World

China’s economic growth has been slowing throughout 2015, raising concern for the global economy.  A drop in the construction business of China has slowed down the demand for building necessities like oil and ores, thus slowing down trade with supplying countries.  This has caused a drop in trade all across the world. Along with the declining growth of the construction business, China has also seen a drop in stock market and oil prices.  Economic forecasters, who thought 2016 would be a year of economic recovery, are now saying the chances of this are slim.

United States

The United States and Cuba have agreed to begin working together in order to preserve Cuba’s huge shark population.  There are roughly 100 shark species in the world, with about half of them residing around Cuba’s borders.  Cuba currently has about 20 percent of its border marked as environmentally protected areas, and they are planning to expand these areas. This new cooperation will help with the growing relationship between the two countries, along with improving research, education and management in the marine environment.

Missouri

Missouri will soon join about a dozen other states in suing the Environmental Protection Agency over new regulations that would require the state to reduce carbon emissions.  Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster argues that climate change is real, but Missouri energy companies are already working on ways to fight it. Koster also says that Missouri businesses rely on less expensive energy, and that the EPA’s regulations would raise energy costs all across Missouri.

Kansas City

Two firefighters were killed and another two injured in a fire on Oct. 12.  An apartment building caught fire and the four men were injured when a wall of the building collapsed on them.  They were rushed to a local hospital, where two of the men were pronounced dead after efforts by doctors and nurses.  Both men who died were veteran firefighters, each having put in more than 10 years of service to the KCMO fire department. The cause of the fire is still undetermined.