It shouldn't be anytime soon, flight attendants say. The union, which represents flight attendants at airlines including United, Alaska, Spirit and Frontier, recently began doling out stickers to vaccinated flight attendants. U.S. airlines have required passengers to wear masks for nearly a year and repeatedly asked for a federal mask mandate to help them enforce it on flights. He said the federal mask mandate will likely be extended but can't be extended forever. He asked Dr. Leonard Marcus, director of the Aviation Public Health Initiative at the Harvard T.H.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin began his first full day in state prison Wednesday after he was found guilty of murdering George Floyd in a landmark trial. THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU." He also pushed for the Senate's passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The House passed the the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act – named in Floyd's honor – in March. What happened to the other officers involved in George Floyd's death?

Earth Day, which takes place each year on April 22, is the most widely observed secular holiday across the globe. John Oppermann, executive director of the Earth Day Initiative, said that “with each passing day, the urgency for climate action grows, and we are running out of time. "Most of our Earth Day events will be virtual with the exception of individual and small group cleanups through our 'Great Global Cleanup' program," said Olivia Altman of EarthDay.org, formerly the Earth Day Network. Despite the pandemic, "there's lots of excitement around this Earth Day," Rogers told USA TODAY. The global show begins at noon EDT on Thursday and will run parallel to the Biden administration’s global climate summit, also set for Earth Day.

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans unveiled a $568 billion infrastructure plan Thursday limited to roads, bridges, broadband and other physical infrastructure, countering President Biden's American Jobs Plan with a framework around one-quarter the size of his sweeping $2.25 trillion package. Republicans proposed $299 billion for upgrades to roads and bridges, vastly more than the $115 billion proposed in Biden's plan, and $44 billion on airport renovations, more than the $25 billion outlined in Biden's plan. Republicans proposed $61 billion for public transit systems and $20 billion for rail, compared to Biden's proposal for $85 billion for transit and $80 billion for Amtrak improvements and expansion. Republicans want $65 billion for broadband infrastructure, significantly less than the $100 billion proposed by Biden. Ten Republicans met with Biden in the White House during talks on the rescue plan after they proposed a trimmed down $618 billion package.

But the Washington, D.C. The 2020 passage in the House marked the first time a D.C. statehood bill passed in either chamber of Congress. More:What would statehood for Washington, DC mean — and could it finally happen? Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaking from the Senate floor Thursday, said arguments against Washington statehood are rooted in bigotry. “The debate over D.C. statehood has taken a rather dark turn," he said.

That's good news as evidence builds that COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated people are rare. ?Arkansas on Thursday marked 1 million coronavirus vaccine shots administered in the state so far, though the governor acknowledged more needs to be done to increase demand. Nearly 278 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. and almost 216 million have been administered, according to the CDC. “No working American should lose a single dollar from their paycheck because they chose to fulfill their patriotic duty and getting vaccinated,’’ Biden said. 77 inmates at Iowa prison given incorrect overdoses of Pfizer vaccineStaff from the Iowa Department of Corrections incorrectly gave 77 inmates overdoses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the department confirmed.

WASHINGTON – The Senate passed with overwhelming bipartisan support a hate crimes bill to address a drastic increase in violence and discrimination directed at Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act cleared the chamber in a 94-1 vote Thursday. It would expedite the Justice Department's review of hate crimes andwould designate an official at the department to oversee the effort. Republicans had raised concerns that the first text was too narrow in defining the types of hate crimes. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., would establish grants to aid local and state governments to encourage more training on hate crimes for law enforcement, establish hate crime hotlines and allow for a "rehabilitation" effort for perpetrators of hate crimes.

Here are some reasons why:A one-dose vaccine: The FDA authorized the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Feb. 27. Unlike the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose and can be stored at the temperature of a normal refrigerator for up to three months. The pause may briefly slow the pace of vaccine administration, but the U.S. is still on track to meet Biden's goals. Increased supply: Pfizer and Moderna are delivering 100 million doses a month earlier than expected, in May instead of June. At the current pace of vaccine administration, it will take a couple more months to reach that range.

A vaccine developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson company, was authorized in late February. More: How mRNA vaccines workThe Johnson & Johnson vaccine takes the more traditional approach. Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax are all US-based companies. All the vaccines except the one from Johnson & Johnson require two shots to train the immune system well enough to fight the coronavirus. In its large-scale trial, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was shown to prevent 95% of symptomatic COVID-19, just 1 percentage point more than Moderna's.

But how does someone, especially someone who's white, start (or continue) a conversation with family and friends about racism and privilege? Do your research:Before jumping into discussions about racism and privilege, it's important to educate yourself on these topics. Arnold clarifies that this approach doesn't pardon anyone who's been out of line, citing Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper, a recent example of a white person unnecessarily calling the police on a Black person. ), and ask, "How hard would it be for a white person to try and get ahead?" Going beyond the conversation:100 ways you can take action against racism right nowLooking for books about racism?

Stop AAPI Hate, a group that tracks acts of discrimination and xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, found nearly 3,800 incidents of hate, discrimination or attacks on Asian Americans from March 2020 through February 2021. "Just now, we're starting to see more Asian Americans in TV shows, in movies, but on a very peripheral basis," she said. Ask the targeted person to leave with you if whatever is going on escalates. Ask the targeted person to leave with you if whatever is going on escalates. Find out how the targeted person is feeling and help them determine what to do next.

Forty-two percent of small businesses surveyed in March said they had job openings they couldn't fill, a record high, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. Before the pandemic, companies sometimes plucked job candidates from competitors, either on their own or through agencies. But McCoy estimates about half of all professional job openings were filled by job seekers responding to ads or sending out cold applications. Also, restaurant and retail positions are coming back as states ease business restrictions, adding to the swell of job openings. The upshot: Businesses are scrambling to fill an abundance of similar job openings from a limited pool of candidates.

Krispy Kreme is providing a sweet incentive to encourage more people to roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine: Free doughnuts through the end of 2021. The freebie is valid at all 369 Krispy Kreme shops located in 41 states and available “anytime, any day, every day for the rest of the year,” Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme chief marketing officer, told USA TODAY. Krispy Kreme is also offering up to four hours of paid time off for each COVID-19 vaccination for its employees. :Comedian believes his box of General Mills cereal contained shrimp tailsWhile many companies are giving employees motivation, Krispy Kreme appears to be the first national chain to provide consumers with a treat. Krispy Kreme wants people to have a chance to take advantage of it – after all, not everyone is eligible for a vaccine yet.

The Associated PressWASHINGTON – The Justice Department is taking new aim at ransomware after a year that officials say was the costliest on record for the crippling cyberattacks. Ransomware attacks have impeded hospital operations, led to the temporary closure of school classes and caused other chaos. The Justice Department has brought indictments related to ransomware attacks, including a 2018 case against two Iranian nationals whose many victims included the cities of Atlanta and Newark, New Jersey, and resulted in losses of $30 million. The task force will include representatives from the Justice Department's criminal and national security divisions, among others. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the creation of the task force.

My virtual doppelgänger is ready to embark on digital adventures, be inserted into a video game, a movie, or virtual reality. Since then, Epic Games raised an additional $1 billion in funding including $200 million from Sony. The virtual reality platform High Fidelity also lets you invite up to 20 people for free and mingle around the environment. High FidelityAnother stop: High Fidelity, a new virtual reality platform co-founded by Second Life founder Philip Rosedale in 2013. Show caption Hide caption Within the Sensorium Galaxy virtual world is Prism, a space which is devoted to music.

Facebook is rolling out “I got my COVID-19 vaccine” profile frames. You can add them to your Facebook profile starting Thursday. “Research shows that social norms can have a major impact on people’s attitudes and behaviors when it comes to their health,” Facebook said in a blog post. Facebook said it has removed millions of pieces of misinformation and labeled more than 167 million pieces of content about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook and Instagram. Here’s how to add a COVID-19 vaccine frame to your profile:

To report corrections & clarifications, contact:Phone , 1-800-872-7073, 1-800-872-7073 Email, accuracy@usatoday.comPlease indicate whether you're responding to content online or in the newspaper. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/04/15/fedex-shooting-indianapolis-international-airport-police/7249620002/Sports: A previous version of this story mischaracterized new revenue generated since Deion Sanders arrived at Jackson State. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2021/04/17/deion-sanders-star-power-paying-off-jackson-state-football/7266362002/Social media: An earlier version of this social card contained an error based on information provided by the Indianapolis police. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2021/04/15/adam-toledo-video-derek-chauvin-russian-sanctions-kim-potter-court-its-thursdays-news/7237902002/News: An earlier version of this story misreported the placement of Derek Chauvin's hands as he kneeled on George Floyd. https://www.facebook.com/usatodayMore:Corrections & Clarifications 2016More:Corrections & Clarifications 2017More:Corrections & Clarifications 2018More:Corrections & Clarifications 2019More:Corrections & Clarifications 2020

The United States pledged to cut emissions in half from 2005 levels by the end of the decade, a plan that would lead to big changes. At an Earth Day summit, President Biden declared America “has resolved to take action” on climate change. Here’s how the U.S. plan stacks up globally. Canada and Japan also made new commitments to cut emissions. China — currently the world’s biggest greenhouse gas polluter — promised to strictly limit coal consumption and renewed its pledge to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2060.

Stocks tumbled Thursday on a report that President Biden is mulling a plan to nearly double what wealthy people pay on their investment gains. The S&P 500 index ended the day down 0.9 to 4,134.98, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 0.9 percent to 13,818.41. The current top capital gains rate is 20 percent. “Biden’s proposal effectively doubles the capital gains tax rate on $1 million income earners,” Jack Ablin, Cresset Capital Management’s founding partner and CIO told CNBC. Thursday’s capital gains news comes as investors waded through another batch of positive earnings reports.

For the past 30 years, the global approach to climate policy has been making grand promises and later mostly failing to live up to them. At his World Leaders Climate Summit, President Biden promised to cut about twice as much carbon as what Obama promised, which was hailed as decisive and bold climate action. The President’s own price sticker is $2 trillion on climate policy over his first term. These countries matter, because they will make up three-quarters of this century’s emissions, and they cannot spare trillions for climate policy. To Biden’s credit, this is one of his many climate promises, but it needs to be front and center of a successful climate agenda.

A moment of peril, but also a moment of extraordinary possibilities,” President Biden said at the start. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementThroughout the morning, other world leaders announced their own new promises. Like Biden and other leaders, he spoke of tackling climate change not just as an environmental necessity but as an unprecedented economic opportunity. This week, though, part of the answer seemed to rely on big corporations, which world political leaders tried to rally to the climate cause. “President Biden is unilaterally committing America to a drastic and damaging emissions pledge,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday hit President Biden and Democrats for the escalating crisis at the southern border, while touting the Trump administration’s reduction of illegal immigration -- saying Biden inherited "the most secure southern border in American history." "And yet, in just three short months, the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress have unleashed the worst border crisis in the history of our country." The Biden administration has called the situation a "challenge" and has focused on "root causes" in Central America, while blaming the Trump administration for ending asylum pathways. The op-ed marks a relatively rare intervention by the former vice president. Former President Donald Trump has been vocal in his criticism of Biden’s border policies and has regularly released statements criticized the 46th president.

Mark Kantrowitz higher education expertDemocrats are pushing a number of legislative priorities this year, from infrastructure to climate change to voting rights. "They've got the infrastructure bill, they have student loan forgiveness bill, they have this bill," he says. Many Democratic lawmakers are continuing to push Biden for more aggressive action on student loan debt. Betsy Mayotte president, The Institute of Student Loan AdvisorsIt's likely that Biden will "stick to his proposal" of eliminating $10,000 of student debt, Kantrowitz says. Scaling back on student loan forgiveness, he says, might allow lawmakers more room to reduce the cost of higher education.

The IRS is expected to start sending out advance payments of the enhanced Child Tax Credit to parents in July. To calculate your advance payments for the Child Tax Credit, the IRS will look at your 2020 income tax returns. The maximum Child Tax Credit amounts to $3,600 per child under the age of 6, and $3,000 per child ages 6 to 17. Waiting to receive the Child Tax Credit could help you avoid a surprise tax billOne of the reasons you might want to wait to claim your Child Tax Credit until next spring is because your tax situation has changed or could change this year. How to opt out of Child Tax Credit advance payments

‘Kudlow’ host Larry Kudlow slammed Biden's climate change and tax policies Thursday, saying if the administration raises the capital gains tax, there will be less investment, productivity, wages, family income, and growth. LARRY KUDLOW: I’m all for the earth, but I am not for these climate change policies that are coming out. We also learned that President Biden intends to double the capital gains tax, essentially taking it up from 20% to 40%. So, that taxes investment income as ordinary income. It means lower productivity, lower real wages, lower family income, lower GDP.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is calling for answers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after reports that hundreds of migrants are being housed in hotels in states like Arizona. "I am appalled that illegal aliens are being housed in American hotels. Illegal aliens should be held in [ICE] detention facilities, not hotels," Biggs said in a letter to ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson. Biggs blamed Democrats in Congress for the situation at the border, which has seen migrant families released into the interior and packed migrant facilities amid a dramatic spike in numbers. He also asks if they are being COVID-tested, if they are being released, and how long they are staying in the hotels.

As 200 million Americans have received at least one coronavirus vaccine, press secretary Jen Psaki punted a question on whether the White House would extend its call for Americans to mask up beyond 100 days. "Is President Biden going to extend his call for Americans to wear masks beyond 100 days?" BIDEN'S GOAL OF 200M COVID-19 VACCINES ADMINISTERED TO BE REACHED THURSDAYPresident Biden when he first assumed office instituted a 100-day mask challenge to contain the spread of coronavirus. Biden should "light a torch to it and burn his mask and say, ‘I’ve had the vaccine. It also said that vaccinated people can travel safely within the country but should still wear a mask and social distance.

Several watchdog and activist groups are pressuring President Joe Biden to publicly release ethics agreements signed by political appointees in his administration who are not subject to Senate confirmation. In a letter sent to Biden on Thursday that was shared exclusively with CNBC, over a dozen organizations demanded that the administration publicize the agreements made by his political advisors and others. The groups sent the letter a day after CNBC reported that Jeff Ricchetti, the brother of Biden White House counselor Steve Ricchetti, has lobbied the White House on behalf of health-care companies this year. These political appointees are not required to publicly disclose their ethics agreements, which could include notices of recusal from certain policy matters that may involve prior clients or business dealings. "You have the means to address this lack of transparency right away by requiring that every employee of the White House, in addition to other senior-level political appointees throughout the executive branch, agree to have their ethics documents made publicly available.

Futures contracts tied to the major U.S. stock indexes ticked higher at the start of the overnight session as investors prepared to end a down week for equities amid concerns the White House could seek a hike to the capital gains tax. Bloomberg News reported that Biden is planning a capital gains tax hike to as high as 43.4% for wealthy Americans. Though the capital gains tax headlines appeared to weigh on sentiment Thursday afternoon, selling was tempered by the tough battle such a proposal would face in a split Senate. Week to date, the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq are down 1.2%, 1.1% and 1.6%, respectively. Both chipmaker Intel and social media platform Snap reported earnings for the first calendar quarter Thursday after the closing bell.

Scott, a rising star within his party, will give his response on Wednesday after Biden makes his first speech to Congress since becoming president on Jan. 20. The White House has said the Democratic president will talk about the importance of putting policing reform measures in place. The South Carolina lawmaker introduced a policing bill last summer during worldwide protests sparked by Floyd's death. His bill failed in the Senate after Democrats said it relied too much on incentives rather than mandating changes. Scott is one of three Black U.S. senators, along with Cory Booker of New Jersey and Raphael Warnock of Georgia.

At least one key Republican senator, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, has expressed openness to working with Biden on a gun bill. While gun control is now unlikely to lose existing supporters, it is also unlikely to win many new ones. Law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels need to prepare better than they have in the past for non-violent enforcement. But the increased magnitude of those very risks are exactly why we need to recast gun control as a national security challenge. If the president wants to follow through on his desire to rebuild American democracy, a push to curb gun violence offers an invaluable opportunity and a potentially persuasive argument.

Asylum-seekers turned away at the United States’ southern border over the last four months have reported nearly 500 cases of attacks or kidnappings in Mexico, according to a new joint report from three human rights and immigration organizations. Human Rights First, Al Otro Lado and Haitian Bridge Alliance documented 492 reports of violent attacks since Biden took office, including rape, kidnapping and assault. The Biden administration has been criticized for continuing the use of Title 42. Since March 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has expelled more than 642,700 people under the order, including over 100,000 people in March 2021 alone. Earlier this month, a 10-year-old Nicaraguan boy and his mother were kidnapped just hours after they were refused entry and sent to Mexico under Title 42.

Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) reacts to the Senate passing the anti-Asian hate crimes bill and discusses why he has hope for more progress under the Biden administration

FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2021, file photo, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., departs Capitol Hill in Washington. Scott will deliver Republicans’ rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool via AP, File)FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2021, file photo, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., departs Capitol Hill in Washington. Scott will deliver Republicans’ rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool via AP, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina will deliver Republicans’ rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress next week.

A delay in census data is scrambling plans in some states to redraw districts for the U.S. House and state legislatures. A delay in census data is scrambling plans in some states to redraw districts for the U.S. House and state legislatures. In response to Biden’s order in January, the Census Bureau discontinued efforts to create citizenship tabulations at the city-block level using 2020 census data in combination with administrative records. The Census Bureau missed a Dec. 31 deadline for turning in the apportionment numbers, and it kept pushing back the dates for releasing the numbers after not-unexpected irregularities were found in the data. As government attorneys negotiated toward a settlement with the coalition, the Census Bureau agreed to release the apportionment numbers sometime between mid-April and the end of the month.

The governors of North Dakota and Kansas vetoed similar measures this week. The governors of North Dakota and Kansas vetoed similar measures this week. (AP) — The Montana Legislature voted Thursday to advance a bill that would ban transgender athletes from participating in school and university sports according to the gender with which they identify. The governors of North Dakota and Kansas vetoed similar measures this week. Doug Burgum vetoed similar legislation Wednesday, saying that fairness in girls’ sports is not in danger.

XWhile the negative reversal is never good to see, the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq didn't suffer too much damage from the Biden capital gains tax hike plan. Stock Market Rally ThursdayThe stock market rally was enjoying solid gains when the Biden capital gains tax hike news came out. The Biden capital gains tax hike plan wouldn't affect holdings in pension funds, retirement accounts and anyone who isn't a millionaire. In the near term, a sharp capital gains tax hike could spur heavy selling by wealth holders of long-term holdings. Market Rally AnalysisThe Biden capital gains tax hike plan rained on what was looking to be a solid session.

There are likely weeks and months of thorny negotiations still ahead for the U.S., Iran and other parties, but a revival of the 2015 nuclear deal — and the easing of sanctions — could see Tehran ramp up oil production very quickly. “Once Iran returns to nuclear compliance — assumed to be two months after a return to the deal is agreed — it will try to export as much oil as it can as fast as it can. Rome estimated new exports would likely top out at around 2.2 million to 2.4 million barrels a day. Total exports, including sales out of the country’s significant volumes of floating storage, could run as high as 2.7 million barrels a day over the next year, he said. “Outside OPEC, a full return of Iranian oil to markets will make it more difficult for producers to attract investment into maintaining and expanding production.”

Biden will propose raising the marginal income tax rate to 39.6% from 37% and nearly double capital gains taxes to 39.6% for people earning more than $1 million, sources told Reuters. During the session, the S&P 500 healthcare sector hit a fresh record high while industrials were the biggest gainers. All 11 S&P 500 sectors closed lower as Microsoft, Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Tesla Inc weighted the most on the downdraft. Biogen shares fell 4.0%. The S&P 500 posted 84 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 86 new highs and 20 new lows.

Navalny has also been on a weekslong hunger strike to protest the government’s refusal to let outside doctors treat him in prison. The nationwide demonstrations united disparate opposition groups into one movement that is challenging President Vladimir Putin’s 20-year rule. If Navalny dies, it will even further energize the opposition against Putin. He jailed opposition leaders and barred rival candidates from running. In addition to employing targeted and national sanctions, democratic countries have other ways to reproach states that violate international law.

Wesley Hitt/Getty; Noam Galai/Getty George W. Bush (left), Condoleezza RiceDays after George W. Bush called Trump-era Republicans "isolationist" and "protectionist" and not "my vision" of the party, the former president walked back some of that criticism in an interview with PEOPLE for next week's issue. • For more on George W. Bush's new project and his life now, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up next week's issue. The portraits are also on view in an exhibition at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. And he's a contributing member of our society, he's engineer and he's smart and he's capable." RELATED: George W. Bush Admits He's Thought About Commenting on His Successors as He Presides Over Citizenship CeremonyDuring his presidency, Bush unsuccessfully pushed Congress to pass major immigration reforms.

(AFP via Getty Images)John Kerry denounced former President Donald Trump for withdrawing the US from the landmark Paris treaty, which the former Secretary of State signed in 2015. “The younger generation is today appropriately pretty upset at the adults, the alleged adults, who are not getting their act together” to address the climate crisis, he said. Mr Biden announced the US’s non-binding emissions target as part of a two-day White House climate summit with world leaders. “No politician in the future is going to undo this, because all over the world, trillions of dollars, trillions of yen, trillions of euros are going to be heading into this new marketplace,” he said. Story continues“The world as a whole is moving in this direction, because these companies have made this critical long term strategic marketing judgment,” he said.

The former secretary of state then lamented Donald Trump’s decision to exit the Paris accord, which Kerry himself had signed. President Biden signed an executive action to rejoin the agreement on his first day in office. It was, as Kerry noted, the first in a series of steps the administration is taking to try to repair global alliances and slow climate change. On Thursday, Biden hosted an international climate summit with world leaders at which he pledged to cut U.S. carbon emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030 over 2005 levels. President Biden and climate envoy John Kerry taking part Thursday in the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate.

The announcement comes after President Joe Biden reversed predecessor Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement. What is the Paris Agreement? The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. And scientists say the rollout of the agreement must be stepped up to have any chance of curbing dangerous climate change. Under President Biden, the US has rejoined the Paris AgreementBut President Biden pledged to return the US to the Paris Agreement and make the fight against climate change a top priority of his administration.

Stocks are falling after Bloomberg reported President Biden will propose a capital gains tax as high as 43.4% for the wealthy. JARED BLIKRE: That's right. So for New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be high as 52%. Now we already saw a lot of these stocks in the red, not necessarily before this move having anything to do with it. We've been seeing some of the more defensive sectors like staples and also healthcare and utilities and real estate.

Stocks erased earlier gains to trade sharply lower after Bloomberg reported Thursday afternoon that President Joe Biden would propose increasing the capital gains tax rate on wealthy individuals. Biden's plan would involve increasing the capital gains tax rate on the wealthy to 39.6%, according to the report from Bloomberg citing people familiar with the matter. The current base capital gains tax rate is 20%. ET: Stocks end a volatile session lower after Biden reportedly seeks capital gains tax increase on the wealthy; Dow drops 322 points, or 0.9%Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:04 p.m. ET Wednesday: Stock futures edge lowerHere's where markets were trading as the overnight session began.

Andrea Albury, left, and daughter Ella Albury, 15, take a selfie outside the Supreme Court on Jan. 29 during the antiabortion March for Life. "What's happening this year is a continuation" of the flurry of strict abortion bills in 2019, said Kristin Ford, national communications director for NARAL Pro-Choice America. "I don't read minds and I don't place bets on Supreme Court cases," said Katie Glenn, government affairs counsel at Americans United for Life. Arizona's Barto is among the state lawmakers who have introduced legislation to chip away at abortion access. The decision conflicts with decisions in other federal districts, teeing up an opportunity for the Supreme Court to weigh in.

President Biden is expected to announce a proposal to nearly double the capital gains tax rate in order to help fund a forthcoming spending package, according to multiple reports. The proposal would set the capital gains tax rate for individuals earning over $1 million at 39.6 percent, two people familiar with the plan told Bloomberg. When combined with an existing federal surtax on investment income, investors could pay federal taxes at a rate of as high as 43.4 percent. New Yorkers making over $1 million would see combined federal and state capital gains tax rates of as high as 52.22 percent, while California residents in the same income bracket could see a 56.7 percent combined federal and state capital gains rate. Stocks fell sharply following news of the potential tax increase on Thursday, with the Dow Jones dropping 400 points.

Intel Corp. ’s new chief executive said a global chip-supply shortage could stretch two more years as the U.S. semiconductor giant posted weaker quarterly earnings. Excluding the pending sale of its memory business and other items, Intel said revenue was $18.6 billion and net income was $5.7 billion. Nvidia Corp. —which last year overtook Intel as American’s most valuable chip company—and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. have taken market share. Nvidia this month also said it would start selling central-processing units for data-centers, a market Intel has long dominated. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESSMr. Gelsinger has said Intel is planning additional chip investments.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is withdrawing a Trump-era policy that would have allowed taxpayer-funded homeless shelters to deny access to transgender people. “Access to safe, stable housing — and shelter — is a basic necessity,” said new HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge. “Unfortunately, transgender and gender-nonconforming people report more instances of housing instability and homelessness than cisgender people. But under Trump and his housing secretary, Ben Carson, HUD proposed a modification to the rule that would have allowed single-sex homeless shelters to deny transgender people access. “Housing saves lives, especially for the trans community who face disproportionate rates of violence and homelessness.

Biden could announce a proposal on the capital gains tax next week, Bloomberg reported, with the goal of using the tax to fund part of his infrastructure program. But that gives only a hint of why the wealthy love the capital gains tax. As it was described by the late Edward Kleinbard, who reigned for years as the resident tax expert at USC, the capital gains tax is our only truly “voluntary” tax. These figures explain much of the politicking that has gone on over the capital gains tax and other taxes enjoyed mostly by the wealthy. Whether Biden will follow through on what appears to be a strategically leaked policy draft and raise the capital gains tax is anybody’s bet.

A report that President Biden will propose a hefty tax increase on the gains wealthy individuals reap from investments triggered a stock market sell-off Thursday afternoon that left indexes broadly lower. A separate surtax on investment income could boost the overall federal tax rate for wealthy investors as high as 43.3%, the report said, citing unnamed people familiar with the proposal. The selling was widespread, with every sector in the S&P 500 closing lower. AdvertisementThe S&P 500 lost 38.44 points to 4,134.98. The S&P 500, which set a record high Friday, started the week with a two-day slide before closing higher Wednesday.

The crime heightened the pressure on Congress to respond to the rise in attacks against the Asian American community. “This Congress, with Democrats controlling the House, the Senate, and the White House, D.C. statehood is within reach for the first time in history,” she said. But the political odds remain formidable, with the Senate filibuster requiring the support of 60 senators to advance legislation. Not even all Senate Democrats have backed the bill as the clock ticks toward the 2022 midterm election. That plan focused largely on physical infrastructure spending, like repairing bridges and water pipes and building electric vehicle charging stations, and was funded by tax increases on corporations.

The huge buildup on the Ukrainian border was in place while he spoke. AdvertisementA Russian ban on civilian air traffic near the Ukrainian border until Saturday also remained in effect Thursday. The tensions have been elevated since 2014, when Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. In Ukraine, many had feared that the buildup — which officials in Kyiv said included some 110,000 Russian troops — could be the prelude to a Russian annexation of separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine or an outright invasion. But Ukrainian officials said they continued to be prepared for an escalation of the conflict.

Health care giant Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $11.5 million to settle claims going back 15 years that it illegally discriminated against thousands of Black employees — half of them in the Bay Area — by denying them equal pay and promotions. The 111-page settlement, which requires court approval, would resolve a class-action lawsuit claiming Kaiser’s alleged bias affected 2,225 Black workers in administrative support and consulting services in California. The deal announced Thursday by the plaintiffs’ law firm noted that Oakland-based Kaiser, a non-profit consortium with about 217,000 employees, denies wrongdoing. A White, female executive demoted Stewart while promoting an executive assistant to senior manager, the suit alleged. If the expert finds Black workers are underpaid, Kaiser would adjust compensation and pay back employees accordingly.

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act cleared the chamber in a 94-1 vote Thursday. It would expedite the Justice Department's review of hate crimes and would designate an official at DOJ to oversee the effort. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., would establish grants to aid local and state governments to encourage more training on hate crimes for law enforcement, establish hate crime hotlines and allow for a "rehabilitation" effort for perpetrators of hate crimes. For more than a year, reports of hate incidents against Asian Americans have climbed. Stop AAPI Hate, an advocacy group tracking hate incidents, said it had received nearly 3,800 reports of hate incidents across the country since March 2020, compared with roughly 100 incidents annually in previous years.

A new indoor COVID-19 vaccination site launched at Scottsdale's WestWorld exhibition center Thursday morning, getting Arizonans out of the summer heat as the widespread rollout continues. The Arizona Department of Health Services, Cigna and Scottsdale are among those partnering to operate the site. Location draws criticismArizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ said Thursday also marked the milestone of 2 million fully vaccinated Arizonans. "The vaccines are safe, they're effective, they're available and they're free, so we would recommend that all Arizonans go get vaccinated as soon as possible," she said. Doug Ducey said it was an ideal location given "freeway access, proximity to tribal communities, and extensive indoor facilities."

A separate surtax on investment income could boost the overall federal tax rate for wealthy investors as high as 43.3%, the report said, citing unnamed people familiar with the proposal. The S&P 500 fell 0.9%, wiping out an early gain. The selling was widespread, with every sector in the S&P 500 closing lower. The S&P 500, which set a record high on Friday, started the week with a two-day slide before closing higher Wednesday. Washington aside, investors are focusing on earnings as the bulk of companies in the S&P 500 spend the next few weeks reporting their financial results.

The GOP’s slimmer infrastructure plan received a positive reception from the White House, with press secretary Jen Psaki characterizing it as a legitimate starting point for negotiations. Republican lawmakers have been quick to criticize the infrastructure proposal from Biden. The senators delivered their blueprint to the White House about 30 minutes prior to holding a press conference on it. “Any infrastructure proposal has to be green and cannot be paid for on the backs of working people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said. White House officials declined to confirm the precise numbers, but they emphasized that taxes would not increase for anyone making under $400,000.

The entire world faces “a moment of peril” but also “a moment of opportunity,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style chrome-blue set for the virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The cost of inaction keeps mounting.”Biden’s new U.S. commitment, timed to the summit, would cut America’s fossil fuel emissions as much as 52% by 2030. But the summit also marshaled an impressive display of the world’s most powerful leaders speaking on the single issue of climate change. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some not.

More than 5,500 homes in Babylon, Brookhaven and Islip Towns would be connected to sewers after escalating costs jeopardized the future of the Carlls River and Forge River sewer projects, said deputy Suffolk County Executive and water czar Peter Scully. Those projects were expected to cost $388 million, and the county had secured that funding largely through federal grants, Scully said. But estimates rose to an expected $405 million after the county received bid proposals, which threatened the projects' future, he said. The county is expected to fill the funding gap after Congress passed the $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan, which allocated $283 million in federal funding to Suffolk, officials said. County officials said they are lobbying for more federal funding to complete planned sewer projects in Patchogue and Oakdale.

Spain’s National Court investigated Ghali in 2008 and then again in 2016 for possible genocide and other crimes as a result of allegations brought against him by a dissident Sahrawi group. But that probe was closed and Spain has no pending cases against Ghali, a police spokesman who was not authorized to be quoted by name told The Associated Press. In one of Ghali’s last public appearances, at the end of February, he visited a refugee camp in the southwest of Algeria that is home to Polisario fighters and Sahrawis to mark the 45th anniversary of the declaration of the Sahrawi republic. In a speech, Ghali called on the new U.S. administration of Joe Biden to find an “urgent democratic solution to the Moroccan-Saharan conflict” to allow people from the Western Sahara “to enjoy their inalienable right of freedom and independence.”Former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration announced last year that it would open a consulate in Western Sahara following the decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the region. The disputed territory was central to a deal announced by Trump before leaving office to establish diplomatic ties between Morocco and Israel.

WASHINGTON – The Senate passed with overwhelming bipartisan support a hate crimes bill to address a drastic increase in violence and discrimination directed at Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act cleared the chamber in a 94-1 vote Thursday. It would expedite the Justice Department's review of hate crimes and would designate an official at the Justice Department to oversee the effort. Republicans had raised concerns that the first text was too narrow in defining the types of hate crimes. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., would establish grants to aid local and state governments to encourage more training on hate crimes for law enforcement, establish hate crime hotlines and allow for a "rehabilitation" effort for perpetrators of hate crimes.

President Joe Biden's ambitious plan to slash greenhouse emissions by 50 to 52 percent over the next decade could prompt sweeping changes that could affect how Americans eat, drive and heat their homes. Biden announced the goal to cut emissions by 2030, compared with 2005 levels, at the start of a two-day climate summit on Thursday. But he is yet to release any firm details on exactly how such a plan will affect the daily lives of ordinary Americans. Taxpayers could fork out trillions of dollarsIndustry leaders say Biden's climate plan, while there are no cost specifics yet, could end up costing American taxpayers trillions of dollars. David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, told DailyMail.com that Biden's plan is just a 'multi-trillion dollar corporate welfare giveaway'.

One of the perks of driving an electric vehicle is never needing to go to the gas station. But public charging infrastructure will provide a key role for people without off-street parking and for longer trips. The DOT also issued a new report clarifying how its programs can be used for EV charging infrastructure. on three EV charging related topics: DOE and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) also announced a national EV charging technical blueprint including fast charging and grid interaction. Installing EV charging infrastructure at federal facilities is a key component of the transition to a zero-emission fleet.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Thursday that transgender people would be protected from discrimination at federally funded homeless shelters. HUD will reaffirm the Equal Access Rule and require that transgender and gender-nonconforming people be housed in shelters in accordance with their gender identity. “Unfortunately, transgender and gender non-conforming people report more instances of housing instability and homelessness than cis-gender people. Under the rule, shelters also would have been able to choose to only house trans people based on their assigned sex at birth as opposed to their gender identity. “Today’s announcement by Secretary Fudge is an important step in ensuring access to safe, affirming housing for transgender people.

With results in from 110 of the S&P 500 companies as of Thursday, 85.5 percent have beaten analysts’ estimates for earnings per share, according to Refinitiv’s data. While it’s still early in the earnings period, a record percentage of first-quarter profit reports from major United States companies are coming in above analysts’ expectations. With results in from 110 of the S&P 500 companies as of Thursday, 85.5 percent have beaten analysts’ estimates for earnings per share, according to Refinitiv’s data. An average of 78 percent of companies have beaten earnings estimates in the past four quarters. To be sure, the S&P 500 is up less than 1 percent since mid-April when the earnings period kicked into high gear.

However, as the global Climate Leaders Summit progressed today, it became apparent that those talks are likely stalemated, with no deal announced, nor likely anytime soon. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has made it clear that Amazon conservation is dependent on a big financial investment by the United States. However, Amazon deforestation continued soaring through March, even as critics offered substantial proof Brazil is insincere in its environmental commitments. He told Mongabay: “By recalculating its baseline emissions, Brazil has managed to give itself a free pass to dramatically increase emissions. However, according to the Bolsonaro government, Amazon deforestation concerns are all in the past — another sleight of hand.

In the past five years, DFC and its predecessor, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, approved almost $4 billion for overseas fossil fuel projects. In addition, EXIM has approved over $5 billion for fossil fuel projects abroad in just the last two years. Conspicuously missing is any commitment to curb fossil fuel financing by the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM), which is the U.S. export credit agency and the largest source of U.S. Government financing for fossil fuel projects abroad. This failure stands in stark contrast to the United Kingdom’s ending of its support for overseas fossil fuel projects as of March 31, 2021. These institutions finance billions in fossil fuel projects a year, and importantly, also influence policy changes in client countries that enable fossil fuel expansion and dependency.

WASHINGTON - Today, many in the US will shift their focus to climate change and the myriad ways people can work to stop it. Frontline communities will continue organizing trans-locally to fight the bad and build the new in their own neighborhoods, cities and states. One key objective of this summit and COP26 for the Biden Administration is “to catalyze efforts that keep that 1.5-degree goal within reach. Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) welcomes US commitments to pay their fair share and invest in a Green Climate Fund. However, the focus on promoting market-based approaches and unproven techno-fixes will only further harm Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities here and in the Global South.

Commitments from the Biden administration, including reports of a 50% reduction of emissions at 2005 levels by 2030, fall short of the United States’s fair share of global climate action. There can be no meaningful climate action if we don’t keep all fossil fuels in the ground. The climate clock, which has been on display in New York, Union Square is a reminder of the urgent need to take immediate climate action at scale. “There can be no meaningful climate action if world leaders don’t make a decisive move to keep all fossil fuels in the ground. The Biden Summit is a critical meeting of world leaders ahead of COP26 this November.

There is no reason that money earned through wealth and investments should be taxed at a lower rate than the money that people earn from work. Biden has the right idea—our tax code should value work over wealth. Millionaires like me who sit around and live off of our investments should not pay a lower tax rate than Americans who work for a living. Take it from a millionaire investor—investors don’t need any extra incentive to invest. What else are we going to do with our money, put it in a mattress?

WASHINGTON - The following is a statement from Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, on the reintroduction of H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act:“The Lower Drug Costs Now Act is an important first step towards taking on Big Pharma’s greed and lowering drug prices for everyone in America. Furthermore, he should reinvest the savings into Medicare by lowering the eligibility age and adding vision, hearing, and dental benefits. Not only is lowering drug prices a moral necessity, it’s also a political no-brainer. Democratic, Republican, and independent voters all overwhelmingly support bold action to lower drug prices.

WASHINGTON - As part of its International Climate Finance Plan announced during today’s Leaders Summit on Climate, the Biden Administration committed to "end international investments in and support for carbon-intensive fossil fuel-based energy projects" at multilateral and bilateral finance agencies such as the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and U.S. Export-Import Bank. While welcome, the announcement fell short of other recent commitments by other institutions and countries. In response to the announcement, Collin Rees, Senior Campaigner at Oil Change International made the following statement:SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Nonprofit. "Today’s announcement by President Biden on international finance for fossil fuels is a welcome step, but the lack of firm commitments falls short of what’s needed. "We urge the Biden administration to add a clear commitment to an immediate phase-out, with no loopholes for gas or any other continued fossil support."

WASHINGTON - Today, world leaders have gathered virtually at a so-called “Leaders Summit on Climate” hosted by the Biden administration. In response, Oil Change International experts provided the following statements:David Turnbull, Strategic Communications Director:“True climate leadership requires a full reckoning with the realities of what’s driving our climate crisis: fossil fuels. “Continued fossil fuel production impacts those on the frontlines of extraction and related infrastructure every day, adding to the historic injustices our extractive economy has perpetuated. Korea announced an end to coal financing, and, though woefully incomplete, the US reiterated it is taking steps towards ending overseas finance for fossil fuels. Distant carbon neutrality pledges and revised NDCs will continue to ring hollow as long as countries fail to address the root of the climate crisis: our continued reliance on fossil fuels.”###

WASHINGTON - Today, President Biden has world governmental leaders attending his virtual Leaders Summit on Climate Change. The world governments invited include 17 countries responsible for about 80% of all global emissions. “Net-zero” emissions sounds like it cuts emissions to zero but it does not. “Net-zero” emissions pretend to “remove” pollution with false solutions to climate change to justify polluting more. However, these techno-fixes are expensive, unproven, unjust and do not address the root causes of climate change nor support environmental justice.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington on Thursday reiterated its call for the ouster of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the Republican megadonor accused of attempting to sabotage the U.S. Today, Biden’s nominees to the USPS Board of Governors will testify before a Senate committee. "If you want to save the USPS," it added, "you have to fire Louis DeJoy." Under "Delivering for America"—denounced by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) as a "pathetic 10-year plan to weaken USPS," DeJoy would raise prices, cut administrative costs, and slow down deliveries. "To that end, an additional question we'd appreciate you clearing up for us tomorrow: will you move to fire Postmaster General DeJoy for his arson, and if not, why not?"

Just ahead of the gathering, President Joe Biden announced new U.S. commitments to meeting the goals set forth in the 2015 Paris climate agreement and said that the nation will now aim to reduce annual carbon output by 52% compared to 2005 levels. "Our clean energy plan will create millions of good-paying union jobs, ensure our economic competitiveness, and improve the health and security of communities across America," Biden said in a declaration released ahead of the summit. "By making those investments and putting millions of Americans to work, the United States will be able to cut our greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030." But, without support from our readers, we simply don't exist. Watch the summit live:

President Biden took office promising a new era of American international leadership and diplomacy. Biden's procrastination has only strengthened the influence of the hawkish Washington foreign policy "blob," Republicans and Democratic hawks in Congress and foreign allies like Netanyahu in Israel. Unlike Trump, Biden has been at the heart of American politics and foreign policy since the 1970s. The dangerous disconnect at the heart of Biden's foreign policy is the result of this dichotomy between the neocons' conquest of Washington and their abject failure to conquer the rest of the world. For a president who promised a new era of American diplomacy, this has been a dreadful start.

Bowman's response will be aimed at praising Biden for strides he's made in representing progressives' policy priorities, while also pushing him to go further. "He laid out this agenda to be big and bold, and we're saying, 'Game on.'" @JamaalBowmanNY will offer a bold, progressive vision for how we will deliver jobs and care to the American people and make sure everyone who calls this country home can thrive. It's important for us as progressives to continue to push and continue to organize." Honored to deliver the response to President Biden's address next week with @WorkingFamilies.

"This historic, bipartisan vote... is a powerful message of solidarity to our AAPI community," Hirono said following the measure's passage. This historic, bipartisan vote on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is a powerful message of solidarity to our AAPI community. Hawley is lone senator to vote against anti-Asian hate crime bill https://t.co/P4t81PcUt3 pic.twitter.com/naDL1Dz7aM — The Hill (@thehill) April 22, 2021AAPI advocates, however, welcomed the bill's passage. Advancing Justice-AAJC told Politico the bill would "provide much-needed support for individuals and communities impacted by hate and discrimination." The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights issued a statement applauding the Senate for "recognizing the urgency of this moment and the need to improve hate crimes reporting and invest in communities targeted for hate."

Voting rights advocates urged the U.S. Senate on Thursday to pass legislation establishing statehood for Washington, D.C., after the House's historic vote in favor of the move. The House voted for the second time in history to grant full representation to Washington's 700,000 full-time residents, passing the Washington, D.C. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who has represented D.C. in the House since 1991 but whose position doesn't allow her to vote on final legislation. Republicans forced him to withdraw his words, but the truth remains: Race is a critical factor in the long-term denial of rights for DC residents. #DCfor51” — Jane Seymour Fonda (@Janefonda) April 14, 2021"It's now up to the Senate to do what's right and finally give [D.C. residents] the justice they deserve!"

—Heidi Chow, Global Justice Now"COVAX was never intended to go far enough or fast enough to end the pandemic. "Rich countries need to support an intellectual property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines and force big pharma to share their vaccine blueprints with the world." "Getting the world vaccinated is not about some feel-good gestures, like a few billion dollars for COVAX... "The U.S. government and partners can retrofit facilities to produce eight billion mRNA vaccine doses, enough for half the world's population," said Maybarduk. "It means pulling out all the stops to produce and distribute billions of vaccines as quickly as possible," Baker added.

At 4:00 pm ET, a similar event took place not far away in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where Johnson & Johnson is based. Big pharma monopolies = countries waiting until 2023 for widespread vaccination @Pfizer @Moderna_tx @BioNTech_Group @AstraZeneca @Novavax @JNJNews must #JoinCTAP + share vaccines with the world. With momentum for a patent waiver building, the coalition behind the current week of action hopes to shed light on Big Pharma's profiteering and persuade Biden to help end vaccine apartheid. A banner calling for a people's vaccine will be dropped at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, located in Seattle, on Sunday. In the absence of a patent waiver, "millions of people in the Global South will not get access to the vaccine until 2024," tweeted People's Action.

As the world marks Earth Day and U.S. President Joe Biden hosts global leaders at his virtual climate summit, a leading advocacy group on Thursday urged his administration to eschew "market-based approaches and techno-fixes" and instead pursue "real solutions" to the planetary emergency. —Climate Justice AllianceClimate Justice Alliance (CJA), a collective of over 70 community-based climate justice groups, commended Biden for reengaging with the international effort to combat the climate crisis following four years of denial and inaction by the Trump administration. Other climate campaigners also used Earth Day to admonish world leaders they say are failing to do what's necessary to confront the climate emergency. "But most importantly, all of these solutions must be emitted with the voices of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities as leaders and decision-makers." Originally scheduled for later in the day: 19-year old Mexican-born climate activist Xiye Bastida appeared earlier in today's #ClimateSummit.

And thanks to Darnella Frazier, we know the truth. Biden can set himself apart from his recent predecessors by supporting the work of whistleblowers, especially national security whistleblowers. The Trump administration went after Hale hard, and many of us thought that the Biden Justice Department would back off his prosecution. Darin Jones & FBI ContractsFBI whistleblower and former supervisory contract specialist Darin Jones is yet another example. Just don’t hold your breath that he will, nice comments to the Floyd family and about Darnella Frazier notwithstanding.

We saw this bait and switch tactic before in President Joe Biden’s earlier announcement about ending U.S support for the long, miserable war in Yemen. These other “offensive operations” by the U.S. that will continue unabated in Yemen include drone strikes, cruise missile attacks and special forces raids. Whatever his intentions, Biden’s calls for peace, in Afghanistan as in Yemen, while pursuing war by drone, ring hollow. Talk of peace in Afghanistan, Yemen, the streets of the U.S., is not coherent while waging wars with drones. Brian Terrell is an Iowa based peace activist who has spent more than six months in prison for protesting targeted assassinations at U.S. military drone bases.

But we only have a small window to accomplish, what is needed for President Biden's agenda and hopefully his second term. When I think about what our government sometimes looks like ... "dysfunctional" was the word that came to mind. But "The Crown" still made me think what a waste of tax money and resources. President Biden had to look for someone else, as if he didn't have the party majority. Heaven forbid, Trump gets back in office, then there might be more similarities to "The Crown" that I don't want to think about.

Egged on by firebrand and reverse racist Maxine Waters, with an assist from the doddering but inflammatory President Joe Biden. Kayleigh McEnany, professional liar and bottle-blond, added jaw-dropping hypocrisy to the Fox mix. McEnany is blaming Biden for inflaming people who are inflamed every day by the cable channel she works for. Talking about Fox inflaming its audience, here’s the top of the Fox News website today. And if it is, is it so big it merits 6 out of the 7 lead stories Fox dedicates to it?

While the Hopi and the Navajo have very different cultures and economies, they share a belief that the people came from the Earth, are a part of the Earth, and will return to the Earth. Sedan Crater at the Nevada Test SiteThe Central Arizona ProjectThe last and biggest large-scale project of the Bureau of Reclamation was the Central Arizona Project. The Central Arizona Project intake station for Colorado River water at Lake Havasu. The Central Arizona Project canal tunnels through a mountain near Tonopa ArizonaPheonix. They will be living with the environmental and economic legacy of the Central Arizona Project for many years to come.

thehill.com/…Are we trying this dance again The Republicans do not bargain in good faith They will put a bill that accomplishes nothing; vote against it and them run against it in the midterms How many times do have to burn our hands on a hot stove before we realize “we get burnedFROM THE ARTICLE:Republicans have largely balked at Biden's American Jobs Plan proposal, which outlines $2.3 trillion worth of spending to invest in roads, bridges, railways, electric vehicles, broadband, long-term care workers, weatherizing buildings and climate friendly industries. Biden proposed paying for the plan through an increase in the corporate tax rate, though he has said he'd be willing to discuss ways to fund the proposal. The proposal unveiled Thursday by a group of Senate Republicans led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) narrowed down the definition of infrastructure and focused on funding for roads and bridges, public transit systems, rail, wastewater infrastructure, airports and broadband infrastructure. Senate Republicans are proposing user fees for electric vehicles and repurposing unused federal spending allocated by the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Congress passed in March to cover the cost of the plan. This alone is unaccountable We need a bold bill that accomplishes something that will improve the lives of most Americans and Yes: give the voters to vote for something in 2021 I hope Biden does not fall for this

“There is something about the way Facebook organizes groups that leads to massive public events. Indeed, that was largely the thrust of the Avaaz report on Facebook’s culpability in the insurrection published March 18, six days before Zuckerberg testified. “This doesn’t even include Facebook Groups, so the number is likely much bigger. The internal Facebook report largely acknowledges this, explaining that the social media giant was outmaneuvered by coordinated accounts that formed a powerful network of groups promoting hate, inciting violence, and spreading lies about the election. However, given Facebook’s refusal to accept culpability in the insurrection, it also makes sense for lawmakers to take steps.

Thanks to that 8-point margin, Biden won districts representing 232 seats in the House, while Donald Trump carried just 168. En route to that victory, Sununu won an extraordinary 366 seats in the House to just 34 for his opponent. As a consequence, fully 153 Democrats sit in seats Sununu carried, more than 80% of the caucus; unsurprisingly, no Republicans occupy any Feltes turf. There, Republicans reversed the 14-10 majority Democrats won in 2018 and took a 14-10 majority of their own. Larry Hogan, fellow Old Line State Democrats have known about his interest for some time.

Before getting to some of the punditry on the Derek Chauvin trial, we have to look at the frightening explosion of COVID-19 cases in India. Astha Saxena reports for Indian Express that Delhi is running out of oxygen supplies. Top private hospitals in Delhi like Max, Fortis, Apollo, and Sir Ganga Ram reached out to the Delhi government regarding depleting oxygen supplies. Marianne Lavelle of Inside Climate News reports on the high stakes of the virtual international climate summit being led by President Biden that begins today. It is chiefly through the work of historians that we remember our presidents—their strengths and successes, their flaws and failures.

President Biden challenged Republicans to come up with a counter proposal to his infrastructure plan, and they have not disappointed those of us on the left who believe the GOP will not negotiate in good faith. It’s not detailed, but the plan outlines spending only $568 billion on infrastructure. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) described the plan, based on a document circulated by GOP senators, as “a beginning document” during a press conference. Instead of the Green New Deal that Democrats have talked about, we can call this Republican offer on infrastructure the “Ebenezer Scrooge” Deal. But this infrastructure plan has to be paid for.

On the other hand, Bolsonaro is right about one thing: Brazil’s historic contribution to the greenhouse gases now driving climate change has been relatively low. He’s offering to slightly apply the brakes on destruction that has vastly accelerated on his watch. He’s not offering to replant a single tree, or even to halt illegal extraction, burning, and expansion into the area. Bolsonaro ran on a platform that expressly called for not halting the destruction of Amazon forests. But there is absolutely no reason to trust Jair Bolsonaro now, or ever.

The bulletin is marked as "law enforcement sensitive" and was distributed through the Department of Homeland Security's fusion centers. It "includes screenshots of posts about the protests from Facebook, Parler, Telegram and other social media sites. Postal Inspection Service has federal law enforcement officers, Postal Inspectors, who enforce approximately 200 federal laws to achieve the agency's mission: protect the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which assesses threats to Postal Service employees and its infrastructure by monitoring publicly available open source information," the statement read. The "FBI declined to comment for this article and postal inspection service wouldn't tell me when they started their covert program that monitors social media," Winter said.

House Democrats also passed a second major piece of legislation stemming from the previous president’s discriminatory bans, approving Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Access to Counsel Act by a 217-207 vote, with no Republicans joining. That bill ensures that citizens, legal residents, and travelers with legal status can speak to an attorney if they’re detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. “In many cases, these individuals had no opportunity to see an attorney or even call anyone for legal guidance. “The Muslim Ban was always wrong, needless, and cruel and failed to live up to the requirements laid out by the Supreme Court,” Chu tweeted. “Religious bans have no place in our country or our laws and today, we are voting to make sure this never happens again.”

Biden's proposal includes $115 billion to modernize the bridges, highways, and roads of the fossil fuel age. His proposal includes another $85 billion for public transit, $80 billion for Amtrak, and $174 billion to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations, electrify 20% of school buses, and electrify the federal fleet. He'd spend $100 billion on broadband, $25 billion for airports, and $111 billion for water projects. This idea from Republicans is still basically just a sketch, but its lead author, West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, touts it as "the largest infrastructure investment Republicans have come forward with." But what they were talking about was an $800 billion offer from Republicans, one that showed they were serious.

President Joe Biden on Friday sought to present a united front with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to counter an increasingly assertive China as the U.S. leader held his first face-to-face White House summit since taking office. Suga said he and Biden agreed on the necessity of frank discussions with China in the context of Beijing's activities in the Indo-Pacific region. In a strongly worded statement on Saturday, China's embassy in Washington said Beijing was "resolutely opposed" to the joint statement, and that Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang were China's internal affairs. US President Joe Biden and Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga take part in a joint press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on April 16, 2021. In another swipe at China, Biden told the news conference the United States and Japan will invest together in areas such as 5G, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, genomics and semiconductor supply chains.

Concern is mounting throughout the region, and Taiwan accuses China of sending 25 military aircraft into its air defence identification zone this week – a record incursion. The chief of Australia’s Defence Force, Angus Campbell, cautioned that conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be “disastrous” and urged Beijing to resolve its differences with Taiwan’s leaders through dialogue. Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornets could be dragged into a conflict over Taiwan. Sources and academics said that while a military conflict remained unlikely, Australia wanted to send Beijing a signal that further incursions by Mr Xi’s forces into Taiwan’s territory would not be tolerated. “There has been a lot of thinking done on this and other contingencies – but nothing that you wouldn’t expect the department would be doing as part of prudent military planning,” the source said.

The Trump and Biden administrations have relied on the work of a right-wing religious extremist, Adrian Zenz, for their “genocide” accusation against China. Both President Joe Biden and his Secretary of State Anthony Blinken have endorsed former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s last-minute accusation of “genocide” against the Muslim Uyghur population in China’s Xinjiang province. Otherwise, any birth control program provided to an ethnic group would be prima facie evidence of a policy of genocide against the group. Both official Chinese figures and Zenz agree that the Uyghur population in Xinjiang increased significantly between 2010 and 2018. That means the Uyghur population in Xinjiang grew by a staggering 25.04 percent.

US media hailed a Newlines Institute report accusing China of Uyghur genocide as a “landmark” independent analysis. A majority of the report’s “expert” signatories are members of the Newlines Institute and the Wallenberg Centre. “New” report regurgitates old, discredited “evidence”The Newlines report presents no new material on the condition of Uyghur Muslims in China. A majority of the signatories are members of the two think tanks behind the report, the Newlines Institute and the Wallenberg Centre. Newlines Institute recently took steps to counter rumors of IIIT’s connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.

(Image by Mr. Fish/Scheer Post) Details DMCAAmerica's defeat in Afghanistan is one in a string of catastrophic military blunders that herald the death of the American empire. These liberal interventionists, the useful idiots of imperialism, attempt to civilize a process that was created and designed to repress, intimidate, plunder and dominate. The liberal interventionists are also the tip of the spear in the campaign to rachet up tensions with China and Russia. It is the fatal disease of empire, captured in Graham Greene's novel "The Quiet American" and Michael Ondaatje's "The English Patient." For example, the United States routinely kidnapped Islamic jihadists fighting in the Balkans between 1995 and 1998.

We need to fund infrastructure projects and build affordable housing while transitioning our energy system away from fossil fuels toward energy efficiency and renewable energy. Finally, if we are going to be able to compete in a global economy, we need to have the best educated workforce in the world. That means we must make public colleges and universities tuition free and debt free for working families. But paying to fix these problems should not fall on the shoulders of working Americans who already pay the bulk of this nation's taxes. The good news is that we are living in the wealthiest country in the history of the world.

Part of the Series Covering Climate NowThis story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. President Joe Biden on Thursday has pledged to cut carbon emissions from the U.S. to half of what they were in 2005 by the end of this decade. His announcement came on the first day of a virtual climate summit hosted by Biden. Climate Action Network, calls on Biden to cut domestic emissions by 70 percent of what they were in 2005. Meanwhile, before the pandemic hit, oil and gas production was soaring, which Biden has done little to address, climate advocates say.

That’s according to an analysis released Thursday morning by the People’s Vaccine Alliance, a coalition of advocacy organizations campaigning to end massive inequities in the distribution of life-saving coronavirus vaccines. Johnson & Johnson, which received $1.5 billion in public money, paid out $10.5 billion in dividends. “This is clearer now more than ever.”These vaccines were funded by public money and are desperately needed worldwide if we are to end this pandemic. “This is a public health emergency, not a private profit opportunity,” Marriott said. We need a people’s vaccine, not a profit vaccine.”“Instead of creating new vaccine billionaires,” Marriott added, “we need to be vaccinating billions in developing countries.”This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license.

Johnson & Johnson, which received $1.5 billion in public money, paid out $10.5 billion in dividends. We need a people's vaccine, not a profit vaccine." "It is appalling that Big Pharma is making huge payouts to wealthy shareholders in the face of this global health emergency." "This is a public health emergency, not a private profit opportunity," Marriott said. We need a people's vaccine, not a profit vaccine."

“It’s got nothing to do with the well-being of this country; it’s sending crude fossil fuel over to other countries.”“It’s got nothing to do with the well-being of this country; it’s sending crude fossil fuel over to other countries,” Wilson tells Truthout. It really is a mess, and they’re trying to expedite it.”Congress’s reversal of the 40-year-old crude oil export ban in 2015 has enabled a massive fracking boom in Texas’s methane-blasting Permian Basin oil fields and elsewhere, driving an expansion of oil export infrastructure projects. Since the ban was lifted in 2015, fossil fuel exports have skyrocketed, increasing 750 percent, according to an analysis by Greenpeace USA and Oil Change International. Banning U.S. public financing for overseas fossil fuel projects and exports of U.S. crude oil overseas, they say, is low-hanging fruit. Everything is incremental.”The president could ban fossil fuel exports immediately by declaring a national climate emergency.

She wonders if her embrace of regenerative farming — a set of practices that restore soil health by mimicking natural processes — may have helped. Before doing so, she had concentrated her efforts on taking care of the animals, trees and plants on her farm. Markegard says the benefits of the approach are visible, even to the untrained eye, during wildfire season. But only so much is in the realm of control of a single farm or land trust, since lightning could strike anywhere. We know that animal impact can make a huge difference in clearing out old debris and oxidized material,” Koefoed said.

