UK

Almost 1.8m people owe £50,000 

 ( $63,151.53 US Dollars ) or more in student debt

By Harrison Jones, BBC News

BBC
The highest debt known to the Student Loan Company now stands at more than £250,000

Almost 1.8 million people are now in at least £50,000 of UK student debt, data obtained by BBC News reveals.

More than 61,000 have balances of above £100,000, figures from the Student Loans Company (SLC) also show, while another 50 people each owe upwards of £200,000.

The statistics were released after a Freedom of Information (FOI) asked for the number of loan holders with above average debts who are eligible to start repayments.

The SLC previously said the average balance for loan holders in England when they start making repayments was less than £45,000. New government data shows that amount has now risen to £48,470.

Balances can be significantly higher for those who study multiple or lengthy courses and often rise rapidly with interest.

In 2023/24, some 2.8 million people in England made a student loan repayment, according to government figures released after the FOI response.

That means only a small fraction of those repaying their balances are in more than £100,000 of debt - but the majority do owe more than £50,000.

It comes after the BBC revealed earlier this year that the highest UK student debt was more than £231,000. Around three months later, that figure has now hit £252,000.

Tom Allingham, from website Save The Student, said such debts were "alarming" but were “in no way indicative of the norm”.

The National Union of Students (NUS) branded it “ridiculous” that none of the main parties are offering "reform" of student finance in the election campaign.



Heavily-indebted graduates have also spoken to BBC News about their concerns with the current system.

Titi, a senior electrical engineer from Croydon who asked for his full name not to be used, saw his student debt - which stands at more than £128,200 - rise by £788.11 between 6 April and 6 June this year.

“No matter how much I pay it is always increasing,” he said, referencing the near 8% interest rate on accounts like his, which is driven by high inflation.


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The father-of-one, 43, told the BBC he feels it is impossible to pay back the balance in full following his four-year course at London South Bank University and two years studying for a Higher National Diploma.

“It seems like a money-making avenue when you look at the (interest) rates applied to the loans,” he said.

Titi said he fears some people may be discouraged from higher education “when they do the calculations” and consider what they could earn without a degree.


Titi saw his student debt rise by £788.11 between 6 April and 6 June


It is more than 10 years since tuition fees were tripled in England. From 2017, fees have cost a maximum of £9,250 per year across all UK nations, though in Scotland, Scottish students are charged a maximum of £1,820.

Debts are written off at the end of loan terms - often 30 years - regardless of how much is owed by that point.

Many people who borrowed "exceptional amounts" on so-called "Plan 2" loans - which were introduced when fees were tripled - are unlikely to pay the full amount back, according to Ben Waltmann, from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

But Claire Callender, a professor of higher education policy and deputy director of the Centre for Global Higher Education, told the BBC that owing such high amounts is "likely to have a negative impact on graduates' lives".




It is not clear whether the largest debt now known to the SLC - of £252,000 - is on the same loan as the one revealed to be the highest in March, at £231,000.

Nick Hillman, the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, told the BBC he was "most shocked" by the number of people in more than £200,000 of student debt.

He pointed out that the data suggests that less than 50 people owe at least £10m between them.

"Clearly, at that level, the student loan system is not working well because these people will not pay it all back", Mr Hillman said.


'People will not pay it all back'


In its response to the FOI request, the SLC said people with higher than average balances "may be in receipt of several student loan products", including an Advanced Learner Loan for further education courses and funding for undergraduate courses, postgraduate Master’s courses and postgraduate Doctoral courses.

It said other factors behind high student debts could also include loan holders studying multiple or lengthier courses or holding more than one loan plan type. The company added that some students receive additional funding due to "compelling personal reasons".

Despite being in more than £101,500 of debt, foundation year 2 doctor Abbie Tutt is pleased the system does not impact credit scores.

But Ms Tutt - who posted a video on social media "celebrating" her balance passing £100,000 - is unhappy about how long she will be paying it off for.

