There are more people hospitalized with COVID-19 now than at any other point in the pandemic. What is it like inside hospitals? Also, the U.S. and NATO allies are worried Russia may be planning to invade Ukraine again. Russia says its troop build-up along the border is just a military exercise. What's the view from Ukraine? Plus, an interview with former President Donald Trump. How is he trying to shape the upcoming election in 2022?

When it comes to voting rights, advocates want more than just speeches and platitudes from their leaders. Can President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris deliver when they travel to Georgia today? And many kids across the country are back in virtual classes. How are parents and teachers and school districts coping? Plus, tennis star Novak Djokovic's Australian visa has been reinstated. How do Australians feel about his vaccine exemption?

Nineteen people, including nine children, were killed in a massive apartment fire in New York City over the weekend. Was the building safe for the many immigrants families who lived there? And COVID hospitalizations are hitting new highs. How much longer will this surge last? Plus, the U.S. and Russia hold talks today. What is Vladimir Putin's end game?

January 6, 2021, changed politics, the media and all of us. Today, in the formal launch of Up First Sunday with host Rachel Martin, we have an episode designed to help you think deeper about the news of the week, featuring conversations with NPR Investigative Reporter Tom Dreisbach, Senior Political Editor Domenico Montanaro and Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin.

Next week, President Biden heads to Georgia to highlight his voting rights agenda. As COVID cases rise around the globe, some countries are imposing lockdowns again. And the actor Sidney Poitier died on Thursday. We revisit his legacy as a civil rights activist, trailblazer for Black performers, and artist.