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Check out this month's Hot Topics from NewsBank. To access these articles and many more, click the NewsBank link at the top of the page and enter the search terms given at the end of the article description. You can also click here to view the Hot Topics page directly.
HEALTH
February 2023 Worldwide – Covid-19 Update The World Health Organization (WHO) is holding an executive board meeting and its leader, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has said that the world is in better shape than in January of 2022, although 170,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the past 8 weeks. Last January was the height of the spread of the Omicron variant. Ghebreyesus hopes the coming year will see decreased hospitalizations and deaths. What has contributed to this sense of cautious optimism? What steps does he think need to be taken? Search This Topic: (“World Health Organization” or WHO) AND (covid-19 or coronavirus)
ECONOMICS
February 2023 China – Population Slowdown China’s population is aging, and its birth rate is shrinking. India will soon replace it as the most populous country on earth. What are the economic implications of these facts? Will China be able to sustain its economic growth, or will that rate begin to fall? If the latter happens, what will be the effect on other countries? Search This Topic: China AND (“aging population” OR “birth rates”) AND “economic impact”
SOCIAL RELATIONS
February 2023 Cities Banning Homeless Camps Cities in the United States are increasingly forbidding the homeless from sleeping in tents, cars or public places. What has been the impact of homelessness on cities and what has been the public reaction to imposing these bans? What are homeless people doing when faced with these bans? Search This Topic: (homeless OR homelessness) AND cities AND (bans OR banning OR ban) AND (tents OR sleeping)
ECONOMICS
February 2023 U.S. Debt Ceiling On January 19, 2023, the U.S. hit their debt ceiling meaning the limit of national debt that the U.S. Treasury Department may incur. What measures has the Treasury implemented to delay default and what else needs to be done? What happens if the U.S. begins defaulting on its loans? What is needed to raise the debt ceiling and what political debates are happening that are addressing raising the ceiling? Search This Topic: (Treasury OR “federal government”) AND “debt ceiling”
SCIENCE
February 2023 Outer Space – E3 Comet Approaches The E3 comet, which has a tail that is golden and a coma that is blue green, is nearing its closest approach to earth. This comet, also called C/2022 E3 (ZTF), was first seen by the Zwick Transient Facility in March of 2022 and can now be seen in the Northern Hemisphere. When was it nearest to earth? When did it last appear in the night skies of this planet? How did they determine when it last appeared? Search This Topic: “Comet E3” OR “C/2022 E3” OR "E3 Comet"
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE
February 2023 New Zealand – Auckland Flooding An atmospheric river moved over Auckland and caused flooding, shutting the airport and cancelling an Elton John concert. It was the wettest day in Auckland’s history. What are atmospheric rivers and how are they formed? Were there any circumstances in how the storm was formed and travelled with such ferocity? Search This Topic: Auckland AND flooding
SPORTS
February 2023 Worldwide – Rugby Rules Change World Rugby is going to lower the height for legal tackles below the shoulders following the lead of the Rugby Football Union. It will not set it at waist high, unlike the RFU. How will this impact the game? How will World Rugby test this out and implement it? When will it take effect? What is the role of World Rugby and how does it operate? Search This Topic: “World Rugby” AND “tackle height”