Thailand denies extending support to Myanmar's military

DESPITE SUPPORTING THE BURMESE JUNTA

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha denied a local media report alleging that Thailand is helping Myanmar’s military amid a crackdown against pro-democracy protesters. File Photo by Rungroj Yongrit/EPA-EFE

March 23 (UPI) -- Thailand's prime minister denied assisting Myanmar's military amid an ongoing crackdown against pro-democracy protesters.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha said his government has not provided any supplies to Myanmar's forces, the Bangkok Post reported Tuesday. The military has maintained authority since staging a coup Feb. 1.

Prayuth's statement comes after a local media report suggested that Thailand's army delivered 700 sacks of rice to Myanmar army units on Myanmar's eastern border, the report said. The two countries share a 1,500-mile boundary.

The prime minister, who led a coup that forced former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra out of power in 2014, said Thailand sent food to people in the border area for "humanitarian reasons," and that the Thai government has a long-term relationship with border villagers originating from Myanmar.

"Since the area has not yet been clearly demarcated, no one in the area has been allowed to cross the border and buy food on the Thai side of the border, but they can order goods directly from vendors," Prayuth said.

"Therefore, don't use the issue to accuse the Thai government of supporting Myanmar's military rulers. That's not true."

Prayuth previously revealed he received a letter from Myanmar's Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, commander of the country's army, in February.

The Thai leader at the time said he "supports" Myanmar's political process and that it is "their business what they will do next."

"What we need to do today, though, is to maintain our good relationship as much as possible because it affects the people especially economic and cross-border trade aspects which are important at this moment," Prayut said last month.

Thailand has stayed the course of "non-interference" after other ASEAN member states -- Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore -- criticized the use of force in Myanmar.

The civilian death toll continues to rise in the country.

Myanmar Now reported Tuesday the junta killed eight civilians, including a 14-year-old boy in Mandalay.

The boy had no involvement in the protests, according to reports.

U.N. Human Rights Council condemns Sri Lanka for crimes against Tamils

Hundreds of demonstrators call for the end of "genocide" against the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, during a rally near the White House in Washington, D.C. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo

March 23 (UPI) -- A divided United Nations Human Rights Council voted Tuesday in favor of a resolution condemning Sri Lanka for war crimes against the minority Tamil population.

Twenty-two HRC members voted for the resolution, 11 voted against and 14 abstained.

The Tamil population has a long and bloody history with the Sri Lanka government, most notably during a civil war that lasted between 1983 and 2009.

India, a Sri Lankan ally and one of its closest neighbors, was one of the nations that did not vote. In a statement beforehand, the government said they support "equality, justice, dignity and peace" for the Tamil population.

"We have always believed these two goals are mutually supportive and Sri Lanka's progress is best assured by simultaneously addressing both objectives," the statement read.

Amnesty International said the resolution allows the U.N. human rights office to collect and preserve evidence for future cases against Sri Lanka for its treatment of the Tamils.

"This is a significant move by the Human Rights Council, which signals a shift in approach by the international community," Hilary Power, Amnesty International representative to the United Nations, said in a statement.

"Years of support and encouragement to Sri Lanka to pursue justice at the national level achieved nothing. This resolution should send a clear message to perpetrators of past and current crimes that they cannot continue to act with impunity."

Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, tweeted that the vote is a "major victory for the people of Sri Lanka."

"The U.N. Human Rights Council ... recognizes the utter lack of accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka," he said.

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Senate confirms Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as Labor secretary


Boston Mayor Marty Walsh testifies on his nomination as Labor secretary before the Senate labor committee on February 4. File photo by Graeme Jennings/UPI/Pool | License Photo

March 22 (UPI) -- The Senate on Monday confirmed Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as Secretary of Labor, completing the list of President Joe Biden's Cabinet nominees to be approved.

With its 68-29 vote, the Senate made Walsh the first former union leader to run the Labor Department in more than 40 years, putting him in charge of the agency amid historic levels of unemployment and an uneven recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walsh was the final Cabinet-level Biden Administration official to be confirmed by the Senate following last week's approvals of Xavier Becerra as Health and Human Services secretary, Katherine Tai as U.S. Trade Representative, Isabel Guzman as the leader of the Small Business Administration and Deb Haaland as interior secretary.

In a farewell address to city employees at Boston's Faneuil Hall Monday, the two-term mayor expressed his gratitude to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and vowed to help them build an economy "that works for every single American."

"I spent my entire career fighting for working people and I'm eager to continue that fight in Washington," he said.

"His story reminds me of my own family," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote in a tweet. "His parents from Ireland, my grandfather from Eastern Europe, we both have family backgrounds of immigrants who joined the labor movement in the U.S, to help their families."

Unlike some of Biden's other picks, Walsh's nomination gained broad bipartisan support

"Mayor Walsh has the background, the skills and the awareness for the need of balance in conversations between labor and management," Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., said on the Senate floor Monday.

