Writing the President, Moon Discoveries, Actor John Krasinski

Coming up on today’s show:

• If Hillary Clinton wins the November election, the Clinton Foundation will no longer accept foreign donations, the organization announced last week. But Donald Trump added fuel to the fire by over the weekend when he called for the foundation to be closed completely. The Takeaway explores what a ban on foreign and corporate donations would look like in practice, and how long it would take to implement, with Gail Sheehy, author of “Hillary’s Choice” and contributing editor to Vanity Fair.

• Potential conflicts of interest also factor into a Trump presidency. Should The Donald be elected, he will allow his children to take control of his business operations, which means that he’ll still have substantial sway over policies and appointments that would directly affect his financial empire. Robert Kelner, a partner at the law firm Covington and Burling and chair of the Election and Political Law Practice Group, discusses the legal and ethical issues that may arise from Trump’s plan.

• The organization Poets & Writers asked a number of authors to convey a message to the incoming president. Evie Shockley, a poet and author of “The New Black,” and an associate professor of English at Rutgers University, is participating in the project and shares her thoughts today on The Takeaway. 

• Since taking power in May, Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the police and military to kill suspected drug dealers and users without due process. The policy has also spurred a wave of civilian vigilantism. Now, the anti-drug campaign continues to intensify, with the death toll reaching 1,800. More than 1,000 of those killings have come at the hands of vigilantes. Rick Lines, executive director of Harm Reduction International, has the details. 

• On August 23, 1966, the world received its first view of Earth taken by the Lunar Orbiter near the moon. Fast forward 50 years, and private organizations are competing to reach the moon. One American team — Moon Express — received federal approval to set a robotic lander on the moon. Jason Kendall, an adjunct professor of astronomy at William Paterson University, explains.

• Actor John Krasinski is giving directing another shot in a new feature-length film, “The Hollars,” which debuts this Friday. Krasinski, known best for his role in “The Office,” also stars in the film as John Hollar, a struggling New York City artist whose mother’s illness brings him home. Today on The Takeaway, Krasinkski discusses his latest film and creative process.