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Pakistan has been devastated by a monthslong series of monsoons that have displaced around eight million people. (Flickr/Flood in Pakistan 2022 by Ali Hyder Junejo).

As Pakistan Continues to Flood, Scientists Warn of Climate Change

By Amber Nodes | Sep. 29

Monsoons have been devastating Pakistan since mid-June of this year, and much of the infrastructure has been destroyed. Around eight million people have been displaced and at least 1,500 have been killed since the beginning of the monsoons, according to a report from the U.N. Over 500,000 people who have been displaced are living in shelters, drinking water is scarce and many of the people who have died were children.

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Inflation in the United States is currently at a four-decade high, and the Federal Reserve is determined to get ahead of it in any way possible (Flickr/“federal reserve building” by Rafael Saldaña. December 30, 2012).

Federal Reserve Hikes Interest Rates to Combat Inflation

By Gauri Patel | Sep. 27

Inflation in the United States is currently at a four-decade high, and the Federal Reserve is determined to get ahead of it in any way possible, even if it leads to increased unemployment for Americans. According to NBC News, the Fed recently raised its key interest rate by 0.75%, and it plans to continue keeping interest rates high until inflation is once again under control. This is not the first time the Fed has increased rates this year. In fact, it has raised its benchmark rate five times since the beginning of the year. 

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Researchers from the University of California San Francisco believe they have found a new way to treat a specific mutation in some cancers through immunotherapy. (Flickr/Human Colon Cancer Cells by NIH Image Gallery)

New Experimental Technique to Fight Cancer by Flagging the Cancerous Cells

By Amber Nodes | Sep. 21

Researchers from the University of California San Francisco believe they have found a new way to treat a specific mutation in some cancers, according to a new study published by the Cell Press medical journal on Sept. 12. In practice, the new treatment in the study could lead to retaining ground gained against a tumor that was previously responding to immunotherapy but started showing resistance to it. 

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President Biden delivered a speech at Independence Hall, in which he directly confronted the “threat” posed by Donald Trump and those who support him. (Office of the President. Posted to Facebook on Sept. 1, 2022)

Biden Speech on State of Democracy Generates Controversy

By Matthew Kaufman | Sep. 17

President Biden gave a prime time speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to discuss the current state of democracy in the U.S., detailing the threats he believes it is facing. In the speech, he directly addressed the actions of Former President Donald Trump and “MAGA Republicans” related to the 2020 election and threats posed to the upcoming 2022 and 2024 elections. The speech generated mixed reactions and controversy from the media and public, with some praising Biden’s confrontational tone and others criticizing the politicized nature of the speech.

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The Court is hearing the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which challenges a Mississippi ban on abortion after 15 weeks. If the Court upholds the ban, thus overturning Roe and Casey, states will have the right to ban abortions completely(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Supreme Court draft opinion indicates Roe v. Wade may be overturned

By Aliyah Siddiqui | May. 5

The Supreme Court has voted to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision, according to a leaked draft opinion published by Politico. The draft majority opinion, which was confirmed by Chief Justice John Roberts, could mark the end of the constitutional right to abortion, although the Court’s final decision may change.  In 1973, the Supreme Court heard the case of Jane Roe, a pseudonym for Norma McCorvey, against Henry Wade, a district attorney in Dallas, Texas. At the time, McCorvey was looking to have an abortion in Texas, which had a law banning abortion unless a woman’s life was endangered. McCorvey sued Wade, and while she won the case, Texas appealed to the Supreme Court. The Court ruled in favor of McCorvey, stating that the law violated her right to personal privacy and was subsequently unconstitutional, thus ruling that the U.S. Constitution protected a woman’s right to have an abortion during the first three months of her pregnancy without interference from the state.

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Senate Bill 4C seeks to dissolve a number of special tax districts in Florida, most important among them being the Reedy Creek Improvement District(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Florida Governor Revokes Disney’s Special Tax District Over “Don’t Say Gay” Feud

By Connor Carlin | May. 4

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) took his feud with the Walt Disney Corporation into a new phase on April 22 following the Governor’s signing of an act to dissolve a special tax district owned and operated by Disney. The move is seen as a retaliation for Disney’s opposition to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics, which seeks to restrict discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida schools.  Senate Bill 4C seeks to dissolve a number of special tax districts in Florida, most important among them being the Reedy Creek Improvement District(RCID). Granted to Disney by Florida through a 1967 agreement, the district has allowed the media giant to operate its 25,000 acres of property spanning Orange and Osceola counties essentially as a municipal government. Disney has used this power to, as the district’s owner and largest property owner, effectively to levy taxes on itself which then are used to fund its own fire-and-medical response services, water and roadwork and even generate some of its own electricity.

