Current Events in December 2020

More than three million Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge users are believed to have installed extensions that contain malicious code, according to security firm Avast. 

Avast researchers said users who installed one of 28 third-party extensions containing hidden malicious JavaScript could be at risk of data theft and phishing attacks. 

The extensions in question are primarily designed to help users download multimedia content from social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, or Spotify. But Avast said users could end up being redirected to a site where the attacker gets paid for user visits. In other cases, users could end up on phishing sites. 

“Anytime a user clicks on a link, the extensions send information about the click to the attacker’s control server, which can optionally send a command to redirect the victim from the real link target to a new hijacked URL before later redirecting them to the actual website they wanted to visit,” the security firm explained.

Names of extensions

Avast said it found evidence that some of the malicious extensions had been active since at least December 2018. The researchers discovered the code hidden in the apps last month and reported their findings to Google and Microsoft. 

Both companies have said they are investigating the extensions. In the meantime, Avast has recommended that users disable or uninstall the extensions. 

Here is the list of Chrome extensions that contain malicious code, according to Avast: 

• Direct Message for Instagram

• DM for Instagram

• Invisible mode for Instagram Direct Message

• Downloader for Instagram

• App Phone for Instagram

• Stories for Instagram

• Universal Video Downloader

• Video Downloader for FaceBook™

• Vimeo™ Video Downloader

• Zoomer for Instagram and FaceBook

• VK UnBlock. Works fast.

• Odnoklassniki UnBlock. Works quickly.

• Upload photo to Instagram™

• Spotify Music Downloader

• The New York Times News

Avast said the following Edge extensions contain malicious code: 

• Direct Message for Instagram™

• Instagram Download Video & Image

• App Phone for Instagram

• Universal Video Downloader

• Video Downloader for FaceBook™

• Vimeo™ Video Downloader

• Volume Controller

• Stories for Instagram

• Upload photo to Instagram™

• Pretty Kitty, The Cat Pet

• Video Downloader for YouTube

• SoundCloud Music Downloader

• Instagram App with Direct Message DM

A new study conducted by researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital is exploring how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected parents’ decision to vaccinate their kids against the measles.

According to their findings, the overall rate of measles vaccinations has dropped 10 percent since the start of the pandemic. The researchers explained that many parents have pushed off kids’ wellness visits -- which is where they’d typically receive these vaccines -- because of fears related to the pandemic. Unfortunately, skipping these visits could ultimately contribute to other health concerns. 

“We have seen a resurgence of measles outbreaks in the U.S. and here in Ohio in recent years, because fewer people have chosen to immunize,” said researcher Dr. Sara Bode. “We were concerned that with the pandemic, vaccination rates could fall further and there could be a real risk of a measles outbreak that could affect everyone in the community.” 

Wellness visits are important

The researchers analyzed vaccination rates from March 2017 through August 2020 for the 12 health care facilities that work with Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This sample included vaccine data on roughly 100,000 children. 

The study revealed that measles vaccines dropped 10 percent from the start of the pandemic, and persisted through the summer months. The researchers explained that many doctors’ offices had postponed wellness visits when lockdown orders were at their strictest; however, even though these appointments started up again later in the summer, vaccine rates remained low. 

Now, the researchers are trying their best to communicate to families that wellness visits are crucial for several reasons -- including yearly vaccines. Though the pandemic continues to be a concern, many health care facilities are stepping up their precautionary measures to ensure that consumers can get the medical care they need while staying safe and healthy. 

“We are doing a lot to let our patients and families in the community know it is safe to come in for wellness visits,” said researcher Dr. Alex Kemper. “We have prioritized these visits and opened up additional appointment slots throughout the day and evening. 

“Even though we are in a pandemic, child well care visits are safe and important -- in fact it is unsafe to miss these needed services for your child,” added Bode. 

Kia has driven off with the top award in two key categories of Edmunds’ top-rated cars of 2021 -- sedans and SUVs.

The awards are determined by Edmunds' extensive new vehicle testing and proprietary rating process. According to the automotive publisher, and the winners represent the best vehicles available to car buyers today.

