Top News: UN Rights Chief Demands Probe of Mass Graves

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Tuesday, April 23, 2024 ■ Today's Top News  tRUMP NEVER PROTECTED WORKERS! "R" VOTERS are uninformed and want to pretend tRump stood up for them....tRump DID NOT! Biden Labor Department Finalizes Pro-Worker Rules on Overtime, Retirement Savings "Democrats are delivering for working people!" declared Rep. Pramila Jayapal as the AFL-CIO noted that GOP ex-President Donald Trump "gutted the rules that required overtime pay for millions of workers." By Julia Conley More Than 4 Dozen Unions Demand 'End of Repression' of Columbia Protests "The right to protest is necessary for every struggle, and the direct attack on this right is an attack on labor as well," said the labor groups. "An injury to one is an injury to all." By Julia Conley Plastics Summit 'Die-In' Highlights Need to Cut Production "This week governments have a choice: Stand up to this slash-and-burn approach by agreeing to radically reduce plastic output, or let the world be held to ransom by a dying industry." By Jessica Corbett South Korean Court Hears First Asian Youth Climate Case "Carbon emission reduction keeps getting pushed back as if it is homework that can be done later," said one plaintiff's mother. "But that burden will be what our children have to bear eventually." By Brett Wilkins UN Rights Chief Demands International Probe of Mass Graves Near Gaza Hospitals "Hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law," said Volker Türk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights. By Jake Johnson 'Shameful': UK Conservatives Push Through Plan to Deport Asylum-Seekers to Rwanda "The U.K. government could literally pay every refugee a £30,000 annual salary for life, and it would be cheaper," said one critic. "We're burning money just to enjoy the cruelty." By Julia Conley

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■ More News PEN America Cancels Awards Ceremony Amid Boycott Over 'Disgraceful' Gaza Response Sanders Pushes Amendment to 'Cut Billions in Offensive Military Funding to Israel' Columbia Faculty Walk Out Over Student Suspensions, Arrests for Gaza Protests ​Modi Slammed for 'Direct Attack on Muslims of India' in Campaign 'Hate Speech'

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■ Opinion The Trump-Biden Rematch Is a Stunning Image of the Decline and Fall of the USA With those two old men, one of whom is also bizarre beyond compare, wrestling each other for the presidency, this country is threatening in its own odd fashion, like the USSR in 1991, to come apart at the seams. By Tom Engelhardt Will the Freedom Flotilla Sail to Gaza? We are calling on countries around the world to pressure Israel to allow us “free and safe passage” to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. By Medea Benjamin 44,000 Reasons to Phase Out Fossil Fuels Climate change, along with habitat loss and exploitation, are accelerating extinction at a terrifying rate. By Jean Su,Tanya Sanerib

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RSN: Anti-Feminist Lawyer Killed Son of Federal Judge

21 July 20

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21 July 20

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WHY DO YOU TRUST RSN? - We have people writing in expressing real contempt for our fundraising, but at the same time lauding the organization’s mission and work. The reason you trust RSN is because you fund it. However annoying and invasive that may be. Yes it works. Yes we earn your trust. Yes it’s annoying. Make a donation. / Marc Ash, Founder Reader Supported News

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Anti-Feminist Lawyer Killed Son of Federal Judge

Scott Neuman and Vanessa Romo, NPR
Excerpt: "Den Hollander was a self-described anti-feminist lawyer who filed suits alleging that women get special treatment in violation of the Constitution. He also pushed to outlaw ladies' nights at bars and college women's studies programs."
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Mark and Patricia McCloskey stood in front of their house in St. Louis on June 28 as protesters marched to the nearby house of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. (photo: Laurie Skrivan/AP)

St. Louis Couple Who Aimed Guns at Protesters Charged With Felony Weapons Count
Tom Jackman, The Washington Post
Jackman writes: "The St. Louis couple who emerged from their mansion in a gated community and aimed weapons at protesters marching past them last month were each charged Monday with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon."
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Reality Leigh Winner. (photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

NSA Whistleblower Reality Winner Tests Positive for Covid-19 in Prison
Jonathan Franklin, Guardian UK
Franklin writes: "Reality Winner, an NSA whistleblower imprisoned for leaking secrets about Russian interference in America's 2016 elections, has tested positive for Covid-19 and says guards are mocking infected prisoners at FMC Carswell, the Fort Worth all-women's prison where more than 500 inmates are now confirmed positive."
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A rally for immigrant rights in Washington, D.C. (photo: Andrew Stefan/RSN)

All Undocumented Immigrants Deserve Citizenship - Not Just "Essential Workers"
Shannon Gleeson and Sofya Aptekar, In These Times
Excerpt: "The typical argument for citizenship is based on the utility of immigrants to Americans."
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A student raises her hand in class during summer school amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (photo: Civil Beat)

