National

Data: FIFA; Chart: Thomas Oide and Simran Parwani/Axios

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will unite 32 countries this summer. In reality, during most of their seasons, World Cup players represent clubs in over 40 countries.

Yes, but: Over 25% of players come from clubs in England and the U.S.

17 players play NCAA soccer in the U.S. alone.

By the numbers: The clubs with the most World Cup players include FC Barcelona, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

Charted: The World Cup Clubs

Over 25% of players come from clubs in England and the U.S.

FIFA Women's World Cup

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will unite 32 countries this summer. In reality, during most of their seasons, World Cup players represent clubs in over 40 countries.Yes, but: Over 25% of players come from clubs in England and the U.S.

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

Sports

There are thousands of facilities that house large quantities of hazardous chemicals in communities across the U.S. Most Americans may not know they're there.

Why it matters: Accidents at these facilities have seriously injured — or even killed — people who work there.

By the numbers: As of July, roughly 12,000 facilities with hazardous chemicals on site were registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, according to public records obtained and released by the Data Liberation Project.

Since 2003, facilities have reported nearly 4,000 accidents to the EPA — some minor, some severe. The number of accidents each year is declining, although some experts say the improvement may not be as big as it appears.

Since 2003, facilities owned by Tyson Foods, one of the country's leading meat processors, and its subsidiaries have reported 90 accidents, the most among all companies in that time period. Many of those involved ammonia, which is used in refrigeration. 

Tyson did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

Facilities owned by Dow Chemical reported the second-most, with 55 incidents, followed by Marathon Petroleum Company, according to an Axios analysis.

How it works: Any company storing a certain amount of certain chemicals must register with the EPA and file a risk management plan. Those plans detail what the effects of an accident would be; what the companies are doing to prevent them; and an emergency response plan if an accident does occur.

Having a risk management plan on file doesn't mean a facility has experienced an accident, or that it's at any higher risk than any other facility — only that it has potentially dangerous chemicals on hand.

What we're watching: The Data Liberation Project, a data-transparency initiative, used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain a list of facilities that have filed risk management plans with the EPA.

Using those records, Axios has mapped all of the facilities and their associated data.

Our hope is that experts and the general public can use this data to conduct their own analyses and see the facilities located in your community.

This data set doesn't include every chemical accident — only those at facilities that are required to file a risk management plan with the EPA. That's triggered by storing certain quantities of one of 250 specific substances.

Chemicals that fall outside of that specific regulatory scheme aren't covered here. Neither are accidents that occur in transit — like the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment.

What they're saying: Paul Orum, an independent researcher who's worked extensively with EPA data says that the accidents in this dataset are a "subset of more serious accidents where there's harm -- environmental, property, harm to humans."

Some chemical accidents are reported too late

public records obtained and released by the Data Liberation Project

Dangerous chemicals are stored all over the U.S.

There are 12,000 registered facilities across the U.S.

Photo illustration of a drone shot of chemical storage tanks overlaid on a topographic road map, with circles containing a design that mimics liquid chemical dotted around.

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

There are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="thousands of facilities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/hazardous-chemicals-US-near-you-data" data-vars-content-id="544ab53a-6227-4080-b817-07036a4a2309" data-vars-headline="Dangerous chemicals are stored all over the U.S." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/hazardous-chemicals-US-near-you-data" target="_self">thousands of facilities</a> that house large quantities of hazardous chemicals in communities across the U.S. Most Americans may not know they&#x27;re there.Why it matters: Accidents at these facilities have seriously injured — or even killed — people who work there.

Ominous forecasts about the impact of climate change serve as the backdrop for the world — led by U.S. lawmakers and companies — to debate big action on the problem, which could upend energy systems and our way of life.

Energy & Environment

Data: NCAA; Note: Minnesota, St. Joseph's and Western Kentucky had their only appearances in the Final Four vacated;  Chart: Thomas Oide/Axios

Four out of the eight programs playing in the Elite Eight this weekend will have an opportunity to go to the Final Four for the first time in school history.

The big picture:  91 of the 358 Division I basketball programs have made at least one Final Four since 1939. On Saturday and Sunday, the following schools will have an opportunity to join that list:

Creighton - 24 NCAA tournament appearances

It's also the first-ever Elite Eight without a No. 1 seed. 

By the numbers: BYU leads the way with 30 NCAA tournament appearances without making a Final Four. The Cougars did not make the NCAA Tournament in 2023.

Missouri and Xavier are tied for second with 29 appearances. 

When comparing the schools to two of the most recent Cinderella runs to the Final Four, the figures become even more striking.

Loyola Chicago, which made a run to the Final Four in 2018 as an 11-seed, has gone to two Final Fours, despite making the NCAA Tournament just eight times in program history.

George Mason made a Final Four run in 2006 as an 11-seed despite making the NCAA Tournament just six times in program history. The Patriots have not made a March Madness appearance since 2011.

The schedule: One of the group of four teams will be guaranteed a spot in the Final Four, with Creighton playing San Diego State in the South regional final on Sunday at 2 pm EST. 

In the East regional final,  Florida Atlantic will play Kansas State on Saturday at 6:09 pm EST.

