Author: Sarah Walsh

The debate continues over Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s plan for all new cars in Connecticut to go all-electric. Earlier this month, some state Republicans held a news conference bashing the plan. Supporters gathered Wednesday to fight back. “Nobody is banning combustion engines in Connecticut, and shame on those people who are perpetuating that false and fake news,” Rev. Josh Pawelek with Unitarian Universalist Society East in Manchester said. Electric vehicle advocates said people fighting the state phasing out of the sale of new gas-powered cars in a dozen years are engaging in fear-mongering and misinformation. “If you are so opposed…

The August 21 announcement that Indonesia will buy 24 F-15EX fighters from BoeingBA -0.3% is a breakthrough for the nation’s biggest aerospace company, and a further success for the Biden administration’s strategy of strengthening ties in the Indo-Pacific region. Indonesia, with a population of 280 million, is the world’s third largest democracy (after India and the US). In dollar terms it has the world’s 16th largest economy, but adjusting for the domestic purchasing power of the Indonesian currency, it actually ranks among the top ten economies. Geopolitically, the island nation occupies a strategic position astride major shipping routes in Southeast Asia, and…

A Florida college education board is reportedly set to abolish its Gender Studies programme, following a vote by trustees. A 7-3 vote on Thursday (10 August) by members of the New College of Florida education board will ultimately mean the nearly 30-year-old programme will be eliminated from the curriculum in the future. The Gender Studies programme, which began in 1995, includes several majors with eligible courses such as anthropology, biology and sociology. Christopher Rufo, a Ron DeSantis-appointed trustee and right-wing activist, introduced the motion suddenly during the general meeting on Thursday, which fellow board member and student body president Grace Keenan deemed…

Geneva, London (29/7 – 50) Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, condemned the arrest and imprisonment of journalists, bloggers and civil society activists in Tajikistan, and questioned the credibility of the evidence presented in court against them. Lawlor was on a two-week official visit to Tajikistan last December. The report prepared by her and members of the delegation on the results of this visit was published in May of this year, but only now became available to the public. The authorities of Tajikistan will have to prepare an official response to the document, which…

Frankfurt, Brussels (14/7 – 30) North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has concluded a summit held on July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania, having issued a 90-point communique, with the detailed elaboration on new members, the ongoing Ukraine/Russia conflict and other defense matters. Highlights of the Vilnius Summit Communique: New members Russia – Ukraine Conflict China Indo-Pacific region Technology and defense Nuclear weapons

Connecticut this summer became the first state to enact a statewide extended producer responsibility program for tires, moving beyond previous iterations of regulated programs into fully producer managed and funded end-of-life management. Backers of the policy have been fighting for it since 2015. HB 6486 was signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont June 28 of this year. Jen Heaton-Jones, executive director at Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority and chair of the Connecticut Product Stewardship Council, said it is years in the making and is intended to curtail illegal dumping. “We need to stop the dumping happening in the first place,” she…

A U.S. airstrike on Friday killed ISIS leader Usamah al-Muhajir in eastern Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said early Sunday.  The deadly drone strike was carried out the same day and by a drone that the Defense Department said was being “harassed” by Russia flying over the western part of Syria. According to CENTCOM, no civilians were killed in drone strike but they are evaulating reports of a civilian injury. On Friday, Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, Commander, 9th AF (AFCENT) and Combined Forces Air Component Commander (CFACC) for CENTCOM, issued a statment said that “three MQ-9 drones wer eonce again harassed by Russian fighter…

Ms Habba will still advide former president on ‘certain legal matters’ Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba has stepped down from her role defending the former president in the fraud lawsuit filed against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Ms Habba has taken up a new role with Mr Trump’s Save America leadership political action committee. A press release issued by the PAC says that Mr Trump appointed Ms Habba to be his legal spokesperson and general counsel to Save America, though she will also still assist the former president with “certain legal matters”. “Alina has worked diligently and tirelessly…

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today announced the historic confirmation of Nusrat Choudhury, an exceptional attorney and civil rights litigator, to serve as a district judge on the prestigious United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Schumer forwarded the name of Nusrat Choudhury for the Eastern District of New York to the Biden-Harris administration and has championed her nomination. Ms. Choudhury will be the very first Muslim American woman and first Bangladeshi American to serve on the federal bench. “Nusrat Choudhury is a shining example of the American Dream. She is the daughter of immigrant…

London, Manchester, Liverpool (25/5 – 54) Pep Guardiola’s declaration that he will not leave Manchester City this summer is bad news for other clubs in the English Premier League. On 20 May, Manchester City secured their fifth Premier League title under Pep Guardiola. With the commanding Spaniard managing the team for seven seasons straight, since 2016, Manchester City only failed to become the champion on two occasions: 2016-2017 and 2019-2020. During those seven seasons in the Premier League, The Citizens collected an impressive 624 points from a possible maximum of 798. There seem to be no more challenges for Guardiola…