In February, Arkansas lawmakers marked the 50-year anniversary of the Freedom of Information Act with a resolution calling it “a shining example of open government” that had ensured access to vital public records for generations.They spent the following weeks debating and, in many cases approving, new exemptions to the law in what critics called an unprecedented attack on the public’s right to know. By Andrew DeMillo and Ryan J. Foley.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic is the first openly gay leader in the archly conservative Balkan country to walk in its pride parade. She said her presence shows that the government respects all of its citizens.

The Senate contest in Alabama is testing the power of moneyed interests against Trump’s conservative base. By Michael Scherer and Matea Gold.

The vintage-style propaganda posters in Washington, DC take aim at white supremacism, racism – and Donald Trump. A daring act of resistance, or an insulting slur on the US President? By Rachel Stewart.

This year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year award shortlist is out today. Here are some of the finalists from the competition, and the stories behind the photographs.

Emmett Rensin offers a psychoanalysis of managerial liberalism.

A year ago, denouncing neo-Nazis would’ve been a no brainer for Republicans. What’s changed? By Greg Fish.

Trump is playing a dangerous game by mainstreaming "constitutional sheriffs" like Joe Arpaio and David Clarke. By Bridgette Dunlap.

Is the president looking more like a dictator after six months in the White House? By Stephen M. Walt.

Trump's EPA chief is gutting the agency, defunding science and serving the fossil-fuel industry. By Jeff Goodell.

It’s fun genocide quiz time! By Alex Ruthrauff.

William Regnery II, a man who inherited millions but struggled in business, tried for 15 years to ignite a racist political movement — and failed. Then an unforeseen phenomenon named Donald Trump gave legitimacy to what Regnery had seeded long before: the alt-right. Now, the press-shy white separatist breaks his silence. By Aram Roston, Joel Anderson.

Any other year, one of these could have derailed a presidency. By Sarah Holder.

‘This is a blatant attack by Poland’s government on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.’ By Jessica Corbett.

What is the alt-right? Where did it come from? And how has this strange online subculture blossomed into a mainstream political movement with real-world power? By Sean Illing with Angela Nagle.

Trump wants to privatize our nation’s infrastructure—and Democrats helped pave the way. By Rebecca Burns.

The postmodern carnival has arrived, and there are good reasons to prefer François Rabelais’s version. By Robert D Zaretsky.

Drug crisis creates pollution threat. By Michael Casey.

How did Theresa May go from Supreme Leader to malfunctioning automaton? To mark her first anniversary as PM on Thursday, the Guardian’s sketch writer John Crace, who coined the term Maybot, charts her robotic rise and fall.

Arrests in Virginia made in a bid to intimidate anti-racist protesters, while far-right groups continue demonstrations. By Creede Newton.