Representatives Cori Bush (D-Missouri) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) are leading an effort with nearly 100 of their fellow House members to end the Senate filibuster. The lawmakers join many progressive and Democratic advocates in saying that the filibuster is a roadblock to progress. In fact, lawmakers got rid of the House’s filibuster 130 years ago because it was preventing progress. The Senate filibuster, as the lawmakers point out, is a relic of the Jim Crow era and has a history of being used to block civil rights. It’s voting rights or the filibuster.

It’s true that, according to the IEA’s model, emissions level will not increase any further from now until 2040. This needs to be recognized as a minimal ethical requirement, since high-income countries are almost entirely responsible for having created the climate crisis in the first place. Bob, certain studies seem to indicate that the climate crisis won’t be stopped even if we reduced greenhouse gas emissions to zero. I am compelled therefore to ask you this: Is the climate crisis a race we can actually win? All of these impacts will also help break the grip that neoliberalism has maintained over the global economy over the past 40 years.

A separate surtax on investment income could boost the overall federal tax rate for wealthy investors as high as 43.3%, the report said, citing unnamed people familiar with the proposal. The S&P 500 fell 0.9%, wiping out an early gain. Death and taxes:Americans grapple with filing the final tax return for deceased relatives in a pandemic yearThe selling was widespread, with every sector in the S&P 500 closing lower. The S&P 500, which set a record high on Friday, started the week with a two-day slide before closing higher Wednesday. Washington aside, investors are focusing on earnings as the bulk of companies in the S&P 500 spend the next few weeks reporting their financial results.

The stakes are enormous, for Mr. Biden and for the planet. The latest pledge puts the United States almost on par with Europe, but still behind Britain. On climate finance, the Biden administration promised to double its contribution to help developing countries address climate change, to an estimated $5.7 billion by 2024. That underscores a central fact: Mr. Biden’s promise is little more than that — a promise. But those rules alone are unlikely to add up to the steep emissions reductions necessary to meet Mr. Biden’s ambitious new target.

The US Senate passed a bill aimed at tracking anti-Asian hate crimes Thursday by an overwhelming majority of 94-1 — with Sen. Josh Hawley the lone “no” vote. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act would direct the Justice Department to expedite its review of anti-Asian racist harassment and attacks — which have spiked nationwide during the coronavirus pandemic — and to coordinate with local law enforcement to bolster reporting of those incidents. The House is expected to vote on the bill next month. In a referendum on the bill last week, 92 senators voted for it and six Republicans voted against, Hawley among them. Hours earlier, the Missouri Republican and Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2021 to the Senate.

Overall, the world lost more than 4.4 million hectares of primary tropical forest cover last year, an area larger than Switzerland. AdvertisementUnder the agreements, the corporations would pay an amount equal to $10 a ton for avoided carbon dioxide emissions. The countries or large states with the forests would be paid only after showing a five-year record of success compared with historical five-year benchmarks. To participate in the program, they must have already pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner. But surveillance of tropical forests has grown easier with advances in monitoring devices such as satellite technology.

They have to kill the debt ceiling entirely. The debt ceiling is a bizarre quirk of the U.S. budgeting process that exists in almost no other country in the world. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementThe debt ceiling is an extra vote Congress has to take. After that, they have to pass another bill raising the debt ceiling to cover the difference. The first is simply to write the debt ceiling out of U.S. law.

West Virginia coal miners ripped President Biden’s green energy push and said they’re "skeptical" those jobs even exist. The nation’s largest coal miners’ union in West Virginia said this week it will accept Biden’s move in exchange for guaranteed jobs for its displaced miners. President Biden campaigned on eliminating coal-fired electricity, and he's basically taken those initial steps since he's taken over the White House," West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton told FOX Business’ Grady Trimble. The West Virginia coal mines are used to generate 20% of the nation’s electricity, Trimble reported. The West Virginia Coal Association president added the miners are passionate about the work they do, and are the most "competent, highly-skilled" industrial workers in the nation.

"President Biden’s outright disregard of the public health crisis in Texas by welcoming and encouraging mass gatherings of illegal aliens is hypocritical and dangerous. TEXAS, MISSOURI SUE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER SCRAPPING OF 'REMAIN-IN-MEXICO' POLICYThe Biden administration has been facing a spike in migrant encounters at the border, particularly in Texas. Shocking images have emerged of overcrowded facilities in places like Donna, Texas, where migrants were pictures packed together side-by-side, often without masks. "The Biden Administration is flagrantly and egregiously violating federal law, its own public health rules, the Administrative Procedure Act, and Title 42. TEXAS, LOUISIANA SUE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR 'REFUSING' TO TAKE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTSIt’s one of a number of legal challenges launched by Paxton.

EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans are demanding answers from Vice President Kamala Harris on whether a facility for migrant children in Florida has not been activated because of the Democrat's personal politics. During her visit on June 29, 2019, Harris criticized the facility and called out "human rights abuse" committed by the federal government. TOP REPUBLICANS REQUEST MEETING WITH KAMALA HARRIS OVER BORDER 'CATASTROPHE'A spokesperson for Harris did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe Homestead facility has long been controversial and viewed by Democrats and activists as a symbol of what was wrong with Trump's immigration policies. "The Homestead facility is empty!

The family received a $27 million settlement. Unlike former President Donald Trump, President Biden has not met with the Guillen family. VANESSA GUILLEN'S DEATH RULED 'IN THE LINE OF DUTY,' ENTITLING FAMILY TO BENEFITS"I want to call out President Biden. "Going back to the whole thing with George Floyd and Vanessa Guillen, Vanessa was murdered at this time last year, April 22. He received justice, his family received justice.

Capital gains taxInvestors currently pay a 23.8% top rate on long-term capital gains. Under current law, long-term capital gains are taxed favorably with respect to wages. The White House plan would instead tax capital gains as ordinary income, at a top proposed rate of 39.6%. For example, the plan may exempt a certain portion of wealthy investors' capital gains from the higher tax, according to tax experts. "There will be plenty of time to plan and respond to any tax or tax proposal that's ultimately in place," he added.

U.S. President Joe Biden pauses while speaking on his administrations Covid-19 response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021. Wall Street was spooked intraday Thursday by reports that President Joe Biden is considering a proposal to significantly raise capital gains taxes on wealthy Americans, sending all three major U.S. stock indexes lower. However, some strategists and policy analysts say the proposal is nothing new and likely won't get through in its most extreme form. The plan was reported Thursday first by Bloomberg News and later by other media outlets. This is exactly what Biden had ran on," Ed Mills, a Washington policy analyst at Raymond James, said Thursday on CNBC's "Closing Bell."

Democrats are expected to raise the capital gains taxes for the wealthy, but the plan is not likely to pass as proposed, policy strategists said. President Joe Biden has been expected to introduce a higher capital gains tax rate, totaling 43.4% for the wealthiest taxpayers earning $1 million or more, strategists said. However, they do not expect the plan to pass as proposed, and a compromise could reduce the tax rate or increase the income threshold. No matter how the plan is structured, it is expected to result in more stock market selling. "Certainly, there is a sell first, ask questions later mentality to this," said Brian Gardner, Stifel chief Washington policy strategist.

A woman holds a placard as she participates in a Stop Asian Hate rally at Columbus Park in New York City, U.S., April 3, 2021. REUTERS/Jeenah MoonA hate crimes bill to combat violence against Asian Americans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic passed the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly on Thursday, a rare bipartisan vote in the evenly divided chamber. The measure, authored by Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Grace Meng, designates a Justice Department employee to expedite a review of hate crimes reported to police during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides guidance for local law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes, expand public education campaigns and combat discriminatory language in describing the pandemic. One change, the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, would provide funds to improve reporting of hate crimes and expand resources for victims.

Messonnier remains the top respiratory disease official at the CDC and is still employed by the agency, the spokesperson said. A prominent respiratory disease scientist who has been at CDC for more than two decades, Messonnier led the CDC’s early planning for the nationwide distribution of coronavirus vaccines. The agency more recently has played a prominent role in the administration’s handling of safety concerns surrounding Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. But Messonnier first rose to prominence during the Trump administration, where she angered top White House officials early in the pandemic by warning that its impacts could be “severe." Messonnier clashed with the Trump administration over those comments, leading the administration to halt her regular press briefings and her appearances with the White House’s coronavirus task force.

Some leaders made promises, some just made speeches during the first day of Biden's virtual global leaders' summit, with those vows falling short of what's needed to bring global warming under control. "Today’s summit shows the tide is turning for climate action, but there is still a long way to go. His climate envoy John Kerry said Tuesday that the administration plans to go well beyond an initial $1.2 billion commitment to a Global Climate Fund, to which the U.S. is $2 billion in arrears. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi instead warned that fighting climate change was also a question of lifestyle. The Chinese government — which last week agreed to work with Biden to get climate change under control — has been particularly scathing.

Although Our Revolution voluntarily discloses large donors, Brown, who also chairs the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, argues that it is a “dark money” group. Getty Images/Facebook Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator, left, leads Shontel Brown, a Cuyahoga County councilwoman, in direct fundraising. “Our campaign issued this pledge because Nina Turner is committed to a new type of politics where the people ? not corporate Big Money interests ? determine the outcome of elections,” Turrentine said. Since progressive groups refuse to unilaterally disarm, and big-dollar left-wing donors sometimes demand anonymity, progressive candidates associated with these groups and donors are sometimes vulnerable to charges of hypocrisy or inconsistency. She has committed to running a campaign without the support of corporate Big Money interests and she stands by that position.

Thursday's announcement marked the latest move by HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge to undo policies implemented under her predecessor Ben Carson. Last week, HUD began to reinstate two Obama-era fair housing rules weakened by the Trump administration. According to HUD, transgender women report being excluded from women’s shelters at high rates. Transgender youth represent 1.8 percent of the youth population, but up to 6.8 percent of unsheltered homeless youth identify as transgender or gender nonconforming, the agency said. The agency is sending guidance and implementation materials to shelter providers, the HUD official said.

The ruling is a victory for prosecutors as they continue to build the conspiracy case against the Proud Boys, a violent right-wing nationalist group that has supported Trump. Prosecutors charged Nordean, Biggs, Donohoe and a fourth Proud Boys leader, Zach Rehl of Philadelphia, with the conspiracy, and numerous other members of the group have been charged in separate indictments. Donohoe also excitedly informed members of the group during the Capitol breach that he and another Proud Boys member, Dominic Pezzola, had obtained a police riot shield. Although he doesn’t consider Donohoe to be a top leader of the Proud Boys, he compared Donohoe to a “trusted senior lieutenant” whom leaders relied upon to deliver messages to rank-and-file members. “Is there something else that we should be concerned about with respect to the Proud Boys, this group?”Josh Gerstein contributed to this report.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 20, 2021 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP)Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 20, 2021 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Housing and Urban Development is withdrawing a Trump-era policy that would have allowed taxpayer-funded homeless shelters to deny access to transgender people. “Access to safe, stable housing — and shelter — is a basic necessity,” said new HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge. But under Trump and his housing secretary, Ben Carson, HUD proposed a modification to the rule that would have allowed single-sex homeless shelters to deny transgender people access.

The growing power struggle could have repercussions in the 2022 elections, when the party hopes to seize control of Democrats’ narrow majorities in the House and the Senate. Party officials recognize that Trump retains loyalty among the Republican base and that his endorsements carry weight. Speaking to a room full of Republican donors recently, Trump attacked McConnell for not objecting to the Electoral College count on Jan. 6. Senate Republican campaign officials say Greitens could have a difficult time winning a general election in a state that should easily be won by a Republican. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who is also in charge of the Senate Republican campaign arm and has 2024 presidential ambitions himself, is trying to keep Trump in the fold.

The state Senate passed a bill on Thursday by just one vote that would allow the programs in Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles County. Supervised injection sites have emerged around the world in recent years, part of a movement to rethink treatment for people addicted to powerful opioids — including heroin, fentanyl and some prescription pain killers. “We hope the administration will allow states to pilot evidence-based strategies like safe consumption sites.”In California, 45% of drug overdose deaths involved opioids in 2018, resulting in more than 2,400 deaths, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Overdose deaths involving fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, increased more than 800% during the same period. The California Legislature passed a bill in 2018 to let San Francisco offer injection sites, but former Democratic Gov.

In this image made from video, Brahim Ghali, leader of the pro-independence Polisario Front speaks to a crowd in Tindouf, Algeria, Feb. 27, 2021. The leader of the Polisario Front that leads the struggle for the self-declared Western Sahara republic has been brought to Spain to receive medical treatment, it was announced Thursday, April 22. (AP Photo)In this image made from video, Brahim Ghali, leader of the pro-independence Polisario Front speaks to a crowd in Tindouf, Algeria, Feb. 27, 2021. (AP Photo)MADRID (AP) — The man leading the Polisario Front in its fight for independence of Western Sahara is hospitalized in Spain for treatment of COVID-19, officials from Spain and the group said Thursday. Morocco has proposed wide-ranging autonomy for Western Sahara, but the Polisario Front says the local population has the right to a referendum.

In this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, trader Fred DeMarco, right, works on the floor, Thursday April 22, 2021. (Courtney Crow/New York Stock Exchange via AP)In this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, trader Fred DeMarco, right, works on the floor, Thursday April 22, 2021. (Courtney Crow/New York Stock Exchange via AP)A report that President Biden will propose a hefty tax increase on the gains wealthy individuals reap from investments triggered a stock market sell-off Thursday afternoon that left indexes broadly lower. The selling was widespread, with every sector in the S&P 500 closing lower. ADVERTISEMENTThe S&P 500, which set a record high on Friday, started the week with a two-day slide before closing higher Wednesday.

The GOP’s slimmer infrastructure plan received a positive reception from the White House, with press secretary Jen Psaki characterizing it as a legitimate starting point for negotiations. Republican lawmakers have been quick to criticize the infrastructure proposal from Biden. The senators delivered their blueprint to the White House about 30 minutes prior to holding a press conference on it. “Any infrastructure proposal has to be green and cannot be paid for on the backs of working people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said. White House officials declined to confirm the precise numbers, but they emphasized that taxes would not increase for anyone making under $400,000.

FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, a senior receives a COVID-19 vaccine from a healthcare worker after arriving on a bus to a vaccination site at Anquan Boldin Stadium in Pahokee, Fla. COVID-19 hospitalizations are plunging among older Americans. ADVERTISEMENTThe best available data suggests COVID-19 deaths among Americans 65 and older have declined more than 50% since their peak in January. Over 80% of senior citizens have gotten at least one shot, compared with just over 50% of all adults. “They tend to recover a little quicker because of their youth.”With enough people vaccinated, COVID-19 cases should eventually begin to fall as the virus finds fewer and fewer people to infect. The challenge will be quickly vaccinating younger Americans, who feel they are less vulnerable to the coronavirus but are mainly the ones spreading the disease.

President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. The entire world faces “a moment of peril” but also “a moment of opportunity,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style chrome-blue set for the virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some not.

The proposal would be a far less expansive version of an infrastructure spending bill that the White House and congressional Democrats have been seeking. She said that Biden would invite members of Congress to the White House for discussions following his address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. The proposed breakdown by infrastructure sector in the Republican bill would include:$299 billion for roads and bridges;$65 billion new money for broadband;$61 billion for public transit systems;$44 billion for airports$35 billion for drinking water and waste water projects;$20 billion for rail;$17 billion for ports and inland waterways;$14 billion for water storage; and$13 billion for highway and pipeline safety. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “Any infrastructure proposal has to be green and cannot be paid for on the backs of working people. I haven’t studied it yet.”Wicker said the Republican plan should not be dismissed out of hand because of how much smaller it is than the president’s outline.

Stocks dove Thursday on a report that President Joe Biden will propose a hefty increase in capital-gains taxes. The S&P 500 dropped 38.44 points, or 0.92%, to end at 4,134.98, and the Nasdaq Composite tumbled 131.81 points, or 0.94%, to close at 13,818.41. The biggest gainer in the S&P 500 was credit-reporting agency Equifax (ticker: EFX), which saw shares rose 14.94% after beating earnings estimates. Higher capital-gains taxes lower the after-tax return on stock sales, thereby making them a less-appealing investment. But with the S&P 500 up just under 10% year to date, the rally is in need of a pause, according to some observers.

NEW YORK, April 22 (Reuters) - Stocks on Wall Street were thrown into reverse on Thursday on reports that U.S. President Joe Biden will propose hiking taxes on the wealthy, including capital gains taxes. First, the capital gains tax is a second tax on money that has been earned and put to work in capital assets such as a business, real estate or stocks to grow the US economy which helps all Americans. Second, experience has shown that a high capital gains tax rate incentivizes asset holders to hold on longer which leads to inefficiency. The campaign also called for taxing unrealized capital gains at death. People are going to want to sell in lower capital gains rates than they could see in the future.

Biden to propose raising taxes on wealthy and on capital gains to fund childcare FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Biden holds first Cabinet meeting at the White House in WashingtonBy Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor HunnicuttWASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden will roll out a plan to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and their investments to fund about $1 trillion in childcare, universal pre-kindergarten education and paid leave for workers, sources familiar with the proposal said. That would be the highest tax rate on capital gains taxes, which are mostly paid by the top 1% of Americans, since the tax was introduced in 1913. Any such hike would need to go through Congress, where Biden's Democratic Party holds narrow majorities and is unlikely to win support from Republicans. She said the administration had not yet finalized funding plans, but stressed Biden's determination to make the wealthy and companies pay for new programs. Wealthy Americans could face an overall capital gains tax rate of 43.4% including the 3.8% net investment tax on individuals with income of $200,000 or more ($250,000 married filing jointly).

Ten-year Treasury yields fell to 1.54% from an intraday high of 1.59% before Bloomberg’s report.The proposal could reverse a long-standing provision of the tax code that taxes returns on investment lower than on labor. Biden has warned that those earning over $400,000 can expect to pay more in taxes. For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22%. “On the Finance Committee we will be ready to raise whatever sums the Senate Democratic caucus thinks are necessary.”(Updates with market close in fourth paragraph, carried interest background in 12th paragraph. )For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri. Erin Schaff/Pool via REUTERSOnly one senator, Josh Hawley, voted against a bill addressing the spike in anti-Asian hate crimes. The bill would improve public reporting of anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic. Only one member, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, opposed the bill. Republicans last week expressed a willingness to work across the aisle when the Senate voted 92-6 to advance the bill.

“For over a year, anyone asking questions about the Wuhan Institute of Virology has been branded as a conspiracy theorist. The world needs to know if this pandemic was the product of negligence at the Wuhan lab but the CCP has done everything it can to block a credible investigation,” Hawley said. “That’s why the Biden administration must declassify what it knows about the Wuhan lab and Beijing’s attempts to cover up the origin of the pandemic,” he continued. The Editorial Board at the Washington Post has called on Biden to declassify any intelligence associated with the lab. In April 2020, Hawley proposed legislation, the Justice for Victims of Coronavirus Act, that would allow American citizens to sue the Chinese government for damages.

Three former Minneapolis police officers, Thomas Lane (L), J Alexander Keung (C), and Tou Thao (R) will face August 2021 trial for their role in aiding and abetting Derek Chauvin in murder of George Floyd. Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death, and he will be sentenced in eight weeks time. Now former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, 35, Thomas Lane, 38, and J Alexander Kueng, 27, all face charges of aiding and abetting Chauvin in second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of Floyd. The state’s attorney general’s office will try and add a third-degree murder charge against all three officers in a Minnesota Court of Appeals hearing set for 20 May. They are set to face trial on 23 August after a judge separated their trial from Chauvin’s because of Covid-19 concerns.

The Daily BeastRussian Defense MinistryFor weeks, Russia has been inflaming tensions in Eastern Europe by building up a mighty force of some 100,000 troops on the Ukraine border. On Thursday, the Kremlin announced it had achieved what it wanted with the exercise, and ordered its army to pack up and go home.According to BBC News, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made the announcement during a visit to Crimea, which was seized and annexed by Russia in the last major conflict in the region seven years ago. Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Wall Street Journal this week: “We don’t know whether Putin will decide to attack, but he will certainly be ready to do so.”Last week, during a call between President Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, the White House said Biden had “emphasized the United States’ unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” On Thursday, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged Western allies to punish Moscow’s threatening behavior with new sanctions.Later, after the withdrawal announcement, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said: “We are monitoring the situation.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Derek Chauvin listens to the guilty verdict being read by judge Peter Cahill ((Associated Press))Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is expected to appeal his conviction after being found guilty on all charges in the murder of George Floyd. The jury found Chauvin was:Guilty of second-degree unintentional murderGuilty of third-degree murderGuilty of second-degree manslaughterJoe Biden said the conviction of Chauvin in the killing of Mr Floyd could be “a giant step forward” for the nation in the fight against systemic racism. On Wednesday, US Attorney General Merrick Garland launched a sweeping investigation into policing practices in Minneapolis, which “will assess whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, including during protests”. Sentencing was scheduled for 16 June, exactly eight weeks from today. Read More:Read The Independent’s updates and analysis below.

However, the sources also said Mr Biden could change his mind last moment given the importance of America’s bilateral ties with Turkey. Last year, Mr Biden said he would “support a resolution recognising the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority.”Last year, during his presidential campaign, Mr Biden commemorated the killngs said he would back efforts to recognise the atrocities as an act of genocide. “Today, we remember the atrocities faced by the Armenian people in the Metz Yeghern — the Armenian Genocide. If elected, I pledge to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority,” he said on Twitter at the time. “Statements that have no legal binding will have no benefit, but they will harm ties,” Mr Cavusoglu said in an interview with broadcaster Haberturk.

Senate Republicans are pushing a return to fiscal austerity under President Biden, adopting a new internal party rule that requires dollar-for-dollar spending cuts in order to raise the debt ceiling. The debt ceiling – which is currently around $22 trillion – is the legal limit on the total amount of debt that the federal government can accrue. Biden and Democrats already approved a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill this year and are pushing for another $2.25 trillion spending plan that would be offset by new taxes on corporations. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESSSen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is one of the GOP lawmakers urging his colleagues to support offsetting any costs in the debt ceiling with spending cuts. I think Republicans agree that we have too much debt and that we have to figure out how to live within our means," Scott told NBC News.

U.S. equity markets turned sharply lower Thursday afternoon following a report that the Biden administration is mulling increasing the capital gains tax. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell over 321 points, or 0.94%, while the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 declined 0.92% and 0.94%, respectively. The increase would help fund Biden's American Families Plan, the details of which are still being ironed out. In economic data, initial jobless claims fell to a coronavirus-era low of 547,000, better than the 617,000 that analysts were expecting. Ticker Security Last Change Change % DHI D.R.

Thursday was shaping up quite nicely, as small-caps shrugged off some early weakness, and the S&P 500 was hitting an intraday high around mid-day, but news of a tax proposal by President Joe Biden hit the market like a sucker punch. The proposal nearly doubled the long-term capital gains taxes for some wealthy taxpayers, but the market is concerned that these taxes would trigger a rush to lock in gains before the higher rates went into effect. There are some substantial hurdles to passing a tax bill as proposed, but any move to increase taxes is deemed unfriendly to the market and business. The Russell 2000 exchange-traded fund (IWM) did manage some relative strength, and breadth wasn't nearly as bad as the inverse of yesterday. This rotation back into some of the small caps is a good sign, but it is too bad that the strong momentum was undercut with the tax policy news.

Apple stock dipped yet again, this time on news that President Joe Biden could propose an increase to capital gains taxes. It has not been a calm few days for Apple stock. Below, the Apple Maven briefly debates the key reason for weakness in Apple this Thursday: a potential increase in the capital gains tax rate for households that earn more than $1 million per year. But none of what the Apple Maven anticipated could move Apple stock on April 22 mattered much compared to news on the tax front. Why it matters to Apple stockHigher capital gains taxes, if approved and implemented, would mean lower after-tax gains for investors across the broad.

Snap (SNAP) - Get Report beat Wall Street's first-quarter expectations Thursday as the parent of the Snapchat photography-focused app reported a surge in active daily users. Snap reported a net loss of $287 million, or 19 cents a share, compared with a loss of $306 million, or 21 cents, in the year-earlier quarter. Revenue increased 66% to $770 million. Snap said daily active users increased 22% year-over-year to 280 million. 'Mad Money' Lightning Round: Snap, Boston ScientificIn February, Snap beat Wall Street's fourth-quarter earnings expectations.

Their ascent would give Democrats a 5-4 majority bloc and control of the board for the first time since 2016. AdvertisementMeanwhile, 50 House Democrats have called on Biden to fire the entire board and start over with a new slate of governors. Ron Stroman, a Democrat, is the recently retired deputy postmaster general and led the Biden transition’s Postal Service review team. Advertisement"The universal service obligation of the Postal Service requires delivering prompt, reliable, and efficient service to all Americans all over the country. "If the White House looks at Bloom, they’ll see labor is behind him and ask, what’s wrong with him?

Perhaps for that reason, the Boston Public Garden can feel like a special gift to city residents this time of year. Whether you possess a substantial yard or just a well-exposed windowsill, books about gardens can help satisfy cravings for plant life. AdvertisementThough the United States has no shortage of first-class public gardens, England is hard to top. The royal taste for lakes, groves, paths, sunken gardens, fruit trees, menageries, and rare specimens soon infected the aristocracy, and molded their estates. Closer to home, the Globe’s own Carol Stocker follows a similar, seasonal approach in “The New England Gardening Almanac,” toward which I remain hopelessly biased, and whose gorgeous pages perennially spark hope.

Add Senator Elizabeth Warren to the growing list of Washington Democrats urging federal help to tackle a housing crunch that’s affecting Greater Boston and many other places across the United States. It would expand several programs that fund affordable housing, chiefly the Housing Trust Fund, which finances development for lower-income households. Those rules, analysts say, contribute to sky-high housing costs and effectively block some people from buying homes in many Boston-area suburbs. The Biden administration’s $2 billion infrastructure package includes some of the same elements as Warren’s plan, such as $5 billion in grants to loosen zoning. At nearly $500 billion over 10 years, Warren’s housing plan could face pushback from lawmakers concerned about the mounting cost of COVID-19 economic relief spending and other broad economic bills being pushed in the early months of the Biden administration.

By David Shepardson | ReutersWASHINGTON – The Biden administration said on Thursday it is moving to withdraw a Trump administration rule that sought to bar states from setting vehicle emissions rules or set zero emission vehicle mandates. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was proposing to revoking the Trump rule issued in September 2019. If finalized, the Trump rule “would no longer be a potential barrier to states implementing tough greenhouse gas and zero emission vehicle regulations,” the agency said. About two dozen U.S. states filed suit to block a pair of Trump actions that sought to remove California from vehicle emissions regulations. The EPA in 2013 granted California a waiver for its tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions and zero emission vehicle regulations and in tandem with the NHTSA 2019 rule revoked it under Trump.

As tourism rates ramp up across the Las Vegas Valley, some casino companies are rushing to fill hundreds of jobs to keep up. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfayeJob seekers line up to apply for jobs at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfayeJob seekers, including Donovan Garcia, second right, line up to apply for jobs at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfayeJob seekers, including Katelyn Laurente line up to apply for jobs as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfayeJob seekers, including Katelyn Laurente applies for cocktail waitress position as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Las Vegas.

Yet the unveiling of the GOP proposal also made clear the parties are leagues apart on the size and scope of what’s needed. Biden is spending time listening to Republicans and voicing a willingness to consider their ideas, but Democrats are intent on passing a major infrastructure boost this year with or without GOP support. They have made clear they are willing to use the budget reconciliation process to bypass Republicans altogether, just as they did on COVID relief earlier this year.

The state of Michigan plans to transition all of its state-owned office buildings to 100% renewable energy by 2025, Gov. Currently, state-owned office buildings use about 15% renewable energy. "The energy purchased by the state will expand renewable energy and create more clean energy jobs right here in Michigan," Whitmer said Thursday, touting the state's partnerships with Consumers Energy, DTE Energy and the Lansing Board of Water and Light. By shifting to 100% renewable, the state sends a signal to energy companies that Michigan will invest in renewable energy and willing companies should shift their production to accommodate that demand, said Liesl Clark, director for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. While pursuing a 100% renewable energy goal in 2025, the state also is eyeing what changes will be made in terms of on-site work after thousands of state workers worked from home during the pandemic, Clark said.

The S&P 500 lost 38.44 points to 4,134.98. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 321.41 points, or 0.9%, to 33,815.90. The Nasdaq slid 131.81 points, or 0.9%, to 13,818.41. The S&P 500, which set a record high on Friday, started the week with a two-day slide before closing higher Wednesday. Stocks have rallied in recent weeks amid a string of encouraging reports on hiring, retail sales and other economic data.

Copyright © 2021 Albuquerque JournalRay Jaramillo was in the observation area at a South Valley medical center on Wednesday, after getting a COVID-19 vaccine shot, when in walked a bevy of television cameras, Secret Service agents, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and first lady Jill Biden. “It was a great thing, to be around people you believe in and trust.”Biden visited First Choice Community Healthcare, South Valley Medical Center, a nonprofit federally qualified health center, shortly after she arrived in Albuquerque on Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Will Kaufman, the medical director, gave Biden and Lujan Grisham a tour of the facility. It’s mostly in your head.”Biden and Lujan Grisham spent a few minutes passing out stickers and buttons promoting the vaccine.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Housing and Urban Development is withdrawing a Trump-era policy that would have allowed taxpayer-funded homeless shelters to deny access to transgender people. Biden directed every executive branch agency to examine further steps that could be taken to combat such discrimination. “Access to safe, stable housing — and shelter — is a basic necessity,” said new HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge. “Unfortunately, transgender and gender non-conforming people report more instances of housing instability and homelessness than cisgender people. Today, we are taking a critical step in affirming HUD’s commitment that no person be denied access to housing or other critical services because of their gender identity.”

Some Democrats dismissed it as inadequate to the task of repairing America's infrastructure and reliant on user fees that would penalize working people. Republicans sent the proposal to Biden on Thursday, before unveiling the package, which represents less than one-quarter of the Democratic president's plan. "It's a starting point," said Senator Joe Manchin, who has insisted that Democrats work with Republicans on infrastructure. Republican Senator Pat Toomey said state and local governments that are flush with tax revenues and COVID-19 relief funding could also be asked to help pay for infrastructure projects. Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress could need Republican support to get infrastructure through the Senate and House of Representatives.

President Biden will propose doubling the top capital gains tax rate on investments like stocks and real estate, according to a new report that sent stocks reeling Thursday. Bloomberg News reported that the new top capital gains rate would increase from 20 percent to 39.6 percent on income over $1 million. For $1 million earners in high-tax states, rates on capital gains could wind up higher than 50 percent. For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22 percent. The new capital gains taxes could rise as high as 52.22 percent for some New York residents.

The National Rifle Association is set to lobby Congress against gun-control plans, despite being in the middle of a bankruptcy trial. After another spate of mass shootings in America, Democrats are again attempting to tighten gun-control measures including universal background checks and a ban on assault weapons. The organisation is attempting to declare bankruptcy and then re-establish itself in Texas as a non-profit. This week The New York Times reported that in 2016, the NRA spent around $50 million helping to elect Donald Trump and other Republicans, keeping gun rights at the centre of the party’s policies. On Friday, following another mass shooting in Indianapolis, President Biden urged Republicans to support the new measures and said: “Gun violence is an epidemic in America.

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg urged the United States Congress to use its common sense on climate change on Thursday. “All I can do is to urge you to listen to and act on the science, and to use your common sense,” Ms Thunberg said in a virtual speech to the House Oversight Committee . The young activist demanded more action on the crisis and blasted the American government for continuing to subsidize fossil fuels. But even as she recommended these actions, she expressed pessimism that the US would actually take meaningful steps to combat the climate crisis. “How long do you honestly believe that people in power like you will get away with it?”Ms Thunberg framed the climate crisis as a historic choice between right and wrong.

Some 40 world leaders were invited to the event, held online due to Covid-19. President Xi Jinping of China, the world’s largest carbon polluter, was the first global leader to speak after Mr Biden. Some world leaders made subtle digs at the right-wing former president in remarks on Thursday. International climate and policy campaign director, Cherelle Blazer, said it met “the urgency of the moment”. Democrats can kill US jobs & industries with no real impact on global emissions.”

Russia is pulling troops back from an area near its border with Ukraine, in a move which will cool tensions in the region and also with the west. Pic Associated PressUkraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky visited Donetsk near the Russian border earlier this month amid tensions between the neighbouring states. As well as the build-up in eastern Ukraine, Russian troops were also said to be carrying out war games on the Crimean peninsula. His spokeswoman said earlier this month that more than 40,000 Russian troops had gathered on the border, and another 40,000 were in the disputed peninsular. Analysis: Avoiding war took some diplomatic masteryBy Diana Magnay, Moscow correspondentIt is not only President Zelensky breathing easier tonight.

Federal officials are debating whether to extend a mask mandate on airplanes, trains, buses and ferries could be extended, officials told CNN. The mandate, which applies to all public transportation, is set to expire next month. TSA is consulting experts on whether to extend a federal mask mandate for mass transit that was issued in February and is set to expire next monthMask-wearing has become nearly ubiquitous and an inextricable part of the 'new normal.' Both current president Biden and former president Trump said that they would not issue sweeping federal mask mandates. 'We do think it should maintain the mask mandate,' Nick Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America, said at a Senate hearing on Wednesday.

AdvertisementA group of climate activists have dumped wheelbarrows full of cow manure outside the White House to protest President Joe Biden's climate plan. Climate activists with Extinction Rebellion pushed wheelbarrows full of cow dung through the streets and emptied them in front of the White House. After dumping the cow manure in front of the White House, a sign was placed in the pile reading, 'Stop the bulls***.' Members of the group also held banners that read, 'DECLARE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY NOW' and 'BIDEN'S 2030 PLAN = MASS DEATH.' Extinction Rebellion activists say this target is unattainable under the administration's plan.

The Senate passed an anti-discrimination bill to address the rise in hate crimes against Asians in the U.S. by wide, bipartisan margins Thursday afternoon. The Senate overwhelmingly voted Thursday on a bill to combat the rise in hate crimes against Asians, which has occurred during the coronavirus pandemicSen. Josh Hawley was the only no vote on the bill. Hawley became a national political figure for his role in challenging Electoral College vote counts on the day of the MAGA riot on January 6The bill expedites the DOJ's review of anti-Asian hate crimes. In late March, Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered a review of how the Justice Department can best deploy its resources to combat hate crimes against Asian-Americans. One concern is that hate crimes are actually underreported.

'They don't want to leave their grandparents, they don't want to leave the culture.' Last month, the White House announced Harris as its border 'czar', claiming she would lead the administration's response to the crisis. In her 29 days as point person, Harris has not visited the border nor held any significant press conferences on the issue. Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that migrants from Central American don't want to leave their home countries. Harris will also hold a virtual meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday, the official said, to discuss solutions.

Senate Republicans revealed their counter offer to President Joe Biden's infrastructure package on Thursday, presenting a $568 billion plan that focuses on roads, transit systems, and broadband internet. The GOP's two-page proposal has smaller price tag and a narrower definition of infrastructure than Biden's $2.3 trillion plan. 'This is the largest infrastructure investment that Republicans have come forward with,' Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who has taken the lead on the proposal, said. Senate Republicans revealed their counter offer to President Joe Biden's infrastructure packageBiden has proposed raising the corporate income tax from 21% to 28% to help pay for his plan. The president is expected to roll out that second package next week when he addresses a joint session of Congress.

But Biden pledged last year during his presidential campaign to recognize the Armenian genocide. "If we do not fully acknowledge, commemorate, and teach our children about genocide, the words 'never again' lose their meaning. " - Erdogan: 'Defend the truth' -Branding the massacre genocide would carry no legal consequences, but could potentially add support to reparations claims. The massacre was set off after Ottoman leader Mehmed Talaat ordered the mass deportation of Armenians as World War I raged and the Ottoman Empire was battling Tsarist Russia. In 2019 both houses of the US Congress voted to use the genocide label in a symbolic resolution.

The United States hosted a global summit in which several nations pledged to uphold or expand their commitments to help limit climate changeAdvertising Read moreWashington (AFP)World leaders gathered virtually Thursday for an international climate summit convened by US President Joe Biden, in which they vowed to meet or ramp up their goals to reduce emissions and slow global warming. During his address Biden expressed intent "to tap the economic opportunity that climate change presents our workers and our communities." - China -President Xi Jinping reiterated his pledge that China -- by far the world's largest emitter -- would reach carbon neutrality "before 2060." Putin said the world's fourth largest greenhouse gas emitter had set out to "significantly limit" net emissions by 2050. But he promised a "partnership" with Biden to mobilize green investment and urged a greater "lifestyle change" to fight climate change.

An engineer by trade, Hoover tried to encourage cooperation between government and industry. Thus, it’s very normal throughout history for economic policy revolutions to start under presidents from the opposite party of the one who eventually gets the credit. In fact, Biden‘s entire China policy essentially continues in the direction that Trump laid out. But on trade and industrial policy, he blazed a trail by neutering his own party’s opposition to change. And if Biden ultimately succeeds in reorienting American economic policy away from free trade in a systematic and effective manner, he‘ll likely be the one who gets associated with that shift by future generations.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced Thursday that Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott will be delivering the GOP’s address to the nation. “Senator Tim Scott is not just one of the strongest leaders in our Senate Republican Conference. “I couldn’t be more proud as a friend, as a Republican, and as an American to have Senator Tim Scott deliver the Republican response to President Biden’s address next week. No member in Congress epitomizes the essence of today’s Republican Party more than my friend and colleague Senator Scott,” McCarthy said about Scott. (RELATED: ‘Thankful For The Verdict’ — Sen. Tim Scott Reacts To Chauvin Being Found Guilty Of All Charges, Calls It ‘A Monumental Day’)“I’m excited and honored for this opportunity to address the nation,” Scott said.

Senate Republicans have unveiled their $568 billion infrastructure counterproposal. Republicans argue that their infrastructure plan is “robust.” Though it’s a fraction of Biden’s proposal, the Republican plan is actually larger than the last $305 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill Congress passed in 2015 that was signed into law by President Barack Obama. There is some funding for electric vehicle infrastructure in the Republican plan, but it pales in comparison to Biden’s. Biden’s plan also contains a clean electricity standard, which many clean energy advocates see as a key way to cut US greenhouse gas emissions dramatically. Chris Coons (D-DE) and John Cornyn (R-TX) have previously floated the idea of approving a bipartisan $800 billion infrastructure measure, and considering the more contentious tenets separately.

The waiver had allowed the state to set stricter auto emission and fuel efficiency rules than even the federal government. Trump revoked California’s waiver in 2019 shortly before his administration issued a new set of fuel economy and emissions rules that were significantly weaker than the Obama standards. The change also affected the District of Columbia and the 13 states that follow California’s tighter standards. “The Trump administration should never have challenged California’s legal authority to set our own vehicle emission standards,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement. “The Clean Air Act clearly gives us the right to protect the air Californians breathe and I want to thank the Biden administration for dropping this frivolous challenge.”

WASHINGTON – The head of U.S. forces in the Middle East said on Thursday that he was concerned that the Afghan military would collapse after U.S. and foreign troops leave the war-torn country. Afghan forces, he said, have gotten used to the support from U.S. and other nations' militaries over several years. Later at the Pentagon, McKenzie said Biden consulted with him and other top military brass before the commander-in-chief made the call to pull the troops. McKenzie also told reporters that while the U.S. will continue to support Afghanistan from afar, he was particularly concerned about aircraft maintenance. When asked about the trillions of dollars that had been invested in training and assisting the Afghan military, McKenzie said he believed the U.S. had seen a "good return on our investment."

ISTANBUL — US President Joe Biden is reportedly preparing to formally recognize the 1915 mass killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide in a move that would further strain US-Turkey relations. Previously, both the House and Senate approved measures in 2019 to recognize the genocide as a formal matter of US foreign policy. Yet few expect reversals on Turkish policies in Ukraine and Afghanistan, where Ankara’s interests are served by the status quo. Tol said the lapse in holding Mohammed accountable “sent the wrong signal,” but that the Armenian genocide designation might materialize due to added support from US Vice President Kamala Harris. “She’s been playing a surprisingly big role in foreign policy and the decision-making process, so this could be part of her track record,” Tol told Al-Monitor.

“Electing the Islamic Republic of Iran to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, the Geneva-based human rights group. This is a black day for women’s rights, and for all human rights,” said Neuer. Iranian Activists, Victims, Decry ‘Surreal’ Vote“This is surreal,” tweeted Iranian women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad. No joke: UN elects Iranian regime to top women's rights body. “I commend the Biden Administration for forcing the vote, but they should also speak out to condemn the obscene election of Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime to a women’s rights body,” said Neuer.

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans unveiled a $568 billion infrastructure plan Thursday limited to roads, bridges, broadband and other physical infrastructure, countering President Biden's American Jobs Plan with a framework around one-quarter the size of his sweeping $2.25 trillion package. Republicans proposed $299 billion on roads and bridges, vastly more than the $115 billion proposed in Biden's plan, and $44 billion on airports, more than the $25 billion outlined in Biden's plan. Republicans proposed $61 billion for public transit systems and $20 billion for rail, compared to Biden's proposal for $85 billion for transit and $80 billion for Amtrak improvements and expansion. Republicans want $65 billion for broadband infrastructure, significantly less than the $100 billion proposed by Biden. Republicans suggested $35 billion for drinking water and wastewater, compared to $111 billion proposed by Biden for clean drinking water, including the replacement of all lead pipes and service lines.

Biden: This is the decisive decade on climateU.S. President Joe Biden opened a global climate summit Thursday by saying the world must make the decisions this decade to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis. Biden pledged to cut U.S. fossil fuel emissions up to 52% by 2030.

Climate skeptics don’t believe climate change is man-made, despite overwhelming scientific evidence to support the conclusion. One Facebook user posted on April 19 claiming, among other things, that man-made climate change is a "scam." "Don't you dare question it though or you will be branded a 'Climate change denier' and you shall be canceled for it," the user wrote. The scientific consensus is that climate change is a product of human-produced gases that trap heat on Earth. Both government organizations and papers in scientific journals have concluded with a high degree of certainty that climate change is man-made.

President Biden will propose doubling the top capital gains tax rate on investments like stocks and real estate, according to a new report. Bloomberg News reported Thursday that the new top capital gains rate would increase from 20 percent to 39.6 percent on income over $1 million. For $1 million earners in high-tax states, rates on capital gains could wind up higher than 50 percent. For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22 percent. The new capital gains taxes could rise as high as 52.22 percent for some New York residents.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene claims Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has agreed to debate her on the economic policy behind the Green New Deal. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene proposed that she and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez debate on a national news network. Getty ImagesEarlier this month, Greene challenged AOC to a live, televised debate on the economic policy behind the Green New Deal. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez released a 14-page resolution for the Green New Deal. “We absolutely welcome a response and look forward to a lively debate,” Greene spokesman Nick Dyer told The Post.

If a molecule of carbon dioxide is released in Paris, it contributes to that total as surely as one released in Pittsburgh. Now, those percentages have flipped: Transportation is responsible for 35 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and electricity generation only 31 percent. Consider that shift in carbon dioxide emissions between electricity production and transportation. There are a lot of jokes about how cows contribute to climate change but — cows contribute to climate change! If they drive cars that emit less carbon dioxide?

That could change Saturday, when President Biden is expected to recognize it as a “genocide” in an annual Remembrance Day declaration. Why does Turkey oppose the term ‘genocide’? Story continues below advertisementBut for Turkey, the term genocide threatens the story it tells about the founding of its modern nation state. Story continues below advertisementTurkey frequently complains when other countries use the term genocide. Obama, in contrast, had pledged to formally recognize the Armenian genocide when he first ran in 2008.

Senate Democrats blocked an amendment to the new COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act that would have barred universities that discriminate against Asian Americans from accessing federal funding. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and John Kennedy, R-La., co-sponsored the unsuccessful amendment, which would have banned federal funding from going to colleges and universities that discriminate against Asian American applicants when being recruited by schools or applying. "In an unbelievably cynical move, Senate Democrats blocked efforts to stop discrimination against Asian Americans in higher education, where racial bias has become all too common," the lawmakers said. "This amendment would bar funds from institutions that discriminate against Asian American students." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"The Biden administration’s decision to drop the Yale lawsuit is totally wrong and sets a dangerous precedent," said Steel.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCapital gains tax from Biden administration not shocking, says expertCNBC's "Closing Bell" team discusses a potential capital gains tax from the Biden administration with Ed Mills of Raymond James and Jimmy Pethokoukis of the American Enterprise Institute.

Stocks are plunging on fears of President Joe Biden's proposal to hike income taxes. That also means some of Wall Street's favorite stocks are available at bargain prices. The 3.8% net investment income tax would continue to apply, making the overall tax hit on capital gains as high as 43.4% for wealthy Americans, Bloomberg found. The Democrats hold only a narrow majority in Congress, which could make it hard for the plan to become law. For investors wanting to take advantage of the dip in stocks, CNBC PRO screened for some of the most-loved stocks on Wall Street.

CNN Opinion asked 26 commentators to consider the question: What does the outcome of this election say about America in 2020? Enter Joe Biden, who even his biggest critics admit is wholesome and good at his very core. Decency was on the ballot in the form of Joe Biden, and through his election, we have regained our deepest sense of it. My soul has been clenched and now, with the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, my heart is lifted, and I can exhale. This article has been updated from an earlier version to give the number of votes drawn by Joe Biden.

New York (CNN Business) US stocks are tumbling Thursday over investors' worries about higher taxes. It's not surprising that Wall Street doesn't like higher taxes , particularly when it comes to capital gains -- the levy investors pay on realized profits after selling a stock, for example. It has proposed to hike capital gains taxes for those earning more than $1 million annually to 39.6%. Coupled with additional levy on high income earnings to fund the Affordable Care Act, the top rate would be even higher. But some Thursday reports, including from Bloomberg, where many traders get their news, put the capital gains worries front and center for investors again.

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoThe Biden administration said on Thursday it is moving to withdraw a Trump administration rule that sought to bar states from setting vehicle emissions rules or set zero emission vehicle mandates. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was proposing to revoking the Trump rule issued in September 2019. If finalized, the Trump rule "would no longer be a potential barrier to states implementing tough greenhouse gas and zero emission vehicle regulations," the agency said. About two dozen U.S. states filed suit to block a pair of Trump actions that sought to remove California from vehicle emissions regulations. The EPA in 2013 granted California a waiver for its tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions and zero emission vehicle regulations and in tandem with the NHTSA 2019 rule revoked it under Trump.

“If you saw me now—maybe you would have a good laugh,” Alexei Navalny wrote on Facebook April 20. Navalny risks kidney failure and cardiac arrest owing to abnormally high levels of potassium and creatinine in his blood (“After Novichok,” Navalny wrote, “potassium is not a biggie”). National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN there would be “consequences” if Russia eliminated Navalny in prison. What about sanctioning those hemisphere-hopping Russian oligarchs Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation named when he was first arrested upon his arrival back in Moscow from Berlin in January? “[T]here is no better weapon against injustice and lawlessness,” Navalny wrote.

Senate Democrats led by Banking Committee Chair Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland have been trying to rally support for a vote on legislation that would nullify the rule. "It’s outrageous for the current Acting Comptroller to advocate on behalf of this harmful rule," Brown spokesperson Alysa James said. The rule addresses a situation in which a third-party company facilitates the issuance of a loan in partnership with a bank. It has been unclear whether Democrats have the votes to undo the rule. "This rule guts the states’ ability to hold these unscrupulous lenders accountable," Van Hollen spokesperson Francesca Amodeo said.

The Democratic governor calls a Republican proposal to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's school sports "regressive." The Democratic governor calls a Republican proposal to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's school sports "regressive." Laura Kelly on Thursday vetoed a Republican measure that would have made Kansas the latest state with a GOP-controlled legislature to ban transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s school sports. Idaho enacted such a ban last year, and Republican governors in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee have signed measures this year. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, has been vocal in supporting legislation in Congress.

The move comes as more states legalize cannabis sales, most recently New Mexico and Virginia. The move comes as more states legalize cannabis sales, most recently New Mexico and Virginia. The industry is eager for changes to federal laws that limit cannabis companies’ access to banking and other services. Progress at the federal level would also help drive cannabis stocks higher, said Greg Bassuk, CEO of AXS Investments. The ETF, which focuses on cannabis stocks, is still up about 80% from 12 months ago.

FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, a senior receives a COVID-19 vaccine from a healthcare worker after arriving on a bus to a vaccination site at Anquan Boldin Stadium in Pahokee, Fla. COVID-19 hospitalizations are plunging among older Americans. (Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post via AP, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged 80% since the start of the year, dramatic proof the vaccination campaign is working. That slide is especially encouraging because senior citizens have accounted for about 8 out of 10 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus hit the United States. In Seattle’s King County, hospital physicians are seeing fewer COVID-19 patients overall, fewer needing critical care and fewer needing breathing machines. “They tend to recover a little quicker because of their youth.”With enough people vaccinated, COVID-19 cases should eventually begin to fall as the virus finds fewer and fewer people to infect.

The pullout under U.S. President Joe Biden marks the end of America’s longest war after a 20-year military engagement. In mid-April, the Biden administration announced that the final phase of the withdrawal would begin May 1 and be completed before Sept. 11. In the short term, America will likely increase its troop presence in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said last Friday. The additional troops would be in Afghanistan over the coming weeks and months to help with what the herculean task of wrapping up 20 years of war. The Taliban, meanwhile, were non-committal when asked by the AP whether the insurgents would attack departing U.S. and NATO troops.

President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. The entire world faces “a moment of peril” but also “a moment of opportunity,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style chrome-blue set for the virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some not.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average sold off in today's market as the major indexes traded near session lows. The S&P 500 also traded around 0.8% lower, while the Dow Jones posted a loss of roughly 0.9%. Infrastructure play Atkore rose above a flat base and its 75.70 buy point, according to MarketSmith analysis. Finally, swimming pool equipment supplier Pool (POOL) remains inside a buy zone after gapping up and passing a cup-base buy point of 401.39. Dow Jones TodayAs for the Dow Jones industrials, a handful of blue chips held losses of more than 1%, including Dow (DOW), Walgreens (WBA) and JP Morgan (JPM), leading the downside.

That’s the view of John Kerry, special envoy on climate, speaking Thursday afternoon as part of President Biden’s Earth Day climate summit of 40 world leaders. Read: Biden pledges to cut U.S. greenhouse gases 50% by 2030 — with major implications for oil and gas sector“ Glasgow’s U.N. climate meeting is ‘last, best hope’ to move the needle on climate change. Kerry sited a “big chunk of difference” in policy between now and January 19, or the end of the Trump presidency. The world is moving and the market is moving.’ ” — John Kerry“Tesla TSLA, -3.28% is the highest valued car company in the world — why? “The world is moving and the market is moving.

President Joe Biden will propose nearly doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy Americans to 39.6%, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. Combined with an existing surtax on investment income, Bloomberg said, that means federal tax rates for investors could be as high as 43.4%. Bloomberg cited people familiar with the proposal, and said the plan would boost the capital gains rate to 39.6% for those earning $1 million or more. The president is expected to release the proposal next week as part of the tax increases to fund social spending in the forthcoming "American Families Plan," Bloomberg said. U.S. stocks DJIA, -0.94% SPX, -0.92% COMP, -0.94% turned lower on the news.

That’s the view of John Kerry, special envoy on climate, speaking Thursday afternoon as part of President Biden’s Earth Day climate summit of 40 world leaders. Read: Biden pledges to cut U.S. greenhouse gases 50% by 2030 — with major implications for oil and gas sector“ Glasgow’s U.N. climate meeting is ‘last, best hope’ to move the needle on climate change. Kerry sited a “big chunk of difference” in policy between now and January 19, or the end of the Trump presidency. The world is moving and the market is moving.’ ” — John Kerry“Tesla TSLA, -3.28% is the highest valued car company in the world — why? “The world is moving and the market is moving.

By June or July, if we immunize most American adults and adolescents, levels of virus transmission will decrease precipitously. )We must engage in new outreach to conservative groups, to highlight both the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and the urgency for all Americans. (Worse are the conservative activists, including doctors, who make outrageous claims regarding COVID-19 vaccine safety. Cultivating conservative vaccine champions from the realms of science, politics, and entertainment could expand into a new advocacy push from the federal government.Reaching holdouts in Democratic constituencies isn’t enough. If we fail to fully vaccinate the American people, virus transmission could continue at a significant level.

Western officials say Russia moved as many as 100,000 troops, as well as tanks, warplanes and other equipment, to areas near the border with Ukraine in recent weeks, the largest such buildup in years. Accusing Zelenskiy of taking numerous “destructive” steps in the relationship with Russia, Putin said he’s still willing to host the Ukrainian leader for talks on bilateral ties. The Ukrainian leader Tuesday proposed a meeting with Putin in Donbas to reduce tensions. Kyiv and its western allies blame Moscow for the latest surge in tensions and have dismissed calls for talks with the separatists. The Russian military buildup had raised fears of a renewal of the heavy fighting seen in 2014.

A separate surtax on investment income could boost the overall federal tax rate for wealthy investors as high as 43.3%, the report said, citing unnamed people familiar with the proposal. The S&P 500 was down 1% as of 1:58 p.m. Eastern, having shed an earlier gain. The S&P 500 closed higher Wednesday, ending a two-day slide, but it's still down for the week. The selling was widespread, with every sector in the S&P 500 lower. Wall Street is hoping to get a better sense of just how much companies in various sectors are benefiting from the economic recovery.

Bloomberg(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden’s climate summit has drawn 40 heads of state including China’s Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin of Russia and Boris Johnson from the U.K. The two-day virtual event ends Friday and will include corporate executives, union heads, Pope Francis and Bill Gates.The stakes are high. He also expects to announce this year a new, more ambitious target for reducing South Korea’s carbon emissions. “No nation can find lasting security without addressing the climate crisis.”Austin described climate change as a “destabilizing force,” which intensifies competition for resources and increases the risks of displacement and famine. Instead, Morrison focused on Australia’s efforts to produce new technologies to fight climate change and announced A$1.5 billion ($1.2 billion) in climate financing focusing on the Pacific region.“We want to work with others on the how,” Morrison said.

'We are able to breathe again': George Floyd's family relieved, thankful for guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin. A not guilty verdict, he said, would have prolonged the implosion of a nation he sees divided among racial lines. But we still have a way to go.”'We still have a lot of fighting to do'Activists and leaders cautioned that the path toward racial justice remains long. “And it’s important to name that in the struggle for racial justice. That’s what made the change.”This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chauvin verdict fuels racial justice movement, BLM activism

Scott J. Applewhite/APHouse Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy dismissed former President George W. Bush's recent condemnation of the GOP. Bush said his party had become "isolationist, protectionist, and to a certain extent nativist." House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday dismissed former President George W. Bush's recent condemnation of the GOP as "isolationist, protectionist, and to a certain extent nativist." "If I looked at the last election, the Republican Party in Congress ... has elected more women than at any time in the history of the Republican Party. Story continuesWhile McCarthy cited the House GOP's growing diversity as evidence to refute Bush's claims, some of the newly elected Republican women are among the party's most extreme members.

But British Museum curators say Nero was instead one of the first victims of “cancel culture”, with reasons behind his downfall largely out of his control. Monuments toppled following his leadership have been described as the 1st-century equivalent of “statue wars”. Roman statue wars Dr Thorsten Opper, Ancient Rome curator at the British Museum, told The Telegraph: “It’s weird how topical it has suddenly become in the last few years. Cancel culture and statue wars, that all resonates so much. “Statue wars is perhaps most appropriate, what we saw with Colston’s statue in Bristol and various monuments in the US.

The letter, led by Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., follows a lawsuit filed by 13 states seeking to have the provision declared unconstitutional. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SUED BY 13 STATES OVER TAX PROVISION IN CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PLANTreasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the law does not actually ban states from cutting their taxes – only from using money they get from it to pay for tax cuts. "Nothing in the Act prevents States from enacting a broad variety of tax cuts," Yellen wrote last month. "It simply provides that funding received under the Act may not be used to offset a reduction in net tax revenue resulting from certain changes in state law." Republican West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, however, contends that the law is worded in a way that could be interpreted as a full ban on state tax cuts.

NCR, HON, IBM, INTC, T, DOW Stocks quotes in this article: GSDo we adjust our portfolio now that President Joe Biden is going to propose a huge increase in the capital gains tax for the wealthy? Do we avoid the asset class that had favorable tax treatment and might lose it? We know that today's 20% capital gains rate has attracted a great deal of money into the stock market because you can make so much more...

“It’s an encouraging start,” Biden said during a break in a series of speeches from other nations’ leaders during the first morning of the two-day summit. Biden’s global climate envoy, Secretary of State John F. Kerry, told White House reporters after the opening day’s session that the administration would use persistent diplomacy to bring along leaders of nations that were lagging behind. Although a United Nations conference on climate change is scheduled for the end of the year in Scotland, Biden’s summit was conducted virtually because of the pandemic. When Vice President Kamala Harris and Biden opened the summit, their words echoed distractingly in the online video. “We must make sure the next step is in the right direction.”AdvertisementBiden’s climate summit was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

April, the month of Easter, was also when we commemorated the Armenian Genocide, the mass extermination of 1.5 million people in the region — 75 percent of our population — at the hands of the Turkish government. Apraham Haroutunian, the author’s grandfather, on right, with a friend, at Armenian orphanage in Lebanon. He must, however, remove the issue of the Armenian genocide from the negotiating table, because the recognition of our collective human history should never be used as a bargaining chip. With both houses of Congress having reaffirmed their recognition of the genocide last year, Biden has ample backing to make the American government’s position clear for the record. He will bolster his legacy and credibility as a president who meant it when he said human rights would be a priority for his administration.

