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On Wednesday, NASA's officials told members of Congress that NASA's successor to the Hubble Space Telescope is on schedule and budget for now. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been scheduled to be launched to space in three years. And it is intended to help scientists know more regarding the mechanics of the cosmos.

NASA associate administrator in the science mission directorate John Grunsfeld said during a US House of Representatives space subcommittee hearing, "This next great space observatory, and indeed the world's most powerful planned space telescope, remains within budget and on track to meet its October 2018 launch readiness date. NASA will meet the science community's ambitious goals with Webb [JWST]".

A group of 39 scientists and experts has requested natural history museums to cut their ties with donors whose political agendas might conflict with their own view.

Scientists through an open letter published on Tuesday called for David Koch's removal from the boards of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of History in Washington, D. C.

The billionaire has donated $50 million to the Smithsonian and several million dollars to the American Museum of Natural History.

Scientists in the letter wrote, "We are deeply concerned by the links between museums of science and natural history with those who profit from fossil fuels or fund lobby groups that misrepresent climate science".

With an aim to limit 'debt traps', the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has come up with a new proposal. The proposal includes rules that would stop many high-cost loan products, like payday loans and auto-title loans.

The proposal announced on Thursday will require lenders to think before whether or not a borrower will be able to repay the loan. The CFPB said that there is a need to change the existing model, as it does not consider whether or not customer would be able to repay the loans.

Recall from Blue Bell Ice Cream has now been expanded to include 3-ounce cups over fears of possible bacterial contamination. The cups were distributed in almost half the country. Spokespersons for Memorial Hermann and Texas Children's said they have removed chocolate, vanilla and strawberry individual ice cream cups, soon after they learnt about Blue Bell's latest recall.

This is the first time when the Texas Medical Center has become a Blue Bell-free zone. Most hospitals that serve it have excluded it from their food service selections.

According to Blue Bell officials, the individual-serving cups with pull-tab tops in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla were sent to food-service accounts in 23 states. They are not sold in convenience stores and supermarket.

Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Pence is preparing to declare a public health emergency in Scott County over an HIV outbreak Thursday.

Health officials have confirmed 72 cases of HIV in Scott County and seven other people have been preliminary positive for HIV infections. According to state epidemiologist Pam Pontones, IV drug use has been determined as the mode of infection in nearly all the cases.

Pence said Wednesday that although he opposes needle exchanges as part of drug-control policy, he is listening to health officials to determine the best way to stop the outbreak.

Rates of babies born at a healthy weight have increased and Pepin County has reached a number two position in health rankings of Wisconsin's 72 counties for having residents reaching a ripe old age.

The western Wisconsin county has seen a rapid rise in its rankings of the annual County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. Pepin County was positioned at number 31 just two years ago for its health outcomes of residents living past 75 and babies born over 5½ pounds.

Rusk County could not maintain its position in its senior longevity, which was the cause for its falling 15 ranks. The county was placed in the state's bottom four. For the rankings, data was used from 2010 to 2012 and birth weight statistics from 2006 to 2012.