Phone Use by Children Under Scrutiny.
Worry over the effects of extended phone use in young children is no longer just for concerned parent groups - two influential Apple shareholders are pushing the company to examine the effects of phone addiction on kids. The two investors - Jana Partners and the California State Teachers' Retirement System - own more than $2B in Apple stock and sent a letter to the company's Board of Directors urging action. Research has uncovered links between extended phone use in teens and pre-teens decreased attention spans, less sleep, decreased empathy, and high chances of having a risk factor for suicide.
Record Price Tag for Natural Disasters in 2017.
A new report tallies 2017 as the most expensive year on record for damage from natural disasters in the US. The total, estimated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, hit a staggering $306B, blowing past the previous record of $215B set in 2011 ( see report). The frequency of high-impact disasters is also increasing, with 16 disasters that inflicted over $1B on their own in 2017 - the most since 2011 and almost 3x the 30-year average of 5.8 billion-dollar events (adjusted for inflation). While the list includes hailstorms in Colorado and droughts in the High Plains, the major damage was done by hurricanes, with Harvey, Irma, and Maria accounting for $265B in damage. Experts said while changes in climate play a factor, so does poor urban planning and deteriorating infrastructure.
Protected Status US Salvadorans Removed.
The White House removed temporary protected status (TPS) for US Salvadorans, putting in peril the status of up to 200,000 people who relocated to the US. The program grants temporary immigration status to citizens in cases where their countries are experiencing disruptions like natural disasters, civil war, or other issues. Salvadorans living in the US under the current protected status will have to return home by September 2019 or face deportation. A 2017 report found that 51% of Salvadorans with the status had been in the country over 20 years, and 34% had homes with mortgages. In a statement, officials said only Congress has the ability to provide permanent legal status for those living under TPS. El Salvador is the fourth country to have such protections expire in the past four months.
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