Policy News | The Hill21:54
Unbiased Politics News

 
 
1. 'Abandon Biden' protesters to descend on star-studded Radio City fundraiser21:24[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

The "Abandon Biden" campaign is calling for protesters to descend upon President Biden’s star-studded fundraising event Thursday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The group, which formed to protest Biden’s “reluctance to call for a ceasefire in Gaza,” told its supporters that the protest will consist of a rally and a march and is a “critical call to action" that is "set against the backdrop” of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The New York Democratic primary takes place on Apr. 2, and the group also called on voters to “leave it blank” while voting.

“Leaving the ballot blank is meant to protest Biden, auguring his defeat in the November 5th general presidential election,” the group said in its release.

Biden is holding a fundraising event at Radio City with former Presidents Obama and Clinton. The New York Police Department has closed several streets and will limit pedestrian traffic near the event, NBC New York reported.

The current and former presidents will participate in a panel moderated by Stephen Colbert, and Mindy Kaling will host a lineup of musical performances by artists including Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele, The Associated Press reported.

“While Presidents Biden, Obama, and Clinton try to whine and dine donors in New York City, New Yorkers of all kinds have come out to voice their complete rejection of Genocide Joe,” "Abandon Biden" New York co-Chair Mosaab Sadia said in a statement. “We cannot idly sit by as our president aides and abets genocide in Gaza. The movement to Abandon Biden is only just beginning.”

Some progressives are pushing primary voters to cast their ballots for “uncommitted” or other rather than for Biden to send a message to the president about their frustration with his actions regarding Israel and its war with Hamas.

More than 45,000 Democratic primary voters in Minnesota selected “uncommitted” on their primary ballots this year. More than 100,000 in Michigan did the same.

Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke last week for the first time since Biden said the prime minister was “hurting Israel more than helping.”

Biden has insisted the U.S. is a close ally of Israel and supported the country in its war against Hamas, but he has also urged Netanyahu to scale back Israel's attacks and has increased efforts to send humanitarian aid deliveries to civilians in Gaza.

Медиа: image / jpeg


2. Zelensky presses Johnson on urgency of Ukraine aid21:05[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday re-upped his call for Congress to provide additional aid for Kyiv, directly warning Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) of Russian advances as GOP opposition has blocked assistance for the embattled U.S. ally.

After a phone call with the Speaker, Zelensky said he thanked Johnson and other U.S. officials for their “critical support of Ukraine” since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and briefed the Speaker on the “battlefield situation.”

He then made another plea for Congress to send additional aid overseas, as officials in Washington and Kyiv sound the alarm about Ukraine’s waning resources.

“In this situation, quick passage of US aid to Ukraine by Congress is vital. We recognize that there are differing views in the House of Representatives on how to proceed, but the key is to keep the issue of aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor,” Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Ukrainian president said his conversation with Johnson also touched on “the importance of cutting off Russia's sources of funding for its war as soon as possible and using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s benefit,” an idea that has ramped up on Capitol Hill as a way to appease some conservatives skeptical of sending more aid to Ukraine.

“We also rely on the leadership of Congress in this regard,” he added.

The phone call between Zelensky and Johnson comes as Congress prepares to take up the controversial issue of sending additional aid to Ukraine, which has bedeviled lawmakers for months as a growing contingent of the House GOP conference becomes opposed to supporting the embattled U.S. ally.

Leaving Washington last week for a long holiday recess, Johnson vowed the House will take up the issue as the next order of business when Congress returns to Capitol Hill in mid-April. But it remains unclear how he will approach the prickly matter.

Johnson has been at the center of the stormy debate over Ukraine aid since virtually the moment he took the gavel in October. A month earlier, he’d joined most House Republicans in opposing $300 million in new military aid to Kyiv, but as Speaker he’s said repeatedly that he wants to support America’s democratic ally in its defense against invading Russian forces.

Johnson has refused, however, to consider a Senate-passed foreign aid package despite a strong bipartisan vote in the upper chamber last month. That package, which includes $60 billion for Ukraine, passed with support from 22 Republican senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The issue is thornier for GOP leaders in the House, however, because former President Trump had come out in opposition to any new Ukraine aid before November’s elections. And a long list of House conservatives have sided with Trump, warning Johnson against staging a vote on the issue, particularly if the aid is not accompanied by efforts to boost security on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Complicating the math for the Speaker, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Friday filed a motion to remove Johnson from power over what she considers his betrayal of conservative policy principles. Greene did not move to force a vote on her resolution, but she called it “a warning,” suggesting she might do so if Johnson moves the Ukraine funding when Congress returns to Washington.

