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Eurozone Update This time last year, btw brought you a story regarding the European Debt Crisis. One of the biggest threats to the European Union (EU) has been the state of Greece’s economy. After much negotiation, the European Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Greece, agreeing to give the country up to $86 […]
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Reforms in Ferguson It’s been nearly eighteen months since the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown sparked nationwide controversy over issues of race relations and law enforcement. This led to an investigation by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) which revealed that the Ferguson Police Department had, “engaged in a pattern and practice of […]
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Update on Iran Nuclear Deal Last April, btw brought you news of the hotly-debated Iran nuclear deal. Later, we asked you for your opinion on the matter. Formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the six-county agreement was signed on July 14, 2015. Under the agreement, Iran agreed to reduce its stockpile of […]
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Russian Jet Crash Suspicious Last month, a Russian airliner exploded over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. All 224 passengers were killed. Unlike the Malaysian plane that disappeared over the Indian Ocean last year, however, the United States is not involved in the investigation. (There were no Americans on the flight, which would have given our […]
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Teaching Toddlers to Code? New York City mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced an overhaul of his city’s public school system. One of these initiatives includes learning the fundamentals of computer science. This move reflects a larger trend of considering coding (using a computer language to create software and applications) a “fundamental literacy.” This means […]
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Another Attempt at Peace in Russia For the past year, btw has brought you stories about the conflict in Russia regarding its relationship with the neighboring Ukraine. The most recent effort to halt the ongoing violence is a series of peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois […]
The Great Vaccination Debate
Last month, we brought you news of the recent resurgence of measles after more than a decade of being considered “eliminated” in 2000. This week, we dig deeper into the growing concern over the spread of the disease and look at both sides of the larger vaccination debate. A Brief History of Vaccination Smallpox, a highly […]
Year in Review: Science and Technology
It seems like there are always significant advances in how we view, approach, expand on, and apply what we know and understand about both natural and applied sciences. Here’s what we learned this year: Space Exploration–As we mentioned in the Year in Review: World News post, 2014 was a big year for exploring beyond our earthly boundaries. India […]
The Government’s Latest Actions Against Ebola
The news and rumors and misunderstanding about the Ebola disease in the United States is continuing to change. The Obama administration has been working this past week to keep informed about the story and develop the guidelines that are needed to keep citizens and health care professionals safe. On the White House blog page, a […]
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Update on Mars Rover Back in 2012, btw brought you news of the successful landing of the Mars rover, Curiosity. A year later, we reported on the disappointing news that life on the red planet is officially highly unlikely. This week, btw reports that Curiosity has reached its primary destination, the base of Mount Sharp. […]