Burr is the ranking GOP member on the Senate labor committee.

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS

Chicago suburb approves housing reparations for Black residents

March 23 (UPI) -- A Chicago suburb's city council became what is believed to be the first U.S. government to approve reparations, making available hundreds of thousands of dollars to right decades of wrongs committed by the city's discriminatory housing practices against its Black residents.

The Evanston, Ill., City Council voted Monday night 8-1 to approve the first phase of reparations that allots a $400,000 budget to the Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program that gives eligible individuals up to $25,000 in home ownership, home improvement and mortgage assistance funds.

"The Restorative Housing Program acknowledges the historical harm caused to Black/African-American Evanston residents due to discriminatory housing policies and practices and inaction by the city," according to city council documents.

Those who are eligible for the grants must be able to prove their Black and African American ancestors were residents of the city between 1919 and 1969 when it employed discriminatory zoning ordinances.

"Tonight's vote is just one step, but it is one step in the right direction," said Alderwoman Eleanor Revelle during the meeting. "And one thing that hasn't been emphasized enough is that the restorative housing program directly addresses the harm that was caused by decades of discriminatory practices here in Evanston ... to limit the housing choices and the opportunities of our Black residents."

The city said the first reparations program focused on housing as reparations must be tied to harm it caused and that there is "sufficient evidence" to show that the city's early zoning ordinances were discriminatory.

Revelle added Monday's vote will not be the end of actions to undo the city's injustices as they will continue to seek input for the next investment of reparations funds.

The move follows the creation of the Reparations Subcommittee of the City Council in August 2019 to determine how $10 million from the city's cannabis retailer's tax should be allocated. The Restorative Housing Program, the city said, was developed to focus on preserving, stabilizing and increasing homeownership with the intention of growing the wealth among Black Americans.

To date, the Reparations Fund has received more than $21 million in private donations on top of the 3% cannabis tax, it said.

"It is a first step," Alderwoman Robin Rue Simmons, who proposed the reparations plan, said during the meeting. "It is a first tangible step. It is, alone, not enough, it's not full repair alone in this one initiative. But we all know the road to repair and justice in the Black community will be a generation of work. It is going to be many programs and initiatives and more funding."

Daniel Biss, the in-coming mayor, issued a statement in support of the motion a day head of the vote, stating whether or not it passes "you can count on me to be a strong and vocal supporter" of the city's commitment to reparations.

"Reparations is a huge, difficult and complex project that seeks to address the damage done by White supremacy, one of the great prolonged evils in human history," he said. "It will not be 'solved' on the first try. On the contrary, we will have to try many different approaches, listen with an open mind to learn from what works and what needs to be changed and adjust our strategy on an ongoing basis."

VIDEO https://abc7chicago.com/video/embed/?pid=10441815


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REPORTERS WITHOLUT BORDERS

Advocacy group sues Facebook for failing to provide safe online environment


Because Facebook's terms of service are the same worldwide, RSF said it's considering filing similar complaints in other countries. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo


March 23 (UPI) -- Advocacy group Reporters Without Borders has filed a lawsuit in France against Facebook, accusing the social network of contradicting its promise to provide a safe and "error-free" environment online.

The group, known by the initials RSF, said it filed the suit Monday in Paris. It accuses Facebook of "deceptive commercial practices" and says promises of a "safe, secure and error-free environment" in its terms of service are overrun by hate speech and false information.

RSF said the failures foster "hatred in general and hatred against journalists."

The suit says Facebook's terms of service say the platform can't be used to share unlawful, misleading, discriminatory or fraudulent information.

It also says Facebook fails its obligation under its Community Standards to "significantly reduce" disinformation, and a claim in a French advertisement to offer precise information to fight COVID-19.

RSF cites a November report from nonprofit First Draft that identified Facebook as a "hub of vaccine conspiracy theories" and a UNESCO report that called Facebook's the least safe platform.

In France, Facebook has 38 million users, 24 million of whom are daily users.

Under French law, a practice is considered deceptive if it's "based on false claims, statements or representations or is likely to mislead." The fine for the offense is up to 10% of annual sales.

Because Facebook's terms of service are the same worldwide, RSF said it's considering filing similar complaints in other countries.

Facebook has attempted to address misinformation by adding labels and links to questionable posts.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to appear before the U.S. Congress on Thursday to answer questions about the role of social media disinformation in the January 6 Capitol attack.


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Pentagon extends contract options for nuclear microreactor prototype

THE INCREDIBLY SHRINKING NUCLEAR POWER

This 2019 photo shows the former SM-1 nuclear power plant at Fort Belvoir from outside the security gate. Photo by Rebecca Nappi/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers


March 23 (UPI) -- The Department of Defense awarded contract options this week to two companies to create a final prototype for a transportable advanced nuclear microreactor.

BWXT Advanced Technologies and X-energy, both of which won contracts last year to develop portable nuclear reactors, will continue that work under the new options, according to a Pentagon press release

The teams are working under a Strategic Capabilities Office initiative called Project Pele.