“He should not bring funding for Ukraine,” she told reporters last week.

If Greene does, however, pull the trigger on her ouster attempt, some Democrats say they are prepared to step in and protect Johnson — if he moves on the stalled aid for Ukraine.

“If the choice is between Ukraine aid and providing a vote to stop a motion to vacate, or no Ukraine aid, I think there’s a lot of Democrats who would be willing to assist in getting it done,” Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) told The Hill by phone Wednesday.

Медиа: image / jpeg


3. Zelensky makes fresh plea for Ukraine aid: 'We don't know what will be tomorrow'21:03[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his petition for more U.S. aid, arguing his embattled nation is not prepared to defend against a "major" Russian offensive anticipated in the months ahead.

Zelensky, in an interview with CBS News published Thursday, said Ukrainian forces were able to fend off Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces through the winter months, but noted Russia's troops and missile supplies destroyed "some villages."

"We didn't have rounds, artillery rounds, a lot of different things," he said, noting an offensive from Russia is expected around the end of May or in June.

"And before that, we not only need to prepare, we not only need to stabilize the situation, because the partners are sometimes really happy that we have stabilized the situation," Zelensky said, referring to the U.S. and Ukraine's other backers. "No, I say we need help now."

"Usually, when they attack by artillery and destroy the villages, after that, they always tried to occupy," he added later. "We don't know what will be tomorrow. That's why we have to prepare."

Zelensky told CBS News's Charlie D'Agata that what Ukraine needs most is the U.S.'s Patriot missile defense systems and more artillery.

Earlier this week, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba similarly called for the Patriot system — the most advanced air and missile defense system in the world. It is used by more than a dozen countries and can engage ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as enemy aircraft.

"Dozens of billions remain in the U.S. Let's be honest, the money which is allocated by the Congress, by the administration, in the majority of cases, 80 percent of this money — well, at least more than 75 percent — stays in the U.S," Zelensky said. "This ammunition is coming to us, but the production is taking place there, and the money stays in the U.S., and the taxes are staying in the U.S."

Aid for Ukraine has remained stalled in Congress for more than a year amid sharp divisions among lawmakers. Congress has not passed a funding bill for the embattled nation since the end of 2022, when a Democratic majority passed its fourth aid package for the country.

The Senate passed a $95 billion defense and foreign aid package last month that included $60 billion in aid for Kyiv. When sent to the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) insisted against bringing it the floor, as it lacked the border security measures demanded by House conservatives.

Johnson said he would send the Senate a new funding package for Kyiv, noting it will likely look very different than the upper chamber's version. The Speaker floated the idea of making the House's foreign aid package a loan or lend-lease program to lessen the burden on U.S. taxpayers.

Zelensky on Thursday said he spoke with Johnson and briefed the House leader on Ukraine's battlefield situation.

"In this situation, quick passage of US aid to Ukraine by Congress is vital. We recognize that there are differing views in the House of Representatives on how to proceed, but the key is to keep the issue of aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor," he wrote in a post on social media.

The Ukrainian leader warned that the war could escalate to Europe, calling it a war "against the democracy, against the values, against the whole world."

"The USA is helping Ukraine and we are grateful for their support, for this multilateral support, but the United States don't have the war going on," he said. "But it can come to Europe, and to the United States of America. It can come very quickly to Europe."

Медиа: image / jpeg


4. Biden administration finalizes reversal of Trump Endangered Species Act rollback19:44[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

The Biden administration on Thursday announced a finalized update to Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules that advocates say reverses some Trump administration rollbacks but fails to fully restore them.

In 2019, the Trump administration made a number of alterations to the ESA rules, including adding language to protection criteria to allow consideration of economic impacts on industry for the listing.

Earthjustice Vice President Drew Caputo called the 2019 rule an “industry wishlist” and credited the Biden administration for removing the economic impact provision, which he called “directly contrary to the spirit of the statute.”

The finalized rule also restores protections for species classified as “threatened,” a less severe category than “endangered.”

