Week in Review: August 7, 2022
Breaking Down the News
Take a look behind the stories that made headlines this week.
What is a top secret document?
After the FBI’s unprecedented search of former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, we got to wondering: how are documents classified?
Are the political winds shifting on climate change?
The historic climate bill appears guaranteed to become law. Once considered dead, the legislation was saved, in part, because one senator reversed course.
Is Serena Williams the greatest ever?
With her upcoming retirement, many are assessing the tennis star’s career. Read about her accomplishments and decide for yourself where she ranks.
Who was the “King of Pleats”?
With the death of Issey Miyake, the fashion world lost one of its most innovative designers. However, his simple creation for a tech icon might be his best-known garment.
Why Is the Climate Bill Important?
The most sweeping legislation to address climate change has gone to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. Congress passed the bill, which allocates about $370 billion to cut emissions that are rapidly warming the planet. The plan also includes incentives for electric vehicle purchases and energy-efficient systems in homes. Climate change has been linked with recent extreme weather events, including the severe flash floods in Kentucky; and a new report shows the Arctic has warmed nearly four times as much as the rest of the world since 1979.
How Does a Flash Flood Happen?
The Forum / Science
© Floyd County Sheriff's Department—ZUMA Press Wire Service/Alamy
Updates on the War in Ukraine
Ukrainian officials have claimed that on August 9, Ukrainian special forces, working with local partisans, carried out a spectacular attack on a Russian airbase some 200 miles behind the front lines in illegally annexed Crimea.
Why is this attack so significant?
The airfield at Novofedorivka is just 30 miles from the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Neutralizing Russia’s naval presence in the western Black Sea would potentially reopen the Ukrainian export economy.
Where is Crimea?
Hostilities between Russia and Ukraine began in 2014 when Russia invaded this Ukrainian autonomous republic.
What events led to the Russian occupation of Crimea?
Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russia president of Ukraine, fled the country in 2014 amid pro-Western demonstrations.
What does Putin want in Ukraine?
A quick and easy victory, one would assume, but the ship seems to have sailed on that.
Belles of the Ball (Game)
With the upcoming TV reboot of A League of Their Own (1992), the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (1943–54) is again in the spotlight. The AAGPBL was the first women’s professional sports league in the U.S., and it was initially dismissed as the “lipstick league.” Overcoming sexism and societal norms, its players and other baseball trailblazers showed that women could be serious athletes. And that America’s pastime wasn’t just for the boys.
From Charm School to the Playing Field
article / Sports & Recreation
Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com
The Real Dottie Hinson?
article / Sports & Recreation
Courtesy, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, New York
The First Woman in the Big Leagues
article / Sports & Recreation
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Inc.
Where’s Inflation Coming From?
This morning, the government released the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showing the costs of goods and services rose at an annual rate of 8.5 percent in July, down from the four-decade high of 9.1 percent in June. But inflation remains at an extremely high level and today's decline does not mean the trend will continue. Why, after years of low inflation, is the CPI still elevated?
COVID-19 stimulus, meet COVID-19 vaccines
When the pandemic hit, efforts to stimulate the flagging economy, including interest-rate cuts and stimulus checks, may have worked too well. Once vaccines became available, companies couldn’t keep up with consumer demand.
Chip shortage
Semiconductor chips are used in all electronic devices including cars, a big component of CPI. Chip shortages related to COVID-19 sent prices skyrocketing.
Russia-Ukraine War
Sanctions on Russian oil exacerbated crude supply tightness and further raised prices at the pump. High gas prices played a key role in driving inflation up across the economy.
People shortage
Friday’s jobs report showed near-record low unemployment, and that means employers pay more to attract talent. Typically, those costs are passed on to consumers.
An Unprecedented Search
In its 114-year history of investigating possible crimes, the FBI has never done what it did Monday: search the home of a former president. That search of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, authorized by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and approved by a federal judge, yielded a dozen boxes of documents, some of which may have been classified. Reaction to the search has been, not unexpectedly, split along partisan lines.
