Labeled a “code red for humanity” in a United Nations report released early last month, climate change has continued to wreak havoc worldwide. In the United States, devastating fires in the West recently traded the spotlight for deadly flooding in the East, keeping the threat squarely on America’s radar.
Images of the crumbling Twin Towers are invading American living rooms and cellphones, as the 20th anniversary of one of the worst days in the nation’s history nears. From Netflix and PBS documentaries to news reports of tribute events across the country, the swell of 9/11 coverage will give rise to uncomfortable emotions for nearly everyone.
As the country rides a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it faces a riptide that’s threatening its course. The delta variant, the now-predominant strain of coronavirus, prompted President Joe Biden’s call for booster shots for all vaccinated adults on Aug. 18 and underscored discussions at a research summit that ran parallel to the president’s nationwide address.
Comedian Kathy Griffin’s recently announced lung cancer diagnosis came early and arose from a non-related health screening. A lucky catch, and an understandable path to detection for a person who never smoked.
Debra Melani
