Zambia government’s neglect exposing more children to lead poison, HRW says
Report says more than 95 percent of children in the central town of Kabwe had elevated levels of lead in their blood. The failure of Zambia’s government to intervene against “blatant violations” of environmental laws is worsening the exposure of a high number of children to severe health risks, mostly lead poisoning, at a shuttered mining site in the country’s central region, warns a new report. The Human Rights Watch report published on Wednesday said Zambia is allowing South African, Chinese and domestic mining companies to continue to operate in the lead-contaminated town of Kabwe, where residents are already reeling from decades of toxic lead exposure. Kabwe, about 150km (95 miles) north of capital Lusaka, is one of the world’s most polluted places after decades of lead and zinc mining. “Companies are profiting in Kabwe from mining, removing, and processing lead waste at the expense of children’s health,” HRW’s children’s rights director Juliane Kippenberg said, adding that more than 95 percent of children in the area had elevated blood lead levels. Kabwe’s mine was shut in 1994, yet the government is still “facilitating hazardous mining and processing” in the area by a subsidiary of the multinational mining company Anglo American, HRW said in its 67-page report, leaving an estimated 6.4 million tonnes of uncovered lead waste in dumps. Advertisement Nearly 200,000 people, many of them women and children, have been exposed to the contamination, the rights group said, urging the government to revoke the permits of mining companies and clean up the pollution hazard. The government of Zambia has yet to respond to the report. Highly sought for industry, lead is nevertheless a particularly toxic metal that can cause severe health problems including brain damage and death, particularly in children, according to the World Health Organization. More than 95 percent of children living near the Kabwe mine had elevated blood lead levels with about half requiring urgent treatment, the HRW report said. The concentration of lead in the soil had reached 60,000mg per kg (0.95oz per lb), according to the report, 300 times the threshold considered a hazard by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In 2022, a UN expert listed Kabwe as being among so-called “sacrifice zones” where pollution and resultant health issues were the norm for nearby communities. “The Zambian government should be protecting people from highly hazardous activities, not enabling them,” said Kippenberg. Adblock test (Why?)
Rep. Greg Casar and Elon Musk bring Texas clash to D.C. stage
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U.S. Supreme Court takes up Texas nuclear waste disposal case
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Trump says America would welcome Greenland during joint address to Congress
President Donald Trump continued pushing the idea of America acquiring Greenland on Tuesday night, devoting a small portion of his speech to the topic while delivering remarks before a joint session of Congress. Trump declared that the U.S. would welcome the people of Greenland if they decided to join America. “And I also have a message tonight for the incredible people of Greenland. We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,” Trump declared. TRUMP PROMISES ‘THIS WILL BE OUR GREATEST ERA’ IN JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS He said that the U.S. needs the island “for national security and even international security.” Trump promised that such a union would bring both security and prosperity to Greenland. “We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before,” he said. TRUMP PROMISES ‘THIS WILL BE OUR GREATEST ERA’ IN JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS While Trump has previously advocated the idea, it was notable that he chose to wade into the issue during his address on Tuesday. “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump declared in a December Truth Social post. In a January post, Trump declared, “Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!” FETTERMAN OPEN TO POTENTIAL GREENLAND ACQUISITION, DECLARES SUPPORT FOR LAKEN RILEY ACT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP According to the official website of Denmark, “Greenland has its own extensive local government, but it is also part of the Realm of Denmark.”
