With prices rising faster than wages right now, even many people who’ve gotten raises lately are struggling to pay for basic needs. The Washington Post tells some of their stories. One of Vladimir Putin’s biggest enemies tells Time that the U.S. and allies are missing important things as they deal with the Russia–Ukraine crisis. A journalist told the president of Mexico she feared for her life. Then she was killed. The Los Angeles Times explains why covering the news there has become so dangerous. The Wall Street Journal reports on how Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have been denied entry into baseball’s Hall of Fame. The Ringer calls the decision an awkward stalemate in the attempt to wrestle with the era of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. In the Players’ Tribune, Allen Iverson reads his tribute to fellow NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died two years ago today in a helicopter crash.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.