NPR is reporting that SpaceX has made its stock market debut this week. It also said a Somalian World Cup referee was hailed as a hero in his home country after being denied entry into the United States. Separately, an Ohio voting rights group reported that it was raided by the FBI.
The outlet is also highlighting a new study in the journal Science, which found that socioeconomic factors such as household income, education and neighborhood quality significantly affect a child's brain development. NPR said an analysis of over 2,300 children aged 9 and 10 revealed associations between these environmental factors and brain differences visible in MRI scans. These findings challenge previous research that focused on links between brain development and factors like IQ and mental health.
NPR is further reporting on a shift in Small Business Administration policy. It said that for decades, the SBA granted loans to immigrants who are legal permanent residents in the United States. However, in March, the U.S. small-business agency stopped approving loans to firms not fully owned by U.S. citizens, a first in its history, a move caught up in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
Regarding the current midterm elections, NPR noted that the race has been marked by scandals in both parties. It cited the example of Texas Republican Ken Paxton, who won his Senate runoff despite facing legal battles, criminal investigations, infidelity allegations, a public divorce and impeachment by the Texas House. In Maine, Democrat Graham Platner secured his Senate primary win, overcoming reports of sending sexually explicit messages while married and having a Nazi emblem tattoo. NPR said experts suggest that changing norms, political polarization, partisan loyalty and a deep distrust of the media have made it easier for politicians to survive such controversies.