"At Edmunds, our primary focus is to help inform and empower consumers as they search for their next vehicle,” said Alistair Weaver, editor-in-chief at Edmunds. “And that's why, unlike other industry awards that tend to highlight the hottest new vehicles that just happened to debut this year, the Edmunds Top-Rated Awards recognize the best vehicles on sale today, irrespective of when they were launched." 

The Kia K5 was named the best sedan. Edmunds says the K5 edged out more established sedans like the Honda Accord and Mazda 6. The editors praised the K5's ride, comparing it to that of some luxury sedans. 

“At highway speeds, the K5 is nearly silent inside,” the editors wrote. “Kia has also made sure it comes with the latest technology features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.”

Best SUV

For the second year in a row, Edmunds named the Kia Telluride as the best SUV. It was singled out for a combination of “high-quality design, family-friendly functionality, and impressive value.” It won similar praise in 2019.

“A year has passed, and a number of new competitors have arrived, but none have been good enough to dethrone the Telluride,” the Edmunds editors wrote.

Mercedes-Benz was the only other manufacturer to come out on top in two categories. Its Mercedes-Benz E Class was named top luxury sedan and the Mercedes-Benz GLE placed first among luxury SUVs.

Edmunds praised the E Class for its “fastidious attention to detail, impressive technology, and a near-total lack of noise from the outside world.” It described the GLE as "stylish, spacious and packed with technology that really works,” noting there is plenty of competition in that category.

Best Pickup

The Ford F150 earned top honors among pickup trucks; the Tesla Model 3 was named best EV; the new Ford Mustang Mach-E was named best luxury EV while the Chevrolet Corvette was named the best sports car for 2021.

"Each year, Edmunds' editors drive over half a million miles and conduct thousands of hours of testing on more than 300 vehicles,” Weaver said. “Car shoppers looking for vehicles that deliver a best-in-class experience need to look no further than the Edmunds Top-Rated Awards."

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 268,655 model year 2002-2006 CR-Vs.

Moisture may enter the driver-side power window master switch, causing the switch to fail or melt.

If the switch fails, it could overheat and smoke, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power window master switch and inspect the wiring harness for damage, replacing it -- if necessary -- free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 18, 2021.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is P9D.

General Motors is recalling 38,048 model year 2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500s & 3500s, and GMC Sierra 2500s and 3500s.

The front seat belt retractor assemblies were built with the incorrect torsion bar, and may not perform as intended in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front seat belt retractor assemblies free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 28, 2020.

Owners may contact GMC customer service at (888) 988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at (800)222-1020. GM's numbers for this recall are 17368, 17375, and 17376.

GrillBlazer of Chouteau, Okla., is recalling about 10,000 Su-VGun and GrillGun propane torch guns.

Propane gas can leak, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

The firm has received 260 reports of propane leaking from the recalled torch guns, including three incidents that resulted in fires. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves the Su-VGun and GrillGun propane torch guns manufactured for and sold by GrillBlazer.

The Su-VGun is a high-powered propane torch gun designed to sear meat. It is black with “Su-VGun” printed in yellow on the barrel and measures 14.5 inches by 8 inches by 2 inches.

The GrillGun is a high-powered propane torch gun designed to light charcoal, wood grills and smokers and for other uses requiring a high-powered, clean burning propane torch gun. It is black with “GrillGun” printed in yellow on the barrel and measures 21 inches by 8 inches by 2 inches.

The torches, manufactured in China, were sold online at www.grillblazer.com, Kickstarter.com and Indiegogo.com from December 2019, through July 2020, for about $150.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Su-VGun and GrillGun propane torch guns and contact GrillBlazer for instructions, and how to receive a free repair, if required.

Consumers may contact GrillBlazer toll-free at (888) 267-9022 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, by email at support@grillblazer.com or online at www.grillblazer.com/support or www.grillblazer.com and click on “Recall Notice” at the bottom of the page for more information.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 737,233 model year 2018-2020 Accord Sedans, Accord Hybrids, and model year 2019-2020 Insights.

A software error may cause intermittent or continuous disruptions in communication between the Body Control Module (BCM) and other components.

This may result in malfunctions of various systems such as the windshield wipers and defroster, rearview camera, exterior lights, audible warning of a stopped vehicle, and power window operation.

