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On today’s episode of the 5 Things podcast: Spy balloon deepens political divide ahead of Biden’s State of the Union
The U.S. shot down a Chinese spy balloon over the weekend, deepening tensions between the two countries and splitting a political divide at home. Plus, USA TODAY Education Reporter Alia Wong explains how more colleges are offering degrees in DEI, the Grammys are in the books, more than 600 people are dead after an earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and USA TODAY Health Reporter Karen Weintraub explains the link between air pollution and mental health.
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Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.
Taylor Wilson:
Good morning. I’m Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Monday, the 6th of February 2023. Today the political ramifications of Biden’s balloon decisions. Plus, degrees in DEI, and the latest after a devastating earthquake slams the Middle East.
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The US military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday. US officials say the balloon carried a large payload of spy gear and flew over several strategic locations, including nuclear missile silos. The balloon had been moving across the US for days, but President Joe Biden said, „It would be safest to shoot down once over the water.“
President Joe Biden:
On Wednesday, when I was briefed on the balloon, I ordered the Pentagon to shoot it down on Wednesday as soon as possible without doing damage to anyone on the ground. They decided that the best time to do that was that it got over water outside, within the 12-mile limit.
Taylor Wilson:
The week’s balloon saga marks the latest tensions between the US and China. And it now deepens a political fight stateside ahead of tomorrow’s State of the Union. On the Sunday talk shows yesterday, Republicans said the incident reflected Biden’s weakness toward an increasingly aggressive China. Others, like Democratic Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, praised Biden for a show of what he called strength and patience for taking down the balloon once it passed over the ocean. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken canceled a diplomatic trip to Beijing this week after the discovery of the balloon. And tensions were already high between the US and China after China stepped up threats to an independent Taiwan in recent months.
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More colleges are offering up degrees in DEI. USA TODAY Education Reporter Alia Wong, has more on diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia. Alia, welcome back to the podcast.
Alia Wong:
Thanks for having me. Happy to be here.
Taylor Wilson:
So let’s start with the basics. What is DEI?
Alia Wong:
So, DEI stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. DEI applies to policies and practices, and this can be in a business setting, an education setting, beyond that. And these policies and practices are typically designed to make all people – regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs – to make sure they feel welcome and ensure everyone has been enabled to fulfill their potential. It’s really about helping different individuals achieve representation and participation and a sense of belonging in the respective setting.
Taylor Wilson:
So a growing number of colleges are offering degree programs in DEI. Tell us about these programs.
Alia Wong:
In my own analysis, I found at least half a dozen universities across the country that either currently, or will soon offer degrees in DEI. So these are bachelor’s programs or master’s programs. There’s also been a proliferation of certificate programs in DEI. And these programs aren’t as rigorous. They’re typically a lot more narrow and focused and perhaps more efficient.
There are also many colleges that offer minors in DEI, for example, or diversity studies. And there are also degree programs in sort of broader areas that could be considered or could encapsulate DEI, things like intercultural or multicultural diversity studies.
