News You Ought to Know
CRUZ, SANDERS ANGLE FOR WINS IN WISCONSIN PRIMARIES
(AP) — Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Bernie Sanders are angling for victories in Tuesday’s Wisconsin presidential primaries that could give their campaigns a needed boost, but still leave them with mathematically challenging paths to their parties’ nominations.
While Sanders remains a force in the Democratic primary, a win over Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin would do little to significantly cut into her lead in delegates that will decide the party’s nomination. The stakes are higher for Cruz, who trails Donald Trump in the GOP race and sees Wisconsin as a crucial state in his effort to push the party toward a convention fight.
MLB APPROVES WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
(AP) — Wearable technology is coming to Major League Baseball.
The sport’s playing rules committee approved two devices for use during games this season, two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The Motus Baseball Sleeve measures stress on elbows and the Zephyr Bioharness monitors heart and breathing rates.
In addition, the committee approved a pair of bat sensors for use on field during workouts, one from Blast Motion and the other from Diamond Kinetics.
The technology provides the potential for earlier detection of habits that could lead to injuries. However, the union is concerned about player privacy and how teams use the information. Both sides say further discussions are likely in bargaining this year.
DIABETES RISES FOURFOLD OVER LAST QUARTER-CENTURY
(AP) — The World Health Organization says excessive weight, obesity, aging and population growth drove a nearly four-fold increase in worldwide cases of diabetes over the last quarter-century, affecting 422 million people in 2014.
The U.N. health agency is calling for stepped-up measures to reduce risk factors for diabetes and improve treatment and care.
On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said: “We need to rethink our daily lives: to eat healthily, be physically active and avoid excessive weight gain.”
WHO reported that 8.5 percent of the world population had diabetes two years ago, up from 108 million, or 4.7 percent, in 1980.