House Minority Leader Jeffries describes Trump’s address to Congress as ‘most divisive’ in American history
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who encouraged his fellow Democrats to attend President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress on Tuesday, described the speech as “the most divisive” in American history after its conclusion. Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the president “did not try to unite the country” nor did he address “serious economic challenges facing everyday Americans.” “Instead, President Trump promoted the reckless Republican budget that sets up the largest cut to Medicaid in our country’s history. Democrats will continue to fight hard to make life better for the people, and together we will get through this turbulent moment,” the top House Democrat said in a statement. Trump’s speech, which lasted about an hour and 39 minutes, addressed a range of topics, from his administration’s fight against the illegal immigrant crisis to more touching moments where the president honored special guests in the chamber. HOUSE DEM LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES SAYS HE PLANS TO ATTEND TRUMP’S SPEECH: ‘DIGNIFIED DEMOCRATIC PRESENCE’ In a post-speech interview, Jeffries accused Trump and his administration of “repeatedly” lying and making things about him and “never about the American people.” “It’s always about him and never about the American people. This is why the economy is crashing. Things haven’t gotten better. They’re getting worse,” Jeffries said, adding that “the free world is falling apart because Donald Trump is playing footsie with Vladimir Putin.” In his criticism, Jefferies heavily focused on Trump assuring Americans that funding for social security, Medicaid and Medicare will not be cut unless fraud or abuse is detected, describing those promises made by the president and the Republican Party as lies. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP CONCLUDES REMARKS AFTER DECLARING ‘AMERICA’S MOMENTUM IS BACK’ “They’re going to go after Social Security benefits. I think that was clear after this speech. And we know that they are proposing the largest Medicaid cut in American history that’s going to hurt children, hurt families, hurt people with disabilities, shut down hospitals and close nursing homes,” Jeffries said, referencing proposed tax cuts. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has previously stated that Republicans are “not talking about in any way reducing benefits” for the programs Jeffries is concerned about. “What we’re talking about is efficiencies in the programs to make them work better for the people who receive those benefits and to make them longer lasting to sustain the programs,” Johnson said. The Democratic leader did not share any praise for the president’s speech, despite there being some moments that would seemingly be celebrated by all, such as swearing a 13-year-old cancer survivor in as an honorary Secret Service agent and telling a high school senior his application to West Point was accepted. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Jeffries did not publicly comment on anything specific besides his concerns about potential cuts to government programs in his post-speech interview, but he did criticize the “Republican agenda” as a whole multiple times. “What’s going to move this country back in the right direction is for the American people to fully understand the implications of this very divisive and extreme agenda that is being unleashed on the American people,” Jeffries said, in part.
Trump calls out federal workers not showing up to the office, says it’s time to drain ‘the swamp’
President Donald Trump said his administration called out the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who do not show up to work, saying it was time to drain “the swamp.” “We have hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have not been showing up to work,” Trump said while speaking at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday night. “My administration will reclaim power from this unaccountable bureaucracy, and we will restore true democracy to America again. “And any federal bureaucrat who resists this change will be removed from office immediately,” he added. “Because we are draining the swamp. It’s very simple. And the days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.” The Trump administration offered buyouts for nearly two million federal employees, including those who work remotely, as part of Trump’s efforts to get employees back into the office. Originally they only had until Feb. 6 to opt in. TRUMP TO SIGN MEMO LIFTING BIDEN’S LAST-MINUTE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS Under the buyout offer, employees will stop working early March and receive pay benefits through Sept. 30. The White House confirmed to Fox News Digital that numbers had climbed to 75,000 as of Thursday morning. It previously said it expected 200,000 people to accept the offer. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFERS BUYOUTS TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING REMOTE WORKERS: ‘DEFERRED RESIGNATION’ During Trump’s first week in office, he issued several directives to the federal workforce, including a requirement that remote employees must return to in-person work. The American Federation of Government Employees and two other unions filed a complaint, claiming the buyout offer was “arbitrary and capricious” and violates federal law. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The unions allege the administration cannot guarantee the plan will be funded and has failed to consider the consequences of mass resignations, including how it may affect the government’s ability to function.
