U.S. views of China turn sharply negative amid trade tensions

Unfavorable opinions of China are at their highest point in at least 14 years in the United States, and Americans increasingly see China as a threat and potential adversary. While more than half see friction in the current bilateral economic relationship, more Americans say China’s growing economy is good for the U.S. than say it is bad.

• China’s military growth, not economic growth, seen as potential problem for the U.S.
• Americans see their own country leading economically

Public’s priorities for U.S. asylum policy: More judges for cases, safe conditions for migrants

When asked about the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, large majorities of Americans say it is important to increase the number of judges handling asylum cases and to provide safe and sanitary conditions for asylum seekers. Americans also emphasize stemming the flow of people to the border.

• Most Americans continue to favor a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants in U.S.
• Majorities say undocumented immigrants fill jobs that U.S. citizens don’t want, are no more likely to commit serious crimes

Most Democrats are excited by 'several' 2020 candidates – not just their top choice

A majority of Democratic voters who express a preference for one of the candidates say they feel excited about several of the candidates currently vying for the party's nomination. Far fewer say they are enthused only by their first choice.

Older Americans, black adults and Americans with less education are more interested in local news

Overall, nearly a third of U.S. adults say they follow local news very closely, but just 14% say they have paid for it within the past year. In addition to demographic differences in local news interest, Americans differ in how they prefer to get this kind of news: The groups who are most interested in it are also the most likely to prefer TV as their pathway.

What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.

Recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, have brought renewed attention to deadly gun violence in the United States. As President Donald Trump and lawmakers on Capitol Hill contemplate policy responses, here are answers to 10 common questions about U.S. gun deaths.

For U.S. teens today, summer means more schooling and less leisure time than in the past

Teens now spend an average of 39 minutes a day engaged in homework or classwork in July, up from 22 minutes per day a decade earlier. At the same time, they spend 24 minutes less per day on leisure activities – though these activities still account for the bulk of their waking summertime hours.

• When do kids in the U.S. start school? As early as July or as late as September, depending on where you live

A half-century after ‘Mister Rogers’ debut, 5 facts about neighbors in the U.S.

Fred Rogers, the creator and host of the popular children’s TV show “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,” is being memorialized on the silver screen. Amid fresh interest in Rogers and his show, read five facts about how Americans interact with their neighbors.

• Community life in urban, suburban and rural areas

How we check numbers and facts at Pew Research Center

All of the material we release, from reports to blog posts to interactive graphics and even tweets, goes through a rigorous verification process we call a “number check.” Our new post on Decoded takes a detailed look at that process.

Religiously unaffiliated people face harassment in a growing number of countries

5 facts about student loans