Tropical Storm Bertha, Healthy Diets, & Sleep Headrest

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Adam Rogers
July 22, 2026

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About one in three people worldwide cannot afford a healthy diet, according to a new report from five United Nations agencies. The report estimates 2.69 billion people lack access to a diverse diet that meets basic nutritional needs, despite a third straight year of declining global hunger.
The agencies said the average healthy diet costs the equivalent of $4.28 a day—well above the international extreme poverty threshold. Researchers said many government food policies continue to make staple grains affordable while healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat remain out of reach for many families.
Africa now has the world's largest hungry population, although the share of people experiencing hunger on the continent showed signs of improving for the first time in years.

Tropical Storm Bertha formed Yesterday in the Gulf of Mexico south of the Florida Panhandle. Forecasters said the slow-moving storm is expected to track westward near the coastline this week.
Tropical storm warnings stretch from the Alabama-Florida border to southeastern Louisiana, while storm surge watches remain in effect along much of the central Gulf Coast. Storm surge of up to four feet is possible in some areas, with flash flooding, isolated tornadoes and 3 to 5 inches of rain forecast from western Florida to parts of Texas.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Fausto strengthened in the eastern Pacific well off Mexico's coast. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, though forecasters warned the storm could generate dangerous surf along parts of Baja California.

President Trump announced new 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, including alcoholic beverages, hockey equipment and electronics. The tariffs are scheduled to take effect Aug. 19 and will apply even to goods covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
The White House said the move responds to what it called discriminatory Canadian trade practices and retaliation against earlier U.S. tariffs. The administration invoked a little-used provision of the Tariff Act of 1930 after the Supreme Court limited the president's use of broader emergency powers to impose tariffs.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada's previous tariffs matched U.S. measures that he argued violated the USMCA and called for renewed negotiations. Business groups on both sides of the border warned the escalating dispute could raise costs and increase the risk of further retaliation.

The U.S. State Department issued a worldwide travel caution, warning of possible security threats and disruptions amid escalating Middle East tensions. (More)

The Trump administration has temporarily withheld more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota as part of a fraud review. (More)

A federal appeals court ruled that audio recordings of Joe Biden's interviews with a memoir ghostwriter can be released, citing the public interest. (More)

Lebanon's education minister said the country's school system could take 10 to 15 years to recover from years of economic crisis and conflict. (More)

An Australian couple welcomed spontaneous identical quadruplet girls, an event doctors estimate occurs in about one in 15 million pregnancies. (More)

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said the country will hold no further elections to prevent the opposition from returning to power. (More)

US stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +0.89%, Nasdaq +1.29%, Dow +0.74%) as investors looked past the Middle East conflict to big tech earnings this week. (More)

SpaceX shares rose 5% after the company announced Aug. 4 for its first earnings report, which also marks a major insider lock-up expiration. (More)

Novo Nordisk sued Eli Lilly, alleging its advertising for obesity and diabetes drugs misleads consumers by overstating the superiority of its treatments. (More)

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will open its first exhibit dedicated to an active player, honoring Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry. (More)

ESPN began its first major layoffs in three years as it integrated NFL Network, with NFL analyst Ryan Clark among those affected. (More)

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Asian Tour announced a global partnership through 2029, expanding commercial and playing opportunities. (More)

CVS Pharmacy will now fill select prescriptions for dogs and cats at more than 9,000 locations nationwide. (More)

Frequent television viewing in midlife was associated with reduced brain volume and other markers of cognitive decline later in life. (More)

A collision with a dwarf galaxy about 10 billion years ago likely flipped the Milky Way onto its current orientation. (More)

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Why your oven door has tiny dots.

…and why all your fingers are different lengths.

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