By Alex Rogers | CNNThe Senate passed with a wide bipartisan majority Thursday a bill denouncing discrimination against Asian communities in the United States, and create a new position at the Justice Department to expedite reviews of potential Covid-19-related hate crimes. The bill would also direct the departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to issue guidance raising awareness of hate crimes during the pandemic, and work with agencies to establish online reporting of them. Collins said it “affirms our commitment to stand with” them against hate crimes. Hirono and other Democrats have also pressured Biden to include more Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in top roles. Of the 23 Cabinet-level positions requiring Senate consideration, Biden nominated two Asian Americans: Katherine Tai for trade representative and Neera Tanden for Office of Management and Budget director.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, teamed up with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Thursday in a bipartisan push for a bill addressing the migration surge at the border. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio announced they are introducing a partner bill in the House. “Senator Sinema and I both represent border states,” Cornyn said on a press call announcing the bill. “We know that this crisis at the border is not a Democratic or Republican problem,” Sinema said. And it’s one that we’ve been dealing with in our border states for decades.”Cuellar and Gonzales called the legislation “commonsense” in statements.

Nevada’s Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavkse said Wednesday her office’s just-completed review of the election found no evidence for the state GOP’s claims. As Republicans have done nationwide, the Nevada GOP has continued to claim without evidence that widespread voter fraud swung the outcome in the presidential race to Democrat Joe Biden over Republican Donald Trump. The party then filed four boxes of complaints to the Secretary of State’s office in March containing 122,918 individual complaints. The office’s initial review reduced that number to 3,963, many of them already under review by state elections officials and law enforcement. The office contacted the state Office of Vital Statistics and identified 10 of 1,506 as being deceased.

Lansing — Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, revealed this week that she's considered running against Michigan Gov. Whitmer’s dismal record of leadership has done lasting harm to Michigan families," said Richard Walters, chief of staff for the Republican National Committee. Three days after Election Day, she appeared at an event with Laura Cox, then-chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party. As Michigan Republican Party chairwoman, McDaniel helped Trump win Michigan by 10,704 votes in 2016 against Democrat Hillary Clinton. "Former MI GOP chair and current Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel also passed on a run, opting instead to lead the national party for two more years.

When Putin finished, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the master of ceremonies, asked for the tape of Macron to be replayed. The translation was still late, but at least it showed up. Australia's prime minister had a glitch that Zoom users know all too well in the “you're on mute” era. There were several times when stray voices talked over leaders, and the feed from Colombia was fuzzy. When Biden came back for his second talk, this time emphasizing money and technology, technology didn’t cooperate.

Ma'Khia Bryant's military veteran neighbor has said his home security camera footage proves Columbus Police Officer Nicholas Reardon had no choice but to shoot the black 16-year-old because more people could have been killed if he hadn't acted. Reardon shot Bryant four times at around 4.45pm on Tuesday on the 3100 block of Legion Lane while responding to a 911 call about an attempted stabbing. In the bodycam footage, Bryant is seen holding a knife and charging at two other young women. Another neighbor agreed with the family, telling the Dispatch she didn't know why the cop who shot Bryant didn't use a taser instead of firing four bullets at her. Officer Reardon pulls out his gun and repeatedly shouts: 'Get down!

"Avoid referring to the present situation as a crisis, although we may quote others using that language while providing context. "If using the word 'crisis,' we need to ask of what and to whom." After immense pressure from both Republicans and Democrats, Biden himself referred to the situation on the border as a " crisis" earlier this month. Politico regularly uses " climate crisis" in its stories, and the now-forbidden " border crisis" has even earned its own tag, presumably to generate traffic from Google. Going forward, the memo explains, Politico staff should avoid using terms "which could portray migrants as a negative, harmful influence."

Subsidies given to fossil fuel companies are a “disgrace” and must be immediately ended, Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, has told a US congressional committee. Thunberg, testifying to the House oversight committee on Earth Day on Thursday, said it was incredible that fossil fuels are subsidized given the climate crisis. “It is the year 2021, the fact we are still having this discussion and even more that we are still subsidizing fossil fuels using taxpayer money is a disgrace,” said the 18-year-old. “The uncomfortable fact is if we are to live up to our Paris agreement promises we have to end fossil fuel subsidies, end new exploration, completely divest from fossil fuels and keep the carbon in the ground,” said Thunberg. How long do you think you can continue to ignore the climate crisis without being held accountable?

The EU is preparing to take legal action against pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca over the slow delivery of Covid-19 vaccines, Brussels has confirmed. By the end of the first quarter of 2021, the firm had delivered 30 million doses to EU countries, rather than the 100 million doses pledged in its EU contract. The delays appear to be continuing, with a new pledge to deliver 70 million doses by the end of the second quarter, compared to the entire 300 million doses in the EU contract. Rapid delivery of the vaccine to the UK has allowed Britain’s health service to outpace most of its neighbours’ programmes. More than 20 million AstraZeneca doses had been administered across the UK by the end of March this year.

“My understanding is that he took the decision and will use the word genocide in his statement on Saturday,” a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. However, the sources also said Mr Biden could change his mind last moment given the importance of America’s bilateral ties with Turkey. “Today, we remember the atrocities faced by the Armenian people in the Metz Yeghern — the Armenian Genocide. White House press secretary Jen Psaki denied to comment to on the issue on Wednesday but said she expects Mr Biden will have “more to say about Remembrance Day on Saturday”. “Statements that have no legal binding will have no benefit, but they will harm ties,” Mr Cavusoglu said in an interview with broadcaster Haberturk.

Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro pointed the finger at developed nations for “burning fossil fuels in the course of the past two centuries”, during pointed remarks at the White House climate summit on Thursday. The leader said that Brazil has accounted for less than 1 per cent of historic greenhouse gas emissions, and despite being a large developing economy, currently accounts for 3 per cent of annual global emissions. Mr Bolsonaro said that as “home of the planet’s greatest biodiversity”, Brazil was at the forefront of efforts to tackle global warming, and agreed with Mr Biden’s “call for the establishment of ambitious commitments”. Mr Bolsonaro announced during his video-link speech that he would double the amount of money for environmental authorities’ oversight. Invitees include leaders of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which total about 80 per cent of global emissions.

The vote was 94-1 in favour of the bill, with Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri the lone senator to oppose the measure. It also beefed up local and state hate crimes reporting, and brought in the departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to issue guidance that would raise awareness to Americans about the rise in hate crimes happening amid the pandemic. The shooting on 16 March sparked national outrage and informed the public about the rise in Asian American hate crimes over the last year. “This historic, bipartisan vote on the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act is a powerful message of solidarity to our AAPI community. Following its passage, Ms Collins said the bill “affirms our commitment to stand with” them against hate crimes.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg warned U.S. lawmakers Thursday that history will hold them accountable for climate catastrophes if they do not stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry before it is too late. Thunberg, whose activism began at age 15 when she started skipping school on Fridays to protest outside the Swedish parliament for climate change, voiced pessimism. 'We appreciate that President Biden ran on ending fossil fuel subsidies. He said children had been greatly affected by the fear of climate change, and asked Thunberg why she had said previously that she wanted people to 'panic' about it. Thunberg, who was Time magazine's person of the year in 2019 for her work on climate change, has denounced the 'madness' of government subsidies for fossil fuel use.

Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Article contentPresident Joe Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy individuals to 39.6 per cent, which, coupled with an existing surtax on investment income, means that federal tax rates for investors could be as high as 43.4 per cent, according to people familiar with the proposal. A 3.8 per cent tax on investment income that funds Obamacare would be kept in place, pushing the tax rate on returns on financial assets higher than the top rate on wage and salary income, they said. Try refreshing your browser, or Joe Biden is eyeing a capital gains tax as high as 43.4% for wealthy Back to videoStocks slid on news about the plan, with the S&P 500 Index down as much as 0.6 per cent after climbing 0.2 per cent earlier. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4 per cent as of 1:15 p.m. after rising as much as 0.5 per cent.

US President Joe Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy individuals to 39.6 percent, sources tell Bloomberg News. Biden campaigned on equalizing the capital gains and income tax rates for wealthy individuals, saying it’s unfair that many of them pay lower rates than middle-class workers. The capital gains increase would raise $370 billion over a decade, according to an estimate from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center based on Biden’s campaign platform. State LeviesFor $1 million earners in high-tax states, rates on capital gains could be above 50%. For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22%.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday described the climate crisis as one of the nation's existential threats with the potential to profoundly destabilize global security. The new target more than doubles the Obama administration's prior commitment under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the accords in 2019. "I welcome President Biden's leadership on tackling climate change," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in his opening remarks at the summit. It has a serious impact on our security, so it matters for NATO," he said, adding that NATO members would be stepping up efforts to address the climate crisis.

The cannabis industry is making strides in other ways as well. The industry is eager for changes to federal laws that limit cannabis companies’ access to banking and other services. Medical and adult-use cannabis sales combined jumped 58% in the U.S. last year to about $19.2 billion, according to Cowen. The ETF, which focuses on cannabis stocks, is still up about 80% from 12 months ago. Shares in some of the biggest marijuana companies, including Tilray, MedMen Enterprises and Aphria, have doubled this year.

Casey declared he wouldn’t be “a part of any scheme that sells out our seniors,” referring to the lack of funding for home-care services in the GOP infrastructure plan. The Republican proposal is more focused on traditional priorities such as repairing roads and bridges. “Under the American Jobs Plan, these workers would see their incomes grow and our Nation would see jobs created,” he said. Biden’s American Jobs Plan would “solidify the infrastructure of our care economy by creating jobs and raising wages and benefits for essential home care workers,” according to a White House fact sheet. The White House says the president wants to provide home and community-based care for individuals who sometimes have to wait years for at-home care.

With just over six months to go until vital UN climate talks, Boris Johnson has urged world leaders at a virtual White House summit to step up with plans for cutting greenhouse gas emissions this decade. Governments will meet in November in Glasgow for the UN Cop26 climate summit to assess the pledges and try to get on track to meet the Paris goals. Johnson has accepted the recommendations of the UK’s Climate Change Committee to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035, and by 68% by 2030. “If we actually want to stop climate change, then this must be the year in which we get serious about doing so. “We should not think that pledges made in April are the last word ahead of a summit in November,” he said.

Kaylee GreenleeMexico’s child welfare agency is working to establish 17 shelters for Central American migrant minors, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Mexico’s child welfare agency will likely convert existing daycares and other facilities to temporarily house migrant minors. Mexican officials are planning to open five additional shelters along the northern border shared with the U.S., the AP reported. The Biden administration has opened several temporary facilities to house record numbers of unaccompanied migrant minors arriving in the U.S. Over 20,500 unaccompanied migrant minors were in Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) custody while another 2,700 remained at Customs and Border Protection facilities as of Wednesday, according to HHS. Mexico’s child welfare agency currently oversees four shelters for unaccompanied minors near the U.S. border, the AP reported.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is joined by fellow Democrats as he speaks at a news conference after the Senate passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 22, 2021. The Senate passed a bill Thursday designed to curb a spike in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. The chamber approved the measure in a 94-1 vote, with Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri the only senator to oppose it. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has backed the bill, and President Joe Biden has signaled he would sign it into law. The proposal would instruct the Justice Department to expedite the review of hate crimes related to Covid-19.

WASHINGTON — Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg called tax breaks for the fossil fuel industry a "disgrace" in testimony to Congress at an Earth Day hearing on subsidies. The 18-year-old activist from Sweden told the House Oversight Committee in the hearing on "The Role of Fossil Fuel Subsidies in Preventing Action on the Climate Crisis" that history would hold them accountable if they fail to take action to end fossil fuel subsidies, a cause taken up by the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. How long do you think you can continue to ignore the climate crisis, the global aspect of equity and historic emissions without being held accountable?" They also criticized plans to reduce or eliminate fossil fuel subsidies without ensuring countries like China will do the same. "We are the people who are impacted first and worst by climate crisis, yet we are the people who often contribute the least to the climate crisis," Houska said.

Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, one for each shot fired at the Black teenager. Walter ScottWalter Scott, 50, an unarmed Black man, was shot repeatedly in the back as he ran away from an officer in April 2015. With both feet planted on the ground, the officer fired eight shots, hitting Scott five times. In December 2017, a federal judge sentenced Slager to 20 years in prison. The officers claimed that Lawson was fatally injured when he tumbled headfirst down a flight of stairs after being arrested.

It’s still an open question whether the Biden administration can adopt new policies that will actually achieve all of those goals. The White House has yet to lay out the precise steps it will take to ensure the United States reaches its new climate target, although it has offered some signals. Mr. Biden has also shied away from ideas like a carbon price, which would require polluters to pay for their emissions of carbon dioxide, giving them an incentive to clean up their act. But some analysts say carbon pricing would be a tough sell for many lawmakers. “I do see that point, and I understand it, but that point is running at least right now into a wall of U.S. politics that are not supportive of carbon pricing.”

AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementHistorians estimate that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in the brutal campaign and commonly classify the killings as a genocide. Biden’s acknowledgment would represent a major victory for the Armenian American diaspora community, which has lobbied for recognition for years. “I am proud the U.S. government is poised to finally be able to say it without any euphemism: genocide is genocide. AdvertisementIn anticipation of the decision, Armenian American groups have begun hailing the move as a milestone in defending human rights. Story continues below advertisement“Affirmation of the Armenian Genocide enhances America’s credibility and recommits the United States to the worldwide cause of genocide prevention,” Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of America, said in a statement.

While Biden administration officials did not specify what sort of emissions cuts would be needed to achieve the U.S. pledge, several analyses suggest that it would trigger a nearly wholesale transformation of American society. At that point, the researchers projected, renewable power would account for roughly half of the nation’s electricity — quadruple current levels. All new buildings would be fully electric, they wrote, and almost all new appliances would run on electricity rather than natural gas. “For this U.S. economy, this is a fundamental and thorough transformation,” University of Maryland Professor Nathan Hultman, who directs the center and was the report’s lead author, said in a phone interview. It will yield significant public health benefits, he added.

"I’m gonna make it plain: DC statehood is a racial justice issue, and racism kills." Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich was blunt a day earlier, via Twitter: "Opposition to D.C. statehood is racist. HOUSE PASSES DC STATEHOOD BILL TO MAKE DISTRICT 51ST STATE AFTER HEATED FLOOR DEBATENo, Virginia, D.C. statehood is not racist. First, as R. Hewitt Pate, Esq., told the Heritage Foundation, D.C. statehood faces deep constitutional tank traps. 22 STATE REPUBLICAN AGS SEND LETTER ARGUING DC STATEHOOD IS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL'Republicans and conservatives reject total Democrat control, which is what D.C. statehood would help secure.

Vice President Kamala Harris is emphasizing what she describes as the root causes of the migrant surge at the border, calling the issue "complex" as she continues to face criticism for her handling of the crisis. Harris, in a roundtable on the Northern Triangle, said the underlying issue was "addressing the acute and root causes of migration away from that region, the reasons people flee." "When you look at the root causes, we're also looking at issues of corruption. TOP REPUBLICANS REQUEST MEETING WITH KAMALA HARRIS OVER BORDER 'CATASTROPHE'The U.S. is seeing a dramatic surge in migration at the border, with 172,000 migrants encountered in March alone — and thousands more estimated to have evaded Border Patrol. They have also attacked Harris for not visiting the border.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and 19 other Republican state attorneys general sent a letter to President Biden and congressional leaders opposing efforts to alter the makeup of the Supreme Court. Biden has already announced the formation of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, which will explore potential court reforms and address issues, including the size of the court. Days later, Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill to expand the court from nine justices to 13. "The judicial branch and the judicial power created by Article III was to prevent the new federal government from repeating those abuses." The letter went on to address recent accusations from Democrats that the Supreme Court – which currently has a 6-3 majority of justices who were appointed by Republican presidents – has been politicized.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailStocks slide on report Biden will raise capital gains taxCNBC's Ylan Mui breaks down a Bloomberg report that says President Biden will raise the capital gains tax, and the news is moving markets.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) speaks during a news conference following the weekly Democrat policy luncheon on Capitol Hill on April 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Democratic Senators spoke about the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. The Senate passed a bill Thursday designed to curb a spike in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has backed the bill and President Joe Biden has signaled he would sign it into law. The proposal would instruct the Justice Department to expedite the review of hate crimes related to Covid-19.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about jobs and the economy at the White House in Washington, April 7, 2021. President Joe Biden will seek to raise taxes on millionaire investors to fund education and other spending priorities as part of the administration's effort to overhaul the U.S. economy. As part of the plan, Biden will seek an increase to the tax on capital gains to 39.6% from 20% for those Americans earning more than $1 million, according to multiple outlets including Bloomberg News and The New York Times. The capital gains tax is especially important to Wall Street since it dictates how large a chunk of an equity sale is collected by the federal government. This plan would bring the capital gains tax rate and the top individual income tax rate, currently at 37%, to near parity.

If the White House opts to leave student loan forgiveness to Congress, Democrats would likely use the budget reconciliation process to get it done. And roughly one-third of federal student loan borrowers, or 15 million people, would see their balances reset to zero. Meanwhile, the debt for 80% of federal student loan borrowers, or 36 million people, would be gone entirely. One-fifth of federal student loan borrowers owe more than $50,000, and around 7% of borrowers owe more than six-figures. Formerly, any student loan debt canceled by the government was considered taxable and levied at the borrower's normal income tax rate.

Shelley Capito (R-WV) speaks during a news conference to introduce the Republican infrastructure plan, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., April 22, 2021. REUTERS/Erin ScottU.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday proposed a $568 billion, five-year infrastructure package as a counter offer to President Joe Biden's sweeping $2.3 trillion plan, calling their measure a starting point for bipartisan negotiations. But the package, which represents less than one-quarter of the Biden package, has already been dismissed by Democrats in Congress as inadequate. Biden, who this week asked Republicans to offer a counter-proposal by mid-May, proposed a sweeping infrastructure plan that not only includes traditional infrastructure projects but also addresses climate change and expands human services such as elder care. Republicans have opposed the size and scope of the Biden proposal, as well as its plan to pay for spending by raising taxes on U.S. corporations.

A U.S flag is seen on the New York Stock Exchange in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 6, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo AllegriWall Street's main indexes hit session lows on Thursday, after a report said President Joe Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy individuals to 39.6%. read moreAt 01:20 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 268.71 points, or 0.79% , to 33,868.60, the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 28.20 points, or 0.68%, to 4,145.22 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) lost 85.96 points, or 0.62%, to 13,864.26. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in the Cross Hall at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2021. REUTERS/Tom BrennerU.S. President Joe Biden will next week propose raising taxes on the wealthy to fund major investments in child care, universal pre-kindergarten education and paid leave for workers, sources familiar with the plan said. Biden will propose raising the marginal income tax rate to 39.6% from 37%, and nearly doubling taxes on capital gains to 39.6% for people earning more than $1 million, according to the sources. Wealthy Americans could face an overall capital gains tax rate of 43.4% including the 3.8% net investment tax on individuals with income of $200,000 or more ($250,000 married filing jointly). "If it had a chance of passing, we'd be down 2,000 points," said Thomas Hayes, chairman and managing member at hedge fund Great Hill Capital LLC, referring to reports about hiking the capital gains tax.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks during a virtual U.S. global climate summit, at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, April 22, 2021. In remarks at a White House virtual climate summit, Lopez Obrador said that Mexico aimed to expand his administration's signature "Sembrando Vida," or "Sowing Life," program to Central America, which he said is planting 700,000 trees. Calling it "possibly the largest reforestation effort in the world," Lopez Obrador said the program aims to create 1.2 million jobs and plant 3 billion additional trees through expansion into southeastern Mexico and Central America. Lopez Obrador did not make new commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Lopez Obrador has tended to skip international events and has only left Mexico once, to meet with then-U.S. President Donald Trump, since assuming power.

About 21 million acres are enrolled in the program, below the Congress-set limit of 25 million acres. The cap will gradually increase to 27 million acres by 2023. Apart from environmental goals, conservation land can also generate rural jobs in outdoor recreation or construction, he said. Still, farmers said the potential for big profits from crop production will make them reluctant to take land out of production. He said the program was aimed at preserving marginal acres, not the most productive U.S. farmland.

FILE - In this April1 14, 2018, file photo, then-Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie speaks during a media availability at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)FILE - In this April1 14, 2018, file photo, then-Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie speaks during a media availability at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Afghanistan’s military “will certainly collapse” without some continued American support once all U.S. troops are withdrawn, the top U.S. general for the Middle East told Congress Thursday. Gen. Frank McKenzie also said he was very concerned about the Afghan government’s ability to protect the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. U.S. officials have made it clear that military commanders did not recommend the full, unconditional withdrawal that Biden has ordered.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, speaks as the screen showing world leaders at the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 22, 2021. (Lee Jin-wook/Yonhap via AP)South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, speaks as the screen showing world leaders at the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 22, 2021. Just like the rest of us, world leaders are still figuring out the tech side of virtual work, even more than a year into the pandemic. Thursday’s livestreamed U.S.-hosted global climate summit started with a glitch, not a bang. Vice President Kamala Harris began the two-day summit by stepping forward to introduce President Joe Biden, but her speech was literally double talk.

No nation offers protection to people specifically displaced because of climate change. The mayors say they should be consulted as well since cities are on the frontlines of receiving most of the migrants, refugees and others displaced by storms, drought and other effects of climate change. The mayors of Chicago, Pittsburgh, Denver, Miami, and Houston also signed the letter. ADVERTISEMENTThe effects of climate change has produced an average of 23 million refugees a year since 2010, according to a World Meteorological Organization report released Monday. “This is an opportunity for localities, including cities, to be part of the process, part of solution,” she said.

KOPOMA, México (AP) — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made a strong push Thursday for his oft-questioned tree-planting program, trying to get the United States on board to fund a massive expansion of the program into Central America as a way to stem migration. López Obrador pitched his “Planting Life” program, which aims to plant 1 billion fruit and timber trees, to U.S. President Joe Biden at Thursday’s climate change summit. ADVERTISEMENT“You, President Biden, can finance the Planting Life program in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador,” López Obrador said during Thursday’s videoconference session of the summit. During the rainy season, he and other Maya farmers can also plant traditional food crops. López Obrador says the carbon-capture from trees in the reforestation program will make a major contribution to fighting climate change.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank on a report President Joe Biden wants to hike the capital gains tax rate on wealthy Americans. Dow Jones Lags As Visa Stock Passes BuyThe Dow Jones Industrial Average was already in the red before sinking lower on the Biden tax report. Chemical stock Dow (DOW) was the worst-performing component, giving up more than 5%. Swimming pool equipment supplier Pool is in a buy zone after passing a cup-base buy point of 401.39. TransUnion raced out of its buy zone after passing a cup-with-handle buy point of 97.72.

In Rare Moment Of Bipartisan Unity, Senate Approves Asian American Hate Crimes BillEnlarge this image toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP Jose Luis Magana/APCapping nearly two weeks of talks between Democrats and Republicans, the Senate approved legislation on Thursday to ramp up law enforcement efforts to better protect the Asian American and Pacific Islander community from hate crimes. The move marks a rare moment of bipartisan unity needed to approve the Senate legislation despite a new political era marked by increasingly bitter party divisions. "The vote today on the anti-Asian hate crimes bill is proof that when the Senate is given the opportunity to work, the Senate can work to solve important issues," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote. Biden had urged approval for hate crimes legislation in the wake of a March shooting in Georgia that left several women of Asian descent dead. Through grant programs and other efforts, the legislation incentivizes law enforcement agencies to better track instances of hate crimes and establish related hotlines.

Looking For A Way To Mark Earth Day? So, here are some of our favorite Earth-related media — from books to movies to songs — ones that might just give you something to think about and celebrate this Earth Day. -- Bob Mondello, film critic"Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)"What I love about this song — and the entire What's Going On album — is how it tackles a serious issue without a hint of preachiness or condescension. -- Bob Mondello, film criticLife in Color with David AttenboroughEveryone's favorite rumpled British naturalist is back, in a two-part docuseries about the way animals use color to warn off and/or hide from predators and find mates. -- Bob Mondello, film critic

President Joe Biden will propose nearly doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy Americans to 39.6%, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. Combined with an existing surtax on investment income, Bloomberg said, that means federal tax rates for investors could be as high as 43.4%. Bloomberg cited people familiar with the proposal, and said the plan would boost the capital gains rate to 39.6% for those earning $1 million or more. The president is expected to release the proposal next week as part of the tax increases to fund social spending in the forthcoming "American Families Plan," Bloomberg said. U.S. stocks DJIA, -0.81% SPX, -0.74% COMP, -0.77% turned lower on the news.

President Joe Biden will use a speech to Congress next week to outline his "American Families Plan," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. The plan is expected to focus on policies including paid family leave, childcare and free community college. Asked about a report that Biden will propose nearly doubling capital gains taxes on wealthy Americans to help pay for the plan, Psaki said she wouldn't get ahead of Biden's final decisions. She reiterated his pledge not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year. U.S. stocks DJIA, -0.79% turned south in afternoon trade after a report said Biden is weighing the capital-gains proposal.

With the U.S. pledge, about two-thirds of the current global emissions come from countries that have now pledged to reach net zero emissions by midcentury. The sooner global emissions decline, the smoother the route to zero emissions by 2050 will be. The U.K. pledged just ahead of the summit to cut emissions 78% by 2035, and the EU announced a provisional deal on a 55% emissions cut by 2030. U.S.-China diplomacy in the run up to the U.N. Paris climate meeting was widely seen as essential to its success five years ago. This commentary was originally published by The Conversation—New US climate pledge: Cut emissions 50% this decade, but can Biden make it happen?

President Joe Biden will use a speech to Congress next week to outline his "American Families Plan," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. The plan is expected to focus on policies including paid family leave, childcare and free community college. Asked about a report that Biden will propose nearly doubling capital gains taxes on wealthy Americans to help pay for the plan, Psaki said she wouldn't get ahead of Biden's final decisions. She reiterated his pledge not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year. U.S. stocks DJIA, -0.80% turned south in afternoon trade after a report said Biden is weighing the capital-gains proposal.

Everything was going fine for the stock market on Thursday—and then an anonymously sourced report hit that detailed how President Joe Biden planned to raise taxes on the wealthy, causing the major indexes to sink into the red. The details in the report, courtesy of the New York Times, were sparse, but enough to spook the market. But in a vacuum, higher taxes are not a good thing for stocks, Michael Darda, chief economist at MKM Partners, wrote in a note before the report hit. “Although there is no direct linkage between tax rates and productivity cycles, we would have to assume that all other things equal (they never are) these would be a headwind,” he wrote. At least when it comes to stock market valuations, higher tax rates, higher inflation rates, and higher market interest rates could become a serious fly in the ointment.”For at least one day, the stock market appears to agree.

President Joe Biden will propose nearly doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy Americans to 39.6%, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. Combined with an existing surtax on investment income, Bloomberg said, that means federal tax rates for investors could be as high as 43.4%. Bloomberg cited people familiar with the proposal, and said the plan would boost the capital gains rate to 39.6% for those earning $1 million or more. The president is expected to release the proposal next week as part of the tax increases to fund social spending in the forthcoming "American Families Plan," Bloomberg said. U.S. stocks DJIA, -0.81% SPX, -0.73% COMP, -0.76% turned lower on the news.

The company earned an adjusted 86 cents a share on revenue of $43.9 billion during the first quarter, up from 84 cents in adjusted earnings per share and $42.8 billion in revenue a year prior. Both metrics topped the FactSet consensus, as analysts had been projecting 78 cents in adjusted EPS and $42.7 billion in revenue. AT&T recorded $19.0 billion in mobility revenue, up 9.4% from a year earlier. AT&T called out success with its efforts to bundle services like broadband, wireless, and HBO Max. In AT&T’s prior report, the company projected roughly $21 billion in gross capital investment and $18 billion in capital expenditures.

President Joe Biden will use a speech to Congress next week to outline his "American Families Plan," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. The plan is expected to focus on policies including paid family leave, childcare and free community college. Asked about a report that Biden will propose nearly doubling capital gains taxes on wealthy Americans to help pay for the plan, Psaki said she wouldn't get ahead of Biden's final decisions. She reiterated his pledge not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year. U.S. stocks DJIA, -0.77% turned south in afternoon trade after a report said Biden is weighing the capital-gains proposal.

The Daily BeastJohn Moore/Getty ImagesThe defense intellectual Fred Ikle once wrote that every war must end. It’ll simply require far more platforms, operating at greater range,” McKenzie said, suggesting that the skies above Afghanistan will continue to see U.S. surveillance and strike aircraft. “We’ve done four such operations in the last roughly 90 days, one of which is ongoing right now.”Sen. “The long term view from the War on Terror is this: it’s not going to be bloodless,” he said. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you.

On Wall Street, indexes turned lower after a Bloomberg report that the Biden administration would propose to lift the capitals gains tax to near 40% for wealthy individuals, nearly double the current rate. "If they’re going to tax people more and their net is going to fall, the value of that instrument is lower. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe shed 0.35% and the pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.68%. Treasury yields fell alongside stocks on the capital gains tax issue. The dollar index rose 0.247%, with the euro down 0.22% to $1.2006.

Biden will propose raising the marginal income tax rate to 39.6% from 37%, and nearly doubling taxes on capital gains to 39.6% for people earning more than $1 million, according to the sources. Wealthy Americans could face an overall capital gains tax rate of 43.4% including the 3.8% net investment tax on individuals with income of $200,000 or more ($250,000 married filing jointly). Currently, those earning more than $200,000 pay an overall rate of about 23.8% including the Obamacare net investment tax. "If it had a chance of passing, we'd be down 2,000 points," said Thomas Hayes, chairman and managing member at hedge fund Great Hill Capital LLC, referring to reports about hiking the capital gains tax. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, Trevor Hunnicutt; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal, David Lawder and Herbert Lash; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Cynthia Osterman)

Instead, Mr Putin loomed silently on a giant screen above Mr Biden, Mr Binken and John Kerry, the US climate tsar. On the screen Mr Putin looked bored, twiddling his forefinger and thumb. Biden - White HouseAfter nearly a full minute of awkward silence Mr Blinken, looking ever so slightly flustered, tried again. Kremlinologists immediately speculated that the most recent incident might be an attempt by Mr Putin to unsettle Mr Biden. Story continuesThe echo problem continued as Mr Biden took the microphone, but was hurriedly fixed during his speech.

Dow Inc. (DOW) - Get Report was sliding Thursday even after the chemical maker beat Wall Street's first-quarter earnings expectations. Adjusted earnings came to $1.36 a share, beating the FactSet analyst consensus of $1.14. Sales totaled $11.88 billion, up 22% from a year earlier and exceeding the FactSet consensus of $11.09 billion. Packaging and specialty plastics sales rose 32% to $6.08 billion, beating the FactSet consensus of $5.37 billion. Dow contributed $1 billion to its U.S. pension plans and said it would freeze its U.S. plans for active employees as of Dec. 31, 2023.

The prime-time TV grid is on hiatus in print but an expanded version is available in your daily Times eNewspaper. 10 p.m. SyfyA Black Lady Sketch Show The Emmy-nominated sketch comedy series returns for a second season with new featured players Laci Mosley and Skye Townsend joining returning cast members Robin Thede, Gabrielle Dennis and Ashley Nicole Black. (N) 3 p.m. KTTVThe Real Robin Thede (“A Black Lady Sketch Show”); Ron Funches. (N) 11:34 p.m. KNBCThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert Former Republican House speaker and author John Boehner; Shelley performs. 12:36 a.m. KNBCThe Late Late Show With James Corden Tom Brady; activist Stacey Abrams; JP Saxe and Maren Morris perform.

Jim Cramer discusses the latest stock market news including how to trade Southwest and Chipotle after earnings and why the market is sending false signals Thursday. TheStreet's Katherine Ross and Jim Cramer discussed breaking news in the stock market. Cramer spoke about how to trade Southwest and Chipotle after earnings and why the market is sending false signals Thursday. Chipotle: Buy Or Sell? Want to be alerted before Jim Cramer adds or removes stocks from his portfolio?

The Senate on Thursday approved a bill designed to make it easier for law enforcement to investigate hate crimes against Asian Americans, which have surged amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would designate one Justice Department official to expedite review of potential hate crimes against Asian Americans. It would also set up a voluntary database of hate crimes and issue guidance to help local law enforcement make it easier for people to report crimes. AdvertisementThe bill originally only addressed hate crimes related to the pandemic, a link that Republicans and others viewed as potentially too onerous for law enforcement to make. In addition to the Justice Department appointment, the bill would set up a database of hate crimes and issue guidance to help local law enforcement make it easier for people to report crimes.

While the bill bolsters resources for addressing hate crimes more broadly, supporters said it will send a clear message to the Asian American community that steps are being taken to curb an alarming increase in threats and violence. The Senate passed by an overwhelming margin legislation designed to combat hate crimes in the U.S., as lawmakers united to respond after a sharp increase in attacks against Asian-Americans since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. “Hate crimes will not be tolerated and federal law enforcement will do everything in its power to detect, deter and if necessary prosecute crimes to the full extent of the law.”The legislation requires the Justice Department to conduct a review of hate crimes, and to provide guidance to state and local governments to enable them to establish online reporting of hate crimes and expand public education campaigns to raise awareness of such assaults. It also provides grants for states to establish state-wide hate crimes reporting hotlines and improve their training to better identify and report them. Hirono said there are some discussions underway about the House possibly taking up the Senate bill and clearing it to speed the process.

By David Morgan | ReutersWASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday proposed a $568 billion, five-year infrastructure package as a counter offer to President Joe Biden’s sweeping $2.3 trillion plan, calling their measure a starting point for bipartisan negotiations. The proposal, which falls below an initial Republican target range of $600 billion to $800 billion, focuses narrowly on traditional infrastructure projects including roads, bridges, rail, ports, water systems and on broadband access. But the package, which represents less than one-quarter of the Biden package, has already been dismissed by Democrats in Congress as inadequate. Biden, who this week asked Republicans to offer a counter-proposal by mid-May, proposed a sweeping infrastructure plan that not only includes traditional infrastructure projects but also addresses climate change and expands human services such as elder care. Thursday’s proposal could form the basis of a two-track infrastructure process that would include a smaller bipartisan bill and a larger measure that Democrats could move through Congress without Republican votes.

The proposal faces a far tougher fight in the Senate, where simple Democratic control of the chamber won’t be enough. An identical statehood bill passed the House in 2020, but it quickly died in the then-Republican-controlled Senate. Now, with the 2020 elections leaving Democrats in control of both chambers and the White House, Republican senators may resort to a filibuster to stymie the statehood bill. Connolly argued that the federal district was a theoretical concept when first conceived, not a community with a higher population than two U.S. states. “People have started to see D.C. statehood as the racial justice issue that it is,” said Perry, who is also on the board of the pro-statehood group D.C. Vote.

By Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor Hunnicutt | ReutersWASHINGTON – U.S. President Joe Biden will next week propose raising taxes on the wealthy to fund major investments in child care, universal pre-kindergarten education and paid leave for workers, sources familiar with the plan said. Biden will propose raising the marginal income tax rate to 39.6% from 37%, and nearly doubling taxes on capital gains to 39.6% for people earning more than $1 million, according to the sources. Wealthy Americans could face an overall capital gains tax rate of 43.4% including the 3.8% net investment tax on individuals with income of $200,000 or more ($250,000 married filing jointly). Currently, those earning more than $200,000 pay an overall rate of about 23.8% including the Obamacare net investment tax. “If it had a chance of passing, we’d be down 2,000 points,” said Thomas Hayes, chairman and managing member at hedge fund Great Hill Capital LLC, referring to reports about hiking the capital gains tax.

But even more important than the administration’s progress in tackling the country’s major issues has been the presidency’s return to normalcy in Biden’s first three months in office. Instead, the hallmarks of the Biden presidency include:Regular schedules. The Biden White House has ended the flood of leaks that marked the Trump White House. Interestingly, as with Trump, inappropriate comments don’t seem to have affected Biden’s job approval levels, at least so far. The extent to which Biden’s orderly approach will make Trump’s chaotic presidency seem like an aberration depends ultimately on how well Biden succeeds and what comes next.

Laura Davison and Allyson VersprilleBloombergPresident Joe Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy individuals to 39.6%, which, coupled with an existing surtax on investment income, means that federal tax rates for investors could be as high as 43.4%, according to people familiar with the proposal. Biden campaigned on equalizing the capital gains and income tax rates for wealthy individuals, saying it’s unfair that many of them pay lower rates than middle-class workers. For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22%. Democrats have said current capital gains rates largely help top earners who get their income through investments rather than in the form of wages, resulting in lower tax rates for wealthy people than those they employ. Republicans argue that current capital gains rates encourage saving and promote future economic growth.

The pullout under U.S. President Joe Biden marks the end of America's longest war after a 20-year military engagement. While preparations are under way, troops likely won't begin to depart for a few weeks, he said, adding that "we won't see a coming down of the (troop) numbers" until remaining bases close. In the short term, America will likely increase its troop presence in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said last Friday. The additional troops would be in Afghanistan over the coming weeks and months to help with what the herculean task of wrapping up 20 years of war. The Taliban, meanwhile, were non-committal when asked by the AP whether the insurgents would attack departing U.S. and NATO troops.

WASHINGTON (AP) — This week's climate change summit features lots of talk from different nations about their goals for reducing carbon emissions. But in the weird world of national climate pledges, numbers often aren’t quite what they seem. US AND EU GOALSBoth the United States and the European Union are offering similar-sounding pledges of cutting around half their emissions by 2030. The European Union goal, newly approved by the union’s parliament, is 55% below 1990 levels. The new U.S. goal announced Thursday by President Joe Biden is 50% to 52% below 2005 levels.

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy individuals to 39.6%, which, coupled with an existing surtax on investment income, means that federal tax rates for investors could be as high as 43.4%, according to people familiar with the proposal. Biden campaigned on equalizing the capital gains and income tax rates for wealthy individuals, saying it’s unfair that many of them pay lower rates than middle-class workers. QuickTake: How Capital Gains Are Taxed and What Biden Might DoThe White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, and the Treasury Department declined to comment. Story continuesState LeviesFor $1 million earners in high-tax states, rates on capital gains could be above 50%. For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22%.

The Biden administration on Thursday pledged to slash US greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% from 2005 levels by 2030, a new target it hopes will spur other big emitter countries to raise their ambition to combat climate change. The goal, unveiled at the start of a two-day climate summit hosted by President Joe Biden, comes as the United States seeks to reclaim global leadership in the fight against global warming after former president Donald Trump withdrew the country from international efforts to cut emissions.

Nero’s notorious reputation is to be rehabilitated by the British Museum as curators reveal how the emperor was traduced by “cancel culture” in the Roman Empire. Known for being the emperor who fiddled while Rome burned, Nero’s brutal reign between 54 and 68 AD included persecuting Christians and matricide, the killing of his mother. But British Museum curators say Nero was instead one of the first victims of “cancel culture”, with reasons behind his downfall largely out of his control. Roman statue warsDr Thorsten Opper, Ancient Rome curator at the British Museum, told The Telegraph: “It’s weird how topical it has suddenly become in the last few years. “Statue wars is perhaps most appropriate, what we saw with Colston’s statue in Bristol and various monuments in the US.

A technical glitch at the climate summit meant Joe Biden was left hanging for nearly 90 seconds by his political nemesis Vladimir Putin. "I now turn the floor to the President of the Russian Federation," announced Tony Blinken, the US secretary of state. Instead, Mr Putin loomed silently on a giant screen above Mr Biden, Mr Binken and John Kerry, the US climate tsar. The American leaders, seated at a large table, looked at each other and fiddled with their masks. On the screen Mr Putin looked bored, twiddling his forefinger and thumb.

As 100,000 troops trudge back to their barracks in Russia's heartlands one may be forgiven for thinking Vladimir Putin is in retreat. Much reading of the tea leaves has taken place since Mr Putin, master of deception, moved columns of his armed forces close to the Ukraine border. As they begin to slowly return, the Kremlin may feel it has got what it wanted out of the latest round of sabre-rattling. Mr Putin has achieved three principal goals. First, a phone call from US president Joe Biden, in which Mr Biden urged a de-escalation - an acknowledgement at least of Mr Putin's parade of firepower.

John Kerry denounced former president Donald Trump for withdrawing the US from the landmark Paris treaty, which the former Secretary of State signed in 2015. Mr Biden announced on his first day in office that the US would reenter the agreement after the former president formally withdrew in 2020. Mr Biden announced the US non-binding emissions target as part of a two-day White House climate summit with world leaders. “No politician in the future is going to undo this, because all over the world, trillions of dollars, trillions of yen, trillions of euros are going to be heading into this new marketplace,” he said. “The world as a whole is moving in this direction, because these companies have made this critical long term strategic marketing judgment,” he said.

Despite years of warnings from scientists that a warming planet would result in dangerous weather conditions, researchers say there's been a shift in climate misinformation from denying climate change to focussing on extreme weather events. Climate misinformation spreaders have shifted their focus from denialism to extreme local weather events that are a result of climate change. Now it’s softer forms of denial and efforts to diminish the impacts of climate change,” he added. Facebook now has a Climate Science Information Centre that is dedicated to counteracting climate change myths. YouTube was called out by the US House Select Committee on the climate crisis, as a leading source for climate change misinformation and urged them to do more.

'I think it's truly unfortunate we've seen the politicization creeping into those institutions,' Bequette added. While Bequette claims sports and the military avoid politicization, the military has conducted flyovers and salutes during NFL games for years. Arkansas Sen Tom Cotton was one of the first to call James out, tweeting: 'Lebron James is inciting violence against an Ohio police officer. 'A cop just killed a little girl and y'all are more concerned about Lebron James tweeted that the cop is next to take accountability???? Another wrote: 'I don't understand why y'all tryna publicly crucify LeBron James for a now deleted tweet that was TOTALLY take out of context.

President Joe Biden is calling to hike the top income tax rate back to where it was before the Trump tax cuts and nearly double capital gains rates for top earners to fund his phase two of his 'human infrastructure' plan.' The president would push the top income tax rate up to 39.6 per cent – where it was before Trump's 2017 tax cuts. President Joe Biden will call to raise the to income tax rate up to 39.6 per centThe hike would have those owners have their capital gains taxed at a 39.6 rate as well. The 39.6% top income tax rate would return to the 2012 level enacted after President Barack Obama signed the American Taxpayer Protection Act. The tax hit investment income on individuals earning more than $200,000 in investment income.

Proposals that President López Obrador presented Thursday at this week’s Leaders Summit on Climate are not serious, based on ideology more than reality, and hark back to decades past, according to three environmentalists. In addition, he indicated that hydroelectric plants are being upgraded to reduce the use of fuel oil or coal in electricity production. It’s a matter of organizing the flow of migrants and channeling them humanely and with practical judgment,” López Obrador said. There will be 600,000 barrels of fuel oil per day, but they banned fuel oil as fuel for ships, so I believe that they’re planning to burn it in the thermal power stations as was done in the past,” Chacón said. He warned that the program won’t help to contain migration, as López Obrador claims it will, and questioned its reforestation credentials.

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act cleared the chamber in a 94-1 vote. It would expedite the Justice Department's review of hate crimes andwould designate an official at DOJ to oversee the effort. More:In bipartisan vote, Senate advances bill on hate crimes against Asian AmericansSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said last week that as the “proud husband of an Asian American woman, I think this discrimination against Asian Americans is a real problem." Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., would establish grants to aid local and state governments to encourage more training on hate crimes for law enforcement, establish hate crime hotlines and allow for a "rehabilitation" effort for perpetrators of hate crimes. Stop AAPI Hate, an advocacy group tracking hate incidents, said it had received nearly 3,800 reports of hate incidents across the country since March 2020, compared with roughly 100 incidents annually in previous years.

The political media has long been both powerful and controversial — no surprise, as it essentially plays the role of referee in American politics. Even at the start of the Trump presidency, political journalists covered Trump more negatively than they had recent other presidents. Are U.S. political journalists covering an escalation of the hyperpartisanship and polarization of the last two decades? It’s not as if the political media can or should stop caring about topics that were raised at the news conference. I am a member of the political media, of course, and grappling with many of these questions myself.

The 46-page report presents an incomplete picture of the political influence of the Trump White House on delaying disaster relief for the struggling island. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementWhile investigators interviewed 20 current and former HUD officials and two Puerto Rico housing officials, they had no access to Carson. Wanda Vázquez Garced (D) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in January 2020 after untouched disaster aid was discovered. Davis took the unusual step of laying out the administration’s obstruction at the top of the HUD report. Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi said in a statement that the inspector general’s findings show “clearly there were onerous and discriminatory restrictions on the funding appropriated by Congress to help Puerto Rico recover from recent natural disasters."

Two groups within conservative mega-donor Charles Koch's political network called on the Biden administration Thursday to release all the temporary worker visas allocated by Congress for fiscal year 2021. The H-2B program allows for non-agricultural seasonal or surge workers to enter the United States and work for their sponsoring employer. ADVERTISEMENTStill, the administration has yet to announce whether it will release all the statutorily allowed H-2B visas, even as the economy rebounds and the unemployment rate shrinks. The Biden administration has generally been cautious in announcing upticks in the number of foreign nationals it will allow in the country, as the number of asylum seekers at the southern border continues to increase. "Previous research has also found that for every additional 100 H-2B workers, 464 jobs are created for Americans," they added.

The House on Thursday voted to make Washington, DC, the nation’s 51st state — a move that, if approved by the Senate, would hand Democrats two new senators. If approved by the Senate, Washington, DC, would become the 51st state. “I have had enough of my colleagues’ racist insinuations that somehow that people of Washington, DC, are incapable or even unworthy of our democracy,” he said in a floor speech. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton at a news conference advocating for DC statehood. Getty ImagesSpeaking before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled her late father, Rep. Thomas D’Alesandro Jr.

Live Live Updates: Biden, Kicking Off Summit, Says U.S. ‘Has Resolved to Take Action’ on Climate Change President Biden committed the United States to cutting emissions by half by the end of the decade at a virtual Earth Day summit. Rest of the World China +80 gigawatts of coal power China continues to build more new coal power plants than it retires. Retirements –20 2000 2010 2020 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2005 2015 China +80 gigawatts of coal power China continues to build more new coal power plants than it retires. –20 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 China China continues to build more new coal power plants than it retires. +80 gigawatts of coal power Outside of China, countries adding the most new coal power capacity include India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

President Biden’s choice for his top science adviser is facing an uphill confirmation battle in Washington as ties to Jeffrey Epstein emerge as an issue in his consideration, according to a report. Questions over Eric Lander’s association with Epstein have delayed his nomination to be director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Politico reported. Corbis via Getty ImagesThe White House acknowledged the unsavory connection but defended Lander in a statement: “Dr. Lander and other distinguished scientists lunched with Epstein in 2012 in the office of now-disgraced Harvard professor Martin Nowak. AFP via Getty ImagesLander pleaded ignorance to BuzzFeed News when asked about the meeting in 2019, claiming he did not know Epstein would be there and did not know the infamous pedophile’s history.

The Pentagon has briefed top lawmakers on suspected “directed-energy” attacks against US troops, potentially by Russia, according to a report. The congressional officials who told the outlet they had been briefed said they were informed about the suspected attacks as part of their Pentagon oversight duties. At the time, two people familiar with the probe said, several troops began experiencing “flu-like symptoms.”The Defense Department briefed at least two groups of lawmakers on suspected attacks against US troops. Alamy Stock PhotoThe incidents of suspected attacks by Russia became a concern to national security officials last year, which is when the Pentagon’s office of special operations and low-intensity conflict launched the investigation. Reached for comment by Politico, a spokesperson said that the department was not aware of any directed-energy attacks against US troops in Syria.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday said that Central Americans need “a sense of hope that help is on the way” to deter migration to the overwhelmed US-Mexico border. “We have to give people a sense of hope, a sense of hope that help is on the way, a sense of hope that if they stay, things will get better,” Harris said during brief public remarks. They don’t want to leave their grandparents, they don’t want to leave the culture.”Vice President Kamala Harris speaks before a meeting about the Northern Triangle migration crisis on April 22, 2021. Vice President Kamala Harris discusses the Northern Triangle migration crisis on April 22, 2021. Republicans have questioned Harris’ investment in her migration czar role by noting her sparse public events on the topic.

AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementThe 2024 polling still shows Trump at 50 percent among Republican voters, 39 points above the second-place contender. Trump being Trump, though, his team went to the mattresses. Jason Miller, his top aide, tweeted or retweeted 12 rebuttals to the Bolton poll, disparaging Bolton and taking issue with the poll numbers. He cited data from Trump’s longtime pollster John McLaughlin that showed that 83 percent of Republicans would support Trump in a 2024 primary bid. What shifted under Trump was partly about Trump and partly about cementing that fringe-and-right-wing-media-led approach to politics at the center of Republican politics.

Despite the intense political focus on young transgender children, only 10 percent of the children arriving at her clinic are pre-pubertal. Transgender people have existed throughout history, including transgender children. Once a transgender teenager reaches later years in adolescence, some may request sex hormone treatment — estrogen for transgender girls and testosterone for transgender boys. In recent debates over transgender medical care, politicians have made claims that transgender children are undergoing genital surgeries at young ages. Skeptics will often cite statistics from studies suggesting that a majority of young transgender children will eventually grow out of their transgender identity later in life.

In doing so, the GOP plan takes a more narrow view of infrastructure reform than Biden, who has sought to proffer major investments in other areas of the economy, including schools and elder care, in his package. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisement“This is the largest infrastructure investment Republicans have come forward with,” Capito said at a press conference unveiling their early plan. Republicans recommend recovering the costs of their spending through fees imposed on those who use the infrastructure. Capito said the GOP came to its figures largely through augmenting sums that might normally be set aside for federal transportation and infrastructure spending. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementBut the Republican counter-offer still sets the parameters for further negotiations between the parties.

Howard Kurtz on President Biden hosting a climate change summit on Earth Day, the George Floyd murder trial reactions showcasing the political divide and Lebron James deleting tweet of officer involved in shooting of teen. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtzFor more #MediaBuzz click here

"We're here today because the United States Supreme Court is broken," Markey said in front of the Supreme Court building, flanked by Democratic lawmakers and activists. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., rejected the notion that Democrats are trying to pack the Supreme Court. He insisted that Republicans did so by blocking Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland and ramming through Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation just before the presidential election. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and likely some other Senate Democrats, are opposed to packing the Supreme Court too. If we get power back, will it be 20 Supreme Court justices?"

Joe Exotic is turning to an unlikely source to help him get out of prison — his rival and Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin. Joe and Carole’s feud was the subject of the immensely popular Netflix documentary series "Tiger King." The ease with which people can own and operate businesses involving big cats was one of the many startling revelations in "Tiger King." 'TIGER KING' STAR JOE EXOTIC'S ATTORNEYS TO SEEK NEW TRIAL"It is time for Carole and Howard to put up or shut the hell up because I'm accepting their offer," Joe told Entertainment Tonight. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"I wouldn't seek a reduced sentence for Joe based upon him just saying he'd help end cub handling," she said.

Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Mike Braun, R-Ind., on Thursday introduced a bill that would force the Biden administration to declassify intelligence related to COVID-19 origins. Since April of 2020, experts have voiced concerns that the novel coronavirus may have originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. "For over a year, anyone asking questions about the Wuhan Institute of Virology has been branded as a conspiracy theorist," Hawley said in a Thursday statement. "The world needs to know if this pandemic was the product of negligence at the Wuhan lab but the CCP has done everything it can to block a credible investigation." He added that the "Biden administration must declassify what it knows about the Wuhan lab and Beijing’s attempts to cover up the origin of the pandemic."

President Biden's White House Tuesday formally backed making Washington, D.C., the 51st state of the union and urged Congress to pass the H.R. 51 legislation to give Washingtonians "long overdue full representation." The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said the Biden administration "strongly supports" the D.C. statehood legislation that would give the district two new senators and one member of Congress. HOUSE COMMITTEE ADVANCES DC STATEHOOD BILL ALONG PARTY-LINE VOTE"For far too long, the more than 700,000 people of Washington, D.C., have been deprived of full representation in the U.S. Congress," the White House OMB statement said. "Establishing the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, as the 51st state will make our union stronger and more just," the White House said.

President Biden urged world leaders to act quickly and together to confront the consequences of Earth's changing climate, but notably did not specifically address heavy polluters like China. Within our climate response lies an extraordinary job creation and economic opportunity ready to be fired up," he said. Attendees included Russian President Vladimir Putin; British Prime Minister Boris Johnson; Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; French President Emmanuel Macron; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga; Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro; Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an; and Korean President Moon Jae-in. The Biden administration's pledge would require the most ambitious U.S. climate effort ever undertaken as scientists say man-made climate change is worsening around the world on multiple fronts. The virtual summit, scheduled to continue through Friday night, was held on the United States' 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

This Earth Day we're working hard to lower our emissions [and] encouraging other countries to do the same. Kerry appears to have flown across the country in a private jet as recently as last month. Like Kerry, United Nations climate envoy Bloomberg has eschewed commercial travel for his emissions-heavy private jet. However, the actor has also repeatedly drawn criticism for his use of a private jet to attend events. Following an appearance at Global Citizen in New York in 2019, DiCaprio was widely mocked for his use of yachts and private planes.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhich companies are likely to benefit the most from an infrastructure billKevin Mahn, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management, discusses sectors of the market that stand to benefit from an infrastructure bill, whether it's the GOP or Biden plan that gets through the Senate.

Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvania, left, speaks to Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. A group of Senate Republicans outlined their infrastructure plan Thursday, unveiling a much narrower vision for how to revamp U.S. transportation and broadband than the sweeping approach backed by President Joe Biden. The GOP package would cost $568 billion, only a fraction of the Democratic president's more than $2 trillion package. It also would not address policies such as care for elderly and disabled people, which Biden included in his plan. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and John Barrasso of Wyoming.

Leaders of countries like Brazil, Canada and Japan made commitments on Thursday to curb domestic greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change during President Joe Biden's climate summit. The pledges come shortly after Biden vowed to reduce U.S. emissions by at least 50% by 2030, more than doubling the country's prior commitment under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The president convened the summit to urge global cooperation on climate change. In a split from his past attitude toward climate change, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro vowed to end illegal deforestation in the country by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. "Japan is ready to demonstrate its leadership for worldwide decarbonization," Suga said at the summit.

People enjoy the warm weather at the World War II Memorial near the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, U.S. March 27, 2021. By a vote of 216-208, the Democratic-controlled House approved the initiative with no Republican support. The population of Washington, D.C., is heavily Democratic. The new state would be named "Washington, Douglass Commonwealth" after George Washington, the first U.S. president, and Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved person who became a famous abolitionist. Currently, Washington, D.C., has only one member of Congress - a House "delegate" who is not allowed to vote on legislation.

REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueThe United States on Thursday said it will boost public climate finance to help poor countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate, doubling funding by 2024 from average levels hit during the Obama administration. As part of the goal, the White House said that by 2024 it would triple financing of climate adaptation, which focuses on adjustments to current or expected climate change. That was the most recent period where U.S. climate finance was at an all-time high, he said on Twitter. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) would change its development strategy to include climate for the first time, and prioritize climate mitigation and adaptation. The plan also calls for ending international investments in carbon-intensive fossil fuel-based energy projects, and steering capital toward climate-aligned investments.

POLITICO Playbook PM: McDaniel for governor? Presented byRNC Chair Ronna McDaniel is reportedly giving thought to a run against Michigan Gov. … McDaniel also told the roughly 140 members in attendance that she’d given thought in recent months to running against [Gov. “How serious McDaniel is about running for governor is unclear. ‘Kevin McCarthy isn’t in control of the conference,’ a Republican lawmaker told The Daily Beast.

Republicans on Thursday unveiled a $568 billion counter proposal to President Joe Biden's sprawling $2.25 trillion infrastructure package. In total, the package calls for $299 billion for roads and bridges, $65 billion for broadband infrastructure, $61 billion for public transit systems, $35 billion for drinking water and wastewater, $44 billion for airports, $20 billion for rail systems, $17 billion for ports and inland waterways, $14 billion for water storage and $13 billion for safety purposes. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., called the plan the most robust infrastructure proposal put forth by Republicans. Additionally, it contains $42 billion for ports and airports, $100 billion to improve public school buildings and $180 billion to be invested in research and development. Earlier this month, an NPR/PBS/Marist poll found that 56 percent of U.S. adults support Biden's infrastructure plan while just 34 percent said they oppose it.

Russia has ordered its troops to withdraw from the border with Ukraine after a massive military buildup that raised alarm from Western Europe to Washington. Russia does keep a permanent contingent of forces along its 1,200-mile-long land border with Ukraine, but in recent weeks had massed tens of thousands of troops, convoys of tanks, artillery and other units. At the Pentagon, officials said Thursday there was no sign yet of a withdrawal or change in how Russian forces were deployed near Ukraine’s borders or in occupied Crimea. The Kremlin says it has moved its troops within its own territory how it sees fit, while maintaining its military movements near the border with Ukraine pose no threat. Kuleba said it was urgent that his country receive further military assistance from the U.S. before it was too late.

White House officially endorses D.C. statehood --> pic.twitter.com/n3joF2sPoK — Kevin Robillard (@Robillard) April 20, 2021Not surprisingly, given the potential for two new Senate seats at play, feelings about D.C. statehood have divided neatly along partisan lines. Feelings about D.C. statehood have divided neatly along partisan lines. In 1846, at least in part to protect slaveowners from the impending abolition of slavery in D.C., Congress agreed by statute to retrocede to Virginia its part of the District of Columbia. And to smooth out any practical (but not constitutional) concerns, the leading proposal for D.C. statehood would have Congress subsequently take up a proposal to repeal that amendment once it no longer serves a purpose. D.C. statehood may be politically divisive.

Southwest Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly said Thursday that his airline has seen steady improvement in U.S. leisure-travel sales since mid-February. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. reported net income of $116 million in the first quarter. American Airlines Group Inc. lost $4.32 per share after subtracting federal aid and other temporary items. ADVERTISEMENTAlaska Airlines’ parent reported a loss of $131 million, or $3.51 per share, after excluding federal relief and other temporary items. In trading Thursday morning, Southwest shares rose 1%, while shares of American and Alaska Air Group Inc. fell about 1%.

The outline does not offer specifics, such as which federal programs would lose unspent dollars to infrastructure. “This is the largest infrastructure investment that Republicans have come forward with,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., told reporters. “This is a robust package.”ADVERTISEMENTRepublican lawmakers have been quick to criticize the infrastructure proposal from Biden. Democrats are intent on passing a major infrastructure boost this year and could use the budget reconciliation process to bypass GOP opposition. “I feel like the White House and other counterparts on the House side want to try to reach a consensus, hard infrastructure bill.”

