Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees wait in Mexico, hope to be allowed inside U.S.

BETTER CHANCES THAN ANYONE ELSE

Children from Ukraine look at a cellphone while staying at a makeshift camp near the San Ysidro Port of Entry of the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana, Mexico, on April 4, 2022. Photo by Ariana Drehsler/UPI | License Photo

April 5 (UPI) -- Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees have made their way into Mexico and are lining up at U.S. border stations waiting, and hoping, to be among the 100,000 President Joe Biden has promised to let in due to the Russian war in Ukraine.

Many of the refugees have gotten tourist visas to enter Mexico and, once there, are making their way north to the U.S. border. Many have been waiting in Tijuana, which is a short distance away from the San Ysidro port of entry.

Earlier this week, volunteers said they saw more than 1,000 refugees waiting at the border. They also said that the United States is allowing about 150 refugees into the country each day on a case-by-case, humanitarian basis.

The humanitarian exception stems from Biden's pledge last month to take in Ukrainians fleeing violence in their home country. Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February and for weeks have been fighting to secure key strategic locations around the Eastern European nation.

The Ukrainian refugees are given a number near the border so they don't have to physically wait in line to see if they can enter the United States on humanitarian grounds. Photo by Ariana Drehsler/UPI

Disturbing images coming out of Ukraine last weekend -- showing civilians killed by Russian troops and evidence of other atrocities -- have outraged the international community and strengthened the resolve for some to allow traumatized Ukrainians into the United States. They fueled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's appearance before the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday.

Some refugees are waiting for possible U.S. entry at hotels in Tijuana, and some are living at encampments around the U.S.-Mexico border.

"We had to come up with some very immediate decisions about how we were going to house, how we were going to protect our people from weather, how we can assist them with their journey to America, and how we can make them comfortable," volunteer Inna Levien told KNSD-TV.

One Ukrainian-American met her 17-year-old grandson at the San Ysidro port of entry. He'd traveled for more than a month to get there.

As some Ukrainians cross the border, federal immigration agents continue to turn away Latin American and Caribbean refugees at the same location. Volunteers say that some fleeing Russians have also showed up hoping to enter the United States, but they don't have the same guarantees as Ukrainians.

"We had a surprising influx in the past four days, mainly because after the conflict we started seeing arrivals as of March 11," Tijuana immigration official Enrique Lucero said according to CNN.

"They're processing like 100, 150 a day or even 200 a day and it takes nearly three hours to process them," he added. "That's the reason why we have seen this minicamp at the border."

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Pet poop and pee includes traces of cancer-causing toxins found in homes

By HealthDay News

Researchers found eight types of aromatic amines in stool samples of pets. They also found traces of the chemicals in more than 38% of urine samples taken from a separate group of pets. File Photo by Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock

Your pet's poop and pee may give you clues to how many cancer-causing toxins have taken up residence in your home.

"Our findings suggest that pets are coming into contact with aromatic amines that leach from products in their household environment," said study author Sridhar Chinthakindi, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Langone Health in New York City.

"As these substances have been tied to bladder, colorectal and other forms of cancer, our results may help explain why so many dogs and cats develop such diseases," he said in an NYU news release.

Aromatic amines are the chemicals found in tobacco smoke and in dyes used in cosmetics, textiles and plastics. The study ruled out tobacco smoke as a major source of pet exposure in this study, but found that nearly 70% of dogs and 80% of cats had detectable levels of an aromatic amine that previous research has shown occurs when a common flea control medication breaks down.

In total, the team analyzed the samples for 30 different kinds of aromatic amines and nicotine. The researchers found eight types of aromatic amines in the stool samples. They also found traces of the chemicals in more than 38% of urine samples taken from a separate group of pets.

They found that cats had triple the concentrations of aromatic amines in their urine, though they do not break down many compounds as efficiently as dogs do.

The animals had similar exposure to the toxins whether they lived in homes, shelters or were staying at an animal hospital.

It's not clear what aromatic amine levels can be safely tolerated by pets, noted senior study author Kurunthachalam Kannan, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone.

"Since pets are smaller and more sensitive to toxins, they serve as excellent 'canaries in the coal mine' for assessing chemical risks to human health," Kannan said in the release. "If they are getting exposed to toxins in our homes, then we had better take a closer look at our own exposure."

The findings highlight how common these substances are and how difficult they are to avoid, Chinthakindi said.

RELATED Dogs are unsung heroes of COVID-19 pandemic for many, experts say

The study authors had previously measured other hormone-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates, melamine and bisphenols in pet urine. Next, they plan to explore the link between aromatic amine exposure and bladder, thyroid and testicular cancer in pets.

