Government

What Is the Congressional Review Act?

The U.S. Congress is wiping away rules and regulations finalized in the last months of the Obama administration through a little-used 1996 law

Permanent structures are not allowed in Dabaab, the world's largest refugee camp.

World’s Largest Refugee Camp Ordered to Stay Open

A Kenyan judge called the government's plan to close Dadaab "discriminatory"

The packaged foods you get at the grocery store are all regulated by the FDA. So are drugs, medical devices, cigarettes and condoms.

Where Did the FDA Come From, And What Does It Do?

From unglamorous origins, the federal agency has risen to ensure the safety of everything from lasers to condoms

Clerks (right) will no longer have to wear their distinctive wigs in the House of Commons.

British Parliament Is Losing its Wigs

They’re itchy, formal—and part of centuries of tradition

Romanians protest in Victoria Place in Bucharest on January 22.

Why Romanians Took to the Streets This Weekend

Up to half a million citizens protested a new decree that would have diminished anti-corruption penalties

The Experimental Lakes Area in Ontario is one of the world's leading long-term experiments tracking the effects of climate change, pollution and other factors on freshwater ecosystems.

Canadian Scientists Explain Exactly How Their Government Silenced Science

It wasn’t just climate research. Rock snot, sharks and polar bears: All were off-limits during the Harper administration

Screenshot of interactive

This Interactive Maps Out the Lives of Former Presidents

From Washington to Obama, how ex-commanders-in-chief bided their time after leaving office

The rainbow at the top right in the window of the Lansdowne Portrait of George Washington (detail) was an 18th century symbol of God's blessings.

Why America Has a “President” Instead of an “Exalted Highness”

The title just used to mean someone who presided over a meeting

Austin Is Looking for Its First Artist-in-Residence

Winning artists will be embeded in city agencies to help bring in new eyes to reconsider old problems

Senators Kenneth Wherry (pictured at left) and J. Lister Hill conducted the first congressional investigation into homosexuality in the federal workforce.

State Department Apologizes for the 'Lavender Scare'

For decades, the agency purged gay and lesbian workers believing their sexual orientation made them security risks

For 2,000 Finns, free money is now a thing.

Finland Has a New Social Experiment: Giving People Free Money

Two thousand unemployed Finns will now get around $594 a month—whether they get jobs or not

Kiya Anderson has a father in prison and a mother who is unable to care for her. She has lived in numerous foster homes.

The Everyday Struggle of a Child Whose Parents Are Incarcerated

With more American men and women in prison than ever before in our history, millions of children are struggling with the effects of a fractured family life

Yosemite National Park

The Year in National Parks

From people stealing baby bison and Yosemite trademarks to epic blooms in Death Valley, 2016 has been an eventful centennial year for the NPS

President Boris Yeltsin hands over a copy of the Russian constitution to Vladimir Putin, December 21, 1999.

The Popularity of Putin and What It Means for America

In the 25 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has changed dramatically--and it’s more important than ever to understand those changes

Harold Israel, left, and Homer Cummings, right, were linked for life.

The Suspect, the Prosecutor, and the Unlikely Bond They Forged

New evidence shows that Homer Cummings, who would later be FDR's attorney general, rescued an innocent man accused of murder

There’s a Department of Government Ethics? What Does it Do?

What is the agency weighing in on the incoming administrations potential conflicts of interest?

A Colombian man cries during a June 20 peace protest in Bogotá.

After 52 Years, the War Between Colombia and the FARC Will End

Four out of five of the decades-long conflict's dead were civilians

Homeopathic Remedies Now Require Disclaimers Saying They're Not Scientific

The FTC recently announced a policy requiring alternative treatment labels to acknowledge the lack of scientific founding of their claims

Today We Honor the Only Woman Who Ever Voted to Give U.S. Women the Right to Vote

100 years ago, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress

The Great Flying Saucer Mystery of 1966

When policemen spotted a "flying saucer" in 1966, an official investigation declared it was an optical illusion created by swamp gas

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