What the President’s Executive Order Halting Legal Immigration Means (0:29)

Guest: Carolina Núñez, Associate Dean for Faculty and Curriculum and Professor of Law, BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School

Since the start of the pandemic, President Trump has restricted travel into the US, halted immigration at the southern US border and stopped refugee flights into the country. Last week, he widened immigration restrictions even further. “In order to protect our great American workers, I've just signed an executive order temporarily suspending immigration into the United States. This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens," Trump said. Carolina Núñez helps us understand what these restrictions mean for Americans and those trying to come to the United States.

 

Plant Hunter Looking to Patent a Newly-Discovered Wildflower (16:23)

Guest: Mikel Stevens Professor of Plant & Wildlife Sciences at BYU

It’s planting season for gardeners across the country. I’m planning a cut flower garden this year and have been on the lookout for plants with beautiful blooms that do well in hot, dry weather. New varieties of plants are being discovered – and patented – all the time. Did you know it was even possible to patent a plant?

 

How the Legal System Relies on Justice and Forgiveness (32:18)

Guest: Martha Minow, Professor of Law, Harvard University, Author When Should Law Forgive?

The right to remain silent. The right to an attorney. The right to...forgiveness? Harvard Law professor Martha Minow says the US legal system needs to take a hard look at where forgiveness fits. A more merciful, forgiving system would also be a more just justice system, she argues.

 

What’s Troubling the Bees (50:35)

Guest: Samuel Ramsey, Entomologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture

I’ve been in my yard a lot lately pulling up dandelions before they take over my lawn. But now I’ve learned that I should leave the dandelions there because they’re good for bees. And bees need all the help they can get right now. I hadn’t actually realized bees were still in trouble because we’re not hearing about the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder as much as we were several years ago.

 

Ozone Hole as Environmental Success Story (1:10:20)

Guest: Sean Davis Is an Atmospheric Climate Scientist at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory

Some good news now regarding the environment: A hole in the Earth’s ozone layer that was first discovered in the 1980s is steadily shrinking thanks to an international agreement countries made 30 years ago.

 

NYC Muslims Work To Main Connection During Ramadan in Lockdown (1:25:21)

Guest: Imam Khalid Latif, University Chaplain, Executive Director of the Islamic Center, NYU

The holy month of Ramadan is underway for Muslims worldwide. Adherents fast from all food and drink sun-up to sundown and then, traditionally, will gather to break the fast, pray and celebrate late into the night. But, because of the pandemic, the gathering part of Ramadan is not possible for Muslims in many communities, including New York City, which has been hit so hard by COVID-19.