World Affairs, News, Explainer Ashni Mehta World Affairs, News, Explainer Ashni Mehta

Explainer: The Government Narrowly Avoided a Shutdown. Now What?

On Saturday, September 30th, Congress passed a temporary deal to extend government funding until November 17th, with $16 billion allocated for disaster relief but no funding for Ukraine. A government shutdown looms if Congress fails to approve a budget for the upcoming year, affecting various federal agencies and employees, with essential services continuing but employees working without pay.

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World Affairs, News, Explainer Ashni Mehta World Affairs, News, Explainer Ashni Mehta

Explainer: Donald Trump’s Indictment and Legal Challenges

Former President Donald Trump is currently facing a series of legal challenges in multiple states, including Georgia, Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, involving a total of 91 counts. These charges range from election tampering to mishandling classified documents and undisclosed payments, potentially impacting his prospects for a 2024 presidential run. The legal battles, particularly concerning attempts to overturn the 2020 election, could have significant consequences for the integrity of future U.S. elections and public acceptance of election outcomes.

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World Affairs, News, A Little Chai, Mostly True Ashni Mehta World Affairs, News, A Little Chai, Mostly True Ashni Mehta

Fact Check: The Impact of Fossil Fuels on Climate-Related Deaths

Vivek Ramaswamy, a U.S. presidential candidate for the Republican Party, tweeted that climate disaster death rates have declined by 98% over the last century, but his claim that the average person is 50 times less likely to die of a climate-related cause than in 1920 is mathematically incorrect, as it's approximately 32 times less likely; furthermore, fossil fuel-related deaths have been higher than previously thought, accounting for 18% of global deaths in 2018, though fossil fuel consumption does help grow the economy.

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Fact Check: Debunking the Misinformation about the Uvalde Texas Shooter

A few days after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Congressman Paul Gosar, who represents Arizona’s 4th Congressional District, claimed that the shooter was “a transsexual leftist illegal alien named Salvatore Ramos,” a false claim based on zero evidence.

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