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON (AP) — This week’s climate change summit features lots of talk from different nations about their goals for reducing carbon emissions. So countries tend to choose years in which they peaked or near peaked on carbon emissions. ADVERTISEMENTMany developed nations’ goals pretty much even out, said Nigel Purvis, who was a U.S. State Department climate negotiator for the George W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations. NOT JUST CARBON DIOXIDELike other nations, the U.S. goal includes methane and hydrofluorocarbon gases that trap more heat but don’t last as long as carbon dioxide. Reducing methane and HFCs gets results more quickly than cutting carbon dioxide, so cutting them “can buy us a lot of time,” Larsen said.

House Democrats Pass Bill To Make D.C. Her statehood bill, H.R. House Democrats passed the bill last year in a historic vote but the legislation never reached the GOP-led Senate. Ahead of the vote, Republican lawmakers linked D.C. statehood with a laundry list of progressive policies. Even if the filibuster weren't at play here, it's unclear whether all Senate Democrats are on board with the legislation.

Countering Biden, Senate Republicans Unveil Smaller $568 Billion Infrastructure PlanEnlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSenate Republicans have released a $568 billion infrastructure proposal to counter the more than $2 trillion package unveiled by President Biden early this month. The five-year GOP proposal is unlikely to gain much support from Democrats, but the outline serves as a benchmark for any future negotiations on a bipartisan bill. Capito, who is leading the GOP infrastructure push, said the goal is for congressional committees to lead the process. In their plan, GOP senators specifically list roads and bridges, public transit systems, rail, drinking water & wastewater infrastructure, ports & inland waterways, airports, safety, broadband infrastructure and water storage. The framework calls for:$299 billion for roads and bridges$61 billion for public transit,$20 billion for rail$35 billion for drinking water and wastewater$13 billion for safety$17 billion for ports and waterways$44 billion for airports$65 billion for broadband$14 billion for water storageUnder Biden's plan, the transportation section alone is $53 billion more than the entire GOP plan.

Thunberg was called to virtually address a House subcommittee, chaired by the Democrats in the majority, that is reviewing ending fossil-fuel subsidies. “The simple fact, and uncomfortable fact, is that if we are to live up to our promises and commitments in Paris, we have to end fossil fuel subsidies … now,” she said. In 2018, the total revenue of the U.S. oil and gas industry came to about $181 billion. Rep. Ro Khanna of renewables-embracing California, the head of the subcommittee, wants quicker action from Biden to end fossil fuel subsidies as part of a plan to rebuild U.S. infrastructure. “We appreciate that President Biden ran on ending fossil fuel subsidies.

President Joe Biden wants to cut U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by about half by the end of the decade—a remarkably ambitious goal that could reshape parts of the economy. His goal, unveiled at an Earth Day summit on Thursday, calls for an emissions reduction of 50% to 52% from 2005 levels by 2030. Under Biden’s goals, power generation would produce net zero emissions by 2035. If companies like American Electric Power (AEP) can catch up, their stocks could rise. That is equivalent to the annual emissions from 22 million cars, according to the EPA.

Lily Batchelder has been nominated as assistant secretary for tax policy in the Treasury Department, he noted. Some estate tax changes are a “done deal” in the eyes of Professor Donald Williamson, executive director of American University’s Kogod Tax Policy Center. An increase in estate tax also means the “step up in basis” is on the chopping block, Williamson said. If an asset like long-held shares in a blue-chip company keeps growing in value, that’s a major shield against a major capital gains tax liability. 96% of the tax savings from a pulled-back lid would go to the highest 20% of households, according a 2018 Tax Policy Center analysis.

Thunberg was called to virtually address a House subcommittee, chaired by the Democrats in the majority, that is reviewing ending fossil-fuel subsidies. “The simple fact, and uncomfortable fact, is that if we are to live up to our promises and commitments in Paris, we have to end fossil fuel subsidies … now,” she said. In 2018, the total revenue of the U.S. oil and gas industry came to about $181 billion. Rep. Ro Khanna of renewables-embracing California, the head of the subcommittee, wants quicker action from Biden to end fossil fuel subsidies as part of a plan to rebuild U.S. infrastructure. “We appreciate that President Biden ran on ending fossil fuel subsidies.

REUTERS/Lucy NicholsonRepublicans unveiled a $568 billion counterproposal to President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan on Thursday. The Republican plan — less than half the size of Biden's proposal — is more focused on physical infrastructure like the nation's roads, railways and bridges. The package includes:$299 billion for roads and bridges$61 billion for public transit systems$20 billion for rail$13 billion for safety measures$17 billion for ports and inland waterways$44 billion for airports$65 billion for broadband$14 billion for water storageSen. Shelley Moore Capito (R., W. Va.), Sen. Roger Wicker (R., Miss. Republicans have largely rejected Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan, saying it's too expensive and includes too many measures unrelated to physical infrastructure. "$568 billion is a very, very generous offer in dealing with infrastructure.

With the U.S. pledge, about two-thirds of the current global emissions come from countries that have now pledged to reach net zero emissions by mid-century. The sooner global emissions decline, the smoother the route to zero emissions by 2050 will be. Nearly every study that shows a 50% drop in U.S. emissions is feasible is based on the observation that the power sector will cut emissions at a fast clip. The U.K. pledged just ahead of the summit to cut emissions 78% by 2035, and the EU announced a provisional deal on a 55% emissions cut by 2030. Forty world leaders attended the climate summit by video on April 22, 2021.

Court TV via AP, Pool Press abuse vs. press limits Jay Near always knew there were bad cops in Minnesota. Today, Near is remembered – if at all – for his legendary Supreme Court victory in the 1931 U.S. Supreme Court decision known as Near v. Minnesota. Near v. Minnesota opened up the modern version of press freedom we recognize today. A portion of the front page of The Saturday Press, Oct. 15, 1927, published by Jay Near that figures prominently in U.S. press freedom law. The cost of limiting the press But media freedom is always a double-edged sword.

LEBRON JAMES' SPONSORS, LAKERS, NBA SILENT IN WAKE OF CONTROVERSIAL TWEET TARGETING OHIO COPSTUART VARNEY: We seem to be at war with ourselves. China won't. The vice president won't go to see it; the great humanitarian will, however, do a 'virtual' meeting with the leader of Guatemala next week! Incredibly, LeBron James tweets a picture of the police officer who shot the teenage girl in Ohio with the caption, 'You're next.' But Twitter didn't ban LeBron James.

A group of moderate Senate Republicans on Thursday unveiled a scaled-back infrastructure proposal, a counteroffer to the massive $2.3 trillion tax and spending plan introduced by President Biden earlier this month. Shelley Moore Capito, Roger Wicker, Pat Toomey and John Barrasso released a five-year, $568 billion proposal focused on roads, bridges and other traditional forms of infrastructure. Republicans have criticized the size and scope of Biden's spending measure – dubbed the Americans Jobs Plan – arguing that it contains too many provisions that are unrelated to traditional forms of infrastructure, such as funding for elderly and disabled Americans and green energy. REPUBLICANS PREPPING $650B COUNTEROFFER TO BIDEN'S SPENDING PROPOSALGOP lawmakers have also balked at Biden's push to raise the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21% and impose a higher global minimum on U.S. companies' foreign earnings. The group said their plan should be funded in its entirety so as to not contribute to the nation's staggering debt.

Precious relics of Afghanistan’s ancient past are returning home even as the nation confronts deepening uncertainty about its future. By contrast, the recovered antiquities are “returning to a government and people who cherish their past” and will make sure they are preserved for future generations, Rahmani said. “We are determined not to let that happen.”Like the statues, some of the recovered antiquities depict Buddha. “Afghanistan is one of the richest countries in archaeology and history in the world,” he said. The 33 items being sent to Afghanistan, valued at around $1.8 million, are the first to go back there as part of this investigation.

“We will heavily rely on the attorney general to serve as a backstop and final arbiter in cases of abuse or misconduct by law enforcement,” Sawyer told Bonta. Bonta told lawmakers that he is also very concerned about a rise in hate crimes against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The position of state attorney general has an annual salary of $182,189, and Bonta faces a full plate of challenges in taking over the position. As attorney general, Bonta will be in charge of implementing the bill he voted for last year that requires the state DOJ to investigate fatal police shootings of unarmed civilians. Bonta served as a deputy city attorney for San Francisco as well as a private attorney before his election to the Assembly.

That slide is especially encouraging because senior citizens have accounted for about 8 out of 10 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus hit the United States. WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged 80% since the start of the year, dramatic proof the vaccination campaign is working. Over 80% of senior citizens have gotten at least one shot, compared with just over 50% among all adults. In Seattle’s King County, hospital physicians are seeing fewer COVID-19 patients overall, fewer needing critical care and fewer needing breathing machines. “They tend to recover a little quicker because of their youth.”With enough people vaccinated, COVID-19 cases should eventually begin to fall as the virus finds fewer and fewer people to infect.

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military has begun shipping equipment and winding down contracts with local service providers ahead of the May 1 start of the final phase of its military pullout from Afghanistan, a U.S. Defense Department official said Thursday. The pullout under U.S. President Joe Biden marks the end of America’s longest war after a 20-year military engagement. While preparations are under way, troops likely won’t begin to depart for a few weeks, he said, adding that “we won’t see a coming down of the (troop) numbers” until remaining bases close. In the short term, America will likely increase its troop presence in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said last Friday. The Taliban, meanwhile, were non-committal when asked by the AP whether the insurgents would attack departing U.S. and NATO troops.

It was years ago, in the middle of a House Oversight Committee hearing on the Flint water crisis. Every American has a right to clean water, no matter their zip code, the color of their skin or the size of their income. It is long past time that we turn that right into a reality, investing in the kinds of projects that would put Americans back to work rebuilding our crumbling water infrastructure. We must be willing to invest the money necessary to provide every family access to the most basic human need: clean water. So as President Biden and Congress begin working on a new infrastructure bill, it’s important that we also finally bring our country’s water system in line with our nation’s values.

WASHINGTON — COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged 80% since the start of the year, dramatic proof the vaccination campaign is working. That slide is especially encouraging because senior citizens have accounted for about 8 out of 10 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus hit the United States. Over 80% of senior citizens have gotten at least one shot, compared with just over 50% among all adults. In Seattle’s King County, hospital physicians are seeing fewer COVID-19 patients overall, fewer needing critical care and fewer needing breathing machines. “They tend to recover a little quicker because of their youth.”With enough people vaccinated, COVID-19 cases should eventually begin to fall as the virus finds fewer and fewer people to infect.

“Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. But the U.S. summit also marshaled an impressive display of the world’s most powerful leaders speaking on the single cause of climate change. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu. His people he said, are “ teetering on the edge of despair.”After the stream of solemn pledges on fighting climate change, the talk turned to money.

His commitment to cut U.S. fossil fuel emissions up to 52% by 2030 will come at the launch Thursday of an all-virtual climate summit for 40 world leaders, marking a return by the U.S. to global climate efforts after four years of withdrawal under President Donald Trump. “The United States is not waiting, the costs of delay are too great, and our nation is resolved to act now,” the Biden administration said in a statement. The world’s top two climate offenders, China and the United States, are feuding over non-climate issues. There is no money in sight,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said earlier this month, after a visit from Biden climate envoy John Kerry. And at home, political divisions exposed by Trump’s presidency have left the United States weaker than it was at the 2015 Paris accord.

The 2020 passage in the House marked the first time a D.C. statehood bill passed in either chamber of Congress. More:What would statehood for Washington, DC mean — and could it finally happen? Since 2000, according to the Brookings Institute, the Democratic presidential nominee has captured over 89% of the vote in Washington, D.C. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaking from the Senate floor Thursday, said arguments against Washington, D.C., statehood are rooted in bigotry. “The debate over D.C. Statehood has taken a rather dark turn," he said.

The price of the Republican proposal came in at $568 billion over five years, compared to the $2.3 trillion that Biden has called for spending over eight years. To help pay for their plan, the Republicans would rely on user fees, including for electric vehicles, and on redirecting unspent federal dollars. Biden has proposed raising the corporate income tax from 21% to 28% to help pay for his plan, a move the Republican senators rejected. Republican lawmakers have been quick to criticize the infrastructure proposal from Biden. They say just a fraction of the spending would go to traditional infrastructure.

.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........WASHINGTON — COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged 80% since the start of the year, dramatic proof the vaccination campaign is working. That slide is especially encouraging because senior citizens have accounted for about 8 out of 10 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus hit the United States. Over 80% of senior citizens have gotten at least one shot, compared with just over 50% among all adults. In Seattle’s King County, hospital physicians are seeing fewer COVID-19 patients overall, fewer needing critical care and fewer needing breathing machines. “They tend to recover a little quicker because of their youth.”With enough people vaccinated, COVID-19 cases should eventually begin to fall as the virus finds fewer and fewer people to infect.

Washington — The House voted Thursday on a bill that would admit Washington, D.C., as the 51st state, although the measure is likely to fail in the evenly divided Senate. But while those two states each have two senators and a representative in the House, D.C. has no voting representation in Congress. Senate Democrats introduced a companion bill to the House measure in January, which has 44 cosponsors in the Senate, including Schumer. However, it's unclear whether all Senate Democrats would support D.C. statehood, even if the filibuster was eliminated. This can have controversial side effects when D.C. residents make decisions that are blocked or overturned by Congress.

World leaders took shots at ex-president Donald Trump as they participated in Joe Biden’s Earth Day climate summit. Mr Biden convened 40 leaders from the world’s most powerful countries to galvanise a global effort against the climate crisis, even securing commitments from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mrs Merkel’s comments came as Joe Biden unveiled ambitious plans to cut emissions during the virtual White House summit. Mr Biden told the summit that the US will aim to cut carbon emissions by as much as 52 per cent by 2030. “It is so good to have the US back on our side in the fight against climate change,” said Ms von der Leyen.

There may have been 40 world leaders virtually present at President Joe Biden's Earth Day summit but this was unmistakably his show. Follow live updates from Joe Biden's climate change summitThis is a promising kick start to a crucial year of global climate diplomacy culminating in November at the UN climate summit in Glasgow known as COP26. Although it has promised enhanced cooperation with America on climate change, China, the world's largest polluter, remains unwilling to increase its ambitions from peak carbon emissions in 2030 and net zero emissions by 2060, 10 years later than many other major economies have pledged. That's why you can hear the steady drum beat of 'climate change = jobs' in all of Joe Biden's speeches, and why Boris Johnson, in his own singular style, said 'cake, have, eat is my message to you'. Sky News broadcasts the first daily prime time news show dedicated to climate change.

Boston's Logan International Airport was forced to delete a tweet this week that sent an anti-environmental message using an 'Earth Day' hashtag, which was slammed by critics. The tweet went up on Monday - three days before Earth Day - encouraging people to park their cars at the airport when flying out of Logan International. Additionally, parking at the airport isn't free, drawing questions about whether or not the Logan Airport was trying to drum up business and make a quick buck, which Jonathan Berk commented on. Pictured: The Economy Parking Garage at Logan Airport, which has rates starting at $29'It was clear the post lacked context,' said spokesperson Jennifer Mehigan. 'Last week Logan was -56% from where we were in 2019,' Mehigan said to The Boston Globe.

Adding yet another layer to the tensions, Pentagon officials have briefed lawmakers on directed-energy attacks on U.S. troops that Defense Department officials believe were carried out by Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and the U.S. Russian troops began returning to basis following massive demonstrations in Crimea, which prompted warnings from Ukraine and the U.S. and allies. The exercises involved thousands of Russian troops and hundreds of warplanes. Nearly 100,000 Russian troops are believed to have massed at the Ukrainian border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin endured an awkward moment during Thursday's climate summit after he was left sitting in confused silence following a technical glitch. ', he told fellow world leaders. The cost of inaction is mounting,' he said in his speech kicking off his Climate Summit. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Wednesday the UK would cut emissions by 78 per cent by 2035. In addition to the president and world leaders, several Cabinet secretaries and business leaders will attend.

Vaccine coverage in the state had been steadily rising by two to four percentage points a week since late January. But with the rise in infections and hospitalizations seen last week, and vaccinations slowing, those numbers could rise again, as happened in Michigan. A quarter of the available shots went unused, says Jennifer Michaluk, a county health department official. Trump won more than 60 percent of November's vote in 49 Michigan counties. 'We remind [Michiganders that] Trump got vaccinated,' said Mark Hamed, who serves as medical director for eight Michigan counties, all of which voted for Trump with at least 63 percent of the vote.

U.S. health officials will likely say that vaccinations with Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot can resume, as early as this weekend. Vaccinations with J&J's shot were paused last week after nine reports of a rare possible reaction to the vaccine involving blood clots. That group, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), is meeting tomorrow to discuss data on blood clots linked to the vaccine. In the general population, these forms of blood clots strike about five out of every one million people. But J&J is now behind its goal of providing 100 million doses to the U.S. by the end of June.

Prior to the vote, Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones sparked fury on the House floor by calling Republican arguments against statehood 'racist trash,' as D.C. is a majority-minority city. 'One of my House Republican colleagues said that D.C. shouldn't be a state because the District doesn't have a landfill,' he continued. In a party-line vote, House Democrats passed H.R. Not a single House Republican voted in favor of the legislation. President Joe Biden has said he's supportive of the D.C. statehood.

"Right now, (I'm) just going through the process and thinking about it," Walker told CNN. "This got nothing to do with President Trump," Walker said. And it's anyone's guess what kind of candidate Walker might turn out to be. When asked about Walker, Warnock told CNN: "I'm prepared to defeat whoever they put up." "He is a candidate that Trump Republicans, non-Trump Republicans, Independents, traditional Democrats, and even many partisan Democrats can agree with," said Evans.

This morning, to protest Biden’s “bullshit” climate plan, activists with Extinction Rebellion DC dumped over a dozen wheelbarrows of “cow shit” at 17th Street and New York Avenue Northwest, near the White House. When asked for comment, an XRDC spokesperson wrote, “Rebels returned with shovels to clean up, which was the plan, but the city had already begun. Biden's climate change proposal is the most progressive proposal in US history, and steals a lot of ideas from the GND. Are these folks aware that Biden's climate plan is literally *double* the reduction dictated by the Paris Accords? ???? https://t.co/1whZgPYFTk — Rodster?? (@clantro) April 22, 2021And the National Farmer’s Union pointed this out:As cow poop experts, we would just like to point out that that is…not cow poop.

Calling on the 40 other gathered leaders, Mr. Biden said no nation alone can solve the crisis. Mr. Biden said the climate crisis was a moral and economic imperative, "but also a moment of extraordinary possibilities." "This plan represents our vision for financing the global climate response in a coordinated way," Mr. Biden said. Mr. Biden also called on the private sector to do more to finance climate mitigation and innovation. Mr. Biden said the financial sector needs to invest more in innovative climate technologies and bring an end to fossil fuel subsidies.

The House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday which would give statehood to Washington, D.C., making it the 51st state in the U.S.H.R. The bill would designate “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth” as the 51st state while still having a separate federal district. “The Democrats’ D.C. statehood scheme is about two things: consolidating power and enacting radical policies. (RELATED: Biden Admin Announces ‘Strong Support’ For DC Statehood Bill, Says 51st State ‘Long Overdue’)“After they change the filibuster, they’re going to admit the District as a state. They’re going to admit Puerto Rico as a state.

President Joe Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy individuals to 39.6%, which, coupled with an existing surtax on investment income, means that federal tax rates for investors could be as high as 43.4%, according to people familiar with the proposal. Biden campaigned on equalizing the capital gains and income tax rates for wealthy individuals, saying it’s unfair that many of them pay lower rates than middle-class workers. Read QuickTake: How Capital Gains Are Taxed and What Biden Might DoThe White House and Treasury Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22%. Republicans argue that current capital gains rates encourage saving and promote future economic growth.

Activists have expressed astonishment over the election of Iran to the United Nations’ top forum for women’s rights, apparently with the backing of at least four Western democracies. “This is surreal,” Iranian women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad tweeted Wednesday after Iran joined the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women. This is a black day for women’s rights, and for all human rights. “Electing the Islamic Republic of Iran to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief,” he said in a statement. Iran’s entry was backed by 43 countries, meaning at least four were Western democracies, UN Watch said.

FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, a senior receives a COVID-19 vaccine from a healthcare worker after arriving on a bus to a vaccination site at Anquan Boldin Stadium in Pahokee, Fla. COVID-19 hospitalizations are plunging among older Americans. (Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post via AP, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged 80% since the start of the year, dramatic proof the vaccination campaign is working. That slide is especially encouraging because senior citizens have accounted for about 8 out of 10 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus hit the United States. In Seattle’s King County, hospital physicians are seeing fewer COVID-19 patients overall, fewer needing critical care and fewer needing breathing machines. “They tend to recover a little quicker because of their youth.”With enough people vaccinated, COVID-19 cases should eventually begin to fall as the virus finds fewer and fewer people to infect.

In this image from video world leaders participate in the White House Climate Leaders Summit via Zoom Thursday, April 22, 2021. (AP Photo)In this image from video world leaders participate in the White House Climate Leaders Summit via Zoom Thursday, April 22, 2021. “Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

But the Washington, D.C. The 2020 passage in the House marked the first time a D.C. statehood bill passed in either chamber of Congress. More:What would statehood for Washington, DC mean — and could it finally happen? Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaking from the Senate floor Thursday, said arguments against D.C. statehood are rooted in bigotry. “The debate over D.C. Statehood has taken a rather dark turn," he said.

Biden launches first ever US climate finance planPresident Joe Biden convened leaders of the world's most powerful countries to try to spur global efforts against climate change. The president declared the U.S. States was launching its "first ever international climate finance plan."

World vaccination rates for COVID-19Israel has been the global leader in vaccinating its population against COVID-19, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Chile. Percent of population covered by vaccine purchases“If other countries aren't vaccinated, it's not good for the world's health,” Emanuel said. Percent of population at least partially vaccinated by country income levelAnother danger that unequal vaccination rates around the world may pose is the emergence of new variants. In the U.S., all adults are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. A proposal to temporarily suspend certain intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines until herd immunity has been reached is now backed by around 100 countries.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation calling for $100 billion in government spending over five years on basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China. The bill called the “Endless Frontier Act,” represents a significant effort by the government to shore up private sector and university research efforts in advanced technologies with federal funding. Schumer said separately he will push for “emergency spending” to implement the semiconductor manufacturing provisions in last year’s defense bill. In February, President Joe Biden said he would seek $37 billion in funding for legislation to boost chip manufacturing in the United States as a shortfall of semiconductors has forced US automakers and other manufacturers to cut production. Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure and jobs bill calls for $50 billion for semiconductor manufacturing and research.

That ethos would inspire a generation of environmentalists to see the fates of this planet’s inhabitants as intertwined. This week, the White House is welcoming world leaders to a virtual summit on curbing climate destruction. President Biden has pledged to cut emissions at least in half from 2005 levels by 2030, aiming for “net zero” emissions by 2050. Following the Trump presidency and decades of U.S. officials’ helping sabotage climate ambition, America suffers from a sizable trust deficit with the rest of the world. Rebuilding trust and reckoning with the climate crisis demands a sea change in U.S. foreign policy — tweaks around the edges will not do.

To climate scientists and misinformation researchers, claims like these mark an important shift: Instead of focusing on denialism, climate misinformation is getting local, focused on extreme weather events tied to a changing climate — such the Texas storm or recent wildfires that ravaged California and Australia. Surveys also show that extreme weather is changing people’s thinking about climate change. A spokesman for Facebook said the platform is doing more than ever to connect users with accurate information about climate change. Its Climate Science Information Center, created last year, is now available in 16 countries and nine languages and has a new section dedicated to dispelling climate change myths. David J. Phillip/APYouTube, owned by Google, was singled out as a leading source for climate misinformation by the US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

It is almost as if we cannot make sense of the present White House incumbent without identifying a phantom soul mate from the past. Arguably, Biden has become the first Democratic president in 40 years to mount a major counteroffensive against the legacy of the country’s 40th leader. Only in this case, it’s not flattery, but grand larceny.”More surprising was how enthusiastically Obama saluted Reagan. At one of his own White House seminars for historians, Obama was eager to glean from them what lessons he could about The Gipper. Biden is trying to engineer not only a revival of government, but also a reconsideration of its essential role.

Taken all together, this bundle of falsehoods and pathologies is now getting so absurd and unsustainable that more Republicans are running away from it. In some states, while some things are getting nixed, many voter suppression provisions directly targeting non-White voters remain. Meanwhile, in many states, voter suppression efforts continue. Some Republicans privately admit their argument for some of these bills is problematic:They acknowledge, however, that their timing is bad. So if more are now edging away from the Big Lie in various forms, that should probably be encouraged.

But at the same time, Biden’s team prioritized vaccinations and worked quickly with Congress to enact a $1.9 trillion stimulus package to provide ample support to the economy. Story continues below advertisementMcClure, who doesn’t like to get political, described the economic shift like this: “There is more optimism now. I’ll put it that way.”AdvertisementThe White House is quick to emphasize the recovery is still a work in progress and has been deeply unequal. Advertisement“It’s really the stimulus that’s made the difference in the economic recovery,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at payroll processor ADP. Economists anticipate more months of strong job growth to come as businesses see more customers returning.

"It's disheartening that our leaders are downplaying this and they’re not calling for peace," Dorn told "Fox & Friends" on Thursday. Dorn made the comments two days after President Biden delivered remarks where he looked back at the protests over the summer favorably. "The murder of George Floyd launched a summer of protest we hadn't seen since the civil rights era in the '60s. Biden made the comments as the nation was waiting on a verdict by the jury in Chauvin’s trial. President Biden told reporters on Tuesday that he was "praying the verdict" was "the right verdict."

He’s still peeved that the Times accused his site of peddling fake news "under the guise of satire" and is now considering legal action. BABYLON BEE CEO BLASTS NEW YORK TIMES OVER ‘FALSE AND DEFAMATORY’ CLAIM THAT SITE PRETENDS TO BE SATIRE"We are contemplating and discussing with our counsel what the next move should be. The New York Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Times added an updated line that claimed the Bee "has feuded with Facebook and the fact-checking site Snopes over whether the site published misinformation or satire." "They're using misinformation to smear us as being a source of misinformation," Dillon said.

A message left with Gardner’s office wasn’t immediately returned. Mark McCloskey emerged from his home armed with an AR-15 rifle and Patricia McCloskey came out with a semiautomatic handgun. A police probable cause statement said protesters feared "being injured due to Patricia McCloskey’s finger being on the trigger, coupled with her excited demeanor." The indictment states that a semiautomatic pistol was altered in a way that "obstructed the prosecution of Patricia McCloskey" on the weapons charge. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREIn December, a judge dismissed Gardner’s office from prosecuting the case, ruling she created an appearance of impropriety by mentioning the McCloskey case in fundraising emails before the August Democratic primary.

He didn’t make this mess, but he’s cleaning it up. One man in North Carolina is creating the change he wants to see in the world by cleaning up trash across the Tar Heel State. Every day is Earth Day for Daniel Toben, who calls trash cleanup a hobby he’s enjoyed for the last decade. The 32-year-old man from Chapel Hill started cleaning up litter while studying at North Carolina State University and has never looked back, according to his website. To date, WNCN reports that he's picked up over 8 million pieces of trash from the great outdoors, filling 8,300 bags.

"I didn’t know if it was going to be guilty on all counts, but I would have said guilty." The remaining 12 jurors voted unanimously Tuesday to convict Chauvin on all counts: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. TUCKER CARLSON: DEREK CHAUVIN VERDICT SEALS DEVIL'S BARGAIN BETWEEN AMERICAN AND BLMChauvin, 45, was by far the most senior officer at the scene. "So we locked eyes quite a few times and I was pretty uncomfortable." Christensen praised Frazier for shooting the video, saying without it she didn’t think the case would have been possible.

The divided House Thursday passed legislation to make Washington D.C. the 51st state and to grant its more than 700,000 residents full representation in Congress. D.C. statehood already passed the House last June but it died in the GOP-led Senate. HOUSE COMMITTEE ADVANCES DC STATEHOOD BILL ALONG PARTY-LINE VOTED.C. leaders, led by Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C.'s delegate in the Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, have long advocated for statehood. DEMOCRATS RENEW DC STATEHOOD PUSH THAT WOULD REMAKE NATIONAL POLITICSHolmes Norton said D.C. should be no different than the 37 others states that Congress admitted to the union without a constitutional amendment. But D.C. residents are taxed without representation, and cannot consent to the laws under which they, as American citizens, must live."

The Biden administration is paying the travel costs for adult sponsors to go to migrant shelters and pick up migrant children – as the administration scrambles to cope with the surge in unaccompanied children (UACs) coming to the southern border. An HHS spokesperson said the transport of children to sponsors is a "normal part" of the UAC program’s operations. It has been estimated that the U.S. is spending at least $60 million a week to house unaccompanied children. Among those were 18,890 unaccompanied children – a 100% increase from the already high numbers encountered in February, and the highest number recorded. But critics have accused the Biden administration of creating the crisis with its policies.

Conservatives have contended the money primarily went to heavily Democratic areas in battleground states in an effort to tilt the balance. States should note that private funding for public matters is not unusual, said Tiana Epps-Johnson, executive director of the Center For Tech and Civic Life. "Private funding is used to supplement a variety of government services where there are funding shortfalls, including schools and libraries," Epps-Johnson told Fox News in a statement. Last year, with generous private funding, CTCL announced the COVID-19 Response grant program," the statement said. But if you’re a blue jurisdiction, we’re going to give you $10 million or $12 million or $15 million.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBiden looks to get tough on Big Tech — Here's what may happenCNBC's "TechCheck" team discusses how the Biden administration may take on Big Tech with Nilay Patel, CNBC contributor and editor-in-chief of The Verge.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBiden pledges to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030President Biden is pledging to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030, in the latest push by the administration to aggressively combat climate change. The target more than doubles the country's prior commitment under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The announcement comes before the president hosts a closely watched climate summit on Thursday's Earth Day, with world leaders from countries like China and India.

With so many options on the table, where do members of Congress stand on student loan forgiveness? CNBC Make It emailed members of Congress from every state to ask which proposals around student loan forgiveness they supported. Here's how it breaks down: 10 members of Congress, all Republican, do not support a flat rate of student loan forgiveness. 'Student loan debt is crushing millions'About 36 million borrowers would have their student loan debt wiped out if the U.S. government cancels $50,000 in student loan debt, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education shared by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Private student loans are not included in the any of student loan forgiveness proposals put forward so far.

President Biden is hosting a two-day virtual summit of world leaders to address the global climate crisis. He committed the United States to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% below its 2005 emissions levels by 2030.

In the early 1900s, the Brooklyn community was a thriving center of activity for Black residents . Black communities in particular, being denied access to the ballot, had no way to vote out officials who oversaw the weaponizing of transportation. And the provisions in the American Jobs Plan would go a long way towards mending the damage. Join us on Twitter and FacebookCan we avoid the mistakes of the past while dramatically increasing infrastructure investment? At long last, we have a chance to make a generational investment in our nation's infrastructure the right way.

America abandoned its position of leadership on climate change under Donald Trump, and it cost us. And there is no better time than Earth Day and no better opportunity than President Biden's Leaders Summit on Climate, which begins Thursday. After four years of Donald Trump's preposterous climate change denialism and his administration's handouts to fossil fuel polluters, we must prove we as a country are truly serious about climate action. And we must pass it before the U.N. convenes its next Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, Scotland, this November. President Biden and the Democrats in Congress already delivered big, bold legislation to address the pandemic and its economic fallout.

An American Airlines passenger jet glides in under the moon as it lands at LaGuardia airport in New York, New York, August 28, 2012. REUTERS/Eduardo MunozU.S. carriers American Airlines (AAL.O) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) on Thursday signaled a slower cash burn and pointed to a rebound in summer bookings as accelerated COVID-19 vaccinations make more people confident about traveling again. American, on the other hand, said average daily cash burn slowed to $4 million in March, while its overall average daily cash burn rate was about $27 million in the first quarter. Southwest shares were up 1%, while American Airlines stock was down marginally. "I know (the Biden administration) understands the importance of restoring international travel to the economy," American Airlines Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker said.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., discusses the House's planned vote on a a bill that would make Washington, D.C., the nation’s 51st state. The bill is backed by President Biden and top Democrats but faces long odds in the Senate.

President Joe Biden speaks Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the White House in Washington, after former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Joe Biden speaks Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the White House in Washington, after former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders of NATO member countries plan to discuss tense ties with Russia and China, the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the future of the 30-nation military alliance at a summit in Belgium on June 14. The meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels will be a face-to-face opportunity for Biden to rebuild relations with leaders from Europe and Canada that became strained under former President Donald Trump. “This is a unique opportunity to reinforce NATO as the enduring embodiment of the bond between Europe and North America,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday in a statement.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As congressional Democrats introduce legislation to electrify the nation’s school bus fleet, South Carolina is getting nearly half a million in federal funds to upgrade some of the state’s older diesel school buses. A $480,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is being used to replace 24 buses from 10 districts across South Carolina, officials with the state Department of Education said Thursday. The bill introduced Wednesday would authorize federal grant money over 10 years, with 40% of it devoted to replacing school buses that serve mostly nonwhite, poorer communities. It would cover the expense of purchasing electric school buses, building charging stations and providing workforce training. School buses typically carry nearly 25 million children each day.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State or local governments in Indiana will be prohibited from issuing or requiring COVID-19 vaccine passports under a bill approved by state lawmakers. The Republican-dominated House and Senate voted Thursday by wide margins to approve a wide-ranging health care and insurance bill that included the vaccine passport ban. Vaccine passports in use or development in other countries are typically a cellphone app with a code that verifies whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19. Republicans across the country portray them as a heavy-handed intrusion into personal freedom and private health choices. The Indiana bill doesn’t place any limits on private businesses.

FILE - In this April 14, 2021 file photo, President Joe Biden speaks from the Treaty Room in the White House about the withdrawal of the remainder of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The pullout marks the end of America’s longest war, after a 20-year military engagement. The pullout under U.S. President Joe Biden marks the end of America’s longest war after a 20-year military engagement. The Taliban, meanwhile, were non-committal when asked by the AP whether the insurgents would attack departing U.S. and NATO troops. In a deal the Taliban signed last year with former President Donald Trump, the final U.S. withdrawal deadline was set as May 1.

He's no fanboy of hydrogen fuel cells, calling them "fool cells" and "mind-bogglingly stupid." Even oil companies are teaming up with fuel cell stocks like FuelCell Energy (FCEL), Ballard Power Systems (BLDP) and Plug Power (PLUG). And on Wednesday, Chevron (CVX) and Toyota (TM) announced they are teaming up to build out hydrogen fuel cell infrastructure. And unlike batteries, hydrogen fuel cells don't need lengthy periods of recharging. He says he speaks with oil companies nearly every day about their interest in the expanding hydrogen fuel cell industry.

It was the just the latest challenge in crisis messaging for officials since the start of the pandemic more than a year ago. Whether the pause seriously undermines public confidence in the J&J shot — or the other vaccines — remains to be seen. Trying to appear confident when uncertain -- which leaders are often taught to do -- can backfire in a public health crisis, a CDC guide notes. That’s just human nature.”With the J&J shots, for example, helping people understand the magnitude of any risk has been a challenge. And for months, officials have been trying to ease worries about the COVID-19 vaccines overall, in part by enlisting local leaders.

“ Much as with utilities’ shift from coal to natural gas, hydrogen may ease the transition to cleaner energy with enough investment. Its “rapid scenario” forecasts flat energy demand and a more dramatic swing to renewables combined with a growing hydrogen economy. Much as with utilities’ shift from coal to natural gas, hydrogen may ease the transition to cleaner energy with enough investment. Most of today’s hydrogen is made from natural gas and is known as “gray hydrogen.” It is produced using high-temperature steam to split hydrogen from carbon atoms into methane. Russia, the second-largest natural gas producer after the U.S., is expanding its gas production and exports to Asia.

“ Much as with utilities’ shift from coal to natural gas, hydrogen may ease the transition to cleaner energy with enough investment. Its “rapid scenario” forecasts flat energy demand and a more dramatic swing to renewables combined with a growing hydrogen economy. Much as with utilities’ shift from coal to natural gas, hydrogen may ease the transition to cleaner energy with enough investment. Most of today’s hydrogen is made from natural gas and is known as “gray hydrogen.” It is produced using high-temperature steam to split hydrogen from carbon atoms into methane. Russia, the second-largest natural gas producer after the U.S., is expanding its gas production and exports to Asia.

China vows to start phasing down coal consumption from the 2026-2030 period as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, President Xi Jinping told the U.S.-led Climate Leaders’ Summit Thursday. “We will strictly limit the increase in coal consumption over the 14th five-year plan period (2021-2025) and phase it down in the 15th five-year plan period (2026-2030),” Xi told the virtual gathering. China is the largest coal consumer and continues to approve new coal projects. In fact, Chinese coal consumption is poised to hit a record this year, the International Energy Agency said earlier this month, a bump up that contradicts the view held by some climate change and energy experts that coal burning in the world’s second-biggest economy and largest polluter had already peaked. China pledged last year that it would bring its overall emissions to a peak before 2030 and hit net zero emissions by 2060.

Yahoo Finance Video--Story by Brooke DiPalma Environmental, social and governance-based (ESG) spending is gaining momentum, as companies devote more of their business plans to the concept -- and younger investors increasingly take sustainability into account on where to park their cash. In early March, the European Union (EU) Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation became effective, which imposes sustainability-related disclosure requirements on financial services institutions such as banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and investment firms. However, experts say it may take up to 18 months to fully reverse. Still, Wall Street -- and even the Federal Reserve -- is going all in on sustainability. According to a report from Bank of America, ESG inflows were up 135% compared to a year ago as of February, with $4 of every $10 going toward global equity inflows.

All energy sources -- including renewables and fossil fuels -- qualify but they have to have zero or net negative carbon emissions. He said his plan would simplify the “crazy quilt” of more than 40 energy-related tax benefits.The Oregon Democrat is looking to put his own stamp on renewable energy tax credit proposals. Biden’s $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan would extend existing tax credits for wind energy, solar power, and energy storage. In addition, his proposal would create tax credits for energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings. Biden has said he wants to reach a 100% clean-electricity standard by 2035.The Biden and Wyden proposals have significant overlap in the types of energy investment they are looking to prioritize.

The global computer chip shortage could have larger ramifications than making it harder to buy the latest video game console or more expensive to buy a car. U.S. President Joe Biden delivers holds a semiconductor chip as he speaks prior to signing an executive order, aimed at addressing a global semiconductor chip shortage, in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 24, 2021. Why there’s a massive global chip shortageThe global chip shortage began at the beginning of the pandemic, when automakers, assuming that sales of cars and trucks would collapse due to lockdowns, began slowing purchases of various components including chips. Automakers across the world have been forced to idle plants due to the global chip shortage. President Joe Biden has even linked the chip shortage in the U.S. to his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, saying that the U.S. needs to become the leader in semiconductor manufacturing.

A third trial, also before U.S. District Judge Alan Albright, is scheduled to begin in June.In the most recent trial, VLSI was seeking $3 billion in damages, saying the inventions were critical to Intel’s ability to make chips faster and with fewer energy requirements. The only other litigation involving these patents are the lawsuits against Intel, Bloomberg Law data show.The case is VLSI Technology LLC. v. Intel Corp., 21-299, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (Waco). (Updates with Intel comment in 6th and 11th paragraphs. )For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

Former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter, but may file for an appeal (AP)Derek Chauvin ’s lawyers will most likely appeal his conviction, experts say, but they have little chance of success. The former police officer was declared guilty on Tuesday of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd . The similarities between Mr Floyd and Mr Wright – both Black men killed by a white police officer – were immediately obvious. Judge Cahill refused, arguing that the case was already global news and jurors would know about it anywhere. For an appeal, the defence could now argue that this ruined any chances of an impartial verdict.

If the goal is to radically reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in a way that mitigates climate change some decades down the road, then creating a jobs program for Democratic activists is not a meaningful proposal. Unlike Xi, Biden has to take into account domestic disagreement, both about the content of climate policy and the priority that should be given to the issue. New Deal nostalgia and the quasi-religious approach to climate change cultivated by progressive activists is not going to get the job done — in fact, it is going to make things worse. It is unlikely that he will ever do as much practical good on climate change as Elon Musk or George Mitchell. At the top of his to-do list is supplanting the United States as a world leader by exploiting discord in Washington and between the United States and its allies.

President Joe Biden on Thursday kicked off the virtual two-day climate summit. Shares of alternative energy stocks like FuelCell Energy (FCEL) - Get Report, SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) - Get Report, Enphase Energy (ENPH) - Get Report and others were rising on Earth Day as U.S. President Joe Biden kicked off a global climate summit. The virtual summit is being live-streamed for public viewing. "The Leaders Summit on Climate will underscore the urgency -- and the economic benefits -- of stronger climate action," the White House said in a statement. "It will be a key milestone on the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference this November in Glasgow."

“She’s been getting messages from the community that the community is judging her,” said Adeena J. Weiss-Ortiz, an attorney for the family. Enter email address Sign Me Up You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. AdvertisementConsider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Meet our Latinx staff: Angie Orellana HernandezThe Los Angeles Times employs more than 100 Latinx journalists. I’d say Guatemala; they’d say, “What’s that?” So I would freeze and say, “Oh, it’s like Mexico.” Then they understood.

President Biden opened an international climate summit Thursday with a pledge that the U.S. would reduce carbon emissions by 50% by the end of the decade. It’s an appropriate and reachable goal, per the experts, but one that will take sweeping efforts, actions and investments. (Biden has suggested reviving the Obama administration’s “cash for clunkers” program to incentivize car owners to switch to electric or hydrogen cell vehicles.) AdvertisementSo it’s good that Biden has declared this ambitious goal, and that other countries are pushing similar though in many cases less-ambitious agendas. It’s clear the U.S. must lead by act and moral example, and bring the rest of the world with us.

“Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The coronavirus pandemic compelled the summit to play out as a climate telethon-style livestream, limiting opportunities for spontaneous interaction and negotiation. But the U.S. summit also marshaled an impressive display of the world’s most powerful leaders speaking on the single cause of climate change. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

His commitment to cut U.S. fossil fuel emissions up to 52 percent by 2030 will come at the launch Thursday of an all-virtual climate summit for 40 world leaders. President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. “Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

“Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. But the U.S. summit also marshaled an impressive display of the world’s most powerful leaders speaking on the single cause of climate change. China’s Xi, whose country is the world’s biggest emissions culprit, followed by the United States, spoke first among the other global figures. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders of NATO member countries plan to discuss tense ties with Russia and China, the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the future of the 30-nation military alliance at a summit in Belgium on June 14. The meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels will be a face-to-face opportunity for Biden to rebuild relations with leaders from Europe and Canada that became strained under former President Donald Trump. “This is a unique opportunity to reinforce NATO as the enduring embodiment of the bond between Europe and North America,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday in a statement. NATO allies activated the organization’s collective defense clause for the first and only time after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 to rally to the defense of the United States. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

"Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet," Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. "It's about providing a better future for all of us," he said, calling it "a moment of peril but a moment of opportunity." But the U.S. summit also marshaled an impressive display of the world's most powerful leaders speaking on the single cause of climate change. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

Seth MeyersOn Wednesday night, Seth Meyers offer chastened relief at the conviction of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. “It was a simple yet powerful statement that applied to so much of how our racist system of policing and oppression is built,” he continued. But a conviction on all three counts “does not mean justice was done. True justice would mean George Floyd would still be alive today. The verdict “brings up a lot of complex feelings, because no jury verdict can bring George Floyd back”.

Putting the United States back at the forefront on climate, Biden told a virtual Earth Day summit that the world’s largest economy will cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels. The United States isn’t waiting,” Biden told the opening of a two-day summit of 40 leaders including the presidents of rivals China and Russia. The White Rebels and Extinction Rebellion DC block 17th Street after dumping cow manure outside the White House to protest President Biden’s climate plan in Washington on Thursday. Addressing the virtual summit, President Xi Jinping reiterated his promise last year to reach carbon neutrality by 2060. President Joe Biden speaks during a virtual Leaders Summit on Climate at the White House in Washington on Thursday.

Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske found no 'evidentiary support' for GOP's voter fraud claims. Here she speaks at a press conference Oct. 2016Nevada's Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske revealed Wednesday she found no evidence to support the state GOP's claim of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 general election. Nevada is one of the state's Trump's team and allies most vehemently denounced as engaging in some sort of voter fraud. The state also determined it wasn't cost effective to track down those who live and out of state and voted in the Nevada election. Cegavske was censured earlier this month by the Nevada Republican Party.

Border cartels are using TikTok and other social media platforms to recruit American teenagers to smuggle migrants for cash. The teenagers and young adults targeted by the ads are required to drive the migrants on the behalf of the drug cartels. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich invited the Vice President on a tour of the border this month in a letter. Biden initially said his vice president would be in charge of returning migrants to their home countries in her new role. He said: 'The vice president has agreed... to lead our diplomatic effort and work with those nations to accept the returnees, and enhance migration enforcement at their borders.'

Sources cautioned that given the importance of bilateral ties with Turkey, Biden may still choose not to use the term at the last minute. Armenians killed by Turks, during the Armenian Genocide 1915Protesters rally outside the Turkish Consulate in commemoration of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 24, 2017. 'Today, we remember the atrocities faced by the Armenian people in the Metz Yeghern - the Armenian Genocide. ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIED BY TURKEY FOR 100 YEARS April 2021 marka the 106th anniversary of the massacre of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks. The term genocide will bring unwelcome comparisons to the Holocaust that the Turkish government has long sought to avoid.

Joe Biden wants to use taxpayer money to promote critical race theory lessons in schools in a move branded 'politically tone-deaf' by Republicans. Federal grant money will be offered to incentivize the 'woke' lessons for teachers and students. Republican strategist John Feehery slammed the plans as he accused Biden of ignoring the more pressing issue of opening up schools. He believes the so-called 'woke' lessons will help Republicans as people are turned off by Biden's plans. The proposals come amid a huge backlash over 'woke' lessons in private schools, which have led to one teacher losing his job after he complained.

“No nation can solve this crisis on our own,” Biden said Thursday from the White House. Biden’s pledge would require changes that would touch the lives of nearly every American. “Scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade,” Biden said at the summit. “This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis. We must try to keep the earth’s temperature to an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius.”

Washington (CNN) Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg argued on Thursday that President Joe Biden's goal to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions is vital to reasserting US leadership in fighting the climate crisis. During his virtual climate summit attended by 40 other world leaders Thursday, Biden announced an ambitious goal of reducing the United States' greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52% below its 2005 emissions levels by 2030. The US is the world's second-biggest polluter behind China, which has said it will continue to increase carbon emissions through at least the end of the decade. Although the Biden administration has not outlined a plan for how it will achieve this goal, the rhetoric marks a significantly different approach than that of former President Donald Trump, who denied climate change science and whose administration rolled back several environmental policies. On CNN Thursday, Buttigieg called it "disastrous" that the Trump administration left the United States' "seat at the table empty" on the issue.

The House in a party-line vote on Thursday approved legislation to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state in the nation, sending the bill to the Senate. ADVERTISEMENTThe 216-208 House vote on H.R. Republicans have opposed giving D.C. statehood, in part because it would lead to two more Democratic senators and a Democratic House member given the district population's political leanings. Washington, D.C., has three electoral votes, but its House delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton Eleanor Holmes NortonHouse Democrats eye passing DC statehood bill for second time House committee approves DC statehood bill House committee expected to pass DC statehood bill on Wednesday MORE (D), cannot vote on legislation. While Democrats have a slim, tie-breaking advantage in the now-50-50 upper chamber, major roadblocks to D.C. statehood remain, most notably the filibuster.

President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. “Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

WASHINGTON – The United States is joining the United Kingdom, Norway and a group of companies including Amazon to launch a $1 billion initiative to protect tropical forests as part of a wider effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The three governmentsunveiled the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest finance coalition on Thursday to focus on reducing emissions from tropical and subtropical forest countries as well as ending deforestation. Bloomgarden said these jurisdictions can claim emissions reductions by measuring the current deforestation rate against a five-year historic baseline. “In uniting behind a common cause, the countries and companies of the coalition have a chance to end deforestation by 2030," Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said. A finalized list of governments and companies will be announced when emissions reduction purchase agreements are signed with the partnering countries by the end of the year.

President Biden will finally deliver his first address to Congress as commander-in-chief next week — and a growing number of Republicans appear ready to miss it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited President Joe Biden to address a joint session of Congress on April 28, 2021. Asked by Punchbowl News on Wednesday whether they had any interest in attending Biden’s address, a considerable number said no or declined to answer. “I don’t think I’ll probably attend.”“I don’t know the answer to that,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace is not planning to attend President Joe Biden’s address to Congress.

Hiring has rebounded quickly for Americans with college degrees. Nearly 4 million adult workers without college degrees have not found work again after losing their jobs in the pandemic. AdvertisementHorrigan’s research has shown that both minority females without college degrees and white males without college degrees are having the hardest time finding work again. For decades, men without college degrees have struggled as blue-collar jobs went away, leaving fewer opportunities for low-skilled men to make it in the modern economy. As low-skilled service sector jobs evaporated in restaurants, malls, hair salons, spas, and home health care, women without college degrees are struggling to figure out their next steps.

Biden plans to formalize the new goal in a submission to the United Nations, the White House said.”Story continues below advertisement“Every country has to come to the table. … The stakes could not be higher,” former secretary of state John F. Kerry, Biden’s special envoy for climate, told Brady in an interview on Wednesday. Gina McCarthy, will “lead negotiations with Congress for permanent new climate change laws that could withstand the next change of administration,” the Biden's senior climate change adviser in the White House,will “lead negotiations with Congress for permanent new climate change laws that could withstand the next change of administration,” the New York Times's Coral Davenport reports. Many of the ambitious climate plans Biden proposed in his infrastructure plan, which aim to redirect the nation's energy trajectory from fossil fuels, are a tough sell in a divided Congress. Postal Service may soon get a makeover, as Biden’s three nominees to the governing board get a Senate confirmation hearing.

The move comes as Biden convenes 40 world leaders for an Earth Day summit aimed at fueling similar ambition around the globe. The European Union, meanwhile, has put forward a pledge to cut 55 percent of its emissions by 2030. Rather, the White House plans to detail the various sectors where it believes significant emissions cuts can happen in the years ahead. At the same time, the Biden administration has faced enormous pressure from environmental activists, Democratic lawmakers, foreign leaders and hundreds of private companies to make the boldest climate pledge possible. Most allies have praised the president for striving to cut at least half of the nation’s emissions by 2030, saying that science demands no less.

U.S. equity markets slipped Thursday as traders digested better-than-expected jobless claims and awaited details from President Biden's climate summit. GOP SENATORS WARN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON DE-BANKING ENERGY COMPANIESIn stocks, automakers were among the groups in focus as Biden gets set to unveil his climate actions. Ticker Security Last Change Change % DHI D.R. European markets rallied across the board with Britain’s FTSE 100 up 0.05%, Germany’s DAX 30 gaining 0.48% and France’s CAC 40 advancing 0.69%. In Asia, China’s Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.23% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index and Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.47% and 2.38%, respectively.

A new report on air quality found that more than 4 in 10 people are breathing in unhealthy air, with the American Lung Association pointing to climate change as a driving factor. The report, which analyzes data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 2017, 2018 and 2019, also found people of color were 61% more likely to live in a county with unhealthy air than white people. "This report shines a spotlight on the urgent need to curb climate change, clean up air pollution and advance environmental justice," Harold Wimmer, the association president and CEO, said in a news release accompanying the 22nd annual "State of the Air" report. The report analyzed and ranked regions most polluted by particle pollution, which is comprised of unhealthy particles in the air that "come from wildfires, wood-burning stoves, coal-fired power plants, diesel engines and other sources." Fairbanks, Alaska, ranked worst followed by Fresno-Madera-Hanford, Calif., Bakersfield, Calif., San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, Calif., Yakima, Wash., Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif., Logan, Utah-Idaho, Redding-Red Bluff, Calif., Missoula, Mont.

Climate activists dissatisfied with President Biden's climate plan are not-so-subtly expressing their displeasure, as they are literally calling "bull----" while dumping cow manure in front of the White House. "Biden is punting the crisis to future generations with targets that rely on unproven technologies sucking carbon out of the atmosphere. If he cared he'd set targets that expire while he's still in office. HOUSE REPUBLICANS INTRODUCE CLIMATE INITIATIVE AS DEMS CONTINUE GREEN NEW DEAL PUSHFox News reached out to the White House for comment but they did not immediately respond. Demonstrators could be heard chanting "Bull----" and "No more climate crisis" while marching down the street with wheelbarrows full of dung.

In this article ESGEXIPX-GBYuhan Liao | Moment | Getty ImagesThe Biden administration is taking aggressive steps to combat climate change. The White House also unveiled a $2 trillion infrastructure proposal last month, with ample measures to curb climate change. The developments may be a tailwind for investors in so-called sustainable or environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds, according to financial advisors. Impax Asset Management, Pernassus Investments and Boston Common Asset Management are good starting points for retail investors new to the space, he said. Instead, they may be investments in "new technologies to prepare the country for a more sustainable, climate friendly and energy-efficient future."

51- the Washington, D.C. But it nevertheless faces daunting odds in the Senate, so long as the legislative filibuster remains in place. 51, passed through the House in last year's Congress, marking the first time that either chamber had approved a bid for D.C. statehood. "D.C. statehood does not require a constitutional amendment," Norton added, responding to another complaint about the statehood bill. "There are no provisions in the Constitution about a filibuster," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in an interview published Wednesday in the Washingtonian about the statehood bill.

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping called Thursday for countries to work together, while respecting their different responsibilities on reducing carbon emissions. Xi made the remarks at a U.S.-led climate summit. Reducing carbon emissions is one of the few areas China and the U.S. have said they could cooperate on. It also aligns with Xi's announcement last year that the Asian nation aims to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030. "China looks forward to working with the international community, including the United States, to jointly advance global environmental governance," Xi said.

The Biden administration on Thursday is launching a massive campaign to persuade more Americans to take the Covid-19 vaccines, administration officials told NBC News. The campaign, called "We Can Do This: Live," will target young people through social media and will include virtual events where celebrities and athletes answer Americans' lingering questions about the vaccines, according to NBC News. The goal, according to a detailed release of the campaign obtained by NBC News, is to reach Americans, particularly young people, "directly in the places where they already consume content online, including social media, podcasts, YouTube, and more." Some young people appear resistant to getting vaccinated. A recent poll from STAT News-Harris found that 21% of Generation Z, or young adults aged 18 to 24, said they would not get vaccinated against Covid and another 34% said they would "wait a while and see" before getting vaccinated.

It also establishes the way this inequality was embedded in our society and created a racial hierarchy that remains in America today. And while the report laid out specific actions to start addressing our nation's institutionalized racism, it was ultimately shelved and ignored. Live broadcasts and interactive online exhibits that complement a truth and reconciliation commission can also help the public better understand and digest its findings. The United States is in desperate need of a Truth and Racial Healing Commission. Confronting the United States' history of racial injustice and systemic racism is the only way we will get to heal.

There are also several photographs of the meeting showing Epstein with scientists, including two of Epstein and Lander. “I’ve had no relationship with Epstein.”The White House on Wednesday acknowledged that Lander had met Epstein twice. The White House did not respond to follow-up questions about the second meeting. A spokesperson for Lander told The New York Times in 2019 that the boast wasn’t true. (Two other scientists whom Epstein claimed to have sponsored also said Epstein had never supported their work.)

And considering that the last time was so long ago, a lot of young farmers had no idea what to expect." As erratic climate changes have become more the norm than the exception, young farmers across the country are feeling their effects and trying to adapt, but some say they fear the future could bring more difficulties. While the effects are far-reaching, farmers feel them firsthand, because agriculture and climate change are so intricately intertwined. "Farming is already pretty economically tenuous, and it becomes even more so with the volatility in frost dates and crop loss," said Zeiger, a member of the National Young Farmers Coalition. She said there also needs to be an emphasis on lifting up the next generation of young farmers and more diverse farmers so they can start their operations in a sustainable way.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana lawmakers were set to give final approval to a new two-year $37 billion state budget on Thursday as they wrapped up this year’s regular legislative session. That Republican-written budget plan is highlighted by an overall school funding increase of about 4.5% in each of the next two years while allowing a contentious expansion of the state’s private school voucher program. The funding increase is more than double what budget negotiators had proposed before new projections showed state tax collections should bounce back stronger than expected from the pandemic recession. ADVERTISEMENTThe budget also includes money for numerous economic grant programs and construction projects drawing on $3 billion the state is receiving from the federal coronavirus relief program backed by President Joe Biden and pushed by Democrats through Congress without Republican support. But having avoided any COVID-19 disruptions over the past four months, lawmakers will have a more ceremonial end to the session.

President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Washington. “Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden declared, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

(Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Joe Biden’s global climate summit (all times local):10 a.m.Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for international cooperation to tackle climate change at a virtual climate summit convened by U.S. President Joe Biden. Putin boasted that his country has significantly reduced its carbon emissions and will met an ambitious goal for 2050. Xi spoke at the global climate summit hosted by the United States on Thursday. The Biden administration has opened a global climate summit including 40 world leaders. President Joe Biden is pledging to cut at least in half the climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes that the U.S. pumps out.

“No nation can solve this crisis on our own,” Biden said Thursday from the White House. “Scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade,” Biden said at the summit. “This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis. The Biden administration opted not to make an explicit commitment to pare emissions of methane as part of the pledge, despite entreaties from environmentalists. And that’s where the whole world is still way off course.”Environmentalists argue Biden’s planned emissions reduction is both achievable and ambitious -- a sweet spot essential to U.S. credibility.

The Shinnecock Hamptons Casino is expected to rise on the tribe’s reservation here on the East End of Long Island as early as 2023. On the Shinnecock reservation, one person in five lives below the poverty line in a sparse mix of modest houses and ramshackle trailers. Because the reservation is sovereign land, free from government regulations, the planned Shinnecock Hamptons Casino cannot be blocked by local zoning laws and restrictions. Those restrictions and being 80 miles away from Manhattan could put the Shinnecocks’ casino at a disadvantage with competitors. Even with a limited profitability because of size and gaming restrictions, the Shinnecock casino’s location would probably yield reliable revenue, he said.

