Newsletter Archive

Every person in the United States — including those who entered the country illegally — is protected by the U.S. Constitution. Nationwide, advocacy groups are teaching undocumented immigrants their rights in case they are detained by law enforcement — a mission that has taken on new urgency since the election of Donald Trump.

Christmas is a Christian holiday, but 81 percent of non-Christians in the United States celebrate the occasion, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. Those numbers suggest that Christmas has become a cultural holiday for many Americans.

The possibility of a trade war between the United States and China looms large ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration. Trump has promised to restrict the role of Chinese goods and currency movements in the American economy. In response, China is expected to make a series of defensive and retaliatory moves that could make it harder for U.S. companies to do business in China.

Waking up decades too early. That’s what happens in the new science fiction film ‘Passengers.’ Two people on a 120-year trip to colonize a new planet wake up from hibernation about 90 years before they’re supposed to. While the movie is a work of fiction — and it could take years for technology to catch up with Hollywood’s imagination — there is some real science behind many of the ideas in the movie.

The United States is still reeling from accusations that Russia attempted to influence the presidential election. And now Europe is bracing for similar interference from Moscow before 2017 elections in France, Germany and the Netherlands. It’s apparently never too early to start worrying about election meddling considering that some analysts believe Russia is already attempting to influence the European elections.

Europe might have missed a big opportunity when the Soviet Union collapsed 25 years ago. Some believe the European Union failed to capitalize on the time since the USSR’s demise to move its agenda forward without outside threats and pressure. But now, with an immigration crisis on the EU’s borders and Russia on the rise, it might be too late.