Stuff YOU Should Know
Catalonian Independence? More than 800 people are injured after an election in Europe turned violent last weekend. But that didn’t stop the vote from going forward. Catalonia, a region of Spain with its own distinct language and culture, voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to seek independence from Spain. Over 90 percent of the votes were in […]
President Trump’s UN Speech
This week, over on the Election Central Web site, the main story explains how President Trump’s United Nation’s speech ratcheted up the tension between the United States and North Korea. During Donald Trump’s campaign for the presidency last year, he repeatedly criticized the United Nations for being ineffective. He also said that the United States […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Cholera Outbreak in Yemen The impoverished country of Yemen is facing a terrifying cholera outbreak. Since late April, at least 269,608 people have become infected with the disease, and at least 1,614 have died of it. In other words, there have been more cholera deaths in Yemen in the past 2 ½ months than there […]
Candy for a Cause
Between Valentine’s Day and Girl Scout cookies, this time of year can mean one thing to many people: chocolate. Scientists are beginning to figure out what Girl Scouts and lovers have always known, which is that aside from being delicious, chocolate also can be a great way to get people to pay attention. Chocolate with […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Paralyzed Man Regains Sense of Touch Nathan Copeland, who is 30 years old and has been paralyzed for the last 12 years, has just become the first person to feel the sense of touch in a prosthetic limb. For many years, the technology has existed to allow people to control robotic arms using just their […]
UN Climate Change Conference
Over the years, btw has brought you stories about Climate Control—what it is, what it does, and measures proposed to slow its effect. Last week, around 25,000 representatives from nearly 200 countries came together in Paris for talks aimed at creating a legally-binding agreement to reduce carbon emissions globally. Key Issues From November 30 to […]
UN Creates Global Goals
Each year, the United Nations General Assembly (a division within the UN) meets for a three-day meeting called a summit. In its most recent summit, representatives from 193 countries formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda is made up of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to be used by all participating governments […]
A Closer Look at the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Thousands of people have died fleeing war-torn Syria since conflict intensified in 2011. But it was the haunting image of a lifeless, three-year-old boy washed up on the coast of Turkey that has intensified the conversation about what is happening and what can/should be done. What is a Refugee? For as long as there have […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Jimmy Carter’s Cancer News The years 1977 to 1981 were turbulent ones for Jimmy Carter, our 39th president of the United States. The country suffered high inflation and interest rates, as well as an energy crisis. Despite playing a successful role in the Camp David Peace Accord between Israel and Egypt, Carter’s presidency was plagued […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
UN Seeks More Aid for Syrian Refugees It’s been more than two years since btw brought you news of the growing refugee crisis in Syria brought on by an ongoing civil war. With its neighboring countries like Turkey and Jordan experiencing enormous burdens, the United Nation is calling on more nations, like the United States, […]