Such system malfunctions such can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the BCM software free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 18, 2021.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is X95.

Honda has announced that it’s recalling more than 1.4 million cars for a variety of reasons. 

In filings with the National highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Honda said it’s recalling the vehicles due to three separate issues: a software flaw, drive shafts that can break, and window switches that can overheat and lead to fires. 

The recall related to the software flaw includes 737,000 Accords from 2018 to 2020 and Insights from 2019 and 2020. Honda said a programming flaw in a control computer can cause the rear camera, turn signals, and windshield wipers to malfunction. 

The drive shaft recall covers 430,000 Honda Civic Hybrids from 2012, the 2007 through 2014 Honda Fit, the 2013 through 2015 Acura ILX and the 2013 through 2015 Honda Accord. The recalls affect vehicles in 22 states where salt is used to clear roads in the colder months. 

The window switch recall affects about 268,000 CR-Vs from 2002 through 2006. Honda disclosed to the NHTSA that water can get into a driver’s window if open and cause an electrical short, which could possibly lead to an interior fire. The automaker said it’s aware of 23 fires that have been caused by the issue.

Owners will be notified via mail in late January about when they should take their vehicles to a dealer for repairs. The automaker says owners should take vehicles in for repairs as soon as they get a recall notice. 

Other recent recalls 

Honda has recalled vehicles due to safety concerns several times in 2020. In August, the automaker announced that it was recalling more than 600,000 model year 2018-2020 Odysseys, model year 2019-2020 Passports, and model year 2019-2021 Pilots.

Honda said flawed instrument panel control module software could cause the panel to fail to show critical information -- such as engine oil pressure and gear selector position -- until the next ignition cycle. 

In April, Honda and Nissan announced the recall of more than 1.3 million vehicles manufactured with Takata PSDI-5D driver air bag inflators. The companies said the inflator may not function properly or could even explode in a crash due to a manufacturing error. 

At the start of the year, Honda recalled about 2.7 million vehicles (mostly Acuras) with Takata airbag inflators. However, the inflators involved in that recall weren’t the same ones that were to blame for killing vehicle occupants after exploding. 

Honda said older models from 1996 through 2003 might have defective Takata airbag inflators that could have been produced without the "appropriate seals" needed to deploy properly.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 16,751,562 (16,545,465)

Total U.S. deaths: 304,589 (301,264)

Total global cases: 73,696,995  (73,070,972)

Total global deaths: 1,640,867 (1,626,712)

FDA approves at-home COVID-19 test

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first over-the-counter (OTC) fully at-home diagnostic test for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Tuesday. The agency approved the Ellume COVID-19 Home Test, describing it as a rapid, lateral flow antigen test. 

It’s approved for use in individuals who are at least two years old. It detects fragments of proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from a nasal swab sample.

“By authorizing a test for over-the-counter use, the FDA allows it to be sold in places like drug stores, where a patient can buy it, swab their nose, run the test and find out their results in as little as 20 minutes,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn. 

U.S. to track the number of people who are vaccinated

Since March, the U.S. has counted the number of people who have gotten the coronavirus and the number who have died. On a more hopeful note, U.S. officials say they will keep a running count of those who have been vaccinated.

Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Alex Azar said the government is in the process of establishing an online dashboard that will track U.S. vaccinations, telling CNN "so we know exactly how we're doing on getting shots in arms."

Azar said health officials hope to have at least 20 million Americans vaccinated by the end of the month.

California stocks up on body bags

As the death count from the virus grows at a faster pace, California officials have purchased 5,000 body bags to help deal with the rising death toll. They’re also acquiring 60 refrigerated trucks to store the bodies.

That sobering news comes as Pfizer has rolled out its vaccine against the virus and the Moderna vaccine may be days away from temporary approval. Both have been shown to be highly effective against the virus.

"There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we're still in the tunnel," Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference. "And that means we're going through perhaps the most intense and urgent moment since the beginning of this pandemic."

Consumers spending less heading into holidays

Predictions that the pandemic would cause consumers to spend less on the holidays this year appear to be coming true. The government reports that retail sales dropped 1.1 percent in November, the first decline in seven months.

