The Takeaway

NATO's Struggle to Define Its Future

To commemorate its 70th anniversary, leaders of the 29 member countries are gathering in London this week. 

"Porgy and Bess" and the Legacy of Black Opera

"Porgy and Bess" is the most renowned Opera for black singers, but should it still be in 2019?

President Trump is Allowing States to Ban Refugees—Utah is Asking for More

Earlier this fall, President Trump gave states and cities the authority to veto refugee resettlements. But the Governor of Utah is asking the president for more refugees, not fewer.

In North Carolina, the Fight Over the Drawing of Congressional District Lines Appears to Have Come to an End

On Monday a panel of judges ruled that the latest congressional map, which was drawn by the Republican controlled legislature, will stand for the 2020 election.

Georgia Governor Clashes With Trump Over Interim Senator Pick

Kemp’s choice of businesswoman Kelly Loeffler drew criticism from Republicans, because the President has expressed interest for another candidate, Georgia Congressman Doug Collins

Concerns Over Trump's U.K. Visit So Close to U.K. Election

President Trump is in London attending the NATO summit amidst concerns of his sway on upcoming elections.

Why the Framers Empowered Congress to Impeach the President

With so few examples of impeachment in our history, it can become unclear what exactly impeachable conduct is, and what the framers intended with it.

When Black Critics Examine Black Art

A number of black critics have received pushback on social media for their criticism of the new film "Queen & Slim."

Unprecedented Violence and Hundreds Dead in Iran's Protests

At least 180 people were killed in a violent crackdown that resulted in Iranian security forces opening fire on unarmed protesters. 

Trump Launches Task Force to Address Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

The National Justice Institute estimates that 84 percent of Native American women experience violence in their lifetime.

The Dangers of Working in Amazon Warehouses

New reporting found that Amazon's average serious injury rate was more than double the national average for its industry.

Are Dating App Companies Responsible for Protecting Their Users from Sex Offenders? 

Millions of Americans are using dating apps to find love. Do the companies who own these apps have a moral or legal responsibility to screen users who are registered as sex offenders?

Scientists have painted a bleak picture of the future if we fail to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but we’ve already started to witness the fallout of a warming planet. Politics with Amy Walter looks at the role climate change is playing across politics and at the vulnerable communities that stand to lose the most. 

Our coverage this week is part of a collaboration with 250 other media organizations called “Covering Climate Now.” 

President Donald Trump was elected in 2016 fresh off of giving campaign speeches that promised to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and bring back coal jobs. Just over two years later, we look at whether or not he's made good on those promises.

Guests:

Rachel Cleetus, Policy director with the Climate and Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists

Kendra Pierre-Louis, Climate reporter for The New York Times

Christine Todd Whitman, Former Governor of New Jersey and Former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Zahra Hirji, Climate reporter for BuzzFeed News

Rich Fitzgerald, County Executive (D) for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Leandra Mira, Pittsburgh climate activist

Comment from Shell:

"Shell received its Air Quality Permit in 2015 from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, with oversight from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.  In line with its permitting requirements, Shell will meet the regulatory standards created to protect people and the environment."

How Will Bloomberg News Cover Bloomberg the Candidate?

Mike Bloomberg announced he is running for president and some are worried about how Bloomberg News will cover his candidacy.

Adding Indigenous Ingredients to the Thanksgiving Table

There has been a resurgence of dishes championed by Native American and indigenous cooks and chefs that are breaking into the mainstream.

How the Alcatraz Occupation of 1969 Sparked the Native American Civil Rights Movement

Fifty years ago this month, a group of Native American activists launched a 19-month occupation of Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay.

Is Thanksgiving a Time for Speaking Out, or Keeping the Peace?

With the impeachment proceedings dominating the news, the Democratic candidates campaigning and debating, this year, it seems impossible to avoid politics.

Continuing Concerns About Political Ads on Social Media

Twitter announced it was banning political ads. But Facebook has continued to take a more hands-off approach.

New Initiative Seeks to Bridge Prosecution Empathy Gap

A new initiative signed by 40 progressive district attorneys pledges to have prosecutors visit correctional centers in an effort to instill more empathy in the sentencing process.

Sentencing of School Shooter Reignites Conversation About Life Without Parole for Juveniles

The United States is the only country in the world that sentences juveniles to life in prison.

The American Plastics Renaissance: Big Oil's Plan B 

The expansion of fracking in the U.S. has paved the way for a renaissance in American plastics manufacturing.

When You're Over 50 in Hollywood

The Good Liar, a thriller released earlier this month, stars septuagenarians Ian McKellen as a con artist and Helen Mirren as his target.

Trump's Recent Pardons Cause Rift within the Military

President Donald Trump recently pardoned three military officers who were convicted or accused of war crimes. 

The Decline of Local News

In the past 15 years, more than 2,000 newspapers have shuttered across the United States. 

What does the future hold for Israeli politics?

With Prime Minister Netanyahu being indicted on corruption charges as the U.S. reverses its stance on the illegality of Israeli settlements, what's in store for Israeli politics?  

Why Disabled Workers Can Get Paid Less Than Minimum Wage

Most Americans might not know that federal law allows certain employers to pay people with disabilities far less than the minimum wage, trapping them in poverty.

Not that long ago, state government was seen as one of the last places for functional governing. But, over the last 10 years, state politics have become as polarized as Washington, DC. 

At the same time, 2020 Democratic candidates for president are debating which approach they should take to governing. Some, like former Vice President Joe Biden, argue that voters want a return to a more pragmatic style of governing. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are less interested in bringing GOP legislators to the table than they are in bringing a grass-roots revolution to Washington. 

Wisconsin State Senator Janet Bewley joins us to discuss what it's like to govern in the minority. Governing reporter Alan Greenblatt weighs in about how state legislatures have become increasingly entrenched in party politics. 

Political analysts Joel Payne and Ty Mastdrof join us for analysis of the last debate. Plus, New York Times congressional reporter Nick Fandos fills us in on the latest surrounding the impeachment inquiry.

Two More Witnesses Testify at Public Hearings

Fiona Hill, the former top Russia adviser to the Trump White House, and David Holmes, a political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, are at Capitol Hill this morning. 

The Legacy of Pay-to-Play Ambassador Appointments

President Donald Trump has raised some eyebrows over his nominees for cushy ambassadorships abroad.

HBCU's and Other Minority-Serving Institutions Set to Lose $255 Million in Funding Over D.C. Deadlock

The Department of Education says funding will go through for the rest of the year but planning for next year is stalled amid concerns that programs will be cut and staff laid off.

Indigenous Communities Get Unequal Recovery Aid After a Natural Disaster

U.S. citizens on average receive $26 per person from the federal government, but tribal citizens only get about $3 per person, per year.

Sondland Testimony Implicates Key Trump Administration Officials

Gordon Sondland, the former ambassador to the European Union, gave riveting testimony today in the impeachment hearing that has rocked the nations.  

The Legacy of Julian Assange

Yesterday, Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation of rape and sexual assault allegations against Julian Assange.

99% of Native American Languages are in Danger of Going Extinct 

Despite efforts to preserve them, many indigenous languages in the United States are at risk of going extinct.

Nearly Two Thousand Dams at Risk for Failure in the U.S.

An investigation from the Associated Press found that almost 1,700 dams pose potential risk for failure in 44 states and Puerto Rico. 

Racism Pushed Chinese Americans to Leave the U.S. En Masse in the 20th Century

During a time that people flocked to the U.S. for a better life, second and third generation Chinese Americans chose to leave and pursue the same dream in China.