Venezuela’s Controversial Vote to Annex Guyana’s Territory
Venezuela’s President Nicolaus Maduro wants a large region of neighboring Guyana to come under his country’s control. He claims that the territory, known as Essequibo (EHS uh KIB oh), was stolen from Venezuela in 1899. His government held a referendum, or vote, on December 3, 2023. Maduro declared that Venezuelans voted overwhelmingly to annex, or […]
Workers in India Rescued After 17 Days
On November 12, 2023, a landslide and tunnel collapse trapped forty-one construction workers in a tunnel in the Himalayas in northern India. On November 28, after 17 days underground, all of the workers were freed! They emerged through a 3-foot-wide escape tunnel that rescuers had carefully drilled. Although wheeled stretchers were available, the men crawled […]
Remembering Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter, wife of former President Jimmy Carter, died on November 19, 2023. She was 96 years old. She and the president had been married 77 years. Rosalynn (pronounced ROSE-a-lynn) Carter greatly expanded the role of First Lady of the United States during her husband’s presidency. She fought fiercely for mental health reform, women’s rights, […]
Using Technology to Help People with Disabilities Enjoy Nature in New Ways
Technology helps people with disabilities at home and in the workplace. Technologies are also making it easier for people with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors. Meeting a Need During the springtime at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia, ski slopes become dirt tracks for mountain bikers. The resort has partnered with Challenged Athletes of West […]
Napoleon Bonaparte’s Hat Auctioned for Record-Setting Price
On November 19, 2023, a hat once owned by French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was auctioned in France for almost 2 million euros ($2.1 million). The selling price was more than double the expected auction price. The amount set a record for one of Napolean’s hats. Napoleon is known for the distinctive style of two-cornered military […]
Fighting Wildfires Using Indigenous Practices
Wildfires are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity. Since 2015, wildfires in the United States have burned about 8 million acres each year on average. For the past 100 years, the prevailing government policy has been to suppress, or prevent, fires in national parks and other public lands. However, some federal and state agencies […]
Javier Milei Wins Presidential Election in Argentina
On November 19, 2023, Javier Milei was elected the new president of Argentina. He won close to 56 percent of the votes in a run-off against the economy minister Sergio Massa. Massa won only 44 percent of the vote. This result was unexpected, and Milei’s victory came as a surprise to many, as he is […]
Chef Sean Sherman Promotes Indigenous Foods
Award-winning chef Sean Sherman has earned a reputation as an innovator by promoting Indigenous foods. For Sherman, a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe, that means cooking with ingredients that are native and naturally found throughout North America. Sherman does not use ingredients such as beef, pork, chicken, wheat flour, dairy, and cane sugar. […]
Kenya and Other Nations Focus on Planting More Trees
The east African nation of Kenya has a goal to grow 15 billion trees by 2032. This is part of an effort to restore trees to over 10 million hectares (over 38,000 square miles) of land. On Monday, November 13, 2023, this effort to improve Kenya’s environment received a major boost. Kenya’s government declared that […]
United Auto Workers Tentatively End Strike
Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union went back to work on October 30, 2023. Since September 15, they had been on a historic strike against the “Big Three” U.S. automakers: Ford Motor Company, General Motors (GM), and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler). It was the first time the UAW had gone on strike at […]