Japan’s moon lander wakes up!

Happening in the World: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has reestablished communication with their first lunar explorer, which touched down on January 20. The explorer made a rough landing that left its solar panels facing away from the sun, but the sun has now risen high enough in the lunar sky for the mission to regain power. The explorer will analyze rock composition to seek clues about the Moon’s geologic history. (NPR)

Happening in the US: On Sunday, California Representative Nancy Pelosi claimed, without offering evidence, that she thought some pro-Palestinian protesters were connected to Russia and President Vladimir Putin. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a civil rights and advocacy group, called Pelosi’s comments “unsubstantiated smears…. her call for the FBI to investigate those protesters without any evidence is downright authoritarian.” (NPR)

Happening in NYC: The Obie Awards, which are awarded annually to off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions, were announced on Saturday night. The prize for best new American play went to “Dark Disabled Stories,” and Hansol Jung (“Wolf Play”) and Bruce Norris (“Downstate”) won awards for playwriting. Instead of hosting an awards ceremony, the Obies gave cash grants to the winning artists and groups. (NYT)

Happening in Our Community: Saturday, January 27, was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Today from 12 to 1:15 pm, CUIMC’s Jewish Cultural Employee Resource Group (ERG) will host a virtual event in observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day entitled: Betraying the Oath: Physicians and Healthcare Professionals who Collaborated with the Nazis During the Holocaust. The webinar will feature Dean Katrina Armstrong, who will examine the roles played by doctors and healthcare providers during the Holocaust in supporting and executing Hitler’s planned genocide. Read more and register here. 

Moon via Kevin Gill, Creative Commons