PELE IS THE HAWAIIAN VOLCANO GODDESS

One of the two companies may be selected by the Pentagon to build and demonstrate a prototype once design review and environmental analysis are finished early next year, according to the Pentagon.

"We are thrilled with the progress our industrial partners have made on their designs," Dr. Jeff Waksman, Project Pele program manager, said in the release.

"We are confident that by early 2022 we will have two engineering designs matured to a sufficient state that we will be able to determine suitability for possible construction and testing."

Project Pele is intended to help address DoD power uses -- about 30 Terawatt-hours of electricity per year and more than 10 million gallons of fuel per day -- which are expected to increase due to more energy-intensive capabilities maturing and the electrification the vehicle fleet.

The Pentagon is looking to meet this demand with a small, transportable energy source that won't add fuel needs and be usable in remote environments.

The prototype should be capable of running within three days of delivery and be safely removed in seven days, and be able to deliver one to five Megawatts of electrical power for at least three years.

In addition to filling power needs in remote environments, the system could lead to similar commercial technologies, which would reduce carbon emissions and provide new tools for disaster relief, the DoD said.

RELATED Combination of climate change, development to fuel urban flooding

It's not clear how much the new contract options are worth. In 2020 BWXT, based in Virginia, received $13.5 million and Maryland's X-energy received $14.3 million for the first development.

Westinghouse Government Services was also awarded an $11.9 million contract for the initial phase of development last year but was not mentioned in this week's press release announcing options.

"Production of a full-scale Fourth Generation nuclear reactor will have significant geopolitical implications for the United States," said Jay Dryer, SCO director.

"The DOD has led American innovation many times in the past, and with Project Pele, has the opportunity to help us advance on both energy resiliency and carbon emission reductions," Dryer said.


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Academics in Japan say 'apology' was included in 2015 comfort women deal

Former South Korean "comfort women" have called for an official Japanese government apology. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo

March 24 (UPI) -- Japanese scholars say Tokyo has not fulfilled its obligations under the 2015 Japan-South Korea "comfort women" agreement, which included a compensation scheme under a foundation that was dissolved in 2019.

Wada Haruki, an emeritus professor of the Institute of Social Science at University of Tokyo, jointly issued a statement with other Japanese academics on Wednesday urging Seoul and Tokyo to implement the agreement, South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo reported Wednesday.

According to the joint statement, the Japanese government agreed that it takes full responsibility for the plight of former victims of Japanese wartime brothels. Victims have said they were raped and beaten by soldiers.

Japan also agreed then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would extend an official apology to all victims, Wada and the others said.

Japan and South Korea are locked in a dispute over compensation for former comfort women. In January, a South Korean court ordered Japan to pay compensation directly to the women, a move that has contributed to deteriorating ties.

Under the 2015 agreement, some victims accepted payments funded through private Japanese donations. Other women rejected the private funds and called for an official Japanese government apology.

On Wednesday, Wada said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga are to sign a statement that endorses an official apology. Suga should adhere to the Kono Statement, released by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993, affirming direct Japanese military involvement in the recruitment of comfort women.

Some Japanese politicians have alleged the women were voluntary sex workers.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has proposed improving relations with Japan. After his administration's decision to dissolve the comfort women foundation, this year Moon confirmed the 2015 deal was an "official one between the governments," in a statement that appeared to take a step toward reconciliation.

Seoul has requested dialogue, but Tokyo has shown few signs of interest.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has yet to meet with South Korean Ambassador to Japan Kang Chang-il, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.

Kang assumed his post in January.

SHOE ON OTHER FOOT

South Korea expresses concern over hate crimes after Atlanta mass shooting


South Korea’s top diplomat said he will work with U.S. agencies to safeguard the 

safety of Koreans abroad after a gunman killed eight people in the Atlanta area last week. 

File Photo by Tami Chappell/UPI | License Photo

March 24 (UPI) -- South Korea is raising concerns about the rise of hate crimes in the United States a week after eight people, including six Asian Americans, were killed during a mass shooting at Atlanta-area spas.

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said Wednesday he harbors "deep concerns" about "racist hate crimes" in the United States, Newsis reported.

"The increase in hate crimes against Asian communities is a matter of safety for [Koreans] in the United States," Chung said. "The government will be devoting great attention to the issue and will cooperate closely with related U.S. government agencies to prevent incidents and keep safe" Korean citizens abroad.

South Korea will "actively support the efforts of the U.S. government to firmly stand against hate and violence, without being silent," Chung said.

RELATED Ken Jeong on rise of hate crimes against Asian-Americans: 'Enough is enough'

U.S. officials in Georgia last week identified four out of the eight victims as Koreans or Korean Americans. One person in the group of four had South Korean citizenship, while the rest were naturalized U.S. citizens, according to the JoongAng Ilbo.