The 27-year-old says the debt is saddening when she compares it to that of older colleagues who paid their loans off when terms were more favourable.
Abbie Tutt
Abbie Tutt says comparing her debt with that of older colleagues who have paid it off is saddening



She characterises her debt as a tax. She told the BBC: “If you’re going to uni because it’s your passion and you are going to get a good job and be happy then you could justify it.

“But I am not comfortable with people being in that much debt and not getting a job.”

'Ridiculous'


Chloe Field, the NUS’ vice president for higher education, said means testing of maintenance loans often leads to people from working class backgrounds ending up in the most debt, as they can claim more funding.

“They also generally pay back their loans slower, and therefore end up paying more in interest”, she told the BBC.

Save The Student's Mr Allingham added: “The prior revelation that one graduate had student loan debt of over £231,000 was a watershed moment, which makes it even more shocking that dozens of others also owe in excess of £200,000.”

The Conservatives say that while in government the party has frozen tuition fees and ensured no one pays back more than they borrowed in real terms.

However, like Labour, the Tories are not making any concrete new proposals on tuition fees or student debt.

Labour's manifesto says the current higher education funding settlement "does not work" and promises that the party "will act to create a secure future for higher education".

The Liberal Democrats want to reinstate maintenance grants for disadvantaged students immediately and review higher education finance. The Green Party proposes abolishing tuition fees, while Reform promises to scrap interest on student loans.

The Department for Education declined to comment due to pre-election period restrictions.

The critical cog in Putin's machine and how British firms help to keep Russian gas flowing into Europe

The Yakov Gakkel tanker travels back and forth between Siberia and Europe, through winter and summer, and is part of the explanation for why the continent never ran out of gas.

Ed Conway
Economics and data editor @EdConwaySky
Tuesday 2 July 2024 

This is the story of how an obscure company based in an office block on a quiet street in Glasgow became an accessory in Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine. It is the story of how Europe and Russia remain locked in a tense relationship of economic dependence, even as they supposedly cut their ties. It is the story of the uncomfortable truth behind why the cost of living crisis came to an end.

But before all of that, it is the story of a ship - a very unusual ship indeed.

If you ever spot the Yakov Gakkel as it sails through the English Channel or the Irish Sea (I first set eyes on it in the Channel but at the time of writing it was sailing northwards, about 20 miles off the coast of Anglesey) you might not find it all that remarkable.

At first glance it looks like many of the other large, nondescript tankers and cargo vessels passing these shores. Its profile is dominated by an enormous blue prow which reaches high out of the water and ends, 50 metres further back, at its unexpectedly angular stern.

Yet the ship's slightly odd shape - all hull and barely any deck - is the first clue about what makes the Yakov Gakkel so special. Because this is one of the world's most advanced liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers, with an unusual trick up its sleeve.

Image:The Yakov Gakkel tanker

LNG tankers are extraordinary ships, with insides so cleverly engineered they are capable of holding vast amounts of natural gas at temperatures of approximately −163C.

For all that the world is embracing renewable energy, natural gas remains one of the most important energy sources, essential for much of Europe's heating and power, not to mention its industries. For the time being, there is no cheap way of making many industrial products, from glass and paper to critical chemicals and fertilisers, without gas.

Once upon a time, moving natural gas from one part of the world to another necessitated sending it down long, expensive, vulnerable pipelines, meaning only countries with a physical connection to gas producers could receive this vital fuel. But LNG tankers like the Yakov Gakkel are part of the answer to this problem, since they allow gas producers to send it by sea to anywhere with a terminal capable of turning their supercooled methane back into the gas we use to heat our homes and power our grids.

Politicians in Europe promised to end the continent's reliance on Russian gas

But the Yakov Gakkel can also do something most other LNG tankers cannot, for that enormous blue double hull allows it to carve through ice, enabling it to travel up into the Arctic Circle and back even in the depths of winter.