The findings were published online recently in the journal Environment International.

More information

RELATED Pet store puppies may be passing drug-resistant bacteria to people

The American Veterinary Medical Association has more on cancer in pets.

EPA proposes new rule to ban chrysotile asbestos

Michael Regan, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency speaks in Lorain, Ohio on February 17. He announced a new rule banning chrysotile asbestos on Tuesday. 

File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo

April 5 (UPI) -- The White House said on Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Agency will announce new rules prohibiting the use and manufacturing of chrysotile asbestos, which has been tied to lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Chrysotile asbestos is commonly part of such items as roofing materials, textiles and cement as well some automotive parts that include brakes and gaskets.

The EPA said the new suggested rule would be the first risk management rule issued under the new process for evaluating and addressing the safety of existing chemicals under the 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act.

"Today, we're taking an important step forward to protect public health and finally put an end to the use of dangerous asbestos in the United States," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

"This historic proposed ban would protect the American people from exposure to chrysotile asbestos, a known carcinogen, and demonstrates significant progress in our work to implement the TSCA law and take bold, long-overdue actions to protect those most vulnerable among us."

The proposal would correct a 1991 court decision that essentially overturned EPA's 1989 ban on asbestos significantly weakened EPA's authority to address risks to human health from asbestos and other existing chemicals.

"Use of asbestos in the U.S. has been declining for decades, and its use is banned in over 50 countries," the EPA said in a statement. "Although there are several known types, the only form of asbestos known to be currently imported, processed, or distributed for use in the United States is chrysotile."

RELATED Quebec town called Asbestos searches for a new name

The agency said raw chrysotile asbestos currently imported into the United States is used exclusively by the Chlor-alkali industry but most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued.

56% DON'T GIVE A SHIT

Gallup poll: 44% of Americans worry a 'great deal' about environment


A Gallup poll released Tuesday shows Americans’ environmental concerns have remained at a near two-decade high for the seventh year running. 

File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

April 5 (UPI) -- A Gallup poll released Tuesday shows Americans' environmental concerns have remained at a near two-decade high for the seventh year running.

The environment poll, released annually since 2001, shows 44% of Americans have worried a "great deal" about the quality of their environment.

About 27% of 1,017 adult respondents in the March 1-18 survey said they worry "a fair amount," and 28% said they're "only a little" or "not at all" concerned.

In comparison, Gallup's results from 2001 to 2015 show nearly one-third of Americans said they worried a great deal about the environment. That figure only exceeded 40% in 2001 and 2007.

The results from 2022 showed that substantial worries tend to be higher among Democratic voters whose party has zeroed in on environmental issues like global warming.

Fifty-six percent of Democrats showed heightened concern about the environment compared to 24% of Republicans.

Meanwhile, independents appeared to be nearly as likely as Democrats to express a "great deal" of concern about the environment, the poll found.

Not all Democrats decry climate change, as shown by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin's letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.

The conservative Democrat opposed a proposed rule that would force companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and other climate-related measures.

The letter came hours after the United Nations released a 3,675-page report on Monday asking countries to choose between "immediate and deep emissions reductions" or potentially devastating climate change consequences.

To stabilize global warming at the Paris Climate Accord's target temperature of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, there would have to be a 43% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a 33% reduction in methane, according to the report.

The Gallup poll shows more Americans today -- 18% compared to 9% in 2015 -- describe the environment's quality as "poor."

Fewer respondents rated the environment as either "excellent" or "good," with a drop from 50% in 2015 to 39% in 2022.

Climate change demonstrators gather in Washington, D.C.


Demonstrators with climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion scale the exterior of the Chamber of Commerce building and release colored smoke during a protest in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Sarah Silbiger/UPI | License Photo

GOP LET'S CAT OUT OF THE BAG

Arkansas senator slams Biden over reportedly extending pause on student loans

GOOD FOR DEMS TO RUN ON

After reports on Tuesday that President Joe Biden will extend the pause on paying back student loans, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton called it a "reckless move" on Twitter. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI | License Photo

April 5 (UPI) -- Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton criticized President Joe Biden on Tuesday, after multiple media reports that Biden is planning to extend a pause on federal student loan repayments through Aug. 31.

"President Biden's perpetual student loan payment moratorium is an insult to every American who responsibly paid debts," Cotton wrote on Twitter.

"There's no free lunch: this reckless move puts taxpayers on the hook for billions."

The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and CNN reported Tuesday that Biden would extend the current pause on student loan payments, citing sources close to the administration.