“No Person Is Above the Law.”
article / Politics, Law & Government
Demetrius Freeman/Getty Images News
Do You Love Books?
Then today is for you, because it’s Book Lovers Day! To celebrate, we’re taking a look at all things literary.
How many of the world’s so-called “greatest books” have you read?
While this is incredibly subjective, we’ve compiled a list of books that have been given this title.
Longing for a long read?
From Harry Potter to Pennywise, discover eight great books that are more than 900 pages.
Is Pride and Prejudice one of your favorite books?
If so, this Jane Austen quiz is for you.
Who wrote Animal Farm?
Test your knowledge of the authors behind famous novels.
Is it really ironic?
Alanis Morissette might have gotten it wrong, but see if you’re right in this quiz of literary terms.
Where should you book your next trip?
Check out our vacation suggestions for lit lovers.
An Unprecedented Search
In its 114-year history of investigating possible crimes, the FBI has never done what it did Monday: search the home of a former president. That search of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, authorized by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and approved by a federal judge, yielded a dozen boxes of documents, some of which may have been classified. Reaction to the search has been, not unexpectedly, split along partisan lines.
“No Person Is Above the Law.”
article / Politics, Law & Government
Demetrius Freeman/Getty Images News
Ashura and the 40 Days of Mourning
The martyrdom of al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is commemorated today by Shiʿi Muslims around the world. It initiates a 40-day period of mourning, which culminates in the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, Arbaʿeen, a gathering in Karbala, Iraq, that attracts millions each year.
How did Ḥusayn die?
The battle that killed him cemented the nascent Sunni–Shiʿi split. Today’s Ashura observances reflect the devastation this battle inflicted on the early Shiʿis.
What is his significance to Shiʿis?
As the third Shiʿi imam, Ḥusayn led the faction of early Muslims who believed Muhammad’s descendents should inherit his leadership of the Muslim community.
What exactly is an imam?
All Shi'is agree that the imam is the community's political-spiritual leader, but each Shiʿi sect has its own interpretation of the history and nature of the imamate.
How is Ashura observed?
Observances, such as the taʿziyyah passion plays, resemble many Christian Good Friday traditions.
A Scandal That Echoes Today?
On this day in 1974, Richard Nixon became the first and only U.S. president to resign. While his subsequent pardon by Gerald Ford technically ended the Watergate scandal, the crisis continues to resonate, and some have drawn parallels between it and the U.S. Capitol attack of 2021.
How a Cover-Up—and Presidency—Unraveled
article / Politics, Law & Government
Oliver F. Atkins—White House Photo/Nixon Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
From White House Counsel to Star Witness
article / Politics, Law & Government
Oliver F. Atkins—White House Photo/Nixon Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
What’s on Tap?
This weekend the world will be celebrating International Beer Day. But before having a cold one, learn more about the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage.
Did King Tut drink beer?
Ancient Egyptians were quite serious about beer, which they nicknamed “joy bringer.”
What causes it to skunk?
Discover what you should do to keep your beer from going bad.
Make it a bouza?
There are more than 100 types of beer. Do you know the difference between sake and bouza? Or Dortmunder and stout?
A patron saint of beer?
Her miracles included changing water into beer for a leper colony.
What is session beer?
Find out that answer and more in our quiz.
Why Is the Climate Bill Important?
The U.S. Senate passed what is officially known as the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday. The bill allocates nearly $370 billion for climate-related efforts, including programs that reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change has been linked with recent extreme weather events, such as the severe flash floods that occurred in Kentucky. If the bill is passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law by the president, it will become the country’s most-significant investment into combating climate change and its effects.
How Does a Flash Flood Happen?
The Forum / Science
© Floyd County Sheriff's Department—ZUMA Press Wire Service/Alamy