In the Midwest regional final, Miami will play Texas on Sunday at 4:55 pm EST.

In the West regional final, Gonzaga plays UConn on Saturday at 8:49 pm EST.

Charted: Final Four breakthrough

Four schools have the chance to make their first Final Four

Data graphics

Illustration of a woman's and man's hand holding a basketball together

Four out of the eight programs playing in the Elite Eight this weekend will have an opportunity to go to the Final Four for the first time in school history.The big picture: 91 of the 358 Division I basketball programs have made at least one Final Four since 1939. On Saturday and Sunday, the following schools will have an opportunity to join that list:

Data: 247Sports Composite Rankings, NFL; Note: Players who were dismissed from their teams or did not declare for the draft were omitted from analysis; Chart: Thomas Oide/Axios

Eleven college football players who started their careers as five-star recruits — viewed by experts as the best high schoolers in the country — were picked in the first round of this year's NFL Draft.

The big picture: 29% of the five-star recruits drafted between 2015-2022 were first-round picks, according to an Axios analysis of the 247Sports composite rankings.

58% of the five-star recruits in the analysis were picked in the first three rounds.

State of play: Six of the past eight No. 1 overall picks were five-star recruits: Jameis Winston (2015), Myles Garrett (2017), Kyler Murray (2019), Trevor Lawrence (2021), Travon Walker (2022) and Bryce Young (2023).

Between the lines: Five-star recruits are the high school players that talent evaluators believe are the top football talents.

The 247Sports composite rankings combine evaluations from major recruiting sites into a single rating, according to the site's explanation.

Zoom in: Here's the full list of former five-stars who were drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday:

Bryce Young, Alabama — selected No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers. 

Will Anderson Jr., Alabama — selected No. 3 by the Houston Texans

Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State — selected No. 6 by the Arizona Cardinals

Bijan Robinson, Texas — selected No. 8 by the Atlanta Falcons

Jalen Carter, Georgia — selected No. 9 by the Philadelphia Eagles

Darnell Wright, Tennessee — selected No. 10 by the Chicago Bears

Broderick Jones, Georgia — selected No. 14 by the Pittsburgh Steelers

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State — selected No. 20 by the Seattle Seahawks

Myles Murphy, Clemson — selected No. 28 by the Cincinnati Bengals

Bryan Bresee, Clemson — selected No. 29 by the New Orleans Saints

Nolan Smith, Georgia — selected No. 30 by the Philadelphia Eagles

247Sports site's explanation of its rankings

Charted: How top college football recruits do in the NFL draft

29% of the five-star recruits drafted between 2015-2022 were first-round picks.

National Football League (NFL)

NFL, NBA, MLB & NHL

NCAA

Eleven college football players who started their careers as five-star recruits — viewed by experts as the best high schoolers in the country — were picked in the first round of this year&#x27;s NFL Draft.The big picture: 29% of the five-star recruits drafted between 2015-2022 were first-round picks, according to an Axios analysis of the 247Sports composite rankings.

Pro Rata

Axios Pro Rata

Data: Yahoo Finance; Chart: Axios Visuals

All three major U.S. stock indices have increased during President Biden's time in office, but the gains are smaller than those of his last two predecessors.

Why it matters: Biden this week signaled plans to run for reelection on his economic record, embracing the term "Bidenomics."

By the numbers: The S&P 500 has climbed 15.7% since Biden's inauguration, which trails Trump's 40% and Obama's 53.8%, at the same point in their presidencies.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average grew 10.3% for Biden, 34.8% for Trump and 48.06% for Obama.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq is where Trump came out on top for this time period, at a whopping 161.7%. Obama hit 70.2% while Biden oversaw a tech sector correction that put his Nasdaq performance at just 3%.

The bottom line: It's important to note that stock market performance is not necessarily a gauge of economic health.

More meaningful metrics include gross domestic product (GDP), employment and real wages.

That said, stock market performance does partially reflect how investors view the economy, and most American adults have money in the market (either directly or indirectly).

Biden stock market gains trail Trump and Obama

Biden this week signaled plans to run for reelection on his economic record.

Stock market

All three major U.S. stock indices have increased during President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Biden" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/joe-biden" data-vars-content-id="fca88bdf-0fe9-40b6-ae8e-77f43ac54555" data-vars-headline="Biden stock market gains trail Trump and Obama" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/joe-biden" target="_self">Biden</a>&#x27;s time in office, but the gains are smaller than those of his last two predecessors.Why it matters: Biden this week signaled plans to run for reelection on his economic record, embracing the term &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Bidenomics" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/biden-speech-chicago-bidenomics" data-vars-content-id="fca88bdf-0fe9-40b6-ae8e-77f43ac54555" data-vars-headline="Biden stock market gains trail Trump and Obama" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/biden-speech-chicago-bidenomics" target="_self">Bidenomics</a>.&quot;

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Thomas Oide

Stories

Dangerous chemicals are stored all over the U.S.

Charted: The World Cup Clubs

Biden stock market gains trail Trump and Obama

Charted: How top college football recruits do in the NFL draft

Charted: Final Four breakthrough