Science Nov 17 Drought’s impact on Mississippi River causes disruptions in shipping and agriculture Up and down the Mississippi River basin, below-average rainfall has constricted one of the country’s major economic thoroughfares. Some areas along the river are reporting their lowest water levels in decades and it could affect consumers across the country. William…
World Nov 16 Gap between pledges and action sparks criticism at COP27 climate summit As nearly 200 countries negotiate at the COP27 climate talks on reducing emissions, there's a call for greater regulation and transparency around prior and future pledges. A United Nations report targets governments, corporations and banks for what's called "greenwashing," or…
World Nov 11 Biden announces new effort to cut emissions as low-income nations demand more aid President Biden arrived in Egypt for the COP27 U.N. climate talks. The president pledged new money for renewable energy projects around the world, and a greater push to cut emissions of methane. But he also is hearing a plea from…
Nation Nov 10 Formerly incarcerated face complicated path in aftermath of Hurricane Ian Hurricanes devastate vulnerable communities, but a group that’s often overlooked after disasters is the formerly incarcerated. William Brangham spoke with a woman whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. She then found that her criminal record made it very hard…
Politics Nov 07 Republican groups file legal challenges to voting process before Election Day Approaching the last day of voting in these midterms, lawsuits have been filed targeting the elections process in several key states. The challenges take issue with how votes are being cast and which ballots get counted. The lawsuits threaten to…
Nation Nov 03 The history of daylight saving time and its effect on our health This weekend, nearly all of us will set our clocks back one hour. It's part of the twice-a-year ritual of alternating between daylight saving time and standard time. William Brangham looks at the history of changing the clock and a…
Nation Nov 01 Oil companies post massive profits as consumers feel squeeze from high gas prices High gas prices are on the minds of Americans a week before the election. At the same time, oil and gas companies are reporting record-breaking profits. President Biden lashed out and called for a new windfall tax if companies don't…
Nation Oct 31 Supreme Court hears arguments in cases that could end affirmative action The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday that could overturn years of precedent. Past decisions indicated colleges can use race in admissions as long as they don't use quotas or give applicants benefits based solely on race. Plaintiffs are asking the…
Nation Oct 31 FEMA administrator on relief efforts in Florida a month after Hurricane Ian It’s been about a month since Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida. As clean-up efforts in the state continue, the hardest-hit communities are still reeling. William Brangham spoke with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on the recovery and rebuilding efforts, and…
Nation Oct 27 Floridians displaced by Hurricane Ian face decisions on how or if they will rebuild When Hurricane Ian hit the U.S., it was nearly a Category 5 storm and one of the strongest to ever make landfall in this country. In its aftermath, housing is an urgent problem, and hundreds of thousands of households have…