San Francisco

Amid complaints of a rigged system, one woman's effort to end gerrymandering

The post that changed Katie Fahey’s life came to her a couple of days after the 2016 presidential election. 

Why ‘the Kavanaugh effect’ on midterms is so unpredictable

When big political news occurs close to an impending election, Washington is usually awash in arguments about how it might affect the upcoming vote. As you might have guessed, this brings us to the Supreme Court confirmation of Justice Brett Kava­naugh. During recent weeks of struggle there have been lots of predictions about how it will swing the upcoming midterm elections one way or another.

Russia wrestles with a US-style school massacre in Crimea

Despite Russia’s already rather tough gun regulations, there are also calls to crack down harder. At the end of the day, and as is often the case in the US, there seems to be no clear explanation for why Vladislav Roslyakov, an 18-year-old student at Kerch Polytechnic College, came to school on Wednesday with two backpacks stuffed with explosives and a legally acquired shotgun-like hunting rifle, and proceeded to slaughter his fellow students and teachers.

Afghans choose ballots over bombs

Millions of people in Afghanistan will cast ballots this Saturday in an election whose outcome matters less than what it says about the Afghan people’s desire for peace and democracy. The Taliban claim credit for killing one well-known candidate and are threatening to prevent voting in the more than 40 voting districts they control. Another militant group, Islamic State in Afghanistan, also threatens to disrupt voting with indiscriminate attacks.