In the small Northern California town of Rio Vista, a woman named Katheryn Jenks calls 911 for help. But after the police arrive, she ends up injured and inside a jail cell, facing serious charges. That same day, California Governor Jerry Brown signs a new law, State Senate Bill 1421, that opens up long hidden records of police misconduct, including files that might change the outcome of Jenks' case.
The White House is courting influential Democratic senators and making a public relations push for President Biden's infrastructure proposal, while Republicans draw a red line around corporate tax increases.
Biden also spent part of this week test-driving Ford's new electric F-150 Lightning. But for all the talk of energy innovation and electric cars, one part of Biden's infrastructure plan is based on a pretty old idea — one from another era when millions of Americans were out of work. NPR's Scott Detrow and Nathan Rott report on Biden's proposal to revamp the nearly 100-year-old Civilian Conservation Corps — with a new focus on climate change. Read more from their reporting here.
In general, there are more men in STEMM fields than women. Representation in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine is even lower for women of color — facing racial discrimination on top of gender discrimination. And then, the pandemic hit. Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong speaks with Dr. Eve Higginbotham about our earliest understandings of how the pandemic has impacted women in STEMM, and what support institutions can offer to make it easier for women in stay in the workforce and progress in their careers. You can download a free PDF of the 2021 study here.
Over the past year, QAnon conspiracies have migrated from obscure corners of the internet into national headlines. The false belief that left-wing Satanists are controlling the government helped fuel the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6.
These theories didn't come from nowhere. Back in the 1980s a similar "satanic panic" swept through the country and led to lawsuits that alleged preschool teachers were performing evil rituals with children. These claims were debunked but the accusations themselves had staying power.
NPR's Ari Shapiro reports on what factors contributed to the original "satanic panic" and what it can teach us about the conspiracy theories that attract followers today.
Many Americans are baring their faces in public again, following new CDC recommendations that fully vaccinated people don't need them in most settings. But there are critics who question the CDC's decision and say it's too soon. Maddie Sofia talks with NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey about this latest mask guidance and the questions it raises for businesses, essential workers, and the most vulnerable.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has gone from bad to worse. The Biden administration says it's engaging in "quiet, intensive diplomacy" to broker an end to the violence.
Leni Stenseth of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency tells NPR that the humanitarian situation in the region is "extremely alarming."
What is the diplomatic path toward some sort of peace? Israeli political analyst and journalist Akiva Eldar, a contributor to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, and Mkhaimar Abusada, a professor of political science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, discuss what life on the ground is like for each of them, and the role of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
(Encore.) Drug overdose deaths are on the rise all around the country, including in Chicago, Illinois. ProPublica Illinois reporter Duaa Eldeib explains how the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the opioid epidemic, and the challenges that public health officials are facing as they work to reduce opioid-related deaths.
Nine-year-old Hallel is the oldest of three children. They also identify as a "boy-girl," which was a revelation to their parents Shira and Ari when Hallel made the announcement to them.
Through a series of family recordings and interviews with WBUR's Martha Bebinger, the family shared the story of how this realization unfolded, and what they're learning.
The promise of post-pandemic life is exciting, but that doesn't mean it won't get awkward at times. We asked for your questions about how to navigate this new normal and we have some answers.
Dr. Lucy McBride, a primary care physician, and public theologian Ekemini Uwan have both written about this transitional moment Americans are living in and have some advice.
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It's the latest installment of our series, "Animal Slander," where we take a common saying about animals and see what truth there is to it. The case before the Short Wave court today: "badgering." We look at the dark origins of the word and explore the wild world of badger biology with University of Oxford scientist Tanesha Allen.