Many Schools Aren't Reopening in the Fall. Now What?
Anna North, Vox
North writes: "How will schools handle the learning losses and inequities that emerged with remote education in the spring, and how will parents cope with even more months of trying to work or find jobs while children are at home?"
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Several hand washing units have been installed in the main commuter parks in Rwanda's capital Kigali. (photo: East African)

Why Rwanda Is Doing Better Than Ohio When It Comes to Controlling COVID-19
Jason Beaubien, NPR
Beaubien writes: "In some places in the world right now, getting tested for COVID-19 remains difficult or nearly impossible. In Rwanda, you might just get tested randomly as you're going down the street."
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Activist Greta Thunberg. (photo: Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen)

Greta Thunberg Gives 1 Million Euro Award Money to Climate Groups
Agence France-Presse
Excerpt: "Greta Thunberg has been awarded a Portuguese rights award and promptly pledged the €1m ($1.15m) prize to groups working to protect the environment and halt climate change."

Influential climate campaigner says Gulbenkian rights award gave her ‘more money than I can begin to imagine’

“That is more money than I can begin to imagine, but all the prize money will be donated, through my foundation, to different organisations and projects who are working to help people on the front line, affected by the climate crisis and ecological crisis,” the Swedish teenager said in a video posted online on Monday.

She was awarded the Gulbenkian prize for humanity for the way she “has been able to mobilise younger generations for the cause of climate change and her tenacious struggle to alter a status quo that persists”, Jorge Sampaio, chair of the prize jury, said earlier.

The first €100,000 of the prize money will go to the “SOS Amazonia” campaign led by Fridays For Future Brazil to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the Amazon.

Another €100,000 will go to the Stop Ecocide Foundation “to support their work to make ecocide an international crime”, Thunberg said on Twitter.

The €1m is the largest prize won by the 17-year-old environmental campaigner who has also won Amnesty International’s top human rights prize and the Swedish Right Livelihood Award, often presented as an alternative Nobel.

She said on Monday she was “extremely honoured” to receive the annual Gulbenkian prize.

Thunberg and three other young climate activists on Thursday launched an appeal to EU leaders to “face up to the climate emergency”, in an open letter signed by 150 scientists and a host of celebrities.

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RSN: Biden and Sanders Announce Task Forces to Find Party Unity Over Policy

17 May 20

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THE ONLY WAY WE EVER GET INTO FINANCIAL TROUBLE - Super Low Donor Response. That’s it, that’s only thing that can bring RSN down. Anything even approaching a reasonable degree of responsiveness from our donors and RSN does fine. So far for May 312,503 readers have visited RSN 196 have donated. That has to cause a crisis. And it is. In earnest. / Marc Ash, Founder Reader Supported News

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Biden and Sanders Announce Task Forces to Find Party Unity Over Policy

Barbara Sprunt, NPR
Sprunt writes: "Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his chief primary rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., announced on Wednesday the members of a joint task force meant to unify the party ahead of November's general election, bringing together figures from different wings of the party, ranging from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to former Secretary of State John Kerry."
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Joseph R. Biden Jr. campaigning in Des Moines, Iowa. (photo: Hilary Swift/NYT)

Biden Says He Won't Pardon Trump if Elected Like Ford Did for Nixon
Bill Barrow, Associated Press
Barrow writes: "Democratic candidate Joe Biden said Thursday that if he wins the presidency, he would not use his power to pardon Donald Trump or stop any investigations of Trump and his associates."
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Steve Linick, whom President Trump removed on Friday from his post as inspector general for the State Department, after a closed briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington last year. (photo: Erin Schaff/NYT)

Trump Ousted State Dept Watchdog at Pompeo's Urging; Democrats Open Inquiry
Catie Edmondson and Michael D. Shear, The New York Times
Excerpt: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged President Trump to fire the official responsible for fighting waste and fraud in his department, a White House official said Saturday, a recommendation certain to come under scrutiny after congressional Democrats opened an investigation into what they said 'may be an act of illegal retaliation.'"
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A protest against Reynaldo Guevara in Chicago. (photo: Melissa Segura/BuzzFeed News)

More Than 50 People Say This Chicago Cop Framed Them for Murder. Now Prosecutors Are Going to Review His Cases.
Melissa Segura, BuzzFeed News
Segura writes: "Prosecutors in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office are launching a 'comprehensive review' of retired detective Reynaldo Guevara's cases, which could lead to a mass exoneration."
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'The group uses ransomware - a type of malicious software - to break into a victim's networks and encrypt them, demanding a fee to unlock them.' (photo: Columbus Free Press)

Hackers Threaten to Release Trump Documents Stolen From Law Firm
Kevin Collier and Diana Dasrath, NBC News
Excerpt: "A cybercriminal gang that hacked a major entertainment law firm claims it will release information on President Donald Trump if it doesn't receive $42 million in ransom."