Last Thursday, Democratic lawmakers called on Biden to again extend the pause on federal student loan payments and consider a cancellation of student debt.

The Trump administration first enacted the pause on payments and interest in March 2020 to help those economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pause has been extended multiple times since then, with repayments now set to begin May 1.

Cotton, the junior senator from Arkansas since 2015, isn't alone among Republican lawmakers in trying to block an extension of the pause.

In March, Indiana Rep. Jim Banks and Virginia Rep. Bob Good introduced the Federal Student Loan Integrity Act, which would stop the Education Secretary's ability to continue authorizing extensions.

MISGOYNISTIC  BUSY BODIES
Oklahoma House approves bill banning abortion 

MYOB

Anti-abortion activists and abortion rights supporters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC., on October 4. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo

April 5 (UPI) -- The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a near-total ban on abortions Tuesday, sending the legislation to Gov. Kevin Stitt's desk for a signature.

The chamber voted 70-14 in favor of the bill, with 16 members not voting, Tulsa World reported. One Republican, Rep. Carol Bush of Tulsa, voted against the measure.

The legislation passed the Oklahoma Senate last year.

Stitt has signaled his willingness to sign the legislation into law, The Washington Post reported.

One of the most restrictive bills in the country, it would make all abortions illegal other than those to save the life of the woman. Those convicted of illegally performing an abortion face up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

If signed into law, the abortion ban would go into effect in August when the Oklahoma Legislature adjourns. The Post reported Oklahoma law's future will likely depend on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban.

The Oklahoma House's vote coincided with a planned abortion rights protest on the Oklahoma State Capitol steps.

Tamya Cox-Touré, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, said the state is "facing an abortion access crisis," with seven anti-abortion bills currently under consideration in the Legislature.

"These harmful bills are an alarming reminder that the days of access to safe and legal abortion may be numbered, and we must continue to fight to guarantee all people have access to the essential health care they need, including abortion," she said.

AMERICAN LIBERTARIAN FIRST PRINCIPLE

Mind Your Own Business

And Then There Were None - Simple Liberty

Published June 1951 in Astounding Science Fiction magazine (Vol. XLVII, No. ... All I could get out of him at the finish was 'myob,' whatever that means.”.

WAIT, WHAT 
More than 70% of U.S. counties gained businesses since start of pandemic

WHY ISN'T THIS HEADLINE NEWS

U.S. President Joe Biden talks about his plan to strengthen supply chains Monday. An analysis released Tuesday shows 74% of U.S. counties have seen a net gain in the number of businesses since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic decline. Photo by Ting Shen/UPI | License Photo


April 5 (UPI) -- Nearly 75% of counties across the United States have seen a net increase in the number of businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to an analysis released Tuesday by a non-partisan think tank.

Of the 3,006 U.S. counties, 74% had more physical business establishments at the end of September than they did before the start of the pandemic and ensuing recession in March 2020, according to the Economic Innovation Group

The Group points to the unprecedented direct federal aid as the chief cause of the economic resilience, helping businesses to survive the downturn, combined with household and monetary stimulus that enabled a new crop of enterprises to take root.

By contrast, 44% of counties reached a similar milestone five years after the onset of the 2008 financial crisis.

Contrary to some predictions, the pandemic did not plunge the U.S. economy into a wave of permanent business closures.

"In fact, the opposite happened -- total business establishments nationwide stood 7 percent above their pre-pandemic levels as of the third quarter of 2021, the latest data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages shows," wrote the group's analysts.

Geographically, growth was tied more to the south and the western parts of the country. Los Angeles County, Miami-Dade County and Maricopa County added the most establishments, with each growing by at least 10,000 businesses.

RELATED Revolutionary changes in transportation could slow global warming if done right

Most counties in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida added business establishments at rates faster than the country at-large, even those not bordering an urban center.

Mid-sized counties throughout the West and South also did better than average. The Group lists Ada County, Idaho, as an example. The county, which includes the city of Boise, saw its business establishment total grow 23%.

New York County, which is coextensive with Manhattan, lost 4,695 business locations between the end of 2019 and the third quarter of 2021, which is more than any other county.

Queens County, Baltimore County and Michigan's Wayne County, which includes Detroit, also saw outright declines in the number of established businesses.

