Nation May 28 2021 could be one of the driest years in a millennium, and there’s no relief in sight Nearly half of the country — from the Pacific coast to the Great Plains and upper Midwest — is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought conditions. That's expected to get worse throughout the summer. As William Brangham reports, it's the western…
World May 27 What the shakeups, legal losses for fossil fuel companies mean for climate change efforts Three major oil and gas firms — ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron — suffered hits in court and among their own investors Wednesday, amid pressure for businesses and governments to seriously curtail emissions that drive climate change. William Brangham…
Nation May 24 Antisemitic attacks spread like ‘wildfire’ in the U.S. during Gaza conflict The cease-fire in Gaza is holding for now. But while the confrontation between Israel and Hamas was taking place, there were growing reports of antisemitic attacks and slurs in several American cities. William Brangham focuses on the disturbing questions this…
World May 21 4 ways the US can help stem COVID deaths globally While the pandemic's toll is easing in the U.S., COVID-19 still has a deadly grip on many other countries. The estimated global death toll remains around 13,000 people a day, and the World Health Organization's new estimates are far higher.
World May 19 ‘Vaccine passports’ may be critical for equity, but polarization could undermine efforts Despite good progress on vaccinations in the U.S., the Biden administration and most officials are weary of requiring "vaccine passports" to prove inoculation. William Brangham discusses the related concerns with Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public…
Nation May 17 An emergency room physician weighs in on CDC’s relaxed masking, distancing guidelines Ever since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased mask recommendations substantially for fully vaccinated adults, there's been a wide range of reaction — including some outright confusion, anxiety and criticism — over how this will play out. William…
Arts May 14 DC art exhibit makes shoes out of trash in nod to the ‘Great Shoe Spill of 1990’ The year 1990 saw the “Great Shoe Spill" where tens of thousands of Nike shoes fell into the Pacific. The accident led to some scientific discoveries, and now, whimsical art packed with an eco-friendly message. William Brangham plunges into an…
Nation May 13 Here’s the latest on gas shortages in the US and the plans to prevent future hacks Although Colonial Pipeline has resumed operations after a cyberattack, things are yet to return to normal. William Brangham has a look at the new claims about the hack and the resulting gas crunch with Patrick De Haan, the head of…
World May 11 Is the Russian government involved in the Colonial Pipeline hack? One expert weighs in The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack showed the vulnerability of key parts of America's critical infrastructure, and how hostile actors can exploit those weaknesses. William Brangham and investigative reporter Michael Weiss look at what role — if any — the Russian…
Science May 10 FDA greenlights Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 New York became the latest state to require students at publicly funded colleges be vaccinated for the fall term — a move that comes as overall, new infections in the U.S. have fallen to their lowest since last September. Vaccine…