Author: Gist It
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Blinken visited China. Then Biden called Xi a dictator. So what comes next?
In the midst of improving US-China relations, President Biden’s recent remark referring to President Xi Jinping as a “dictator” raises concerns about the future of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Driving the news: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China recently, and the trip was seen as a success by government officials. * […]
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Four immigrants who sought sanctuary in churches no longer face deportation, fines
Four undocumented immigrants who sought sanctuary in churches have reached a settlement with the Biden administration, allowing them to stay in the U.S. temporarily. Driving the news: The immigrants faced massive civil fines and deportation during the Trump administration, but the Biden administration stopped issuing fines and settled a retaliation lawsuit brought by the four […]
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Monarch butterflies’ white spots may help them fly farther, scientists say
Researchers suggest monarch butterflies’ white spots may help them fly farther during migration. New idea: A team of scientists analyzed hundreds of monarch wings and found a potential correlation between larger white spots and successful migration to Mexico. * Researchers believe that the color pattern may interact with sunlight to create subtle temperature differences on […]
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‘No kill’ meat, grown from animal cells, is now approved for sale in the U.S.
The USDA grants approval for the sale of “no kill” meat grown from animal cells in the United States. Landmark approval: GOOD Meat and UPSIDE Foods receive USDA clearance for sales of their cultivated chicken products. * GOOD Meat already sells its cultivated chicken in Singapore, the first country to allow sales of such products. […]
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U.S. reading and math scores drop to lowest level in decades
U.S. 13-year-olds’ average test scores in reading and math are the lowest in decades, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The big picture: Reading scores declined 4 points, while math scores dropped 9 points compared to tests given in the 2019-2020 school year. * Declines in reading were more pronounced for lower performing […]
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Justice Alito refutes ProPublica report that he took a luxury trip with billionaire
Justice Samuel Alito denies ProPublica’s allegations that he took a luxury trip with billionaire Paul Singer and failed to recuse himself from related cases at the Supreme Court. Background: ProPublica alleges that Alito did not disclose his 2008 trip with Singer, after which Singer’s hedge fund brought at least 10 cases to the Supreme Court. […]
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This WWII battle wasn’t against Nazis. It was between Black and white GIs in England
The Battle of Bamber Bridge, a deadly conflict between Black and white American soldiers in England during World War II, remains unresolved 80 years later. The backstory: Black soldiers stationed in Bamber Bridge, England faced racism and discrimination from white American soldiers during World War II. * The conflict between the Black and white soldiers […]
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Experts raised safety concerns about OceanGate years before its Titanic sub vanished
Experts raised safety concerns about OceanGate’s Titan submersible years before it went missing during a deep-sea dive to the Titanic shipwreck site. Background: OceanGate first faced criticisms regarding the safety of its Titan submersible as far back as 2018. * Will Kohnen, chair of the Marine Technology Society’s Submarine Committee, drafted a letter to OceanGate […]
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FTC sues Amazon for ‘tricking and trapping’ people in Prime subscriptions
The FTC sues Amazon, alleging the company “tricked and trapped” people into buying Prime memberships that were purposefully hard to cancel. Lawsuit filed: The Federal Trade Commission claims that Amazon used manipulative, coercive, or deceptive designs to enroll shoppers into auto-renewing Prime subscriptions. Alleges that Amazon built a convoluted, multi-step cancellation process to discourage people […]
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Experts raised concerns about potential problems with submersibles and their tours
Experts have raised concerns about potential problems with submersibles and their tours, focusing on the now-missing Titan submersible. The backstory: NPR’s A Martinez interviewed Will Kohnen, chairman of the Marine Technology Society’s Submarine Group. * The discussion revolved around concerns raised about the development of the Titan submersible, which is currently missing. The big picture: […]