The initial proposal was issued last year and received more than 450,000 public comments.

“These revisions underscore our commitment to using all of the tools available to help halt declines and stabilize populations of the species most at-risk,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Director Martha Williams said in a statement. “We will continue to use the best-available science when implementing the ESA — including when making listing and delisting decisions, designating critical habitat, developing protective regulations for threatened species, and consulting on federal actions.”

However, Caputo noted that the ESA rule retains another provision of the 2019 version that allowed agencies to essentially disregard impacts they were not “reasonably certain” would occur. “There’s always some kind of uncertainty for a project that hasn’t happened yet,” he said.

“The Biden Administration has reversed some of the worst aspects of the Trump regulations, but it missed an opportunity to end the nightmare Donald Trump created for wildlife,” Sierra Club President and CEO Ben Jealous said in a statement. “The Biden administration needs to protect more habitat, not less. We need the administration to increase protections for biodiversity, not abandon them. The president has the power, and we need him to use it.”

Caputo noted that despite the improvements the finalized rule makes, “the species at issue here are by definition on the brink and they don’t have a lot of room for maneuver.”

Медиа: image / jpeg


5. Putin says F-16s in Ukraine 'won’t change the situation on the battlefield'18:39[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week said that Ukraine obtaining F-16 fighter jets “won’t change the situation on the battlefield.”

Putin, speaking to Russian air force pilots Wednesday, said that Russia had no plans to attack a NATO country. However, he said if the West supplies Ukraine with F-16s, Russia would shoot them down.

“[T]his will not change the situation on the battlefield. We will destroy their aircraft just like we are now destroying their tanks, armoured vehicles and other equipment, including multiple launch rocket systems,” Putin said, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin.

“Of course, we would see them as legitimate targets if they operate from the airfields of third countries, no matter where they are located. F-16 aircraft can also carry nuclear weapons, and we will also have to heed this while organising our combat operations,” he added.

The U.S. and other allies of Kyiv approved sending F-16s to Ukraine last year, and Ukrainian pilots have since been training in the West to learn how to fly them. Reuters noted that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the country should receive the F-16s in the coming months.

Putin also pushed back on claims that Russia is looking to attack NATO countries, including Poland. He accused NATO of expanding east, saying that the members “believe that all this meets their national interests to some extent, and they fear a big and strong Russia, although this is pointless.”

“It is therefore complete nonsense when they claim that we can attack some other countries, including Poland, the Baltics and they are scaring the Czech Republic, too. This amounts to ravings, and this is another way of deceiving their own population, forcing the people to spend more money and to shoulder this burden. This is it,” Putin said.

A Russian missile briefly entered Polish airspace during a massive missile attack on Ukraine on Sunday, prompting Poland to demand answers from Moscow.

Медиа: image / jpeg


6. Democrat to introduce bill that would bar Menendez, Trump from receiving classified information16:56[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) has drafted legislation to bar federal officeholders and candidates who are charged with certain criminal offenses from having access to classified information, a bill aimed squarely at former President Trump and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.).

Sherrill’s three-page bill, the Guarding United States Against Reckless Disclosures (GUARD) Act, would bar the president, vice president, members of Congress and federal candidates from receiving classified information if charged with obstructing an official proceeding, unlawfully retaining classified defense information, or acting as a foreign agent, among other criminal offenses.

The legislation doesn’t explicitly refer to Menendez or Trump, but its language applies directly to both embattled politicians, who between them face 109 criminal charges. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Sherrill didn’t mention Menendez in a statement Thursday but said she had Trump in mind when crafting the bill.

“As a Navy veteran and former prosecutor, I have zero tolerance for any betrayal of the public trust, especially when it comes to classified information and our national security,” she said.

“That’s why I’m extremely concerned about recent charges against Donald Trump and his continued desire to access sensitive classified information, despite reckless actions, and serious criminal charges,” she added.

Trump faces federal charges of willful retention of national defense information and corruptly concealing a document or record, as well as conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

Federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York have charged Menendez with conspiracy to act as a foreign agent and acting as a foreign agent, one of the criminal charges mentioned in Sherrill’s bill as disqualifying a federal official from access to classified information.

