Uncategorized

Mercury fallout: Coal emissions and human health

A potent neurotoxin capable of causing lifelong damage to the lungs, brain, skin and other organs, mercury is strictly regulated worldwide. Children, in particular, can suffer severe developmental impairment when exposed.  A trace element that occurs naturally in rocks such as limestone, as well as in coal and crude oil, mercury remains locked underground for millions of

How the federal government is painting immigrants as criminals on social media

Getty Images, Dept. of Homeland Security and The White House via X/Collage by Emily Bogle/NPR Two days after At Chandee, who goes by Ricky, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the White House's X account posted about him, calling the 52-year-old the "WORST OF WORST" and a "CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN." Except that the

Winter Olympics 2026: The lasting impressions

Who were the big winners and losers? Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway is the undisputed king of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games. With six gold medals, the 29-year-old cross-country skier equaled the record of US speed skater Eric Heiden at the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid. With a total of 11 gold medals in his

Pentagon puts Scouts ‘on notice’ over DEI and girl-centered policies

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a video posted to X, put Scouting America "on notice" and said the Pentagon will evaluate its relationship with the organization in six months. X video by @SecWar / screengrab by NPR hide caption toggle caption X video by @SecWar / screengrab by NPR After threatening to sever ties with

China overtakes US to become Germany’s top trading partner

China has overtaken the US as Germany's most important trading partner,  according to figures released by Germany's Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Friday. The sum of exports and imports between the two countries last year totaled €251.8 billion ($296.6 billion), a 2.1% increase, according to Destatis. China was Germany's most important trading partner from 2016 all the way through to 2023. In

Nearly 2 million highly educated Germans at risk of poverty

Around 1.9 million people with university-level qualifications were at risk of poverty in 2025, an increase of 350,000 compared with 2022. The figures from Germany's official statistics office were released in response to a request from the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). The rise comes as the number of graduates grew to 21 million nationwide. Yet data from

OpenAI announces Pentagon deal after Trump bans Anthropic

The Pentagon is seen from an airplane, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press hide caption toggle caption Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press President Trump ordered the U.S. government to stop using the artificial intelligence company Anthropic's products and the Pentagon moved to designate the company a national security risk on Friday, in

CDU Re-elects Chancellor Merz as Party Leader

Skip next section Merz takes aim at far-right AfD February 20, 2026 Merz takes aim at far-right AfD Merz criticized his party's main challenger, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)Image: Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty Images During the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party conference on Friday, Merz largely attacked his rivals on the right — according to him, the

HUD proposes time limits and work requirements for rental aid

Apartment buildings are seen at the Stoddard Johnston Scholar House, Friday, July 11, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. Jon Cherry/AP hide caption toggle caption Jon Cherry/AP A proposed rule by the Department of Housing and Urban Development would allow strict time limits and work requirements as a condition for rental subsidies, a move that critics say
back to top