And that is precisely what this ship does, more or less constantly: travelling back and forth between Siberia and Europe, through winter and summer, bringing copious volumes of gas from Russia to Europe. It is part of the explanation for how Europe never ran out of gas, even after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This is not, it's worth saying, the conventional wisdom. Back when Russia invaded Ukraine, European policymakers declared they planned to eliminate the continent's reliance on Russian gas - which accounted for roughly a third of their supplies before 2022.

And many assumed that had already happened - especially after the Nord Stream pipeline, the single biggest source of European gas imports, was sabotaged in late 2022. But while volumes of Russian pipeline gas into Europe have dropped dramatically, the amount of Russian LNG coming into Europe has risen to record levels.

LNG tankers sail between Siberia and various ports in Europe, including Zeebrugge

Russia helps Europe replenish gas stores

Today, Europe still depends on Russia for around 15% of its gas, an ever-growing proportion of which now comes in via the sealanes, on tankers like the Yakov Gakkel. And while the US has stepped in to make up some of the volumes lost when those pipelines stopped, only last month Russia overtook the US to become the second biggest provider of gas to the continent. It's further evidence that those LNG volumes carried on ships through the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the English Channel, are increasing, rather than falling.

This Russian gas has helped Europe replenish its gas stores, it has helped keep the continent's heavy industry going throughout the Ukraine war. And this dependence has not come cheap: the total amount Europe has paid Russia for LNG since 2022 comes to around €10bn.

The continued presence of Russian gas running through European grids is at least part of the explanation for why European energy prices have fallen so sharply since those post-invasion highs. Back then, many in the market were pricing in a complete end of Russian gas supply to Europe - something that would have had disastrous consequences. But it never actually happened.

Perhaps this explains why the continent's politicians have, so far, stopped short of banning imports of Russian gas: they are aware that their economy would struggle to withstand another sharp spike in inflation - which would almost certainly eventuate if it stopped taking Russian gas altogether.

Russian gas has helped keep Europe's heavy industry going throughout the Ukraine war

This week, European leaders agreed to stop allowing Russia to use its ports to "trans-ship" its LNG - essentially acting as a stop-off point towards other destinations. However, those transshipments account for only a fraction - at most a quarter - of the Russian gas coming in on tankers to Europe. The vast majority ends up in Belgium, France and Spain, heating European homes, fuelling power stations and powering machinery in factories.

While European leaders have imposed wide-ranging sanctions and price caps on shipments of oil, no such controls exist for liquefied natural gas. So the Yakov Gakkel and a fleet of LNG tankers carry on sailing between Siberia and various ports in Europe - Zeebrugge, Dunkirk, Montoir and Bilbao - keeping the continent supplied with the Russian hydrocarbons it still cannot live without.



British firm's role in lucrative trade

But there is another reason why this ship is particularly unique, for the Yakov Gakkel - this critical cog in the financial machine that helps finance the Russian regime - is actually part-owned and operated by a British company.

That brings us back to a street overlooking the Clyde in Glasgow, where, in a glass-fronted office block, you will find the operational headquarters of a company called Seapeak. The chances are you haven't heard of Seapeak before, but this business owns and operates a fleet of LNG tankers all across the world.

That fleet includes the Yakov Gakkel and four other LNG icebreakers that ply this Siberian trade. That a British company might be facilitating this lucrative trade for Russia might come as a surprise, but there is nothing illegal about this: the sanctions regime on Russia just turns out to be significantly more porous than you might have thought.



We tried repeatedly to speak to Seapeak - to ask them about the Yakov Gakkel and whether they felt it was appropriate - given the UK has forsworn LNG imports - that a British company and British workers are helping administer this Russian trade. We sent emails with questions. However, they did not respond to our calls or our emails.

When, after weeks of efforts to get a response, I visited their offices in Glasgow, I was met by a security guard who told me Seapeak would not see me without an appointment (which they were refusing to give me). Eventually I was told that if I would not leave they would call the police.

