Category: Politics
-
Mental health counselors replacing police with feds’ funding
President Joe Biden’s recent coronavirus relief bill contained funding for states to provide mental health counselors who can be used in place of the police. In Eugene, Oregon, these teams handled 24,000 calls in the area in 2019, which the vast majority would have otherwise fallen to police. The Associated Press has the story: Transition…
-
Russian opposition leader Navalny ends hunger strike
Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader who was imprisoned earlier this year, has ended his hunger strike after obtaining medical treatment. Additionally, part of the reason he ended the hunger strike was because others were not eating along with him to support him. The Associated Press has the story: Alexei Navalny, imprisoned enemy of Vladimir…
-
Tons of plastic out of remote Hawaii atolls
Tons of plastic out of remote Hawaii atolls HONOLULU (AP) — A crew returned from the northernmost islands in the Hawaiian archipelago this week with a boatload of marine plastic and abandoned fishing nets that threaten to entangle endangered Hawaiian monk seals and other animals on the uninhabited beaches stretching more than 1,300 miles north…
-
King of Jordan releases 16 alleged plotters
After an alleged coup was thwarted attempting to remove King Abdullah II of Jordan, the king has decided to offer some of those detained leniency. Some of the tribal leaders, former senior officials and others arrested have been released for the holidays, although they have yet to receive pardons. The Associated Press has the story:…
-
US troops preparing to leave Afghanistan
Concrete steps have begun to remove the final U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Although they will not leave by the original May 1 deadline negotiated with the Taliban, the departure will likely be completed well before September 1, the anniversary of 9-11. The Associated Press has the story: US wrapping up final steps for removing remaining…
-
Russia pulls extra troops back from Ukrainian border
Russia pulls several thousand troops back from where it had deployed them on its border with Ukraine, to the relief of Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the readiness drills were completed. However, he ordered their heavy weapons kept in western Russia for another massive military exercise. The Associated Press has the story: Russia…
-
Global leaders cooperate with Biden on climate change
Although Russia and China have had chilly relations with the new Biden administration, they put aside those differences in a virtual summit hosted by Biden to pledge cooperation with the new effort under Biden to reduce fossil fuel usage. However, both nations did not go so far as to pledge specific reductions. Biden has proposed…
-
General: Troop pullout will collapse Afghanistan’s military
Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, has been very vocal recently warning against the upcoming U.S. troop pullout from Afghanistan. He told Congress that it will result in the collapse of the Afghanistan military. The Associated Press has the story: Dire warning from top military brass about pulling out of Afghanistan WASHINGTON (AP)…
-
When do COVID-19 vaccines wear off?
The COVID-19 vaccines haven’t been around long enough to determine when their effects will wear off. So far, they appear to last at least six months, and researchers believe it will end up being a year before they begin wearing off. The Associated Press has the story: Experts assess how long COVID-19 vaccines last for…