Crime: Last year the murder rate rose almost 30% in the US

9/23/21 7:00PM

Last year the murder rate in the US jumped almost 30%, according to the latest data from the FBI, which was briefly published online earlier this week ahead of a full report coming out next week. That meant a total of 21,500 murders, the steepest single-year rise since records began, and equated to an additional 5,000 lost lives on 2019.

The question we would all like to know is why? Disentangling the many variables at play would probably take a full PhD or two, but even with only anecdotal evidence it feels hard not to blame the pandemic. Millions suddenly unemployed, uncertain about the future and collectively going through one of the hardest years in recent memory is a cocktail for bad social outcomes.

One interesting aspect of this data, as pointed out by The Atlantic, is that overall crime rates actually fell last year. Day time burglaries are presumably a lot harder when everyone is at home and shoplifting impossible if stores are closed.

The data for 2021 is a little less clear, but some estimate the murder rate is still rising, around another 10% so far, based on data from 87 of the biggest US cities.

J. Edward Moreno11/4/25

Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

Starbucks disclosed on Monday evening in a regulatory filing that it will sell control of its ailing China business to Boyu Capital for about $4 billion.

Under the agreement, Boyu will own a 60% stake in the China segment, which will become a joint venture between Boyu and Starbucks. The coffee chain will retain a 40% interest in the entity and will continue to own and license the brand and intellectual property.

Bloomberg reported earlier this year that the company was looking to sell its China segment. The American coffee giant has struggled to succeed in China, its second-largest market after the US.

Tom Jones

10/6/25

OPEC and others are boosting oil production as the race to catch up with the US goes on

This month’s 137,000-barrel-a-day boost is a little more modest than some expected.

Millie Giles

RED FLAG, GREEN FLAG

9/25/25

China, the world’s largest carbon polluter, has pledged to cut emissions for the first time

President Xi Jinping has announced that China is aiming to slash carbon emissions by up to 10% in the next decade.

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Claire Yubin Oh9/19/25

John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

Despite a record year of passenger numbers, flight cancellations, and delays, a new survey has revealed that flyers have been increasingly satisfied about their experiences in North American airports.

According to this year’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study from data analysts at J.D. Power, overall passenger satisfaction scores were up 10 points (on a 1,000-point scale), largely from “improvements in food, beverage and retail and ease of travel through the airport.” The annual survey measures overall traveler satisfaction across the region’s airports in seven categories (in order of importance): ease of travel, level of trust, terminal facilities, airport staff, airport departure experience, food and retail, and airport arrival experience.

Here are the region’s favorites:

Millie Giles

DOT-COM BUBBLE

9/12/25

More than 40% of American adults now report being online “almost constantly”

While a new survey showed Japan has the greatest share of perpetually online people, there was a significant number reporting not using the internet at all.

Crime: Last year the murder rate rose almost 30% in the US

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Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

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