All USA
The ExplainerFrom voting to abortion, ballot measures could have big impactsBallot measures are a direct form of democracy 鈥� allowing voters themselves to decide issues. This year鈥檚 may be particularly consequential, including abortion policy and election laws.
First LookAs rents skyrocket, rent control ballot measures gain momentumAs rents skyrocket, initiatives across the country have put rent control on the Nov. 8 ballot. While the real-estate industry has decried rent control as draconian, many Americans say it鈥檚 needed to keep them from being priced out of their homes.
First LookOpioid lawsuits: CVS first major chain to settle, will pay $5 billionCVS will be the first major pharmacy chain to enter a nationwide settlement, saying it will pay around $5 billion to state, local, and Native American governments over the sale of opioids. The company has not admitted any wrongdoing.聽
FocusA pastor, a football star, and the battle for a key Senate seatIn Georgia, a historic Senate race between two Black men offers contrasting visions, especially on matters of identity and division.聽 聽
Paul Pelosi attack highlights soaring threats of political violencePlots against elected officials tend to rise around events like elections. But threats against members of Congress are up tenfold in five years.
Can Evan McMullin ride anti-Trump coalition to Senate win in Utah?Evan McMullin is trying to beat Sen. Mike Lee of Utah with a new type of voter coalition made of Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans
First LookPolice reform momentum has slowed as states roll back legislationTwo years after the death of George Floyd, the momentum behind the push for police reform has stalled. Change is coming unevenly throughout the country, though legal experts say Mr. Floyd鈥檚 death, among others, has altered the trajectory of policing.
First LookElection denials, scandals don鈥檛 deter voters from GOP candidatesRepublicans in Congress are backing candidates with troubled personal and political pasts 鈥� candidates who may have once been considered unelectable. But despite differences between incumbents and newcomers, the GOP is rallying to vote out Democrats.聽
First LookIn swing state Wisconsin, poll workers train for conflict preventionElection officials across the country are bracing for confrontational poll watchers ahead of next week鈥檚 midterms.聽While observers play 鈥渁 vital role in democracy,鈥� Milwaukee city officials want to keep both workers and voters safe.
First LookAttack on Pelosi's husband: Politicians condemn partisan violenceThe attack on Paul Pelosi has fed already existing concerns about the state of U.S. democracy heading into the midterm elections.聽 聽
First LookPoverty and online school affected learning losses, US study findsThe average U.S. student lost more than half a year of learning in math, and nearly a quarter of a year in reading since 2019. Children in low-income areas were most affected, but advocates hope this data can direct funding to聽students facing the largest setbacks.
Senior women find joy on the softball field: Meet the Colorado PeachesJoy doesn鈥檛 take a timeout with age. Older women in Colorado find it on the field.
From heckled to shut out: Covering campaigns is getting harderPublic understanding is undermined as聽fewer voters respond to polls and more candidates, particularly on the Republican side, shun reporters.
Care Courts: California focuses on mental illness to reduce homelessnessA new California law aims to address an intersection of mental illness and homelessness, but聽implementation and the threat of compulsory care are raising concerns.聽
The politics of inflation: Can Democrats buck history?Inflation is top of Americans鈥� minds heading into the midterm elections, and economic pain in the household wallet may translate into trouble for Democrats at the ballot.
First LookGOP diversity: Jennifer-Ruth Green closes in on Indiana House seatJennifer-Ruth Green is eyeing an upset in an Indiana House district that has been under Democratic control for almost a century. Ms. Green epitomizes the push for diversity within the GOP, and could become the second Black Republican woman in the House.聽
FocusPot prohibition cost Black communities. Can Black firms profit now?Will minority communities most affected by criminalization and incarceration now be locked out of what is becoming a legal multibillion-dollar industry? What states and the federal government are doing to help restore the inequities of the past.
First LookDocumentaries dropped, contracts cut after Ye's antisemitic rantAdidas and a slew of other businesses affiliated with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West have cut ties with the musician. Ye was banned from Twitter and received widespread criticism from celebrities after an antisemitic rant.聽
First LookIs 'convict labor' a form of slavery? Five states face ballot vote.Voters in聽Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont will decide whether to close legal loopholes that allow convict labor as an exception to slavery. Nearly 20 state constitutions include language permitting slavery as a criminal punishment.聽
Will Ron DeSantis become the GOP鈥檚 standard-bearer?The 2024 campaign is already quietly underway. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is courting Trump supporters and trying to avoid the former president鈥檚 ire.