"Nobody is entitled or legally obligated to classified briefings — certainly not Trump, even if he is the Republican nominee for president. This legislation is urgent and should be considered by both parties as a necessary step to protect intelligence and ensure sensitive information doesn’t get into the wrong hands,” Sherrill said.

Her bill says charges including acting as a foreign agent, obstructing an official proceeding or unlawfully retaining national defense information or improperly handling classified information would forfeit an officeholder’s or candidate’s access to classified material.

The presidential nominees of major parties are traditionally read into classified matters in the months before the general election.

Sherrill’s legislation, however, allow Congress to waive sanctions on federal officials and candidates facing charges by a majority vote of the House and two-thirds vote of the Senate.

And it says that the covered persons would regain access to classified information if the charges are dismissed or they are found not guilty.

Медиа: image / jpeg


7. King Charles III in Easter message calls for kindness after cancer diagnosis15:53[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

King Charles III shared a message Thursday calling for kindness and friendship “in a time of need,” after he and Kate, the Princess of Wales, were diagnosed with cancer.

In a recorded message filmed in mid-March from Buckingham Palace ahead of the Easter holiday, Charles stressed Jesus is “an example of how we should serve and care for each other,” according to Sky News.

“We need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need,” he said, per the report.

Buckingham Palace announced in February that Charles, 75, had been diagnosed with cancer, which was discovered during a prostate procedure. He will make his first public appearance in months this coming Sunday, when he and Queen Camilla attend an Easter service at Windsor Castle.

Officials said Sunday's event will be smaller than normal and will include members of the royal family at St. George’s Chapel.

While he hasn’t made any public appearances, Charles is working from behind closed doors, according to officials.

Buckingham Palace said he chose to disclose his diagnosis “to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”

Kate, 42, announced last week that she was diagnosed with cancer amid a media frenzy surrounding her absence from public appearances. She underwent abdominal surgery in January and cancer was found.

She said she’s in the “early stages” of chemotherapy.

Медиа: image / jpeg


8. Breyer predicts Supreme Court will see 'more and more and more' abortion-related cases15:20[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer predicted Wednesday that the high court will see a jump in abortion-related cases in the future.

Breyer told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that the “harmful” decision in 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade — ending the federal right to abortion access — would not reduce the number of abortion-related cases brought before the high court. He added that he and other liberal justices argued in the dissent of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health that it would make abortion cases more prevalent and “not work well.”

“The majority thinks it’s going to turn the whole issue over to the legislatures of states, and we’ll never have to deal with it again,” Breyer said of the Dobbs decision.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday on whether federal regulators overstepped their authority by loosening restrictions to make mifepristone — a drug used in medication abortions — more accessible. Breyer pointed to these arguments as an example of the abortion-related cases that will spring up.

“Yesterday morning, they dealt with a big issue, and there will be more and more and more,” the former justice said.

Justices appeared skeptical of the effort to cut access to the abortion pill during oral arguments, signaling the Supreme Court would likely retain widespread access to mifepristone.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs ended the constitutional right to an abortion and allowed states to make their own policies. Since then, the high court has still had to confront disputes surrounding the issue.

Breyer, alongside Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, took issue with the majority opinion in the Dobbs decision that said letting the voters decide will remove the courts from the abortion question.

“Far from removing the Court from the abortion issue, the majority puts the Court at the center of the coming interjurisdictional abortion wars,” the three liberal justices wrote in their dissent.

Медиа: image / jpeg


9. Biden administration announces $1.5 billion loan for first reopening of a shuttered nuclear plantСр, 27 мар[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a $1.5 billion loan to restart a Michigan nuclear power plant.

The loan, made through the Energy Department’s Loan Program’s Office with Inflation Reduction Act funds, will allow Holtec to restart the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township. The restoration, if approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, would be the first instance of the U.S. recommissioning a shuttered nuclear plant.

The plant operated from around 1977 through 2022 and was acquired by a Louisiana-based utility in 2007. When brought back online, the Energy Department projects the 800-megawatt Palisades plant will produce power through at least 2051. The state Legislature has also allocated $150 million to recommission the facility. The administration and the state of Michigan have set a target of a late 2025 restart.

“Nuclear power is our single largest source of carbon free electricity, directly supporting 100,000 jobs across the country and hundreds of thousands more indirectly,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the former governor of Michigan, in a statement. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is supporting and expanding this vibrant clean energy workforce here in Michigan with significant funding for the Holtec Palisades nuclear power plant."

