Among the Insurrectionists
An account of the assault on the Capitol, and its preparation.
Nextdoor Is Quietly Replacing the Small-Town Paper
A look at the ultra-local social network Nextdoor.
How Europe fell behind on vaccines
A story looking at vaccine procurement in the EU and elsewhere. The article summarises the trade offs arising from the EU’s centralised approach in the following way — “EU countries stuck together even as the U.S. and the U.K. bought, approved and began injecting vaccines at a faster clip. The result: lower prices, with higher accountability for drugmakers, and shots for the whole of the EU — but also delays in delivery and rising tensions among EU member countries resentful about the tradeoffs.”
How the Virus Won
A stunning and sobering data visualisation, charting the spread of coronavirus in the United States.
30 Years Ago, Romania Deprived Thousands of Babies of Human Contact
A powerful account of children abandoned in Romanian institutions in indescribably grim conditions and utterly ignored, and the life that one amongst them has gone on to lead.
The History of the “Riot” Report
A study of reports published by government commissions after periods of protest and struggles for justice, which have perversely “acted as alibis for inaction”.
There Are Many Man-Made Objects. The Rape Kit Is Not One of Them.
The story of Marty Goddard’s invention of the rape kit, work which was later incorrectly attributed to a police officer at his insistence. The piece examines the importance of the invention and the deeply troubled history of police and judicial responses to rape.
How Do We Change America?
A powerful essay that poses the question “How do we change America?”, looks to the past and finds a repetitive cycle of calls for reform much like those being put forward by many politicians now, followed by policy making and implementation failures. The author proposes that, in the end, “We cannot insist on “real change” in the United States by continuing to use the same methods, arguments, and failed political strategies that have brought us to this moment.”
They Built a Utopian Sanctuary in a Minneapolis Hotel. Then They Got Evicted.
The story of a hotel that was “comandeered” during protests in Minneapolis and turned into a sanctuary run by volunteers.