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First LookWinner takes all? California Republicans modify electoral strategy.An overwhelming majority in California’s Republican Party voted in favor of a winner-takes-all electoral strategy for the 2024 election. The new rule is expected to help former President Trump and could disincentivize other GOP candidates from campaigning.
First LookHow floods brought attention to long overlooked mobile home parksDespite being disproportionately affected by natural disasters, mobile home parks have long been overlooked by United States policymakers. But after the recent bouts of flooding, urgency is rising to protect the parks as a source of affordable housing.
How Israel democracy battle is challenging Biden ... and US JewsU.S.-Israel relations reflect shared values as well as interests. Now the deep turmoil in Israel over legislation that some fear weakens democracy shows signs of having an impact on both.
Washington rushing to put guardrails on AI – fast enough?With artificial intelligence advancing at lightning speed, many experts, and increasingly policymakers, say that Washington needs to move faster than usual on regulation and oversight.
From heat czars to tree planting, relief for urban heat islandsWith record-setting temperatures and greater awareness, cities ramp up to deal with heat, especially in marginalized communities.
First LookAmid brutal heat, Phoenix’s homeless population struggles to stay safeAs Phoenix swelters in a blistering heatwave, the city’s unhoused population struggles to stay safe. People living outside are among those most vulnerable to the dangers of sky-high temperatures.
First LookTrump facing new charges in classified documents caseProsecutors allege former President Donald Trump asked an employee to delete security footage at his Florida estate. He also faces a new count of willfully retaining national defense information.
First Look‘Out of pain comes power’: Biden establishes Emmett Till monumentPresident Joe Biden established a national monument honoring Emmett Till, the Black teenager from Chicago whose abduction and killing in Mississippi in 1955 helped propel the Civil Rights Movement. The federal proclamation protects three sites in two states.
First LookClimate resilience in the US: Biden unveils plan for soaring tempsAmid escalating heat in the U.S., President Biden has announced initiatives for worker safety, improved weather forecasts, and water access. These include workplace inspections, heat protection alerts, and a $159 million climate resilience investment.
Hunter Biden courtroom drama raises stakes for his fatherA plea deal on tax and gun charges against Hunter Biden fell apart Wednesday, heightening the political risk for President Biden and his reelection.
First LookWhat does US know about UFOs? Former military testify before Congress.Ex-Air Force officer Maj. David Grusch told Congress the U.S. has a secret UFO study and reverse-engineering program for unidentified aerial phenomena. The Pentagon has denied his claims.
First LookWhy seeking asylum at US-Mexico border may soon be easierA federal judge blocked a rule that required migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to seek protection in a country they had passed through. The ruling won’t take effect immediately, giving the Biden administration time to appeal.
In Ohio, abortion battle triggers fight over direct democracyWith abortion policy now up to states, activists are looking to state constitutions as a way to guarantee or deny rights. And that’s leading to battles over how easily constitutions can be amended.
Not too early to think ‘what next?’ if Ukraine offensive failsUkraine’s summer offensive to retake lost territory is going slowly. Military experts say Western allies need to consider the possibility of failure – and perhaps focus on the defense of Ukraine.
The ExplainerShoplifting is on the rise. So are solutions.Across the United States, retailers are undertaking extraordinary measures to combat a rise in shoplifting. So are lawmakers and police.
With affirmative action gone, a new target: Legacy admissionsNow that affirmative action has been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, other practices, such as legacy admissions, are under scrutiny.
First LookRazor wire and buoys: Texas escalates tactics along US-Mexico borderTexas Gov. Greg Abbott has added heightened barriers – such as buoys and razor wire – along the U.S.-Mexico border, using disaster declarations as his legal bedrock. But now the tactics are prompting criticism, even within Texas.
Amid record heat wave, Texas grid powers throughThe Texas power grid has come through weeks of record 100-degree days like a champ, thanks in part to ramped-up clean energy and battery storage.
‘Spectacular’ wildflower season blooms in ColoradoWith the backdrop of a two-decade megadrought in the American West, an especially wet water year has produced a stunning wildflower show on the Western Slope of Colorado.
First LookFarmers face floods, lost crops, and too little time to replantWhen torrential rains swept through the Northeast, farmers in the region – particularly in Vermont – were dealt a devastating blow at the worst possible time. Plants were too early to harvest, and it’s too late to replant in the remaining growing season.
