All USA
The ExplainerUS saw biggest spike in gun violence in 50 years. Don’t panic yet.Amid a pandemic and protests against police brutality, the U.S. saw a surge in gun violence that is the largest in decades.
Cover StoryUnderground counselors: The chaplains helping transit workers copeIn New York City, the nation’s only corps of transit chaplains helps workers deal with stress, trauma, and tragedies on the rails and in the streets.
Ballot initiatives give voters a voice: Are states listening?A legal tangle in Mississippi shows how ballot initiatives, a symbol of direct democracy, face pressure from other political institutions.
Election laws, 2024, and the future of democracyBetween Jan. 1 and May 14, at least 14 states enacted 22 new bills that restrict access to the vote. Sixty-one bills are progressing through 18 state legislatures.
First LookBipartisan report finds leadership failures around Jan. 6 attackThe Senate report is the first bipartisan review of the collapse in intelligence, communication, and leadership during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
First LookBrand building: The new recruitment tool for NCAA schoolsCollege athletes can now be paid endorsers without violating NCAA rules. Some schools are already investing in support programs for personal branding. Other schools are waiting, wary of changes in legislation that could set new parameters around monetizing athletes.
First LookConservatives stake their claim to climate activism in MiamiClimate action has long been seen as a liberal cause. But for a group of right-leaning environmentalists, who recently held a climate rally in Miami, combating climate change is a conservative cause, too.
First LookWere empty jails just a pandemic blip? Reformers say no.By the middle of 2020, the number of people in jails in the U.S. was at its lowest point in over two decades. Numbers are now creeping up again, but reformers say the justice system could continue keeping people out of jail beyond the pandemic.
FocusLab leak? Why Congress is split on investigating COVID’s origins.Republicans want Congress to investigate the lab leak theory. Democrats are wary of a politicized process.
Military sexual assault: Time for Congress to intervene?Legislation to remove commanders from investigation of sexual assault in the military has bipartisan support and admission of a need for change.
First LookDraft required just for men? The High Court lets Congress decide.The US Supreme Court decided not to review a case concerning the constitutionality of the men-only draft registration requirement of the Military Selective Service Act. Instead, the Court will defer to Congress to decide whether disparate treatment is still warranted.
First LookHow a forestry project helps Black families keep their landDuring the past century, Black families in the U.S. have lost more than 90% of their landholdings, often due to factors related to their race. But a new initiative is fighting that trend, helping them generate income from their land and making sure it stays in the family.
Good news for grads: Help (really) wantedWhile career launch may have been slow for 2020 and 2021 graduates, the strengthening job market is an “opportunity,” say analysts.
First LookWhy US judge ended California's 32-year ban on assault weaponsA federal judge overturned California’s ban on assault weapons, calling it a “failed experiment” that violates the Second Amendment of the U.S Constitution.
FocusCritical race theory: Who gets to decide what is history?Conservative politicians in 16 states have introduced bills aimed at prohibiting the teaching of concepts they cite as divisive.
A couch is not a home: Where the hidden homeless get housing vouchersCouch-surfing families – doubling up in homes with other families – are increasingly recognized as homeless and given assistance by housing agencies.
First LookAmid a mental health battle, sponsors side with Naomi OsakaAfter being transparent about dropping out of the French Open to protect her mental health, Naomi Osaka’s sponsors have stuck by her. The tennis star, who is the world’s highest–paid female athlete, joins a growing list of pro athletes speaking out on mental health.
First LookBiden is letting in more asylum-seekers. Who will get a spot?Six humanitarian organizations are helping the Biden administration decide which asylum seekers it will allow into the United States, a process that is raising questions about who is most qualified to make these decisions.
First LookBiden pleads for action as voting rights tug-of-war continuesDuring the centennial anniversary of Tulsa’s race massacre, President Biden called on Democratic lawmakers to protect voters’ rights as Republicans in Texas and other states pass new restrictions making it tougher to cast ballots.
The Explainer‘Constitutional carry’ comes to Texas. The trend in five charts.When Texas changes its gun laws, the U.S. takes notice. But “permitless carry” already has been adopted in 19 states. What are the effects so far?
