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IMPORTANT
| | | Crimes Against Humanity | UN Report Details China’s Human Rights Abuses Against Uyghurs Thursday’s long-awaited report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reiterated what international watchdogs have said for years: China’s detention of Uyghurs in Xinjiang may constitute “crimes against humanity.” The 48-page report details a shift from Chinese authorities detaining members of the Muslim minority in “vocational centers” to formally imprisoning them on criminal grounds. Beijing described the report as “pure farce” and an “anti-China” plot. The report, which called on businesses to take “all possible measures” to respect human rights, will put fresh pressure on international companies like Nike and Tesla that continue to do business in Xinjiang. (Sources: Al Jazeera, CNN, SCMP, DW) |
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| | | | | Not a Drop to Drink | State, Federal Aid On the Way as Jackson’s Water Crisis Continues Schools and businesses in Mississippi’s capital remain shuttered as the city enters the fourth day without drinking water after heavy rains and flooding caused its main water treatment plant to fail Monday. Residents waited in long lines as the demand for bottled water far exceeded supplies. Gov. Tate Reeves enlisted the Mississippi National Guard to distribute bottled water Thursday, and President Joe Biden signed a major disaster declaration to unlock federal funds. But critics say Jackson’s water system has been neglected and underfunded for decades, describing the problem as environmental racism in a city where more than 80% of residents are Black. (Sources: NPR, CNN, Vox) |
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| | | Human Resources | Did a Canadian Spy Smuggle British Teens to the Islamic State? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised his government will investigate allegations that an informant for the Canadian intelligence service trafficked three girls into Syria in 2015. A new book claims the spy told his Canadian handlers he took Shamima Begum, Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, who were 15 and 16 at the time, to join the terror group. Begum, now being held in a Syrian detention camp, has had her British citizenship stripped. Her lawyer said it’s “shocking” that a Canadian asset was involved — “someone who is supposed to be an ally, protecting our people, rather than trafficking British children into a war zone.” (Sources: The Guardian, BBC, CBC) |
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| | | Last Frontier | Democrat Wins Alaska Special Election, Denies Palin Comeback Mary Peltola claimed the U.S. House seat left open by the sudden death of Rep. Don Young in March, defeating Republican former Gov. Sarah Palin. Peltola, who’s Yup’ik, is the first Alaska Native to win a seat in Congress, and has flipped a district long held by Republicans. The former state representative led in initial counts after the Aug. 16 ballot, but her victory was only confirmed Wednesday by election officials using the state’s new ranked-choice voting system. Palin’s defeat came in her first race since leaving office in 2009, despite a high-profile endorsement from former President Donald Trump. (Sources: WaPo, Politico) |
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| | | Briefly | Here are some things you should know about today: Chips are down. Chipmakers Nvidia and AMD said Wednesday that the U.S. government has ordered them to stop selling tech to China that can be used for artificial intelligence. (Source: CNN) Coincidence? Russian oil chief Ravil Maganov has died after falling from a hospital window — the second Lukoil executive to die under mysterious circumstances after the company’s board called for an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Source: BBC) Barking 9 to 5. Dolly Parton is releasing a line of pet accessories and toys, including blond wigs and cowboy hats for pooches, called Doggy Parton. Some of the proceeds will go to an animal rescue organization. (Source: Billboard) |
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INTRIGUING
| | | Something in the Air | Mars Rover Can Produce as Much Oxygen as a Small Tree NASA’s Perseverance rover has been creating oxygen from Mars’ carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere since it landed in February 2021, but new research in Science Advances shows just how successful it’s been. MOXIE, the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, is a lunchbox-sized device capable of producing 6 grams of oxygen per hour, about the same as a small tree, and it’s now proven to work in a variety of atmospheric conditions and Martian seasons. A scaled-up MOXIE could potentially produce enough oxygen to sustain human explorers — and give them some breathing room by fueling a rocket for their return trip. (Sources: Space.com, CNN) |
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| | | Failing Grade | National Test Scores Plunge After Two Years of Lockdown Learning American elementary school test results released on Thursday plummeted to the lowest level in decades, highlighting the setbacks students have faced during the pandemic. For the first time since the National Assessment for Educational Progress — often called “the nation’s report card” — began tracking results in the 1970s, math scores declined, dropping seven points. Reading scores dipped five points, the biggest loss in 30 years. “It’s clear that COVID-19 shocked American education and stunted the academic growth of this age group,” said Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics. Data shows the most vulnerable students lost the most ground. (Sources: WaPo, NYT) |
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| | | | | ‘City’ in the Sand | Enormous Art Installation 50 Years in the Making Finally Set to Open Half a century since land artist Michael Heizer first broke ground on his giant-scale megasculpture City, it’s still a mystery that few have seen. The mile-and-a-half-long landscape of earthen mounds, stepped pyramids and geometric concrete slabs is situated in a remote Nevada desert valley far from paved roads. Heizer, a pioneer of the land art movement of the ’70s, estimates he’s spent $40 million so far on the monumental installation. City opens to the public tomorrow — but only by reservation, and only to six visitors per day at a cost of $150 each. (Sources: Artnews, NYT) |
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| | | Art Imitates Life? | J.K. Rowling’s New Book Features ‘Canceled’ Transphobic Character The Harry Potter author, who’s come under fire in recent years for anti-trans remarks, is raising eyebrows once more. Her latest novel, The Ink Black Heart, released under pen name Robert Galbraith, is about a YouTube comics creator who’s threatened and doxxed by her own followers over content that’s seen as transphobic, racist and ableist. Rowling claims the story isn’t based on her own life, explaining, “I had written the book before certain things happened to me online.” So far, readers and critics aren’t buying her explanation. One review also noted that “no crime thriller should be 1,012 pages long.” (Sources: Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue) |
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| | | Going Strong | Serena Williams Upsets No. 2 Seed to Advance in US Open All eyes were on the 23-time major champion as she powered past Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. A record crowd — peppered with celebrities, from Tiger Woods to Anna Wintour and Zendaya — celebrated Williams’ remarkable career with a post-match ceremony. Her impending retirement looms large over the sport, but Williams relishes her new freedom. “I just feel like I have had a big red X on my back since I won the U.S. Open in ‘99,” she said. “But here it’s different. I feel like I've already won, figuratively, mentally.” She’ll face Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round Friday. (Sources: ESPN, SI) |
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