News in Brief Archives

Viewfinder: Looking Through the Border in California

Honduran caravan members look through the fence at the United States–Mexico border wall at Friendship Park in San Ysidro, California, on November 18th, 2018.

Pacific Standard Staff

Incoming Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) and other freshman members of the 116th Congress pose for a group photo on Capitol Hill on November 14th, 2018, in Washington, D.C.

Some Mid-Term Races Are Still Up in the Air (in Photos)

Nearly two weeks after Election Day, we still don't know who will join the historic 116th Congress in every district.

Emma Sarappo

Paulina Cortes, a community activist from San Jose, gives a protective particulate mask to a farmworker in Stockton, California, on November 16th, 2018.

Though Wildfire Smoke Threatens Farmworkers’ Health, Volunteers Are Being Blocked From Distributing Protective Masks

Amid hazardous air conditions in California, farm management is turning away volunteers attempting to hand out masks to farmworkers.

Jack Herrera

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has been the subject of at least 15 investigations into his conduct, one of which was referred to the Department of Justice late last month.

Industry Influence at the DOI: Five Takeaways From Our Investigation

An investigation by Pacific Standard and the Guardian revealed the full extent to which Ryan Zinke's Department of the Interior favored industry over conservation.

Rebecca Worby

Viewfinder: Counting Ballots a Week After the Election

Attorneys oversee the ballot process at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Warehouse on November 15th, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Pacific Standard Staff

A worker harvests cotton with a John Deere cotton picker on October 30th, 2017, near Wilson, Arkansas.

Climate Change Could Devastate Crop Yields. But New Research Shows Farmers Can Adapt.

To keep up crop production, farmers must continue to adjust to a warming climate.

Emily Moon

Viewfinder: Climate Activists and Police Clash in Westminster

A climate activist is arrested after spray-painting on the gates outside the Houses of Parliament on November 14th, 2018, in London, England.

Pacific Standard Staff

Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema participates in the pregame coin toss before the game between the Utah Utes and the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on November 3rd, 2018, in Tempe, Arizona.

As Votes Roll in, Fresh Records for Women’s Representation in U.S. Government Are Within Reach

By the morning after Election Day, America knew the number of women in the House of Representatives would hit historic highs. Could the Senate and governors' mansions, too?

Francie Diep

House Democrats Announce They’ll Hold Climate Change Hearings Early Next Year

Since Democrats gained a majority in the House during the mid-term elections, they've been expected to focus on climate change mitigation and preparation.

Francie Diep