Former Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli warned of the unintended consequences of the Biden administration’s new regulations and emissions standards on the auto industry on FOX Business’ "Mornings with Maria" Thursday. And again, I would say the auto industry was trying to do right voluntarily. If they're going to have to spend it to improve fuel efficiency, they might as well convert to electric. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS…We already see the car park at about 11 years, 280 million units out there. So I think we've got tremendous confusion for this industry going forward.

The Farallon Islands photographed on April 14, 2021 (John Warzybok photo)Pete Warzybok (front), the Point Blue Conservation Science Farallon program leader, and biologist Mike Johns work with birds on the Farallon Islands in 2019. (courtesy Point Blue Conservation Science)A colony of common murres sit on the rocks at the Farallon Islands on April 14, 2021. (Rhys Watkin photo)Common murres sit atop rocks at the Farallon Islands in 2018. “The plan has not changed at all,” Gerry McChesney, Farallon Islands refuge manager with the U.S. Local environmental organizations, including Marin Audubon and the Marin Conservation League, support the Farallon Islands plan.

CORONA — A Southern California man is recovering after he was bitten by a rattlesnake when he tried to pick up the poisonous reptile using barbecue tongs, authorities said. When he tried to remove the rattler using the tongs, the snake struck and bit him on the hand, Animal Services spokesman John Welsh said. After the man was taken away by ambulance, a crowd gathered as Animal Services Officer Mike McGee removed the snake. “Some of the children were saying, ‘bye, Mr. Snake,’ ” McGee said. Welsh advised residents who spot a snake to call Animal Services instead of trying to remove it themselves.

(Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Republic Services General Manager James Castro stands in front of some of the 200 bails of recyclable cardboard the company produces daily. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Republic Services produces 200 bails of recyclable cardboard and 200 bails of paper per day that is recycled. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Workers pre-sort items on the container line at Republic Services in Anaheim, CA on Thursday, April 15, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)A worker keeps the tip floor clean where material from recycle bins are unloaded in Anaheim, CA on Thursday, April 15, 2021. However, from 2014 to 2019, the amount of waste recycled shrunk from 50% to 37%, according to CalRecycle, the state’s solid waste agency.

The border wall is reflected in the San Bernardino River, which flows to wetlands south of the border. Deer prick up their ears near Sasabe, Ariz., where a new portion of the border wall was recently built. “The border wall could really isolate a smaller population of coatis in the United States from the core population,” Burns said. And how far does that effect ripple away from the border itself?”Impacts on wildlife along the border Researchers speak on how the Trump border wall has impacted nearby wildlife. The waiver authority wasn’t limited to that period of time, so the Trump administration used it to accelerate border wall construction during his term.

The endangered cat may slowly be recovering in the borderlands, but the Trump border wall may hurt that progress. But new sections of border wall were built by the Trump administration in the middle of the habitats, forming a barrier that conservationists fear could hamper the jaguars’ recovery. Following the Biden administration’s pause of wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border, researchers are searching for ways to support the big cats’ return. In 1972, jaguars were listed under the Endangered Species Conservation Act, the precursor to the Endangered Species Act. 'Saving themselves'The recent sightings near the border, coupled with the results of the study, underline the role that unobstructed landscapes play for the jaguar along the border.

Q: The dinner you hosted in 1997 when you launched Roots of Peace was three weeks after Princess Diana’s death. A: When Diana walked her final minefields in Bosnia, led by land mine survivor Jerry White, in August 1997, I was really watching. Is it the fundamental injustice of weapons of war being left to kill civilians long after a war has been waged? Having survived cancer myself, I see land mines as a cancer to the Earth, and the solution is removal. Q: Was your first trip to Croatia when the issue of land mines became real for you and not just theoretical?

Saying the United States and other big economies “have to get this done,” President Joe Biden opened a global climate summit aimed at getting world leaders to dig deeper on emissions cuts. Read more:— What to Watch: In Biden climate show, look for cajoling, conflict, pathos———HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON:9:50 a.m.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has welcomed the United States’ new commitment to halve emissions as a “game-changing” announcement. Johnson will be hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow later this year. As host of COP-26, Johnson said Thursday at President Joe Biden’s climate summit he wanted to see “similar ambitions” around the world. To do it we need scientists in all of our countries to work together to produce the technological solutions that humanity is going to need.”

Then he’ll try to cajole other nations to ratchet up the pollution-cutting promises they made in 2015’s Paris climate agreement. After the United States helped negotiate the last two climate agreements — 1997’s Kyoto Protocol and 2015’s Paris accord — Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump backed out. The United States last year became the only country to leave the Paris deal. “The fact that the United States is back is very important.”WHY WATCHHuman-caused climate change is getting worse around the globe. The United Nations is counting on nearly 200 nations to announce tougher emission cut targets before that meeting, which will hash out still lingering issues.

WASHINGTON — The next phase of President Biden’s $4 trillion push to overhaul the American economy will raise taxes on millionaire investors to fund education and other spending plans, but it will not take steps to expand health coverage or reduce prescription drug prices, according to people familiar with the proposal. Administration officials had planned to include a health care expansion of up to $700 billion, offset by efforts to reduce government spending on prescription drugs. Its details remain a work in progress and could change in the days before the announcement. But after weeks of work, administration officials have closed in on the final version of what will be the second half of Mr. Biden’s sweeping economic agenda, which also includes the $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan the president described last month. That plan focused largely on physical infrastructure spending, like repairing bridges and water pipes and building electric vehicle charging stations, and was funded by tax increases on corporations.

“If we actually want to stop climate change, then this must be the year in which we get serious about doing so,” the Prime Minister is expected to tell attendees. Here are six ways to reduce your carbon footprint and support the fight against climate change. Choosing a staycation or opting for less carbon-intensive travel options such as trains and boats, can drastically reduce your carbon footprint. Reduce food wasteNot only does what you choose to eat matter, food waste is a huge contributor to climate change as well. Climate Citizens Lobby, which believes in the introduction of a ‘Climate Income’ fee for businesses that extract or import fossil fuels, recommends starting a dialogue with your MP and enquiring about their views on climate change.

Did you know, for instance, that we create far, far more greenhouse gas emissions through the manufacture of cement than the entire total emissions from the aviation industry? Consider the billions of homes around the world where we all live: they are responsible for about 10.9% of total global carbon emissions. This is nonetheless about the same contribution to global carbon emissions as every other crop in the world, combined. Image: Cement manufacturing accounts for more of the world's global emissions than deforestation and aviationThere is no such thing as zero-carbon cement. Net-zero cannot be achieved by planting a few trees or keeping lights switched off a bit more - much as that may help at the margins.

Video: 'The science is undeniable': Biden and Kamala Harris promise to slash US carbon emissions in HALF by 2030 in virtual climate summit with Putin, Xi Jinping and 38 other world leadersPresident Joe Biden issued a call to action to world leaders, asking them to work together to combat climate change as he kicked off Climate Summit. Biden pledging the country will cut emissions blamed for climate...

Tucker Carlson says Derek Chauvin's conviction shows how America has bowed to the 'mob' and that violence and intimidation from radicals will continue because they now know it gets the results they want. 'Civilized countries do not tolerate jury intimidation. Carlson argued that Chauvin's conviction would not bring an end to the revolution because America, over the last year, has taught that radicalism and violence works. Carlson argued that Chauvin's conviction would not bring an end to the revolution because America, over the last year, has taught that radicalism and violence works. 'Derek Chauvin's conviction didn't settle accounts.

French President Emmanuel Macron delivered his full speech to the Earth Day Climate Summit, but only after a technical hiccup interrupted his remarks as they were being delivered by video conference callAdvertising Read moreWashington (AFP)The perils of virtual high-stakes diplomacy hit the world stage on Thursday when a technical mixup saw hosts United States cut off France's Emmanuel Macron mid-speech during the global climate summit. Blinken, in an aside, said "they may be getting Macron because that was a tape of Macron." Eventually Putin delivered his remarks, telling the summit that Russia was committed to fulfilling its obligations to fight climate change. Afterward came an apology of sorts, with Blinken telling listeners that "we had some technical difficulties." Macron's speech was then replayed in its entirety, although there were still some glitches with delayed translator's remarks.

At 'moment of peril,' Biden opens global climate summitVideo by: David SMITHThe Biden administration has opened a global climate summit including 40 world leaders. President Joe Biden is pledging to cut at least in half the climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes that the US pumps out. That's a commitment Biden hopes will spur China and other big polluters to speed up efforts of their own.

Biden sees 'extraordinary economic opportunity' in climate measuresDeclaring that the United States and other big economies must "get this done,” President Joe Biden opened a global climate summit Thursday aimed at getting world leaders to dig deeper on emissions cuts. The United States pledged to cut in half the amount of climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes it is pumping out. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Armen Georgian tells us more.

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Share this Story: William Watson: Tories on gas — If it's not a tax it has no effectWilliam Watson: Tories on gas — If it's not a tax it has no effect If their policy affects the environment, it’s only because their tax bites. The gas cost you $35, the $50 you paid minus the $15 you were immediately rebated. Try refreshing your browser, or William Watson: Tories on gas — If it's not a tax it has no effect Back to video What if the government doubles the tax? But if you don’t smoke cigars, your gas tax rebate gives you the right to buy something you’re never, ever going to buy. By contrast, the less and less desirable the listed products, the greater and greater the effect on gas consumption.

The House voted 350-71 Wednesday evening to pass legislation that would limit U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia as a consequence of the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi forces. Flashback: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) reintroduced the bill in February, noting its intention is to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the killing of Khashoggi. The Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act will do that," Connolly said a the time. The big picture: The "Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act of 2021" would restrict the sale and export of arms unless the White House "certifies to the Congress that the Saudi government is not violating the human rights of dissidents or detainees." The bill would require the White House to report to Congress about the repression of dissidents in Saudi Arabia.

Boris Johnson, the United Kingdom's prime minister, called Biden's pledge "game changing" and offered a blunt retort to those who question the need to address climate change. In his opening remarks, Biden noted the U.S. represents less than 50% of the world's emissions. While other world leaders offered similarly dire assessments of the threat posed by climate change, only a few outlined aggressive new steps to address the crisis. “President Biden is unilaterally committing America to a drastic and damaging emissions pledge,” Barrasso said in a statement Thursday. He has already taken several steps to address climate change, such as pausing oil drilling on public lands and halting construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Taken all together, this bundle of falsehoods and pathologies is now getting so absurd and unsustainable that more Republicans are running away from it. In some states, while some things are getting nixed, many voter suppression provisions directly targeting nonwhite voters remain. Meanwhile, in many states, voter suppression efforts continue. Some Republicans privately admit their argument for some of these bills is problematic:They acknowledge, however, that their timing is bad. So if more are now edging away from the Big Lie in various forms, that should probably be encouraged.

The Trump administration lined up unprecedented bureaucratic obstacles that delayed approximately $20 billion in hurricane relief for Puerto Rico, according to an inspector general report that could be released publicly as soon as Thursday. Hurricanes Irma and Maria had left Puerto Rico residents without power and clean water for months after ravaging the U.S. territory in 2017. While investigators interviewed 20 current and former HUD officials and two Puerto Rico housing officials, they were unable to ever gain access to Carson, the Post said. “Since its first days, the Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized action to enable stronger recovery for Puerto Rico,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a statement Monday. “The actions taken by HUD today will unlock access to funds Puerto Rico needs to recover from past disasters and build resilience to future storms, while ensuring transparency and accountability.”

In March alone, more than 172,000 migrants were stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — the highest amount in over 20 years. Let’s be clear: No one is to blame except President Biden and Vice President Harris. Even Democrats such as West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin have called this administration’s situation a “crisis” long before the leader of the free world admitted it this past weekend. Now, I wonder how much Vice President Harris, who has been put in charge of handling this crisis, could learn from taking a single trip to see this catastrophe. The path starts with President Biden and Vice President Harris stepping up to the plate to address this catastrophe and seeing it firsthand.

Hot take on Vienna … and the other Iran talks:Rouhani notes 60-70% progress in Vienna. Let’s start in Vienna, where talks are underway for the return of both the United States and Iran to compliance with Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). And then there are the "other" Iran talks, the ones brokered by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi between Iranian and Saudi officials last week. Five quick takes on Egypt, Nile Dam talks, Russia-Iran, Turkey, Iraq1. Last week, Lavrov labeled the European Union’s recent human rights sanctions on Iran “unacceptable” and warned they could undermine the fragile Vienna talks.

Doug Ducey announced he was sending 250 National Guard troops to the border, Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly wrote to President Joe Biden asking the federal government to reimburse the state for the action. The Arizona Democrats, who supported the Republican governor’s decision to dispatch more guards, also asked Biden to increase the number of Homeland Security personnel to help process migrants and secure the border. Experts say the increase is the result of a mix of factors, including a bottleneck of asylum seekers mostly from Central America. In their letter, Sinema and Kelly noted there are an estimated 500 National Guard troops already deployed to the Yuma and Tucson sectors.

The Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is taking new aim at ransomware after a year that officials say was the costliest on record for the crippling cyberattacks. Ransomware attacks have impeded hospital operations, led to the temporary closure of school classes and caused other chaos. The Justice Department has brought indictments related to ransomware attacks, including a 2018 case against two Iranian nationals whose many victims included the cities of Atlanta and Newark, New Jersey, and resulted in losses of $30 million. The task force will include representatives from the Justice Department's criminal and national security divisions, among others. The Wall Street Journal was first to report creation of the task force.

Harris is hosting a roundtable Thursday morning of “foundation leaders on the Northern Triangle,” the White House said. On Monday, Harris will meet virtually with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, her chief spokeswoman and senior adviser Symone Sanders confirmed Wednesday evening. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has a virtual meeting scheduled with Vice President Kamala Harris. President of Guatemala Alejandro Giammattei and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to discuss the how Guatemala and the United States can cooperate on immigration. Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty ImagesWhile exact dates have not yet been made available, the vice president will travel to the Northern Triangle countries in the month of June.

President Biden, citing a “moral imperative,” has announced an ambitious goal to battle climate change by pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the US by 52 percent by 2035. The president, speaking at a White House virtual summit of 40 world leaders Thursday, said that in order to keep global warming at a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, nations around the globe must sign on to the effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions. We’ll create good jobs here at home for millions of Americans and lay a strong foundation with growth for the future,” he said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a virtual international climate summit with US President Joe Biden in Berlin, Germany Kay Nietfeld/Pool/AP“This is a moral imperative and economic imperative. I believe that we will do this,” he told the gathering of world leaders.

And it coincided with the pause last week of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is under review by a panel of experts following a handful of cases of severe blood clotting,” Dan Keating, Fenit Nirappil and Isaac Stanley-Becker report. Eric Topol, director and founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute:The White House is projecting confidence that the effort is still going strong. The announcement seemed to hint that the White House is more concerned about the decline in vaccinations than it’s letting on. The report cites unsanitary work conditions and other failures at Emergent BioSolutions that ruined 15 million doses’ worth of raw Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine. “Through a review of security camera footage, the FDA documented workers repeatedly failing to follow procedures to prevent cross-contamination of various vaccines being manufactured there.”The batches of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were ruined in March by cross-contamination that involved ingredients from AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine.

Meanwhile, 50 House Democrats have called on Biden to fire the entire board and start over with nine new governors. Ron Stroman, a Democrat, is the recently retired deputy postmaster general and led the Biden transition’s Postal Service review team. Upon them rests the hopes of the White House, congressional Democrats and mailing industry executives up in arms about DeJoy’s cost-cutting agenda, which advanced with board support. Many lawmakers, aides say, are dubious of working with DeJoy to reimagine the Postal Service and are just as skeptical about the board. “I was the first to call for the postal board to go because rebuilding USPS starts with removing and replacing the failed leadership at the top,” Pascrell said.

But Mike Loewengart, managing director of investment strategy at eTrade, said the back-to-back reports of unexpectedly lower claims signal “significant momentum” in the labor market. Last week, 133,319 Americans filed claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, for gig and self-employed workers. New York, Florida, Alabama, Washington and Georgia saw the biggest increases in first-time unemployment claims for the week ended April 10. Poverty rose to 11.7 percent in March, the highest level of the pandemic, according to research from the University of Chicago and University of Notre Dame, as Americans awaited the next round of stimulus relief. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementMany economists describe the recovery as “K-shaped” because of its diverging prospects for the rich and poor.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced Thursday that his country is setting a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with a benchmark reduction of 46 percent by 2030 compared with 2013 levels. “Japan is ready to demonstrate its leadership for worldwide decarbonization,” Suga said at a virtual climate summit convened by the Biden administration shortly after he announced the new targets. It is a challenge that requires a whole international community to be united,” Suga added. Shortly after entering office late last year, Suga announced plans for carbon neutrality by 2050, a target similar to those set by other major industrialized countries. Climate groups had a muted reaction to the 46 percent target on Thursday.

China has administered about 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses as part of an effort to inoculate 40 percent of its population by mid-June, senior officials said this week. The nation’s top health authority, the National Health Commission, made the announcement at a news conference Wednesday, the same day President Biden also said that 200 million vaccine doses have been administered in the United States. China has approved multiple coronavirus vaccines for domestic use, most of which require two doses to reach acceptable levels of immune protection. A health commission spokesman did not reveal how many people in China were fully vaccinated with their required doses. Some residents there say they received a first shot but have faced difficulty booking appointments for a second dose.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIf fundamentals change, you can seriously impact CO2 levels: ExpertPolicy Exchange's Senior Adviser for Energy and Environment, Benedict McAleenan, discusses the Biden Climate Summit and what to expect in terms of global cooperation to address climate change.

The airline posted first-quarter net income of $116 million, compared with a $94 million loss a year earlier. (CNBC)American Airlines (AAL) posted a $1.25 billion net loss, its fifth consecutive quarterly loss. American's revenue came in at just over $4 billion, down nearly 53% from the more than $8.5 billion it posted a year ago. Shares of the Swiss bank that trade on Wall Street fell 5.5% in the premarket. The number of homes listed for sale in the Hamptons plunged 41% in the first quarter, marking the fastest decline on record.

The president had originally aimed for 100 million shots in 100 days, a goal that drew criticism for being too conservative. U.S. vaccine shots administered The United States is averaging 3 million reported shots per day over the past week, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. That figure has held above 3 million for more than two weeks straight, but is down slightly from a peak of 3.4 million reported shots per day on April 13. The recent decline may be at least partially due to the ongoing halt in use of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine. U.S. share of the population vaccinated More than 40% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, and 26% is fully vaccinated.

Gene Seymour is a critic who has written about music, movies and culture for The New York Times, Newsday, Entertainment Weekly and The Washington Post. Follow him on Twitter @GeneSeymour. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion at CNN. In short, it wasn't a "presidential" address to the nation so much as it was a "Joe" talk to the folks.

Christiana Figueres is the former executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (2010-2016). She is now a founding partner at Global Optimism, co-author of The Future We Choose and co-presents the climate podcast, Outrage + Optimism. Climate impacts are already reaching worst-case scenario levels based on scientific predictions from just a few years back. Despite this stark reality, too many of us see leaders apparently stuck in the splits when it comes to climate change. When I took the job to lead the global climate negotiations ahead of what was to become the Paris Agreement, few people were hopeful that we could secure a global deal on climate.

You can sign up right hereLondon (CNN Business) Bolstered by strong data, investors are expressing plenty of faith in the power of the global economic recovery . What's happening:analysts predict that US economic growth will slow after the April-to-June period this year. The team then expects economic growth to "slow modestly" between July and September and "decline sequentially during the next several quarters." Meanwhile, the full economic recovery could be delayed in important engines of growth like India, which is currently in the throes of a devastating second coronavirus wave . Other members of the executive board will not receive bonuses for 2020, and board chairman Urs Rohner will give up 1.5 million Swiss francs ($1.6 million) in compensation.

This Earth Day, President Biden will bring together government leaders from around the world for a climate summit aimed at accelerating efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. But President Biden and other country leaders are not alone in tackling the climate crisis. companies, including major names from the technology, food and hospitality sectors, collectively lowered their emissions by 25% between 2015 and 2019. The private sector, in particular, has been instrumental in driving US action on climate change. We urge business leaders to raise their climate ambitions and commit to more aggressive action.

A Saudi court jailed two of Saad al-Jabri’s adult children late last year for money laundering and conspiracy to escape the kingdom unlawfully, charges they deny. The Jabri family alleges that Saudi authorities interfered in the legal process, including circumventing appeals proceedings, which Riyadh denies. The two siblings currently are in prison in Saudi Arabia, according to the Jabri family. MbS’s lawyers, in court filings, have dismissed as untrue Jabri’s assertions that the crown prince attempted to silence the former Saudi official. The absence of a judge’s signature from a ruling would be unusual, according to two independent legal experts consulted by Reuters.

D.C. statehood hits a snag in the Senate Presented byWIth Burgess Everett, Andrew Desiderio, Nicholas Wu and Sarah Ferris. STATE OF DC STATEHOOD -- TROUBLED: The House is voting today on a bill that would grant D.C. statehood -- legislation that Republicans oppose and that Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) Here is a snapshot of four Senate Dems who aren’t yet on board:1-Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who co-sponsored D.C. statehood legislation the last go around: "I supported D.C. statehood so I haven't really studied this bill enough to know whether I'm going to sponsor it or not." DEFEAT: Marianne and I had a bet on whether Senate Republicans greenlight earmarks or not. She previously served as senior policy advisor and legislative counsel to Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.).

It was an ugly applause line that his base eagerly embraced, which turned into a campaign promise the Republican was eager to keep. On only his seventh day in the White House -- late on a Friday afternoon -- Trump signed his original Muslim ban, sparking international outrage, bureaucratic chaos, family hardships, and a series of messy legal fights. The Republican is obviously no longer in office, but the stain from his Muslim ban lingers. A grand total of one House Republican voted for the legislation -- Pennsylvania's Brian Fitzpatrick -- joining literally every member of the House Democratic conference. After all, at its core, the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act was about strengthening Congress' role, restricting the White House from having unilateral authority to arbitrarily ban citizens of other countries based on presidential whims.

Then Biden set a revised goal of 200 million doses administered in those first 100 days. And we hope to be able to be of some help and value to countries around the world,” Biden said yesterday. And a more vaccinated world leads to a stronger global economy and improved ties with other countries. It showsMcAuliffe 47%, Justin Fairfax 8%, Jennifer McClellan 6%, Jennifer Carroll Foy 5%, Lee Carter 1%, with 27% undecided. Biden is preparing to declare that atrocities against Armenia in the World War I era were, in fact, genocide.

President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the Wh...President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the Wh...WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring that the United States and other big economies must “get this done,” President Joe Biden opened a global climate summit Thursday aimed at getting world leaders to dig deeper on emissions cuts. The United States pledged to cut in half the amount of climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes it is pumping out. “Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden said, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. “We have taken many bold steps.”The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

At Climate Summit, Biden Stresses U.S. Commitment And Economic OpportunityEnlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/APEmphasizing U.S. commitments on climate change and the economic opportunity in confronting global warming, President Biden kicked off the first international summit of world leaders during his presidency on Thursday. Biden and Vice President Harris began the summit with remarks from the White House's East Room. Pope Francis, an outspoken advocate for more aggressive global climate action, has a featured speaking role. "We are not having any side zoom room bilateral discussions happening," said another White House official.

Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) reported mixed results for fiscal Q1 as Southern Copper (SCCO) awaits. FCX stock and SCCO stock slipped. Stock: Shares of the top copper producer fell 1.7% to 35.28 in premarket stock market trading Thursday. IBD Live: A New Tool For Daily Stock Market AnalysisSouthern Copper EarningsEstimates: Analysts forecast Southern Copper earnings will climb 204% to 85 cents, per Zacks. Both FCX stock and SCCO stock rallied hard in the past year, due in part to President's Biden infrastructure agenda.

And Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has a message: Bitcoin mining can be good for the environment. That the argument Brett Winton, director of research at ARK Invest, made in a blog post Wednesday. But as long as Bitcoin keeps rising, don’t expect the conversation of its environmental impact to go away. The invite list includes Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping, who will speak Thursday by videoconference. Xi has said China’s carbon emissions would peak by 2030 and that it would achieve net-zero carbon-dioxide emissions by 2060 .

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden’s climate summit has drawn 40 heads of state including China’s Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin of Russia and Boris Johnson from the U.K. Tackling Climate Change ‘Herculean Task,’ Merkel Says (9 a.m.)German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she is delighted that the U.S. under President Biden is again helping with the “Herculean task” of tackling climate change. “There can be no doubt that the world needs your contribution if we really want to fulfill our ambitious goals,” Merkel said. Biden has said that a key goal of this summit is to encourage nations to increase their ambitions toward fighting climate change. “Let us mobilize political leadership to move ahead together – to overcome climate change, end our war on nature and build lives of dignity and prosperity for all,” Guterres said.

A third trial, also before U.S. District Judge Alan Albright, is scheduled to begin in June.In the most recent trial, VLSI was seeking $3 billion in damages, saying the inventions were critical to Intel’s ability to make chips faster and with fewer energy requirements. It also argued that the patents didn’t cover new ideas even two decades ago, when they were issued.VLSI was seeking damages for a period beginning March 1, 2019, just before the suit was filed. Fortress is scheduled to respond by April 26.VLSI has no products and its only potential revenue is its litigation against Intel. The only other litigation involving these patents are the lawsuits against Intel, Bloomberg Law data show.The case is VLSI Technology LLC. v. Intel Corp., 21-299, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (Waco).For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

Officials in Columbus, Ohio, have identified the police officer who, on Tuesday afternoon, fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl. In body camera footage of the shooting, an officer identified as Reardon can be seen emerging from his vehicle to encounter a confrontation on a residential street. Story continuesColumbus police released body camera footage of Ma’Khia’s death on Tuesday night and additional footage on Wednesday. The first of the 911 callers told the dispatcher that someone was “trying to fight us, trying to stab us” as people shouted in the background. “My daughter dispatched Columbus police for protection, not to be a homicide today,” Paula Bryant, who identified herself as Ma’Khia’s mother, told reporters.

By Gaelen Morse and Gabriella BorterCOLUMBUS, Ohio (Reuters) - State investigators in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday were probing the fatal police shooting of a Black teenage girl in a confrontation caught on body-camera video that appeared to show her holding a knife and lunging at two people. "She was a good kid, she was loving," the aunt told reporters on Tuesday, according to a video posted to Twitter. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the "tragic" shooting. The video shows police driving up to a chaotic scene, with several people gathered on a front lawn. "When officers are faced with someone employing deadly force, deadly force can be the response the officer gives," Interim Chief Woods told reporters on Wednesday.

See buy or sell recommendations for Nvidia, Qualcomm, Nxp, Broadcom, Taiwan Semiconductor, and more semiconductor stocks. TheStreet Quant Ratings rates NXP Semiconductors as a Buy with a rating score of B-. TheStreet Quant Ratings rates Intel as a Buy with a rating score of A-. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing | -3.43% 5-DayTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) - Get Report boosted its near-term investment plans on Mar. TheStreet Quant Ratings rates Broadcom as a Buy with a rating score of A-.

Newsletter The stories shaping California Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Enter email address Sign Me Up You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Together with Lake Sonoma, the reservoir helps provide drinking water to about 600,000 customers, according to Grant Davis, general manager of Sonoma Water. The document also orders state agencies to work with local districts across California to address drought conditions. Southern California is likely to be less affected because its water is mostly supplied by big federal and state water systems, rather than local precipitation.

I do, however, have some intriguing information about an idea that always seems to gets folks excited: Putting solar panels over water. A rendering shows what the California Aqueduct would look like covered with solar panels as it flows through Stanislaus County. AdvertisementNemeth sees solar panels over canals as one option for reaching 75%, and for complying with a state mandate of 100% by 2045. To be clear, Nemeth still has serious questions about covering large canals with solar panels. In this particular case, installing solar panels over canals may have plenty of advantages.

But scientific literacy continues to lag scientific progress, despite the increasing availability of scientific information. The NOAA increase, for example, would provide $800 million for climate research and $500 million for weather and climate satellites. NIH research is responsible for a 43% positive return of public investment on drugs approved by the FDA in recent years. But the future of publicly funded scientific research is on the line. The only way to address longstanding concerns about how much the public knows and understands about science is to fully engage in the effort for greater scientific literacy and investment.

Over the past four years, the former Trump administration refused, reconsidered and reduced proposals to protect public lands across Arizona and the Southwest, easing restrictions on mining, visitation and grazing. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., chairperson of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced the original Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act in 2013. “But when you go in and declare thousands and thousands of acres a national monument, you’ve gone overboard. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance says it has tracked at least 15 new claims on places previously within the national monument. His book, "Our Common Ground," details the political history of public lands and is set to be published by the end of next year.

His commitment to cut U.S. fossil fuel emissions up to 52 percent by 2030 will come at the launch Thursday of an all-virtual climate summit for 40 world leaders. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)In this Jan. 27, 2021 file photo, President Joe Biden signs an executive order on climate change, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Biden, a Democrat, campaigned partly on a pledge to confront climate change. There is no money in sight,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said earlier this month, after a visit from Biden climate envoy John Kerry. And at home, political divisions exposed by Trump’s presidency have left the United States weaker than it was at the 2015 Paris accord.

American Electric Power is continuing its move away from fossil fuels, saying on Thursday that it expects renewable sources of energy to make up more than 50% of its portfolio by 2030. AEP said it is proposing 16,600 megawatts of wind and solar generation during that period. It also plans to acquire one of the units of a coal-fired power plant in Indiana that it has leased next year with the intention of closing the plant in 2028. AEP has said its goal is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% from its 2000 baseline by 2030. Akins said the company is making progress in diversifying its generation fleet with investments in renewable energy.

Updated 3 times AlertMeWASHINGTON — Declaring that the United States and other big economies must “get this done,” President Joe Biden opened a global climate summit Thursday aimed at getting world leaders to dig deeper on emissions cuts. The United States pledged to cut in half the amount of climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes it is pumping out. “Meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet,” Biden said, speaking from a TV-style set for a virtual summit of 40 world leaders. “We have taken many bold steps.”The pandemic made gathering world leaders for the climate summit too risky. The format meant a cavalcade of short speeches by world leaders, some scripted, some apparently more impromptu.

SCU investigators said the object appears to be of "unknown origin" after spending 1000 hours researching the UAP. Mr Lace told The US Sun: "The SCU finds the 2013 Aguadilla UAP footage to offer the most compelling evidence of unusual UAP flight characteristics." 'BEST WE'VE EVER SEEN'The three-minute video shows the object crossing Puerto Rico before flying back and appearing to submerge into the Atlantic Ocean. And perhaps most bizarrely, at one stage in the footage the object appears to split in two. They urge the two Republicans to get behind efforts to release footage more footage of the infamous 2004 "Tic Tac" video from the USS Nimitz.

As Bridgett Floyd watched the three guilty verdicts, called one after another, at the conclusion of the Derek Chauvin murder trial this week, she thought of her beloved older brother George Floyd. Not even nothing close to it.”Bridgett Floyd, George Floyd’s younger sister, could not be in Minneapolis when the guilty verdict was read. Bridgett Floyd with her brother George Floyd. Some, including the teenager Darnella Frazier who recorded the video of Floyd’s death, expressed survivor’s guilt on the stand. “I’m going to keep his name alive by running this foundation, the George Floyd Memorial foundation … Because that is what they will remember, his name is what they will not ever forget.

LeBron James has tweeted then deleted a post on the police shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio, after saying it was being “used to create more hate”. Bryant, a 16-year-old black girl, was shot dead after being called to a house where a confrontation was taking place. James initially tweeted a photo on Tuesday night of the white police officer said to have killed Bryant along with the message: “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY” and an hourglass emoji. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY — LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021However, James later deleted the tweet on Wednesday. The county where Bryant was shot dead has one of highest rates of fatal police shootings in the US, according to a recent study.

US president Joe Biden is hosting a virtual summit on the climate crisis from the White House in honour of Earth Day, convening 40 world leaders to discuss lower emissions in order to protect the planet in line with the terms of the Paris accord. Bold commitments are needed from the biggest polluting nations if the impact of harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is to be reduced. Watch along live as Earth Day 2021 is observed around the world. This year’s theme for Earth Day is “Restore Earth”. Follow The Independent’s coverage throughout the day.

President Joe Biden opened the US climate summit on Thursday with a plea for action and unity from all nations of the world. “This is the decisive decade,” Mr Biden said via video-link. Mr Biden thanked world leaders for attending and said that their leadership showed “people of every nation”, particularly young people, that they were willing to meet the crisis head on. Not only our federal government but our cities and our states, all across our country, small businesses, large businesses, large corporations, American workers in every field,” Mr Biden said. Mr Biden has promised to set America on a path to net-zero emissions no later than 2050.

AdvertisementNASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter is making a second, bolder and more daring flight on the Red Planet today, going higher than its first history making flight on Monday. On the first flight, Ingenuity hovered 10 feet above the surface. As well as photos taken by the helicopter during its flight, Perseverance will also be on camera duty, capturing images of the flying vehicle from 210ft away. Advertisement'Every image we get of the helicopter on Mars is special to me: After all, this has never been done before,' she explained. It has a zoom lens so it can magnify distant targets, making it perfect to track the first Ingenuity flight.

Marjorie Taylor Greene confronted Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the House floor Wednesday and posted a picture of the interaction to push again for a debate with the progressive congresswoman on her Green New Deal. 'I'm glad I ran into you today @AOC to plan our debate about the Green New Deal,' Rep. Greene posted on Twitter Wednesday evening. Last Wednesday she tweeted: '@AOC I'd like to challenge you to a debate on the Green New Deal economic policy.' 'A debate between AOC and I on the Green New Deal economic policy would be informative for the American People.' AOC was mocked for claiming during the relaunch of her controversial Green New Deal that climate change is a product of racial injustice.

The cost of inaction is mounting,' he said in his speech kicking off his Climate Summit. In his remarks, Biden stressed the importance of working together but also emphasized combatting climate change can create jobs and boost economies. In his remarks to the summit, Chin's President Xi Jinping reiterated his country's pledge to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Xi said developed countries, responsible for greater historical carbon emissions, should bear more responsibility for making changes at home and helping developing countries finance their transition to low-carbon economies. He called for world leaders to build a global coalition for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 - 'every country, every region, every city, every company and every industry.'

Biden calls climate action a 'moral and economic imperative'The Biden administration has opened a global climate summit including 40 world leaders. President Joe Biden is pledging to cut at least in half the climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes that the U.S. pumps out. That's a commitment Biden hopes will spur China and other big polluters to speed up efforts of their own.

Biden vows to cut US emissions by at least 50% by 2030The Biden administration on Thursday pledged to slash US greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% from 2005 levels by 2030, a new target it hopes will spur other big emitter countries to raise their ambition to combat climate change.

US pledges to halve its emissions by 2030 in renewed climate fightThe Biden administration on Thursday pledged to slash US greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% from 2005 levels by 2030, a new target it hopes will spur other big emitter countries to raise their ambition to combat climate change. FRANCE 24's Environment Editor Mairead Dundas tells us more.

President Joe Biden on April 22, 2021 ramped up US ambitions on slashing greenhouse gas emissions, pledging to halve them by 2030. Saying the United States and other big economies “have to get this done,” President Joe Biden opened a global climate summit Thursday aimed at getting world leaders to dig deeper on emissions cuts. The United States pledged to cut in half the amount of climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes it is pumping out. His commitment to cut U.S. fossil fuel emissions up to 52% by 2030 marks a return by the U.S. to global climate efforts after four years of withdrawal under President Donald Trump. The world’s top two climate offenders, China and the United States, are feuding over nonclimate issues.

“The troops demonstrated the ability to reliably defend the country.”Speaking during snap readiness exercises in annexed Crimea, Shoigu ordered the general staff of the armed forces, military chiefs and the airborne troops to begin returning to their home bases from the Russian-Ukrainian border and Crimea starting April 23. Russia will begin withdrawing its military forces from the Ukrainian border starting Friday, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced Thursday, after the buildup had raised alarms in the West of renewed clashes. Facing accusations of massing more than 100,000 troops in the region, Russia’s military said it had blocked flights and closed off navigation in parts of the Black Sea and Crimea for drills. Shoigu ordered ground forces to return to their bases in Vladikavkaz and Novosibirsk, as well as airborne units to Pskov, Ivanovo and the Krasnodar region, by May 1. The minister ordered military chiefs to “analyze the snap inspections in all levels of management and draw up a plan to eliminate shortcomings,” according to Interfax.

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday set more drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 than previously revealed to achieve a carbon-neutral Korea by 2050, at a two-day virtual climate summit ending Friday.The Leaders Summit on Climate, joined by 40 world leaders and hosted by US President Joe Biden seeking to restore US leadership on the carbon-cutting commitment, marks Washington’s return to the climate dialogue that the Donald Trump administration abandoned after withdrawing from the Paris agreement.“We’ve decided to raise the emission reduction target for 2030 to go beyond what we promised,” Moon said, referring to an earlier pledge to reduce carbon emissions 24 percent by 2030 compared to 2017 levels. Moon set out goals the previous year to emit zero emissions by 2050.Moon, who did not elaborate on the hike, said he will bolster support for renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, noting his government will no longer build coal-fired power plants and will shut down old ones. Tax credits and subsidies for new coal plants will be suspended, he added.Moon said the government will help local industries ride out the fallout from the change as it attracts investments in renewables. In March, he promised $7 billion in government aid to make the country run on renewables rather than fossil fuels.On the first day, the summit discussed leaders’ commitments to cut carbon emissions and the role of capital markets to realize their targets, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution.On Friday, Biden’s “Build Back Better” program will be the agenda as he has made clear that fighting climate change is an opportunity to create jobs. The Seoul-hosted meeting will discuss helping developing nations use technologies for green economic growth.“The P4G summit will be a steppingstone to a promising UN climate conference in November,” Moon said.By Choi Si-young ( siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com

Yet they also indicate Biden’s handling of the border is a weakness, creating an opportunity in the eyes of the GOP. Senate Minority Whip John Thune John Randolph ThuneSenate GOP keeps symbolic earmark ban Senate GOP crafts outlines for infrastructure counter proposal On The Money: Senate GOP faces post-Trump spending brawl | Senate confirms SEC chief Gensler to full five-year term | Left-leaning group raises concerns about SALT cap repeal MORE (R-S.D.) “Despite the national party rhetoric, individual senators are still very interested in talking about aspects of immigration. “We want as broad as a reform as we can get.”Durbin said Wednesday that he prefers moving immigration reform through regular order, instead of using the budget rules to bypass Republicans. Such legislation would be less likely to get such GOP support in 2020, given the political punishment Rubio suffered after helping to craft the 2013 immigration bill.

The latest Axios-Ipsos survey finds it had the opposite effect, as predicted by Anthony S. Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser. In fact, a recent focus group of vaccine-hesitant voters found that some of these people would lie about being vaccinated. That means more than half of adults have received at least one shot, including more than 80 percent of seniors. Among teachers, school personnel and child-care workers, more than 80 percent received one shot in a month. The country is approaching the point when it should stop catering to those bent on being a danger to themselves and others.

This week, proponents of statehood will likely get one step closer to their best chance to changing that reality. That could indicate the majority of Americans don’t have a strong opinion on DC statehood one way or the other, so how pollsters frame the question matters a great deal. And even that amount of local control is somewhat constrained:Prior to the Home Rule Act, Congress set DC’s laws. How DC statehood would work, briefly explainedHR 51, the Washington, DC, Admission Act, would create the state of Washington, DC, but instead of DC referring to “District of Columbia,” it would come to be known as Douglass Commonwealth, in honor of Frederick Douglass. For now, the biggest obstacle to DC statehood is the US Senate.

The US goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared with 2005 levels, will take the world closer to the reductions scientists say are necessary to hold global heating within scientifically advised limits, analysis has shown. This is the strongest contribution yet made by any major economy, in terms of the amount of carbon to be cut, towards meeting the goals of the 2015 Paris climate agreement of holding global heating well below 2C. The EU has already agreed to cut carbon by 55% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels. “With the new target for 2030 and holding the climate summit, the US has again a leading role in international climate policy,” said Höhne. Japan was criticised for announcing a reduction of 46% in emissions by 2030, compared with 2013 levels.

Just before the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin murder trial was handed down in a Minneapolis courtroom, a police officer in Columbus, Ohio shot and killed a Black 16-year-old named Ma’Khia Bryant. This is not alright, it’s not okay, and it can’t continue on.”Floyd’s murder last May prompted a national reckoning over systemic racism and policing. That last part is crucial: the Chauvin conviction can’t be the end of the movement that intensified last summer. As CNN’s Van Jones suggested Tuesday, that could include bans on choke-holds and the establishment of a registry for convicted cops. Even the reforms backed by many Democrats stop short of defunding or doing away with the current policing system, as many activists demand.

Then, a cellphone went off. It was President Joe Biden, calling George Floyd’s brother Philonise to offer both congratulations and comfort. As Philonise and other members of the Floyd family, including George’s seven-year-old daughter Gianna, huddled around the phone, which was put on speaker, someone reflexively asked the president how he was doing. “Feeling better now,” Biden responded. Nothing can ever bring back their brother, their father, back.

The U.S. now aims to cut annual greenhouse gas emissions in half—between 50% and 52% lower than 2005 levels—by the end of the decade. The Biden administration announced the goal today as its new commitment under the Paris climate agreement , nearly doubling the previous commitment made under Obama. There should be a plausible pathway to success.”In one analysis, Hultman and other researchers found that a combination of new policies and federal standards could cut emissions 51% by 2030. That’s partly by design—countries set voluntary goals under the Paris agreement and then are expected to ramp up ambition over time. More than 200 American companies have science-based targets to cut emissions.

The Biden administration is considering whether to lower the nicotine content of cigarettes to nonaddictive levels, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. In 2017, then-President Trump’s FDA commissioner tried to reduce the nicotine in cigarettes, but his policy efforts were abandoned when he abruptly resigned in 2019. Regulating nicotine content has reportedly been under discussion at the FDA since the 1990s. The 2009 Tobacco Control Act allows the FDA to regulate ingredient levels in cigarettes, but it also required that regulations be backed up by scientific research. This clause was a coup for the tobacco industry, because scientific research takes years.

It’s a new age of stimulus payments in America, where some households received 4-5 payments in the last year. If you thought stimulus payments come only from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), think again: Some Californians were surprised to find $600 stimulus payments in their bank accounts this month. What’s going on with state stimulus payments? The idea is to shore up struggling workers while also playing fair with taxpayers who missed out on federal stimulus checks. The Maryland and California stimulus checks were signed into law in February, before President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act in March, which provides federal stimulus checks of up to $1,400.

Lawmakers and Armenian-American activists are lobbying Biden to make the announcement on or before Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, which will be marked Saturday. "The shameful silence of the United States Government on the historic fact of the Armenian Genocide has gone on for too long, and it must end," the lawmakers wrote. Biden as a candidate marked the remembrance day last year by pledging that if elected he would recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1923, saying "silence is complicity." The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal first reported that Biden is preparing to acknowledge the genocide. He noted that the sting of former President Barack Obama not following through on his 2008 campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide still lingers for many in the Armenian diaspora.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she's sorry for 'wrong and offensive' comments Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene apologized for previous incendiary social media post regarding conspiracy theories. What Greene is sayingRep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. Nick Dyer, Greene's spokesperson, told CNN in an email Friday that the America First Caucus platform would be announced "very soon." Why the House removing Marjorie Taylor Greene from committees is significant The House has voted to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from House committees. She referred to it as "a catcall to the KKK" in a text message to a USA TODAY reporter on Saturday.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced Thursday that his country is setting a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with a benchmark reduction of 46 percent by 2030 compared with 2013 levels. “Japan is now taking a giant step forward toward solving global challenges,” Suga said as he announced the move, which came hours before the start of a virtual climate summit convened by the Biden administration. Japan had previously been aiming for a 26 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a target that was criticized as far too modest for the world’s third-biggest economy and fifth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide. Shortly after entering office late last year, Suga announced plans for carbon neutrality by 2050, a target similar to those set by other major industrialized countries. Climate groups had a muted reaction to the 46 percent target on Thursday.

Good news for parents: Millions of American families with children will start receiving monthly payments from the enhanced child tax credit in July. That's a significant chunk of money for many families to receive on a monthly basis. The new enhanced credit increases the annual benefit per child 17 and younger to $3,000 from $2,000 for 2021. It also gives an additional $600 benefit for children under the age of 6 for the 2021 tax year. The enhanced credit begins to phase out for taxpayers who have higher income and ends for individuals earning $95,000 and married couples filing jointly making $170,000.

Stock futures dip, a day after a Wall Street comebackTraders working at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), today, Wednesday, April 21, 2021. The Dallas-based airline posted first-quarter net income of $116 million, compared with a $94 million loss a year ago. American Airlines posted a $1.25 billion net loss, its fifth consecutive quarterly loss. 3. Credit Suisse announces quarterly loss after Archegos scandalA Credit Suisse logo in the window of a Credit Suisse Group AG bank branch in Zurich, Switzerland. Had it not been for Archegos, Credit Suisse CEO Thomas Gottstein told CNBC on Thursday that Q1 was "one of our best quarters in the history" of the bank.

REUTERS/David RyderAs U.S. President Joe Biden escalates his climate change agenda, pressure is growing on the country's regulators to catch up with Europe and incorporate various risks posed by climate change into their oversight of the financial system. After the Trump administration's assault on climate change policy, the United States lags Europe on financial climate risk and is under pressure from countries there to catch up. European regulators have also begun adding climate risks to annual bank exams, a step the Fed has so far resisted. And the Federal Reserve, CFTC and housing finance agency have begun assessing how climate change could affect lenders, trading firms and the markets they oversee. Many such measures will be opposed by Republicans and corporate lobbyists, who say Democrats are using financial policy to advance a political agenda.

Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a demonstration of the Fridays for Future movement in Lausanne, Switzerland January 17, 2020. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File PhotoSwedish climate activist Greta Thunberg will testify Thursday to a U.S. congressional hearing on fossil fuel subsidies, which the committee’s progressive chairman is pressuring President Joe Biden to end. "We appreciate that President Biden ran on ending fossil fuel subsidies. Biden has called for replacing fossil fuel subsidies with incentives for clean energy production as part of his $2.3 trillion plan to overhaul U.S. infrastructure. read moreBut the president's plan has not specified which tax breaks for fossil fuel companies would be targeted.

LONDON — Britain’s Prince William is urging the world to unite to tackle the climate crisis and channel the same “spirit of invention” that has helped in the fight against Covid-19. The letter, from William's Earthshot Prize climate initiative, says global efforts to fight Covid-19 are evidence of what is possible when the world pulls together in the face of a common threat. The summit coincides with Earth Day and the five-year anniversary of the signing of the Paris climate accord, a landmark international agreement on reducing climate-harming emissions. But experts hope Biden's summit will advance global climate progress, which has slowed down considerably after former President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris agreement in 2017. Europe has also made new pledges ahead of this week's climate summit.

President Biden announced on Wednesday that the U.S. has reached the goal of 200 million vaccinations in 100 days. The Morning Joe panel discusses the effort to get the country to that number.

More than 216 million doses of COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered, and more than 134 million Americans ? 51.5% of adults ? have now had their shots, far outstripping Biden’s initial goal of administering 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office. On some days in recent weeks, 4 million Americans got jabbed in a single 24-hour period. Alex Wong via Getty Images President Joe Biden said this week the U.S. had distributed 200 million shots of the COVID-19 vaccines. “I’m calling on every employer large and small in every state to give employees the time off they need, with pay, to get vaccinated,” Biden said. The CDC notes that about 62 million vaccine doses have been delivered to states, but not used yet.

The debt limit is back (kind of) Presented by Sallie Mae®Editor’s Note: Morning Money is a free version of POLITICO Pro Financial Services' morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 6 a.m. Quick FixThe debt limit is back (sort of) — Remember the debt limit? MM spent much of the Obama administration covering debt limit battles. A message from Sallie Mae®: You shouldn’t need a college degree to figure out how to pay for college. This responsible approach is working: 97% of Sallie Mae loans in repayment are being repaid on time and less than 2% default annually.

As we've discussed, Joe Biden entered the presidency realizing that under-promising and over-delivering was a far smarter approach. To that end, the Democrat began his term vowing to administer 100 million COVID vaccination shots in his first 100 days in office. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) told Fox News in January, "If the Biden administration wants to impress us ... double the goal. Today, we hit 200 million shots on the 92nd day in office. Two hundred million shots in 100 days -- in under 100 days, actually.

President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the Wh...President Joe Biden speaks to the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, from the East Room of the Wh...WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Joe Biden’s global climate summit (all times local):8 a.m. The Biden administration has opened a global climate summit including 40 world leaders. President Joe Biden recently announced a pledge to cut at least in half the climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes that the U.S. pumps out. That’s a commitment Biden hopes will spur China and other big polluters to speed up efforts of their own. Read more:— What to Watch : In Biden climate show, look for cajoling, conflict, pathos

Health Insurance For $10 Or Less A Month? You May Qualify For New DiscountsEnlarge this image toggle caption Healthcare.gov/Screenshot by NPR Healthcare.gov/Screenshot by NPRSigning up for health insurance can be a confusing headache. Now, during a special enrollment period, the Biden administration is trying to make getting health insurance irresistible — and simpler, too. In fact, for several groups of people, it's possible to enroll in health coverage for zero dollars in monthly premiums. If you need health coverage or want to see if you can lower your costs, here are six tips for taking advantage of these new prices and options.

Participants include Apple AAPL, +0.29% Alphabet’s Google GOOGL, -0.03% MicrosoftMSFT, WalmartWMT, UnileverUL, and Coca-Cola KO, +0.81% . “Many of us have set or are setting emissions reduction goals in line with climate science since the establishment of the Paris Agreement. While an effective national climate strategy will require all of us, you alone can set the course by swiftly establishing a bold U.S. 2030 target,” the letter said. “Tragically, these devastating climate impacts also disproportionately hit marginalized and low-income communities who are least able to withstand them. They called for a trans-Atlantic alliance for a “just and sustainable transition” toward a low-carbon economy, the Associated Press reported.

The Biden administration pledged Thursday to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least half of 2005 levels in the next nine years. In this April 19, 2021, photo, President Joe Biden speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)But McCarthy made it clear that carbon free, doesn’t necessarily mean a break from fossil fuels. Put simply, carbon capture technology involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and burying them deep underground. Investing in carbon capture and storage techLast month, Exxon Mobil (XOM) announced a $3 billion investment in low-carbon technology including carbon capture.

White House officials described the goal as ambitious but achievable during a call with reporters Tuesday night. Yes, but: Some environmental groups say that in the global context, the U.S. target is not ambitious enough. Global action is required to meet that 1.5-degree goal, and other countries must commit to sharp emissions cuts in the near-term. The administration is not betting the entire target on passing its $2.2 trillion infrastructure package, currently grinding through congressional negotiations. Ben Geman contributed reporting.More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets.

The 12 jurors, who were sequestered and deliberated at a nearby hotel, did not have any questions for the court.“I would not call today’s verdict justice... because justice implies true restoration. President Biden and VP Harris call the Floyd family after the GUILTY verdict! There’s still a lot of work to be done, but if we get one [guilty verdict] then we can get more,” said Bishop Lord, 49.“I’m feeling a mix of emotions. I’ve been feeling F’d up ever since I saw that film of George Floyd, this guy kneeling on his neck. This is monumental.”WATCH: George Floyd's family reacts to the conviction of Derek Chauvin on all three counts in the death of George Floyd.

On Friday, White House officials informed reporters of the new policy. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, blamed the episode on “messaging” mistakes. But Biden had yet to do that, and flights for refugees, officials warned, would soon be canceled. Within a few hours, officials in the White House knew they had a problem on their hands. “I don’t think anyone can know exactly what the pace is going to be.”By Friday evening, the White House was in full damage-control mode.

U.S. stock futures slipped in early trading a day after the major averages got back on track following two days of selling. The early selling comes as President Biden holds a virtual conference with 40 world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, where he will pledge to lower U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by up to 52% from 2005 levels before the end of the decade. GOP SENATORS WARN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON DE-BANKING ENERGY COMPANIESIn stocks, automakers were among the groups in focus as Biden gets set to unveil his climate actions. The bank expects an additional 600 million Swiss franc charge in the current quarter. In Asia, China’s Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.23% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index and Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.47% and 2.38%, respectively.

Every major equity index not named the Dow Jones Utility Average had a nice day. The U.S. dollar softened throughout the session, partially thanks to the hawkish tone taken by the Bank of Canada. Within the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), known to currency traders as "the Dixie," the Canadian dollar carries a 9.1% weighting. Trading volume fell significantly from Tuesday to Wednesday at the NYSE, and at the Nasdaq market site. The Bank of CanadaNow, the Bank of Canada really didn't do anything other than revise forward-looking guidance on Wednesday.

AdvertisementNewsletter Must-read stories from the L.A. Times Get all the day's most vital news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. Enter email address Sign Me Up You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Leadership Change at LAUSDAustin Beutner will step down as the L.A. Unified School District’s superintendent by June 30, when his three-year contract will end. In Los Angeles, The Times wrote that many of the events focused on decreasing pollution — sometimes with dramatic flair. Support our journalism Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times.

And both sides in the abortion debate are advancing laws that look ahead to a potential post-Roe nation, in which access to the procedure would vary from state to state. “What’s happening this year is a continuation” of the flurry of strict abortion bills in 2019, said Kristin Ford, national communications director for NARAL Pro-Choice America. “I don’t read minds and I don’t place bets on Supreme Court cases,” said Katie Glenn, government affairs counsel at Americans United for Life. The decision conflicts with decisions in other federal districts, teeing up an opportunity for the Supreme Court to weigh in. Lawmakers introduced the amendment in response to a state Supreme Court ruling that said access to abortion was “a fundamental right” in the Kansas Constitution.

(Sam McNeil / Associated Press)China is the biggest emitter of planet-warming greenhouse gases, responsible for about 28% of the global total. AdvertisementAdvertisementChina’s emissions have continued to climb since 2015, when its leaders signed the Paris climate agreement. European UnionAn activist during a demonstration in Paris during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The deal still needs to be formally approved by each nation’s government and the European Parliament. IndiaBurning fields, industrial emissions and the burning of coal and piles of garbage sully the air over Dharamsala, India.

There is no doubt that President Biden inherited a bureaucratic and humanitarian nightmare at the U.S.-Mexico border. His agency is responsible for caring for unaccompanied minors taken into custody by Border Patrol agents and placing them with relatives or caregivers. And his tenure began nearly two months into the Biden presidency, which means the White House has had more time than Becerra to come up with workable solutions. Yet some now seem ready to set up Becerra as the fall guy if the problem worsens and the politics get uglier. People flee for valid reasons, and in most cases arrive at the U.S. border hoping to join relatives already here.

And happy Earth Day, Wisconsin. Good news in the state's fight against COVID-19More than half — or about 51% — of Wisconsin residents 16 and over are at least partially vaccinated. The MoneyJETBLUE: JetBlue Airways will begin service next year at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, airline and airport officials said Wednesday. ZOO: The Milwaukee County Zoo just welcomed three new gorillas from the Columbus Zoo. First pitch Friday at 1:20 p.m.Today in Wisconsin HistoryFounded by Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson, the first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970.

Oklahoma Votes, an organization at the University of Oklahoma, has helped register over 1,000 voters in the last two years. It also targeted Native voters by attending tribal events, like powwows and stomp dances, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The mobilization of Native voters helped President Joe Biden win Arizona during November’s election. Oklahoma Votes’ virtual forum was only one of the many events the group has organized over the last year. Rock The Native Vote also hosted virtual events, including a town hall for Oklahoma City Council candidates.

As the Biden climate summit gets underway, there is growing focus on Brazil -- a notorious offender of deforestation since Bolsonaro was elected. Now the Brazilian government says it's re-committed to ending illegal logging but wants financial support to speed up the process. CNN's Shasta Darlington reports. As featured on 5 things to know for April 22: Police reform, Covid, voter suppression, Biden, Turkey It's Earth Day, and while conversations about the climate crisis and global emissions may feel overwhelming, there are also plenty of people and organizations doing incredible work to restore Earth's biodiversity.

The new urgency comes as scientists say that climate change caused by coal plants, car engines and other fossil fuel use is already worsening droughts, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters and that humans are running out of time to stave off most catastrophic extremes of global warming. “The United States is not waiting, the costs of delay are too great, and our nation is resolved to act now," the Biden administration said in a statement. “Climate change poses an existential threat, but responding to this threat offers an opportunity to support good-paying, union jobs, strengthen America’s working communities, protect public health, and advance environmental justice.”But Biden administration officials, in previewing the new target, disclosed aspirations and vignettes rather than specific plans, budget lines or legislative proposals for getting there. Administration officials briefing reporters in advance of Biden's announcement made no direct mention of politically tricky moves to wean the U.S. from oil, natural gas and coal. They emphasized the role of technology, including carbon capture and hydrogen power, which have yet to be affordably developed to scale.

Today is Thursday, April 22, 2021. Let's get caught up. These headlines are in the news this morning: President Biden will open his global climate summit today with an ambitious U.S. pledge; a N.C. deputy fatally shot a Black man while serving search warrant; and it's Earth Day today. Read on for these stories, other top headlines, celebrity birthdays and more. TOP STORIESBiden opening summit with ambitious new US climate pledgeWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will open a global climate summit with a pledge to cut at least in half the climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes that the U.S. pumps out, a commitment he hopes will spur China and other big polluters to speed up efforts of their own.

The Biden administration’s pledge would require by far the most ambitious U.S. climate effort ever undertaken, nearly doubling the reductions that the Obama administration had committed to in the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord . “The United States is not waiting, the costs of delay are too great, and our nation is resolved to act now,” the Biden administration said in a statement. The world’s top two climate offenders, China and the United States, are feuding over non-climate issues . There is no money in sight,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said earlier this month, after a visit from Biden climate envoy John Kerry . And at home, political divisions exposed by Trump’s presidency have left the United States weaker than it was at the 2015 Paris accord.

