Endangered Species Act Under Threat
Republican Leaders Target the Endangered Species Act and 4 More Stories to Know Jan. 17
- The Endangered Species Act could be in danger. Republican lawmakers hope to "invalidate" the Endangered Species Act that passed in 1973, according to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop. Bishop claims that the act, which was introduced as a response to the waning bald eagle populations, unfairly restricts drilling on federal land. According to The Washington Post, opponents say that the law does not effectively protect endangered species and instead permits "control of the land." Action toward repealing the law has yet to transpire, though efforts could pass through a GOP-controlled House and Senate.
- Betty White, iconic star of The Golden Girls, turned 95 years old on Tuesday. Celebrating her birthday with Yahoo News's Katie Couric, White said she was elated to be working still after 75 years, adding, "I just appreciate the fact that people have been so kind to me all these years."
- Walmart will add 10,000 more retail jobs by the end of this year, the chain announced on Tuesday. Additionally, the company will employ 24,000 contract construction workers to improve existing store locations and build new ones. Walmart's initiative is the most recent in a wave of American companies vowing to create more jobs within our borders.
- The Nigerian air force mistakenly fired on civilians near the country's border with Cameroon while targeting Boko Haram militants. According to the BBC, the strike killed at least 50 people and injured a hundred more. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has apologized for the "regrettable operational mistake."
- Stanford released a study on Tuesday claiming that caffeine could help combat the age-related inflammation often associated with cardiovascular disease. In the multiyear investigation involving 100 subjects, researchers found that age-related inflammatory mechanisms were dampened among participants who tended to drink more caffeinated beverages, such as coffee.
Image Source: Getty / KARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND
