Since 1966, the U.S. has had more mass shootings than the next several countries combined, according to a new study by University of Alabama criminologist Adam Lankford. Between 1966 and 2012, there were 291 documented mass shootings in the world, and 31 percent of those were in the U.S., Lankford says in a paper being presented this week at the American Sociological Association's annual meeting in Chicago. That's five times the rate in the second-ranked country, the Philippines.
A big reason for this unwanted top ranking is America's unusually high rate of gun ownership, the Los Angeles Times reports: 88.8 firearms per 100 people, according to a 2007 survey. Yemen, the No. 3 country for mass killings, comes in a distant second, with 54.8 firearms per 100 people. The No. 3 and No. 4 countries in per-capita gun ownership, Finland and Switzerland, are also in the Top 15 for mass shootings, Lankford found. "Because of its world-leading firearm ownership rate, America does stand apart," he wrote, "and this appears connected to its high percentage of mass shootings."
But it isn't the only reason. The poor U.S. system to care for mental illness plays a role, Lankford noted, though that's a trait not unique to the U.S. One thing that is unique is the "American dream," he said, and when people fail to achieve that upward mobility, some of them express their frustration in violence. The last big element? Fame. "Increasingly in America — perhaps more than in any other country on the globe — fame is revered as an end unto itself," he wrote. "Some mass shooters succumb to terrible delusions of grandeur and seek fame and glory through killing." You can read more about Langford's research at the Los Angeles Times. Peter Weber
Several Democrats in the House are struggling with backing a $4.5 billion emergency aid package, as they want to help migrants but worry that the money will somehow be used to carry out President Trump's promised deportation raids.
The House is planning a vote on Tuesday, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) spent Monday evening meeting with Democrats who have issues with the bill, The New York Times reports. Pelosi has said the measure "does not fund the administration's failed mass detention policy," and does not change asylum laws. Several members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus want to make it clear the money will go to improving facilities where migrant children are being held, especially in the wake of a shocking report describing filthy conditions at a Border Patrol station in Texas.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Monday night said she "will not fund another dime to allow ICE to continue its manipulative tactics," while Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said she doesn't trust Trump to follow restrictions in the bill, adding, "He's creating these crises and then trying to point the finger at Democrats to give him more money, which he then uses for his own purposes." Trump enacts "cruel immigration policies," Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) said, but "Democrats cannot allow our anger at this president to blind us to the horrific conditions at facilities along the border as the agencies run out of money."
Republicans are opposing the package for different reasons, specifically that the money won't be used to enforce immigration law, the Times reports. The White House said in a statement Monday night that Trump would likely veto the House legislation because it "does not provide adequate funding to meet the current crisis" and "contains partisan provisions designed to hamstring the administration's border enforcement efforts." Catherine Garcia
NASA's Curiosity rover has detected methane on Mars several times since landing in 2012, but last week, it measured the highest level yet: 21 parts per billion.
This is an "unusually high" level of the odorless, colorless gas, but NASA cautioned that while methane is produced by living organisms, this is not absolute proof of life on Mars, now or ever. "While increased methane levels measured by @MarsCuriosity are exciting, as possible indicators for life, it's important to remember this is an early science result," NASA's Thomas Zurbuchen tweeted. On Earth, major sources of methane include cattle and the production of fossil fuels.
Scientists will analyze the information, and plan on conducting more observations, NBC News reports. The methane was detected on Teal Ridge, inside the 96-mile-wide Gale Crater. Catherine Garcia
A hotel in the Dominican Republic where two American tourists recently died said it is removing liquor bottles from its minibars, but denies the move has anything to do with the deaths.
Erica Lopez, the general manager of The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana, told CNN the decision to take out the bottles was made last week. Over the last year, at least 10 American tourists have died in the Dominican Republic, including David Harrison, 45, of Maryland, who died at the Hard Rock last July, and Robert Wallace, 67, of California, who died there in April. One theory behind the deaths is that tainted alcohol was somehow involved, and Wallace's relatives told KTXL he became ill after drinking scotch from the minibar in his room.
The FBI is assisting Dominican officials with toxicology reports, testing samples from some hotel minibars; authorities say that any time someone dies in a hotel room in the Dominican Republic, they test minibars for bacteria and take samples of water from showers and sinks. Last year, 6.5 million tourists visited the Dominican Republic, with 2.2 million from the United States, and officials from both countries say the deaths are not connected and there's no reason to cancel any upcoming vacations. Catherine Garcia
As part of an audit, the Office of the Inspector General will investigate why the Treasury Department delayed the release of a redesigned $20 bill featuring abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) asked the Treasury's watchdog to look into the matter and if there was "any involvement by the White House." In a statement released Monday, Schumer said there are "no women, there are no people of color on our paper currency today, even though they make up a significant majority of our population ... the $20 note was a long overdue way to recognize that disparity, and rectify it."
During the Obama administration, former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced the redesign, scheduled for release in 2020. In May, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the Tubman $20 was being pushed aside, as the $10 and $50 bills needed to be redesigned first due to counterfeit concerns. The audit, which should take about 10 months to complete, will also look at security measures in place for currency. Catherine Garcia