GOP rebels head to White House for meeting to avoid government shutdown
A group of House conservatives are heading to the White House Wednesday to discuss the path forward for avoiding a partial government shutdown. “It’s a meeting with the House Freedom Caucus leadership, and then a few of the people who philosophically share our feelings about the fiscal situation,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital. “And we’re going to hear what the president has to say.” Fresh off an internal battle that ended with House Republicans taking the first step to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda through the budget reconciliation process, GOP lawmakers are facing another looming fiscal fight. Congressional negotiators have punted fiscal year 2025 government funding talks twice since the new fiscal year began Oct. 1, 2024. They did so by passing a continuing resolution, a short-term funding patch to extend current federal spending levels. TRUMP FIRES 17 GOVERNMENT WATCHDOGS AT VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES Congress could risk a partial government shutdown on Trump’s watch if nothing is done by the end of March 14. To avoid that, however, GOP leaders are looking to pass another continuing resolution, this time through the end of fiscal year 2025. But Democrats and Republicans are at an impasse over the left’s demands that the resolution include assurances that Trump will not overstep Congress and spend less money than what’s appropriated. Democratic votes have been critical to passing every continuing resolution since Republicans took the House in January 2023. And with a razor-thin majority, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can lose few votes to pass anything with just GOP support. FEDERAL JUDGE HINTS SHE WILL CONTINUE BLOCKING TRUMP FROM FIRING HEAD OF WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION AGENCY Trump has spoken out on the matter, calling on Republicans to pass a “clean” extension of last year’s funds through the end of the fiscal year. Republican leaders are hoping that will be enough to sway conservatives and other GOP lawmakers who normally are, on principle, opposed to continuing resolutions. It is why several such lawmakers will be at the White House Wednesday. “I’m hopeful we can get this off the ground,” Harris said. “But, again, it’s going to involve all hands on deck in the Republican conference in the House.” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., another House Freedom Caucus member who normally opposes continuing resolutions, suggested he may be open to supporting this latest bid. Norman, who will be at the White House Wednesday, was hopeful Trump’s push to cut government waste represented a new chapter that could allow for Republicans opposed to a continuing resolution to feel comfortable crossing that line. “I will be part of the group, and we’ll be talking with the president,” Norman said. “It’s real important to keep his momentum going. It’s a new day with the DOGE cuts. (Continuing resolutions) a lot of us don’t like. We haven’t voted for them in the past. Today is different, and I think we’ll pass the vote. “If we have to get Democrats, that’s not a good sign. And I don’t think we have to, nor should we. And there’s no one better to sell a program or a point of view than Donald Trump.” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, declined to say if he would attend the meeting but said he was supportive of Trump’s stance on a continuing resolution. Roy, the House Freedom Caucus policy chair, has become a de facto liaison between Republican leaders and the most hawkish members of the House GOP Conference. “I have publicly said that I’m happy to support the president’s request to have a (continuing resolution) the next six months, provided that it’s clean, provided that it is at current levels or below,” Roy said. “I’m not going to talk about private meetings and what I’ve been invited to, but let’s say I’m in close contact with the White House.”
‘Public execution’: The Israeli checkpoint terrorising a Palestinian town
Deir Sharaf, occupied West Bank – An Israeli military checkpoint dominates the lives of the villagers of Deir Sharaf, who already live in the shadow of an illegal Israeli settlement. The permanently crewed metal blockade blights the occupied West Bank village’s main road, which connects six northern West Bank cities and is a major gateway into Nablus. The checkpoint, initially a dirt mound barrier in October 2022, is a chilling reminder of the threat of violence hovering over thousands of Palestinians who are forced to travel through 800 or so West Bank checkpoints and roadblocks every day. “Nowadays, if you make one wrong move when you pass through the checkpoint, you’ll be shot,” said villager Adam Ali, a 55-year-old father of four who has seen this first-hand. He witnessed the November 12 shooting of 18-year-old Walid Hussein by soldiers who then stood by as he bled to death. Hussein was accused of carrying a knife by the military but witnesses tell a different story. “The boy was unarmed and did nothing,” Adam said. “The Israeli soldiers shot him and watched him die.” Plumes of smoke rise above Deir Sharaf after settlers from the illegal Einav settlement stormed the town on November 2, 2023, following the death of an Israeli when his car came under fire [File: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP] A ‘public execution’ Hussein was from the Ein Beit el-Ma refugee camp in Nablus – where memorials to him adorn walls and hang on street corners. Advertisement Multiple witnesses, including Adam and his 15-year-old son Mohammed, said Walid was asked to stop and get out of his car by the soldiers. When he took a step towards them, he was shot several times. They say he did not immediately succumb to the bullets. “The ambulance tried to get to him but they blocked it,” said Mohammed. “His blood was everywhere. It was an execution.” No soldiers were injured. Local and international media reported witnesses saw no weapon and no intent from Walid to harm the soldiers. Those in the neighbourhood Hussein once