An explainer exists to answer the questions a news story assumes you already know. What is this program, who qualifies, what does the rule actually require, how does the technology work? We write them for readers who need to act on the news, not just follow it.
Every explainer on this desk follows the same structure. It opens with a short set of key takeaways that stand on their own. It defines terms before using them. It separates what is known from what is still being decided. And it ends with the practical steps a reader can take, plus the primary sources so you can check our work.
Explainers are updated when the facts change, and the update date is shown at the top of the article.