“Once open, Palisades will be the first successfully restarted nuclear power plant in American history, driving $363 million of regional economic impact and helping Michigan lead the future of clean energy,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said in a statement. “I am so grateful to my bipartisan partners in the Michigan Legislature, the Biden-Harris Administration, Holtec, and labor for coming together to get this done. Together, we are showing the world that Michigan is a place where history is made by hardworking people.”

The Biden administration has set a goal of a 100 percent renewable electrical grid by 2035. While nuclear power generates next to no carbon emissions, it fell out of favor in the U.S. in the late 20th century amid anxieties around potential accidents, particularly after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident.

Медиа: image / jpeg


10. Lego asks police department to stop using toy heads on suspect photosСр, 27 мар[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

A California police department said it would no longer use Lego heads to obscure suspects’ faces in social media posts, after the Lego Group requested the department cease the practice, citing intellectual property concerns.

“The Lego Group reached out to me on March 19th and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content,” Murrieta Police Department Lt. Jeremy Durrant said in a statement.

Durrant continued, “Which of course, we understand and will comply with.”

Durrant said the practice of using digitally altered images, including of the trademarked Lego head, has been in effect for several years — especially since 2021, when California passed a law prohibiting law enforcement from releasing photos of suspects for nonviolent crimes, “unless specific circumstances exist.”

The new law also mandates the removal of suspect mug shots from social media after 14 days, also barring special circumstances.

The Murrieta Police Department explained its practice of obscuring faces in a post on social media on March 18, after it garnered some attention online.

“The Murrieta Police Department prides itself in its transparency with the community, but also honors everyone's rights & protections as afforded by law; even suspects. In order to share what is happening in Murrieta, we chose to cover the faces of suspects to protect their identity while still aligning with the new law," the post last Monday read.

After receiving the request from the Lego Group last Tuesday, Durrant said the department would consider alternative approaches.

“I have no concerns with exploring other options to continue publishing our content in a way that is engaging and interesting to our followers,” Durrant said.

A spokesperson for the Lego Group declined to comment.

Медиа: image / png


11. Climate change endangers 70 percent of world's wine regions: StudyСр, 27 мар[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Rising global temperatures could decimate global wine production over the new few decades, according to a study published Tuesday in the science journal Nature.

Researchers estimated that as much as 70 percent of the world’s suitable regions for wine will become too warm this century, including as much as 90 percent of wine’s best traditional regions in Spain, Italy, Greece and Southern California.

Increasing temperatures reduce grape crops and the quality of wine, leading to lessened production over time. The effects will be felt most immediately in already warm regions, the researchers said, focusing on Southern California, the southern Mediterranean, South Africa and Australia.

But more moderate climates like California’s renowned Napa Valley and the winemaking regions of France will also likely take a hit, though to a lesser extent.

“Climate change is affecting grape yield, composition and wine quality. As a result, the geography of wine production is changing,” researchers wrote in the study. “The degree of these changes in suitability strongly depends on the level of temperature rise. Existing producers can adapt to a certain level of warming. ... However, these adaptations might not be enough to maintain economically viable wine production in all areas.”

Warmer weather has already begun moving grape harvests earlier into the year by about two to three weeks on average worldwide in the past 40 years, the researchers said. Earlier harvests can change a wine’s flavor profile and impact quality.

Climate change has also increased the risk of drought and wildfires, extreme weather that could have massive impacts on year-to-year harvests and quality. That impact is the most important for California’s wine industry, the experts said, noting that California wine lands may degrade by as much as 50 percent by the end of the century.

However, there is a silver lining for some parts of the world. As warmer climates get phased out of high-quality wine production, formerly cooler areas become more suitable.

Researchers identified the Pacific Northwest, Northern Germany and Scandinavia as some areas which could see booming wine production in coming decades.

The study estimated that as much as 25 percent of current wine production regions could actually see better production due to warmer climate, in addition to making new areas suitable.

Researchers emphasized that the changing climate does not mean the end for wine, merely that its geographical range is changing.

“Without radical adaptation, some of these regions are clearly threatened. Change also brings with it opportunities, as some regions will benefit, and new wine regions will surely emerge,” the study reads. “However, these changes are not without consequences either, and expanding viticulture could bring with it impacts on natural resource consumption and wild habitats.”

