Author: Ethan Johnson
This rebroadcast originally aired on February 29, 2024.A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office reveals poor living conditions inside military barracks – from mold and exposed sewage, to broken windows, nonexistent HVAC systems and more.Today, On Point: U.S. military barracks are in shambles. Will the government take action?GuestsElizabeth Field, chief operating officer for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, an organization supporting military caregivers. Co-author of the GAO report “Military Barracks: Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness.”Raymond F. DuBois, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).Also FeaturedSalem Ezz, software engineer at the Civil-Military…
In 2023, Amazon deforestation rates declined after years of record-breaking losses, thanks to efforts led by Brazil and Colombia. However, these gains are fragile, and anti-deforestation efforts show signs of weakening, with persistent risks of a tipping point, argues Robert Muggah, Co-Founder of the Igarapé Institute.Government measures focus on forest conservation, green development, and strengthening the rule of law but face challenges due to underfunding and limited municipal support. Public security forces are overwhelmed by environmental crimes like illegal mining and wildlife trafficking, exacerbating forest and biodiversity loss.Environmental crime is gaining more attention from decision-makers, law enforcement, and civil society,…
Thousands of Armenians held anti-government demonstrations on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan over territorial concessions to arch-foe neighbour Azerbaijan. Issued by: May 27, 2024 – 05:05 2 minutes Protests erupted in the Caucasus country last month after the government agreed to hand over territory it has controlled since the 1990s to Baku.The ceded territory is strategically important to landlocked Armenia as it controls part of a vital highway to Georgia.Ethnic Armenians living in nearby settlements say the move cuts them off from the rest of the country and that Pashinyan is surrendering territory without getting anything…
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigerian government is cracking down on illegal mining, arresting dozens of unlicensed miners since April for allegedly stealing lithium, a key mineral used in batteries for electric cars, smartphones and power systems.The latest arrests come as Nigeria seeks to regulate mining activities for critical minerals, curb illegal activity and better profit from its mineral resources. The shift from coal, oil and gas to renewable energy and batteries – clean energy – has caused a surge in global demand for lithium, tin and other minerals. Illegal mining is rife in Nigeria's nascent industry because regulatory corruption is…
North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson plans to “transform” state government if elected in November, and he laid out his plans in a wide-ranging speech this weekend.The Republican lieutenant governor, speaking at the Republican National Convention in Greensboro, North Carolina, focused on education, blasting school officials who “think they know more than you, know your kids better than you do, and are willing to feed them a constant diet of communism and pornography,” according to state media outlet WRAL. He also made it clear he believes North Carolina's economy is poised to “explode.””North Carolina is literally on the verge of…
The U.S. government has spent over $500 billion making interest payments on the national debt in just seven months. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) reports that net interest spending for the first seven months of fiscal year 2024 reached $514 billion, more than was spent on both defense and Medicare. The huge interest payments exceed the funds spent on veterans, education and transportation combined. Source: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget The state of America's balance sheet is coming under increasing scrutiny from the financial community as the national debt approaches $34.8 trillion. Goldman Sachs CEO David…
Because Lake County is located within the Mississippi Flyway, with more than 30 million birds migrating through the area so far this spring, the Lake County Commission has adopted a new policy that requires the exteriors of newly constructed Lake County government-owned facilities to be made of at least 80 percent bird-friendly glass. | Submitted Photo The Lake County Commission has approved a new policy that will make birds a top consideration in all new government-owned facilities Lake County builds and renovates. The main objective of this policy is to reduce the dangers posed to birds in the built environment,…
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Here's the first round of South Dakota government board and commission meetings open to the public in the new week beginning Monday, May 27, 2024, including a public hearing on a health bond issuance and two public hearings on proposed administrative rule changes. Click on the name (highlighted in blue) for more information about the meeting. Please note that the event may be postponed due to bad weather or other reasons. Monday, May 27 Memorial Day. State business offices are closed for the official holiday. Tuesday, May 28 Council of Economic Advisors9 a.m. CST, conference call.…
“We are desperate. With this government configuration, there can be no agreement,” retired IDF Major General Nitzan Alon, who is in charge of prisoner affairs, said in secret talks with liaison officers for prisoner families, N12 reported. Alon blamed the current government structure for being a major obstacle to a hostage release agreement. “The agreement I am pushing for includes the gradual return of all hostages,” Alon stressed, according to the report.Negotiations on a hostage deal are continuing, with the War Cabinet due to convene on Sunday night to discuss a new proposal submitted by the Mossad director to…
by Mary Spiller May 26, 2024 Kenyan President William Ruto visited the US to strengthen the partnership. Kenyan President William Ruto confirmed that the Kenyan government has signed agreements with several HBCUs, including Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Howard University. The partnerships will help advance economic development and STEM education curricula in both Kenya and the United States. The good news came on the heels of Ruto's visit to the United States to meet with President Joe Biden's administration. Ruto first stopped off in Atlanta on May 20 before meeting with President Biden. During his time at…