This steel town turned to Trump. Two years later, it's a mixed bag.

[Some there feel the president has let them down]( Jan. 15, 2019 Downtown Monessen, Pennsylvania, is literally crumbling. Hundreds of buildings are boarded up or missing windows. A passer-by on the street stops and says, “Welcome to Hiroshima.” The population has fallen by nearly two-thirds since the city’s population peak in the 1940s. There used to be nine elementary schools; today, there’s one. With this backdrop in 2016, then-Mayor Lou Mavrakis invited presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to visit Monessen. Only Trump came. [Many there liked his message but now feel he's let them down.]( Also, a group of Malaysian women are rehabbing a small, one-story house, which they plan to use as a center for their female-run, nongovernmental organization, Setiu Wetlands Discovery (ECOSWED). In many ways,[the project builds on the original women builders' vision for the house.]( And a new photo book offers an [intimate glimpse into the lives of people who live in the Congo Basin.]( — Anna Pratt, The Scan editor [No Images? Click here.]( [Forgotten and crumbling, a PA steel town turned to Trump. Two years later, it's a mixed bag.]( [Forgotten and crumbling, a PA steel town turned to Trump. Two years later, it's a mixed bag.]( When presidential candidate Trump visited Rust Belt cities like Monessen, Pennsylvania, he made some bold promises to bring back jobs from overseas. Many voters, including lifelong Democrats, loved his message. How are they feeling now? [Forgotten and crumbling, a PA steel town turned to Trump. Two years later, it's a mixed bag.]( [Forgotten and crumbling, a PA steel town turned to Trump. Two years later, it's a mixed bag.]( When presidential candidate Trump visited Rust Belt cities like Monessen, Pennsylvania, he made some bold promises to bring back jobs from overseas. Many voters, including lifelong Democrats, loved his message. How are they feeling now? [This old Malaysian house renovation builds on the spirit of its original women owners]( [This old Malaysian house renovation builds on the spirit of its original women owners]( The women-led organization is revamping the place and plans to use it as a home base as well as an ecotourism draw. [This old Malaysian house renovation builds on the spirit of its original women owners]( [This old Malaysian house renovation builds on the spirit of its original women owners]( The women-led organization is revamping the place and plans to use it as a home base as well as an ecotourism draw. ['Congo Tales' book dramatizes myths from Mbombo people]( ['Congo Tales' book dramatizes myths from Mbombo people]( A new photo book tells legends from the Mbombo people from the Republic of the Congo. ['Congo Tales' book dramatizes myths from Mbombo people]( ['Congo Tales' book dramatizes myths from Mbombo people]( A new photo book tells legends from the Mbombo people from the Republic of the Congo. [Al-Shabab claims lethal attack on hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya]( [Al-Shabab claims lethal attack on hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya]( Gunmen blasted their way into a hotel and office complex in the Kenyan capital on Tuesday, sending workers fleeing for their lives. Kenya has often been targeted by al-Shabaab, who killed dozens of people in a shopping center in 2013 and nearly 150 students at a university in 2015. [British lawmakers reject Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal]( [British lawmakers reject Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal]( British lawmakers defeated Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit divorce deal by a crushing margin on Tuesday, triggering political upheaval that could lead to a disorderly exit from the EU or even to a reversal of the 2016 decision to leave. Hey, Scan reader… PRI takes a global approach to the news of the day. We help you understand how what happens around the world matters in Washington and in your neighborhood. Today more than ever, we need conversations, perspectives and diverse voices. [Donate Today >]( Enjoying The Scan? Forward it to a friend! And if you’re not getting it daily, it’s easy to subscribe. [Sign up here](. We also love feedback, so please [tell us how we’re doing](. Today’s newsletter was written by Anna Pratt. Find her on Twitter: [@annapratt](. [Press release]( [PRI Facebook]( [PRI Twitter]( [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( The Scan is brought to you by [GlobalPost]( and [PRI - Public Radio International](.