EXCERPT:

Ransomware gangs have become a persistent threat to the U.S. in recent years, and law enforcement has had difficulty stopping them. In many cases, these groups operate out of Russia, which doesn’t extradite its citizens.

“We’re pretty sure these guys operate in Russia’s ‘locus of control,’” said Allan Liska, who tracks the gang for the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

But threatening to release files about Trump, who enjoys a cordial relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, might be a step too far, Liska said.

“If they release this stuff, it is possible they will have both U.S. Cyber Command and FSB targeting them,” Liska said, referring to Russia's Federal Security Service. “Most Russian leadership leaves them alone as long as they don’t target Russian citizens. This would probably be an exception.”

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Félicien Kabuga, one of the most wanted suspects of the Rwandan genocide. (photo: EPA)

Businessman Accused of Rwandan Genocide Arrested After 26 Years
teleSUR
Excerpt: "The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) reported that Felicien Kabuga, one of the most wanted fugitives from the 1994 Rwandan genocide, was arrested in Paris on Saturday and is expected to be transferred to the Netherlands, where he will appear before the International Court of Justice in The Hague."
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Since 2017, car manufacturers in Europe and the U.S. switched to a different coolant for air conditioning called HFO-1234yf, which breaks down into forever chemicals. (photo: hiphotos35/iStock/Getty Images)

'Ozone Friendly' Chemicals Are Polluting the Environment
Jordan Davidson, EcoWatch
Davidson writes: "New research published in the journal Geographical Research Letters analyzed Arctic ice and found an unintended consequence of the Montreal Protocol. The compounds that replaced CFCs have been transported and transformed in the atmosphere, depositing far from their sources."

he Montreal Protocol of 1987 committed nations around the world to stop using the chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) that created a hole in the ozone layer. While it stands as one of the most effective environmental commitments the globe has seen, new research shows the side effects have been costly as chemicals dangerous to human health build up in the environment, as the BBC reported.

New research published in the journal Geographical Research Letters analyzed Arctic ice and found an unintended consequence of the Montreal Protocol. The compounds that replaced CFCs have been transported and transformed in the atmosphere, depositing far from their sources. The new generation of chemicals that replaced Freon, but are used in refrigerators, air conditioners and new cars have been accumulating since 1990.

"Our results suggest that global regulation and replacement of other environmentally harmful chemicals contributed to the increase of these compounds in the Arctic, illustrating that regulations can have important unanticipated consequences," said Cora Young, a professor at York University in Canada, and an author of the paper, in a York University statement.

Scientists first discovered ozone depletion in the 1970s when they detailed the deterioration of the stratospheric ozone layer around the earth's poles. As the hole over Antarctica opened and expanded, scientists found that the depletion of ozone was responsible for a greater intensity of ultraviolet radiation from the sun, causing an increase in the prevalence of skin cancer, eye cataract disease and other harmful effects on humans, as Courthouse News reported.

Scientists were soon able to pinpoint manufactured chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators, as well as solvents, propellants and chemical agents found in foam as the cause of the depleted ozone layer.

Now pollution from the chemicals that were created to replace the CFCs, known as short chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (scPFCAs), has proliferated around the world. The replacement chemicals are a class of PFAS, or forever chemicals, that have polluted waterways and made groundwater in certain areas toxic to drink.

"Our measurements provide the first long-term record of these chemicals, which have all increased dramatically over the past few decades," said Young in a statement. "Our work also showed how these industrial sources contribute to the levels in the ice caps."

The York University statement added that the chemicals are able to "travel long distances in the atmosphere and often end up in lakes, rivers and wetlands causing irreversible contamination and affecting the health of freshwater invertebrates, including insects, crustaceans and worms."

"We're seeing much, much larger levels, on the order of 10 times higher now than we saw before the Montreal Protocol," said Young, as the BBC reported. "We don't know a lot about them and their potential toxicity, but we do know that we are committing the environment to a great deal of contamination."

As the globe heats up, our desire for air conditioning increases. That has spelled trouble for new cars. When car manufacturers stopped using CFCs in a car's air-conditioner, they switched to a chemical called HFC-134a. While it did not destroy the ozone layer, it turned out to be a powerful greenhouse gas, around 1,400 times more warming than CO2, according to the BBC.

Since 2017, car manufacturers in Europe and the U.S. switched to a different coolant for air conditioning called HFO-1234yf, which breaks down into forever chemicals.

"It has a very low global warming potential, but has a much higher propensity to form these persistent products," said Young to the BBC. "It will be again another shift, where we see an even more dramatic increase."

"They've been found in the bodies of people in China, so it is likely to be found in the bodies of people around the world," added Young. "We have done a good job in trying to save the ozone layer but the unintended consequences are the release of these other chemicals, which have some concerns. They're toxic, and then they don't get filtered out in various ways."

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