The Geography of Desperation, Children Left Behind in Syria, and More

October 17, 2019

America’s economic growth masks a concerning trend of rising mortality rates. In their new report, Carol Graham and Sergio Pinto find that desperation—and the associated trends in premature mortality—are concentrated in the American heartland, particularly in areas that were previously hubs for manufacturing and mining jobs.

There are more than 40,000 children linked to ISIS fighters being held in the Kurdish-controlled al-Hol detention camp in Syria. Eric Rosand and Stevan Weine argue that the consequences of abandoning these children could be immense—both for the health of the children and for the long-term stability of the region.

Every year, America’s drivers waste an average of 54 hours in traffic, costing the economy $166 billion. Infrastructure expert DJ Gribbin explores how several forward-leaning cities are implementing congestion pricing to free up traffic and curb emissions.

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