"During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, fears of a massive wave of small business failures were pervasive. Fortunately, these fears failed to materialize, no doubt due in part to unprecedented direct federal aid to help businesses survive the downturn, combined with household and monetary stimulus that enabled an entirely new crop of enterprises to take root," wrote EIG associate Connor O'Brien.
ADVERTISE

Wildfire danger to accompany record-challenging heat in California

By Alyssa Smithmyer, Accuweather.com

With temperatures expected to rise in the western United States this weekend, forecasters say the risk for wildfires in California is rising. File Photo by Armando Arorizo/EPA

A wave of warmth is set to build over the western United States from Wednesday to Saturday, putting multiple records at risk of being broken and increasing the fire threat as temperatures climb well above average.

"An unusually strong ridge of high pressure for early spring will be strengthening off the West Coast," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr said.

Forecasters say that while this area of high pressure will continue to strengthen and shift inland Wednesday, the strong offshore winds will provide a rush of unseasonably warm and dry air.

By Wednesday, temperatures in portions of Southern California and southwest Arizona are forecast to surge upwards of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, including heavily populated regions west of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. Downtown Los Angeles is expected to climb past 90 F for the first time since Nov. 13, 2021.

RELATED Wildfires in the U.S. are larger, more frequent and more widespread

"Temperatures across California will jump about 10 degrees from Tuesday into Wednesday however, they will peak on Thursday and Friday at around 20 degrees above average," noted Zehr.

Multiple locations spanning from the Sacramento Valley to San Diego will soar high enough to threaten daytime high records on Thursday and Friday.

"Heat will certainly be building as we move into late week," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Andrew Kienzle.

RELATED Drought conditions expected to worsen this spring, NOAA says

Taking a closer look at Southern California, the heat is expected to peak from Thursday to Friday across the Los Angeles Basin, when daytime highs can reach values into the upper 90s F. Desert regions in Southern California will likely experience the highest temperatures from Friday to Saturday. Some locations, such as Palm Springs, California, stand a chance of breaking the 100-degree mark on both days.

Downtown Los Angeles is forecast to reach a high of 94 F on Friday, challenging the daily record for April 8 of 92 F set back in 1989. Farther south, San Diego is forecast to get up to 87 F on Friday, which would tie the previous daily record set in 2014.

Forecasters say that AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will range from 95 to 105 degrees F across much of Southern California during the peak daytime heating hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

 

RELATEDS tudy says wildfires will get worse unless nations rethink prevention strategy

Heat advisories have been issued across portions of Ventura County, the Santa Clarita Valley and San Fernando Valley for 11 a.m. PDT Wednesday through 6 p.m. PDT Friday ahead of the building heat.

In order to avoid heat-related illnesses, residents are encouraged to drink plenty of water, find an air-conditioned environment and avoid strenuous activity when temperatures are at their peak in the middle of the day.

Heat advisories (orange shaded counties) were issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) from 11 a.m. PDT Wednesday, April 6, through 6 p.m. PDT Friday, April 8

A clear sky and dry weather will accompany the warm conditions through Thursday before clouds start to spread over the Southwest ahead of this weekend. The Southwest has remained largely rain-free for the last week, with the last observed rainfall in the Los Angeles Basin occurring on March 29.

This is good news for baseball fans anxiously awaiting the first home games of the new season, which include the San Diego Padres hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday evening and the Oakland Athletics hosting the Philadelphia Phillies Friday afternoon.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, widespread regions of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico are currently experiencing moderate drought levels. Portions of Central and Northern California, southern Nevada, western Utah, and central New Mexico are facing extreme drought levels.

The flow of warm air pushing across the Southwest will not only challenge daily records but will also heighten the risk of wildfires. Gusty Santa Ana winds are expected to develop from Tuesday to Thursday, further exacerbating the fire danger.

Wind gusts ranging from 40-50 mph can occur during this time, with gusts up to 60 mph possible through the mountain passes.

The pattern across the West is expected to transition by the late weekend, and temperatures will retreat to typical April levels. The mercury will continue to fall into next week with much of the Southwest experiencing below-average temperatures by the start of the new week.

PHILIPPINES
Robredo, Pangilinan urged by Dumagat tribe to stop Kaliwa Dam project

LLANESCA T. PANTI,

GMA News Online.

ANTIPOLO, Rizal —Under threat of displacement, members of the indigenous women's group Kababaihang Dumagat ng Sierra Madre turned to Vice President Leni Robredo and running mate Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, asking them stop the Kaliwa Dam project.

© Leni Robredo FB Robredo, Pangilinan urged by Dumagat tribe to stop Kaliwa Dam project

Cherrelyn San Jose and Maricel Astoveza made the appeal as Robredo and her team signed a covenant with indigenous peoples communities to protect their rights, include them in the national census and consult them on government projects, among others.