A security guard at Seapeak's offices in Glasgow said no one was available to speak to Sky News

Seapeak is not the only British company helping keep Russian gas flowing. While British insurers are banned from protecting oil tankers carrying Russian crude, there's no equivalent sanction on Russian LNG ships, with the upshot that many of these tankers are insured by British companies operating out of the Square Mile.

We spent some time tracking another icebreaking tanker, the Vladimir Rusanov, as it approached Zeebrugge. It is insured by the UK P&I Club, which also insures a number of other LNG carriers.

In a statement, it said: "The UK Club takes great care to observe all applicable sanctions regulations in relation to Russian energy cargoes, but the direct carriage of LNG from Yamal to Zeebrugge, and provision of insurance services for such carriage, is not presently sanctioned. If the EU and G7 nations were to change their policy… the Club would of course comply by adjusting or withdrawing its services, as necessary."

The Vladimir Rusanov off the coast of Zeebrugge

The transport of Russian gas into Europe - its dependence on British operators and insurers - is only one small example of the loopholes and omissions in the UK sanctions regime. But while government ministers have expressed concern about the effectiveness of the broader sanctions regime, there is still scant evidence they intend to tighten up this corner of it.

Before the election was called the Treasury Select Committee was in the middle of collecting evidence for its own inquiry into the regime, which was expected to focus on insurers of vessels taking Russian goods. However, the inquiry was wound up prematurely when the election was called in May.

In the meantime, ships like the Yakov Gakkel carry on taking billions of cubic metres of gas from the gas fields of Yamal in Siberia down to Europe, in exchange for billions of euros. And those and other hydrocarbon revenues are one of the main explanations for how Russia is able to produce more missiles and weapons than the Ukrainians.

So Europe carries on fuelling its industry and its power and heating grids with molecules of gas coming from Siberian gasfields, while assuring itself it's doing everything it can to fight Vladimir Putin.

It is, in short, a discomforting situation. But given the alternative is to induce another cost of living crisis, there is little appetite in Europe to change things.

 

UK Democracy Is In ‘Crisis’ And We Need Action To Restore Public Trust And Confidence

Stephen LambertJuly 2, 2024

ALL schools, colleges and apprenticeships are required to teach British Values, including democracy and an “understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process”.

Low Youth Engagement and Political Apathy

Yet, low turn-out in general elections and participation in politics as well as surveys reveal that less than half our young people believe it. Research conducted by the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award shows that just four out 10 18-to 24-year olds are likely to vote on July 4. Youth turn-out in the UK is the lowest of 15 members of the EU. Young voters under 24 in Sweden vote at double the rate of their peers in Britain. Two-thirds of those aged 18 to 34 feel that they know little about Parliament, our core political institution, compared to just under a half of those aged over 55.

There’s a class divide too. Three-quarters of the socio-economic group DE – the unskilled working class claim little knowledge compared to just over a third of the ABs – the professional middle-classes.

An important report, co-authored by Prof John Curtiss, “Damaged Politics”, reveals that there is now  a record low level of trust and confidence in the UK’s system of governance. 45% of the public “almost never trusts British government to place the nation’s needs above party interests” with a staggering 79% believing that the current system of governing needs “significant improvement”.

For Curtiss and his colleagues events like Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and on-going economic problems have eroded trust whilst unhappiness with NHS waiting lists and financial hardship have further undermined confidence in national government.

Throughout the nation there has been a sharp demise in political engagement. Fewer people now actively support a political party, even fewer belong to one and a significant number express little interest in politics or civic affairs. Political scientists believe this years voters are more volatile in an age of “partisan-dealignment” and class dealignment.  Extreme populist parties and movements of both the Radical Right, manifested in the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, and the far-left Workers Party led by George Galloway, all pose real challenges to the health of British democracy.

For Curtiss “Democracy is in crisis and urgent action is needed to restore public trust and confidence.”

Yet faith in politics and public affairs matters. If citizens don’t take part government from local to national level lose touch and legitimacy. This can lead to poor decision-making, instability and weak governance. Learning for democracy matters than ever before.

