Dozens of high-profile American celebrities — including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jane Fonda, Alec Baldwin, Katy Perry, and Mark Ruffalo — signed a letter this week pressuring President Joe Biden not to engage in any negotiations on environmental issues with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro announced a campaign this week to attract international investment in the protection of the Amazon Rainforest, the world’s largest ecosystem of its kind. He announced Thursday, during remarks to Biden’s “Leaders Summit on Climate,” that his government would double the budget for inspections to ensure compliance with environmental laws and would expand investments in clean energy. Bolsonaro’s administration said last week it was seeking at least $1 billion in compensation from the world for conservation efforts it has already made in the Amazon. The conservative president’s new environmental policy push prompted outrage from Hollywood activists. “We urge your Administration to … not commit to any agreements with Brazil at this time,” the celebrities wrote in an open letter to Biden. “We share your concerns that urgent action must be taken to address threats to the Amazon, our climate, and human rights, but a deal with Bolsonaro is not the solution.” The letter claims “Brazilian lawmakers,” without naming any, have urged the U.S. government not to help their president conserve Brazil’s vast natural landscapes. “We are concerned that your Administration may have been negotiating an agreement to protect the Amazon with Bolsonaro,” the letter continued. “While we are relieved that White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated recently that there would not be any bilateral agreement announced at the Leader’s Summit on Earth Day, we are still concerned that your Administration would negotiate any deal with Bolsonaro at this time.” The letter concludes with a command to Biden to “reject any deal with Brazil until deforestation is reduced, human rights are ...
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Corporate America Virtue Signaling in Wake of Derek Chauvin Murder Conviction
Corporate America did not miss the opportunity to weigh in on the jury finding former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on three counts of murder in the death of George Floyd, with Twitter feeds flying and corporate statements pouring into email boxes since the decision was announced on Tuesday. Floyd’s death sparked violent protests across the country and solidified radical racial justice groups like Black Lives Matter, which encouraged violent protests and found financial support from some of these same corporations. Mary Barra, chairman and CEO of General Motors: The past several weeks have been a painful and poignant reminder of the need to support reform and condemn injustice. Our thoughts are with the Floyd family as these verdicts will not replace their loss. — Mary Barra (@mtbarra) April 20, 2021 Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel: We can’t fix the long history of racism in America overnight, but we must do what we can to address it and make the world a better place. https://t.co/uRxL7dw8CN — Pat Gelsinger (@PGelsinger) April 20, 2021 Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO: Today represents accountability and an important step towards justice. But it's just that: a step. I continue to have George Floyd's family on my mind — the injustice of their loss won’t be changed by today’s news. We all have more work to do. — dara khosrowshahi (@dkhos) April 21, 2021 Eric S. Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom: This day is meaningful in the pursuit of justice, although Black communities continue to experience targeted acts of violence. I want to affirm our support for our Black employees and the Black community. I also want to share excerpts from notes we sent to employees today. pic.twitter.com/ru42dq5Bex — Eric S. Yuan (@ericsyuan) April 21, 2021 Tim Cook, CEO of Apple: Today’s verdict was just, but as Dr. King wrote: “Justice for Black people will not flow into society merely from court decisions nor from fountains of ...
Bipartisan group of senators holds immigration talks amid border surge
A bipartisan group of senators led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin Dick Durbin Cornyn, Sinema to introduce bill aimed at addressing border surge Harris casts tiebreaking vote to advance Biden nominee Bipartisan group of senators holds immigration talks amid border surge MORE (D-Ill.) met Wednesday afternoon to explore the possibility of immigration reform legislation that could address the surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Senators praised the meeting afterward as “constructive” and a promising start but said they didn’t reach agreement on any core elements. The talks come amid what Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Alejandro Mayorkas Bipartisan group of senators holds immigration talks amid border surge Justice Department convenes task force to tackle wave of ransomware attacks Biden to offer 22K additional guest worker visas, 6K targeted toward Northern Triangle MORE says is on pace to be the biggest migrant surge in 20 years. ADVERTISEMENT The starting points include the Republican demand that the asylum process at the southern border be streamlined so fewer migrant children are released into the United States to await the processing of immigration courts and the Democratic demand that immigrants who were brought into the country illegally at a young age, "Dreamers," be given a path to citizenship. “It was a good meeting. It was a very positive meeting and bipartisan, obviously,” Durbin said. “We did not reach any conclusions. We want to pursue a number of elements: the bills that came over from the House as well as border security.” He was referring to two immigration reform bills passed by the House in March. The American Dream and Promise Act would let immigrants who entered the country as children earn permanent legal status and eventual citizenship. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would grant temporary legal status with the option to become ...
