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Department of Energy grants $14 million to track extreme weather and climate change

As the nation continues to suffer the immediate ramifications of climate change, new funds allocated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will help experts improve understanding of the Earth’s atmosphere and better predict weather events.

The $14 million was granted to 22 different projects which will tackle issues ranging from Arctic weather to cloud formation. Proposals were selected through a competitive peer review process under the Atmospheric System Research program, which is funded by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research. 

The move is part of President Biden’s campaign to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, an effort that suffered a setback in last week’s Supreme Court ruling against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

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“We must expand our understanding of changing weather patterns and equip scientists, researchers, and lawmakers with every possible tool to tackle the climate crisis,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in a press release on the grants.

“President Biden and DOE are committed to protecting American communities from extreme weather events and fighting climate change through critical investments in science and research that illuminate pathways to decarbonization and broaden our scientific foundation.” 

Two research organizations and faculty at 18 universities will conduct the research, taking place in 11 different states and Canada. Researchers will investigate how clouds and aerosols like volcanic ash interact, along with their effects on solar energy in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. 

The Biden Administration has a goal of reducing greenhouse gas pollution by 50 to 52 percent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels. Through funding, the administration also hopes to increase climate resilience for vulnerable communities and improve preparedness for climate-related disasters. 

Impacts of climate change have become top of mind for most Americans, as the majority report concern about displacement from extreme weather. Many Americans also do not support the Supreme Court’s recent decision curbing EPA’s power to regulate emissions.

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Watch live: President Biden addresses access to abortion

President Biden will speak Friday morning about the administration’s goals for access to reproductive health care.

The event is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am ET.

Watch the live video above.

Source: TEST FEED1

Biden hails strong June jobs report, takes jab at Trump

President Biden on Friday hailed the June jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy added 372,000 jobs, noting that there are more jobs in the U.S. than at any time under former President Trump.

“In the second quarter of this year, we created more jobs than in any quarter under any of my predecessors in the nearly 40 years before the pandemic. We have more Americans working in the private sector today than any day during Donald Trump’s Presidency — more people than any time in our history,” Biden said in a statement.

The president also attributed the jobs report to the American Rescue Plan, which he signed into law early in his administration and which Republicans have criticized as a reason for the high inflation in the U.S.

“This has been the fastest and strongest jobs recovery in American history, and it would not have been possible without the decisive action my Administration took last year to fix a broken COVID response, and pass the American Rescue Plan to get our economy back on track,” Biden said.

The unemployment rate held steady at 3.6 percent in the jobs reported released on Friday, with growth in June far exceeding the projections of economists. The unemployment rate remained just 0.1 percentage points from its pre-pandemic level of 3.5 percent, which was a 50-year low.

Biden has argued that the U.S. is in a better position to combat inflation than any other country and called on Congress to take steps to lower inflation, like lowering the cost of prescription drugs and utilities, reducing the federal budget deficit and passing the Bipartisan Innovation Act.

“Of course, having added a record number of new jobs, and achieved historically low levels of unemployment, additional job growth from this strong position will be slower. That is not a bad thing, because our economy should move to stable growth for the years ahead,” he said.

The innovation act, also known as the China competition bill, is a top priority of the White House. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been trying to block the bipartisan legislation over Democrats moving forward with a separate reconciliation package. 

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When Ukraine needed help, Boris Johnson was there

The Conservative Party appears to have had enough of Boris Johnson. After a week of ministerial musical chairs that began with the resignations of Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer — historically the second most powerful government office — and Sajid Javid, the Health and Social Care Secretary, and himself a former chancellor, Johnson finally appears to have concluded the game was up.

Of course, being Boris Johnson, he has only resigned as prime minister after a fashion. He seems determined to stay on as a caretaker prime minister and, given his reputation for deviousness, speculation abounds that he somehow will contrive to remain in power. That is unlikely, however. It is clear that not only the Labour opposition but his own party leadership wants him to depart No. 10 immediately. It therefore is only a matter of time until the man who led the world’s oldest political party to one of its greatest electoral victories less than three years ago will return in ignominy to Parliament’s backbenches.

Johnson’s term in office was marred by numerous scandals. It also marked Britain’s formal and highly controversial departure from the European Union, though the status of Northern Ireland remains unclear. Indeed, it is arguable that Brexit has ignited yet another outburst of regional nationalism: Nicola Sturgeon, the capable and shrewd Scottish First Minister and Scottish Nationalist Party leader, has called for another referendum in 2023 on Scottish independence. While Johnson has rejected her request, as no doubt will the person who succeeds him, the issue of whether a regional government can call for a referendum ultimately will be resolved only by Britain’s Supreme Court.

