In 1935, the New World screwworm caused the loss of over 180,000 cattle in Texas alone. Decades later, this dangerous parasite was eradicated from United States cattle in a joint effort between the U.S.

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” was a hit song originally written for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, an American western film starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The song promoted the value of looking at the bright side even in the face of endless slights and struggles:

But there’s one thing I know:

The blues they send to meet me

Won’t defeat me; it won’t be long

Till happiness steps up to greet me.
 

Raindrops keep falling on my head

But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turning red;

Data shows a decline in every major violent-crime category in 2025, according to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, a professional organization of police executives representing the largest cities in the United States and Canada (CNN, February 11, 2026).

China’s Belt and Road initiative—sometimes called the New Silk Road—has expanded ports and airports, railroads, power generation, and other infrastructure in many locations across the globe. But to what extent is China’s global influence growing? Consider Africa.