Biden Pollution Pledge Called ‘Game Changer’ as World Leaders Unite at Virtual Climate Summit WATCH LIVE
WHITE HOUSE - Saying the world must “overcome the existential crisis of our time,” U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new goal of cutting U.S. greenhouse gas pollution by 50-52% by 2030 as he kicked off a virtual global summit on climate change with dozens of other world leaders. "This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis," said Biden, calling on others, in particular the world’s largest economies, “to step up.” WATCH: Climate Summit LIVE British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Biden’s announcement as “a game-changer," saying “it will have a transformative impact in the global fight against climate change." The U.S. target is relative to 2005 levels, and the White House says efforts to reach it include moving toward carbon pollution-free electricity, boosting fuel efficiency of cars and trucks, supporting carbon capture at industrial facilities and reducing the use of methane. Addressing the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country will strictly control coal consumption in the next several years and will “phase down” the fossil fuel during the 2026-2030 period. Xi also reiterated China’s pledge to peak carbon emissions before 2030. India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, while pledging no new goals, did announce a partnership with the United States for a 2030 clean energy agenda “to help mobilize investment, demonstrate clean technology and enable green collaborations.” The United Nations secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, told the summit: “We need a green planet — but the world is on red alert. We are at the verge of the abyss. We must make sure the next step is in the right direction. Leaders everywhere must take action.” A Biden administration official told reporters in a briefing Wednesday that with the new U.S. target and those set by Japan, Canada, Britain and the European Union, “in aggregate, major economies accounting for more than half of the world's ...
Philip Roth Biography Pulled After Author Blake Bailey Accused of Grooming Minors for Sex
NEW YORK (AP) — The publisher of a new, bestselling biography about Philip Roth has temporarily halted the book’s shipping and promotion as its author, Blake Bailey, faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. “These allegations are serious. In light of them, we have decided to pause the shipping and promotion of ‘Philip Roth: The Biography’ pending any further information that may emerge,” according to a statement provided Wednesday to The Associated Press by W.W. Norton & Company. Existing copies remain widely available, including on Amazon.com, where the 800-page book ranked No. 812 on the print bestseller list as of midday Wednesday. Bailey, who has denied any wrongdoing, has already been dropped by his literary agency, the Story Factory. Bailey was an 8th grade English teacher at the Lusher Middle School in New Orleans in the 1990s and numerous former students have spoken out recently, alleging inappropriate and manipulative behavior at the time and saying he later pursued sexual relationships. Bailey’s book, released in early April, was among the most anticipated and heaviliy promoted literary biographies in recent years and has appeared on the bestseller list of The New York Times and other outlets. But starting last weekend, on the Twitter feed and website of Reluctant Habits blogger Ed Champion, and continuing on social media and in the press, former students have been sharing stories, some saying that his behavior still haunts them. Jessie Wightkin-Gelini, who took Bailey’s class in the late 1990s, told The Associated Press that he was a charismatic teacher with a gift for making students — especially female ones — feel special and understood. But she also remembered troubling behavior — whether hugging her “too long” or touching her on the small of the back. A class assignment might be an essay about the student’s first kiss. “He’s still one of the best teachers I ever had, which is so sickening to me,” says ...
