Records and interviews show that the U.S. government repeatedly used its muscle to advance the interests of large baby formula companies while thwarting the efforts of Thailand and other developing countries to safeguard children’s health.
The Big Story
Wed. Mar 27, 2024

No matter their views on guns, a person might be shocked to learn how easy it is to buy one illegally. One man bought 27 for an accomplice in a trafficking scheme by simply lying to retailers and saying that the guns were for his personal use. That’s just one of dozens of examples cited in a now 25-year-old lawsuit against the gun dealers and makers.

I’m Vernal Coleman, and in today’s Big Story I explore the gun industry’s fight to halt that lawsuit, an effort by an Indiana city seeking to hold the industry responsible for gun trafficking and the violence that often follows.

Inside the Historic Suit That the Gun Industry and Republicans Are on the Verge of Killing
VIEW STORY
We’re trying something new with this newsletter intro. Tell us what you think in this two-question survey.
More from our Under the Gun series
Indiana Lawmakers Trying to Kill Historic Suit Seeking Gun Industry Accountability
DOJ Blasts Law Enforcement’s Uvalde Shooting Response in New Report, Calls for Agencies to Prioritize Training
Inside the Notorious Gun Shop Linked to Hundreds of Chicago Guns
📺 PROPUBLICA ON PBS NEWS HOUR

For more than a year, ProPublica's Melissa Sanchez has been investigating the harsh realities of life for immigrant workers on Midwest dairy farms. She spoke to PBS News Hour over the weekend about migrant workers who "are essentially trapped at work."
Watch the PBS Segment
Read the investigation
More from our newsroom
Michigan Lawmakers Working to Fix a Program That Failed to Compensate the Wrongfully Convicted
State law provides $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment, but a ProPublica investigation showed how the law’s narrow requirements led to delays, partial settlements and outright denials of payments.
by Anna Clark
What ProPublica Is Doing About Diversity in 2024
Here is our annual report on the breakdown of our staff and how we’re working to create a more diverse news organization and more inclusive journalism community.
by Vianna Davila, Melissa Sanchez, Liz Sharp and Myron Avant
I Moved to Rural New Mexico to Report on the Aftermath of a Massive Wildfire. My Neighbors Were My Best Sources.
Reporter Patrick Lohmann has lived in New Mexico for most of his life, but covering the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire required building trust in a divided community. Here’s how he did it.
by Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
Chevron Will Pay Record Fines for Oil Spills in California
The penalties come after an investigation by The Desert Sun and ProPublica found that companies were profiting from illegal spills and California’s oversight of the industry was lax.
by Janet Wilson, The Desert Sun
Idaho Legislature Approves $2 Billion for Schools to Repair and Replace Aging Buildings
The funding was pledged by Gov. Brad Little after an Idaho Statesman and ProPublica investigation showed students learning in poor conditions. Educators say it’s only a start to fixing decades-old problems.
by Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman
A Marijuana Boom Led Her to Oklahoma. Then Anti-Drug Agents Seized Her Money and Raided Her Home.
A year after authorities arrested Qiu He, the Chinese immigrant has yet to be charged with a crime. She and others say anti-Asian bias plays a role in the state’s crackdown on the pot industry: “I don’t feel secure here.”
by Clifton Adcock and Garrett Yalch, The Frontier, and Sebastian Rotella and Kirsten Berg, ProPublica
A Diplomat’s Visits to Oklahoma Highlight Contacts Between Chinese Officials and Community Leaders Accused of Crimes
After a mass murder at a marijuana farm, a Chinese diplomat visited an organization that has been the subject of investigations. The meetings reflect an international pattern of contacts between Chinese officials and suspected criminal networks.
by Sebastian Rotella and Kirsten Berg, ProPublica, and Garrett Yalch and Clifton Adcock, The Frontier
The U.S. Government Defended the Overseas Business Interests of Baby Formula Makers. Kids Paid the Price.
Records and interviews show that the U.S. government repeatedly used its muscle to advance the interests of large baby formula companies while thwarting the efforts of Thailand and other developing countries to safeguard children’s health.
by Heather Vogell, ProPublica, photography by June Watsamon Tri-yasakda, special to ProPublica
U.N. Has Flown More Than $2.9 Billion in Cash to Afghanistan Since the Taliban Seized Power, Diverting U.S. Funds
The U.S. State Department has previously said that no U.S. funds went to the militant group, but a new federal report indicates that some taxpayer money has ended up in the Taliban-controlled central bank of Afghanistan.
by T. Christian Miller
Lawmakers Ignored Warnings About New York’s Broken Guardianship System for Decades. Here’s How They Can Fix It.
From public funding for guardians to more scrutiny of nonprofit providers, experts say policymakers could take several actions to bolster the state’s foundering system for caring for its most vulnerable.
by Jake Pearson
How satisfied are you with today’s newsletter?

1
Not satisfied
2
3
4
5
Very satisfied
Was this email forwarded to you from a friend? Subscribe.
Want less email? Click here if you only want to receive one ProPublica newsletter each week.
This email was sent to [email protected]. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe to stop receiving this newsletter. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
ProPublica • 155 Ave of the Americas, 13th Floor • New York, NY 10013