called home question the Israeli narrative of a knife, saying it isn’t the first time the military has used such an excuse for a public “execution”. “We’re living in hell – the idea of leaving is becoming harder to fight,” Adam said. “Life is so hard – I hope death will be more merciful.” Demonstrators holding Palestinian flags face an Israeli soldier holding a weapon during a protest demanding Israel reopen roads to Nablus, in Deir Sharaf on October 20, 2022 [Raneen Sawafta/Reuters] Villagers describe “a life of terror” dominated by Israeli soldiers and settlers who stream in from the nearby illegal Shavei Shomron settlement, built in 1977 and equipped with air raid sirens, a military perimeter and 24/7 security. The illegal settlement is at the centre of far-right settler politics in the West Bank, and hosts more than 1,000 settlers, including a politician who attended the inauguration of United States President Donald Trump. Mayor Shadi Abu Halaweh says there is almost nowhere else in the occupied West Bank like Deir Sharaf, bisected by a checkpoint separating east from west and transforming the lives of the 3,000 villagers overnight. Advertisement It was first established around the same time as the rise of the Lions’ Den resistance group in Nablus and the subsequent Israeli crackdown on it. Armed soldiers patrol all day, stopping cars and conducting searches – often involving intimidation and violence. Abu Halaweh says two people have been killed and three seriously injured at the checkpoint since it was set up – and violent incidents have increased since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza. Mayor Shadi Abu Halaweh says life in Deir Sharaf has changed since Israel set up the checkpoint [Al Jazeera] Since October 7, 2023, nearly 100 people have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the Nablus governorate, which includes Deir Sharaf, according to United Nations figures. A long-awaited ceasefire agreement in Gaza took hold last month, but killing continues across the West Bank, Israel looking set to expand its attacks, and its officials saying a military deployment could last until next year. Fears of ethnic cleansing have been sparked by the expulsion of 50,000 Palestinians from their homes in refugee camps in besieged Jenin and Tulkarem – an operation threatening to engulf the Nablus region next. ‘I feel I could be killed in my own home’ At times of tension, the last place Palestinians want to be is near a checkpoint. The Israelis say checkpoints are intended to prevent armed resistance activity and monitor suspects. But Palestinians in the West Bank say they are designed to control their movement and instil fear among motorists and nearby residents – while protecting settlers and providing safe entry for Israeli military vehicles. Advertisement Not many homes or businesses remain on the western side of the checkpoint – and those that do are isolated and prone to attacks from settlers. Abu Halaweh said residents on the western side live in constant fear of settlers, who are “always sabotaging”, stealing, and destroying property. Israeli human rights monitor B’Tselem says the barrier prevents about 50 families who live in the western part of the village from accessing the rest of it by car. Basil Wawi, a 40-year-old government employee and father to two-year-old twin girls, described the horror of living on the wrong side of the divide. “Before [the checkpoint], they would stop cars occasionally. Now, they search you, your phone, and sometimes arrest you just for going home.” He recounted a settler assault in November 2023 when settlers broke into his home in broad daylight and set fire to it. The settlers, Wawi added, were protected by the military, who blocked him from returning to his home for three hours – shooting at anyone who tried to help him or oppose the invaders. “Most people don’t know what it’s like to feel like you could be killed in your own
‘Will make you rich’: Trump wants to take Greenland ‘one way or the other’
The US president reiterates interest in acquiring the island, painting a picture of prosperity and safety for its ‘incredible people’. United States President Donald Trump has again pledged to take the Danish-ruled island of Greenland “one way or the other”, promising financial gain and security to the “incredible people” of the island if they choose to be a part of the US. “We will keep you safe, we will make you rich, and together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before,” Trump said on Tuesday night during his annual speech to the US Congress. “It’s a very small population, a very, very large piece of land, and very, very important for military security,” he added. Trump has been drumming up his vision to take Greenland, citing its strategic and economic importance. Opinion polls suggest that most Greenlanders oppose joining the US, although a majority favour eventual independence from Denmark. Even before starting his second term as president, Trump said he hoped to make Greenland a part of the US, even though NATO ally Denmark says it is not for sale. Greenland’s strategic location and rich mineral resources could benefit the US. It lies along the shortest route from Europe to North America, vital for the US ballistic missile warning system. Advertisement “We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,” Trump said in his speech. But he made clear he would not give up if persuasion fails, saying: “One way or the other we’re going to get it.” Trump’s interest in Greenland has invigorated its independence movement, prompting calls for swift secession discussions with Denmark, its former colonial ruler. But Greenland’s ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit party has said it will not rush an independence vote after a March 11 general election, cautioning of possible economic and welfare implications. “The future of Greenland is really for the people of Greenland to decide,” Denmark’s UN Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen told reporters on Monday. “Independence is possible and they have the right to self-determination.” Adblock test (Why?)