Медиа: image / jpeg


12. 13 activists arrested ahead of Supreme Court abortion pill hearingВт, 26 мар[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Thirteen pro-abortion protestors were arrested Tuesday morning outside the Supreme Court, ahead of oral arguments in a case that could dramatically limit access to mifepristone, a widely used abortion pill.

At approximately 8:45 a.m. EDT, U.S. Capitol Police arrested 13 people who, a police spokesperson said in a statement, were “illegally blocking roads and then a walkway.”

The spokesperson added that Capitol Police officers warned the group to stop “blocking the walkway or they would be arrested.”

“They refused, so our officers arrested them,” the spokesperson said, citing crowding, obstructing, or incommoding as possible offenses.

The 13 people arrested were affiliated with the pro-abortion Women's March and The Center for Popular Democracy – two groups that worked together to organize the rally on Tuesday – a spokesperson for the Women's March told The Hill.

Among those arrested was Rachel O'Leary Carmona, executive director of the Women's March, who described the arrest as a purposeful act of resistance.

"This morning, we put our bodies on the line to shine a light on how this totally illegitimate court case could strip millions of women of their rights to make decisions about what is best for their bodies and their families – and we were arrested," Carmona said in a statement provided through the spokesperson.

"The reality is that this case is personal, and we took it as such. We could not just stand by while our rights to bodily autonomy are potentially revoked by radical politicians and a Supreme Court captured by their agenda," she continued. "We will continue to resist and work to enshrine bodily freedoms, no matter the consequences. There is too much at stake for women not to."

The momentous Supreme Court case drew fierce demonstrations from both sides of the debate, as the nation’s highest court returned to the issue of reproductive rights nearly two years after its landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, subsequently ending the federal right to an abortion.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the court, and supporters of abortion rights held signs reading “Bans off our body” and “Abortion is our right.” Opponents held signs with messages including “Abortion pills kill.”

Video footage of the arrest from ABC News showed protesters wearing shirts with pro-abortion messages.

“Feminists vs. Fascists” read the words on a shirt of an individual as he was being arrested, the video showed.

Another person was seen arrested while wearing a shirt that repeated the phrase “Miso &,” referring to the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol that is often administered for a medical abortion. Another shirt, partially obstructed in the footage, appeared to read, “bans off our bodies."

Story was updated at 9:21 p.m.

Медиа: image / jpeg


13. Chemical spilled in East Palestine involved in 966 accidents since 2010: ReportВт, 26 мар[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Accidents involving the toxic chemical spilled in East Palestine, Ohio, last year have occurred more than once per week since 2010, according to a report published Tuesday by Earthjustice and the nonprofit Beyond Plastics.

Vinyl chloride is a hazardous substance widely used in the production of plastics. Researchers with the firm Material Research L3C determined that manufacturing of the chemical in the U.S. reached an all-time high of 18.6 billion pounds in 2021, more than three times that of 1974. Since 2010, at least 966 chemical incidents involving the substance have occurred, an average of one every 5.3 days.

Meanwhile, there have been 29 occasions since 1968 in which rail cars carrying the chemical were derailed. A January report from the organization Toxic-Free Future found that trains are conveying up to 36 million pounds of vinyl chloride across a 2,000-mile stretch of railroad at any given moment.

Beyond Plastics and Earthjustice submitted the report as part of public comments on the Environmental Protection’s Agency (EPA) review of vinyl chloride under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the first step in a process that could eventually lead to an outright ban. The EPA is set to make a final decision on the designation this December.

“Vinyl chloride was designated a human carcinogen 50 years ago, and even though substitute materials exist, it’s still being used in products we touch every day,” Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and former EPA regional administrator, said in a statement. “We’ve waited long enough for federal action protecting our families, homes, and communities from vinyl chloride; it’s time for the EPA administrator Michael Regan to start the process of banning this highly toxic chemical.”

The February 2023 East Palestine derailment, involving a train operated by the Norfolk Southern railroad, made national headlines and, although no one was injured, amplified fears about railway safety and environmental hazards. The EPA has invoked a federal law requiring Norfolk Southern to cover cleanup costs associated with the spill.

