This week on the Back to Business Podcast, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum and Michael Kassab break down major stories making headlines across politics, culture, international affairs and sports. Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour amid renewed controversy over his pro-Palestinian comments and past rhetoric and imagery that critics have condemned as antisemitic. Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, said his opposition to Macklemore performing at the venue was not about supporting Palestinians, but about rhetoric he viewed as antisemitic. In Afghanistan, teenage girls are risking arrest simply to receive an education. CBS News recently went inside a secret school in Kabul where girls ages 14 to 16 continue studying despite Taliban restrictions. Before the reporters left, students handed them 21 handwritten “letters to the world,” describing the education and freedoms they have lost and their hopes of studying, working and choosing their own futures. What does it say that in 2026, girls are still forced to risk their safety just to go to school? The hosts also turn to escalating tensions in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a Houthi drone headed toward Mecca. As Saudi Arabia seeks outside help against the Iran-backed Houthis, reports have also raised the possibility of Saudi Arabia turning to Israel for security assistance. The hosts discuss what that could mean for Israel and Saudi Arabia, two countries facing shared regional threats, and whether security cooperation could bring them closer together. Finally, it’s NFL rapid fire. Shaya and Michael break down the biggest storylines from Weeks 1 and 2, including Caleb Williams and the Bears, Green Bay and Dallas, Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City, Lions vs. Bills, Seattle moving forward without Sam Darnold and whether the Giants can build on their early success. Watch or listen to the Back to Business Podcast every Wednesday at 10AM. CBS News Credit: This episode includes a brief video/audio excerpt from CBS News reporting on the secret girls’ school in Afghanistan. All CBS News footage and audio remain the property of CBS News. Topics: Macklemore, Ed Sheeran, Macklemore Ed Sheeran tour, Macklemore controversy, Macklemore antisemitism controversy, Robert Kraft, Gillette Stadium, antisemitism, Israel, Israel news, secret girls school Afghanistan, Afghan girls education, Taliban, women in Afghanistan, CBS News Afghanistan, letters to the world, Saudi Arabia, Mecca, Houthi drone, Houthis, Yemen, Iran, Israel Saudi Arabia relations, Middle East security, NFL Week 1, NFL Week 2, Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, current events, news commentary, Back to Business Podcast.