Category: News
Greenpeace says Japan’s plan to contaminate Pacific Ocean with Fukushima water would violate international law
“The government has taken the wholly unjustified decision to deliberately contaminate the Pacific Ocean with radioactive wastes.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Tuesday, April 13, 2021 In a decision that sparked condemnation from environmental advocates,…
New Mexico legalizes recreational marijuana
‘Major Step Forward’ “By ensuring equity and social justice in our cannabis legalization, we are saying ‘enough’ to the devastating ‘war on drugs’ that over-incarcerated and over-penalized thousands of New Mexicans.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer…
NLRB says Amazon firing of workers illegal retaliation
The workers are demanding better climate, labor policies. “It’s clear that Amazon has been violating the law when it tries to silence workers who speak out,” said Christy Hofmann, general secretary of UNI Global Union. by…
Renewable energy smashes records in 2020
‘A Remarkable Story of Resilience and Hope “There is a huge amount to be done… The international community must look to this trend as a source of inspiration to go further.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer…
Georgia GOP transforms 2-page bill Into 93-page assault on Voting Rights
‘Hijacking of Democracy in Plain Sight’ “Surprising advocates, legislators, and voters with a nearly 100-page bill is undemocratic and unacceptable.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Thursday, March 18, 2021 Democratic lawmakers and civil rights groups…
Restoring voting rights to former felons
by Wade Rathke March 17, 2021 New Orleans In these times when a number of states are trying to curtail voting rights for their citizens, the governor of Virginia made some news by speeding…
America’s drinking water is surprisingly easy to poison
The cyberbreach at a plant in Oldsmar, Florida, which could have resulted in a mass poisoning, was a reminder of a disturbing reality: Despite a decade of warnings, thousands of water systems around the country are…
President Biden signs sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid relief package into law
“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country and giving people in this nation—working people, middle-class folks, people who built the country—a fighting chance.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Thursday, March 11, 2021…
‘Don’t patronize me’: Katie Porter tears Into oil exec for claiming his industry doesn’t get special tax breaks
“The wonderful Rep. Katie Porter provides a signal moment in congressional history. And it’s a sign of the weakening position of the oil industry—no deference to these liars any longer.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Wednesday,…
Schumer vows to push through ‘Republican obstruction’ and confirm Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary
The Senate majority leader said he “just filed cloture to move ahead” with the New Mexico congresswoman’s nomination. by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Tuesday, March 9, 2021 As Republican U.S. senators continued attempts to obstruct Rep….
With jobless benefits to expire in 9 days, Republicans pull out all stops to obstruct relief bill
“When Sen. Johnson voted to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans, he didn’t force staff to read the bill. But now that working people need help, he’s forcing a delay.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Friday,…
Indivisible launches For The People Project to ‘unrig our democracy and make it work for all’
“We’re holding nothing back as we work to make D.C. the 51st state, protect the rights of voters, and root out corruption in our government.” by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Wednesday, March 3, 2021 In…
Supreme Court hears Arizona voting law case with national implications
“If you can’t vote because you are a Native American or a non-Hispanic in areas where car ownership rates are very small, where you don’t have mail pickup or mail delivery … or you happen to…
Grave warnings as Texas Gov. Abbott lifts Covid restrictions
‘Endangers the Entire Country and Beyond’ “Make no mistake: opening Texas prematurely will only lead to faster Covid spread, more sickness and overcrowding in our hospitals, and unnecessary deaths.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Wednesday, February…
Cancel all coal projects to have ‘fighting chance’ against climate crisis, says UN chief
“Phasing out coal from the electricity sector is the single most important step to get in line with the 1.5 degree goal.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Wednesday, March 3, 2021 Emphasizing that the world…
Millions set to receive surprise tax bills for pandemic jobless benefits
‘We Should Be Taxing the Rich, Not the Unemployed’ Democrats are facing pressure to act fast to stave off an “easily avoidable political disaster.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer March 2, 2021 With tax season…
GOP lawyer admits to Supreme Court that easier voting puts Republicans at ‘competitive disadvantage’
Blaring quiet part out loud “The mask is off. Republicans want to steal your right to vote and pulverize democracy because they don’t think they can win elections on ideas or humanity.” by Jake Johnson, staff…
‘It’s like nobody cares’: After two weeks without running water, Jackson, Miss. pleads for help
“Water is a basic necessity and it just brought a lot of frustration, anger, and disappointment,” said one of the city’s residents. “If you don’t know when it’s coming back, what is being done to help…
A huge, huge deal’: Biden issues public statement of support for unionizing Alabama Amazon workers
“We haven’t had this aggressive and positive of a statement from a president of the United States on behalf of workers in decades.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Monday, March 1, 2021 Declaring that all…
FCC approves program to help poor families overcome digital divide during pandemic
‘Life-Changer for Millions’ “As the pandemic nears its one-year mark, it’s only gotten harder for many people to afford essential internet connections to the remote learning, work, and healthcare services they need.” by Jessica Corbett, staff…
Trump-appointed judge strikes down pandemic eviction moratorium
‘The CDC Must Appeal Immediately’ The pause on evictions was put in place to help stem the spread of Covid-19. by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Friday, February 26, 2021 A Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas on…
The West’s latest prospecting frenzy? Extraterrestrial gold.
Companies are hunting for lithium near Moab, Utah. Rebecca Worby, High Country News August 14, 2017 White Oil, Oro Blanco, Extraterrestrial Gold: lithium, the lightweight element key to rechargeable batteries, has recently acquired a slew of…
Sanders rips Netanyahu for sending Covid vaccines to foreign allies as Palestinians denied access
‘Outrageous’ The U.S. senator from Vermont denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for sending spare vaccines overseas “while so many Palestinians in the occupied territories are still waiting.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Thursday, February 25,…
Majority of US voters want government to invest more in healthcare, education, and fighting poverty
57% of the electorate thinks the government doesn’t spend enough on anti-poverty initiatives, while 56% want to see more investment in education and healthcare. by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Wednesday, February 24, 2021 Lawmakers…