The Importance of Civic Education

You can’t take a car on the road without learning to drive, or pick the captain of Newcastle United without knowing anything about the game. Yet in the third decade of the 21st century we ask people to drive the political process and chose the next PM without learning how the democratic system works.

Politics in a liberal democracy like Britain is hard and demanding. It requires commitment, skills, civic knowledge and tenacity. If citizens don’t understand how democratic processes and institutions function or how to participate, too often they expect instant solutions to problems, lose faith or trust an may become alienated all together. Pluralism is eroded with a sense that the system works for the few and not the many.

As Titus Alexander of the campaign group, Democracy Matters, notes the most tricky problems facing a post-modern society like the UK are political, not technical or economic. Issues as diverse as child poverty, the cost-of-living crisis, climate change, housing shortages and social care need political application to create solutions which balance conflicting interests and priorities.

Education for democracy can increase people’s ability to help resolve problems at any level and promote life for all.

The Path Forward: Rebuilding Trust and Engagement

The next Parliament after July 4 will be dominated by talks and policies to address economic instability, securing green jobs for the future alongside re-building the NHS and tackling a broken adult care system. Of course central government won’t be able to tackle all the issues we as a nation face. Recent devolution has a key role to play with public support for English devolution at an all-time high.

Devolved combined authorities and the two elected Mayors for the North East and Tees Valley now have a meaningful budget and greater responsibilities for economic development, employment and transport in their respective regions.

This makes it even more important to renew our democracy and give the people the support, skills, know-how and confidence to engage in civic life. To reverse low levels of trust and involvement in the democratic process we need a high level of commitment from the next elected UK government.

By Stephen Lambert, Director of Education4Democracy CIC.

Military horses ran loose through the streets of London once again

JULY 1, 2024
By Rachel Treisman



Members of the Life Guards, a division of the Household Cavalry in London, on June 8, 2024. Three military horses have been recovered after bolting through central London on Monday morning.Benjamin Cremel/AFP via Getty Images

Several military horses ditched their riders and hoofed it through central London on Monday morning, the second such incident in less than three months. Authorities have already reined them in.

"We can confirm that whilst exercising this morning, three horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment became loose from their riders," a British Army spokesperson told NPR over email. "They were swiftly and safely recovered."

Six horses and five riders were out on a routine exercise when the lead horse — which was being led, not ridden — got spooked by a London bus.

At that point two riders fell off their horses, and all three free horses took off together. Dashcam footage shared by the BBC on social media shows one of them narrowly colliding with a car before continuing down the busy street at a brisk trot.

The trio bolted from Seville Street to South Eaton Place, where authorities managed to recover one horse. The other two continued to Vauxhall Bridge before they were stopped.

All the animals were returned to Hyde Park Barracks by 9:55 a.m. local time.

"One horse received minor injuries, but no further treatment is required and there were no injuries to the soldiers involved," the army spokesperson added.

Runaway horses gallop through central London, blazing a path of mayhem and injuries

Monday's incident resembles a similar series of events in late April, when five military horses out exercising got spooked by construction noises and bolted, unseating their riders and charging through central London at morning rush hour.

The horses — one of which appeared covered in blood — tore a destructive six-mile path through the city over a two-hour period, smashing into vehicles and knocking at least one person to the ground. Four humans were injured across three separate incidents that day.

None of those runaway horses were involved in Monday’s incident. But the startling scene still triggered some deja vu.

The Telegraph reports that as Army troops waited on the pavement with the recovered horses, stroking them and calming them down, a passerby called out, "Did they get loose again?"

"Yeah," a police officer replied.

After the April incident, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals UK said on X (formerly Twitter) that the ordeal should serve as a reminder that animals are not military equipment, adding it was "high time the Ministry of Defence put its use of sentient beings out to pasture."

It reiterated that call on Monday, tweeting, "Horses don't belong on busy streets."