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The social network agreed to Musk’s offer of $54.20 per share, according to the New York Times. The deal comes after Musk had announced on April 4 that he had purchased a 9.2% stake in the company, becoming its largest shareholder(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Elon Musk Reaches Deal to Buy Twitter for More Than $40 Billion

By Matthew Kaufman | Apr. 27

 Twitter agreed to be sold to Elon Musk for $44 billion, following weeks of back-and-forth between the company and the billionaire. The social network agreed to Musk’s offer of $54.20 per share, according to the New York Times. The deal comes after Musk had announced on April 4 that he had purchased a 9.2% stake in the company, becoming its largest shareholder. Twitter had originally offered Musk a seat on the board, but he turned it down, saying that the position would not allow him to bring the changes he thought were necessary.

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Democrats attempt to remove Jan. 6 supporters from being able to run for office(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

January 6th storming of the U.S. Capitol leads to potential removal of politicians in support of Capitol rioters

By Signal Contributor | Apr. 26

The Republican National Committee (RNC) voted on Feb. 4 to censure Representatives Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) for participating in the inquiry into the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol.  Cheney and Kinzinger had been the most outspoken GOP lawmakers by that point, condemning the attack on the Capitol and criticizing Former President Donald J. Trump for his role in the day’s events. The GOP referred to the two lawmakers, stating they were participating in “persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.”

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Of the refugees and 7 million residents displaced from their homes, 90% of them are women and children under the age of 16(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Russian-Ukraine war creates massive humanitarian crisis

By Ashwin Narra | Apr. 25

According to the UN, 4 million Ukrainian refugees over the last month are on the quest for a new life after fleeing from Russia — a life which will be scarred and affected by Russia President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine and displace many innocent families from their homes. Of the refugees and 7 million residents displaced from their homes, 90% of them are women and children under the age of 16. 

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Efforts to combat the destruction of the environment have come to have a sense of urgency in recent years, with Reuters reporting that in 2021, deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest hit a 15-year high(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Climate change emerges as the critical issue in Brazil’s 2022 election

By Octavia Feliciano | Apr. 19

Discussions about combating climate change and environmental degradation in Brazil is becoming an integral part of the nation’s presidential race. The two candidates leading the polls in the upcoming election, according to data amalgamated by the Council of the Americas, are incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the former president who served from 2003 to 2011.

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Bloomberg claims that among the economic effects such as rising unemployment rates and the closure of many small to mid-sized businesses that the war has created, inflation rates may exceed 20% in Ukraine.(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Russia's war to shrink Ukraine economy 45%

By Signal Contributor | Apr. 18

In a report released on April 10, The World Bank claimed that Ukraine’s economy will shrink by 45.1% this year due to the ongoing conflict with Russia, which has resulted in the closure of half of the country’s businesses, in addition to damage to a significant amount of vital infrastructure including roads, bridges, ports, and train tracks. As many citizens flee the country, unemployment rates rise while consumption levels decline. 

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According to Reuters, the plan consists of a four-tier alert system that moves from green to red. It begins with public announcements about conserving water, moving on to lessening water pressure and ending with rotating water cuts that could last up to 24 hours(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Santiago, Chile announces plan to ration water due to 13 year drought

By Matthew Kaufman | Apr. 18

Santiago, Chile has announced a new water rationing system as the country enters its 13th year of a harsh drought. The capital city is home to six million people. “A city can't live without water,” said Claudio Orrego, the governor of the Santiago metropolitan region. “And we're in an unprecedented situation in Santiago's 491-year history where we have to prepare for there to not be enough water for everyone who lives here.”

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According to The New York Times, at the scene, police discovered a hatchet, two more gas canisters and a jammed Glock handgun, which police believe could have saved lives(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

23 injured in mass shooting at a Brooklyn subway

By Aliyah Siddiqui | Apr. 14

Ten people were shot and another 13 were wounded after a mass shooting on a subway train in Brooklyn, NY. The suspect, Frank James, was arrested on April 13 and charged with a federal terrorism offense.  On April 12, James, dressed in a construction vest and helmet, put on a gas mask and tossed two smoke grenades on the floor of the N train and shot 33 bullets as it neared 36th St. station. He then fled the scene after shooting 10 people, five of whom were critically injured. Thirteen others were injured from smoke inhalation, panic attacks or falling down, according to the BBC. All victims are expected to survive, but the shooting traumatized many New Yorkers who were at the scene. 

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There is mounting evidence that Russia is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, war crimes can include the intentional attack on civilian populations, civilian objects or non-military buildings(Image created by Lauren Schweighardt/Graphic Designer).

Evidence for war crimes in Ukraine increase as investigations continue

By Aliyah Siddiqui | Apr. 13

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has labeled Russia’s attacks against the Ukrainian people as war crimes. Given the murder and torture of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians, many countries, including the United States and Britain, have since echoed his sentiment. In light of this, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on April 6 in favor of a bill that proposes an investigation of war crimes committed by the Russian military. Specifically, the bill requests that President Joe Biden send a report to Congress regarding the U.S. Government’s efforts to collect evidence related to Russian war crimes since the start of the war.  

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