In The News

“Public Charge” Immigration Rule: Politico

Susannah Luthi January 30, 2020
US officials have expressed a preference for wealthy immigrants, and the poor can expect challenges in obtaining green cards that allow permanent residency and work. The US Supreme Court voted 5 to 4, allowing “the controversial immigration rules go forward even as lower courts wrestle with multiple legal challenges against them,” reports Susannah Luthi for Politico. “The policy in question would...

Coronavirus Roils Global Stock Markets: CNBC

Elliot Smith January 28, 2020
The rapid spread of a new coronavirus has alarmed investors, contributing to a decline in stock markets worldwide. China reports more than 2,800 cases with more than 100 deaths. For now, analysts anticipate a short-term hit for China’s economy, but much depends on how fast public health officials can contain the epidemic. “Danske Bank analysts projected that the Chinese service sector is likely...

Optimistic CEOs at Davos: Wall Street Journal

Chip Cummins and Marie Beaudette January 28, 2020
The World Economic Forum at Davos attracts world leaders, CEOs and celebrities every January to discuss economic trends. Despite some pessimistic forecasts on economic growth, the CEOs attending the 2020 forum remain optimistic about global economy for the most part, with the United States and China having signed phase one of a trade deal - offering greater certainty for economies. In addition,...

Human Body Temperature Cools: Scientific American

Karen Weintraub January 25, 2020
Health officials and the public have long assumed that normal body temperature was a narrow range around 37 degrees Celsius, or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. In 1851, a German doctor tested 15,000 patients and determined the average. New studies reviewed historical data and suggest that temperatures declined, putting the average at 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit, or 36.3 degrees Celsius. Researchers suggest...

Threats on Nuclear Arm Control: Financial Times

Tony Barber January 24, 2020
The United Nations’ nuclear non-proliferation treaty has been remarkable for limiting nuclear arms over the past 50 years, but three trends threaten those efforts. The first is slow breach of nuclear arms control agreements between Russia and the United States. The second is that nine known nuclear-armed countries are still spending a lot to modernize their own arsenals. The last one is the...

Human-to-Human Spread of Coronavirus: NBC News

Eric Baculinao, Dawn Liu, Yuliya Talmazan and Janis Mackey Frayer January 21, 2020
Chinese health officials have identified about 300 cases of the new coronavirus, with dozens of other cases waiting for verification. About 95 percent of the cases are linked to the Wuhan area. Still, authorities around the globe have increased screenings at airports and other travel hubs to prevent rapid spread, similar to SARS in 2003. China’s government has also confirmed human-to-human...

The Cruelty of Live Animal Exports: Guardian

Hilary Osborne and Bibi van der Zee January 20, 2020
The human population tripled since 1950 and the global trade in farm animals has more than quadrupled. “Every year nearly 2 billion farm animals are loaded on to trucks or ships and sent to new countries in journeys that can take days and sometimes weeks,” reports the Guardian. “Every day, at least 5 million animals are in transit.” The animals are grown and fattened in areas that can support...