Moment military horse crashes into black cab in London after losing rider

 

U.S. Credit union Patelco limits transactions due to security breach issue

(Xinhua)  July 02, 2024

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Patelco Credit Union, the third-largest credit union in the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. state of California, reported a significant security breach over the weekend, leading to the shutdown of its banking systems, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday.

Erin Mendez, Patelco's president and CEO, confirmed in an email to customers on Sunday that essential transactions, such as Zelle transfers, direct deposits and balance inquiries, were unavailable. The debit and credit card functions were also limited.

"On June 29, we experienced a serious security incident. This required us to shut down some of our day-to-day banking systems so that we can remediate the issue and contain the impact, including online banking, our mobile App, and our call center," Mendez wrote.

"Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an ETA on when those systems will be running as expected," she added.

The institution assured that branches and customer service channels would operate normally on Monday to assist members.

According to the company, Patelco operates 37 branches with nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars in assets and half a million clients.

U$A

Dog, Cat Food Recall Sparks Nationwide Warning to Pet Owners

Published Jul 01, 2024
By Kaitlin Lewis
Night Reporter

Anationwide recall has been issued by online pet food subscription site Viva Raw for several of its products over the risk of bacteria contamination.

The Hillsborough, North Carolina, company is recalling five products manufactured under the same lot that was exposed to Listeria monocytogenes, which, according to a release published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can pose a "potential health risk to people and pets."

The products under the recall include Viva Turkey for Dogs Ground, Viva Turkey for Dogs Chunked, Viva Turkey for Cats, Viva Pure Turkey and Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies. The products were all manufactured under Lot 21244.

According to the release, the recalled products were distributed to customers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Viva Raw is an online service that ships fresh dog and cat food to customers on a scheduled subscription plan, read the company's website.

This stock image shows a scoop of dry cat food. Online company Viva Raw has issued a recall for five of its products distributed nationally over the risk of potential listeria contamination. NIKOLAEVA ELENA/GETTY IMAGES

The presence of listeria was identified after the FDA conducted sample testing on the product Viva Turkey for Dogs. Samples from Lot 21244 were found positive for the bacteria. The company said that all products produced from the same lot "were slated for destruction" but that some items were "inadvertently released from the warehouse" to customers.

"Viva Raw is notifying all customers who were shipped any Turkey or Beef & Turkey for Puppies products between May 16th and June 28th, 2024," read the release. "No illnesses related to this lot have been reported to date."

The products under the recall are shipped as frozen, one-pound bricks in a clear package. There is no expiration date listed on the packaging.

The FDA release said that listeria can cause "serious and sometimes fatal infections" in pets that eat the contaminated products. Humans can also be exposed to listeria by handling the contaminated products or coming in contact with pets that have consumed items under the recall. There is a higher risk of illness in humans if people do not "thoroughly wash their hands after handling the food or having contact with their pet, or by not thoroughly cleaning contaminated surfaces," read the briefing.

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Symptoms of a listeria infection in humans can include nausea, vomiting, aches, fever and diarrhea. Pregnant women are also more susceptible to the infection and the bacteria can cause a miscarriage. Younger people, the elderly and those with a weakened immune system are also at a higher risk of infection, according to the FDA release.

Pet illnesses from a listeria infection are rare. Animals may show symptoms from mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, nervousness, muscular and respiratory issues, miscarriage, depression, shock and, in extreme instances, death.

"Pets exposed to contaminated food can be infected without showing symptoms. Infected pets, even if they do not show symptoms, can act as carriers and transfer L. monocytogenes through their feces and saliva into the home environment and to people and other pets in the household," read the release. "If your pet has eaten the recalled product(s) and has symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection, please contact your veterinarian."

Any customers who have purchased products under the recall are encouraged to contact Viva Raw at info@vivarawpets.com for a refund. Customers are then advised to destroy the products to ensure that children, pets and wildlife cannot access the food.

