One popular viral slogan was the Nepo Kids trend, which highlighted the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by the political class and their families. The social media ban has been lifted, but it's not clear if the demonstrations will now fade away. A revised jobs report says the US Added close to a million fewer jobs than initially reported in the year ending in March. Hiring was overstated by 911,000 jobs over that period of time, NPR reports. It's the largest such revision going back to 2000. This is the latest in a strand of economic markers signaling that the labor market is on shaky ground. A pair of reports by the Conference Board and the New York Fed says Americans are less confident than ever about finding a job should they lose their current one. Meanwhile, the number of mothers of young children who are working hit a 40 year low and manufacturing jobs also dipped by 12,000 last month. Even hiring in the tech sector outside of AI is shrinking. And finally, today is your first opportunity to get tickets to the 2026 World cup, which might not be news to you if you already have a tab open while you're listening to this. NPR reports that FIFA is planning to introduce a pricing system that they say is not exactly the same. Dynamic pricing, the kind that's drawn a lot of pushback when employed by Ticketmaster, but one that does still fluctuate based on demand and will be overseen by humans rather than an algorithm. The first thing to know is that an initial window beginning today is only for Visa cardholders and gets you into a lottery that could allow you to buy tickets beginning on October 1st. From there, tickets could range from $60 to $60,000. TIFA says it's anticipating enormous demand with over 5 million people expected to attend. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the News app right now, we've got a narrated article coming up next. 63% of men under 30 are single, compared to 34% of women. Fox looks at a group of young, often straight single men who wish that they weren't, and how societal norms around masculinity might contribute to unhappiness and difficulties in finding a partner. If you're listening in the podcast app, follow Apple News plus narrated to find that story. And I'll be back with the news tomorrow.