Education Jun 08 As temperatures rise, schools without AC struggle to keep students healthy and learning Studies show that in more places in the United States, there are now more days hotter than 80 degrees during the school year than there were in 1970. Schools that can’t afford air conditioning are struggling with overheated classrooms, which…
Nation Jun 02 What’s behind a surge in car thefts and carjackings across the country Car thefts soared between 2019 and 2022, surpassing 1 million in 2022 for the first time in 14 years, according to government and insurance industry statistics. Meanwhile, reports of overall property crimes like robbery, theft and vandalism fell during the…
Nation Jun 01 Why rents are still higher in much of the U.S. than before the pandemic Rents today are well above what they were before the pandemic. According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans’ second-highest personal finance concern this election year is the cost of housing, behind only inflation. John Yang speaks with Diane Yentel, CEO…
Nation May 26 Wastewater from Tyson meat processing plants is polluting U.S. waterways, report says Tyson Foods is one of the world’s biggest meat and poultry producers. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, it’s also a major polluter in the United States. A new report from the group says Tyson plants dumped more than…
Nation May 25 What’s changed in Minneapolis four years after George Floyd’s death Four years ago today, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers ignited international protests over racism and calls for police reforms. Despite that global reach, it is still very much a local trauma for Minneapolis. John Yang speaks…
Arts May 25 The struggles and breakthroughs of Chinese American movie star Anna May Wong Anna May Wong was a pioneering actress considered to be the first major Asian American film star, despite the limits imposed by Hollywood’s racism. As this year’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month draws to a close,…
Economy May 12 The costs and pitfalls of ‘earned wage access’ apps that offer loans between paychecks Two years of high prices for everything from groceries to gas have left many Americans struggling between paydays. For help, some are increasingly turning to “earned wage access” apps, which offer small, short-term loans until their next paycheck. We hear…
World May 12 New film shows the toll Russia’s invasion has taken on animals in Ukraine The war in Ukraine has upended the lives of millions of people. It’s also disrupted the lives of an untold number of animals, both pets and zoo animals. An upcoming episode of Nature on PBS, “Saving the Animals of Ukraine,”…
Health May 11 What to know about new COVID variants and the spread of bird flu and measles Hospitalizations for COVID are at an all-time low four years after the start of the pandemic, but new variants are in circulation. Meanwhile, bird flu has been found in 36 dairy herds across nine states, though there has been only…
Nation May 11 The history-making legacy of Asian American photographer Corky Lee May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. For our “Hidden Histories” series, we learn about Corky Lee, a photographer who chronicled the daily lives, struggles and contributions of Asian Americans, a community that is often marginalized,…