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First LookMaui’s mayor says island residents should be prioritized over tourists for rentalsOn Hawaii’s tourist island of Maui, the mayor wants to curtail the number of vacation rental properties to address a housing shortage for residents. Some critics warn that reducing the supply of lodging for visitors could ruin the tourism industry.
Wars of the future will be awash with drones. The Pentagon is trying to keep up.Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East highlight the growing role of inexpensive drones in battle – pushing the Pentagon to rethink war-fighting strategy.
First LookAs book bans surge, LGBTQ+ library employees say the workplace no longer feels safeLGBTQ+ library workers say they are encountering hostile patrons even as lawmakers are increasingly considering lawsuits, fines, and even imprisonment for distributing books some regard as inappropriate.
Monitor BreakfastEven for Senate Intelligence Committee chair, all politics is localAt a Monitor Breakfast, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner weighed in on AI, China, and border security. Then I asked the Virginia Democrat if he’d run for reelection.
Rebels with a religious cause: Meet New York’s avant-garde conservativesNew York has long been a haunt for underground artists. A growing number have become more conservative – and religious.
Two years after Dobbs, Americans tilt toward abortion rights – with limitsTwo years after the Dobbs ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, public support for abortion has grown but tension remains within and among states.
First LookAbortion access wins when it’s on the ballot, but half the states can’t get it thereAbortion-rights supporters in several states have used the citizen initiative process to protect access to the procedure. But voters in half the states don't have that right.
After years of expanding gun rights, Supreme Court sets a limit on Second AmendmentThe 21st century has so far seen a steady expansion of U.S. gun rights. On Friday, the Supreme Court said that domestic abusers could be temporarily barred from owning firearms.
FocusAs Black churches see emptier pews, Democrats may lose a key turnout weaponAs President Joe Biden tries to shore up Black support, a decline in church attendance may deprive the party of an unofficial organizational arm.
First LookLouisiana public schools must display Ten Commandments. Opponents promise lawsuits.Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill on June 19 mandating a poster of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergartens to state-funded universities. Civil rights activists say that’s unconstitutional.
First LookA bed of their own: Cities embrace micro-communities as a solution to homelessnessFaced with years of rising homelessness rates and failed solutions, city officials across the United States believe that micro-communities, unlike shelters, offer residents stability that can put them on the path to secure housing.
The ExplainerBiden’s immigration announcement explained in 3 questionsPresident Joe Biden’s back-to-back executive actions appear designed to thread a needle on immigration – to be seen as both tough and humane.
- The ExplainerBiden’s immigration announcement explained in 3 questions
President Joe Biden’s back-to-back executive actions appear designed to thread a needle on immigration – to be seen as both tough and humane.
Monitor BreakfastSenate intelligence chair sees ‘Wild West’ election risks from AI and disinformationAt a Monitor Breakfast, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia talked about threats to U.S. elections and to national security, from the border to TikTok.
Criticized, doubted, and now champions. How two Celtics rewrote their story.Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown repeatedly came close to an NBA title. On Monday, they won their first, together, showing their character.
First LookSwinomish Tribe has been fighting to protect its land. Then a railway spilled crude oil across it.Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway owes the Swinomish Tribe nearly $400 million for intentionally trespassing across their reservation. Last year, two BNSF engines derailed on the tribe’s land, leaking 3,100 gallons of diesel fuel.
First LookWynton Marsalis and Bryan Stevenson fuse jazz, protest, and justice on Juneteenth albumCivil rights lawyer and jazz pianist Bryan Stevenson and Pulitzer-winning jazz artist Wynton Marsalis collaborated on a new live performance album of historic jazz records to honor Juneteenth and Black history.
Wait ... the Underground Railroad ran across the Rio Grande? A lost story surfaces.Mexico played a role in the Underground Railroad as some enslaved people fled south. A growing group of researchers – and ancestors – brings to life their bravery.
First LookA week of extremes: Southwest, Rockies, Gulf Coast brace for severe weatherSevere weather is forecast across the United States the week of June 17 with extreme heat in the Southwest, heavy rain in the Gulf Coast, and snow in the Rockies. Last year, the U.S. saw the most heat waves since 1936.
First LookMaryland Governor Moore issues record-breaking pardons of marijuana convictionsMaryland Gov. Wes Moore signed the largest executive order of over 175,000 pardons for marijuana convictions on June 17. The pardons forgive about 100,000 people of low-level marijuana possessions.