"Maam Leni, sana po mapigilan niyo iyong pagpapatuloy ng Kaliwang Dam. Kami po iyong ilulubog po roon," San Jose told GMA News Online.

"Sa Barangay Daraitan po iyon, wala pong relocation para sa amin. Kaya sana po huwag matuloy ang Kaliwa dam. Kailangan po ng tubig? Paano naman po kami? Hanggang ngayon po eh wala naman po kami relocation kaya ipinaglalaban po namin na hindi kami aalis sa lupa namin," she added.

Astoveza agreed, saying that the site of the project of their ancestral home.

"Ganun rin po [ang panawagan ko kay VP Leni], sana hindi matuloy gawa ng ipinaglalaban namin iyong lupain po namin roon," Astoveza added.

The group also asked former congressman and senatorial candidate Teddy Baguilat to intervene, who himself is a member of an IP community.

Robredo, in response, said that given the chance to be president, she will ensure that government policies will uplift the quality of life of the IPs.

"Kadalasan po, ang mga IP, nagagamit. Iyong pinirmahan po namin, hindi lang po iyon sa papel. Ang maipapangako po namin, mararamdaman po ninyo, araw-araw na nakaupo kami sa pwesto na mahal namin kayo," Robredo said.

The P12.2-billion China-funded project will be an additional source of water for Metro Manila residents and nearby provinces amid constant threats of water shortage especially in the summer months.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) earlier noted that 400 individuals from 55 barangays would be affected by construction.—LDF, GMA News

This article Robredo, Pangilinan urged by Dumagat tribe to stop Kaliwa Dam project was originally published in GMA News Online.

Even this HK newspaper pointed out that Filipinos ‘fall for fake history’

Coconuts Manila 

Not that we need other countries to point out what’s fundamentally wrong with our inability to discern fact from fiction — or the elaborate disinformation systems that have been put in place to ensure that people stay gullible — but when others begin to affirm our predilection for fake news, then there must really be a problem.

A photo of a story about Filipinos falling for fake history ran in Hong Kong-based newspaper The Standard. Image: Twitter

Hong Kong-based English language newspaper The Standard ran a feature under their world news section with a title that practically explains itself: “Filipinos fall for fake history.”

The story, which spanned an entire page, detailed how Philippine social media “has exploded with support for presidential election favorite Ferdinand Marcos Jr., driven by a massive misinformation campaign aimed at revamping the family brand and smearing his top rival.”

“False and misleading claims have flooded Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter in the lead-up to the May 9 polls, pounding Filipinos with a barrage of propaganda on platforms where they rank among the heaviest users in the world,” the article read.

The article went on to explain that Marcos Jr.’s camp has been criticized of trying to portray the regime of his father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, as “a golden age of peace and prosperity” while whitewashing the well-documented human rights abuses and plunder that took place in the period.

It is estimated that the Marcoses stole an accumulated wealth of US$5 to 10 billion.

Human rights violations recorded during Marcos Sr.’s two-decade rule include 70,000 detained, 34,000 tortured, and 3,240 killed by the military and police.

READ: So what was so bad about martial law?

The article went on to describe the misinformation efforts that appear to be translating into votes among the populace, and how the Marcos machinery had invested early on in building their online sphere of influence to stage a political comeback.

“Election-related misinformation has focused on frontrunners ‘Bongbong’ Marcos and Vice-President Leni Robredo,” The Standard wrote.

“Data show Robredo, 56, reeling from preponderantly negative messages and Marcos Jr., 64, enjoying overwhelmingly positive ones.”

The paper further detailed that social media influence was critical in swaying voters’ opinions, with Facebook as a major battleground — citing De La Salle University political science professor Cleve Arguelles’ analysis that other presidential campaigns would have difficulty competing against the Marcos machinery, as “they have worked really hard (for six years) to dominate these spaces, and they’re reaping the benefits of investing early in troll armies and building online communities.”

A photo of the article, as well as its online version, made rounds on social media.

“There’s no sugarcoating this. Kulang na lang sabihin nilang ang bobo ng mga Pilipino (All that’s missing is for them to say that Filipinos are idiots,” user Gerry Cacanindin wrote on Twitter.

“When Lee Kuan Yew described the Philippines as a ‘soft forgiving culture,’ what he wanted to explain was (what a) stupid culture we have for accepting the Marcoses, allowed (Marcos Sr.) to have a heroes burial and let them come back in power after what they did to our country,” another wrote.

READ: Acclaimed Marcos documentary ‘The Kingmaker’ is now free for streaming