President Donald Trump has zeroed in on crime in American cities, including the one in which he currently lives, Washington, D.C. But while his administration has criticized crime rates and dispatched federal agents to control this alleged lawlessness, the White House has also been slashing funding for anti-crime programs, particularly gun violence initiatives. 

What's Trump doing about gun violence?
The administration is rolling back efforts to halt gun violence. The White House has "terminated more than half of all federal funding for gun violence prevention programs in the U.S., cutting $158 million in grants that had been directed to groups in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore," said Reuters. These programs "no longer effectuate the program's goals or agency's priorities," a Department of Justice spokesperson said to the outlet.

Trump has "eliminated about $500 million in grants to organizations that buttress public safety, including many working to prevent gun violence," said CNN. These programs range from "conflict mediation and de-escalation to hospital-based initiatives that seek to prevent retaliation from people who experience violent injuries."

And while violent crimes are down overall, "every year tens of thousands of Americans — one every few minutes — are killed by gun violence," said NPR. Most headlines "focus on America's urban centers, but the numbers also reflect the growth of gun violence" in rural areas. In 2020, the death rate from guns in rural areas was 20% higher than in cities, according to Johns Hopkins University. 

What's the White House's message on crime?
The White House's reduction of gun violence prevention programs has "left dozens of similar programs scrambling," said PBS News. This seems to be a contrast to the anti-crime messaging from the president. While crime rates have fallen steadily, "some worry that progress is in jeopardy" by eliminating these programs.

Trump has criticized crime rates in D.C., where he has dispatched the National Guard to police the streets, but his administration is taking actions to lessen gun-related penalties. Federal prosecutors in D.C. have been "instructed not to seek felony charges against people who are carrying rifles or shotguns in the nation's capital," said The Washington Post, "regardless of the strength of the evidence."

The US Open has debuted a new fast-moving mixed doubles event with an increased $1 million prize pot, shorter matches, and pairings of top singles stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu (pictured above). But not everyone is won over by the changes. 

'Gimmicky sporting reformat' 
This week's two-day tournament in New York City's Queens borough had the "feel of an exhibition," with its "quick-fire scoring system" and scheduling before the official US Open start date, said The Independent. But it offered tennis fans the chance to see the "world's top male and female players competing alongside one another." 

It seems like in the "era of the great gimmicky sporting reformat, tennis finally has its turn," said The Telegraph. The matches are best of three sets, with sets of up to four games, rather than the usual six. And there's no "advantage" point at deuce; the winner of the next point wins the game. But you can see why the "truncated nature of matches" and "generous prize money" have attracted the top stars, and the first match alone showed that this "shortened, starry format has a future." 

Doubles specialists prove point 
The loudest objection has been that seasoned mixed doubles players have "lost an opportunity to win a Grand Slam" and an "avenue to make money," said Flashscore. But the "facts are people just don't watch doubles" and "supporters are only really drawn to their favorite singles player." Taking the "emotion out of it," the previous format "doesn't really make any sense" for players, who are "earning a fifth of the prize money but they are not being watched." 

As it turned out, Italy's Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, the "only doubles specialist team" in the 16 pairs, beat the "singles superstars" and took home the $1 million prize this week, said The Guardian. The Italians had been determined to prove the value of doubles players and "made their points clear." But so did the US Open organizers. They aimed to "create a bigger stage" for a format "deemed obsolete," and the interest it has generated is "undeniable."

Twin panda cubs Leni and Lotti celebrate their first birthday in their outdoor enclosure at the Berlin Zoo. They were gifted frozen beetroot and carrot juice treats and a candle made of bamboo shoots.
Photo by John Macdougall / AFP via Getty Images

While it may seem like every possible angle on the undead has been exhausted by filmmakers, the success of 2025's "28 Years Later" is proof that theatergoers still have a healthy appetite for ghoul-driven carnage. These are some of the standouts of the revenant canon.

'28 Days Later' (2002)
The zombie genre was moribund when director Danny Boyle turbocharged the slow, shuffling predators. Cillian Murphy plays a bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma to find the U.K. in shambles following a "rage virus" that infects people within moments of exposure. Boyle's "mingling of naturalistic technique" alongside "surreal imagery" makes for a memorable lesson in how "humanity gives way to the monstrous," said Film Comment.

'Train to Busan' (2016)
A relentless, claustrophobic action film, director Yeon Sang-ho's "Train to Busan" (pictured above) follows a divorced father (Gong Yoo) on board a high-speed train from Seoul to Busan to see his daughter. When a virus-stricken passenger boards, she unwittingly unleashes an outbreak. A "zombie flick for people who don't really like zombie flicks," it succeeds thanks to "strongly realized characters" and "tight pacing," said Critics At Large.

'MadS' (2024)
Forget the unfortunate title. Shudder's single-take, night-of-the-outbreak zombie movie is unforgettable. When Romain (Milton Richie) picks up a hitchhiker, she infects him with a virus that turns him into a killer. His girlfriend, Anais (Laurie Pavy), accompanies the deteriorating Romain to a house party, falls prey to the virus herself and triggers an epidemic. Director David Moreau "creates an all-consuming sense of dread and panic," said Slant Magazine.