In at least one respect, however, there can be little doubt that Johnson demonstrated true leadership. As he asserted in his farewell statement on Thursday, “I am immensely proud of the achievements of this government … in the last few months leading the West in standing up to [Vladimir] Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.” Unlike President Biden and his senior officials, Johnson never publicly self-deterred from providing weapons to the embattled nation for fear of Russian employment of nuclear weapons. For better or for worse — and in this case for the better — self-deterrence is not in Johnson’s character.

Moreover, and again unlike Biden, Johnson did not hesitate to visit Kyiv. He did so on April 9, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before any of the other leaders of major Western economies. He did so again on June 17, announcing, “My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the Ukrainian people: The UK is with you, and we will be with you until you ultimately prevail.” Biden has yet to travel to Ukraine.

Under Johnson’s leadership, by the end of June Britain had committed over $4.5 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine, rendering it second only to the United States in providing support to Kyiv. Indeed, the level of British assistance more than doubled that of Poland, Ukraine’s third largest supplier. Moreover, London’s support also included training Ukrainian troops in Britain. During his June visit to Kyiv, Johnson offered to have Britain train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days. That program has begun.

Johnson has been belittled as a clown, and he certainly at times has exhibited what can only be termed clownish behavior. But there has been nothing clownish about his support for Ukraine’s determined and heroic effort to defend itself against the Russian invader. Indeed, Johnson’s exertions have buoyed NATO support for Ukraine and rekindled the “Special Relationship” by working closely with the United States to bolster Kyiv’s efforts and, no less important, morale.

In this regard he has established a critical standard not only for his successor but for his fellow leaders of the Western world, whose enthusiasm might wane as their economies suffer from the impact of costly fuel prices. To his great credit, Johnson has not allowed his own country’s sagging economy to stand in the way of his assisting the valiant Ukrainians. And for that he deserves the thanks of those who value liberty and freedom above all.

Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was under secretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy under secretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987.

Source: TEST FEED1

Tim Ryan announces $9.1 million haul in Ohio Senate race

Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan’s (D-Oh.) Senate campaign announced on Friday it raked in a whopping $9.1 million during the second quarter of the year.

Ryan’s second-quarter haul is more than double the size of his $4.1 million first-quarter fundraising haul. The campaign said Ryan brought in nearly 90,000 new donors during the second quarter, with contributions averaging $37.49 per donor. Additionally, the campaign said that 97 percent of donations were $100 or less.

The Democrat’s latest fundraising haul appears to demonstrate his grassroots fundraising strength ahead of what is expected to be a tough battle against Republican nominee J.D. Vance, who has not yet released his second-quarter fundraising figures.

Polls show a tight race emerging between Ryan and Vance. An internal poll released by the Ryan campaign this week shows the congressman leading Vance 48 percent to 46 percent with a 3.4 percent margin of error. Meanwhile, a USA Today/Suffolk University survey released in June shows Vance leading Ryan by just more than 2 percentage points. The non-partisan Cook Political Report rates the race as “lean Republican.”

Ryan has spent heavily so far in the contest. NBC News, which was the first outlet to obtain Ryan’s second-quarter figures, reported that he ended the quarter with $3.6 million cash on hand.

Earlier this year. Ryan announced plans to invest more than $3 million to support down-ballot Ohio Democrats this cycle.

Source: TEST FEED1

Trump praises 'great man and leader' Abe after assassination

Former President Donald Trump expressed his sadness over the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in a statement on Friday.

Trump called the news of his death “Really BAD NEWS FOR THE WORLD!”

“His killer was captured and will hopefully be dealt with swiftly and harshly,” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.

Trump, who shared a warm relationship with the former Japanese leader, called Abe “a unifier like no other,” and wrote that he was a man who loved and cherished his “magnificent country” Japan more than anything else.

He shared that only a few people know how “great man and leader Abe was” but that history will teach them and be kind.

“Shinzo Abe will be greatly missed. There will never be another like him,” Trump added.

Abe became the first world leader to meet with Trump following his 2016 presidential election victory when the two visited in 2017 at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The Japanese leader was one of Trump’s closest international allies, and the two developed a strong personal relationship while in office. Trump visited Japan twice while president – in 2017 and 2019 – while Abe made multiple trips to the U.S.

Trump’s daughter Ivanka, also took to Twitter to express her sadness at the news of Abe’s death.

She shared that she was saddened by the death of the former prime minister and referred to him as a “truly historic figure” and a leader of lasting consequence.