In that scenario, there could be two feet of sea level rise by 2040, three feet by 2050, and much more to come. Two to three feet of sea level rise may not sound like much, but it will transform human societies the world over. To minimize future sea level rise, we need to lower that amount from today’s 417 parts per million towards the 280 ppm that prevailed before industrialization. These models assume that sea level rise unfolds gradually, but the geological record shows that in fact it can occur in rapid pulses. We must also get realistic about adapting to the sea level rise that can no longer be prevented.

Biden has staffed his administration with the climate A-team, from Gina McCarthy as domestic climate czar to John Kerry as international climate envoy. And perhaps most important of all, he sees the climate crisis as an opportunity to reinvent the US economy and create millions of new jobs. Joe Biden delivers remarks on his administration’s response to the climate crisis in January. Catherine Coleman Flowers, who was on a taskforce that helped shape Biden’s climate policy during his campaign, grew up and works in Lowndes county, Alabama. If political leaders don’t take the climate crisis seriously now, with all they know, with all they have been through already, will they ever?

The Quileute tribal school is located within a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, which has been a source of life for the Quileute people since the beginning of time. Forty miles south along the Washington coast, the Quinault Nation is making similar plans. Climate change, it states, is “breaking apart communities and families”. When young salmon get into estuaries, they need a certain dilution of sea water with the river water. A new Quileute tribal school for grades K-12 is already under construction, funded primarily by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Joe Biden is announcing a new target to cut US greenhouse gas pollution by at least half by 2030 as he convenes a summit of world leaders aimed at driving greater climate action. The US president's new target aims to achieve a 50 to 52 per cent reduction in emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, a move that the White House said would create millions of jobs, cut energy costs and boost nature. The move comes at the start of a virtual climate summit convened by Mr Biden, where Boris Johnson will tell fellow world leaders that 2021 must be the year that countries "get serious" about stopping climate change. The Prime Minister this week announced a "world-leading" target for the UK to cut emissions by 78 per cent on 1990 levels by 2035, which builds on plans to cut pollution by 68 per cent by 2030, the most ambitious among leading economies. Follow the latest below.

AdvertisementRussia staged huge military drills involving 10,000 troops, 40 warships, over 200 warplanes, and about 1,200 vehicles in Crimea today after Vladimir Putin warned the West not to 'dare cross any red lines' amid soaring tensions with Ukraine. The exercise comes amid increasing violations of a ceasefire in Ukraine's east and a massive Russian troops build-up on the border with Ukraine that raised Western concerns. The defence minister said: 'I believe that the goals of the surprise military exercises have been fully achieved. Thousands of troops were deployed to the Crimean peninsula in preparation for massive military drills on ThursdayTroops were seen heavily armed during the huge military drills in the Crimean peninsula on Thursday. On Tuesday Putin staged dramatic naval drills in the Black Sea involving more than 20 warships and 50 fighter jets

President Joe Biden will ramp up US ambitions on slashing greenhouse gas emissions, putting the United States back at the forefront with a summit he hopes brings the world closer to limiting climate change. In a virtual Earth Day summit, Biden will announce that the world's largest economy will cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52 percent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, officials said. Comparisons between major economies are difficult as the United States takes 2005 as its baseline while the Europeans use 1990, the date set in the landmark Kyoto Protocol. But the United States is still largely on track to meet Obama's goals thanks to commitments by states, especially California, and a sharp drop in industrial production during the Covid-19 pandemic. But much of Trump's Republican Party remains adamantly opposed to action on climate, drawing a question mark on whether Biden can guarantee US commitment in the long run.

The jailed son of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee had a partial colon resection as his acute appendicitis was diagnosed too late and resulted in complications.At court, he looked thinner than before. Local media reported that he had lost about 7 kilograms post-surgery.The trial was held amid growing calls for leniency on the tycoon. Some business tycoons have called for a special pardon, saying Lee’s return to the helm of Samsung Electronics is in the best interest of the country, as the country’s No. The construction unit of C&T suffered massive losses from its overseas infrastructure projects, and had to lay off its workforce. After the merger, C&T’s credit rating went up by two notches based on improved profits and decreased debt, Samsung’s representatives said.“It is not true that Lee became the largest shareholder of C&T without paying any price,” one lawyer said.

White House national climate adviser Gina McCarthy said the United States needs to be humble going into this week's Earth Day summit after four years away from global climate negotiations while President Donald Trump was in office. President Joe Biden has said he plans to push other world leaders to amp up their commitments to reducing carbon dioxide emissions to combat climate change. She said the federal government can lead the way by prioritizing climate solutions that will build momentum for those efforts. And I think climate change is exactly that type of issue," she said. And I think President Biden's plan is going to deliver the momentum we need to really get across the finish line."

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) — A small business owner from Springfield got a shoutout from President Joe Biden during a briefing Wednesday afternoon. Patty Young, owner of Young Hair, Inc., was praised by the president for her salon’s creative strategy aimed at getting people in the community vaccinated. “Patty Young owns a hair salon in Springfield, Ohio. Or to get a COVID vaccine?” Woods said. With almost all of their clients vaccinated, the phone calls have slowed down, Woods said the salon’s efforts haven’t stopped.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett ’s reported $2 million book deal is drawing criticism from legal experts who say its size and timing create bad optics for a court that is already in the political crosshairs. The advance, first reported by Politico, would be the largest ever for a Supreme Court justice, topping the $1.5 million Justice Clarence Thomas received for his 2007 memoir and the $1.175 million advance Justice Sonia Sotomayor got for hers, published in 2013. This book would emerge unusually soon for a justice who joined the court only six months ago and has just two majority opinions to her name. ‘Perverse Incentives’Another judicial ethics scholar, Stephen Gillers of New York University Law School, said he doesn’t see Barrett’s deal as problematic. “On the one hand, she will be marketing her book to conservative buyers.

The Pentagon has reportedly briefed top lawmakers that Russia likely carried out a series of suspected directed-energy attacks against U.S. troops. The sources told Politico that the probe includes one fall 2020 incident in Syria in which several U.S. troops developed flu-like symptoms, with lawmakers also briefed on other suspected injuries sustained by troops. ADVERTISEMENTIt was not clear exactly how many troops were injured in the suspected attacks, nor how severe they were. A Pentagon spokesperson told Politico that it was not aware of directed-energy attacks against U.S. troops in Syria, and declined to comment on the Department of Defense’s communications with lawmakers. The investigation is reportedly part of a broader look into directed-energy attacks against U.S. officials, and also comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

"Achieving that target is something we can do in multiple ways," a senior administration official said a day ahead of the announcement. It's hoped that other countries will follow the US' lead with additional announcements of new goals to tackle the crisis, the administration official said. The former President repeatedly denied the scientific reality of the climate crisis and his administration systematically rolled back environmental policies. He has said his proposal would create hundreds of thousands of jobs while tackling the climate crisis, reducing emissions and building a "modern, resilient and fully clean grid." "The 2030 target is a target we believe we can meet," the senior administration official said.

Many school districts across the country had to deploy Wi-Fi-equipped buses so students living in areas with spotty broadband could participate in distanced learning. “Americans pay too much for internet service. The president is also calling for more transparency in internet service pricing and, when it comes to laying down new cables, the prioritization of municipal and other not-for-profit networks over major players like Comcast and Verizon. Fiber can also help to “future-proof” this infrastructure, a priority for the Biden plan to ensure that these networks won’t need major upgrades too often. The pandemic may just have increased the urgency of expanding internet access just enough, though, to pave the way for a new approach.

On April 19, Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced the beginning of a week-long campaign to promote the Republican “alternative” climate agenda. The GOP lists its PARIS Act under its “Innovation” bucket, and there isn’t much information about how such a move would address climate change. Rather than reducing greenhouse gas emissions, all of the Republican bills aim to protect and expand gas drilling. Another set of bills launched as part of the GOP’s climate campaign target “streamlining” the permitting process for energy infrastructure. “I’d like to hope that there is also a shift in actual legitimate concern,” on climate policy, she said.

Now the Biden administration and some members of Congress are proposing to decarbonize the power sector by 2035. While this much change in 15 years seems ambitious, our new report, “Halfway to Zero,” looks back at the past 15 and finds that power sector emissions are half of what they were projected to be. It projected that annual carbon dioxide emissions from the electric power sector would rise from 2,400 million to 3,000 million metric tons from 2005 to 2020. In short, the U.S. electricity sector has managed to march halfway to zero in just 15 years. And declining employment in the coal industry was more than offset by job growth in other areas, notably solar power.

Leadership on Climate Change President Biden will commit the United States to cutting emissions by half by the end of the decade at a virtual Earth Day summit. Rest of the World China +80 gigawatts of coal power China continues to build more new coal power plants than it retires. +80 gigawatts of coal power +70 +60 +50 +40 New coal capacity Outside of China, countries adding the most new coal power capacity include India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam. +80 gigawatts of coal power +60 Outside of China, countries adding the most new coal power capacity include India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam. +80 gigawatts of coal power Outside of China, countries adding the most new coal power capacity include India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The United States officially has a new goal for fighting climate change over the next decade. The later baseline makes the United States target look a bit better, because it omits a period when emissions were rising. Mr. Biden unveiled the pledge ahead of a White House climate summit for world leaders, declaring that the United States is ready to reclaim a leadership role on climate change. India China 3.4 0.9 2020 1990 2030 1990 2020 2030 The United States was still increasing emissions until the mid-2000s, while Europe took earlier action. The administration is also betting that expanding clean-energy technology willIt remains to be seen if the United States can pull that off.

In December, Christie told radio host Hugh Hewitt he "would not" rule out the possibility of running again for the presidencyChris Christie Is Considering a 2024 Presidential Bid, Whether Trump Runs or Not: ReportNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delivers the State of the State Address on January 14, 2014 in the Assembly Chambers at the Statehouse in Trenton, New JerseyNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delivers the State of the State Address on January 14, 2014 in the Assembly Chambers at the Statehouse in Trenton, New JerseyChris Christie is mulling a 2024 presidential bid, according to a new report. In December, Christie told radio host Hugh Hewitt he "would not" rule out the possibility of running again for the presidency. For his part, Trump has also repeatedly teased a 2024 run, while Biden has already said he plans to run again for a second term.

Minneapolis jurors found Chauvin, 45, guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Listen below to the episode of our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day for more on Derek Chauvin's conviction. George Floyd and Derek Chauvin George Floyd, at left, and Derek Chauvin | Credit: SplashESPN Films’ latest documentary '144' takes viewers inside the WNBA’s unprecedented 2020 season. In addition, the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS and more sports organizations all released statements addressing the guilty verdict. Lebron James, Naomi Osaka, Megan Rapinoe Lebron James, Naomi Osaka, Megan Rapinoe | Credit: Atiba Jefferson/NBAE via Getty; Julian Finney/Getty; Gareth Cattermole - FIFA/FIFA via GettyOutside of the sports world, President Joe Biden addressed the guilty verdict, saying it was "a giant step towards justice in America," but adding it is still "not enough."

"Nothing is going to make it all better — but at least, God, now there is some justice," Biden says. Calling them an "incredible family," Biden says he wished he could "put my arms around you." "We've been talking, we've been watching every second of this — the vice president, all of us, Biden says. The video shows Vice President Harris then get on the call to say that she is "so thankful to the entire family." In remarks delivered Tuesday night, Harris urged members of Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Nancy Pelosi Clarifies Her Criticized Reaction to Derek Chauvin Verdict: 'George Floyd Should Be Alive'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly clarified her initial reaction on Tuesday following the guilty verdict in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin, convicted of murdering George Floyd. In a much-maligned speech after the verdict was read, Pelosi thanked Floyd for "sacrificing [his] life for justice." University of Illinois history professor Barbara Ransby tweeted: "Did Pelosi just say 'George Floyd, thank u 4 sacrificing your life for justice'? "George Floyd should be alive today. We must make sure other families don't suffer the same racism, violence & pain, and we must enact the George Floyd #JusticeInPolicing Act."

Remember the debt limit? Top Republican revives demand for spending cutsAdded: 22.04.2021 10:18 | 6 views | 0 commentsSen. Rick Scott's efforts come as President Biden presses for a new infrastructure and jobs bill.

Castro is finally gone. Biden needs to act. Added: 22.04.2021 9:30 | 13 views | 0 commentsA new leader in Havana provides an opportunity for those advocating for major change — largely the nation's youth — to push for reform more forcefully.

Biden signs $1.9T relief bill before speech to nationAdded: 11.03.2021 20:35 | 15 views | 0 commentsSource: www.wbur.orgThe signing came hours before Biden delivers his first prime-time address since taking office Marking a year of loss and disruption, President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law the $1.9 trillion relief package that he said will help the U.S. defeat the coronavirus and nurse the economy back to health. The signing came hours before Biden delivers his first prime-time address since taking office. He’s aiming to steer the nation toward a hungered-for sentiment — hope — as he marks one year since the onset of the pandemic that has killed more than 529,000 Americans. “This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” Biden said as he signed the bill in the Oval... More in article.wn.com » Economy Tags: President

Added: 12.03.2021 4:42 | 16 views | 0 commentsNew Delhi [India], March 12 (ANI): Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America, will hold its first-ever head of states meet virtually on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India will be meeting virtually with President Joe Biden of the United States, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia. The Quad, mooted by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, has met regularly at the working and foreign ministers...

Live updates: Biden casts vaccinations as a patriotic duty, urges Americans to protect themselves, othersAdded: 21.04.2021 21:18 | 26 views | 0 commentsThe president's planned remarks come amid a busy week at the White House. On Thursday, Biden is scheduled to host a global summit on climate change.

Live updates: Biden to convene world leaders for virtual climate summit, seeking to restore U.S. leadershipAdded: 22.04.2021 12:17 | 11 views | 0 commentsParticipants are expected to include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, among many others.

NRA launches $2 million campaign to oppose Biden gun-control agendaAdded: 22.04.2021 1:18 | 26 views | 0 commentsEffort is launched as the longtime gun-rights group faces a bankruptcy trial.

College Officials Clamp Down on Student Behavior Over Covid-19 FearsAdded: 20.08.2020 10:27 | 18 views | 0 commentsJoe Biden criticized President Trump’s virus response and outlined a strategy to fight the pandemic. Overburdened health care specialists are finding themselves on the front lines as schools reopen.

Added: 22.04.2021 11:16 | 8 views | 0 commentsPresident Joe Biden convenes a climate summit with 40 world leaders confronted by Donald Trump's legacy of climate inaction. Responding to public sentiment, many U.S. states, cities and companies have taken action into their own hands.

The bill, dubbed the PPP Flexibility for Farmers, Ranchers, and the Self-Employed Act, would allow sole proprietors, independent contractors, and the self-employed to retroactively apply for more money through the forgivable loan program. This proposed revision to the PPP follows the Biden administration's February 22nd request that the Small Business Administration change the formula these borrowers use to calculate their PPP loans. The bill would also allow some farmers and ranchers to use gross income rather than net income when applying for PPP. "Congress must pass this bill as quickly as possible so eligible small businesses have time to secure the aid they need before PPP closes on May 31." After relaunching on January 11, the PPP has guaranteed more than 4.73 million loans for more than $240 billion.

Chris Christie is seriously considering running for president in 2024, three people familiar with his thinking tell Axios. Christie could run on a reputation for toughness that appeals to Trump's base minus the former president's recklessness, said one source. Another said he has a mix of combativeness and charisma that Republicans are looking for to take on President Biden and Democrats. On a recent "This Week" appearance, Christie accused Biden of "lying" in his descriptions of infrastructure. The bottom line: Christie has told associates that Trump's decision about running again in 2024 won't affect his own decision-making.

House Democrats are still tinkering with a comprehensive reform bill with the understanding that they can only afford to lose a handful of votes. Her precise ruling was that while the $15 wage would have significant impact on federal revenues and spending (a Byrd Rule requirement), such impact was “incidental” to its basic purpose (a Byrd Rule prohibition). But as was the case with the $15 minimum wage, the Byrd Rule is just part of the problem. Is Joe Manchin on board with the idea of enacting a reform bill over the angry objections of Republicans? Yes, he supports comprehensive reform, as Forbes noted recently:Manchin has repeatedly pointed to a 2013 immigration bill adding 40,000 border patrol agents and creating a pathway to citizenship for many undocumented immigrants as the ideal version of an immigration bill.

So it’s not a bad idea to ask what we know about likely 2022 turnout levels and patterns as we enter that cycle. Turnout will be down from 2020, but probably still higher than usualAs Roll Call’s Nathan Gonzales observes, the last time midterm turnout exceeded that of the previous presidential contest was 1838. Since 2020 turnout was the highest in any national election since 1900, the midterm precedent won’t be shattered in 2022. The more pertinent question is whether 2022 turnout will reach that of 2018 (the highest since 1914) or more greatly resemble 2014 (the lowest since 1942). If that happens next year, it would put 2022 turnout back to the record midterm of 2018 at 50 percent.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks about the Chauvin verdict at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2021. “It will include a comprehensive review of the Minneapolis Police Department’s policies, training, supervision and use-of-force investigations. The attorney general said the probe will be led by members from the Justice Department’s civil-rights division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the district of Minnesota. Garland said that a public report with the Justice Department’s conclusions will be released if a systemic pattern of misconduct is found. He also indicated that the department could file a civil suit in federal court to order the Minneapolis Police Department to change its practices.

President Joe Biden campaigned on a promise to revive pattern-or-practice investigations – as well as subsequent reform agreements – after the Trump administration suspended the program in 2017. Many police accountability experts say the reform agreements – both consent decrees and settlement agreements – are the most effective way to achieve long-term police reform. “Consent decrees and settlement agreements really offer systemic reforms for entire police departments. Reform agreements have long-term staying power, according to Walker, and there’s no better example of that than the past four years. Had the department undertaken these steps, as the settlement agreement required them to do, they might have been covered.”

In South Carolina, one bill would make it a felony to provide affirming medical care to minors, punishable by 20 years in prison. Rather than focusing on the purported threat of “biological men in bathrooms,” they turned to trans kids in school sports. Bans on trans medical care, on the other hand, could tangibly change the lives of the vast majority of trans youth in their state. So my goal is that you have to look me in the face, and still say, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna hurt trans kids,’ ” says Bundy. Taking these bills to court once again puts the onus on trans kids, who will have to endure the Trump-packed judicial system.

Filing a statement of organization is not enough to get on the 2022 primary ballot as a Republican candidate for governor. The last Michigan governor defeated at the polls was Democratic Gov. To find a Michigan governor voted out after a single term, go back nearly 60 years, to 1962, when Democratic Gov. And unlike whoever emerges as the Republican candidate, Whitmer is not expected to have to spend money and other resources fighting a primary challenger. The March poll of 610 likely voters showed an overall 53% job approval for Whitmer among Michigan voters, similar to what the EPIC-MRA poll showed.

The report said the United States is spending barely over half of what is needed to improve critical infrastructure. The economic losses to the United States would be $83 billion a year, the most of all the countries studied. In the United States, carbon storage in forest ecosystems offset about 9% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. The "new economy" that the American Jobs Plan aspires to create should be one that values the many benefits natural systems provide to our economy and society. The return on such investment will be threefold: a safer climate, jobs that take Americans forward into the new economy and infrastructure to underpin a prosperous future.

WASHINGTON – The biggest political challenge to President Joe Biden's efforts to combat climate change and address environmental injustice won't exclusively be the Republicans in Congress who think he's going too far left. Biden signs new climate change orders, says we've 'waited too long' to deal with crisis President Biden signed executive actions tied to combating climate change, including elevating climate change as a national security concern. Staff Video, USA TODAYAnother hurdle for Biden: Joe ManchinIt's not just progressives Biden needs to please. At the start of his term, Biden identified climate change as one of the four "converging crises" of his presidency, alongside the coronavirus pandemic, economic inequality and racial justice. More: Electric cars aren't the climate-change answer Joe Biden is selling youBiden has taken other climate focused actions, including rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and signing an executive order upon taking office that directed federal agencies to prioritize combatting climate change as well as public and environmental health.

Biden will announce the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% percent, from a baseline of 2005 emissions, at the start of a virtual climate summit he is hosting with 40 other world leaders on Thursday and Friday. An administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity did not detail how the White House plans to achieve the 50% reduction in emissions. The virtual summit is aimed at renewing America's leadership on climate change and rallying other world leaders to set their own aggressive targets. But Biden's climate change agenda faces obstacles at home and abroad. Biden has pledged to be the most aggressive president on climate change, setting a goal of de-carbonizing the U.S. power sector by 2035 and reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Cheney later praised Trump for having issued a pardon to her father’s former chief of staff, Scooter Libby. Cheney criticized Trump’s policies publicly on occasion but with discretion, and Trump rarely fired back. All that changed when Cheney stood alone among House Republican leaders in refusing to humor Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. That kind of stuff.”Correnti drafted a resolution of censure — one of several against pro-impeachment lawmakers by Republican state committees in various states — that would soon be adopted by the entire state party. Cheney declined to speak to me on the record for this article, as did many other congressional Republicans.

WASHINGTON — The Myanmar military’s coup and brutal crackdown on dissent has left it with few allies in the West. But one of the most sophisticated corporate lobbying operations in Washington has mobilized to head off intensifying pressure on the Biden administration to impose broad sanctions against the state-owned oil and gas company helping to finance the junta. The California-based oil and gas giant says sanctions could endanger the long-term viability of a big Myanmar gas field in which it is a partner, risk worsening a humanitarian crisis for people who rely on the operation for power and expose the company’s employees to criminal charges. Chevron, the second-largest oil and gas producer in the United States, has a longstanding relationship with Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, or MOGE, a state-owned company that is closely connected to the military generals who seized power from elected leaders on Feb. 1. Since then, the military has killed an estimated 740 citizens of Myanmar and detained thousands more.

Her candidacy made Ms. Hamilton want to become a leader someday too, she said, and maybe even run for office. Ms. Hamilton, a graphic designer in San Francisco, would rather help people in a more personal way, like mentoring. For others, like Ms. Hamilton, it made them search elsewhere for a way to make a difference. The survey showed that young people no longer believe many of the things that have hindered women seeking leadership before. Now, I have no aspirations of being president.”“Just seeing how underrepresented women were, especially Black women, was crazy to me,” she said.

The United States officially has a new goal for fighting climate change over the next decade. The later baseline makes the United States target look a bit better, because it omits a period when emissions were rising. Mr. Biden unveiled the pledge at the opening of a White House climate summit for world leaders, declaring that the United States is ready to reclaim a leadership role on climate change. Trajectories for the World’s Largest Emitters The United States was still increasing emissions until the mid-2000s, while Europe took earlier action. India China 3.4 0.9 2020 1990 2030 1990 2020 2030 The United States was still increasing emissions until the mid-2000s, while Europe took earlier action.

WASHINGTON — Rising temperatures are likely to reduce global wealth significantly by 2050, as crop yields fall, disease spreads and rising seas consume coastal cities, a major insurance company warned Thursday, highlighting the consequences if the world fails to quickly slow the use of fossil fuels. The effects of climate change can be expected to shave 11 percent to 14 percent off global economic output by 2050 compared with growth levels without climate change, according to a report from Swiss Re, one of the world’s largest providers of insurance to other insurance companies. That amounts to as much as $23 trillion in reduced annual global economic output worldwide as a result of climate change. Some Asian nations could have one-third less wealth than would otherwise be the case, the company said. Mr. Biden is expected to pledge to cut the United States’ emissions by about half by 2030.

Leadership on Climate Change President Biden will commit the United States to cutting emissions by half by the end of the decade at a virtual Earth Day summit. Rest of the World China +80 gigawatts of coal power China continues to build more new coal power plants than it retires. +80 gigawatts of coal power +70 +60 +50 +40 New coal capacity Outside of China, countries adding the most new coal power capacity include India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam. +80 gigawatts of coal power +60 Outside of China, countries adding the most new coal power capacity include India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam. +80 gigawatts of coal power Outside of China, countries adding the most new coal power capacity include India, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

And several former senior administration officials in the Office of Management and Budget refused to provide requested information about decision-making related to the Puerto Rico relief funds. The 46-page report presents an incomplete picture of the political influence of the Trump White House on delaying disaster relief for the struggling island. Still, the inspector general found unprecedented procedural hurdles set by the White House budget office — in addition to an extended partial federal government shutdown that also produced delays. While investigators interviewed 20 current and former HUD officials and two Puerto Rico housing officials, they had no access to Carson. “How many poison pills are in here?” Montgomery wrote in an email to other senior HUD officials, according to the report.

This week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., plans to ram the next phase of Democrats’ strategy through the House: granting statehood to the District of Columbia. 43, if America’s capital were situated in any state, that state would wield tremendous influence over the federal government. Given that the approach is so obviously unworkable, why are Democrats so doggedly pursuing statehood through H.R. However, if Democrats honestly care only about providing full representation, there are less problematic alternatives that could win bipartisan support. Two additional Senate Democrats would be a tremendous advantage in preserving their majority, and that’s what this comes down to at the end of the day.

President Biden is set to announce new goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% from 2005 levels by 2030 on Thursday as part of the administration's plan to combat climate change. In order to achieve Biden’s climate goals, the administration has suggested cutting energy costs and emissions through building upgrades, expanding rail lines and bike lanes, and improving soil to assist agricultural communities and lower carbon emissions. Biden’s goals to expand jobs and lower greenhouse gas emissions have been met with backlash by Republicans on the Hill who fear high costs to the taxpayer and the destruction of certain industries. Attendees are expected to include China’s President Xi Jinping, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "Together, we can seize the opportunity to drive prosperity, create jobs, and build the clean energy economy of tomorrow."

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBiden commits to 50% greenhouse gas reduction levels by 2030President Joe Biden is set to announce an aggressive new target for the U.S. consisting of a 50-52% reduction from 2005 levels of greenhouse gas pollution by 2030. CNBC's Diana Olick reports.

The goal, unveiled at the start of a two-day climate summit hosted by Democratic President Joe Biden, comes as the United States seeks to reclaim global leadership in the fight against global warming after former President Donald Trump withdrew the country from international efforts to cut emissions. Biden focused on restoring U.S. climate leadership during his campaign and in the first days of his presidency after Republican Trump, a climate change skeptic, removed the United States from the Paris agreement on global warming. Biden will announce the number at the start of a climate summit on Thursday that will be attended by leaders from the world's biggest emitters, including China. World leaders aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a threshold scientists say can prevent the worst impacts of climate change. "When we close this summit on Friday, we will unmistakably communicate ... the U.S. is back," he said.

Past victims and witnesses of Derek Chauvin's use of force as an officer speak out … It's now legal in the U.S. for small drones to fly over you, and at night … Straining relations with Turkey, Biden is expected to recognize the massacre of Armenians during World War One as an act of genocide

), who supports D.C. statehood, conceded that “it’s not the highest priority for me. “If it’s a worthwhile thing to do, of course there’s time,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) of the D.C. statehood bill. Dean is among the House Democrats set to appear at a press conference demanding an end to the filibuster on Thursday. They passed a massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus bill with beefed-up unemployment benefits and child tax credits and have committed to passing another similarly large infrastructure bill. We’re working on a big infrastructure bill and we’re committed to take up [the voting rights and ethics bill] S1 soon.

“That is, I guess we could say, the $2 trillion question,” said Dan Lashof, director of think tank the World Resources Institute. Administration officials told reporters in a Wednesday briefing that they saw multiple pathways to achieving the climate goal outside of the infrastructure package as currently crafted. “The trend towards the utilization of clean energy technology around the world is both steep and secular,” Zaidi said. That could be in the form of legally mandated emissions targets, a clean energy standard that requires adoption of green energy, or direct spending to eliminate carbon pollution. “Yes, the Biden administration can be successful in setting the U.S. on a path to achieving its ambitious goal without Congress,” Goldfuss said.

A spokesperson for the director of national intelligence declined to comment. The investigation is part of a broader effort to look into directed-energy attacks on U.S. officials across multiple agencies in recent years. Directed-energy attacks on U.S. spies and diplomats are well-documented; the CIA recently set up its own task force to look into the issue. But the recent Pentagon effort to look into similar incidents affecting U.S. troops has not previously been reported. Circumstances surrounding these incidents are murky, and U.S. officials have encountered difficulties in attributing the suspected attacks to any particular weapon or country.

A study published last month in the journal Nature Climate Change found that global carbon dioxide emissions last year fell by 7 percent compared to 2019. Andrea Pattaro / AFP - Getty ImagesBut there are already indications that global emissions could rebound significantly. Transportation accounts for nearly one-quarter of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. Globally, air travel makes up only about 2.4 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, but before the pandemic, emissions from commercial air travel were rising. "The problem of global warming is one of cumulative emissions, not annual emissions," Hausfather said.

POLITICO Playbook: The world’s most interesting Zoom meeting Presented by“The U.S. is back!” That’s the message President Joe Biden will send today and Friday, per an administration official, as he hosts a virtual climate summit for 40 world leaders. JOIN US — Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure and climate plan includes boosting investment in clean energy and significantly cutting fossil fuel emissions. But on Friday, the White House announced it would leave the ceiling at 15,000. Browner worked in the Obama White House and was EPA administrator in the Clinton administration. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Mike Zapler and producers Allie Bice, Eli Okun and Garrett Ross.

Before Cahill's remarks, Waters' comments had not been subject to a tremendous amount of scrutiny in the media — at least, not on their merits. Insider led with Greene's reaction to Waters comments, rather than the comments themselves. "The attacks are part of a long tradition of Republicans distorting Waters' remarks and draw on the racist trope of the angry Black woman," Mother Jones editor Inae Oh alleged. Cahill's warning makes it clear, though, that Waters' comments should have occasioned some critical analysis from her ostensible political allies. This is just the kind of avoidance that Democrats accused Republicans of during the Trump presidency.

The U.S. will aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 as part of its new commitment to the Paris climate agreement, President Joe Biden will announce Thursday. Biden will make the pledge, called the Nationally Determined Contribution, when he speaks at a two-day virtual climate summit attended by dozens of world leaders Thursday morning, the White House said. Biden rejoined the 2015 climate pact in February, reversing a decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw the U.S. from the global coalition to curb carbon emissions. The administration has been under immense pressure from environmental groups and climate scientists to commit to an emissions cut of at least 50 percent, compared to 2005 levels. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to open the climate summit Thursday, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Kerry also participating.

The Biden administration’s pledge would require by far the most ambitious U.S. climate effort ever undertaken, nearly doubling the reductions that the Obama administration had committed to in the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord . “The United States is not waiting, the costs of delay are too great, and our nation is resolved to act now,” the Biden administration said in a statement. The world’s top two climate offenders, China and the United States, are feuding over non-climate issues . There is no money in sight,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said earlier this month, after a visit from Biden climate envoy John Kerry . ADVERTISEMENTAnd at home, political divisions exposed by Trump’s presidency have left the United States weaker than it was at the 2015 Paris accord.

Then he’ll try to cajole other nations to ratchet up the pollution-cutting promises they made in 2015?s Paris climate agreement. After the United States helped negotiate the last two climate agreements — 1997’s Kyoto Protocol and 2015’s Paris accord — Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump backed out. The United States last year became the only country to leave the Paris deal . “The fact that the United States is back is very important.”WHY WATCHADVERTISEMENTHuman-caused climate change is getting worse around the globe. The United Nations is counting on nearly 200 nations to announce tougher emission cut targets before that meeting, which will hash out still lingering issues.

Biden Makes New Pledge For U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A 50% CutEnlarge this image toggle caption Charlie Riedel/AP Charlie Riedel/APPresident Biden will begin a global summit on climate change Thursday morning by announcing that the United States will aim to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half, based on 2005 levels, by the end of the decade. That aggressive 2030 goal, which the White House is framing as a "50-52 percent reduction," will be formalized in a document called a "nationally determined contribution," or NDC. The White House will lay out more details on its NDC goals, and how, specifically, it plans to achieve them, in future reports to the United Nations. Two key themes emerge when Biden and his top advisers talk about climate change. Nearly every time he speaks about climate change, Biden says something along the lines of, "when I hear the words climate change, I hear another word: jobs."

Since that time, data suggests consumers have increasingly put their money where their mouth is, by spending more at Black-owned businesses and restaurants. The surging interest is certainly welcome, but the pandemic has dug a deep hole for Black-owned businesses and other minority-owned businesses. The number of active Black-owned businesses fell 41% from February 2020 to April 2020, according to one study looking at the pandemic’s initial shockwave. 92% of Black-owned businesses said they were experiencing financial strain, which was up from 85% in 2019. See also: 5 ways to support black-owned businesses: ‘It’s not rocket science — people just choose not to do it’

On March 31 this year, federal campaign records show, Graves for Congress — Sam’s campaign committee — paid $21,879.85 to the Four Seasons Hotel in Teton Village, Wyoming. Why would a congressman from Missouri spend more than $20,000 at a luxury ski resort? Story continuesNo one from Missouri donated directly to Graves for Congress on those dates, the records show. But PACs later came through for Graves, the records show, including PACs for pilots, airlines and ironworkers, all keenly interested in transportation policy. In fact, Graves for Congress has spent more than $100,000 over the past three election cycles hosting similar events in Jackson Hole.

Bernie Sanders (Reuters)Bernie Sanders, now chair of the Senate Budget Committee, has introduced a plan to pay for free college tuition by levying taxes on Wall Street, combining two of his signature issues into a highly ambitious policy with huge implications. The answer is absolutely yes.”Her words came as reports suggest that Joe Biden will pledge to halve the US’ carbon emissions by 2030 ahead of an important climate summit on Thursday. The decision would encourage other countries to set more ambitious emissions targets, with 40 world leaders meeting for a two-day virtual conference on the issue. The US’ reported 50 per cent target almost doubles the country’s last commitment, meaning that drastic changes in power and transportation will be required. It would be an important step on the journey to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, something the president has vowed to work towards.

President Biden is announcing an ambitious new pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions roughly in half by 2030 as part of a global climate summit he is hosting this week. 2015: President Obama pledges to cut U.S. emissions 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025 under the landmark Paris climate agreement. 2017: President Trump announces the U.S. will quit the Paris agreement, in a sharp turn toward pro-fossil fuel policies and “America First” isolationism. 2021: President Biden moves to rejoin the Paris agreement on his first day in office. This week his administration is expected to announce a new pledge to cut emissions in half by 2030, establishing one of the world’s most ambitious climate targets.

“The United States is not waiting, the costs of delay are too great, and our nation is resolved to act now," the Biden administration said in a statement. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the summit will play out as a climate telethon-style livestream, limiting opportunities for spontaneous interaction and negotiation. The world's top two climate offenders, China and the United States, are feuding over non-climate issues. There is no money in sight,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said earlier this month, after a visit from Biden climate envoy John Kerry. And at home, political divisions exposed by Trump's presidency have left the United States weaker than it was at the 2015 Paris accord.

The Biden administration's pledge would require by far the most ambitious U.S. climate effort ever undertaken, nearly doubling the reductions that the Obama administration had committed to in the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord. "The United States is not waiting, the costs of delay are too great, and our nation is resolved to act now," the Biden administration said in a statement. But Biden administration officials, in previewing the new target, disclosed aspirations and vignettes rather than specific plans, budget lines or legislative proposals for getting there. There is no money in sight," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said earlier this month, after a visit from Biden climate envoy John Kerry. And at home, political divisions exposed by Trump's presidency have left the United States weaker than it was at the 2015 Paris accord.

Tuesday's verdict launches "a new phase of a long struggle to bring justice to America," declared Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., in urging passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. With political pressure mounting on all sides, Biden is urging Congress to plunge back into policing legislation. The House, led by Democrats, has now twice approved a sweeping overhaul, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, that would be the most substantial federally ordered changes to policing in a generation. The GOP's Justice Act would step up compliance by law enforcement in submitting use-of-force reports to a national database. Biden is sure to speak about policing issues in his address to a joint session of Congress next Wednesday.

Washington — President Joe Biden will announce plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% by 2030 from 2005 levels during a climate summit with world leaders this week, according to White House officials. There's a long way to go: Greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 were 10% below 2005 levels, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The administration's opening salvo on global climate discussions will also serve as a litmus test for the country's role on the global stage. China is the leading greenhouse gas emitter in the world today, followed by the U.S., India, Russia and Japan. In January, Biden directed his administration to re-evaluate Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and greenhouse gas emissions standards for the auto sector, which are expected to become more stringent under his leadership.

It’s very normal throughout history for economic policy revolutions to start under presidents from the opposite party of the one who eventually gets the credit. But by doing that, he broke with the most important and powerful consensus in elite policy circles: free trade. Below the level of elite opinion, dissatisfaction with free trade had been boiling for years. In fact, Biden’s entire China policy essentially continues in the direction that Trump laid out. But on trade and industrial policy, he blazed a trail by neutering his own party’s opposition to change.

Years ago, the developed world committed to $100 billion in public and private financial help, much of which hasn’t been paid. The U.S. promised $3 billion in aid in Paris but paid only the first $1 billion. “The U.S. is way behind on its commitment because of those four Trump years,” Figueres said. WHOM TO WATCHThis is Biden’s show, and he will kick it off, formally announcing the 50% to 52% emissions cut. He’ll be followed by the leaders of the world’s biggest economies, which spew 80% of the greenhouse gases.

And at home, political divisions exposed by Trump's presidency have left the United States weaker than it was at the 2015 Paris accord. Unable to guarantee that a different president in 2024 won't undo Biden's climate work, the Biden administration has argued that market forces — with a boost to get started — will soon make cleaner fuels and energy efficiency too cheap and consumer-friendly to trash. Having the United States, with its influence and status, back in the climate game is important, said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air in Helsinki. Associated Press writers Ashok Sharma in New Delhi, Joe McDonald in Beijing, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Seth Borenstein, Matthew Daly, Alexandra Jaffe and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Gone are the terms “alien”, “illegal alien” and “assimilation”. Usage of the thankfully now-defunct term “illegal aliens” is probably the worst culprit. That year, she became the first justice to use the term “undocumented immigrant” rather than “illegal alien” in a court decision. In 2013, the Associated Press updated its influential AP Stylebook, abandoning the term “illegal immigrant” as well. “Instead, ‘illegal’ should describe only an action.”There are other fundamental problems with the way the term “illegal alien” is commonly used today.

The US will cut its carbon emissions by at least half by 2030, the White House has promised. Poorer countries were promised $100bn a year in climate finance from 2020, but last year that was not met. The summit also marks the first meeting of Biden and China’s president, Xi Jinping . Photograph: ReutersThe US has administered 200m vaccine doses since Biden took office, achieving the goal he set for his first 100 days. As a candidate, Biden promised this, but it could add to an already tense relationship with the Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an.

But the county has already conducted two separate audits of the 2020 election and found no irregularities. Cyber Ninjas is not accredited by the US Election Assistance Commission to inspect voting machines, the Washington Post reported. Karen Fann, the president of the Arizona senate, did not return a request for comment. “That should scare a lot of people,” said Martin Quezada, a Democrat in the Arizona state senate. Quezada, the Arizona state senator, said it was impossible to separate the audit from the suite of voting restrictions in the Arizona state legislature that would make it harder to vote by mail.

Ahead of a virtual gathering of dozens of world leaders in a climate summit called by Joe Biden, which begins on Thursday, the White House said the US will aim to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by between 50% and 52% by 2030, based on 2005 levels. “The United States isn’t going to wait, the costs of delay are too great and our nation is resolved to act right now,” the administration official added. The US is scrambling to regain international credibility after Trump pulled the country out of the Paris climate agreement. China, the world’s largest carbon polluter, has expressed some skepticism over the US’ return to the climate fold, but the country’s president, Xi Jinping, will attend Biden’s Earth Day climate summit and the White House is confident America retains its clout. “This new target gives us significant leverage to push for climate action abroad,” said the White House official.

Donald Trump Jr mocked calls for police reform after the jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd. Mr Trump shared memes and videos of Die Hard — that he has earlier said is his favourite Christmas movie — alluding to the calls for police reform in the wake of the jury verdict. The video that captured the arrest and murder of Floyd captured worldwide attention and the verdict has been called a watershed moment. She said: “Racial injustice is not just a black America problem or a people of colour problem, it’s a problem for every American. On his Instagram stories, Don Jr posted a picture of a crack pipe, parmesan cheese and a lighter to troll Mr Biden.

BreakingEarth Day 2021 latest live: Joe Biden announcing major new climate target with Xi, Johnson and Putin also to speakJoe Biden marks Earth Day by hosting a two-day virtual climate summit to announce new carbon emission targets; HSBC HQ in London attacked; Elon Musk trolled.

US President Joe Biden will host 40 world leaders on Thursday for talks on the climate crisis. During the event, Joe Biden is expected to announce a new target in reducing US greenhouse gas emissions - at least a 50% cut by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. Having the US back in the climate talks is "hugely significant," Heather Alberro, professor of environmental politics at Nottingham Trent University, told Euronews. But the US "remains a major economy with a significant carbon footprint," Alberro added, and it is being pushed by "social movements" for an even higher reduction - "at least 70%". During his annual address to the nation on Thursday, the Kremlin leader said tighter controls were needed in fighting carbon emissions.

Based on my observations, global media coverage of the Suga-Biden summit meeting in Washington was rather favorable. They were (a) to demonstrate to the world the significance of Japan’s alliance with the U.S., (b) not to provoke China into overreacting to the summit talks and (c) to convince President Biden that Suga is a statesman who can be trusted. Dai gave a speech last year admitting that he found four “unexpected” things that the Chinese people could not predict about the United States. They are (a) the level of hatred in the United States toward China, (b) the U.S. government acts ruthlessly leaving no room for negotiations, (c) no country has come forward to show sympathy and support for China and (d) a united front has been formed in the United States. Dai concluded: “Combining the above four surprises, it is necessary for China to re-understand the United States.

US climate summit: Biden aims to cement credibility after Trump's yearsPresident Joe Biden will open a global climate summit with a pledge to cut at least in half the climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes that the US pumps out, a commitment he hopes will spur China and other big polluters to speed up efforts of their own. FRANCE 24's Environment Editor Mairead Dundas tells us more.

Try refreshing your browser, or Matt Gurney: Doug Ford goes missing as Ontario confronts worsening third wave Back to video Unfortunately, the hospital system is struggling, and there will be weeks of new admissions to hospitals even if there was never a new infection. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Shopping essentials Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

In fact, the only major issue that cannot be resolved without Moscow is the conflict in Donbass. But here, too, the Americans are not convinced that they have a negotiating partner in Moscow. The Kremlin, Washington believes, is set on freezing the Donbass conflict on a permanent basis, and there is nothing Washington could offer that would be sufficient to move Moscow off of that position. Moscow evidently decided to correct this unfortunate state of affairs by means of escalation, forcing the Americans to question their own analysis. Moscow, obviously, is opposed, and the troop buildup on the border is meant to underscore the possible consequences for all involved.

The US will commit to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, Joe Biden is set to announce. It comes as the US president prepares to host other world leaders, including Boris Johnson, at a virtual global climate summit held at the White House on Thursday. "If we actually want to stop climate change, then this must be the year in which we get serious about doing so. "Because the 2020s will be remembered either as the decade in which world leaders united to turn the tide, or as a failure." Sky News broadcasts the first daily prime time news show dedicated to climate change.

The Biden administration is moving to address global warming by setting a new, economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 50% to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030. The costs of delay are too great, and our nation is resolved to act right now," an administration official told reporters on Tuesday night's call. Global action is required to meet that 1.5-degree goal, and other countries must commit to sharp emissions cuts in the near-term. They then compared those to the president's existing commitments, such as moving the U.S. to net zero emissions by 2050. Reality check: Global emissions fell in 2020, but are on track to rebound after the pandemic-induced decline.

... Whatever bill the Democrats are pushing forward is probably going to go too far for most moderate Republicans." Reform advocates say qualified immunity effectively offers police impunity to use excessive force in encounters with Black Americans. "Qualified immunity and Section 242 ... those are real key components to the bill, and we have to make sure that that's there," she said. Sticking points on key aspectsAny compromise on qualified immunity would have to pass muster with progressives and civil rights groups, who see it as vital to reversing decades of discrimination and brutality toward Black Americans. "You say this is a reform bill.

President Joe Biden is pledging to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% by 2030, in the latest push by the administration to aggressively combat climate change, the White House announced on Thursday. The U.K. and European Union have committed to slash emissions by 68% and 55%, respectively, by 2030. China, the world's biggest emitter, has vowed to reach peak emissions by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2060. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry speaks while White House national climate advisor Gina McCarthy listens during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, January 27, 2021. If passed, the legislation would be one of the largest federal efforts ever to reduce emissions.

The United States will aim for a 50 per cent reduction of it’s 2005 greenhouse emissions by 2030, in a target due to be announced by Joe Biden on Thursday. Mr Biden’s target will aim to reduce emissions by 50-52 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030 — a cut of more than half, that will have dramatic ramifications for US industry and life. There are going to be multiple pathways to get there," one official told Reuters of the 2030 emissions target. Importantly, members of Congress will need to approve both the infrastructure plan and the 2030 emissions target for the president’s aims to bear fruit. "When we close this summit on Friday, we will unmistakably communicate ... the US is back," said the White House official.

Fewer than half of all women surveyed said that enforcing gender equity by including provisions in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus assistance package to support women would have "a big impact, or "some impact," on themselves and their family. About three-quarters of all women surveyed favored the idea, including 68% of GOP women. "Democrats tend to be pretty motivated about enforcing gender equity…but independent women and Republican women less so," said Democratic pollster Celinda Lake. Although it's early, seven in 10 women surveyed said they are either almost certain to vote in 2022 (58%) or will probably vote (12%). Women of color were significantly more likely than white women to have faced challenges with food insecurity, finances and employment.

EditorsUSA TODAYBiden to honor Earth Day with virtual climate summitPeople across the globe are celebrating our planet's very own holiday Thursday. Overall, more than 1 billion people in 192 countries participate in each Earth Day "to build environmental democracy and advocate for sustainability," according to EarthDay.org. On Wednesday, they renewed their mourning for 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who will be laid to rest Thursday. Wright, a Black man, was killed by police during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on April 11. The officer accused of killing Wright, Kim Potter, said she accidentally drew her handgun instead of a Taser.

Christopher J. ScaliaOpinion contributorOf all the questions raised by the Judiciary Act of 2021 — the bill introduced by Democratic lawmakers last week that would expand the Supreme Court to 13 justices — perhaps the most basic is: Why four new justices? Thanks to Congress, the responsibility that Supreme Court justices have for the judicial circuits to which they are assigned is not remotely close to what it was in the 1800s. As Felix Frankfurter (before he became a justice himself) and James Landis explained in "The Business of the Supreme Court: A Study in the Federal Judicial System," “The Supreme Court docket became a record of arrears. These new judges made it possible to also reduce the circuit-riding schedule of Supreme Court justices to every two years. I doubt that the Democratic lawmakers are eager to implement a reform so that these particular justices can better attend to their duties on the Supreme Court.

Hong Kong broadcaster TVB followed suit in canceling its coverage, citing “business considerations.” Review site Douban deleted entries for the ceremony. For the next decade, live Oscars coverage was discontinued; Gere remains barred from entering the country. Anders Hammer, who directed “Do Not Split,” said China's Oscars ban gave him a sense of concern mixed with validation. The Biden administration has criticized China over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementIndustry insiders say China’s boycott is not just about Zhao or the Hong Kong documentary.

A bipartisan bill aimed at blunting the southern border crisis will reportedly be introduced Thursday by Sens. Separately, Cornyn on Wednesday called for a federal investigation into allegations of child abuse at a migrant facility in San Antonio. Last month, the two senators wrote a joint letter to President Biden, asking him to secure the border. Both Sinema and her Democratic Arizona colleague, Sen. Mark Kelly, said Wednesday they support Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey sending the National Guard to the border.

Here's what you need to know as you start your day ...LeBron James accused of inciting violence with 'YOU'RE NEXT' tweet targeting Ohio police officerLos Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James faced intense backlash Wednesday over a now-deleted tweet targeting a Columbus, Ohio, police officer involved in the shooting death of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant. "YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY," the NBA icon wrote with an hourglass emoji over an image of one of the officers at the scene of Bryant's shooting. James was accused by critics of leveraging his massive Twitter following to target the officer. "Lebron James is inciting violence against an Ohio police officer. New York Post reporter Steve Nelson followed up by asking Psaki whether Biden believes "it’s important to accept his own culpability" for perpetuating systemic racism.

The lack of a Castro, finally, as the head of the Cuban government might seem monumental. On Twitter, Díaz-Canel has often used the hashtag #SomosContinuidad to underscore that he would continue the Castro vision. He and President Barack Obama also re-established full diplomatic relations, which helped the Cuban economy greatly until Trump tightened the embargo again. Were Biden to re-establish a relationship with Cuba more similar to the one under Obama, both countries would benefit. Were Biden to re-establish a relationship with Cuba more similar to the one under Obama, both countries would benefit.

President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the U.S. on Jan. 20. On Feb. 11, 2011, then-VP Biden spoke at UofL as part of the @ULmCenter Distinguished Speaker Series. “We are not passengers of history, but we are drivers of history," he said. #TBT pic.twitter.com/wrQAVcjuTw

WASHINGTON — Unlike in previous years, a progressive group has decided to deliver a formal response to President Joe Biden's first address to a joint session of Congress next week. It's traditional for the opposition party to give a response when the president delivers a State of the Union or other address to Congress. But it's much less common for a member of the president's party to deliver a rebuttal. Biden's speech will look different from the usual address to a joint session of Congress because Covid-19 restrictions will keep the House chamber almost entirely empty. In their first years, addresses are simply speeches to a joint session of Congress.)

Ahead of Saturday’s annual commemoration of the killing of more than a million Armenians a century ago, Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill are pressing President Biden to become the first U.S. president to acknowledge the events as genocide. Biden is widely expected to make the declaration in a statement Saturday, according to several people familiar with the conversations. “I would expect the president, being a man of his word, will do what he said he would do in the campaign, which is to recognize the genocide,” Menendez said. “Statements that have no legal binding will have no benefit, but they will harm ties,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with Turkish broadcaster Haberturk, according to Reuters. “There’s absolutely no reason for the United States to carry Turkish water on genocide.

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders of NATO member countries plan to discuss tense ties with Russia and China, the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the future of the 30-nation military alliance at a summit in Belgium on June 14. The meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels will be a face-to-face opportunity for Biden to rebuild relations with leaders from Europe and Canada that became strained under former President Donald Trump. “This is a unique opportunity to reinforce NATO as the enduring embodiment of the bond between Europe and North America,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday in a statement. NATO allies activated the organization’s collective defense clause for the first and only time after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 to rally to the defense of the United States. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

President Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan includes $80 billion for passenger rail but never mentions the term “high speed rail.” But don’t be fooled. While the details remain scarce, here is where most of the money for high speed rail will come from. The president’s budget is also proposing $20 billion for intercity rail passenger rail, most of which will likely be invested in new high speed rail corridors in places like Texas, Florida and California. If enacted, his plan will create the first, true high speed rail systems in America. And as history has shown, once you build one high speed rail corridor, more will follow.

But it controls much of the country outside of Kabul amid stalled talks with the government and the looming withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces after two decades of war. “However, what I know is that our security forces are determined to defend our people,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The government is committed to do its part for peace and stability in a way that would bring durable peace." Germany's Defense Ministry said Wednesday that discussions are underway among military planners with the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Kabul for a possible withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan as early as July 4. President Joe Biden has already said the U.S. would remove all its troops by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks that prompted the American invasion to dislodge the Taliban in 2001 for allowing al-Qaida to operate from Afghanistan.

Since February 2020, the Byhalia Pipeline, a joint venture of Valero and Plains All American Pipeline, has been trying to gain control of part of Johnson-Tutwiler’s land, which is along the route of the proposed 49-mile Byhalia Connection oil pipeline. Johnson-Tutwiler and her sister are among at least 10 south-west Memphis families who have already lost or stand to lose some property rights to Byhalia Pipeline. The company has been trying to buy easements, or rights to pieces of property, from Shelby county landowners since 2020. Developers and the federal government have used eminent domain extensively to take land from Black communities, which contributes to Black land loss and the racial wealth gap. Still, a state blocking oil pipeline developers from using eminent domain is not unprecedented.

South Korea’s president Moon Jae-in has criticised Donald Trump’s efforts to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula and said he “failed” in his diplomacy towards North Korea. The South Korean president helped broker two meetings between Mr Trump and North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un. Mr Moon urged the US to undertake a “mutually trusted road map” with North Korea. Mr Trump indirectly defended his relationship with Mr Kim during a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity. “I have a great relationship with a certain man that’s got great power over North Korea,” Mr Trump said.

Boris Johnson will warn world leaders not to “throw away the chance to preserve our planet”, as he joins heads of government from around the globe at an Earth Day summit called by the US president. Unless they “get serious” now about global warming, the current generation of leaders will be remembered for failing to protect the Earth against rising temperatures, the prime minister will say. Because the 2020s will be remembered either as the decade in which world leaders united to turn the tide, or as a failure. Mr Johnson has promised to set out the UK’s net-zero strategy ahead of Cop26. The UK government has also committed £11.6bn in international climate finance to support developing countries over the next five years.

Wednesday’s court decision reflects Moon’s stance on Japan ties but it is too early to be optimistic, said Junya Nishino, a political science professor who studies Japan-South Korea relations at Keio University. “My impression was that Wednesday’s court decision was in line with Moon’s remarks at the January news conference,” Nishino said. The South Korean Foreign Ministry refrained from directly commenting on the dismissal but admonished Tokyo to demonstrate a spirit of remorse and self-examination. The judicial decision contradicted a key 1965 pact that was concluded to settle all post-colonial compensation issues, covering both comfort women and wartime labor. The ruling unleashed a subsequent tit-for-tat fracas, with Tokyo tightening controls on exports of certain chemicals to South Korea and Seoul threatening to terminate a military-intelligence sharing pact.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced Thursday that Japan will target a 46% cut in greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 from 2013 levels, a sharp upgrade from the 26% cut that the world’s fifth-biggest emitter had pledged in July 2015. "In line with 2050 goals, we aim for a 46% cut by fiscal 2030 as an ambitious target. Biden is expected to pledge an ambitious 2030 target in hopes of having the leaders of dozens of invited countries, including China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, do the same. Japan was initially planning to unveil new 2030 reduction goals ahead of the key U.N. COP26 meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, in November. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson committed his country to a 78% cut by 2035 from 1990 levels, which he dubbed as the world's most ambitious target.

The role of green finance in tackling the climate emergencyBUSINESS DAILY © FRANCE 24By: Stephen Carroll Follow 6 minAs US President Joe Biden prepares to host his virtual climate summit on Earth Day, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said private money will be needed to help the country become carbon neutral. Finance plays a major role in this area, with "green bonds" being used to fund investment in projects including renewable energy, public transport and low-carbon housing. Also today, we bring you a report from a French seaside town where businesses are preparing for Covid-19 restrictions to be lifted so that visitors can return.

Moscow advised Sullivan last week to return to Washington for consultations after U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration levied sanctions and diplomatic expulsions against Russia in retaliation to alleged malign activities. The envoy had reportedly refused to leave at first, despite the recommendation from President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide. The United States’ Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan has left Russia for consultations with Washington on the future of U.S.-Russia ties as tensions between the two powers reach new highs, Interfax reported . Sullivan is taking a connecting flight to the U.S. through London due to the lack of direct flights between Russia and the U.S., Interfax reported. In addition to the Biden administration’s sanctions — which were mirrored with tit-for-tat measures from Moscow — bilateral ties have eroded due to Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border and U.S. warnings of consequences if hunger-striking Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny dies in jail.

NATIONALPresident Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations at the White House on Wednesday in Washington. (AP-Yonhap)South Korea’s hopes of procuring COVID-19 vaccines through a swap arrangement with the US are facing a roadblock, as Washington ruled out sending vaccines overseas until it secures adequate supplies at home.US President Joe Biden made the remarks Wednesday, days after Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong revealed at a parliamentary session that Seoul was seriously discussing a “vaccine swap” arrangement with Washington as Korea scrambled to address its vaccine shortage.“We’re looking at what is going to be done with some of the vaccines that we are not using. We’ve got to make sure they are safe to be sent,” Biden said at the White House, as he celebrated the country having administered 200 million COVID-19 vaccinations. We don’t have enough to be confident to send it abroad now. In such a deal, Korea would receive surplus vaccines from the US and repay the country later with vaccines produced by Korean pharmaceutical companies.At the time, the government did not pick up on the idea as the vaccine supply was tight globally.

South Korea’s hopes of procuring COVID-19 vaccines through a swap arrangement with the US are facing a roadblock, as Washington ruled out sending vaccines overseas until it secures adequate supplies at home.US President Joe Biden made the remarks Wednesday, days after Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong revealed at a parliamentary session that Seoul was seriously discussing a “vaccine swap” arrangement with Washington as Korea scrambled to address its vaccine shortage.“We’re looking at what is going to be done with some of the vaccines that we are not using. We’ve got to make sure they are safe to be sent,” Biden said at the White House, as he celebrated the country having administered 200 million COVID-19 vaccinations. “And we hope to be able to be of some help and value to countries around the world.”On the decision to loan some 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to neighboring Canada, Biden said, “We helped a little bit there, we’re going to try and help some more.“But there’s other countries as well that I’m confident we can help, including in Central America, and so it’s in process. We don’t have enough to be confident to send it abroad now. In such a deal, Korea would receive surplus vaccines from the US and repay the country later with vaccines produced by Korean pharmaceutical companies.At the time, the government did not pick up on the idea as the vaccine supply was tight globally.

Sources cautioned that given the importance of bilateral ties with Turkey, Biden may still choose not to use the term at the last minute. “Today, we remember the atrocities faced by the Armenian people in the Metz Yeghern — the Armenian Genocide. If elected, I pledge to support a resolution recognising the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority,” he said on Twitter at the time. For decades, measures recognising the Armenian genocide stalled in the US Congress and US presidents have refrained from calling it that, stymied by concerns about relations with Turkey and intense lobbying by Ankara. Any move by Biden to recognise the mass killings as a genocide will further harm already strained ties between the NATO allies, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

REUTERS/StringerJapan on Thursday raised its target for cutting carbon emissions to 46% by 2030, responding to pressure from the United States and domestic companies and environmentalists who criticised its previous goal of 26% as unambitious. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the new target, compared with 2013 emissions levels, hours before the start of a virtual summit on climate change called by U.S. President Joe Biden. Washington is seeking to restore its credibility on combating global warming after Biden's predecessor Donald Trump undermined an international consensus on reducing emissions. Japan has been under pressure from the Biden administration to be more ambitious, according to sources familiar with discussions held when Suga visited Washington last weekend. Suga late last year set a goal for carbon neutrality by 2050, bringing Japan more into line with some other countries.