For starters, it’s a very different holiday shopping season this year. Some consumers are leery of crowding into stores and have moved a lot of their purchases online. At the same time, widespread unemployment has made it impossible for many people to shop like they had in previous years.

Clothing retailers were the biggest losers last month, with sales down 6.8 percent from October. Restaurants and bars were also hard-hit because many were forced to close or curtail operations as cases of the virus mounted during the month.

Tom Cruise enforcing mitigation rules on movie set

While there are a lot of people who don’t take virus mitigation measures seriously, actor Tom Cruise is not one of them. In leaked audio from the set of the latest “Mission Impossible” film, Cruise can be heard yelling at crew members who he believed were ignoring safety rules.

Two crew members were reportedly standing side by side, less than six feet from one another. “If I see you doing it again, you’re (expletive) gone,” he can be heard yelling.

Cruise was reportedly angry because he had gone to great pains to assure authorities that movie production could safely resume because crews would observe strict safety protocols, including wearing masks and maintaining a safe social distance.

Around the nation

• Florida: The vaccine rollout isn’t going smoothly everywhere. Gov. Ron DeSantis says his state is experiencing a delay in hundreds of thousands of doses of the Pfizer vaccine. “We’re just going to have to wait,” he said. “We don’t know if we’re going to get any or not.”

• Minnesota: The state legislature has approved a $242 million stimulus to help individuals and businesses affected economically by the pandemic. The unemployed will have benefits extended by 13 weeks. Bars, hotels, restaurants, and gyms will get direct support payments.

• Colorado: Even with the surge in COVID-19 cases, state education officials are working on a plan to get students back in the classroom. “We know that what has been occurring this past semester simply hasn’t worked for too many kids,” said Gov. Jared Polis.

It looks like Facebook has unfriended Apple. On Wednesday, the social media platform took out full-page ads in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal to denounce Apple’s upcoming iOS privacy changes. Facebook claims that it’s “standing up to Apple for small businesses everywhere.”

The barrel of ink Facebook is throwing Apple’s way is supposedly related to Apple’s iOS 14 privacy changes, which will require app developers like Facebook to “provide information about some of your app’s data collection practices on your product page.” The change will also require Facebook to “ask users for their permission to track them across apps and websites owned by other companies.”

Facebook comes out swinging

Facebook didn’t come right out and say it, but Apple’s disclosure shift will impact Facebook’s ad business, especially its ad network for developers and businesses if end users opt out of being tracked.

In the ad, Facebook maintains that Apple’s changes will be “devastating to small businesses” that rely on its ad network to leverage clicks and sales. The newspaper ads that Facebook took out ask small businesses to check out the platform’s “speak up for small business” site that features a series of business owners speaking out on Apple’s changes. Some of those comments are pretty shaming -- things like “This is going to affect me and my family,” and “We could lose our business.”

While Apple has yet to publicly respond to Facebook’s ads, the company did respond to similar Facebook claims in November, accusing Facebook of a “disregard for user privacy.” Apple is steadfast in its position that the upcoming privacy policies will be enforced when they go into effect in early 2021. The company said it is “committed to ensuring users can choose whether or not they allow an app to track them.”

Facebook’s call for support

Facebook said it hopes the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) will also set boundaries for Apple. 

“Apple controls an entire ecosystem from device to app store and apps, and uses this power to harm developers and consumers, as well as large platforms like Facebook,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. “

If Facebook’s game is to play two ends against the middle, maybe it should have first asked the DMA if it had its back. “We respect your privacy – and so do our members,” is the organization’s promise to consumers.” (Our Association of National Advertisers) ensures that consumers have choices about unwanted marketing offers. Our members honor consumers who don’t want to be contacted. You have choices about the type of marketing you receive.”

Stock-trading app Robinhood, which has more than 13 million subscribers, is reportedly set to face a complaint from Massachusetts securities regulators regarding its marketing practices. 

According to a draft of the complaint seen by The Wall Street Journal, regulators plan to accuse the company of aggressively marketing its services to inexperienced investors and exposing investors to "unnecessary trading risks.” The complaint also mentions the platform’s failure to prevent frequent outages. 

“The worst aspect of what they do clearly is they way they are gamifying the idea of investing,” Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin told CNBC. “This is a very reckless company when it comes to these investors. They’re interested in expanding their market base, they’re not interested in serving their investors.” 

