The Daily Populous

Saturday July 24th, 2021 night edition

image for New Illinois law allows over the counter birth control

CHICAGO, Ill (WGEM) -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed HB 0135 into law Thursday, granting Illinoisans access to birth control over the counter.

According to state officials, the legislation removes barriers to care that may have previously prevented residents from accessing hormonal contraception, including lack of access to a physician willing to prescribe birth control.

“This legislation that I’m signing into law today makes Illinois one of the first states in the Midwest to provide birth control over the counter, making contraceptives all the more accessible and affordable in our state," Gov. Pritzker said.

State officials stated HB 0135 also expands Medicaid to cover over-the-counter birth control costs for plans that currently cover physician-prescribed birth control.

And to ensure the price of contraception remains feasible, HB 0135 includes mandates for insurance policies regulated by the State to cover birth control that is dispensed by a pharmacist.

Illinois is now the eighth state to offer access to birth control over the counter.

The other states are California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington. »

Americans Mock the British 'Heatwave' After Realizing It's Only 88F

Authored by newsweek.com

Americans are mocking the British for their "heatwave," after realizing temperatures are only a paltry 88 degrees Fahrenheit.

The clip shows her reading the headline, which says: "UK sees hottest day of 2021 as temperatures soar to 31.6°c."

The clip was stitched by an irate Brit, called Imeyrick, who sought to defend his countrymen, as well as explaining why British infrastructure makes hot summers almost unbearable. »

Deadly coral disease sweeping Caribbean linked to wastewater from ships

Authored by theguardian.com
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A virulent and fast-moving coral disease that has swept through the Caribbean could be linked to waste or ballast water from ships, according to research.

The deadly infection, known as stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), was first identified in Florida in 2014, and has since moved through the region, causing great concern among scientists.

It spreads faster than most coral diseases and has an unusually high mortality rate among the species most susceptible to it, making it potentially the most deadly disease ever to affect corals. »

Surveilling the Gamers: Privacy Impacts of the Video Game Industry by Jacob Leon Kröger, Philip Raschke, Jessica Percy Campbell, Stefan Ullrich :: SSRN

Authored by papers.ssrn.com

With many million users across all age groups and income levels, video games have become the world’s leading entertainment industry.

To illustrate the industry’s potential for illegitimate surveillance and user profiling, this paper offers a classification of data types commonly gathered by video games.

The knowledge compiled in this paper can serve as a basis for privacy impact assessments, consumer education, and further research into the societal impact of video games. »

Weighing Haiti Intervention, U.S. Again Faces a Torturous Dilemma

Authored by nytimes.com
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Barely a week after withdrawing nearly all U.S. forces from Afghanistan, President Biden faces, in Haiti, a strikingly similar dilemma, now much closer to home.

In Afghanistan, Mr. Biden concluded that American forces could not be expected to prop up the country’s frail government in perpetuity.

But, with authorities there requesting American troops to help restore order and guard its assets, Mr. Biden faces a similar choice. »