Today’s Big Story

Off Sides?

Why do Americans drive on the right side of the road? And why do some other countries drive on the left?

It’s a cute scene in a Nancy Meyer’s romcom. Cameron Diaz, playing a brash American on her first day in England, steadies herself behind the wheel of a borrowed Mini Cooper: “I can do this,” she says. “I can drive on the wrong side of the road … and the wrong side of the car.” But why do some countries drive on the right side, while others drive on the wrong—I mean, left?

Apparently, we Americans are in the majority here. It turns out that about 70% of the world’s countries mandate right-side driving and around 30% or so stay to the left. But how it got that way is a winding tale. In Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte played a central role, reports CNN. In the United States, Henry Ford often gets the credit, but that’s actually wrong. It goes much further back than Ford. Not only does traffic on the right pre-date cars, it pre-dates the establishment of the United States.

Left-hand traffic finally became the law of the land in Britain after the passage of government measures in 1773 and 1835, but the opposite tradition prevailed in France, which favored the right as early as the 18th century. These two countries later exported their driving styles to their respective colonies, which is why many former British territories such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India still drive on the left.

Canada abandoned the left side of the road in the 1920s to facilitate traffic to and from the United States. In 1967, meanwhile, the government of Sweden spent around $120 million preparing its citizens to begin driving on the right.

Is one better than the other? It might be hard to say, but some studies have shown that left driving countries had lower accident rates. It was suggested that this is because the right eye and the right hand are dominant in most people. When driving on the left, the right eye is what you use to see down the road past the car in front of you and in the rearview mirror and the right hand stays on the wheel while the left hand works the gearshift and the audio controls.

The Vice President Calls for an ‘Immediate Cease-Fire’

Kamala Harris issues sharp rebuke of Israel over ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ in Gaza

Vice President Kamala Harris said on Sunday that “people in Gaza are starving” and called for “an immediate ceasefire” as part of a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. She urged Israel to do more in one of the strongest pushes by a U.S. official to date.

Harris—who was in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday—has been closely monitoring the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza and has been involved in the post-conflict planning for the besieged coastal enclave. She said “there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks,” which would “get the [Israeli] hostages out.” Earlier, Israel did not attend truce talks in Egypt, saying Hamas was not giving a list of hostages still alive. Hamas told the BBC it was unable to do so because of the Israeli bombing.

Harris also reiterated the United States’ support for Israel’s right to defend itself and criticized Hamas, saying the group can’t continue to control Gaza. Later today, she will meet with Benny Gantz, a senior member of the Israeli war cabinet, at the White House to discuss the situation and the proposed hostage deal. Axios reports that while White House officials say Gantz's visit is routine, the fact the White House decided to roll out the red carpet with such high-level meetings looks like a signal to both Netanyahu and the Israeli public.

Physical Media Is Hanging On

You might think it’s on its deathbed, but the DVD and Blu-ray industry couldn’t be more alive

When was the last time you bought a DVD? How about a Blu-ray disc? For me, I can’t even remember … After all, they’re expensive. And they take up space. Not to mention, they’re easily damaged. Add to that, you can stream just about any movie or show that you want so long as you subscribe to a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu, or you’re willing to rent or buy it on-demand from your cable provider. But a lot of people are actually still buying them.

Especially anime fans. The Verge reports that many niche publishers have found success by playing specifically to the small, passionate communities of fans who want to own a piece of the media they love. In 2023, the top-selling DVD in the U.S. (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) moved just over 300,000 units—a far cry from the millions that used to put films on the charts just a decade ago. But we’re still talking about tens of thousands of units being sold.

And if you really care about picture quality, Gear Patrol says that you might reconsider Blu-ray. “Most streaming services deliver shows and movies in beautiful 4K. This does not mean that they deliver the same 4K picture as a Blu-Ray, however.” The other thing with streaming services, they say, “it’s a little bit of a mixed bag when it comes to their support of various audio and visual technologies, especially for high-dynamic range and immersive sound.” And, of course, if you have a physical disc, you never have to worry about your favorite movies “leaving” the streaming service where you watch them.

Yogurt Reduces Risk of Diabetes

The FDA now allows makers to make this claim, with a couple of caveats

The US Food and Drug Administration has decided that yogurts can now make a limited claim that the food may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, the federal nutrition agency just announced.

The decision, nearly five years in the making, came in response to a petition that Danone North America—the food giant behind major brands including Dannon, Activia, Wallaby Organic and Silk—submitted in 2018. The FDA confirmed on Friday that it will not oppose the claim, with some caveats. Any language to consumers must note that the evidence is limited and that eating two cups (three servings) of yogurt per week is the threshold for reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, it said. Made from milk fermented with the bacteria (aka the probiotics Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus), yogurt is rich in calcium, protein, B vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

The Washington Post reports that previous “qualified health claims” include allowing cranberry juice makers to say there is a link between consuming certain cranberry products and a reduced risk of recurrent urinary tract infection in healthy women; that consuming magnesium could lower risk of high blood pressure; and that eating macadamia nuts may lessen the risk of coronary heart disease.

You don’t have to be perfect.