Robinhood said it disagrees with the allegations in the complaint and intends to defend itself “vigorously.”  

“Robinhood is a self-directed broker-dealer and we do not make investment recommendations. Over the past several months, we’ve worked diligently to ensure our systems scale and are available when people need them,” the company said in a statement. “We’ve also made significant improvements to our options offering, adding safeguards and enhanced educational materials. Millions of people have made their first investments through Robinhood, and we remain continuously focused on serving them.”

Outages and scrutiny

Earlier this year, subscribers were unable to access their Robinhood accounts during several exceptionally volatile trading days. The outage followed another system failure a week earlier -- one that unfortunately occured when the market delivered its best-ever single day performance. 

Following the outages, the company’s founders said its infrastructure was struggling to handle the influx of users. It promised at the time that it was making changes to prevent future outages.

“Our team is continuing to work to improve the resilience of our infrastructure to meet the heightened load we have been experiencing,” the founders said at the time. “We’re simultaneously working to reduce the interdependencies in our overall infrastructure. We’re also investing in additional redundancies in our infrastructure.”

Robinhood has also been accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC) of failing to fully disclose deals with high-speed traders. Last year, the platform paid $1.25 million to settle claims from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for pricing violations.

As winter weather starts to touch down across the country, many consumers could be breaking out the sleds on their next snow day. While sledding can be a fun activity for the whole family, a new study conducted by researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital has found that sledding-related injuries are certainly a cause for concern for both kids and adults. 

According to their findings, the overall rate of sledding injuries has been declining in recent years. However, the risk of getting injured while sledding remains high, and it’s important that consumers take the necessary safety precautions when out in the snow. 

“While we are happy to see that the number of sledding-related injuries have gone down in recent years, the fact that these injuries are still happening at this rate means we need to do a better job getting the information out about the potential dangers associated with sledding and what families can do to prevent the injuries from occurring so this can remain a fun family activity,” said researcher Laura McKenzie, PhD. 

Prioritizing safety

For this study, the researchers analyzed data from hospitals across the U.S. that detailed all sledding injuries between 2008 and 2017. In nearly ten years, more than 220,000 patients were treated for sledding-related injuries in hospitals across the country, with more than 13,000 of those occurring in 2017. The researchers found that the rate of sledding injuries went down each year of the study, though there are still risks associated with activity.  

The biggest concern with these injuries is that more than 70 percent of them affected children aged 19 and younger, and more than 80 percent of all sledding-related accidents were linked to head injuries. The researchers explained that collisions tend to be the most likely culprits for sledding injuries, as nearly 65 percent of all injuries occurred due to colliding with either another person, an object, or the ground.

“Collision is particularly concerning because of the outcomes,” said researcher Rebecca McAdams. “We found that patients who were injured from a collision were more likely to injure their head, be diagnosed with a concussion or closed-head injury (CHI), and were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized than patients injured by all other mechanisms.” 

Though there are certainly risks associated with sledding, the researchers explained that there are things consumers can do to increase the safety of the pastime. For example, wearing a helmet can protect against any number of head injuries, and picking a location free of any obstacles and with plenty of open space increases the likelihood that sledding occurs injury-free. The researchers also recommend that consumers avoid sledding at night and choose a sled that has braking capabilities for optimal safety. 

Southwest Airlines is not one to wait for the pandemic to be done and gone. On Wednesday, it announced that it’s adding another two destinations, now making 12 new cities it’s decided to add on this year.

The newest landing spots for the discount fare carrier are Santa Barbara and Fresno. Those additions now give Southwest coverage at 13 California airports from Sacramento all the way south to San Diego.

"Our arrival in the Heart of California, both on the Central Coast and in the Central Valley, will round out nearly four decades of investment in our California Customers and communities," said Southwest Airlines Chief Commercial Officer & Executive Vice President Andrew Watterson.

"While other airlines seem to fall in and out of love with the state, we're focused on increasing the reach of our low fares and flexible policies in places where we expect them to make a difference."

Southwest’s shot was no doubt directed at American, JetBlue, and Allegiant, which all pulled out of various California destinations earlier this year. Southwest didn’t give an exact start for service to Santa Barbara and Fresno, leaving it at sometime in “the second quarter of 2021.”