"FDA recommends humans do not touch the contaminated food product with bare hands," read the release. "While wearing gloves or using paper towels, place the contaminated food in a sealed plastic bag and throw it in the garbage. Areas that may have come in contact with the contaminated product should be sanitized. Do not sell or donate the recalled products."

California budgets up to $12 million for reparations bills, a milestone in atoning for racist legacy

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a budget that includes up to $12 million for reparations legislation

By SOPHIE AUSTIN /REPORT FOR AMERICA Associated Press
July 1, 2024



SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California plans to spend up to $12 million on reparations legislation under a budget signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, marking a milestone in the state's efforts to atone for a legacy of racism and discrimination against Black Californians.

The reparations funding in the $297.9 billion budget Newsom signed over the weekend does not specify what programs the money would go toward. Lawmakers are not considering widespread direct payments to Black Californians this year.

The state Legislature is weighing proposals to issue a formal apology for California's role in perpetuating discrimination against Black residents, to create an agency to administer reparations programs, and to identify families whose property was unjustly seized through eminent domain.

The funding comes after federal reparations efforts have stalled for decades.

“We often say the budget is a reflection of our values and our priorities, so the fact that there's any money for reparations should be a reason for celebrating,” said state Sen. Steven Bradford, a Los Angeles-area Democrat, noting he hoped the allocation would have been larger.

No state has gotten further along in its consideration of reparations proposals for Black residents than California, but some have made significant strides. Illinois and New York passed laws in recent years to study reparations proposals for African Americans. Florida passed a law in the 1990s creating a college scholarship fund for descendants of Black residents who were killed in a 1923 massacre initiated by a white mob.

But some opponents of reparations proposals being considered by lawmakers in California say taxpayers should not have to have to pay to address policies and practices from a long time ago.

“Slavery was a stain on our nation’s history, but I don’t believe it’s fair to try to right the wrongs on the past at the expense of the people today who did nothing wrong,” Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher said in a statement. “More than a quarter of Californians are immigrants — how can we look at those people, who are struggling as it is, and say it’s on them to make up for something that happened more than 150 years ago?”

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, a Democrat, said at an event Monday that “the $12 billion is not nearly enough” but that lawmakers worked closely to secure the money during a tough budget year.

It could cost the state between $3 million and $5 million annually to run the reparations agency, according to an estimate reported by the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The Legislature hasn't released an estimated cost to implement the eminent domain bill, but the Senate Appropriations Committee said it could cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars to investigate claims by families who say their land was taken because of racially discriminatory motives.

Bradford introduced proposals to give property tax and housing assistance to descendants of enslaved Black people, but those were blocked in May by a key committee.

Kamilah Moore, who chaired a first-in-the-nation state reparations task force, was disappointed that lawmakers also did not introduce legislation this year to provide free tuition at public colleges for descendants of enslaved Black people, which the group recommended in its final report.

But Moore said it was still “good news” to see $12 million for reparations included in the budget as a starting point.

“It means that they're taking accountability and responsibility, and they're acknowledging the harms and the atrocities to this particular population,” she said. “That's a huge step that should not be overlooked.”

___


Associated Press writer Trân Nguyễn contributed to this report.

___

Austin is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna

CLIMATE CHANGE

Flight makes emergency landing after severe turbulence injures at least 30

An Air Europa flight from Spain to Uruguay made an emergency landing in Brazil after the plane experienced severe turbulence, injuring at least 30 people. NBC News' Tom Costello reports.

Missouri pol says ‘unpatriotic lesbian’ Brittney Griner should be in Russian jail, not Olympics

Valentina Gomez made the inflammatory remarks about the WNBA star in a video posted on social media platform X.

MIKE LAWRIE/GETTY IMAGES; LEV RADIN/SHUTTERSTOCK

CHRISTOPHER WIGGINS
JUNE 12 2024 

AMissouriRepublican candidate for secretary of state, Valentina Gomez, has called WNBA star Brittney Griner an “unpatriotic lesbian” and said she should be back in aRussian prison rather than competing in the 2024ParisOlympics. Gomez commented in a 20-second video posted to X, formerlyTwitter, on Monday.

