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Synthesizing the News
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Afghan Election Season Begins With a Deadly Attack and a U.N. Report That Civilian Casualties Are Down
As peace talks between the U.S. and Taliban proceed, the U.N. notes that more civilians have been killed by airstrikes than insurgent attacks this year.
The Dunkin' Lawsuit Over Undocumented Workers Ignores a Basic Reality of the Food Service Industry
Restaurants rely heavily on foreign-born workers, and that's unlikely to change.
San Francisco Is Set to Ban Vape Sales. What Other Restrictions Have Places Tried?
City and state governments are responding to skyrocketing youth vaping rates, which went up 78 percent between 2017 and 2018.
The Leader of One of America's Biggest Science Agencies Just Signed a 'No-Manels' Pledge
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins joins men from many fields, both in the sciences and beyond.
The U.S. Is Using the Tariff Threat to Push Mexico to Accept Most Asylum Seekers
The Trump team is working on a "safe third country" agreement with Mexico, which would make migrants who travel through Mexico ineligible for asylum in the United States.
San Francisco Is Voting Today to Ban the City's Use of Facial Recognition Technology
The vote comes amid concerns that the technology violates civil liberties and is subject to racial biases.
Researchers Discover Microplastics in the Air of the Pyrenees Mountains
According to a new study, scientists found as much microplastic pollution in the air in this remote area as in densely populated cities like Paris.
President Trump Signs Two Executive Orders to Speed Approval of Fossil Fuel Projects
In two new executive orders, Trump seeks to expand executive power over pipelines and make it harder for states to block oil and gas projects.
New Hampshire Is Set to Repeal the Death Penalty
New Hampshire could become the 21st state in the nation to repeal the death penalty, a practice that is in decline both in the United States and around the world.
Worries About Health-Care Costs Cut Across Party Lines
But Republicans are far more likely to think that the United States' quality of care is among the best in the world.
Denver Just Passed a No-Tampon-Tax Bill. Where Else Have Such Taxes Been Lifted?
One study suggests such bans are especially helpful to low-income women.
How Well Do States Keep Lead Out of School Drinking Water?
Last year, a government watchdog report found that about 13 million American children went to schools where officials discovered lead in their drinking water. Now, advocacy groups have graded states' school water policies.
A New CDC Study Shows a Dramatic Increase In Fentanyl Deaths
Between 2011 and 2016, drug overdose deaths in the United States involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl dramatically increased, according to a report released Thursday.
Facebook Announces Plans to Stop Discrimination in Housing, Employment, and Credit Advertising
The company announced Tuesday that it would stop allowing advertisers of housing, jobs, and credit to target people based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, national origin, family status, and disability.
Airlines Are Grounding Boeing 737 Max 8 Planes Out of Caution (and Fear)
Two recent deadly plane crashes have prompted many countries to direct airlines to ground these planes out of concern that the crashes may be the result of a failure of the model.
Trump's 2020 Budget Would Slash Funding for EPA Programs
Though the Trump administration's attempted deep cuts have had historically minimal impact on the agency's budget, they offer further evidence of the Trump administration's lack of concern for federal environmental protection.
A Video-Sharing App Collected Sensitive Data From Millions of Children Under 13
The Federal Trade Commission has fined the video-sharing social media app TikTok $5.7 million for illegally collecting data of children under 13, a record-setting amount for a child privacy violation.
South Dakota Could Be the Next State to Ban Vaping in Public Places
The state is moving to prohibit vaping in public and in most places of employment.
2018 Was the Deadliest Year for Afghan Civilians in Recent Record
On the heels of peace talks between the Taliban and U.S. government, a new U.N. report finds increased violence at the hands of ISIS.
Should We Lower the Voting Age? California and Oregon Are the Latest States to Try.
Bills introduced in California and Oregon are the latest in an ongoing movement to enfranchise more young people.
Teens See Depression and Anxiety as the Biggest Problem Among Their Peers
A new study from the Pew Research Center shows 70 percent of teens see depression and anxiety as a major problem among their peers.
Elizabeth Warren Wants Child Care to Be Cheap or Free. What Are Americans Paying Now?
Massachusetts senator and 2020 Democratic hopeful Elizabeth Warren unveiled her plan for universal child care on Tuesday.
More Homeless People Are Dying of Hypothermia in Los Angeles Than in New York. Is Climate Change a Factor?
In Los Angeles, a city known for its sunshine and mild temperatures, more homeless people died of hypothermia last year than in New York City and San Francisco combined.
States Are Introducing Bills That Could Prevent Teachers From Advocating for Climate Change
Several states have recently introduced bills that could interfere with the teaching of scientifically founded theories on climate change in public school science curricula.