Going where the pandemic isn’t

In an announcement, Kevin Meikle, Director of Aviation for Fresno Yosemite International Airport, let the cat out of the bag about Southwest’s possible reason for adding Fresno -- a gateway to nearby national parks.

"For years residents and businesses throughout Central California have expressed a desire for Southwest service and connectivity to their vast network of destinations and renowned customer service," Meikle said. 

"Southwest will expand the Central Valley's air transportation gateway to Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and we look forward to our new partnership with Southwest and their arrival in the spring."

Southwest’s idea isn’t necessarily novel. In July, United Airlines figured out that people are more inclined to travel to outdoorsy places like national parks than they are to a city teeming with potential COVID-19 cases. In United’s case, it focused on adding open-air spaces like Aspen, Colorado; Bozeman, Montana; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Direct payments to individual Americans are reportedly back in relief package negotiations, the Washington Post reports. 

Citing three people familiar with the matter, the publication said that congressional leaders are close to completing an agreement that would potentially involve sending a second round of stimulus checks to consumers. The checks would be part of a $900 billion relief package proposed by bipartisan lawmakers earlier this month. 

However, the stimulus checks to individuals -- which Democratic leaders have been pushing for for weeks -- could be smaller than they were earlier this year ($1,200 to individuals and $500 per dependent). Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R., S.D.) told reporters on Wednesday that checks included in the new bill are likely to be in the $600 to $700 range per individual, but negotiations about the size of the payments are ongoing. 

Lawmakers are also discussing including enhanced unemployment insurance, like the $300 a week a bipartisan group of lawmakers recently proposed, Thune said. Additionally, the bill could include money earmarked for the effort to distribute coronavirus vaccines this year. 

Congressional leaders are working quickly to get a deal done ahead of a Friday night deadline to avoid a government shutdown. Meetings held Tuesday with three top congressional leaders have been described as productive. 

“We are close to an agreement. It’s not a done deal yet, but we are very close,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said on the Senate floor. “For Democrats, this has always been about getting the American people the relief they need at a time of an acute national crisis.”

Recent studies have shown how important it is for kids to spend time with their dads, and now researchers from Rutgers University are exploring why this bonding time is just as important through adolescence. 

According to findings from a new study, older children and teens are more likely to have better overall well-being and behavioral outcomes when their dads are present and engaged in their day-to-day lives. This was especially true for low-income families, where economic demands make it difficult for dads to spend a lot of quality time with their kids. 

“On average, children in lower socioeconomic status families tend to have more behavioral problems and their fathers have lower levels of overall involvement than those in higher socioeconomic status families,” said researcher Lenna Nepomynaschy. 

The positive effect of more quality time

To understand the positive effect that more quality time with dads can have on adolescents, the researchers analyzed data from over 5,000 kids born to low-income families between 1998 and 2000. They tracked the kids’ behavioral outcomes and well-being through the time they turned 15 while also paying particular attention to how involved their fathers were in activities like helping with homework, playing, or providing meals. 

The researchers learned that when fathers in low-income families were able to be more present and engaged in their kids’ lives, the kids had much better behavioral outcomes. Having a present father figure cut down on problematic behaviors, like skipping school or throwing tantrums. 

According to Nepomynaschy, there are significant behavioral differences between kids from low-income families versus those from higher-income families, and the economic necessities of the family often make it difficult for fathers to spend time with their kids in a meaningful way. However, these findings highlight the importance of what that time together can mean for kids’ emotional and behavioral development. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that the results from this study compel policymakers to consider what legislative changes are possible that could benefit families in need. 

The Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for raw, fresh goat meat.

The products did not undergo federal inspection and were produced outside inspection hours.

A recall has not been requested as it is believed that the products are no longer available for purchase.

There are no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following items, from goats slaughtered by Texas Livestock and Halal Meat Processors from November 7, 2020, through December 5, 2020, are subject to the public health alert:

• Various weights of raw, fresh goat carcasses, livers, kidneys and hearts sold at World Foods Warehouse, a grocery store and butcher, in Houston, Texas.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but discard or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Mohamed Amziane at (346) 888-6535.