Reports of racist incidents that have targeted Korean Americans have riled the South Korean public in the aftermath of the Atlanta spa shootings.

Various news stories, including a report of a handwritten threat to a Korean American widow in Southern California has gone viral on the Korean Internet.

RELATED Overhearing negative remarks about social groups can inspire bias in children

On Tuesday, the Orange County Register reported the note sent to Yong Choi, a resident of a senior community, stated the death of her husband Byong was "one less Asian to put up with."

"Watch out! Pack your bags and go back to your country where you belong," the note read, according to the report.

Yong Choi's daughter, Claudia, said that her father, who came to the United States in the late '60s, was "very civic minded."

"He voted in every election and would help in every election as a volunteer," Choi said.

National organization Stop AAPI Hate has reported nearly 3,800 racist incidents over the past year.

Primary doctor shortage in U.S. costing lives, study says

By Amy Norton, HealthDay News

The United States could save thousands of lives each year by addressing its lack of enough primary care doctors, a new study projects.

There has been a shortfall of U.S. primary care doctors for a long time, with much of the problem concentrated in rural areas and poverty-stricken urban center

And the future looks bleak: A report last year from the Association of American Medical Colleges projected a shortage of up to 139,000 physicians -- many in primary care -- by 2033.

It cited the aging American population, and the large number of doctors reaching retirement age, as two major factors.

RELATED Doctor shortage predicted for U.S. in next decade, threatens aging population

The new study attempted a different kind of projection: What if primary care shortages in underserved U.S. counties were alleviated?

The answer: More than 7,000 lives could be saved each year, and Americans would see two months tacked onto their life expectancy.

That's in large part because many of the things that improve life expectancy are "relatively simple," said Dr. Sanjay Basu, lead researcher on the study.

RELATED Pandemic has driven some doctors to switch jobs, retire early

Basic medical care, he said, can catch health problems earlier or help prevent them.

Detecting and treating high blood pressure or cholesterol, for instance, cuts the risk of heart attack and stroke. Routine cancer screenings can pick up tumors at an earlier stage, when they are more treatable.

Yet the United States underfunds the basics, said Basu, director of research at Harvard Medical School's Center for Primary Care in Boston.

RELATED 11 states may face ICU doctor shortages as COVID-19 cases climb

A root issue, he explained, is the way health care is typically reimbursed: Doctors are rewarded for doing medical procedures, but not for talking to patients about diet and exercise.

So there are financial incentives, Basu said, for doctors to go into procedure-heavy specialities -- such as urology, dermatology and ophthalmology -- but comparatively few to go into primary care.

The incentives are fewer still to practice primary care in remote rural areas or marginalized urban neighborhoods.

Over the years, efforts have been made to address the supply problem, Basu said. They include programs that repay doctors' medical school loans if they commit to practicing in an underserved area for a set amount of time.

But while those measures help, Basu said, they are not enough on their own.

Melinda Abrams is executive vice president for programs at the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit focused on health care issues.

"Primary care is the backbone of any well-functioning health care system," said Abrams, who was not involved in the study.

Past research, she noted, has shown that death rates are typically lower in U.S. communities with a greater density of primary care providers.

Like Basu, Abrams said the supply problem can be traced to the way the United States pays for medical care. "We put a premium on care that happens after a person gets sick," she said.

Abrams also agreed that measures such as loan-forgiveness programs help, but are insufficient: More needs to be done to not only attract, but also retain, providers in underserved areas, she said.

Those providers, Abrams noted, go beyond doctors and include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers and midwives. She said it's important for underserved areas to attract and retain those health professionals, too.

"We really need a paradigm shift in how we pay, and how we train," Abrams said.

The study -- published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine -- is based on data from 3,100 U.S. counties. Just over 1,200 had a shortage of primary care doctors as of 2017.

Basu said the official definition of "shortage" comes from the federal government and includes counties with fewer than one primary care doctor for every 3,500 people.

The researchers found that in line with past studies, shortage counties had higher death rates and shorter average life expectancy than counties with more doctors.

The same was true even in counties with less-acute shortages -- fewer than one doctor per 1,500 residents.

Basu's team estimates that if the provider supply for those counties were increased to one for every 1,500 residents, that would save over 7,000 lives annually. Average life expectancy, meanwhile, would increase by about 56 days.

The study focused on doctors, Basu said, because there is good data on the physician supply. But he agreed that primary care should involve a "team" of providers who communicate with one another.

That could make a difference not only in deaths, but in people's satisfaction with their care, according to Abrams.

"People want good communication, and to be treated as a whole person," she said.More information

The Commonwealth Fund has more on improving U.S. health care quality.

Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

 Firth, R. and Robinson, A. (2020) "Robotopias: mapping utopian perspectives on new industrial technology," International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, DOI 10.1108/IJSSP-01-2020-0004

Rhiannon Firth

221 Views17 Pages

1 File ▾

Posthumanism,

Cybernetics,

Utopian Studies,

Anarchism,

Critical Posthumanism

 

 

 

Purpose-This paper maps utopian theories of technological change. The focus is on debates surrounding emerging industrial technologies which contribute to making the relationship between humans and machines more symbiotic and entangled, such as robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. The aim is to provide a map to navigate complex debates on the potential for technology to be used for emancipatory purposes and to plot the grounds for tactical engagements. Design/methodology/approach-The paper proposes a two-way axis to map theories into to a six-category typology. Axis one contains the parameters humanist-assemblage. Humanists draw on the idea of a human essence of creative labour-power, and treat machines as alienated and exploitative form of this essence. Assemblage theorists draw on posthumanism and poststructuralism, maintaining that humans always exist within assemblages which also contain non-human forces. Axis two contains the parameters utopian/optimist; tactical/processual; and dystopian/pessimist, depending on the construed potential for using new technologies for empowering ends. Findings-The growing social role of robots portends unknown, and maybe radical, changes, but there is no single human perspective from which this shift is conceived. Approaches cluster in six distinct sets, each with different paradigmatic assumptions. Practical implications-Mapping the categories is useful pedagogically, and makes other political interventions possible, for example interventions between groups and social movements whose practice-based ontologies differ vastly. Originality/value-Bringing different approaches into contact and mapping differences in ways which make them more comparable, can help to identify the points of disagreement and the empirical or axiomatic grounds for these. It might facilitate the future identification of criteria to choose among the approaches.

Firth_R_and_Robinson_A_2020_Robotopias_mapping_utopian_perspectives_on_new_industrial_technology_International_Journal_of_Sociology_and_Social_Policy_DOI_10_1108_IJSSP_01_2020_0004

A study of schools in Missouri adds to research suggesting that COVID-19 has limited spread in schools that observe mask rules and social distancing, according to researchers. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo


COVID-19 transmission is rare in schools that follow precautions such as mandatory masks, social distancing and frequent hand-washing, a new study finds.

And that's true even among close school contacts of people who test positive for the new coronavirus, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

"Schools can operate safely during a pandemic when prevention strategies are followed," said study co-leader Dr. Jason Newland, a professor of pediatrics.

His team conducted a pilot study that included 57 schools in St. Louis and Greene counties in southwest Missouri, as well as two private schools in St. Louis County. All required students, teachers, staff and visitors to wear masks while on campus or buses.

Other safety measures included hand hygiene, deep cleaning of facilities, physical distancing in classrooms, daily COVID-19 symptom screenings, physical barriers between teachers and students, increased ventilation and offering online learning options.

For two weeks in December, researchers were notified about students, teachers and staff who were either infected with COVID-19 or quarantined because they were in close contact with someone who had tested positive.

In all, the investigators were notified about 193 people at 22 schools -- 37 who tested positive for COVID-19 and 156 close contacts. A close contact is someone who has been within 6-feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes in a 24-hour period.

Among study participants who were COVID-19-positive, 24, or 65%, were students, and 13, or 35%, were teachers or staffers. Of the close contacts, 137, or 88%, were students, and 19, or 12%, were teachers or staffers.

Of the 102 close contacts who agreed to saliva tests for COVID-19, only two had positive results, suggesting they were infected at school.

Despite high rates of community spread in December, there were no COVID-19 outbreaks in participating schools, according to the report published online this week in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The findings add to those from schools in other states showing that prevention efforts are highly effective at curbing the spread of COVID-19 among students, teachers and staff.

"The pilot study demonstrates low transmission in schools and no student-to-teacher transmission -- and this was during the height of the pandemic in December, with high rates of community spread," Newland noted in a university news release.

Senior study author Johanna Salzer is a veterinary medical officer at the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.

She said, "This work is imperative because keeping kids in school provides not only educational enrichment but also social, psychological and emotional health benefits, particularly for students who rely on school-based services for nutritional, physical and mental health support."More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19 and schools/child care.

Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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Senate bill would reform VA approach to toxic substance exposure treatment

On Tuesday a bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate for additional care for veterans exposed to toxic substances. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army

March 24 (UPI) -- A bill to improve healthcare and benefits of military personnel exposed to toxic substances was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate this week.

The Toxic Exposure in the American Military, or TEAM, Act would create sweeping mandates for the Department of Veterans Affairs to track and care for eligible veterans, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., announced on Tuesday.

Co-sponsored by Tillis and Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., the bill was passed in the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in 2020 but did not receive a Senate floor voter.

"Our brave veterans risked their lives to protect our country and it's our job to make sure they are supported back home, even years after they served," Tillis said in a press release.

RELATED Experts: Prioritize COVID-19 vaccine for those with high exposure to PFAS chemicals

"The TEAM Act ensures that all veterans are given a fair and uniform process to receive the health care and benefits to which they are entitled following exposures to toxicants during their service," Tillis said.

