DGI Brief - June 23, 2016
Good morning, everyone. Today's top 5 news on global issues are about #DRCongo #LatinAmerica #USA #Kyrgyzstan and #aviation
- DR CONGO: At least 1600 children were admitted to hospital w/ severe malaria, 95% of patients seeking care across the region were tested positive. But many areas have limited or no access to health clinics. The worrisome surge takes place only at the start of the peak malaria season – changing weather patterns (hotter, wetter) are causing a break in normal environmental & epidemiological equilibrium. The many ugly sides of global warming.
- The outbreak across LATIN AMERICA of mosquito-borne & sexually transmitted Zika virus is linked to causing severe birth defects in newborns. The New England Journal of Medicine reports sharp increase in demand for abortions even though it is illegal in most Latin American countries.
- USA: The 4-4 tie vote means the plan to shield illegal immigrants living in the US from deportation is dead for the rest of President Obama’s term & could only be revived by Hillary Clinton’s win.
- KYRGYZSTAN: The bill also applies to outlets supported by foreign funding – like Radio Free Europe (funded by US Congress), a beacon of freedom for many. I remember it from growing up in communist Czechoslovakia – an important source of news & a thorn for the regime. Activists report the Kyrgyz bill is targeting Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in particular. Sad.
- WORLD: The Solar Impulse 2 landed today in Seville, Spain after a 71-hour, 8-minute flight from New York City. It was the 15th leg of a flight around the WORLD. The plane is fully solar-powered, using zero fuel & thus producing zero emissions. Beautiful, groundbreaking, revolutionary for the aviation industry. I look forward to commercial travel on solar-powered planes in my lifetime! ☺
#malaria #outbreak #globalwarming #climatechange #MSF #healthcare #access #epidemiology #environment #rain #mosquitos #mosquitoes #Zika #Zikavirus #abortion #birthdefects #SupremeCourt #immigration #voting #Obama #illegalimmigrants #deportation #freedomofpress #freedomofspeech #news #media #RadioFreeEurope #RadioLiberty #solar #solarpower #solarenergy #renewable #renewableenergy #greenenergy #green #SolarImpulse2 #innovation #airplane #solarplane #aviationindustry #NYC #Spain #Seville