Government & Policy
Lawmakers in Alabama passed legislation that could lead to the prosecution of librarians under the state’s obscenity law for providing minors with “harmful” materials. The bill, approved 72-28 by the Alabama House of Representatives, will now move to the state Senate. It removes existing exemptions for public libraries in the state’s obscenity law and is…
The IEA foresees that a significant fall in battery costs will be the main driver in the transition from non-renewable to renewable energy in the upcoming years. According to the IEA, battery costs have fallen by over 90 percent in about ten years, and by 2030, the total storage costs could decrease by…
Weather forecasters at the University of Pennsylvania predicted a record hurricane season for 2024 on Thursday, a “hyperactive” season that could threaten the Gulf Coast. The UPenn forecast predicts between 27-39 named tropical storms, with the best estimate of 33 storms, the most of any forecast in the 15-year history of the project. An average…
A divided Supreme Court seemed skeptical that Idaho’s strict abortion ban conflicts with a federal emergency care law, but there appeared to be a split by gender as well as ideology during the nearly two hours of argument. The four female justices, including conservative Amy Coney Barrett, strongly opposed Idaho’s assertion that…
The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a national goal to cut emissions from freight shipping down to zero. A White House fact sheet did not specify a date for this goal, but it adds to existing goals to achieve net-zero emissions for the transportation sector and the entire U.S.…
California released a unique plan on Monday to use over half of the state’s land to reduce carbon emissions. Over the next two decades, the state will strive to achieve 81 nature-based goals to help reach California’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. These measures, aimed at enhancing the ability of lands to absorb more carbon than they release, are part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s broader California Climate Commitment.
The Biden administration is unlikely to ease high-level travel warnings for the People’s Republic of China unless Beijing takes concrete steps to address safety concerns, a senior administration official told The Hill ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing this week. Blinken will raise with Chinese officials steps they must take before…
Nursing homes will now need to have a minimum number of front-line caregivers for the first time under a new mandate announced by the Biden administration on Monday. The final policy, revealed by Vice President Harris, is being implemented despite strong efforts by the nursing home industry and bipartisan lawmakers to oppose it, saying a federal standard is not possible…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to the U.S. after the House passed a bill providing additional funds to Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia. “Today, we received the awaited decision on the US aid package that we long fought for. And a very significant one,” Zelensky wrote on social media platform X. “Our…
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