Global
Pope Francis Faces Health Issues
On Feb. 14, Pope Francis was hospitalized after being diagnosed with double pneumonia and a respiratory infection. For Pope Francis, lung and respiratory issues have affected him for a while, starting in 1957 when a part of his lung was removed due to infection, according to USA TODAY. On Mar. 3, he suffered two episodes of acute respiratory failure, putting him back on a ventilator until Mar. 4, as his condition improved, according to the Washington Post.
Uruguay President Takes Office
On Mar. 1, President Yamandú Orsi, a former history teacher and mayor, took office running on a leftist agenda pledging to improve safety and economic stagnation. Orsi replaces the country’s outgoing conservative president, Luis Lacalle Pou. He claimed victory on Nov. 24 in a tight runoff which ousted the conservative governing force, making this South American nation one of the latest which rebuked its incumbent party.
Panama Canal Ports Purchased
On Mar. 4, an investment group led by BlackRock, a giant American asset manager, announced it will purchase two Panama ports which are owned by a Hong Kong company, making it a central focus amidst international tension between President Donald Trump and Panama, according to the New York. CNN reported this exchange comes after Trump announced numerous times before he inaugurated his plans to “take back” the 51-mile canal, which controls roughly 4 %of the world’s maritime trade and over 40%of U.S. container traffic.
National
Trump Takes Timber
On Mar. 1, the White House released an executive order signed by President Donald Trump expanding the area that can be cut for timber resources. Trump ordered 208m acres (113m hectares) of national forests and other public lands. The report named the timber industry being too reliant on foreign imports as a cause for the order, according to The Guardian. In this order, Trump allowed the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to increase logging targets, as well as allow for the officials to circumvent the U.S.’s Endangered Species Act, effectively ignoring the protections given to vulnerable creatures’ habitats.
Oscars Premiere on Primetime
On Mar. 2, the 97th Oscars premiered, recognizing excellent cinematic achievement since 1929. The live event, hosted by Conan O’Brien, was streamed via ABC. According to Variety, the Oscars hit 19.7 million views, a 1%increase from last year. Of the 23 categories, “Anora” won 5, making it the biggest winner of the night. The three-and-a-half-hour special was mainly streamed on Hulu, according to the New York Times, and marked the first time the Oscars was available to watch live on a streaming platform. The Washington Post reported that Hulu glitched in the final moments leaving two categories unwatched.
State
Former Uvalde Mayor Takes Action
On Mar. 3, State Rep. Don McLaughlin, who was mayor of Uvalde at the time of the elementary school shooting, filed a bill aiming to address potential police failure, such as response time in tense situations, according to the Texas Tribune. House Bill 33 criticizes the roughly 400 law enforcement officers who actively went against active-shooter protocols by waiting more than an hour to respond. The bill would ensure school districts and law enforcement meet once a year to create response plans in an active shooter situation.
Measles Outbreak Materializes
On Mar. 4, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the measles outbreak in West Texas had reached 159 cases since it was first noticed in late January, according to CNN. The CDC has been in the region for weeks attempting to curb the spread amidst vaccine-resistant rhetoric. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services has urged residents to get vaccines, despite previous anti-vaccine theories, according to NPR.
Dust Storms Douse Dallas
On Mar. 4, strong winds from West Texas carrying wind arrived in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area with skies in North Texas tinting orange, according to Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. Strong winds swept the dust as it moved across Texas in the afternoon, reaching 60 mph, according to AccuWeather. The visibility plummeted to just 2 miles as the dust moved to San Antonio and Austin in the evening. The winds blowing in from Eastern New Mexico carried a “haboob”, or an intense dust or sandstorm generated by wind, which blanketed the Central Texas region.
Local
Austin Ranked First
On. Feb. 17, WalletHub released their rankings of the best state capitols to live in, with Austin ranking first, according to Newsweek. WalletHub compared the 50 capital cities across 48 metrics. Austin particularly scored well in affordability, economic well-being, quality of education, and health, reaching a total score of 64.75. The city of nearly one million ranked first in economic well-being.
