News in Brief A Clemency Expert on Why Trump’s Pardon of Arpaio Is Both Legal and Troubling The presidential pardon power is limited only by shame and politics, one expert says, and Trump is beholden to neither. Kate Wheeling
News in Brief Trump Doubles Down on Claim Mexico Will Pay for Border Wall The remarks came on the tail end of a tense volley between Trump and the Mexican government. Morgan Baskin
Environment Trump Rolled Back the Country’s Best Flood Protection Standards Two Weeks Before Harvey A little-noticed executive action removed rules that would have held new infrastructure projects to a higher storm-proofing standard. Kriston Capps
Social Justice Trump Revives Program That Militarized Local Police Forces President Obama curtailed a program transferring surplus military gear to local and state police after the protests in Ferguson, Missouri. Now Trump wants to restore the program in the name of officer safety. Kate Wheeling
News in Brief The Siren Song of the Bipartisan Unity Ticket While a unity ticket sounds exciting during a campaign, how exactly would governing work? Seth Masket
Environment Could Hurricane Harvey Deal a Fatal Blow to Climate Change Skepticism? A growing body of research suggests that perceptions of climate change are influenced by experience with climate-related natural disasters. Jared Keller
Social Justice Trump Blocks New Transgender Troops, Leaves Existing Service Members’ Fate Up to Mattis The president's directive comes one month after declaring on Twitter that transgender troops would no longer be allowed to serve in any capacity. Kate Wheeling
News in Brief The ‘Pacific Standard’ News Quiz This week's quiz features more somber themes, including the sociology of white supremacy and the make-up of prison libraries. Francie Diep
News in Brief Welcome to the New Age of Anarcho-Fascism The fundamental principles of the alt-right have been around for nearly a century. Jared Keller
Environment A Credible Path to 100 Percent Renewable Energy Most of the world could run on renewable energy by 2050 at a quarter of the cost of the current energy system, all while saving lives. Bob Berwyn