- Social:
ProPublica
Al Shaw is a news applications developer for ProPublica.
PROFILE
Al Shaw
Guest
FROM Al Shaw
To the Point
America's fourth-largest city is drowning Friday evening, Hurricane Harvey hit Rockport, Texas with 130 mile-an-hour winds, essentially destroying a city of 10,000 people. Since then, the storm was downgraded, but it moved East to the city of Houston, where it’s been hovering since — dropping more rain than Houston has ever seen before — creating 5500 refugees already. Thousands have been rescued with thousands more still at risk as first responders are being sent in from other parts of the country. As if record-breaking rainfall wasn’t enough, massive releases are needed from two giant reservoirs — even though they’ll make flooding worse. We update an unprecedented disaster due in part to the failure of long-term planning.
Recommended
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
Left, Right & Center
The week that wouldn't quit Will next week get even weirder? (Special one-hour episode)
To the Point
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?