The proposed bill expands health care for veterans exposed to toxic substances, and requires the VA to respond to new scientific evidence regarding diseases associated with toxic exposure.

The bill would also ensures that VA review scientific studies regarding toxic substances encountered during military service, establishes an independent scientific commission to assist the VA in determining the health effects of toxic exposure and expands training of VA health care personnel.

RELATED Investigation of water-borne contaminants starts at former Reese AFB, Texas

The issue has gained attention as personnel serving in Afghanistan and Iraq returned home with cancers and respiratory and fertility issues.

The issue has also been noted because of lagging Pentagon action to remediate contamination by PFAS -- per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances -- at hundreds of military bases and other defense operations in the United States.

PFAS are regarded as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down in the environment.

RELATED Health-damaging PFAS 'forever chemicals' likely released at 2,500 sites



Hassan's state, New Hampshire, is the site of the former Pease Air Force Base.

The base, which was closed in 1991, has since 1983 has been investigated and partially remediated after troops and their families were exposed to high levels of chemicals, including PFAS.

"We have an obligation to ensure that veterans who return home from war receive the care that they need and have earned," Hassan said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Our bipartisan bill would take long overdue steps to ensure that veterans can receive health care for diseases that they develop as a result of toxic substance exposure during their service," Hassan said.

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Models link 1 degree of global warming to 50% spike in population displacement


As the climate warms, models predict an increase in the risk of people being displaced by river flooding. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

March 24 (UPI) -- As the planet warms, seas rise and climate change triggers shifts in precipitation patterns, scientists expect millions of people to be displaced by flooding and other forms of extreme weather.

In an effort to more precisely quantify displacement risk, an international team of researchers combined a variety of climate and hydrological models.

Their analysis, published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Research Letters, showed a single degree of warming will increase the risk of displacement caused by river flooding by 50 percent.

"Displacement poses many hardships, which often fall most heavily on socio-economically vulnerable groups, who tend to live in more hazard-prone areas," researchers wrote in their newly published paper.

RELATED Fast-growing India, Brazil key to curbing climate change post-COVID-19

Since 2008, 288 million people have been displaced by natural disasters, more than 140 million people by river flooding.

Over the last 15 years, three times as many people have been displaced by natural disasters than by violence and political conflict.

"Displaced people face heightened risks to their physical and mental health, livelihoods, land tenancy, personal security and many other aspects of their well-being," researchers said.

RELATED China braces for impact after mass flooding at Three Gorges Dam

At macro scales, natural disaster-related displacement can severely slow economic development, leaving already vulnerable populations socially and economically left behind.

Previous studies have shown climate-fueled increases in flood risk could have severe consequences on global food production and trade patterns.

By quantifying climate change's influence on displacement risk, the authors of the new study hope to help policy makers take steps to protect vulnerable populations by mitigating flood risk and strengthening emergency preparedness.

RELATED As sea level rise reshapes U.S. coast, residents will be pushed inland

When scientists used the models to estimate displacement risks under different climate scenarios, they found that if Paris Agreement targets for global warming are met, the globally averaged risk of populations being displaced by river floods will double by the end of the century.

If greenhouse gas emissions and climate change continue unabated, however, the risk will balloon by 350 percent, the researchers found.

The latest study echoes the findings of earlier investigations, showing urban development and population both increase flooding risks.

The researchers argue that their findings highlight the importance of curbing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming.

Report: Climate change increases length of spring allergy season in much of U.S.

Climate change is increasing the length of the spring allergy season, a new report suggests. File Photo by KatePhotographer/Shutterstock


March 24 (UPI) -- Rising temperatures from climate change are causing the spring allergy season to start earlier and last longer in many regions of North America, a report released Wednesday by environmental research organization Climate Central found.

Climate Central is a non-profit news organization composed up of scientists and journalists who conduct scientific research and report on issues related to climate change and its impact on the public.

Over the past 50 years, the spring growing season increased in length in 166, or 82%, of more than 200 locations throughout North America that the group assessed, the data showed.

The season was extended by at least four weeks in 38 of those areas, with Bend, Ore. and Reno, Nev., leading with 99 additional growing season days.
RELATED As climate change extends allergy season, pollen travels farther



The findings mean that in many parts of the United States and Canada, people with pollen allergies are exposed to the airborne irritant for longer periods, according to Climate Central.

"Many people may experience allergies as a minor inconvenience, but seasonal allergies can have serious consequences and decreased quality of life for those with respiratory problems like asthma," the organization said in its report.

More than 25 million people in the United States have seasonal pollen allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
RELATED Study: Climate change is making allergy season worse



Of the 25 million people nationally with asthma, 60% have allergic asthma, meaning that exposure to pollen can trigger their attacks of severe shortness of breath, the agency reports.

Pollen is a powdery substance made up of tiny grains produced by trees, flowers, grasses and weeds to fertilize other plants of the same species.

It is particularly prevalent in the spring across the United States, when many plants begin to grow after the winter months.

