Author: Barbara T. Palmer

Apple fans are buzzing with excitement as the tech giant has announced a special event on May 7 focused on iPads. The highlight of the event is expected to be the unveiling of the new Apple Pencil 3, as hinted by CEO Tim Cook in a cryptic social media post with the caption “Pencil us in for May 7!” Rumors surrounding the new Apple Pencil suggest that it may feature Find My integration, interchangeable magnetic tips, and a potential “Squeeze” gesture for quick actions. Apple enthusiasts are eager to see what innovative features the new stylus will bring. In addition…

Chicago-based grocery chains Dom’s Kitchen & Market and Foxtrot Market have announced the closure of all their stores, just six months after their much-anticipated merger. The decision to shut down operations was made after careful consideration, with doors set to close on April 23, 2024. The closure will affect both Dom’s locations in Chicago and all 33 Foxtrot stores in Chicago, Texas, and the Washington D.C. area. Despite exploring various avenues to keep the business running, the companies found no viable option to sustain operations, despite their good faith efforts. The merger of Dom’s Kitchen & Market and Foxtrot Market…

UN negotiations are currently underway to establish the world’s first global treaty aimed at reducing plastic waste. The chair of the meetings is optimistic about reaching an agreement, despite facing challenges in bridging the gap between plastic-producing nations and those seeking to combat pollution across the entire life cycle of plastics. Plastic pollution has become a significant global concern, with an estimated 400 million tons of plastic being produced annually. Much of this plastic ends up in oceans and landfills, posing a threat to human health and the environment. In a groundbreaking move, negotiations for a global treaty to address…

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has provided usable data for the first time in over five months, giving hope for the 46-year-old mission to resume normal operations. Mission control received data about the health and status of Voyager 1’s engineering systems after engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory located a single problematic chip causing the spacecraft to send unusable data. To address the issue, engineers decided to divide the affected code into sections and store them in different places in the spacecraft’s memory. They successfully relocated the code responsible for packaging engineering data and plan to relocate other affected portions of…

This weekend, skywatchers will have the opportunity to witness the “Devil Comet,” also known as comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, as it reaches peak brightness while passing near the sun on April 21. This rare event occurs every 71 years as the comet visits the inner solar system, sometimes producing horned-like appearances during occasional outbursts. The comet will reach perihelion, its closest point to the sun, potentially making it visible to the naked eye. Viewers in mid- to southern latitudes of North America can look for the comet near the Taurus constellation immediately after sunset. While it may be visible without equipment, using…

Israeli Leaders Condemn Expected U.S. Sanctions on Ultra-Orthodox Soldier Unit Tensions are rising between long-time allies Israel and the United States as Israeli leaders harshly criticize the expected decision to impose sanctions on the ultra-Orthodox soldier unit, Netzah Yehuda. This move would mark the first time the U.S. has sanctioned a unit within the Israeli military, potentially straining relations between the two nations. The unit, founded to incorporate ultra-Orthodox men into the military, has faced allegations of abuses against Palestinians in the past. Following these allegations, the unit was relocated from the West Bank to northern Israel. Now, as part…

Polestar Unveils First Smartphone at Guangzhou Auto Show Polestar, the Swedish automotive company known for its high-performance electric vehicles, has teased the development of its own smartphone at last year’s Guangzhou Auto Show. CEO Thomas Ingenlath highlighted the seamless transition between car and smartphone, emphasizing the importance of connectivity in the modern world. Images of the production Polestar phone have recently surfaced on the Chinese website Weibo, sparking excitement among tech enthusiasts. The phone, co-developed by Meizu, a smartphone brand owned by Geely, is set to begin deliveries in the domestic market at the end of April. The sleek design…

New York City Health Officials Issue Warning About Increase in Bacterial Illness Spread by Rat Urine New York City health officials have issued a warning about an increase in cases of a bacterial illness spread by rat urine. According to reports, there have been 24 cases reported in 2023, making it the highest number of cases for any year. While only six cases have been reported so far this year, the numbers are trending upward. The cases are largely associated with exposure to materials contaminated with rat urine from the Norway rat. The disease can cause various symptoms including fever,…

A piece of space debris from the International Space Station has made headlines after unexpectedly surviving re-entry and crashing into a home in Florida. NASA had disposed of a 5,800-pound slab of trash on March 8, with the expectation that it would disintegrate in Earth’s atmosphere. However, a piece the size of a smartphone still managed to crash through the roof of a home in Naples, Florida. NASA has confirmed that the debris was from the space station and is currently conducting an investigation into the incident. The debris in question was part of a pallet of aging nickel-hydrogen batteries…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for calm in the Middle East after Iran carried out an attack on Israel. Putin expressed hope for restraint and the prevention of further escalation in the region. Iran defended its actions as necessary and limited, emphasizing that they are not seeking to aggravate tensions. Both Russia and Iran are advocating for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a political resolution to the conflict. However, Israel retaliated against Iran by launching strikes on Hezbollah sites in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu initially wanted to retaliate directly but was advised by President Biden to exercise…