A working-class outpost in the “red zone” close to the Jarama front, it was devastated by Franco’s advancing fascist forces. Red Area, Red Priests Yet Vallecas’s proud identity really only came to be forged during the long Franco dictatorship. In Vallecas these red priests were a central component of neighborhood organization and activism during and after the Franco dictatorship. In partnership with labor lawyers, trade unionists, Communist and other left-wing activists, worker priests generated “immense strength of internal solidarity,” as Fernández describes it. Such formidable mobilization around the home as a right would hardly endear Vallecas to Vox’s Madrid candidate Rocío Monasterio, whose background is in the development of high-end properties.

Apparently discontented with their exorbitant revenues and grossly outsized influence, on Sunday twelve of Europe’s biggest football clubs tweeted out their plans to form a breakaway European Super League (ESL). Yet, what those pining for Germany’s fan-owned footy often miss is that having the right club ownership structures doesn’t automatically create a progressive sporting paradise. This has helped create an understanding of football culture as rooted in democratic participation, often in direct antagonism to Germany’s biggest clubs and league. Unfortunately, there’s all too much evidence that fan ownership doesn’t automatically transform a soccer club into a bastion of anti-capitalism. Dietmar Hopp, billionaire founder of software firm SAP and another disdained figure in German football, owns 96 percent of Hoffenheim.

The organization has been leading the charge to block a federal $15 minimum wage and is also fighting a separate Democratic effort to make it easier for workers to form unions. During his talk, Manchin specifically took aim at Sanders for continuing to push for a $15 minimum wage. “We’ve been having meetings on minimum wage, and I can’t for the life of me understand why they don’t take a win on $11,” he said. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour, and the subminimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13. West Virginia has an $8.75 minimum wage, with a $2.62 tipped wage.

On March 6, 2020, Marcial Morales was sent to the Essex County Jail in Newark, New Jersey to await deportation proceedings. Inside-Outside“Honk 4 ICE Detainees!”: Protesters outside of Bergen County Jail on a March afternoon. In December, police kettled and attacked protesters outside the Bergen jail, and more than a dozen people were arrested. Vergara, who organized a hunger strike at the Hudson jail in December, was kept on suicide watch for a week as retribution. A federal inspection that found conditions at Essex County Jail to be so bad that even the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security condemned it.

And now just three Democratic senators stand in the way of it coming to the Senate floor for a vote. King’s office was reportedly ?“inundated” with phone calls about the PRO Act in the weeks before he decided to change course, as was Manchin’s. Winning Kelly’s support for the PRO Act is considered especially crucial, since it is widely believed Sinema won’t get on board before he does. Well aware of these obstacles, the coalition to pass the PRO Act is preparing to ramp up the pressure. ?“Our coalition will continue to mobilize the working class in this country to fight for the PRO Act.”

Hunter Biden wanted to be an artist, perhaps a writer or a musician. By his own confession, Hunter Biden is a liar, a cheat and a sneak. MBNA appears only briefly in Beautiful Things, just after Hunter’s stint at Yale Law. At least, that’s the story Mykola Zlochevsky, Burisma’s owner and president, tells Hunter, and the one Hunter chooses to believe. (Hunter somewhat scandalously saw his sister-in-law, Hallie Biden, for a time after Beau’s death.)

From Maine to Iowa to Alaska, the Saudi ambassador began a campaign of courting Main Street America. Later in October, the princess would speak to more than 50 local business leaders at the Alaska World Affairs Council. Ambassador Bandar Al-Saud’s road show would only sweep on, right past the election and inauguration of President Joe Biden. Despite appearances, such events weren’t the product of meticulous planning by Saudi diplomats or Ambassador Bandar Al-Saud herself. By enlisting trusted community members across the United States to help peddle the best possible version of the Kingdom, the Saudi lobby has given its brand a homegrown, American-as-apple-pie shine.

It is indeed capitalism, or more specifically, forty years of neoliberal hollowing out of state capacity, but this is what is responsible for the great vaccine failure, not success. Where there has been success, it is where there has been a partial or temporary reversal of this process of deterioration of state capacity, at least for this sector, or in locations where the fragilization of state capacity never fully took hold. But Trudeau was the sixth successive prime minister to ignore expert warnings over domestic vaccine supply, including three Tories. And yet neoliberal hollowing out of state capacity has affected these two nations as much as any other Western country. Instead, we should look to these countries’ maintenance and even enhancement of state capacity to explain their success.

The Keystone XL Pipeline, proposed more than a decade ago, has had multiple life cycles. Now that Biden has canceled Keystone XL, one head of the great regenerating oil snake is gone. But as with Keystone XL, the victory was short-lived because of Trump’s election. On the same day that he resurrected Keystone XL, Trump (more the “angel of dearth” than the “angel of death”) issued a memorandum to expedite the completion of DAPL. We are still here—as communities, tribes, Native nations, and individuals.

Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! For more from The Nation, check out our latest issueSubscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! House minority leader Kevin McCarthy claims that “the Republican Party is the party of Lincoln…not nativist dog whistles.”Liar. “This weekend in Minnesota, Maxine Waters broke the law by violating curfew and then incited violence,” claimed McCarthy. An interviewer asked, “What should protesters do?”“Well,” said Waters, “we’ve got to stay on the street.

Michael Sohn/APCHICAGO – Arab Americans here, like those across the country, have connections to 22 countries that are part of the Arab world. One issue of importance to the Arab community is how the U.S. Census Bureau identifies them. Although Arab Americans have been here for over a century, their right to identify as “Arab” is still denied by the U.S. Census Bureau. Rep. Newman has been contacted regarding the violation of human rights in Egypt but has not issued any official statements on it. The congressional Egypt Human Rights Caucus is being joined by increasing numbers of lawmakers, especially those who represent Arab-Americans.

| Charles Tasnadi / APThe Selective Service Repeal Act of 2021 (H.R. If passed, it would end draft registration and abolish the Selective Service System altogether. The Selective Service Repeal Act would repeal the Military Selective Service Act in its entirety and eliminate the presidential authority to order registration for a military draft. The same day the Selective Service Repeal Act was introduced in Congress, the Biden administration filed its brief in the Supreme Court asking the court not to consider a case challenging the constitutionality of the current Selective Service registration requirement. Urge them to co-sponsor the Selective Service Repeal Act (H.R.

Image Source: Getty / Elijah NouvelageAfter a year of unrest, on April 20, a Minnesota jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of all charges in the murder of George Floyd. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is a step toward real reform. Their lives must be valued in our education system, in our healthcare system, in our housing system, in our economic system, in our criminal justice system." "The United States House of Representatives has twice passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act," Bass said in a tweet on the day of the verdict. After generations of police brutality and violence, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would establish a framework in America to prohibit racial profiling, increase measures holding law enforcement accountable for misconduct, and create a more transparent system in which discriminatory policing practices are eliminated.

The shrinking of Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir, is a troubling indicator. Which means mandatory restrictions on the amount of water surrounding states draw from Lake Mead could be triggered in the next few months. The latest drought in the West is but one episode in a two-decade megadrought, and it has taken a toll on the Colorado River, which feeds Lake Mead. The animated map below, from Google Earth’s new Timelapse feature, shows just how much the reservoir’s boundaries have shriveled since 1984. Farmers will be among the most impacted, according to the state’s drought plan, but they will be allowed to use groundwater resources to compensate to some extent.

It’s going to take a lot more than the guilty verdict against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin to hold US law enforcement accountable. Since 2005, less than 2 percent of fatal police shootings have led to charges of murder or manslaughter, with 140 police officers charged in total over 17 years. All in all, around 0.04 percent of fatal shootings result in a murder conviction. A confluence of policy, law, and culture comes together during investigations into police killings to protect officers. So that figure on officers convicted for murder after fatal shootings — 0.04 percent — lingers, remaining as relevant as ever.

The White House has framed Biden’s failure to act on his promises to increase refugee admissions so far as the result of a scarcity of resources and manpower at refugee agencies that were hollowed out by the previous administration. But it seems as though the arrival of record numbers of unaccompanied children at the southern border and Republicans’ efforts to label it a “Biden border crisis” may have also stymied momentum on refugee issues, which were once a bipartisan priority. Trump succeeded in politicizing the once-bipartisan refugee programPractical concerns weren’t the only factor in Biden’s decision not to immediately increase the refugee cap. Even in previous Republican administrations seeking to curtail immigration, no one ever set the cap on refugee admissions as low as Trump did. Despite the fact that the refugee admissions program and the asylum system are separate, the Biden administration has still used conditions at the border to justify maintaining Trump’s refugee cap, echoing some of the Trump administration’s talking points.

After a year of protests, anguish, and a weekslong trial, former police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murdering George Floyd. Shortly after Judge Peter Cahill read the verdict and verified that each of the jurors supported Chauvin’s three convictions, the judge announced that he would sentence Chauvin in eight weeks. That’s because, while Chauvin was convicted of three separate offenses, he did not commit three separate criminal acts. Because Chauvin has no prior criminal conviction, his “criminal history score” under the state sentencing guidelines is zero. This warning is all the more true today, and it’s especially true in the Chauvin trial, a case that inspired months of protests in cities across the nation.

First, this official said that climate change is a global problem that other nations must, and therefore will, address. Of course, that’s more an argument for why nations should take climate change seriously, not necessarily America’s moves to curb its effects. And Democrats and Republicans remain far apart on how bold the US should go in response to climate change. While both parties mostly agree that climate change is real, Republicans’ initial plans to tackle climate change revolve around planting 1 trillion trees worldwide and investing in technologies to remove carbon from the atmosphere — rather than reorienting the American economy to not produce carbon in the first place. The Biden administration has come in with firmer guidance, and many businesses are already responding.

Share All sharing options for: 10 things we learned about Earth since the last Earth DayThis story is part of Down to Earth, a new Vox reporting initiative on the science, politics, and economics of the biodiversity crisis. In true Vox tradition, here are the 10 most concerning, intriguing, and — dare we say — hopeful things we learned about our planet since the last Earth Day. 1) We saw just how quickly ocean noise pollution can drop, and how much that can help marine lifeFor a moment last spring, things got very quiet in the oceans. Man-made ocean noise has since ramped back up and is now stabilized near pre-pandemic levels. Thanks to a new study — published in the journal Soft Matter — we now have the answer.

That difficulty begins with the immediate aftermath of a police officer killing someone: The event is investigated by the police themselves, who have very different incentives than they do during a typical criminal investigation. You can probably conjure up images of a crime scene from shows like CSI or Law & Order: Police descend onto the scene, gathering evidence down to the molecular level. Officials from other offices — prosecutors in particular — might be present to get an early lead on where the investigation could go. To the extent the scene of the killing is considered a crime scene at all, police are often focused on whatever crime the victim allegedly committed. Each step in a police killing investigation can go in the opposite direction — which would be considered an unacceptable blunder in just about any other criminal investigation.

Electric vehicle owners get free charging on Earth Day. The Electrify America charging network is offering free ultra-fast charging sessions across the country starting at midnight ET Thursday through 3 a.m. Some Electrify America plugs can charge even faster, but most EVs can't take in energy that quickly. Drivers with a plug-in hybrid can also use the free charging. To find an Electrify America location for a free Thursday "fill-up," head to the website or download the Electrify America app.

But studies by the Federal Reserve found that a mere 6 percent of the defaulting loans had even been CRA-eligible. Instead, the housing bubble that emerged through the Bush years illustrated the dangers of allowing the market to get ahead of any regulatory regime. Now the communities that had been iced out of the mortgage market were being victimized for finally having gotten in. And so even after decades of activism, the communities most harmed by prejudice were, by many standards, no better off. To that end, any new regulatory regime needs to incorporate the lessons of the past.

He started making YouTube videos to supplement his radio show for fun and has since cultivated a community, he told BuzzFeed News. While groups like PIVOT have launched efforts to address the misinformation, many young Vietnamese Americans told BuzzFeed News that they’ve faced language barriers and pushback when they criticize misinformation online. “They say these YouTube channels are on in their houses 24/7, even during dinner,” Duong said. Nguyen said that fear has been constantly reaffirmed on Vietnamese YouTube channels. Troung said his father had also repeated conspiracy theories from YouTube channels about looting and rioting during the Black Lives Matter protests last summer.

Vaccinations promise an end to the coronavirus pandemic in the US. If the White House’s vision goes according to plan, vaccinations will end the pandemic in the US in time for 4th of July fireworks. Or the pandemic won’t end, and these shots will be the first of many we’ll get for years. Here are four ways that the pandemic could end in the US:1. And existing vaccines appear to protect against new coronavirus variants, such as the B.1.1.7 strain, according to CDC data.

Canada’s new science budget gets lukewarm reception from researchersThe relatively modest research investments outlined in Canada’s new federal budget could make it difficult for the nation to recruit and retain scientific talent, Canadian science advocates fear. Many research groups had hoped for greater investment in basic research at a time when, just across the border, U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed large increases for fundamental science. The budget continues the government’s investments in science that started in its 2018 budget. “But the science that helps the most is longer term,” he added, pointing out that Canadian scientists had, over the course of several decades, made significant contributions to the basic science behind the current vaccines for COVID-19. “We don’t see the major investment in basic science that we believe is necessary” to sustain research that might not pay off for years, he says.

Shoulder injuries to remain eligible for vaccine fund payouts under Biden administrationEnding a 14-month fight, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today killed a rule that would have prevented people who sustain shoulder injuries during vaccination from winning compensation from a $4.1 billion government fund. In its announcement rescinding the rule, HHS said the previous administration had been “irregular in its haste” last year when it proposed removing shoulder injuries from a table of injuries eligible for government compensation under a 1986 law. The rule change had been set to take effect on 22 February; the Biden freeze stopped that from happening. Shoulder injury claims under the program have surged in recent years and now account for more than 54% of all claims filed. Most shoulder injury claims come from adults who received flu injections.

Story continues below advertisementJorge Loweree, policy director at the American Immigration Council, said the outlier was the Trump administration. The total number of detainers ICE issued. “ICE has issued 48,662 immigration detainers for fiscal year 2021, as of Apr. For the first two weeks of April, ICE arrests totaled 914. We will withhold a rating for Miller’s claim that the Biden administration is not issuing “the vast majority” of possible detainers.

James posted a photo of the officer on Twitter and wrote, "You’re next. Many on social media took the comment as a direct threat against the officer and James eventually removed the post. You can’t support the 1994 Crime Bill author & complain about police brutality, it’s one in the same." Klacik was referring to President Biden’s role in writing a Bill Clinton-era bill that critics say contributed to the mass incarceration of racial minorities in recent decades. During the campaign, Biden called his support of the bill, while a U.S. senator from Delaware, a "mistake" but defended some parts of the legislation.

Biden is likely going to use the word "genocide" as part of a statement on April 24 when annual commemorations for the victims are held around the world, three sources familiar with the matter said. Sources cautioned that given the importance of bilateral ties with Turkey, Biden may still choose not to use the term at the last minute. "Today, we remember the atrocities faced by the Armenian people in the Metz Yeghern — the Armenian Genocide. If elected, I pledge to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority," he said on Twitter at the time. Any move by Biden to recognize the mass killings as a genocide will further harm already strained ties between the NATO allies, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

By Trevor HunnicuttWASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced tax credits for certain businesses that pay employees who take time off to get COVID-19 shots, a new effort to involve corporate America in his vaccination campaign. The tax credits will apply to businesses with fewer than 500 employees, he said. "Today we hit 200 million shots," Biden said. Biden said the vaccine effort is entering a new phase with everyone over age 16 becoming eligible to be vaccinated. The tax credits were authorized under Democratic-backed COVID-19 pandemic relief legislation passed by Congress and signed by Biden over Republican opposition.

WASHINGTON — President Biden on Wednesday called for employers to provide workers with paid time off for coronavirus vaccination, holding out as enticement a federal tax credit program that would reimburse such outlays by business owners. Vice President Kamala Harris and White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients listen on Wednesday as President Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations. The issue of paid leave has been a contentious one since the pandemic began. Democrats have pushed paid leave as both a compassionate and a scientifically sensible policy, while Republicans have complained that it is too expensive. There were already funds for paid leave tax credits in Biden’s coronavirus relief package, and the tax credit announced on Wednesday will come from that $1.9 trillion measure.

There are concerns that some of these funds could be channelled to the very land-grabbers who are behind the destruction of the Amazon. Our warning is based on the following fact: deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is not the result of a lack of money, but a consequence of the government’s deliberate failure of care. Receiving international funds to implement protective measures and the sustainable use of the forest is a normal and necessary transaction. The Amazon Fund is the most celebrated example: it operated with German and Norwegian resources until recently when, to the horror of the world, it was deactivated by the Brazilian environment ministry. Take its own climate fund, from which about $100,000 was channelled into sanitation measures rather than the mitigation of national carbon emissions.

World leaders have not even started discussing how climate change targets will impact people's everyday lives, the United Nations (UN) has admitted. To mark Earth Day, 40 world leaders will meet at a summit in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday to discuss the global commitment to reduce carbon emissions. The talks might see 2015's Paris climate agreement - where it was agreed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius - beefed up given temperatures have actually increased. But the UN has admitted that the world leaders have not even discussed what it means for the public going about their lives. Although optimistic of hitting long term global warming goals, Ms Espinosa conceded it was a concern that no conversation has taken place about what it will mean for people's lifestyles.

The Trump years marked a new low in US relations with the global community on the issue of climate change. One of President Biden's first acts on the day of his inauguration was to rejoin the Paris climate agreement, which his predecessor had castigated as "unfair" when he announced the US would leave pact in 2017. But the perception that the US has been an unreliable partner on climate change does not just rest with Donald Trump. Former UN climate chief Yvo de Boer, who ran global climate talks between 2006-2010, had this scathing assessment of the US. “Then Obama signed the Paris Agreement, and Trump walked away.

Advertising Read moreNew Delhi (AFP)India on Thursday posted a global record for the number of coronavirus cases in a day, as US President Joe Biden hailed his government's "stunning" vaccination drive. - 'Stunning' US progress -There was good news from the United States, where President Joe Biden hailed his government's achievement of administering 200 million vaccine doses ahead of schedule. "If we let up now and stop being vigilant, this virus will erase the progress," he said. The liquid in the confiscated vials in Poland was a cosmetic substance, thought to be anti-wrinkle cream, the company said. Until the dead are your dead... until it happens in your family, it is hard for people to comprehend."

When Trump cozied up to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Trump’s allies, including members of Congress, mostly were mute. When Trump blabbed classified information about ISIS to Russian officials in the Oval Office, his supporters sat silent. Even after the election, Russians continued their propagandizing, including questioning the election results, the report stated. Well before the 2020 election, Trump made baseless claims about voter fraud. The lie took hold even though court after court, including judges appointed by Trump, rejected the false allegations of widespread voter fraud.

A collection of 33 artifacts seized from a New York-based art dealer who authorities say was one of the world’s most prolific smugglers of antiquities was turned over by the U.S. to the government of Afghanistan this week. “The significance of the material is huge,” Roya Rahmani, the country’s ambassador to the U.S., said Wednesday. “Afghanistan is one of the richest countries in archaeology and history in the world,” he said. The 33 items being sent to Afghanistan, valued at around $1.8 million, are the first to go back there as part of this investigation. “They belong to the people of Afghanistan,” Lee said.

The 314,000 infections added in the past 24 hours raise India’s total past 15.9 million cases since the pandemic began. ? Today's numbers: The U.S. has more than 31.86 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 569,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: more than 143.5 million cases and 3million deaths. COVID-19 infections in vaccinated people uncommon, CDC study saysHealth officials have released more evidence that COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated people are uncommon. “No working American should lose a single dollar from their paycheck because they chose to fulfill their patriotic duty and getting vaccinated,’’ Biden said.

Nancy Pelosi proved to be a moving target. When I began working on a biography of the House speaker two years ago, the deadline to my publisher was Labor Day 2020, with an extension carved out to submit a final chapter right after Election Day. 'Madam Speaker':Susan Page's new Nancy Pelosi biography examines the singular politicianFrom 'creepy' to dangerousPelosi was long accustomed to being at the center of the news. “She knows what her mission is.”As it turned out, the unprecedented events of 2020 didn’t change Pelosi. Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY, is the author of "Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power," published by Twelve on April 20.

Even as the man who killed George Floyd was found guilty of murder, we are finding plenty to argue about. We see it with those who believe Biden is mentally addled and not really running the White House, and those who view him as the second coming of FDR. Politics used to be a sideline for most people, less important than their jobs, colleagues, family, friends and local sports teams. Now many like or dislike MLB, NFL and NBA based on political debate. Now many reflexively love or hate political leaders (Biden or Trump, Andrew Cuomo or Ron DeSantis) based on what their "side" says.

A bill that would designate Oklahoma as a Second Amendment "sanctuary state" headed to Gov. "Senate Bill 631 ensures that the State Legislature will protect the unalienable right of Oklahomans to keep and bear arms as guaranteed to them by the Second Amendment," state Rep. Sean Roberts, who co-authored the bill with state Sen. Warren Hamilton, said, according to KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. The "Second Amendment Sanctuary State Act" passed through the House on Tuesday on a 78-17 vote after moving through the state Senate on a 38-8 vote. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPConner Alford, a chapter coordinator of the Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association, told KTEN-TV in Ada, Okla., "If the federal law violates the Second Amendment by taking firearms, then it is not going to take precedent over state law," he said. "It does become the state's job to step in ... simply to protect the rule of law."

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wears a protective mask during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Brussels, Belgium April 14, 2021. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/PoolThe European Union needs to engage with China despite many differences instead of opting for a more isolationist approach, Germany said on Wednesday. Berlin's warning against de-coupling is in line with Beijing's long-held position against disengagement among nations, including with China, despite mutual differences. Ties between China and Germany have generally remained stable since last year, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said later in his meeting with Maas. Wang also said major economies like China and Germany should jointly resist any de-coupling, and instead seek to uphold the stability of global industrial and supply chains, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.

The official declined to specify which sanctions fall into which baskets but said the third group is the most problematic. Any sanctions relief offered by the administration will be strongly opposed by Republicans in Congress, who on Wednesday unveiled draft legislation to codify the Trump-era sanctions in law. The 2015 deal gave Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. The official said the Trump administration had designated some nuclear sanctions as terrorism sanctions. The official said there is not yet any sanctions relief agreement between Iran, the U.S. or other parties in the indirect negotiations taking place in Vienna on reviving the nuclear deal.

If Biden fulfills his promise to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by September, this announcement will prove to have been truly historic. An insurgent victory would likely be followed by score-settling, possibly including execution of some who collaborated with the United States. Communist-ruled Vietnam became a friend of the United States. Biden’s announcement suggests that regardless of the outcome, the United States will not stand in the way. AdvertisementWithin the United States, the results of an American withdrawal from Afghanistan and ultimate Taliban takeover would be less bloody, but perhaps equally profound.

Instead, the hallmarks of the Biden presidency include:Regular schedules. The Biden White House has ended the flood of leaks that marked the Trump White House. Biden waited 64 days before his first formal news conference, the longest of any modern president, and has given few interviews. His reputation as a gaffe machine is probably one reason White House officials have limited his opportunities for off-the-cuff comments. But Biden has so far displayed a serious, steady approach that gives assurance he will make key decisions carefully, after considering the options.

As we drew down, approximately 6,500 NATO troops remained. So when we pull our 2,500 troops, the larger NATO-led support mission for the Afghan troops will also leave. NATO allies have always said that when America exits, they will follow. In return, U.S. and NATO troops would end their presence in Afghanistan. With a destabilized Afghanistan, emboldening terrorist groups is a near-term risk with long-term consequences that should not be ignored.

“It's a priority to improve relationships between the federal government and Native American people, but also there's a lot of need throughout the Navajo Nation," said Dr. Gregory Jarrin, a clinical consultant for the agency. Jill Biden last went to the Navajo Nation in 2019 to celebrate the opening of a cancer treatment center in Tuba City, on the western side of the reservation. She urged Americans to contribute financially to address health disparities in a region where poverty and unemployment are high. ———Fonseca is a member of the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

With the pandemic raging on, this year’s Earth Day will look a little different to previous years. This year’s Earth Day theme is “Restore Our Earth”, with participants urged to focus not only on how we can reduce our impact on the planet but also on how we might actively repair ecosystems. Are you looking for ways to take part in Earth Day this year? The full programme for Earth Day live, which begins at 9am EST, can be viewed here . For other ideas for environmental community projects, take a look at the toolkit created by Earth Day organisers.

All of Mr Biden‘s invitees — including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro and Chinese president Xi Jinping, who gave a last-minute confirmation — will participate in the summit to discuss stronger climate actions. Other attendees include Boris Johnson, India’s Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. Meanwhile, this year’s theme for Earth Day is “Restore Earth”, supported by three pillars - “restoration, mitigation and adaptation”, organisers say. UN chief Antonio Guterres in a video message for International Earth Day said this year’s observation is taking place when the planet is at “a tipping point”. “The Covid-19 pandemic is a chance to set the world on a cleaner, greener, more sustainable path”, he said.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden would press Congress to act on George Floyd legislation during his address to a joint meeting of Congress next week. And in a show of confidence, he promised the Floyd family a ride on Air Force One once it happens. The role of senior leaders in his government to help push the George Floyd policing justice and policing act forward." The George Floyd bill passed the House last year and died in the Republican Senate after failing on a procedural motion. Unlike the House bill, it wouldn't roll back 'qualified immunity,' which provides protections for police officers for actions while on duty.

Washington (CNN) US and Iranian officials say they have made progress in talks aimed at bringing the United States back to the 2015 nuclear deal and Iran back into compliance with it, but US officials stressed that a long road remains ahead. A delegation from the US, which left the pact in 2018, has also been in the Austrian capital for indirect talks with Iran. "At this point the discussions taking place in Vienna are about full compliance for full compliance," they said in a call with reporters. Tehran has repeatedly maintained that the US must lift all Trump-era sanctions before it will stop breaching its commitments under the deal. Iran also wants the US to provide an "objective guarantee" that it will not pull out of the nuclear deal again if it rejoins, according to the Iranian official.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) recently introduced legislation to strip federal funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), an international program that is openly complicit in China’s two-child policy and other inhumane population control tactics. Titled the “No Taxpayer Funding for the UN Population Fund Act,” the proposed bill would permanently prohibit U.S. taxpayer money from going toward funding the communist regime’s forced abortions and sterilizations. Under this provision, the United States has withheld funds from the UNFPA in 18 of the past 36 years. A Jamestown Foundation report found funds from the Chinese central government went towards funding sterilizations in Xinjiang, sufficient for almost 200,000 sterilizations. “We, therefore, urge you to support the legislation sponsored by Representative Chip Roy to remove taxpayer funding of UNFPA.

For the last two buckets, the White House is leaning on local leaders and non-political validators to reach them. But the White House concedes that a Democratic administration isn’t the best messenger for them or necessarily the moveable middle. Our goal isn’t to elevate us, it’s to get shots in arms,” a White House official said. “I think we've had too many instances of people saying, ‘Well, if you don't get this vaccine, you're just stupid.’ And that's not helpful and it's not true. Administration officials say they continue to be hopeful that over the long term, people will see the decision to pause the J&J vaccine as proof the system worked.

Basketball star Lebron James deleted a Wednesday tweet that called for accountability in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old Ohio girl after receiving backlash for telling the police officer involved that "YOU'RE NEXT" following the conviction of former officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. "YOU'RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY," the Los Angeles Laker wrote along with a photo of Nicholas Reardon, who has been identified as the Columbus police officer who shot and killed Ma’Khia Bryant. James deleted the tweet shortly after it began to draw criticism, including from at least two Republican lawmakers. Lebron James is inciting violence against an Ohio police officer. People like LeBron James and his friends on the left are driving good people away from careers in law enforcement.

Other Republican senators, who had previously supported billions of dollars in arms sales to the kingdom, now threatened to upend the entire American alliance with Saudi Arabia. From Maine to Iowa to Alaska, the Saudi ambassador began a campaign of courting Main Street America. In attendance were many prominent local business leaders such as Craig Hill of the Iowa Farm Bureau and Jay Byers, CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Later in October, the princess would speak to more than 50 local business leaders at the Alaska World Affairs Council. Creating Grassroots for a Gulf MonarchyThere’s a fairly simple pattern to the way the Saudi lobby has been wooing the states to woo Washington.

Send this page to someone via emailPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is indicating the federal government is looking at additional COVID-19 measures to protect international borders but won’t stop flights into Canada from India. “We are looking at a range of potential measures either targeting certain areas of types of travellers. British Columbia has now reported 39 cases of the B 1.617 COVID-19 variant, known as a double mutation, originating from India. India continues to be a COVID-19 crisis point with the world’s second most populous nation reporting 295,041 new infections on Wednesday. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he’s planning to give surplus COVID-19 vaccines to other countries, including Canada.

—RDP"Although the bar is low, Biden has proven to be the least captured and most public-oriented president of any of our lifetimes," says the report (pdf) from the Revolving Door Project (RDP). "Certainly compared to the Trump administration, which was the most corrupt in American history, Biden has fared incalculably better at limiting corporate influence over governance." RDP, a project of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), credits progressives for pressuring Biden to pick people who will serve in the public interest. As for the administration's "affection for public interest-minded stakeholders," RDP gave Biden a B+ for labor, a B for civil rights, and a B- for the "progressive movement." In addition to releasing the report, RDP joined Demand Progress Education Fund as well as Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE) for a Wednesday event on Biden's first 100 days.

"Now he must do the same with Line 3, the Dakota Access pipeline, and all new fossil fuel projects." @TheClimateClock is traveling to the @WhiteHouse with a petition demanding @POTUS and world leaders stop all fossil fuel projects, starting with #ShutdownDAPL and #StopLine3. "Biden and world governments must drastically increase emission reduction targets to limit global warming to 1.5°C," the group added. "To do that, they must keep fossil fuels in the ground, including by stopping all new fossil fuel projects." However, climate campaigners quickly countered that such a target isn't nearly ambitious enough to successfully address the climate emergency.

The CDC reports that total vaccinations since December reached almost 216 million yesterday. Worldwide Vaccinations Approach 1 Billion www.bloomberg.com/… The biggest vaccination campaign in history is underway. More than 944 million doses have been administered across 170 countries, according to data collected by Bloomberg. The latest rate was roughly 15.9 million doses a day. hidrb.comvaccinefinder.org/…How are vaccinations going in your state and county?

Right-wing says Chauvin jury was bullied into the verdict of Guilty, Guilty, Guilty. The Chauvin verdict is the exception, not the rule. Renewed push for police reform in wake of Chavin trial. 200 vaccines given in ninety-two days. Biden well ahead of what he promised his constituents when he ran.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 21, 2021x More than a third of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated, according to President Biden. https://t.co/qe3Ji1MRKe — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 21, 2021VANITA GUPTAx The Senate has voted to advance the nomination of Vanita Gupta to serve as Associate Attorney General, 51-49. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 21, 2021SEN. ELIZABETH WARRENx Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants one of her biggest critics to face lawmakers next week. https://t.co/lzDCBFNz6U — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 21, 2021x Republican Gov. https://t.co/icWzda3JGs — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 21, 2021LOS ANGELES

Senator Ron Wyden’s (D. OR) re-election campaign:x It’s past time to end the federal prohibition of cannabis. — Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) April 21, 2021I've been asked a lot lately about finally ending the federal government's failed war on cannabis. It's not just enough to end the federal prohibition on cannabis. We also need to restore the lives of each and every person who has been hurt by this failed war on drugs. Please sign the petition urging President Joe Biden and Congress to end the failed prohibition on cannabis right now.

It's turning out to be Policing Week on The BradCast for some odd reason...even as a police helicopter circled above our studio here in L.A. for most of today's show. Or citizens who don't have the power of the New York Times or the AP or other news organizations to tell their story? If they're doing this to reporters, what they're doing to regular citizens is almost certainly going to be worse." But, as that promise was met, Biden is preparing to unleash an even more ambitious goal on Earth Day tomorrow, according to AP. Of course, that also means that fossil fueled wingnut heads are already exploding in the Republican Party and at Fox "News".

Universal prekindergarten follows on and in some cases comes in the same settings as earlier child care. Investment in universal prekindergarten and child care should also include improved wages and benefits for the sorely underpaid workers—overwhelmingly women, many of them women of color—in the industry. Paid family leave is critical. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act included a temporary emergency paid family and medical leave provision, but U.S. workers and families need something more, something not temporary. Once again, the Biden administration is getting ready to propose a package of desperately needed investments in families, in children, in the workforce.

The private prison profiteer has already filed a lawsuit against another state for enacting similar legislation, suing California over its ban last year. While a judge largely upheld the law in a major loss for GEO Group, it’s now being appealed. “If this law takes effect, ICE would simply have to transfer individuals a greater distance from their arrest location to other facilities outside the state,” ICE warned in 2019. ICE jails the vast majority of its detainees—80% of detained immigrants, according to United We Dream—in for-profit facilities like Tacoma. ICE wastes massive amounts of cash even when beds go empty, adding to the case for ending for-profit contracts altogether.

Since 2007, the Overnight News Digest has been a nightly, community series chronicling the day’s news and the American dystopia. Biden needs Asia’s help to meet climate goals, but is it ready to give up coal? […] Though many countries rely on coal for power, the Biden administration is focusing on China, Japan and South Korea because of their global influence. More people were diagnosed with Covid-19 last week than any other since the pandemic began. The vice president, according to her spokesperson, Symone Sanders, will discuss relief for Guatemala with Giammattei and ways to deepen cooperation with his government on migration.

They could rule that the individual mandate itself is unconstitutional without an actual mandate penalty attached to it, but that it’s completely severable from the rest of the ACA. This is the key to the entire case as well as the defense: The plaintiffs claim that the ACA can’t possibly function without the penalty...and yet here we are. They could rule that the entire aca is unconstitutional and strike the entire law down. Basic Health Plan coverage for nearly a million people in Minnesota and New York: GONE. Well, there’s three things they could do to #MootTheSuit...but each would be problematic for different reasons:a) Pass a simple bill changing the federal mandate penalty to an amount higher than $0.00.

As natural gas began to compete with coal for power production, it drove mines toward ever greater efficiency. Plans for new coal power plants were canceled. In fact, Kemper’s costs were so high that they ran out of funding before they got around to even building the proposed carbon capture facility. The truth is, coal power is simply too expensive. If the government pays to create a coal power plant with carbon capture as a demonstration facility, it will be a one-off dinosaur, pointless well before construction.

Vanita GuptaIn today's news: Another historic Biden nominee receives Senate confirmation. Far-right extremists and Tucker Carlson (but I repeat myself) are outraged by a jury's conviction of George Floyd's killer. Facebook continues to get people killed, this time through the promotion of con artists, vaccine hoax-crafters, and conspiracy theorists using the social network to disparage pandemic safety for self-promotion and to sell their own (fake) products.

Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama %282015-09-29%29 04. During the call, Biden proposed a summit between the two in the near future. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Russian chess legend and political exile Garry Kasparov denounces the idea: "A summit? In 1958, British prime minister Harold Mcmillan, paraphrasing predecessor Winston Churchill, held that "jaw-jaw is better than war-war." Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin need to have a long, serious talk.

Duluth, Minnesota (OpEdNews) April 21, 2021: Harvard's fashionable scholar Louis Menand IV (born in 1952) studies the American intellectual and artistic elite during the Cold War in his new 850-page 2021 book The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux). Menand's book is an accessible tour de force that is over-flowing with colorful biographical portraits of persons from the twentieth century. For a variety of reasons, I am interested in the prestige culture in American culture during the Cold War, which is why I am interested in Menand's new book. (dated April 11, 2021):Click HereNow, my favorite scholar is the unfortunately unfashionable American Jesuit Renaissance specialist and cultural historian Walter J. Ong (1912-2003; Ph.D. in English, Harvard University, 1955) in English at Saint Louis University (SLU), the Jesuit University in St. Louis, Missouri. See Menand's helpful "Index" (pages 817-857) for other specific page references to King (page 837) and Fromm (page 830).

As the Sri Lankan government prepares to ram its Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill through parliament, several opposition parties have launched a campaign claiming that the proposed measure will pave the way for a “Chinese colony” in Sri Lanka. The Colombo Port City project [Credit: China Communications Construction Company]The petitioners claim that it violates the constitution. The Colombo Port City (CPC), constructed by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) with a $US1.4 billion loan from Beijing, is the largest single investment in Sri Lanka so far. The Port City SEZ, without even these nominal restraints on brutal exploitation, will be used as a model to suppress the rights of workers across the country. China’s Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka at the end of this month.

There is no doubt that racism is a factor in many police killings, but it is not the racism of the entire society. By blaming “systemic racism” and “white supremacy,” the reality of capitalism and class oppression disappears. Those who appeal to “systemic racism” as the cause of police brutality cannot explain why the largest share of those killed by the police every year are white. They seek to obscure the class character of the opposition to police violence and undermine a class movement against police violence. As a social phenomenon, police violence does not emerge from “white supremacy” or “systemic racism”; it is fundamentally rooted in the capitalist order, which police departments were created to defend.

They’re all saying the same thing: We won’t be able to breathe until you’re able to breathe,” Floyd’s brother Philonese Floyd said at a news conference Tuesday. “France isn’t the United States, but France is becoming like the United States,” William Bourdon, a lawyer for the Chouviat family in Paris, said at a news conference last June. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisementIn the months after Floyd’s death, police were filmed using similar arrest tactics in Britain and Germany. But some countries could offer inspiration to those seeking police reform in the United States. AdvertisementBut while the world may not always like what it sees in the United States, it watches.

While Kamala Harris has scheduled two more "virtual" events regarding the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, Republicans on Wednesday continued calling for the vice president to gain more firsthand experience. Harris was appointed in late March to be President Biden’s manager of the administration’s response to the migrant crisis. Wednesday was the 29th day that Harris went without facing reporters’ questions at a news conference regarding her border-related role. VP KAMALA HARRIS SETS VIRTUAL MEETING WITH GUATEMALA PRESIDENT NEXT WEEK REGARDING MIGRANT CRISIS"Kamala Harris has been on the job for a month. Harris, meanwhile, has still not announced any plans to visit the border region, whether in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas or her home state of California.

I don't think this is the system working ... This is the justice system trying to say that, "Hey, this is one bad apple." The New York Times called the Derek Chauvin verdict "a very rare conviction" which doesn't signal police accountability at all. I think most people with half a brain know that's not what she was doing. "I don't know, Jeff Zucker told me to yell."

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee on Thursday made his first public appearance since being jailed in January, as he attended court to face charges of fraud and stock manipulation amid calls for his release. read moreBusiness lobby groups and some lawmakers say he should be freed to help South Korea secure supplies of coronavirus vaccines. "Utilising Vice Chairman Lee's global network will help in securing the COVID-19 vaccine," Kwon Tae-shin, vice chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, told Reuters. A conservative opposition member of parliament, Park Jin, told Reuters South Korean investment in semiconductor production in the United States also could be leveraged to secure U.S. vaccines. Samsung is considering building a $17 billion chip factory in the United States, while Seoul has noted its potential role in helping U.S. President Joe Biden preserve the global chip supply chain.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Jill Biden is traveling to the country’s largest Native American reservation, the Navajo Nation, which was hit hard by the coronavirus but is outpacing the U.S. in vaccination rates while maintaining strict pandemic restrictions. Still, residents on the Navajo Nation must wear masks and travel only for essential activity. “We’re not celebrating yet,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said during a virtual town hall Wednesday. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority has chipped away at the water, electricity and broadband needs, partly with funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. ADVERTISEMENTJill Biden last went to the Navajo Nation in 2019 to celebrate the opening of a cancer treatment center in Tuba City, on the western side of the reservation.

The White House has formally supported legislation that would establish Washington DC as the “Douglas Commonwealth”, the nation’s first new state since Alaska and Hawaii joined the union in 1959. The Office of Management and Budget said in a statement of administration policy that it endorsed House bill HR51. Known as the Washington DC Admissions Act, it’s likely to pass the Democrat-controlled House before withering on the vine of an evenly-split Senate like an identical bill in June 2020. Republicans call it a power grab to pack Congress – just as they accuse Democrats of wanting to “pack” the Supreme Court. “This bill is about two new Senate seats,” ranking Republican committee member James Comer said during the House committee hearing on the bill.

“It’s the worse educational crisis in the region’s modern history,” said Jean Gough, UNICEF’s director for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Biden administration has yet to decide which U.S. city will host it. He should sign agreements with existing free online education platforms such as KhanAcademy.org and Schoolhouse.world to expand online personalized tutoring to millions of schoolchildren. Salman Khan, the founder of both platforms, told me in a telephone interview that the Biden administration could use its megaphone to promote these platforms. “A lot of folks in Latin America don’t even know that these tools are available to them, and for free,” Khan told me.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are spotlighting Georgia as they build their case for a broad overhaul of U.S. election law, arguing the new voting rules in the state are emblematic of Republican measures across the country that threaten access to the polls. Abrams said parts of the sweeping new Georgia law are intended to suppress minority votes. They argue it would strip power from the states, fundamentally alter how elections are conducted and cement an unfair political advantage for Democrats. Brian Kemp said Tuesday that attacks on the law are “absolutely not true” and motivated by partisanship. Abrams said she believes the motivation behind certain provisions is “a direct result of increased participation of communities of color” in recent elections.

Car Radio, April 10, 2021Interview Schedule00 min: Payne intro02-15 min: Call-in with Robin Warner, freelance writer. Talking Kia Carnival. 55-1.00 hr: Ad break1.00-1.02 hr: Payne intro1.02-1.21: Call-in with Bill Warner, CEO, Amelia Island Concourse. 1.25-1.37: Best of Car Radio: Taped interview with David Donahue, May 2019. 1.37-1.55: Best of Car Radio: Taped interview with Tom Matsumoto in May 2019, designer of the Toyota Supra.

Administration officials had not informed Turkey as of Wednesday, and Biden could still change his mind, according to one official. Lawmakers and Armenian-American activists are lobbying Biden to make the announcement on or before Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, which will be marked on Saturday. “The shameful silence of the United States Government on the historic fact of the Armenian Genocide has gone on for too long, and it must end,” the lawmakers wrote. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal first reported that Biden is preparing to acknowledge the genocide. He noted that the sting of former President Barack Obama not following through on his 2008 campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide still lingers for many in the Armenian diaspora.

Developing countries are increasingly concerned that their need for financial assistance to cope with the climate crisis will go unmet, as leaders of the world’s biggest economies meet for a virtual White House summit on the climate. That includes providing debt-free and increased climate finance to low-income countries.”The US has made some key pledges on climate finance ahead of the summit, but they fall short of what developing countries have been hoping for. Biden has asked Congress to approve $2.5bn in overseas climate finance, including $1.2bn for the Green Climate Fund. Developing countries are already facing mountains of debt, increased by the Covid crisis, and need ways to cut this urgently. Boris Johnson, prime minister of the UK, will address the White House summit in a plea to world leaders to make Cop26 a success.

The Biden administration is weighing an appeal from progressive Democrats to accelerate global access to COVID-19 vaccines, by supporting a waiver of intellectual-property protections — a move opposed by big drugmakers. In separate virtual meetings on April 13 with drugmakers and waiver-seeking groups, she said the administration wants to increase the production and distribution of vaccines. The U.S. isn’t the only country that has opposed a waiver; the European Union, U.K., Japan, Switzerland, Brazil and Norway also have resisted the push. ‘Critical’ need“The waiver is critical to be able to increase global production of vaccines and treatments as soon as possible,” said Lori Wallach, director of Global Trade Watch at Public Citizen, one of the groups lobbying for the measure. A Bosnian medical worker prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca PLC COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination station in Sarajevo on Wednesday.

Any sanctions relief offered by the administration will be strongly opposed by Republicans in Congress, who on Wednesday unveiled draft legislation to codify the Trump-era sanctions in law. The 2015 deal gave Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. The official said the Trump administration had designated some nuclear sanctions as terrorism sanctions. The official said there is not yet any sanctions relief agreement between Iran, the U.S. or other parties in the indirect negotiations taking place in Vienna on reviving the nuclear deal. The Biden administration has said it will only lift sanctions if Iran returns to compliance with the restrictions the agreement placed on its nuclear activities.

More than 100 protesters took to the streets of Columbus, Ohio, Wednesday night to demonstrate against the police shooting of Ma'Khia Bryant. Bryant, a 16-year-old black teenager, was shot dead by a white police officer after she charged at two people with a knife. Protests and a vigil also occurred earlier on Wednesday with groups gathering to march and pray for the Bryant family. Scroll down for videoMore than 100 protesters took to the streets of Columbus, Ohio, Wednesday night to demonstrate against the police shooting of Ma'Khia Bryant. Officer Nicholas Reardon is seen standing on the scene after shooting and killing Bryant.

(Korean Central News Agency)North Korea marked the birthday of late founder Kim Il-sung with performances and other celebratory events, according to state media Thursday, but no signs of provocations have been detected. Thursday marks the 109th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, the late grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un. The North on Tuesday also held a photo exhibition and a celebratory performance in Pyongyang, and put up posters across the city praising the late founder as the "eternal" leader. The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, ran several articles lauding the achievements of the late founder. No signs of military provocations have been detected yet amid concerns that the North could test the Joe Biden administration in time for the anniversary.

German Foreign Minister during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Brussels. The European Union needs to engage with China despite many differences instead of opting for a more isolationist approach, Germany said on Wednesday. "In the EU, we have been describing China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival at the same time," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said ahead of a virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Berlin's warning against de-coupling is in line with Beijing's long-held position against disengagement among nations, including with China, despite mutual differences. Ties between China and Germany have generally remained stable since last year, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said later in his meeting with Maas.

In fact, those obligations can further complicate the lives of survivors: Federal estate taxes may be due and state inheritance taxes could come into play as well. Estate taxes. Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Eric Pierre, founder, CEO and principal of Pierre Accounting The pandemic has gotten people’s attention. The Biden administration is expected to propose a lower estate tax exemption, which would subject more estates to tax after a death. If a joint return is filed by the surviving spouse alone, he or she should sign the return and write "filing as surviving spouse" in the space for the other spouse's signature.

Vice President Kamala Harris cast her first tie-breaking vote on a President Biden nominee Wednesday, advancing his pick for undersecretary of defense for policy, according to reports. During former President Trump’s term, Kahl reportedly once tweeted the "Republican party has debased itself at the altar of Trump." "The national security problems we face are wicked and complex; we wrestle with them constantly on this committee," Inhofe said, according to Defense News. "What I cannot support are nominees who reduce complex national security conversations to partisan soundbites." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHarris is expected to have to break at least two more ties before Kahl is confirmed, according to Defense News.

HANNITY: The radical left, they're not interested in truth or justice. A jury of his peers found the former officer guilty on all three charges in the horrific death of George Floyd. Everyone on the left from ... Joe Biden to everyone in between is actively now stoking racial hatred for political gain. That's what "Jim Crow 2.0" was all about with Joe Biden, when it seems the voting law in Georgia is far more accessible than that in Delaware. Why didn't Joe [Biden] fix that in fifty years?

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to meet virtually next Monday with Guatemala’s President Alejandro Giammattei regarding the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. In addition, Harris plans to travel in June to the so-called Northern Triangle region of Central America, Fox News has learned. But the precise itinerary for the vice president was unclear. Harris previously spoke with Giammattei on March 30, six days after President Biden appointed Harris the manager of his administration’s response to the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. On April 14, the vice president hosted an online roundtable discussion of migrant issues.

(CNN Business) The Justice Department has created a new task force dedicated to rooting out and responding to the growing threat of ransomware, according to an agency memo obtained by CNN Business. The new initiative follows what the memo describes as the worst year ever for ransomware attacks — incidents in which hackers seize control of victims' computers and refuse to unlock them until they receive a payment. The DOJ effort highlights how cybersecurity threats have become a major focus of the Biden administration, particularly following other recent high-profile network security incidents such as the Russian-backed SolarWinds hacking campaign and the Microsoft Exchange server vulnerabilities that Microsoft has attributed to Chinese hackers"Although the Department has taken significant steps to address cybercrime, it is imperative that we bring the full authorities and resources of the Department to bear to confront the many dimensions and root causes of this threat," Acting Deputy Attorney General John Carlin wrote to DOJ department heads, US attorneys and the FBI on Tuesday. The new task force will unify efforts across the federal government to pursue and disrupt ransomware attackers, according to the memo. Actions could include everything from "takedowns of servers used to spread ransomware to seizures of these criminal enterprises' ill-gotten gains," the memo continued.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRussia could face 'more painful' sanctions should U.S. relations worsenThe Biden administration is capable of implementing "even more significant and more painful" sanctions should relations with Russia worsen, says Zachary Witlin, senior analyst at Eurasia Group.

With two more police shootings grabbing national headlines and police reform activists still absorbing the impact of a guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin murder trial, the Biden White House is pushing Congress to pass police reform legislation. Brian Williams discusses with Peter Baker, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and CK Hoffler.

A collection of 33 artifacts seized from a New York-based art dealer who authorities say was one of the world’s most prolific smugglers of antiquities was turned over by the U.S. to the government of Afghanistan this week. “The significance of the material is huge,” Roya Rahmani, the country’s ambassador to the U.S., said Wednesday. “Afghanistan is one of the richest countries in archaeology and history in the world,” he said. The 33 items being sent to Afghanistan, valued at around $1.8 million, are the first to go back there as part of this investigation. “They belong to the people of Afghanistan,” Lee said.

Tuesday’s verdict launches “a new phase of a long struggle to bring justice to America,” declared Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., in urging passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. With political pressure mounting on all sides, Biden is urging Congress to plunge back into policing legislation. The House, led by Democrats, has now twice approved a sweeping overhaul, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, that would be the most substantial federally ordered changes to policing in a generation. The GOP’s Justice Act would step up compliance by law enforcement in submitting use-of-force reports to a national database. Biden is sure to speak about policing issues in his address to a joint session of Congress next Wednesday.

Also Read: Derek Chauvin Found Guilty in George Floyd Murder Trial on All Counts Following the guilty verdict, other prominent voices took to Twitter to express their thoughts. — kerry washington (@kerrywashington) April 20, 2021 Guilty Guilty Guilty… No one wins.. George Floyd is still gone..and finally someone was responsible… Derek Chauvin — Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) April 20, 2021 The evidence of our eyes met at last by accountability in the eyes of justice. BREAKING: Police officer Derek Chauvin found guilty of murdering George Floyd. https://t.co/E1vzU7rarZ — Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) April 20, 2021 Derek Chauvin: guilty on all 3 counts Now let’s do the entire system of policing in this country. Derek Chauvin- GUILTY — Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) April 20, 2021 I was on pins and needles waiting on the verdict of Derek Chauvin to come in.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and then-Vice President Joe Biden attend a press conference after a meeting at the Beylerbeyi Palace on November 22, 2014 in Istanbul, Turkey. Kayhan Ozer/Getty ImagesBiden is set to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide on Saturday, the NYT reported. Biden would be the first sitting US president to officially recognize the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide. Turkey has urged Biden against recognizing the World War I killings as genocide at a time when the dynamic between Washington and Ankara is already historically contentious. In other words, the word "genocide" is fundamentally linked to what happened to the Armenians during World War I.

“The goal of this law is to silence dissent and create fear among Floridians who want to take to the streets to march for justice,” he said. Bills in Oklahoma and Iowa would grant legal immunity to drivers who strike and injure protesters in the street. In Indiana, one GOP-backed proposal would prevent anyone convicted of unlawful assembly from holding state employment, including elected office. Lawmakers have also proposed heavy fines and mandatory sentences of up to four years in prison for certain protest-related offences. During debate last week, Florida state Senator Shevrin Jones told Republicans: “You don’t want us on the streets.

On Wednesday, Philonise Floyd described his thoughts while watching Chauvin being handcuffed. The now-fired white officer was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Gavin Newsom, a white man, who said on Twitter that Floyd “would still be alive if he looked like me. In the wake of Floyd’s death, demonstrations and scattered violence broke out in Minneapolis, around the country and beyond. Frazier, who shot the crucial video, said Chauvin gave the bystanders a “cold” and “heartless” stare.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said the U.S. wants to share coronavirus vaccines with other countries but won’t begin sending doses abroad until it has sufficient supply at home. “We’re looking at what is going to be done with some of the vaccines that we are not using. We’ve got to make sure they are safe to be sent,” Biden said at the White House Wednesday. “We helped a little bit there, we’re going to try and help some more,” Biden said. But I expect we’re going to be able to do that.”It isn’t clear whether Biden would consider sharing more unused AstraZeneca doses before the U.S. has sufficient overall supply.

Yet the US and China issued a joint pledge following the US climate envoy, John Kerry’s visit to Shanghai last week. China’s president, Xi Jinping, will attend a US-led climate change summit on Thursday at Biden’s invitation, leaving observers of the bilateral relationship with much to interpret and decode. Washington and Beijing deem climate change as an area where their divergent interests overlap. In the US, a recent Asia Society Policy Institute and Data for Progress survey found six in 10 Americans wanted Biden to cooperate with China on climate change. Its vice-foreign minister, Le Yucheng, said last week that addressing climate change “is not what others ask us to.

But the battle is far from won — and is now shifting to include oil and gas finance, climate change campaigners say. Britain has led the way among major donors, saying it would provide no new government financing for fossil fuel projects overseas from this month, with “very limited” exceptions. Japan, South Korea and Canada could soon join them, and a handful of European nations, in pledging to phase out overseas aid for coal, climate finance experts said ahead of Biden’s virtual gathering. Kate DeAngelis, international finance program manager for Friends of the Earth, said Kerry’s comments were “jarring” and suggested the United States planned to continue providing funding for gas projects in places like sub-Saharan Africa. But campaigners say the amount of government money available for the fossil fuel industry still dwarfs that for clean energy.

Two people familiar with the decision said the President was expected to make the declaration as part of an official statement on Remembrance Day, which falls on Saturday. Both said it was possible he would change his mind before then, and issue a statement merely recognizing the event without describing it as genocide. The government of Turkey often registers complaints when foreign governments describe the event, which began in 1915, using the word "genocide." They maintain that it was wartime and there were losses on both sides, and they put the number of dead Armenians at 300,000. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump both avoided using the word genocide to avoid angering Ankara.

This is our justice system and it’s all that stands between us and barbarism. If it were plagued by systemic racism, as claimed by the president, then Chauvin could not have been found guilty. They see the verdict as proof that policing is racist and must be abolished. After the Chauvin verdict, she issued a call to arms to her 8.8 million Instagram followers: “I . “And that’s what creates a lot of complexity in this moment.”Lying always creates “complexity,” when you refuse to acknowledge the truth that our colorblind justice system worked.

Live Covid-19 Live Updates: Reassurance on the Vaccine and Pregnancy From a New Study The Food and Drug Administration issued a highly critical inspection report for the plant that was forced to throw out up to 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The new study, which was published on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, is based largely on self-reported data from V-safe, the C.D.C.’s coronavirus vaccine safety monitoring system. They focused on 35,691 participants who said that they had been pregnant when they received the vaccine or became pregnant shortly thereafter. And there is not yet any data on pregnancy outcomes from people who were vaccinated during the first trimester of pregnancy. Annie Karni andAdvertisement Continue reading the main storyNew coronavirus cases around the world reached a new weekly record, according to the W.H.O.

But it seems increasingly clear that this is not the problem that is preventing the country from administering those last-mile vaccinations. At the same time, the gap between the number of vaccines distributed to states and the number of vaccines administered continues to grow. On April 13, the seven-day average of new doses given in total was 90 percent of the total of new vaccine doses distributed. On Jan. 20, when Biden took office, the problem was getting vaccines to the people who wanted them. Now, the problem is getting vaccines to the people who don’t want them, and who need to be vaccinated to get us that last mile to herd immunity.

The White House changed the name of Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband from “Doug” to “Douglas” Emhoff in an apparent attempt to rebrand him as a more serious guy, according to a report. The 56-year-old lawyer — known by some for his goofy dad jokes and casual blazers-and-T-shirts style — underwent the moniker makeover in Biden team press releases before becoming Second Gentleman, Politico reported Wednesday. Emhoff goes by Doug on Twitter and used the more casual name during his wife’s primary and the general election. But a week before the inauguration, the Biden team ditched Doug for Douglas in press releases and advisories and haven’t gone back, according to the outlet. “Safe to say like most people, his full and abbreviated names have always been used interchangeably,” the rep told Politico.

Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker had 19 and Mikal Bridges 18 to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 116-113 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. The Sixers again played without starters Ben Simmons (unspecified illness) and Tobias Harris (right knee). Embiid has missed 18 games this season with injuries that include a bone bruise on his right knee that cost him 11 games after the All-Star break, back tightness and right knee pain. So I guess in that way we’re coming a long way, but we still have a long way to go." Suns: Count Rivers among the fans of Suns coach, and former 76ers assistant, Monty Williams.

"Fox News Primetime" host Ben Domenech slammed "woke" American companies like Apple and Google Wednesday for ignoring China’s human rights violations. DOMENECH: A year-and-a-half ago, I was standing in the streets of Hong Kong watching as a group of some of the bravest people I’ve ever seen stared down the forces of communist wrath. China made great use of this pandemic -- which came from Wuhan, and it’s not racist to say that. They cracked down on Hong Kong and brought these freedom-minded young people to their knees. But when it comes to China, it feels like only one nation is fighting them.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody called this week for President Biden to allow public access to meetings of a commission he formed to explore a potential expansion of the Supreme Court, among other reforms. The attorney general joined other prominent Republicans in decrying any effort to "pack" the Supreme Court with additional justices. Biden formed a bipartisan commission to conduct a study examining various potential reforms to the Supreme Court. Days later, Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York and others introduced legislation seeking to expand the Supreme Court by four justices. "As Florida’s attorney general, I’ll do everything in my power to stand against this radical power grab."