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The earlier onset of spring in some parts of the country, due at least in part to warming caused by climate change, has led to an increase in asthma- and allergy-related hospitalizations, according to an analysis published last summer by JAMA.

For their report, Climate Central researchers analyzed the length of the spring growing season, or the number of days between the last spring freeze and first fall freeze, over a 50-year period in 203 locations across North America.

Locations were only included in the analysis if they had a "freeze season" of at least 90 days with a temperature minimum lower than or equal to 32 degrees.

In many regions included in the analysis, the length of the spring growing season -- and the allergy season -- grew by 20 days or more between 1970 and last year.

Although it increased by 11 days in Boston and 13 days in Chicago over that period, it grew by 17 days in Dallas-Fort Worth and by 32 days in Cleveland, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Philadelphia.

The spring season in New York City increased by 26 days over the 50-year period, according to the researchers.

"With a longer pollen season and high pollen concentrations, asthma and allergy reactions can become even more severe and expensive to treat, and unfortunately this burden is placed on the most vulnerable populations," the Climate Central researchers said in their report.

Virginia Gov. Northam signs death penalty repeal


Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (seated) signs legislation repealing the death penalty in the state surrounded by members of the General Assembly on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Gov. Ralph Northam's office

March 24 (UPI) -- Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Wednesday signed legislation making the state the 23rd in the country to abolish the death penalty.

His signature comes one month after both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly gave their approval to the bill.

"The death penalty system is fundamentally flawed -- it is inequitable, ineffective, and it has no place in this commonwealth or this country," Northam said. "Virginia has come within days of executing innocent people, and Black defendants have been disproportionately sentenced to death.

"Abolishing this inhumane practice

In addition to banning the use of the death penalty, the law establishes a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole and gives judges discretion to suspend part of sentences. It also commutes the sentences of the two men on Virginia's death row to life without parole.

Sen. Scott Surovell, a Democrat who co-sponsored the legislation in the upper chamber, thanked Northam for his public endorsement of the repeal.

"He's going to restore Virginia to its position of leadership not just in the country but also in the world, as a society, as a government that values civil rights that values your rights against the government, that values things like trial by jury," Surovell in a ceremony ahead of the signing.

"I never dreamed that Virginia would change as fast as it did."

In addition to the 23 states that have banned use of the death penalty, three others -- California, Oregon and Pennsylvania -- have a governor-imposed moratorium on the punishment.

Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said Virginia's abolition is indicative of a nationwide decline in support for the death penalty and a greater focus on race relations.

"The commonwealth's death penalty has deep roots in slavery, lynching, and Jim Crow segregation," he said in a statement Wednesday. "The symbolic value of a legislature sitting in the former capital of the Confederacy dismantling this tool of racial oppression cannot be overstated."

A Gallup poll in November found that 55% of Americans favor executing criminals convicted of murder, its lowest point since 1972. President Joe Biden has promised to work toward repeal at the federal level.

Equal Pay Day: Megan Rapinoe says she and her teammates are 'devalued'

UPI Staff
MARCH 24, 2021 


March 24 (UPI) -- U.S. women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe said Wednesday that she and her teammates have been "devalued" for their gender as President Joe Biden called for Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Delivering remarks at an Equal Pay Day event at the White House alongside her Team USA colleague, Margaret Purce, the president and first lady Jill Biden, Rapinoe said that although she has won an Olympic gold medal and two World Cups, she still struggles to earn as much as her male counterparts.

"Despite those wins, I've been devalued, I've been disrespected and dismissed because I am a woman. And I've been told I don't deserve any more than less -- because I am a woman," she said.

Rapinoe, who has long campaigned for equality, was part of a lawsuit last year against the U.S. Soccer Federation for gender discrimination.

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During testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Rapinoe accused the U.S. Soccer Federation of lobbying against the women's team's efforts for equal pay, declaring that no level of status, accomplishments or power "will protect you from the clutches of inequity."

"We are told in this country that if you work hard and continue to achieve, you will be rewarded fairly. It's the promise of the American Dream. But that promise has not been for everyone," she said. "If that can happen to us, to me, with the brightest light shining on us, it can and it does, happen to every person who is marginalized by gender. And we don't have to wait. We don't have to continue to be patient. We can change that today. Right now."

Purce said the issue of unequal pay "rests on the notion of unequal value."

RELATED Though House has passed Equality Act, anti-LGBT efforts persist in U.S.

"It is an issue of equity," she said. "When men began sports leagues, they were supported by billions in taxpayer subsidies. They were prioritized in media and afforded time to grow. The investment was great and the return was great."

She added that women's sports have not been provided the same grace and investment.

"You would never expect a flower to bloom without water. But women in sport who have been denied water, sunlight and soil are somehow expected to blossom. Invest in women. Then let's talk again when you see the return," Purce said.

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Equal Pay Day was established by the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996.

"This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year," according to the committee. "Because women earn less, on average, than men, they must work longer for the same amount of pay. The wage gap is even greater for most women of color."