Ivanka Trump added that “Abe’s advice, wisdom and warmth had a profound impact on me during my government service. My heart is with his family and the Japanese people as the world mourns his passing.”

The 67-year-old former Japanese premier, who was Japan’s longest-serving leader when he resigned in 2020, died after sustaining injuries in the attack on Friday.

Police arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of the attack and identified him as Tetsuya Yamagami, according to The Associated Press.

Source: TEST FEED1

Abbott authorizes troopers, Guard members to arrest and return migrants

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an executive order on Thursday authorizing the state’s National Guard and Department of Public Safety to arrest migrants who cross the Texas border illegally and return them to Mexico.

“While President Biden refuses to do his job and enforce the immigration laws enacted by Congress, the State of Texas is once again stepping up and taking unprecedented action to protect Americans and secure our southern border,” Abbott said of his order.

The American Immigration Council (AIC) responded to Abbott’s order on Thursday, arguing that it ignored a previous Supreme Court ruling that states cannot carry out immigration enforcement.

“Authorizing state law enforcement to deport migrants could expose law enforcement agents to significant legal risk,” the council wrote in a statement, citing a separate executive order by Abbott that was struck down by a judge last year.

AIC Policy Director Aaron Reichlin-Melnick added: “Federal law is clear: states may not carry out immigration enforcement on their own and migrants have a right to request asylum and to be processed under our immigration laws.”

A press release announcing the executive order said that 5,000 migrants were apprehended for illegal border crossings over the July 4th weekend, “creating a border crisis that has overrun communities along the border and across Texas” and contributing to “historic levels of illegal crossings.”

“The cartels have become emboldened and enriched by President Biden’s open border policies, smuggling in record numbers of people, weapons, and deadly drugs like fentanyl,” warned Abbott.

Abbott’s office specifically referenced President Joe Biden’s decisions to end Title 42, the Trump-era border management policy that allowed officials to quickly expel foreign nationals at the border under the guise of pandemic protections, and the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which forced some immigrants to wait in Mexico as their immigration applications were evaluated in the U.S.

Abbott’s executive order is the latest in a slew of actions by his administration has taken to curb illegal immigration, including launching Operation Lone Star, which provides money to border cities looking to strengthen security, and issuing a disaster declaration designating a “border crisis.”

Source: TEST FEED1

Kentucky governor urges Biden to rescind controversial court pick

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called on President Joe Biden during a press conference on Thursday to rescind any decision to nominate Chad Meredith to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

“It’s been plenty of time and by now they should be telling us that it’s going to be rescinded,” Beshear said.

Meredith has not been nominated to the court, but The Hill and other news organizations have obtained emails that suggest the White House was on the verge of nominating Meredith the same day the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights.

Meredith’s nomination was not made on June 24, the day of the Supreme Court’s decision, and has not been made since.

A June 23 email from White House aide Kathleen Marshall to Coulter Minix, the director of Beshear’s office in Washington, D.C., had indicated that Meredith would be nominated the next day. 

A second email on June 29, also from Marshall to Minix, says the content in the first email was “pre-decisional and privileged.”

Meredith has previously worked on cases restricting abortion access, including representing former Gov. Matt Bevin (R) in a case in which Planned Parenthood alleged it had not been given a license to perform abortions in the state, thereby violating the law, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.

Beshear and Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) are among the officials who have criticized any step to nominate Meredith.

Yarmuth has suggested a plan to nominate Meredith could have been part of a deal with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to get judicial nominees through a closely-divided Seante.

In the press conference, Beshear focused on Meredith’s record on other cases and did not mention his anti-abortion stance, saying that Meredith “is the deputy general counsel who worked on pardons that allowed rapists and murderers to walk free.”

“The fact that this individual assisted former governor Bevin with the worst misuse or abuse of gubernatorial power certainly in my lifetime should be disqualifying,” Beshear said, referring to the pardons Meredith worked on with Bevin.

Beshear criticized both Meredith and Bevin for granting a pardon to a person who had been involved in the gang rape of a minor, whom Beshear had prosecuted during his time as Kentucky attorney general.

Beshear reiterated the Biden administration’s claim that Meredith’s nomination is on hold and said that he had not “received any definitive reason” for the nomination.

“I certainly hope that they will back off of it,” Beshear said. “Certainly you can expect any conversations on this, I will continue to tell them that this is not an acceptable nomination and I and the rest of Kentucky oppose it.”

Source: TEST FEED1

Boris Johnson’s sad end to a surprising and complicated political career

I worked on Boris Johnson’s mayoral re-election campaign in 2012.

