The Biden administration is implementing a new rule that will impose a federal fee on oil and gas companies exceeding specific methane emission levels. This rule, announced at COP29, fulfills a congressional directive within the 2022 climate law and aims to reduce one of the most potent greenhouse gases. The fee, expected to begin at $900 per ton in 2024 and increase to $1,500 per ton by 2026, aims to incentivize the adoption of emission-reducing technologies and reduce methane emissions by 1.2 million metric tons by 2035, equivalent to removing eight million cars from the road for a year. While industry groups are expected to oppose the rule, environmental organizations support it, advocating for the oil and gas sector to be held accountable for its contributions to climate change.
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Donald Trump has pledged to end birthright citizenship, a policy he believes is based on a misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment, by issuing an executive order on his first day back in office. This plan, which would require at least one parent to be a citizen or legal resident for a child to be considered a U.S. citizen, is likely to face legal challenges as it directly contradicts the amendment’s text. While the Supreme Court has never directly ruled on the issue, most legal experts believe the amendment’s language clearly grants citizenship to anyone born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ immigration status. The proposal’s implementation would also be complex, requiring federal agencies to verify the immigration status of both parents, which may not always be readily available.
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A man deliberately rammed his car into a stadium in Zhuhai, China, killing at least 35 people and injuring 45 others, making it one of the deadliest acts of public violence in the country in recent decades. The driver, motivated by a property dispute stemming from his divorce, was arrested while attempting to flee and remains in a coma due to self-inflicted wounds. Authorities are investigating the incident, which has sparked a national outcry and led to President Xi Jinping calling for severe punishment and efforts to aid the injured. Despite the gravity of the event, censorship efforts have restricted online reports, with some videos removed from social media platforms.
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Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election has raised significant concerns about the future of Western support for Ukraine. Following a conversation with Trump, Finnish President Alexander Stubb believes that Trump is serious about achieving a peace deal quickly, possibly through Ukraine ceding territory to Russia. Stubb outlined four prerequisites for peace, including territorial concessions, security guarantees, justice, and reconstruction. Trump’s potential appointment of Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State suggests a shift in foreign policy, with Rubio expressing support for ending the conflict and voting against previous aid packages for Ukraine.
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Following the 2024 presidential election, The New Abnormal co-hosts Danielle Moodie and Andy Levy analyze potential areas for improvement in Vice President Harris’ campaign. Levy argues that a stronger focus on messaging, particularly regarding the issue of corporate price-gouging, could have resonated more effectively with voters. He suggests highlighting the role of wealthy individuals and corporations in driving up prices, explicitly connecting the issue to the political and economic interests of those who support Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Dean Obeidallah discusses his article challenging the characterization of questioning Trump’s electoral integrity as “election denial,” and shares insights gleaned from his radio show audience.
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Democrats’ calls for unity and civility in the wake of Trump’s victory are misguided and ultimately futile. This approach ignores the reality that Republicans, especially under Trump’s leadership, are driven by fear and paranoia, fueled by a constant stream of manufactured enemies. Their notion of “unity” is simply conformity, demanding that those deemed different silence themselves or disappear. This approach not only fails to understand the nature of fascism but also inadvertently enables it by falsely suggesting that Trump and his supporters can be reasoned with. The only solution is for people to recognize the inherent danger of this hate-mongering and refuse to reward it with power.
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To ensure the safety of fans and prevent a repeat of the violence against Israeli supporters in Amsterdam, 4,000 police officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for the upcoming France-Israel soccer match in Paris. This robust security plan includes an anti-terrorist perimeter around the stadium, reinforced security checks, and coordination with Israeli authorities. Our priority is to maintain order and prevent any violence, upholding the spirit of sportsmanship and the universal values that sports represent.
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Iraq is poised to drastically lower its legal marriage age from 18 to just nine for girls and 15 for boys, sparking significant backlash both domestically and internationally. The proposed amendment, championed by conservative Shia Islamist parties, would allow for child marriage and grant religious leaders greater control over family issues, effectively stripping women of vital rights such as divorce, child custody, and inheritance. This proposed amendment would further exacerbate the already prevalent issue of child marriage in Iraq, where over 28% of women are married by the age of 18. While many countries around the world have set the legal age for marriage at 18, Iraq’s proposed amendment would place it among a handful of countries with the lowest legal marriage ages, prompting concerns about the safety and well-being of young girls.
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Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, has claimed he can’t afford to buy food after a judge ordered him to transfer assets, including his Mercedes, to two election workers he defamed. Giuliani, who has been ordered to pay $150 million in a defamation case, is seeking $250,000 through a crowdfunding campaign, claiming he is being persecuted for his support of Donald Trump and has been left with “not much” money. Despite this, Giuliani recently drove to vote in his Mercedes and maintains that he did not defame the election workers.
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A federal judge in Louisiana has blocked the state’s new law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every public classroom, deeming it unconstitutional. The judge ruled that the law’s purpose is overtly religious, rejecting the state’s argument that the Ten Commandments hold historical significance to U.S. law. The decision, which grants a preliminary injunction against the law, finds that the state’s requirement would violate the First Amendment by establishing a religion and coercing students into religious participation. This ruling aligns with a 1980 Supreme Court decision that found a similar Kentucky law unconstitutional, highlighting the ongoing debate over the intersection of religion and public education.
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John Q. Hosedrinker