Tuesday, May 20, 2025
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A View From the Ground
News and information about politics, government, civic participation and engagement from URL Media's network of Black and Brown publishers.
Good evening. The legacy of Malcolm X grows more powerful over time, but the places associated with him in Queens, N.Y., where he lived at the time of his death, bear little acknowledgement of him. Learn more about his footprint in Queens, and watch and listen to a video to hear his voice and the voice of Les Payne, one of his biographers. In this newsletter: Companies now have a pass to commit more air pollution; officials in Gambia are apparently colluding with the Trump administration to get a green light for Elon Musk’s Starlink; advice on what you should do in airports; and two senators, one Democratic and one Republican, are warning about the impact of HHS cuts on Indigenous communities.Plus, as always, we’re bringing you the latest updates at url-media.com as events unfold. Have a question? Write to us at [email protected].
Credit: iStockFossil fuel pollution just got a pass to do even more damage thanks to the Trump administration. That’s because fossil fuel and chemical companies have been given an easier way to request exemptions from rules meant to prevent things like mercury and arsenic from leaking into the environment from industrial plants.Capital B reports the companies simply have to email the White House. Meanwhile, the Senate has rolled back a requirement that virtually all industrial sites control the seven most dangerous air pollutants. This leaves the 1,800 facilities that are doing the most polluting with few barriers. The House is expected to pass the same resolution and Trump has indicated he will sign it into law.
A group of environmental advocates revealed an environmental map that shows more than 500 sites nationwide that would no longer be subject to government air pollution regulations.
“This reckless and dangerous invitation for industrial sources to evade compliance with national pollution limits puts millions of Americans in harm’s way,” Vickie Patton, general counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund, told Capital B.Read more at Capital B.
The U.S. government has never shown much commercial interest in African nations, but according to an investigative report from ProPublica, it targeted one nation to help Elon Musk make billions.The report shows that officials with the Trump administration and the government in the West African nation of Gambia were involved in getting access to the country for Musk’s Starlink satellite company. U.S. officials allegedly put pressure on the Gambians for a license for Starlink by threatening to cut funding to the country.Over the past several months, ProPublica says, officials in both countries have been attempting to coax Gambian ministers into helping Musk. Since President Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office, the administration has attempted to massage Starlink’s relationship with Gambia and at least four other nations.The White House denies any conflicts of interest, but because much of Africa does not have reliable internet infrastructure, Starlink could have a possible foothold on the continent if the U.S. is able to convince governments there.
Traveling internationally used to be much easier, but the process has become much more complicated. News of detentions, detainments, and deportations has caused international travelers holding green cards and visas to be more nervous.But according to India Currents, there are things you can do to make any potential encounters at the airport more bearable. At a May 2 press briefing, Zahra Billoo, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations; immigration lawyers Richard Herman and Madhurima Paturi; and Xiao Wang, CEO of Boundless Immigration discussed the issues facing international travel for noncitizens, and there were five important takeaways from it:1. Disable Face ID and all other biometric unlocking mechanisms on your phone.
2. Don’t sign anything – you could be surrendering your green card!
3. You always have the right to remain silent, but know the risks of exercising it.
4. You have the right to an attorney, but only when detained.
5. Be proactive and be prepared.Read the explanations behind each at India Currents.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s plan for a reorganization of the agency, including budget cuts and job eliminations, has unnerved members of Congress about what the impact could be for Native American communities. Now they are speaking out and pushing back regarding the potential impact.
According to Native News Online, Senators Brian Schatz, a Hawaii Democrat, and Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, who lead the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, want Kennedy to begin talks with Indigenous American, Alaskan and Hawaiian communities, as required by the HHS’ Tribal Consultation Policy.
“The responsibilities of HHS in upholding the federal trust obligation to American Indians and Alaska Natives extend beyond just the Indian Health Service (IHS),” Schatz and Murkowski wrote in a letter to Kennedy. “...For decades, HHS has overseen programs that are essential to the health and well-being of Native communities. These programs fulfill federal commitments established through treaties, statutes, executive orders, and other legal frameworks. Eliminating the staff responsible for these services puts Native health systems at risk.”
The lawmakers used the example of the closure of HHS regional offices in five separate areas, leaving 461 tribes, about 80 percent of all federally recognized tribes, with interruptions in service.
Severe budget issues facing next Jackson, Miss., city administration - The Lighthouse
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