United States President Donald Trump faced criticism for his address to the nation where he made remarks blaming diversity hiring policies and past Democratic administrations for the midair collision over the Potomac River on Wednesday night. According to “The New York Times,” President Trump provided no evidence for his claims but argued that diversity initiatives have weakened hiring standards for air traffic controllers, stating that he has “common sense and unfortunately a lot of people don’t.” Despite admitting that the investigation was still in its early stages, he linked the crash to the lax hiring policies under former U.S. Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, saying that some jobs require “the highest level of genius.” As the National Transportation Safety Board conducts this investigation, President Trump has already pledged to set aside movements of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in federal agencies.
Dutch police recently arrested three suspects connected with the theft of Romania’s prized Helmet of Coțofenești, a 2,500-year-old gold artifact displayed at the Drents Museum in the Netherlands. According to “The New York Times,” the heist, taking place in the early hours of January 25, involved an explosion to breach the heavy access door, allowing the suspects to seize the helmet and three gold bracelets dating back to 50 B.C. “The Guardian” reports that the loss has sparked outrage in Romania, where the helmet is a national symbol, leading to the dismissal of Ernest Oberländer-Târnoveanu, the director of Romania’s National History Museum. Despite the arrests, the artifacts still remain missing, with authorities racing to recover them before they can be melted or sold illegally.
As reported by “CNN Health,” the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized suzetrigine, the first new type of pain medication approved in 25 years which will be sold under the name Journavx. In the “FDA News Release” for Journavx, Dr. Jacqueline Corrigan-Curry, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said that as a non-opioid, Journavx “offers an opportunity to mitigate certain risks associated with using an opioid for pain and provides patients with another treatment option.” According to “The New York Times,” the drug is designed to block pain signals without affecting the brain, making it non-addictive compared to other opioid-based medications like Vicodin. While Journavx offers a promising alternative for acute pain treatment, its high cost of $15.50 per pill may limit accessibility, according to “CNN Health.” Despite these challenges, the FDA remains committed to developing non-opioid medication options to reduce addictions.
Taiwan, an island located in the West Pacific Ocean, is known to lie around the “Ring of Fire,” an area known for frequent seismic activity. On Thursday morning, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck Taipei, Taiwan. As reported by “ABC News,” this earthquake hit Taiwan in a series of small rumbles, causing little damage to the island. However, this could possibly lead to more earthquakes and seismic activity in the future. According to “CNN,” 15 people sustained injuries from the earthquake.
