Potter films rake in billions, and more

Potter films rake in billions

The Harry Potter movie series has earned $6.37 billion at the box office over the past decade. That exceeds the entire annual GDPs of more than 50 countries.

TheAtlantic.com

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Death rate for black men drops in prison

Black men in prison are half as likely to die at any given time as those on the outside, according to a study of 100,000 men held in North Carolina prisons over a decade. The study found that black men’s death rate dropped behind bars because they were less likely to be murdered, had better health care—and had less access to alcohol, drugs, and junk food.

Reuters.com

Raising the debt ceiling, again

Since 1980, the federal debt ceiling has been raised 39 times—17 times under Ronald Reagan, four times under Bill Clinton, and seven times under George W. Bush. It’s been raised three times under Barack Obama so far.

The Washington Post

Looking for 1 million fugitives

About 1 million fugitives from the law are at large in the U.S., the U.S. Marshals Service estimates. Many of them have succeeded in avoiding authorities for years.

The New York Times

Babies spur growth in Mexican-American population

Births have overtaken immigration as the driving force behind the growth of the U.S.’s Mexican-American population. Between 2000 and 2010, about 7.2 million babies of Mexican heritage were born in the U.S., while 4.2 million Mexicans immigrated to the U.S.

The New York Times