Monthly Archives: April 2017


US Drops Effort to Force Twitter to Reveal Anti-Trump Account

The U.S. government on Friday dropped its effort to force Twitter to identify users behind an account critical of President Donald Trump, the social media company said. In response, Twitter said it was dropping a federal lawsuit against the U.S. …


Trump Picks Hassett for Key Economics Adviser Post

President Donald Trump on Friday chose Kevin Hassett, an economics adviser to past Republican presidential candidates, to be chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Hassett will play a critical role in analyzing the performance of the economy …


Sierra Leone Grapples with Mental Health Impact of Ebola

With the recent Ebola crisis, officials in Sierra Leone have seen a rise in mental health concerns. Mustapha Kallon’s problems are typical. He survived Ebola but lost many family members during the epidemic. “Whenever I think of my parents, I …


Ethiopia Declares Another Diarrhea Outbreak

Ethiopia has declared an outbreak of acute watery diarrhea, also known as AWD, in the country’s Somali region, where people are already struggling to cope with a persistent drought. Dr. Akpaka Kalu, the World Health Organization representative to Ethiopia, told …


Unlocking Mysteries of a Fly’s Eye

We have radars to track flying objects, but a tiny fly may be even better at tracking and grabbing fast moving prey. Scientists at the University of Cambridge learned that not only the number of lenses in the fly’s eye, …


Kentucky Coal Museum Gets Power From Solar Panels

Don’t look to the Kentucky Coal Museum to bring coal back. The museum is installing solar panels on its roof, part of a project aimed at lowering the energy costs of one of the city’s largest electric customers. It’s also …


Jupiter Aligns With Earth for Its Extra Bright Close-up

Jupiter is extra close and extra bright this week, and that means some amazing, new close-ups. The Hubble Space Telescope zoomed in on the solar system giant Monday, and NASA released the pictures Thursday. Jupiter was a relatively close 415 …


US Agriculture Bets the Farm on Chinese Soy Demand

Struggling U.S. farmers are pressing their luck with soybeans this spring, sowing record acreage even though the world is awash with the oilseed, as demand from China offers a potential lifeline. Soybean plantings could surpass corn for the first time …


For ‘B Corporations,’ Real Value in Social Values    

Many companies aim for “Best in Class” status, but some are seeking another “B” — B corporation certification. Certified B corporations, or “B corps,” address the growing consumer interest in supporting socially and environmentally responsible companies. B corps are essentially …


US Women’s Soccer Team Gets New Contract

The World Cup champion women’s soccer team has a new labor contract, settling a dispute in which the players sought equitable wages to their male counterparts. The agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation runs through 2021, meaning the players will …


Ebay’s Founder Pledges $100 Million to Fight Fake News, Hate Speech

Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar’s philanthropy promised $100 million over the next five years to support journalism and fight fake news, the foundation announced Wednesday. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which broke the story of the controversial Panama Papers, …


Improved Sleep May Help Elderly Ward Off Diseases

Scientists are investigating poor quality of sleep as the source for many diseases of aging, including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. They are working on ways to improve the amount of restful sleep that elderly people get, which researchers believe …