+ TikTok CEO testifies in Congress; many meanings of mindfulness US Edition - Today's top story: Federal Reserve bows to bank-crisis fears with quarter-point rate hike, letting up a little in its fight against inflation [View in browser]( US Edition | 23 March 2023 [The Conversation]
[The Conversation]( Top headlines - [The risks TikTok poses â a cybersecurity expert explains](
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- [Machine learning tech to protect birds during migration]( Lead story The Federal Reserve had a tricky job balancing its fight against runaway inflation with the potential for a full-blown banking crisis if it were to make the wrong move yesterday. The middle ground where it landed was an as-expected quarter-point increase in borrowing rates, which nodded to banking sector fragility without letting up entirely on inflation. The economists and financial experts we asked to react to the decision pretty much agreed: [That was a good call](. âThe Fed decided, with so much uncertainty about the impact the recent turmoil will have on the economy, the risk of causing more damage was greater than the risk of inflation,â write economists Joerg Bibow and Marketa Wolfe. âIt was able to do this in large part because there are clear signs inflation has come down.â At the same time, by continuing to raise rates, the Fed signaled that âthe inflation battle must go on,â argues Jeffery S. Bredthauer, a finance expert at the University of Nebraska Omaha. And this âshows that it has confidence in the banking system.â But perhaps the fight is nearing its end. Arabinda Basistha, an economist at West Virginia University, explains why he expects a pause in interest rates as early as this fall. [[Sign up here to our topic-specific weekly emails.](] Bryan Keogh Deputy Managing Editor and Senior Editor of Economy and Business
Fed chair Jerome Powell opted for a cautious approach on rates. Alex Wong/Getty Images
[Federal Reserve bows to bank-crisis fears with quarter-point rate hike, letting up a little in its fight against inflation]( Jeffery S. Bredthauer, University of Nebraska Omaha; Arabinda Basistha, West Virginia University; Joerg Bibow, Skidmore College; Marketa Wolfe, Skidmore College The Fed raised rates by a quarter-point â less aggressive than had been expected before the current banking crisis, but signaling inflation is still its focus. Science + Technology -
[Should the US ban TikTok? Can it? A cybersecurity expert explains the risks the app poses and the challenges to blocking it]( Doug Jacobson, Iowa State University Banning TikTok: What data privacy risk does the app pose, and what could the Chinese government do with data it collects? And is it even possible to ban an app? -
[Researchers turned superglue into a recyclable, cheap, oil-free plastic alternative]( Allison Christy, Boise State University; Scott Phillips, Boise State University Researchers have developed a method for producing strong plastic materials by tweaking the chemical structure of superglue. Ethics + Religion -
[This course asks, âWhat is mindfulness?â â but donât expect a clear-cut answer]( Kevin C. Taylor, University of Memphis Mindfulness is everywhere in pop culture today, but that doesnât mean people agree on what it means. Health + Medicine -
[Infant formula shortages forced some parents to feed their babies in less healthy ways]( Jessica A. Marino, University of California, Merced; Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, University of California, Merced Many families in the US encountered empty shelves when they went in search of infant formula during COVID-19. Arts + Culture -
[How âSuccessionâ feeds the hidden fantasies of its well-to-do viewers]( Robert Samuels, University of California, Santa Barbara Do the showâs fans secretly identify with the charactersâ pursuit of power and pleasure? Economy + Business -
[NRAâs path to recovery from financial woes leaves the gun group vulnerable to new problems]( Brian Mittendorf, The Ohio State University The National Rifle Association is spending heavily on legal fees and slashing programs for its members. Politics + Society -
[The view from Moscow and Beijing: What peace in Ukraine and a post-conflict world look like to Xi and Putin]( Ronald Suny, University of Michigan The setting was grand, so too was the plan. But behind the peace plan put forward by China and welcomed by Russia, is the question, what do both nations seek? -
[In Congress, breaking unwritten rules that encouraged civility and enabled things to get done is becoming the new normal]( Sarah Burns, Rochester Institute of Technology The House of Representatives is breaking norms and establishing a new way for the body to do business. Environment + Energy -
[Scientists are using machine learning to forecast bird migration and identify birds in flight by their calls]( Miguel Jimenez, Colorado State University Machine learning may not seem to have much connection with wildlife, but itâs starting to play a central role in bird conservation. Trending on site -
[Trumpâs unprecedented call for protests is the latest sign of his aim to degrade Americaâs institutions]( -
[Antisemitism on Twitter has more than doubled since Elon Musk took over the platform â new research]( -
[âPantry pornâ on TikTok and Instagram makes obsessively organized kitchens a new status symbol]( Today's graphic [A chart showing Medicare spending as a share of US GDP from Jan 1, 1967 to projections for Jan 1, 2096. The chart has two lines for growth in line with historical rates and provider reimbursements restricted.]( From the story, [Why itâs hard for the US to cut or even control Medicare spending]( -
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