Researchers at the University of Vermont have been working to encourage the cultivation of the world’s most expensive spice, saffron. The exotic spice comes from a fall-flowering crocus, which is now grown mostly in Iran. U of V scientists have already been raising the flower and extracting the valuable spice, and now would like to… Continue Reading
Since President Trump issued his first executive order banning refugees from certain countries from entering the United States, there has continued to be a flow of people into the country, since the ban was cancelled a federal judge. Nearly 2,500 refugees have entered the United States from banned countries since the day of the executive… Continue Reading
The Commerce Department reported factory goods orders up by 1.2 percent in January. That increase followed a similar increase of 1.3 percent in December. The two data points signal that the recovery in the manufacturing sector is accelerating due to the rise in prices for commodities fuel a greater demand for machinery. Factory orders are… Continue Reading
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin explained on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures” that President Donald Trump’s first budget proposal will refrain from any cuts to government entitlement programs. He also said that Trump’s scheduled address to the joint session of Congress this coming Tuesday will announce the new administration’s far-reaching plans to cut taxes… Continue Reading
The Department of Commerce reported that US business inventories were up better than expected in December, while sales rose by their biggest percentage since 2011. The announcement said that inventories went up by 0.4 percent, while November’s figure had to be re-stated as 0.8 percent in place of the previously announced 0.7 percent. Business inventories… Continue Reading
The United States government is investing about $1 billion in the power sector of Nigeria, said the coordinator of the program to light up Africa, Andrew Herscowitz. The plan, known as Power Africa, was announced at a media conference in Abuja, Nigeria last week. Herscowitz added that the US government has already committed several billion… Continue Reading
The Federal Aviation Administration awarded AirAsia X, the Malaysia-based budget airline, a license to fly to the United States. It is the first such airline to achieve this status. AirAsia X CEO Datuk Kamarudin Meranum said, ““It is an extraordinary achievement. Our expansion so far only focused on Asia, Australia and the Middle East. We… Continue Reading
Illinois, with the backing of the state treasurer, is looking to enact a law which will help ensure that insurance companies pay out benefits of life insurance policies which until now have not been distributed. The new legislation will compel companies to look at the last 20 years of payment history to check that all… Continue Reading
It’s always interesting to see where the movers and shakers today got their education. There are many fine institutions that are teaching students about public policy, public affairs and international relations. One such school, The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, has an extensive alumni directory where they are continually updating… Continue Reading
The Harlem Children’s Zone is a non-profit organization worth knowing about. They offer free support to families living within a 97 block of Harlem. They offer parenting workshops, a pre-school program, three charter schools, a health program and much more. As they describe it, they are “aimed at doing nothing less than breaking the cycle… Continue Reading