Trump’s address to Congress

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump delivered his first address to Congress and shifted away from the dark themes of his previous speeches to the nation. He adopted a statesmanlike tone and his language was lofty and unifying. He gave little quarter on the substance of his policies on issues of ranging from trade, defense, immigration, and counterterrorism. The result was a nationalistic prescription that he said would yield “a new chapter of American greatness.” He also states, “I am asking all citizens to embrace this renewal of the American spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold, and daring things.” He also said the violence among Jewish communities was a reminder that “while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its very ugly forms.”

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/politics/donald-trump-congress-speech/index.html

Millions in Chile without drinking water

Recent heavy rainfall over the weekend left millions in the capital of Santiago, Chile with access to running water. The flooding has caused debris to flow into the Maipo River, which is the main water supply for the capital city. As a result, authorities had to cut off water access that has left nearly 5 million residents scrambling to find alternatives for fresh drinking water. Drought and wildfires have created a situation where the land cannot retain the rainwater, which have made it easier for mudslides and debris flows to occur. This has unfortunately contaminated the river and authorities can not reopen the water supply until the water runs clear.

For more information:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/americas/chile-flooding-drinking-water/index.html

Kim Jong Nam investigation: North Korean man released

Ri Jong Chol, the North Korean man who was held in connection with the death of Kim Jong Nam, left the Sepang Police district headquarters in Malaysia on Friday under heavy police escort. He is being handed over to immigration officials and transported to Kuala Lumpur international airport. He was the only North Korean arrested in connection with this case and he appeared to be wearing a bulletproof vest when he was escorted out of the building by half a dozen police officers. However, the police don’t have tangible evidence to charge Ri Jong Chol and he’ll be deported to North Korea after his release.

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/01/asia/north-korea-malaysia-kim-jong-nam/index.html

US volunteers aid wounded in Mosul

Ten volunteers from New York City Medics, a humanitarian aid group providing emergency medical care, are set up in an abandoned house in Mosul. They are working with a team of Iraqis from the Rapid Response Division of Federal Police. The NYC medics have provided aid in the wake of the Nepali earthquake, the Fukushima disaster, and the Haitian earthquake, but this is their first war zone. In an interview with CNN, the atmosphere is described as controlled chaos. It’s noisy with frantic medics, the scribbling of pens on clipboards, and the barking of frantic orders.

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/health/mosul-volunteer-medics/index.html

World’s oldest microfossils found

Scientists claim to have discovered the remains of microorganisms 3.77 billion years old in Canada. They were found in quartz layers in the Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal belt in Quebec, Canada, which contains some of earth’s oldest sedimentary rocks. “Our discovery supports the idea that life emerged from hot, seafloor vents shortly after planet Earth formed,” says Matthew Dodd, a researcher at UCL Earth Sciences and the London Center for Nanotechnology. The oldest microfossils previously reported were found in Western Australia in 2013, dating to around 3.4 billion years old.

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/01/world/oldest-microfossils-canada/index.html