Up Firs‪t‬ NPR

The U.S. launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday targeting Iranian-backed militia groups in the first known offensive military operation carried out by the Biden administration. Also, a COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson is on the brink of being authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use. And, a former U.S. gymnastics coach died by suicide just hours after being charged with multiple felonies including sexual assault and human trafficking.

The Centers for Disease Control has launched a website to help Americans find locations of COVID-19 vaccines in an effort to increase the pace of vaccinations. Also, the Biden administration is set to release a U.S. intelligence assessment on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives. And, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy faced heavy criticism in a House committee hearing about ongoing mail delays at the U.S. Postal Service.

In a Senate hearing, former U.S. Capitol security officials said that they did not have sufficient information ahead of Jan. 6 to accurately predict the scale of the attack. Also, a grand jury voted that no charges will be filed against Rochester police officers in connection with the March 2020 death of Daniel Prude, a Black man who was in the midst of a mental health crisis during his encounter with the police. And, a national health care provider has administered COVID-19 vaccinations to people deemed ineligible for the scarce vaccine by local health departments, including people with connections to company leaders.

The Biden administration has prioritized vaccinating the country quickly and equitably. But making sure vaccines reach communities of color has been a challenge. Also, the Senate holds the first hearing into the Capitol riot on January 6. And, we go to the recovery efforts in Houston, Texas in the wake of the disastrous winter storm and power outages that struck the state last week.

The U.S. is nearing 500,000 deaths from COVID-19, almost a year since the country's first death from the disease. Also, Judge Merrick Garland finally gets a confirmation hearing, but this time it is to take the role of President Biden's attorney general. And, Texans who were fortunate enough to have power last week during a devastating winter storm are now facing massive electricity bills. Why?

On this week's bonus episode of Up First, a story at the intersection of religion and disinformation. Host Rachel Martin reports on the role that some white evangelical churches have had in spreading conspiracy theories that threaten American democracy. The majority of Republicans don't believe President Biden was legitimately elected - and more than half of white evangelicals think that, too.