You may be wondering, “What’s a nice liberal girl from New York City doing working for a British Conservative?”

The short answer: I was finishing my Ph.D. at the London School of Economics. Conservatives over there aren’t anything like conservatives here in America, and he was running against former London Mayor Ken Livingstone, a known antisemite who claimed it is “not antisemitic to hate the Jews of Israel.”

Plus, in those days, Boris Johnson was known for his love of cycling and dedication to greener transportation policies, his tough-on-crime approach, pledge to build more affordable housing, and fanaticism for making the London Olympics a triumph. And in all these areas, he succeeded. Johnson rolled out his hugely popular fleet of “Boris Bikes” and added cycle lanes throughout the city; while he was mayor, the homicide rate fell 50 percent; and the Greater London Authority built nearly 100,00 affordable homes. The Olympics were widely praised.

That said, his record as mayor of London has been all but erased because of what came next: Brexit.

As the son of a member of the European Parliament and the former Brussels columnist for the Daily Telegraph, Johnson’s populist, pro-Brexit position made little sense. It felt completely unnatural to hear him talk about how bad globalization had been for most Britons or the breakdown of society due to the vast gap between the elites and everyone else. This was a man who thrived in elite environments like Oxford, where he became Oxford Union president, and whose campaigns were bankrolled by hedge fund managers and other elites.

That doesn’t mean that the “haves” versus the “have nots” isn’t a very real issue. It certainly is! But Johnson jumped at the opportunity to differentiate himself in a crowded field of Conservatives, many of whom appeared to be motivated by the promise of power more than anything else.

People don’t wake up one day and just decide that globalization is an existential threat. It’s just not how it works.

It made matters worse that the Brexit campaign was based on dangerous lies. As Anne Applebaum writes in The Atlantic, “The electorate was promised that departure from the EU would lead not only to fewer immigrants but to greater prosperity, more welfare spending, less crowded hospitals. Instead, six years after the vote, Britain is less prosperous and more unequal. Brexit reduced the U.K. GDP by at least 1.5 percent even before it took full effect; the U.K. has the highest inflation rate in the G7; small businesses, especially importers, have been crushed by Brexit-related red tape and supply-chain problems.”

Britons know it, too. According to the latest polling, 50 percent think it was wrong to leave the EU, compared to 36 percent who think it was the right decision.

I bring up Brexit not because it was the reason that Boris Johnson ended up having to resign as prime minister. There were a litany of scandals that caused that. From so-called “Party-gate,” where Johnson broke his own COVID rules to host get-togethers, to the most recent brouhaha regarding Chris Pincher, the Conservative MP and party whip who resigned after reportedly getting drunk at the Tory Party members’ club and is accused of groping two men. It was discovered that Johnson apparently knew of previous harassment allegations levied against Pincher but continued to promote him — so there is plenty that went very wrong.

But Brexit matters because it’s the biggest load of crap that Boris Johnson sold the British people. And whether Britons are talking about it explicitly or not, as they sit around their kitchen tables, Brexit underlies critical aspects of society that are affecting quality of life at very difficult times. These include, but are not limited to, the cost of goods and services, the freedom to travel and work, and broader feelings of nationalism and community.

Brexit also was the most glaring example of how a politician who may have been regularly admonished for his behavior, but ultimately — and on occasion, inexplicably— is loved for his candor, quirkiness and brashness, can fall from greatness. The big Brexit sell, coupled with mismanagement, lies and sidestepping of other issues, all added up to a huge betrayal.

A politician has nothing without the public trust. And like a house of cards, it all fell down around Johnson because the foundation upon which it was built was faulty.

I realize that the story of his resignation has a shelf-life and it may be a short one, at that. But there are very real lessons for our own leadership class here in America from the Boris Johnson experience.

“Rules for thee, not for me” doesn’t fly. Don’t flout your own rules or shirk responsibility.

Norms and limits matter. Voters like outside-the-box thinking and innovation, but they like reliability and expertise more.

Live by personality, die by personality. You’re only charming as long as you’re delivering.

And most of all, don’t lie to voters. It was good to see Conservative politicians taking a stand and resigning from the British government, and we could’ve used some of that in America during the Donald Trump years! But at the most basic level, the public trust isn’t something to be trifled with. All democratic societies are held together by this fragile relationship, and it can take only so much. 

Boris Johnson found he’d hit the limit and I hope that in the future, politicians consider his case before they push voters too far.   

Jessica Tarlov is head of research at Bustle Digital Group and a Fox News contributor. She earned her Ph.D. at the London School of Economics in political science. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaTarlov.

Source: TEST FEED1