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe has received donations from Lanny Davis, attorney for Ukrainian billionaire Dmytro Firtash, a key figure in Donald Trump’s first impeachment, government filings show. Davis, who registered as a foreign agent to represent Firtash earlier this week, according to filings under the Justice Department’s Foreign Agents Registration Act, also donated $500 to McAuliffe in February. Fox News could not immediately McAuliffe for comment on the nature of his relationship with Davis. Firtash also allegedly worked with Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, and was found by federal prosecutors of later aiding Giuliani’s efforts to dig up dirt on Hunter Biden’s dealings in Ukraine, reported the Daily Caller. Despite Davis remaining an ardent supporter of President Biden throughout his campaign, he said he was "pleased" to be rejoining Firtash’s defense team.

In fact, even if no one outside the courtroom had ever seen that tape, it’s possible that Derek Chauvin still would have been convicted. DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL JUDGE SLAMS MAXINE WATERS' INFLAMMATORY COMMENTSThese were terrifying acts. It doesn’t matter whether you think Derek Chauvin was guilty and deserves what he got. The Democratic Party’s pet academic racial, Henry Rogers — now known as Ibram X. Kendi — let us know that Derek Chauvin was just the beginning. ... It’s easy to just blame individual officers like Derek Chauvin but the problem is structural.

Kennedy remarked he knew Biden was "left of center" but never envisioned the Delawarean to be "left of [Soviet leader Vladimir] Lenin." "No one can get to be his age with his experience and not know this is nonsense... It’s hurting America and it’s hurting people." "Sandy Cortez of Boston University; defining 'Justice' for America," remarked host Tucker Carlson, and asking Kennedy for his reaction:"I’m listening to the congresswoman and I’m thinking, no disrespect, but how does anyone get to be her age and believe that drivel?" They really do hate cops just because they’re cops." Kennedy said the left wing's vision of a nation without police would result in the U.S. becoming "a fantastic impression of Hell."

But he warned that the risk of carbon leakage "increases as the EU raises its climate ambition above that of its trading partners." Biden is expected to announce a new 2030 U.S. emissions goal this week, ahead of the climate summit of around 40 world leaders. That turns U.S. industry into a potential target of the EU’s trade measures. The White House has been sending urgent messages to the EU that it wants Brussels to put its CBAM policy in the deep freeze. If they feel discriminated by the EU's CBAM, it is unlikely they would wait for the WTO to decide whether the system is legal.

What both camps can agree on: A waiver by itself isn’t going to automatically help other manufacturers produce vaccines. Here’s the rundown of what you need to know:What is the waiver proposal and what would it do? Would passing the waiver allow more manufacturers to produce vaccines? In March, Rajinder Suri, CEO of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network, laid out the complexities at every step of the process, according to Health Policy Watch. Knowledge Ecology International has investigated this question, pulling together a spreadsheet of over 140 companies that currently manufacture vaccines and could potentially be drafted in to produce coronavirus vaccines.

Climate change is a defining challenge for our generation and a crisis multiplier. Leaders Summit on climate change, at the invitation of President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. I expect NATO leaders to agree an action plan at the NATO summit this year. First, we need to better understand the link between climate change and our security, so we can better address it. In addition to aggravating crises across the globe, climate change also affects where and how we operate.

Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, joins Lawrence O’Donnell to discuss the caucus’ meeting with President Biden and passing immigration reform in the Senate. Rep. Ruiz says, the president “truly, genuinely cares about Hispanic Americans … something we haven’t had in over four years.”

The House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday to prevent a president from ordering broad bans on travel into the U.S., a targeted attack on executive authority following former President Donald Trump’s ban on travel from mostly Muslim-majority nations. The chamber voted 218 to 208 in support of the bill, referred to as the No Ban Act, with one Republican joining all House Democrats. If enacted, it would limit the president’s ability to control immigration, place any travel bans under congressional oversight and mandate that they be temporary. Amid a prolonged legal battle, the White House was forced to amend the ban twice, and the Supreme Court upheld it by a vote of 5-4 in 2018. Biden had earlier promised to allow more than 60,000 refugees, and the White House has since walked back the restrictive number and said it would announce a new cap by mid-May.

The bill — known as the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act — seeks to assign a Justice Department official to expedite reviews of potential COVID-19-related hate crimes and establish an online database to track such crimes. Law enforcement officers deserve better that to be utilized as pawns. When Jordan continued to interrupt, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler stepped in in an attempt to restore order. "Mr. Jordan you don't know what the heck you're talking about," she said, accusing Jordan of using law enforcement officers as "pawns." The findings of a study released last month of police department statistics shows that hate crimes against Asian Americans rose by nearly 150 percent in 2020, despite hate crimes overall dropping by 7 percent.

They are well versed in law enforcement techniques, training and best practices among today’s law enforcement agencies." The inquiry into the Minneapolis Police Department is one of four open Justice Department investigations into law enforcement agencies. Some in the law enforcement community also support Gupta's confirmation and are optimistic that they will be heard. "Her confirmation will be huge among law enforcement and in the law enforcement community." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ launches Minneapolis police inquiry following Chauvin verdicts

Biden said that even gun owners support gun control measures – a statement at odds with the NRA’s recent investment. "The NRA is all-in on this fight," NRA spokeswoman Amy Hunter told Fox News. At least 12 states will be targets for the NRA campaign, but the group told Fox News that they are prepared to spend more, should they need to. The push for gun control measures by Democrats has again resurfaced following a violent series of mass shootings in California, Colorado, Georgia and Indiana. "Who in God's name needs a weapon that can hold 100 rounds, or 40 rounds, or 20 rounds," Biden said Friday.

The batch, reportedly enough to make about 15 million J&J vaccine doses, had to be thrown out. The nearly 8 million doses of J&J vaccine given in the U.S. came from Europe. The Biden administration now is working to move AstraZeneca vaccine manufacturing to another factory. At the moment, use of the J&J vaccine is on hold in the U.S. as government health officials investigate its possible connection to very rare blood clots. After the J&J vaccine batch was contaminated, FDA inspectors started checking the Emergent factory on April 12 and finished their investigation on Tuesday.

The U.S. Congress is moving with increasing urgency on bipartisan legislation to confront China and bolster competitiveness in technology and critical manufacturing with the Senate poised to act within weeks on a package of bills. Cornyn and other lawmakers want what Congress has already passed to be fully funded. “It’s a big, bold, bipartisan initiative” to propel the U.S. “into the 21st century,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. | REUTERSThe legislation has 14 sponsors, including Schumer and Young. Representatives Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, and Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, have introduced a companion bill in the House.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that all 40 world leaders invited to President Joe Biden's climate summit this week will attend, a list that includes Russian leader Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping. The White House argues any domestic interference or interference with foreign allies is a threat to the US. Chinese state media said Wednesday that Xi will give a speech on Thursday via video conference at Biden's global leaders climate summit. In addition to the president and world leaders, several Cabinet secretaries and business leaders will attend. The virtual Leaders Summit will be live streamed for public viewing, the White House noted in its announcement of the event.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been mocked for claiming that climate change is a product of racial injustice, as she relaunched her controversial Green New Deal. Ocasio-Cortez said that climate change must be viewed through the lens of race. 'The climate crisis is a crisis born of injustice, and it is a crisis born of the pursuit of profit at any and all human and ecological cost,' she said. Tucker Carlson and Mark Steyn laughed at Ocasio-Cortez's claim on Wednesday nightCarlson agreed, adding: 'Climate change is racism is indigenous rights is infrastructure - it's all bad, give me power.' Initially introduced in 2019, the Green New Deal was relaunched ahead of Joe Biden's climate summit, to be held virtually on Thursday and Friday.

Yasin Akgul/Getty Images People hold posters picturing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and lightened candles during a gathering outside the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, on October 25, 2018. The US House of representatives voted 350-71 to pass a measure that would restrict US arms sales to Saudi Arabia. This bill is in part in response to the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The US House of representatives voted 350-71 to pass a measure that would restrict US arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The bill would hold the White House accountable for providing reports to Congress about the repression of dissidents and journalists in Saudi Arabia.

We’ve known for some time that Senate Republicans were laying the groundwork to obstruct the new administration, particularly when it came to opposing President Biden’s Cabinet nominees. Obstruction threatened national security, public healthInstead of moving to quickly confirm key Cabinet posts, Senate Republicans sat on their hands — national security and public health be damned. Another top target for Senate Republicans was Congresswoman Deb Haaland, President Biden’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior. Despite their best efforts, Senate Republicans’ attempts to sink or damage Biden’s nominees ultimately failed because the American people saw through them. Instead of celebrating the administration’s many historic confirmations, Senate Republicans spent months delaying, obstructing, and attacking these nominees to protect the needs of their special interest donors.

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration has suggested it would reduce deforestation to the Amazon rainforest if the Biden administration pays the country $1 billion. Illegal activity against the Amazon rainforest is common with parcels of the rainforest even being listed for sale on Facebook. “We need to focus on the people, the 23 or 25 million people who live in the Amazon,” Salles said. Foreign aid could help cut deforestation entirely in the Amazon rainforest by 2030, Brazil says, according to WSJ. Brazil made this request before the virtual climate summit between dozens of countries that is set to take place on Thursday and Friday.

Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is among five Republican lawmakers pressing the Biden administration to publicly release FBI and CIA documents that they say may disclose the Saudi government’s possible involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks. Malliotakis, and four other Republican members of Congress, sent a letter Wednesday on behalf of 9/11 victims’ families to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling on the Department of Justice to declassify and publish the reports. The documents have been sought by families of 9/11 victims who are suing Saudi Arabia. The representatives have sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland on the behalf of 9/11 victims’ families. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks, though 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday sternly warned the West against encroaching further on Russia’s security interests, saying Moscow’s response will be "quick and tough" and make the culprits bitterly sorry for their action. But the Kremlin also has warned Ukraine against trying to use force to retake control of the rebel-held east, saying Russia could be forced to intervene to protect civilians in the region. "But if some mistake our good intentions for indifference or weakness and intend to burn or even blow up those bridges themselves, Russia’s response will be asymmetrical, quick and tough." "Russia has its own interests, which we will defend in line with the international law," Putin said during Wednesday’s address. Belarusian and Russian security agencies arrested the alleged coup plotters in Moscow earlier this month.

Earlier in the week, Waters, 82, flew to the Twin Cities to join protesters in Brooklyn Center, Minn."We're looking for a guilty verdict... On Fox Nation, Lahren asked whether the jurors in the case made their "guilty" verdict following a 10-hour deliberation based on merit. On Tuesday, prior to the verdict, Omar claimed Chauvin's trial was a "closed case" and that an acquittal or insufficient conviction "shouldn't really be a question." Fox Nation programs are viewable on-demand and from your mobile device app, but only for Fox Nation subscribers. Go to Fox Nation to watch the extensive library from Tomi Lahren, Pete Hegseth, Abby Hornacek, Laura Ingraham, Ainsley Earhardt, Greg Gutfeld, and many more of your favorite Fox News personalities.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki had an uncomfortable exchange with a reporter Wednesday after he asked whether President Biden "acknowledges his own role" in what the president described as "systemic racism" in America. At Wednesday's briefing, New York Post reporter Steve Nelson confronted Psaki about whether the president contributed to "systemic racism" during his decades-long tenure in the Senate. "[Biden is] an architect of multiple federal laws in the 1980s and ’90s that disproportionately jailed Black people and contributed to what many people see as systemic racism," Nelson said. To what extent does President Biden acknowledge his own role in systemic racism? CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPNelson followed up by asking Psaki whether Biden believes "it’s important to accept his own culpability" for perpetuating systemic racism.

For the last two buckets, the White House is leaning on local leaders and non-political validators to reach them. But the White House concedes that a Democratic administration isn’t the best messenger for them or necessarily the moveable middle. Our goal isn’t to elevate us, it’s to get shots in arms,” a White House official said. “I think we've had too many instances of people saying, ‘Well, if you don't get this vaccine, you're just stupid’. Administration officials say they continue to be hopeful that over the long term, people will see the decision to pause the J&J vaccine as proof the system worked.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker had 19 and Mikal Bridges 18 to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 116-113 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. The Sixers again played without starters Ben Simmons (unspecified illness) and Tobias Harris (right knee). Embiid even left in the third when he appeared to slam his left knee on the court and sat behind the basket with a towel around his leg. Embiid has missed 18 games this season with injuries that include a bone bruise on his right knee that cost him 11 games after the All-Star break, back tightness and right knee pain. Suns: Count Rivers among the fans of Suns coach, and former 76ers assistant, Monty Williams.

Administration officials had not informed Turkey as of Wednesday, and Biden could still change his mind, according to one official. Lawmakers and Armenian-American activists are lobbying Biden to make the announcement on or before Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, which will be marked on Saturday. “The shameful silence of the United States Government on the historic fact of the Armenian Genocide has gone on for too long, and it must end,” the lawmakers wrote. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal first reported that Biden is preparing to acknowledge the genocide. He noted that the sting of former President Barack Obama not following through on his 2008 campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide still lingers for many in the Armenian diaspora.

One never knows how a confirmation hearing will go these days, especially one for a young outsider nominated to an important position despite challenging the status quo and big business. Lina Khan, just such a person up for the position of FTC Commissioner, had a surprisingly pleasant time of it during today's Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing — possibly because her iconoclastic approach to antitrust makes for good politics these days. Lina Khan, commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) nominee for U.S. President Joe Biden, speaks during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C. (This was a very polite way of saying common carriage and existing antitrust rules are totally unsuitable for the job.) So at the very least ensuring the agencies are doing everything they can to keep pace is gonna be important."

Rather, its economic successes have only allowed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to tighten its authoritarian grip at home and flex its muscles abroad. We see this belief manifesting itself most notably and most recently in the United States’ efforts to engage with China on environmental issues. Contra this statement, China is primed to increase its already world-beating emissions over the next several years. Both marks fall well short of the protection that the United States’ Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines all provide after one dose. The United States would be making a grave mistake by not pursuing a diplomatic boycott along the lines of what Senator Mitt Romney is proposing to counter this forthcoming charm offensive.

Newsletter Get our free Coronavirus Today newsletter Sign up for the latest news, best stories and what they mean for you, plus answers to your questions. Also on Wednesday, new research was published that bolsters evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for pregnant women. That group has said previously that COVID-19 vaccination should be available to pregnant women and to those who are breastfeeding. “Everyone, including pregnant women and those seeking to become pregnant, should get a COVID-19 vaccine. AdvertisementYour questions answeredToday’s question comes from readers who want to know: How long will the COVID-19 vaccine protect me?

Advertisement“The organizers of any provocations threatening the fundamental interests of our security will regret their deeds more than they have regretted anything in a long time,” Putin told a hall of governors and members of Parliament. Some analysts had speculated that Putin might use his annual state of the nation address to announce a pretext for sending troops into Ukraine. But that possible outcome did not come to pass, even as Russia’s enormous military presence near Ukraine’s borders showed no sign of receding. Instead, Putin spent most of his speech on domestic issues, acknowledging Russians’ discontent with the hardships of the pandemic. And in Russia’s southwest, Putin has built up a military force, the Kremlin has indicated, that could be prepared to move into neighboring Ukraine.

House Democrats moved Wednesday to try to prevent that from happening. That can’t be allowed to happen again.”WASHINGTON — Pamela Raghebi of Seattle blames former President Donald Trump’s travel ban for keeping her separated from her husband, Afshin, a native of Iran, for three frustrating years. President Joe Biden, who reversed Trump’s travel bans after taking office, is backing the legislation. But the statement said the administration reserved the right to restrict travel from specific countries if necessary. “Many were denied the right to counsel.”Still, the legislation comes at a difficult political moment for Biden and Democrats on immigration.

WASHINGTON — More than a century after the Ottoman Empire’s killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian civilians, President Joe Biden is preparing to declare that the atrocities were an act of genocide, according to officials familiar with the internal debate. Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian of Armenia said in an interview Wednesday that “the recognition by the United States will be a kind of moral beacon to many countries.”“This is not about Armenia and Turkey,” Aivazian said. Past American presidents have held back from the declaration for that very reason, and Biden could still change his mind about issuing it. AdvertisementHe said the genocide designation would serve as a reminder to the rest of the world if malign values are not countered. “And we will be witnessing less tragedies, less human losses, once the United States will reaffirm its moral leadership in these turbulent times.”This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Interior Department is cancelling oil and gas lease sales from public lands through June amid an ongoing review of how the program contributes to climate change, officials said Wednesday. The burning of oil, gas and coal from government-owned lands and waters is a top source of U.S. emissions, accounting for 24% of the nation’s greenhouse gases. Oil and gas account for the biggest chunk of human-caused fossil fuel emissions from federal lands following a drilling surge under former President Donald Trump. The federal government took in about $5 billion last year in royalties and other payments on oil and gas from federal lands, according to the Office of Natural Resources Revenue. Another legal challenge against the administration is pending from oil and gas industry groups, also in federal court in Wyoming.

PHILADELPHIA - (AP) -- Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker had 19 and Mikal Bridges 18 to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 116-113 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. The Sixers again played without starters Ben Simmons (unspecified illness) and Tobias Harris (right knee). Embiid even left in the third when he appeared to slam his left knee on the court and sat behind the basket with a towel around his leg. Embiid has missed 18 games this season with injuries that include a bone bruise on his right knee that cost him 11 games after the All-Star break, back tightness and right knee pain. Suns: Count Rivers among the fans of Suns coach, and former 76ers assistant, Monty Williams.

The Justice Department is taking new aim at ransomware after a year that officials say was the costliest on record for the crippling cyberattacks. Ransomware attacks have impeded hospital operations, led to the temporary closure of school classes and caused other chaos. The Justice Department has brought indictments related to ransomware attacks, including a 2018 case against two Iranian nationals whose many victims included the cities of Atlanta and Newark, N.J., and resulted in losses of $30 million. The task force will include representatives from the Justice Department’s criminal and national security divisions, among others. The Wall Street Journal was first to report creation of the task force.

But Collins and Scrase indicated that the state won't pursue any vaccination card mandates. Scrase said that kind of regulation might unintentionally shut out groups that have less access to the vaccine because of a low income, lack of computer access or transportation problems. New Mexico is among the top states for vaccine distribution, with nearly 40% of residents 16 and older fully vaccinated as of Wednesday. Health officials reported an uptick in positive daily COVID-19 tests to a rolling seven-day average of 219 on Tuesday. And nine counties out of 33 went back to tighter restrictions on indoor gatherings and business operations based on increases in indicators of confirmed COVID-19 infections.

The relationship between Biden and Erdogan is off to a chilly start. More than three months into his presidency, Biden has yet to speak with him. Biden during the campaign last year drew ire from Turkish officials after an interview with The New York Times in which he spoke about supporting Turkey’s opposition against “autocrat” Erdogan. Erdogan enjoyed a warm relationship with former President Donald Trump, who didn’t give him any lectures about Turkey’s human rights record. “But they’re proving to be not such a good friend."

Lawmakers and Armenian-American activists are lobbying Biden to make the announcement on or before Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, which will be marked on Saturday. “The shameful silence of the United States government on the historic fact of the Armenian genocide has gone on for too long, and it must end,” the lawmakers wrote. Should Biden follow through, he’ll almost certainly face pushback from Turkey, which has successfully pressed previous presidents to sidestep the issue. “But they’re proving to be not such a good friend.”Hamparian said he’s hopeful that Biden will follow through. He noted that the sting of Barack Obama not following through on his 2008 campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide still lingers for many in the Armenian diaspora.

The meeting, and others hosted by Sonnenfeld, have been criticized as pushing business leaders down a dangerous path, and urging an unnecessary political stance. Not all business leaders agree with Sonnenfeld's defense of 'woke' corporate policies. It's also not the clergy, sadly, as much as it is business leaders.' Sonnenfeld also argued that business leaders could no longer stay silent about social issues. 'I think that business leaders recognize that.'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) linked on Tuesday both historic and ongoing injustices to the global challenge of climate change. among others to promote and refocus the Green New Deal, a climate initiative first announced in 2019. Originally, the Green New Deal called on the U.S. to lead the planet to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. "We must recognize in legislation that the trampling of indigenous rights is a cause of climate change, that the trampling of racial justice is a cause of climate change," Ocasio-Cortez continued. President Biden is set to host a virtual climate summit beginning Thursday in an effort to ensure support from the global community in engaging the climate crisis.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on his plan to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, at the White House, Washington, U.S., April 14, 2021. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERSU.S. President Joe Biden is expected to formally recognize the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War One as an act of genocide, sources said on Wednesday, a move likely to infuriate Ankara and further strain already frayed ties between the two NATO allies. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday told reporters the White House would likely have "more to say" about the issue on Saturday, but declined to elaborate. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the White House National Security Council had no comment beyond what Psaki said. Any move by Biden to recognize the mass killings as a genocide will further harm already strained ties between the NATO allies, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

The US House of representatives voted 350-71 to pass a measure that would restrict US arms sales to Saudi Arabia. This bill is in part in response to the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The US House of representatives voted 350-71 to pass a measure that would restrict US arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The bill would hold the White House accountable for providing reports to Congress about the repression of dissidents and journalists in Saudi Arabia. The bill would also include a 120 day halt of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, with the potential for that ban to be extended for three years.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris listens as President Joe Biden speaks about the status of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccinations and the administration's ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2021. REUTERS/Tom BrennerVice President Kamala Harris will meet virtually on Monday with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei to discuss solutions to the increase in migration to the U.S. border with Mexico, a White House official said on Wednesday. The vice president said last week that she intended to visit Mexico and Guatemala soon as part of her plan to use diplomatic efforts to slow the migration. read more"They will discuss working together to address immediate relief needs of the Guatemalan people as well as deepening cooperation on migration," the White House official said of the discussion with Giammattei. read moreOn Tuesday, Harris will participate in a virtual roundtable with representatives from Guatemalan-community based organizations, the official said.

There, it took part in exercises with Italian and Moroccan naval forces. Col. Dave Butler, a spokesman for General Milley, declined to comment on the carrier request. Bill Urban, a spokesman for Central Command, also declined to comment. But when this repeatedly happens, the long-term health and readiness of the fleet can erode, jeopardizing the Navy’s ability to meet future missions. A Defense Department official said this week that it remained an open question whether American troops would have to fight their way out of Afghanistan or whether the withdrawal would be peaceful.

That's because, she said, scientists expect vaccine-induced immunity against the virus will decrease over time. He also said it's possible people will need to get additional shots each year. On Friday, Andy Slavitt, senior advisor to President Joe Biden's Covid response team, said the White House is preparing for the potential need for Covid-19 vaccine booster shots. Last week, the Biden administration's Covid response chief science officer, David Kessler, said Americans should expect to receive booster shots to protect against coronavirus variants. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told CNBC last week that the company hopes to have a booster shot for its two-dose vaccine available in the fall.

The Justice Department will examine whether the Minneapolis police routinely use excessive force or treat minorities unfairly. The inquiry will also scrutinize police training and accountability practices, among other issues. “Good officers do not want to work in systems that allow bad practices,” Mr. Garland said in brief remarks delivered at the Justice Department. “Officers welcome accountability because accountability is an essential part of building trust with the community and public safety requires public trust.”The Minneapolis police have long faced accusations of racism. Black residents are more likely to be pulled over, arrested or roughed up than white residents.

President Biden had an opportunity after the guilty verdict in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial to reassure Americans that our legal system works and that justice had been done. No one defended Derek Chauvin. The prosecution of Chauvin isn’t enough, because, for the progressives and Black Lives Matter, it will never be enough. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin listens to his verdict being read on April 20, 2021. He’s an uncle all right, he’s the one who shouts Black Lives Matter talking points at the Thanksgiving table.

Advertisement“Tell Joe Manchin to reject President Biden’s extreme gun-control agenda,” the ads say, targeted to each state’s senators. The NRA spent millions to defeat Hagan that year. Story continues below advertisement“Our efforts will eclipse $2 million opposing Joe Biden’s gun-control agenda and the nomination of radical gun control lobbyist David Chipman to head ATF,” Arulanandam said. Though the NRA has filed for bankruptcy protection, faces legal challenges and infighting, it has also been expanding its membership and income. The election of Biden and the prospect of gun-control measures has inspired contributions and activism, officials said.

But Hunt’s attorney, Jan Rostal, told jurors Wednesday that the people targeted by her client’s alleged threats did not even know about his social media posts. Rostal likened Hunt’s performance to that of a famous comedic actor who often breaks character during skits on live television. AdvertisementStory continues below advertisement“He’s like Pete Davidson on [“Saturday Night Live”] but not as good,” she argued. “The defendant’s threats were specific, they were scary and they were violent,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Navarro told the jury. “We’re not voting in another rigged election,” the alleged social media comments continued.

Participants include Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union, all signatories to the original agreement along with Iran and the United States. The United States’ European allies in the group have shuttled back and forth between the two to answer questions and convey negotiating terms. AdvertisementFor the United States, compliance is more difficult. “We understand that lifting of some sanctions will have to come from a return to the JCPOA,” the official said. Pompeo spoke at a news conference at which congressional Republicans unveiled what they called the “Maximum Pressure Act,” aimed at preserving all existing sanctions against Iran and adding more.

Some public health officials said the development reassured Americans that the government paid close attention to vaccine safety. Average daily shots plunged by more than 30 percent in Georgia and South Carolina over the past week. Health officials in these places said they had not expected such anti-vaccine antipathy. “They don’t have demand for it among their clientele anymore.”Nearly half of Iowa’s counties rejected vaccine doses, state officials reported Wednesday, as Gov. But experts say vaccine doses need to be shipped in smaller packaging so they can be spread out among more facilities and doctors without going to waste.

Democrats and civil rights activists, meanwhile, said they would push to pass legislation by the first anniversary of Floyd’s death on May 25. the best strategy is to provide the space for those conversations to happen privately, and that’s part of our objective,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. “So we definitely have to get something done.”Still, similar efforts to revise policing practices last summer fell victim to election-year politics. But influential civil rights leaders in close communication with the administration signaled that it could be a red line. Both Bass and civil rights advocates said that they want legislation sent to the White House by May 25, or before Chauvin’s sentencing, which is expected in about two months.

The head of the United States' nuclear arsenal issued a chilling warning on Capitol Hill this week about the country's ability to deter nuclear war. In a tweet, STRATCOM warned the threat of nuclear war is greater today. The report also recommends discontinuing plans to build new nuclear missiles to replace the aging Minuteman III. "The United States should continue to extend the operational life of the Minuteman III missiles and should not build the new GBSD missile." At the hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., called the idea of getting rid of nuclear weapons a "fanciful idea."

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined "Fox Business Tonight" Wednesday to discuss Thursday's U.S.-led climate change summit, which will provide the setting for the first meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. POMPEO: My expectation is we’ll hear what we’ve heard from the Chinese Communist Party before, a series of commitments that they have absolutely no intention of honoring. They have broken more promises over these last years, including a promise to President Obama that they wouldn’t militarize the South China Sea. One of the things that we [Trump administration] were careful to do was that we didn’t make commitments, we didn’t make threats that we weren’t prepared to execute or deliver on. We [the Trump administration] took the opposite approach.

And yet, one can count on his or her hand the number of Republican lawmakers who, while in office, changed their position on gun control legislation during that period of time. I asked a series of gun control advocacy groups to help me compile a list. Peter King, the former Republican New York congressman who supported gun control legislation, recalled trying to talk some of his GOP colleagues into backing those bills. “There is a paradox that has always bedeviled the gun debate,” Jim Kessler, a longtime gun control advocate, said. Peter Ambler, the executive director of the gun control group Giffords, noted that more voters and politicians became comfortable with gay marriage as they began to know people who were gay and out.

But even well-intentioned countries are liable to miss, or to manipulate, their climate targets, whatever they say. Kerry got verbiage from the Chinese about tackling climate change “with the seriousness and urgency that it demands.”This is a great coup, just not how Kerry imagines. Regardless, it’s not clear how high the Chinese emissions peak is going to be, or what the trajectory will be after it hits it. In political terms, it is an eon from now and no one can say what crises will potentially have emerged to overwhelm the current obsession with climate change. To do more than nibbling around the edges of climate change would require restrictions on economic activity too onerous to contemplate.

Officials in Columbus, Ohio, have identified the police officer who, on Tuesday afternoon, fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl. Woods said Ma’Khia appeared to have threatened two other girls with a knife before Reardon fired his weapon. pic.twitter.com/vhBauZn3Kc — Lacey Crisp (@LaceyCrisp) April 21, 2021In body camera footage of the shooting, an officer identified as Reardon can be seen emerging from his vehicle to encounter a confrontation on a residential street. Columbus police released body camera footage of Ma’Khia’s death on Tuesday night and additional footage on Wednesday. “My daughter dispatched Columbus police for protection, not to be a homicide today,” Paula Bryant, who identified herself as Ma’Khia’s mother, told reporters.

New Mexico prepares to fight vaccine hesitancy in some areasSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials said Wednesday that they are preparing to respond to pockets of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in some communities at the same time that overall interest increases. Health Secretary Tracie Collins said the state is exploring recruiting “community champions” — trusted residents of regions with vaccine hesitancy who can address concerns about safety and effectiveness. “We’ve got a lot of work we’re going to be doing these next few weeks to really get ahead of this vaccine hesitancy,” Collins said. She said precise statistics showing the vaccine hesitancy trends are not yet ready to be released. Health officials reported an uptick in positive daily COVID-19 tests to a rolling seven-day average of 219 on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is poised to formally recognize the Armenian genocide of the early 20th century, U.S. officials said, a rare step that would further inflame ties with Turkey. Biden is expected to describe as genocide the deportation, starvation and massacres of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks beginning in 1915, the officials said.

AxiosColumbus police on Wednesday identified the officer who fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl, saying officer Nicholas Reardon fired his weapon after Bryant threatened two other girls with a knife. "We know based on this footage the officer took action to protect another young girl in our community," Mayor Andrew Ginther said at a briefing. In new footage shared by police on Wednesday, "Reardon can be seen emerging from his vehicle as Bryant appears to chase someone," per the Post. The officer fires four shots at the girl," the Post added. "White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Wednesday that President Biden had been briefed on the “tragic” shooting.“She was a child.

It may seem odd to focus on the one outlier at a conference intended to boost climate ambitions ahead of a larger United Nations climate summit in November. But instead of snubbing Bolsonaro, President Joe Biden has used his first few months in the White House to urge Bolsonaro to reclaim Brazil’s former mantle as a global leader in the fight against climate change. (Photo: EVARISTO SA via Getty Images)There’s a clear logic behind Biden’s climate entreaties to Brazil. Few countries are more important in the battle to curb carbon emissions, and any attempt to stem the effects of climate change is harder ? perhaps even impossible ? without South America’s largest nation at the table. Biden’s victory forced a slight change in tune in Brazil: Bolsonaro fired his foreign minister, who had described climate change as a Marxist plot.

Delegates from the Brazilian government have been negotiating a deal with Mr Biden’s climate team since February. The rightwing firebrand Mr Bolsonaro, who was elected in October 2018 and entered office in January 2019, sent a letter to Mr Biden on 14 April vowing to end illegal deforestation by 2030. Governors in 23 out of Brazil’s 27 states will send a letter to Mr Biden as he hosts a virtual climate summit on Thursday and Friday with dozens of world leaders. The governor of Brazil’s most populous state, São Paulo, told Time that Mr Bolsonaro “won’t even try” to keep his deforestation promise. They argue that without these checks, Mr Bolsonaro could use the infusion of cash to take a stranglehold on the rainforest and boost his allies.

But while corporations such as Microsoft, Target, and Starbucks have made specific promises to hire more Black workers, a majority of large companies still haven’t set quantifiable diversity goals. Twenty-two S&P 100 companies have joined the OneTen Coalition, pledging to add a million middle-income jobs for Black workers in a decade. The more than 100 Black directors added to S&P 500 boards since the protests of Floyd’s death represent a record-setting pace, executive recruiter Russell Reynolds said in late February. Raytheon Technologies on Monday appointed venture capitalist Bernard Harris Jr. to its board, the first Black person to walk in space. Nasdaq is proposing requiring listing companies to either have diverse board membership or explain the lack of diversity.

US President Joe Biden will aim to kick-start a crucial year of action on climate change today as he hosts 40 world leaders at an Earth Day summit. The pledge and the summit represent a concerted US effort to reclaim credibility and leadership on climate change after four years of inaction under Donald Trump. Many observers were pleased that China, the world's largest polluter, used the word "crisis" to describe climate change for the first time. China has been reluctant, arguing that as a developing nation, reaching net zero emissions by 2060 is the best it can do. Sky News broadcasts the first daily prime time news show dedicated to climate change.

Pressure is mounting on the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to publicly release documents pertaining to the role of the Saudi government in the September 11 terror attacks ahead of the 20th anniversary. Deutch and Mast have previously been involved in the effort to publicly release the files, while the other Republicans have newly signed on. Brett Eagleson, a leading 9/11 family member who lost his father in the World Trade Center, applauded the lawmakers' help. Gillibrand asked that this happen in the next two weeks, with Wray replying that a forthcomng release was 'consistent with that rough timeframe.' A renewed effort to see the 9/11 documents came in March after the Biden administration released documents in late February that said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

California had taken advantage of a provision under the US Clean Air Act that permits states to set fuel-economy standards that go beyond federal rules. But in 2019 Trump, who had already withdrawn the United States from the Paris climate accord, announced on Twitter that his government was repealing California's federal exemption. California immediately challenged Trump's decision in court, along with more than 20 other states. The Biden administration has decided to reverse Trump's move, according to the Journal, which cited "people briefed on those plans." The Department of Transportation, the paper said, could withdraw its legal defense against the states' challenge as soon as Friday.

NATIONALThe captured image from the website of the US Department of State shows department spokesman Ned Price speaking in a daily press briefing at the State Department in Washington on Wednesday. "However, he insisted the US has already done more than any others to help other countries. "We're looking at what is going to be done with some of the vaccines that we are not using. We're going to try to help some more," said Biden, referring to Canada. "But there's other countries as well that I'm confident we can help, including in Central America.

The captured image from the website of the US Department of State shows department spokesman Ned Price speaking in a daily press briefing at the State Department in Washington on Wednesday. (Captured from websited of US Department of State)The United States is currently focused on vaccinating its own people for the COVID-19 pandemic but may be able to help other countries in the future, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday. Chung expressed hope on Wednesday (Seoul time) that the United States would help his country address its vaccine shortage. COVAX stands for COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, a global initiative partly led by the World Health Organization to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries. Price also argued the world has an interest in seeing the virus contained in the United States, "because after all, the United States has been hardest hit of any country in the world."

Washington — The House will vote Thursday on a bill to admit Washington, D.C., as the 51st state, although the measure is likely to fail in the evenly divided Senate. For the bill's advocates, D.C. statehood is a civil rights issue. But while those two states each have two senators and a representative in the House, D.C. has no voting representation in Congress. The fight for D.C. statehood is not new — it's been around since the country's creation, with both parties spearheading the charge at different times. Senate Democrats introduced a companion bill to the House measure in January, which has 38 cosponsors in the Senate, including Schumer.

These are the findings of a review of nearly 4,000 election integrity violation reports submitted to the Nevada secretary of state by the state Republican Party. The Nevada Republican Party delivered four boxes worth of reports to the secretary’s office in March. “Many of the complaints submitted were already under investigation by law enforcement.”One allegation was 8,842 Nevada voters registered with commercial addresses. Several lawsuits alleging widespread voter fraud in Nevada in the most recent election were thrown out of court last year. Former Attorney General Bill Barr, a Republican, said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Biden is set to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide on Saturday, the NYT reported. Turkey has urged Biden against recognizing the killings as genocide at a time when the dynamic between Washington and Ankara is already historically contentious. The step Biden is reportedly set to take would be more official and occur in concert with Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, which happens every year on April 24. In other words, the word "genocide" is fundamentally linked to what happened to the Armenians during World War I. But recognizing the Armenian genocide would signify that when it comes to US-Turkey relations, Biden is prioritizing human rights over keeping Ankara happy.

Biden Says Goal Of 200 Million COVID-19 Vaccinations In 100 Days Has Been MetEnlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/APPresident Biden announced Wednesday that Americans have received 200 million COVID-19 vaccinations since he took office, double his initial goal of 100 million vaccinations in his first 100 days, and what he called "an incredible achievement for the nation." Biden, who will officially cross the 100-day mark next week, also announced the availability of tax credits to employers who give their workers paid leave to get a shot. "No working American should lose a single dollar from their paycheck because they are doing their patriotic duty to get vaccinated," Biden said. As of Monday, the administration said everyone 16 and over in every state and territory is now eligible to get vaccinated. But he conceded that "we still have some work to do" to get more Americans vaccinated, saying that "the broad swath of Americans hasn't received a shot."

Biden pushing plans as US returns to climate fightPresident Joe Biden convenes a climate summit with 40 world leaders confronted by Donald Trump's legacy of climate inaction. Responding to public sentiment, many U.S. states, cities and companies have taken action into their own hands.

It shouldn't be anytime soon, flight attendants say. The union, which represents flight attendants at airlines including United, Alaska, Spirit and Frontier, recently began doling out stickers to vaccinated flight attendants. U.S. airlines have required passengers to wear masks for nearly a year and repeatedly asked for a federal mask mandate to help them enforce it on flights. He said the federal mask mandate will likely be extended but can't be extended forever. He asked Dr. Leonard Marcus, director of the Aviation Public Health Initiative at the Harvard T.H.

Doug Ducey (R) on Wednesday called on President Biden to do something to quell the illegal immigration “emergency” at the southern border. He said the Arizona National Guard initially would be concentrated in the Yuma area, but could be sent to additional areas along the border amid the surge of illegal migrants at the border. Yesterday I declared a state of emergency at the border and I announced we’re deploying the National Guard. Doug Ducey defended his decision to declare a state of emergency and deploy the national guard at the US-Mexico border. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, FileDucey’s order was met with praise from GOP lawmakers, who argued the Biden administration has failed to address the situation.

WASHINGTON — A day after a white Minneapolis police officer was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, a Black man, lawmakers in both parties said they were cautiously optimistic that the verdict could provide new momentum in Congress to overcome the hurdles that have thwarted a far-reaching police overhaul. In a speech on Tuesday night at the White House, President Biden formally called on lawmakers to resurrect the bill known as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, Democrats’ expansive measure to address the use of excessive force and racial discrimination, pledging to sign it into law “as quickly as possible.” The bill, co-written by Vice President Kamala Harris when she was a senator, has languished for almost a year amid partisan differences. “We’re going to stay at it until we get it done,” the president assured Mr. Floyd’s family in call after the verdict. On Capitol Hill, key lawmakers in both parties said on Wednesday that the conviction may have opened a rare window of opportunity to break the stalemate. In the clearest sign of progress, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, Republicans’ lead emissary on the issue, said that a bipartisan group of lawmakers was “on the verge” of a compromise in the coming weeks, although the details were murky.

Yet a month and a half later, new coronavirus cases in Texas have fallen by more than 50 percent, and daily deaths have dropped even more. Meanwhile, states with stricter COVID-19 regulations have seen spikes in daily new cases. Florida, a state often criticized as lax, also has seen a significant increase in daily new cases: 34 percent since mid-March. In any event, COVID-19 surges are happening mainly in states with more legal restrictions than Florida or Texas is imposing. But several systematic studies have cast doubt on the effectiveness of broad legal restrictions.

The Issue: Former Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict in the murder of George Floyd. Last May, when I first saw the video of Derek Chauvin with his knee on the back of George Floyd’s neck, I was angry (“Guilty,” April 21). Ron Spurga, ManhattanThe Chauvin guilty verdict was a just one. Matt EngelWilkes-Barre, Pa.President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the nation after the Chauvin verdict (“ ‘Stain on our soul,’ ” April 21). I am OK with Biden’s verbal approval of the guilty verdict in the Chauvin trial.

President Biden on Wednesday warned Americans they may have to cancel “small” outdoor gatherings on the Fourth of July if there’s a slowdown of COVID-19 vaccinations. But Biden said at the White House that he’s not yet comfortable saying people can hold small outdoor gatherings on Independence Day. We all need to mask up until the number of cases goes down, until everyone has a chance to get their shot.”Biden proposed in a March primetime address that people could host “small” outdoor gatherings for the summer holiday. Science says small gatherings outdoors is fine.”Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said “the president’s proclamation was far out of step with what’s already happening across the country.”In March, Biden said Americans likely could hold small gatherings to celebrate in July. “”Americans are already getting together in small groups outdoors in blue states and red states, in small towns and big cities.

Scott’s bill could have been the basis of bipartisan compromise. Rather than work with Scott, Democratic leaders attacked him. One said that 12 people stood up and said, ‘We should vote on Tim Scott’s bill and, frankly, we should quit demonizing the bill.’” That would have been enough to overcome a filibuster. Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.) — voted to advance Scott’s bill, killing any chance of passing police reform. to pass bipartisan education reform, Biden should reach out to Scott to work with him on bipartisan police reform.

Mr. Biden’s pledge to the global community nearly doubles President Barack Obama’s 2015 Paris commitment of 26 to 28 percent by 2025. The quickly changing economics of power generation will aid this shift, as the costs of wind and solar power have plummeted. The United States will require new transmission lines to send electricity from where the wind is blowing, and the sun is shining to where it is not. Much of Mr. Biden’s plan, such as his proposed new spending on energy research and building new power lines, is badly needed. Mr. Biden must show that big goals like his new Paris commitment can be met, and in an orderly and efficient manner.

This slow-motion torment echoes horrific episodes from the Soviet prison system, even in its more “liberal” post-Stalin version. Western officials, including senior representatives of the Biden administration, are warning the Kremlin — in somewhat macabre fashion — that there will be consequences if Navalny dies. Rather than waiting to memorialize Navalny after the fact, the West must take steps to prevent his death. Indeed, it was suggested by Navalny himself during a European Parliament hearing late last year. Before his arrest in January, Navalny helped compile a list of business tycoons who should be prioritized for immediate sanctions.

“America has a long history of systemic racism,” Harris told the nation in a televised speech at the White House. “Black Americans, and Black men in particular, have been treated through the course of our history as less than human. In her remarks Tuesday night, Harris tried to thread the needle between marking the progress represented by the guilty verdict and the progress the nation still needs to make. He was part of a group of Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders who met with Biden and Harris after the mass shooting. Story continues below advertisementStill, one looming question is whether she can deliver concrete action as well as soaring words.

Atlantic staff writer Derek Thompson called for governments to give an "off-ramp" to normalcy by getting rid of outdoor mask rules. "Ending outdoor mask mandates—or at the very least telling people when they can expect outdoor mask mandates to lift—is a good place to start, for a few reasons." Thompson noted that axing outdoor mask rules would also lead more people to wear them indoors, where transmission is most likely to occur. Charlie Baker, R., for instituting an outdoor mask mandate in November in response to a surge in cases, and said its "ongoing ubiquity is meaningless political theater." DIRE PREDICTIONS BY MEDIA, POLITICIANS ABOUT TEXAS LIFTING MASK MANDATE HAVEN'T COME TO FRUITIONThe Biden administration has repeatedly pushed for mask mandates across the country.

Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., accused the Biden administration of blocking the annual Rolling to Remember motorcycle rally, a 30-year-plus Memorial Day tradition for veterans that has always been staged in the Pentagon parking lot. "But the Biden Administration seems intent on restricting that freedom, and now, even restricting Memorial Day ceremonies. Preventing a tradition like Rolling to Remember flies in the face of the freedoms that so many have died to protect." "The Pentagon Parking lot has been used as a staging ground for Memorial Day events for decades. "The event is now only a month away, and further delays could jeopardize this important Memorial Day event."

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCorporate America takes center stage in climate change fightPresident Biden is serious about tackling climate change. He plans to get the U.S. to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Diana Olick joins 'The News with Shepard Smith' to discuss.

(CNN) Remember when we all thought we had to wash our vegetables to remove possible contamination from the novel coronavirus? In those frantic early months of the pandemic, routes of transmission of the virus were not well-characterized. Everything and anything seemed a potential danger, from touching a countertop to eating an apple to walking in the street. It turns out that airborne transmission of the virus is much more likely than transmission from surfaces, especially porous ones. It -- the CDC -- did not dissuade people from the sort of over-sanitizing that can be dangerous.

(CNN) On Tuesday, the world let out a sigh of relief when former officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd nearly a year ago. Critics reacting to Waters' support of street demonstrations for Black citizenship and dignity have willfully reinterpreted her words as advocating violence. Voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer faced death threats , physical violence from law enforcement and unspeakable forms of harassment during the 1960s and 1970s. In the meantime, Black people continue to be shot, to be brutalized and to die at the hands of the police. She calls upon this nation to devote resources, energy and innovation to protecting Black lives in Minneapolis and across the country.

In 2017, a pair of senior Democratic lawmakers first introduced legislation designed to create the nation’s first comprehensive child care system. It would establish the kind of permanent, national child care system that, until recently, was almost impossible to contemplate getting through Congress. The Problems Of American Child Care Are LegendaryFinding affordable, quality child care has never been easy in this country, and the challenge has always hit lower-income families the hardest. Another factor pushing child care to the top of the agenda has been the persistent, behind-the-scenes work of advocacy and research organizations documenting the costs of America’s weak child care system, both in terms of child welfare and to the economy as a whole. The primary impetus for linking child care subsidies to the salaries of providers is the realization that child care workers are grotesquely underpaid, given the importance of their job.

A growing number of governors in Texas, Florida and Arizona have announced executive orders curtailing the use of so-called “vaccine passports,” or documentation of the Covid-19 vaccine. President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told Politico that the federal government will not mandate vaccine passports for businesses or travelers. That’s why today I issued an executive order prohibiting “vaccine passports," and I’ll continue protecting individual liberty and personal privacy. "Today I issued an executive order prohibiting the use of so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports," DeSantis, a Republican, said in a tweet. Today I issued an executive order prohibiting the use of so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports.

The official declined to specify which sanctions fall into which baskets but said the third group is the most problematic. Any sanctions relief offered by the administration will be strongly opposed by Republicans in Congress, who on Wednesday unveiled draft legislation to codify the Trump-era sanctions in law. ADVERTISEMENTThe 2015 deal gave Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. The official said the Trump administration had designated some nuclear sanctions as terrorism sanctions. The official said there is not yet any sanctions relief agreement between Iran, the U.S. or other parties in the indirect negotiations taking place in Vienna on reviving the nuclear deal.

ATLANTA (AP) — President Joe Biden called Georgia’s new voting law an “atrocity.” A leading Black bishop called for a national boycott of companies headquartered in the state. “These are laws that respond to an increase in voting by people of color,” Abrams told the Associated Press recently. Yet Abrams, a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, has mostly avoided harsh individual criticism of Gov. Georgia voters will have many months to sort out whom they believe. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, Georgia Republicans who backed Trump and lost their Jan. 5 runoffs, because those lies turned off moderate Georgia voters.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks to reporters prior to the Senate Republican luncheons at the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images)Ted Cruz piled on Joe Biden’s comments on the Derek Chauvin trial, arguing that the US president speaking on the landmark criminal case could lead to the former Minneapolis police officer going free on appeal. The senator from Texas attacked the president for publicly discussing the case in the Oval Office hours before the jury convicted Chauvin of murdering George Floyd. Mr Cruz seized on Mr Biden’s comments and also compared them with those of Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters. The jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Delegates from the parties to the Iran nuclear deal - Germany, France, Britain, China, Russia and Iran attending a meeting at the Grand Hotel of Vienna. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) placed limits on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for relief from international sanctions. Mr Trump torpedoed the deal and launched a campaign of “maximum pressure” meant to economically strangle Iran, which responded by upping its nuclear programme. “Otherwise we’ll get stuck in the generalities because the details aren’t clear.”Some US factions remain vehemently opposed to the nuclear talks. “[Maximum pressure] was supposed to deliver a better deal, a stronger deal, a longer deal with Iran,” said Mr Price.

Ms Gupta will oversee civil rights and law enforcement reforms critical to the White House agenda. Ms Gupta, who leads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, was previously chief of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division under Barack Obama. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argued that Gupta is a “radical” who “levied attacks” against members of the Senate. “We never have had a former civil rights attorney serving in such a position of prominence at the Justice Department.”Kristen Clarke – appointed to lead the Justice Department’s civil rights division – is awaiting Senate confirmation. The investigation is separate from a federal civil rights probe into Mr Floyd’s killing.

A Michigan school district has responded after a dad says an employee cut his 7-year-old daughter’s hair without his permission. Jurnee explained to her dad, Jimmy Hoffmeyer, that another student had cut her hair while they were on a bus, according to the outlet. Story continuesVerleger said the girl had asked another student to cut her hair, adding that the student removed scissors from a classroom and cut the girl’s hair on the bus. Verleger went on to say that the girl was unhappy with the way her hair looked and asked a school library employee to fix it. Our preliminary review shows the student’s teacher was also aware the library employee was planning to cut the student’s hair.”Verleger said early information suggests the girl’s teacher was also aware the library employee planned to cut the girl’s hair.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined "Fox Business Tonight" Wednesday to discuss the U.S.-led climate change summit with China marking the first meeting between President Biden and Xi Jinping. MIKE POMPEO: My expectation is we’ll hear what we’ve heard from the Chinese Communist Party before, a series of commitments that they have absolutely no intention of honoring. They have broken more promises over these last years including a promise to President Obama that they wouldn’t militarize the South China Sea. I don’t know what Xi Jinping will say precisely tomorrow, but American security, American prosperity, depends on watching what the Chinese actually do, not what they speak about in summits or phrases that they have no intention of actually carrying out. I hope the Chinese Communist Party is going to reverse its polluting course, but there’s no reason to believe that’s actually the case.

By Jeremy Herb and Ted Barrett | CNNVice President Kamala Harris cast her first tie-breaking vote related to a Biden administration nominee on the Senate floor Wednesday evening, voting to advance the nomination of Colin Kahl to be the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy. The Senate deadlocked 50-50 on a straight party-line procedural vote to discharge Kahl’s nomination from the Armed Services Committee, requiring Harris to break the tie. She’ll likely have to cast two more tie-breaking votes on Kahl’s nomination before he is confirmed to the No. Wednesday was the first time Harris had to cast a vote in the Senate on a Biden nominee. Manchin told CNN last month that Kahl’s tweets weren’t as “pointed” at specific individuals and senators and were focused much more on policy.

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona National Guard troops being sent to the border region will focus initially on the Yuma area but could eventually expand to other areas, Gov. Doug Ducey said Wednesday. “I am going to support the federal government and the administration,” Ducey told reporters. This is a federal responsibility.”Ducey on Tuesday said he's calling in 250 members of the Guard at the state's expense to free up law enforcement officers. The Guard can help with medical operations at detention centers, install and maintain border cameras, collect data from public safety cameras and analyze satellite imagery for current smuggling trends.

Viviana Galvez, who works at the clinic, told Biden she was hesitant at first to receive a shot because she gets steroid injections in her spine and was concerned about what kind of effect that might have. After doing more research, she decided to go ahead and get vaccinated. We don’t want to lose anymore lives, we don’t want to lose our family members, our friends. Staff at the Albuquerque clinic have been working overtime and on weekends to immunize more people. People are tired, but they’re hopeful,” said Will Kaufman, medical director at First Choice Community Healthcare.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is taking new aim at ransomware after a year that officials say was the costliest on record for the crippling cyberattacks. Formation of a task force of FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors is an acknowledgment of the growing threat posed by ransomware attacks, in which hackers lock up computer data and demand ransom payments in order to give it back. The force is part of a broader government effort to combat cyberattacks that target vital infrastructure, including a 100-day Biden administration initiative announced Tuesday to bolster the digital security of the nation's electricity supply. Ransomware attacks have impeded hospital operations, led to the temporary closure of school classes and caused other chaos. Last year was the worst to date in terms of the economic toll, with ransom demands to victims averaging over $100,000 and in some cases totaling tens of millions of dollars, according to the Justice Department.

The official said the Trump administration had designated some nuclear sanctions as terrorism sanctions. But others, ostensibly imposed on terrorism and human rights grounds, are less clear cut, including those on Iran’s financial, shipping, manufacturing and energy sectors. The official said the Biden administration is still determining which of those were legitimately related to terrorism and human rights. The official said there is not yet any sanctions relief agreement between Iran, the U.S. or other parties in the indirect negotiations taking place in Vienna on reviving the nuclear deal. The official would not give a timeframe on when the talks might conclude.

In response, DeSantis called the remarks “really, really troubling,” adding “I don’t know what happened with this verdict, but if that’s something that can potentially happen, where you basically have justice made meted out because the jury is scared of what a mob may do? “I think what we’ve done with our bill, our anti-riot bill, is saying, you engage with that you’re going to jail, you’re not going to gain by doing that, we’re going to maintain law and order,” DeSantis said. Earlier on Tuesday, Chauvin was found guilty on all three of the criminal counts he was charged with: second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder. Chauvin was captured on video footage in May kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Protests erupted throughout the country following Floyd’s death, as people began demonstrating against racial injustice and police violence.

Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that the US had administered 200m vaccine doses since he took office, fulfilling a pledge to reach that target within his first 100 days in office. The president initially promised to administer 100m doses over his first 100 days, but he doubled that goal after hitting 100m shots last month, weeks ahead of schedule. With more than 50% of adults at least partially vaccinated and roughly 28m vaccine doses being delivered each week, supply has become less of a concern than demand. Biden announces the US has reached 200m vaccine shots, in Washington. And even as Biden celebrated the vaccine milestone, many states are seeing demand slip.

First reports are often wildly inaccurate in the favour of the police; the initial report issued about the death of George Floyd referred to a “medical incident”. “Not if you’re a black man, or a young black man, or a 16-year-old girl,” she said. Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd last in May 2020 (Getty Images)SOMETHING OTHER THAN THISIt was not not supposed to have been like this. The administration appears to have drawn away from that, and instead looks focused on helping pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Another, Albert Rein, said since the killing of George Floyd “you seldom see the police”.

To pay for the new benefit, the bill proposes what the progressive lawmakers term a 'Tax on Wall Street Speculation Act.' The push comes as President Biden and his team view executive actions that he can potentially take to cancel student loan debt. Biden campaigned on nixing $10,000 in student loan debt per bower, but has sought guidance on how to bring debt forgiveness up to $50,000. The average student loan debt is $39,000, according to a Brookings Institution study, with a total national loan debt of more than $1.5 trillion. It would direct $10 billion toward student loan support, and double Pell grants, to $12,990.

NBA star LeBron James called for the Ohio cop who shot dead 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant to be held accountable for his actions in a now-deleted tweet on WednesdayNBA star LeBron James called for the Ohio cop who shot dead 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant to be held accountable for his actions in a now-deleted tweet on Wednesday. Arkansas Sen Tom Cotton was one of the first to call James out, tweeting: 'Lebron James is inciting violence against an Ohio police officer. 'People like LeBron James and his friends on the left are driving good people away from careers in law enforcement. Another person wrote: 'I did not have Lebron threatening a cop for saving a girl's life on my Bingo Card. Another wrote: 'I don't understand why y'all tryna publicly crucify LeBron James for a now deleted tweet that was TOTALLY take out of context.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib said Wednesday that Congress had sent a message to Muslims that 'you are welcome here' after the House voted for legislation that would prevent actions like President Trump's Muslim ban. The bill passed on a 218-208 vote. The bill passed the House by a vote of 218-208. 'But former President Trump abused this authority, twisting it in ways that were never intended.' Within a week of him taking office in early 2017, the first travel ban was announced with little notice, causing chaos at airports and sparking protests across the nation.

President Biden’s climate summit will gather three dozen leaders from countries with their own motivations related to domestic politics, international trade and, sometimes, altruistic intentions toward global warming. Whether other countries match, or exceed, that goal is an uncertainty that could help define the early days of Biden’s presidency. Nathan Hultman, of the University of Maryland’s Center for Global Sustainability, said he sees the summit as creating a road map to deliver climate action and allowing the United States to resume global climate leadership. The United States has also pressed South Korea and Japan to reduce their support for coal. A U.N. report released in February showed that current climate commitments would only reduce global emissions 1% by 2030 from 2010 levels.

While a Democrat-controlled NLRB under Joe Biden is likely to be more amenable to academic labor organizing, the fight cannot be dictated by presidential politics. The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act is a significant opportunity to shift the terrain for private-sector worker organizing, including academic workers. How Does the PRO Act Help Academic Workers? The PRO Act is the most substantial attempt in decades to reform labor law in the United States. The PRO Act would repeal all state-level right-to-work laws, a huge win for the entire labor movement.

WASHINGTON — More than a century after the Ottoman Empire’s killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian civilians, President Biden is preparing to declare that the atrocities were an act of genocide, according to officials familiar with the internal debate. The action would signal that the American commitment to human rights outweighs the risk of further fraying the U.S. alliance with TurkeyMr. Biden is expected to announce the symbolic designation on Saturday, the 106th anniversary of the beginning of what historians call a yearslong and systematic death march that the predecessors of modern Turkey started during World War I. He would be the first sitting American president to do so, although Ronald Reagan made a glancing reference to the Armenian genocide in a 1981 written statement about the Holocaust, and both the House and the Senate approved measures in 2019 to make its recognition a formal matter of U.S. foreign policy. At least 29 other countries have taken similar steps — mostly in Europe and the Americas, but also Russia and Syria, Turkey’s political adversaries. A U.S. official with knowledge of the administration’s discussions said Mr. Biden had decided to issue the declaration, and others across the government and in foreign embassies said it was widely expected.

President Biden on Wednesday nominated Stacey A. Dixon, an expert in intelligence technology, to serve as the nation’s No. The nomination of Dr. Dixon, the former head of the intelligence community’s advanced research project agency, to be the office’s principal deputy director reflects the Biden administration’s interest in making technological innovation in intelligence gathering a priority. If the Senate confirms Dr. Dixon, who is currently the deputy director of the Defense Department’s National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, she will be the highest-ranking Black woman in the intelligence community and the first Black person to serve in one of its most senior posts. She has spoken in the past about the need for intelligence agencies to diversify their ranks. Dixon possesses a deep knowledge of the intelligence tradecraft and understands the critical work intelligence professionals perform every day,” said Avril B. Haines, the director of national intelligence.