The White House noted that American women, on average, earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by American men. Joe Biden issued a proclamation calling for the passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act.

The legislation would ban employees from seeking salary history, hold employers who engage in systemic discrimination accountable, and seek to ensure transparency and reporting in wage disparities.

"The gender wage gap can cost women hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a career," Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., chairman of the congressional Joint Economic Committee, said in a statement Wednesday.

"If long-term economic growth is our goal, then closing the gender wage gap is not just a moral imperative, it is an economic one in a nation where two-thirds of mothers are either the primary breadwinner or co-breadwinner in their families."

Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan includes billions in emergency funding aimed at returning Americans to the workforce -- among them, about 2 million women who have lost jobs due to COVID-19.

The president signed two executive orders this month to promote gender equity and equal rights in the United States.

"This issue is so much bigger than the number on a paycheck. Our work gives us a sense of purpose, it's often how we make our mark on the lives of others and the world," Jill Biden said Wednesday.

Levine becomes first openly transgender official confirmed by U.S. Senate

The Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Rachel Levine as assistant secretary for health and human services. File Pool Photo by Caroline Brehman/UPI | License Photo

March 24 (UPI) -- Lawmakers on Wednesday voted to confirm Rachel Levine as President Joe Biden's assistant secretary for health, making her the first openly transgender federal official to be approved by the Senate.

Senators voted 52-48 with all Democrats in favor, joined by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., urged her colleagues to vote for Levine on the Senate floor, noting her history as a "trusted voice" as Pennsylvania's secretary of health, while noting the historic nature of her confirmation.

"I've always said the people in our government should reflect the people it serves and today we will take a new historic step towards making that a reality. I'm proud to vote for Dr. Levine and incredibly proud of the progress this confirmation will represent, for our country and for transgender people all across it who are watching today," she said.

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In a statement Wednesday, Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David praised Levine's confirmation as a "historic, inspiring day for the LGBTQ community, particularly transgender people."

"We are one step closer to a government that mirrors the beautiful diversity of its people," David said. "It is absolutely critical that everybody has a seat at the table and the Biden-Harris administration has made a dedicated, applaudable effort to ensure that outcome."

Levine will work alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who was confirmed last week, and will quickly face the task of leading the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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As Pennsylvania's secretary of health, she led the state's pandemic response as well as programs on opioid prescribing guidelines, health equity and LGBTQ healthcare.

During Levine's confirmation hearing, Murray admonished Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for asking Levine about "genital mutilation" to which Levine responded that "transgender medicine is a very complex and nuanced field with robust research and standards of care that have been developed."

"If I'm fortunate enough to be confirmed as the assistant secretary of health I look forward to working with you and your office and coming to your office and discussing the particulars of the standards of care for transgender medicine," she said at the time.

Alligator and bull shark swim side by side in Florida lagoon

NOT QUITE THE LAMB LAYING DOWN WITH THE LION

March 24 (UPI) -- A Florida man walking over a bridge took video when he came across an unusual sight: an alligator and a bull shark swimming side by side in a river.

Gray Vinson said he was walking on a bridge over the Indian River Lagoon in Vero Beach when he spotted the bull shark and alligator swimming in tandem just a few feet apart.

"It's not everyday you see a bull shark and a gator swimming together in the Indian River," Vinson wrote on Facebook.

Vinson said bull sharks are known to use the Indian River Lagoon as nursery rounds, but the alligator was a surprising sight, especially so close to its fellow predator.

"I was shocked to see the alligator," Vinson told CBS Miami. "I was looking to see if any of the bull sharks were there since they normally are this time of year."

Montana girl, 17, earns a doctorate in business administration

March 19 (UPI) -- A 17-year-old Montana girl who studied business administration at California Intercontinental University has become the youngest American in history to earn a doctorate.

Kimberly Strable, 17, of Great Falls, said she presented her dissertation virtually and was awarded a doctorate in business administration with an emphasis in global leadership.

"I'm the third youngest in world history to ever get a doctorate in any subject, the youngest in all world history to ever get a doctorate in business and the youngest in American history to get a doctorate in any field," Strable told KRTV.

Strable said she is looking forward to starting her career.

"Right now I'm actually working on some legal battles, discrimination I faced because of my age. So that's a really interesting part and I've actually applied some of my knowledge and I'm working on that. But after all that wraps up, I plan on trying to get into executive management," Strable said.

Strable said achieving runs in her family -- her older sister earned a master's degree just days after turning 18 and her three younger siblings have all expressed an interest in getting their degrees at a young age.

"I was just so happy and glowing. So relieved because it's been such a long journey and it's always been a next step and a next step. To finally recognize I am now officially a doctor, super amazing," she said.

Strable's graduation was celebrated on Twitter by Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobson.

"17-year-old *DOCTOR* Kimberly Strable -- that has a nice ring to it. Congratulations on hard work paying off!" Jacobson wrote.