“Brittney Griner should be rotting in a Russian prison, not going to the Olympics,” she said. “Caitlin Clark is the only reason why we even watch women’s basketball,” Gomez continued. “She deserves to go to the Olympics, unlike this unpatriotic lesbian.”



Gomez captioned the post with “The Olympics are about meritocracy, not DEI.”

USA Basketball cited experience as the reason that Clark was not included on the U.S. women’s Olympic roster, according to the Associated Press. Despite Clark’s immense popularity and skill, the selection committee felt she lacked high-level experience. The team includes seven players from the group that won gold in Tokyo, including Griner.

Gomez has a history of inflammatory remarks against LGBTQ+ people and policies she deems “weak and gay.”

Griner, who was arrested in Russia in February 2022 for possessing vape cartridges with cannabis oil, spent 10 months in detention before being released in a high-profile prisoner exchange. During her detention, Griner faced severe conditions and homophobic treatment.

Gomez’s remarks have drawn significant backlash on social media. One user commented, “Nobody should be ‘rotting in prison’ for marijuana,” while another wrote, “I like you but no one should be rotting in prison over weed.”

In May, Gomezurged Americans not to be “weak and gay” in a campaign video, saying, “In America, you can be anything you want, so don’t be weak and gay. Stay fucking hard.” The footage showed her running through a neighborhood of St. Louis with high LGBTQ+ representation while holding a gun. Earlier this year, she posted a video of herself using a flamethrower to burn LGBTQ-themed books, promising to “BURN all books that are grooming, indoctrinating, and sexualizing our children” if elected.

Her platform also includes “protecting children against the transgender agenda,” “securing the Second Amendment,” and opposing vaccine mandates. Gomez’s primary election is set for August 6, where voters will decide if her provocative campaign tactics will secure her a place in the general election. She is one of several candidates seeking the Republican nomination for secretary of state. The current officeholder, Republican Jay Ashcroft, is running for governor to replace term-limited fellow GOPer Mike Parson.

Nonbinary runner Nikki Hiltz dedicates record-breaking Olympic qualifier to 'all the LGBTQ folks'


PATRICK SMITH/GETTY IMAGES

Hiltz was in fourth place with 300 meters left before they suddenly accelerated past their competition, breaking the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials record.

RYAN ADAMCZESKI
JULY 01 2024 

Nikki Hiltz isn't just breaking records — they're breaking barriers.

The out transgender nonbinary runner qualified for the Paris Olympics on Sunday after completing the 1500-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials with a record time of 3 minutes and 55.33 seconds. Hiltz was in fourth place with 300 meters left before they suddenly accelerated past their competition, cutting down their previous personal best by four seconds.

“I told myself, I’m not going to think about all the love and support [I have] until 100 meters to go,’” Hiltz told reporters afterwards. “‘And then, at that moment, you can let it all fill you up and push you to the finish line.’ That’s exactly what I did, and I think that’s what brought me home.”

Hiltz won their title at the 2023 USA Track & Field Outdoor National Championship in a similar fashion, rocketing from third to first place in the last 300 meters. Their victory also made them the organization's first nonbinary national champion.

Hiltz came out transgender and nonbinary in 2021 in a post to Instagram. They said at the time: “Hi I’m Nikki and I’m transgender. That means I don’t identify with the gender I was assigned at birth. The word I use currently to describe my gender is non-binary. The best way I can explain my gender is as fluid.”

Hiltz told NBC Sports in an interview after the race that they were also motivated by the "love and support" they've received from the LGBTQ+ community, saying: "This is bigger than me."

“It’s the last day of Pride month. I wanted to run this one for my community, and yeah, all the LGBTQ folks," Hiltz said. "You guys brought me home that last hundred [meters]. I could just feel the love and support.”