Медиа: image / jpeg


14. King Charles III to make first public appearance since cancer diagnosisВт, 26 мар[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

King Charles III will make his first public appearance in months this coming Sunday, when he and Queen Camilla attend an Easter service at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace officials said on Tuesday.

Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February and has not held any major public appearances in the time since, as he’s undergone treatment.

Officials said the Sunday event will be smaller than usual and will include members of the royal family at St. George’s Chapel, The Associated Press reported.

The announcement comes days after Kate, the Princess of Wales, announced she was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and is undergoing treatment. She and Prince William are not expected to attend the event this coming Sunday.

Buckingham Palace announced Charles’s diagnosis early last month and said the cancer was discovered during a separate prostate procedure. Buckingham Palace said Charles’s doctors advised him to postpone public events while undergoing treatment.

“Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual,” the statement added, at the time.

Charles has continued to hold weekly meetings with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and is continuing with state business, the AP reported, citing officials.

The Associated Press contributed.

Медиа: image / jpeg


15. US West hydropower production plunged to 22-year low last yearВт, 26 мар[-/+]
Категория(?)  Автор(?)

Hydropower generation in the U.S. West plunged to a 22-year low last year — dropping 11 percent from the year before, according to a new federal data analysis.

The total amount produced in the region amounted to 141.5 million megawatt-hours, or about 60 percent of the country's total hydroelectricity output in the 2022-23 "water year," per the data published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The U.S. West water year, which generally follows how water accumulates and moves through a watershed, runs annually from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30 of the next calendar year.

The states responsible for the region's hydroelectricity generation include Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, California, Oregon and Washington. The latter two states contain 37 percent of the nation's hydropower capacity, according to the EIA.

Drought conditions during the 2022-23 water year took a considerable toll on Oregon and Washington, as well as on other states located around the Columbia River Basin, according to the analysis.

After fall 2022 precipitation was near-to-below normal, a May 2023 heat wave melted snowpack rapidly, the data showed. These circumstances caused hydropower generation in Washington and Oregon to drop by 23 percent and 20 percent, respectively, from the year before.

On the other hand, a series of atmospheric rivers in California spurred an increase in hydroelectricity production in the Golden State — nearly doubling it in comparison to the previous water year, the analysis noted.

Although the region experienced a multi-decade low in overall hydropower production, the EIA report tempered any cause for immediate alarm.

"Hydropower generation in the western United States can vary significantly from year to year because the amount of precipitation influences generation," the analysis stated.

Медиа: image / jpeg



 
Каталог RSS-каналов (RSS-лент) — RSSfeedReader
Top.Mail.Ru
Яндекс.Метрика
© 2009–2024 Михаил Смирнов
Сайт использует cookie и javascript. Никакая личная информация не собирается
Всего заголовков: 15
По категориям:
• Все заголовки
• abortion (2)
• abortion pill (1)
• Blogs (1)
• Buckingham Palace (1)
• Business (1)
• Campaign (1)
• CBS News (1)
• cease-fire (1)
• Climate change (1)
• Court Battles (2)
• Defense (1)
• Easter (1)
• Energy & Environment (5)
• Equilibrium & Sustainability (1)
• global warming (1)
• Health Care (2)
• House (2)
• In The Know (1)
• intellectual property (1)
• International (6)
• Israel-Hamas war (1)
• King Charles III (2)
• lego (1)
• mifepristone (1)
• National Security (1)
• News (4)
• Patriot missile defense system (1)
• Policy (15)
• princess kate (1)
• pro-Palestine protest (1)
• Roe v. Wade (1)
• Royal Family (1)
• russia (1)
• Russia-Ukraine war (2)
• Senate (1)
• Supreme Court (2)
• Technology (1)
• ukraine (1)
• Ukraine aid (1)
• uncommitted (1)
• wine industry (1)
По датам:
• Все заголовки
• 2024-03-28, Чт (8)
• 2024-03-27, Ср (3)
• 2024-03-26, Вт (4)
По авторам:
• Все заголовки
• Alexander Bolton (1)
• Lauren Irwin (2)
• Lauren Sforza (2)
• Miranda Nazzaro (1)
• Mychael Schnell • Mike Lillis (1)
• Nick Robertson (1)
• Sarah Fortinsky (3)
• Sharon Udasin (1)
• Zack Budryk (3)