Odds and Ends 05.15.23

Border and immigration

Title 42, the covid-era health order which gave authority to turn immigrants away from the US southern border, ended last week. If you want to know how it's going, well, that depends on who you ask. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the Biden administration had been preparing for the surge for months and have it pretty much in hand but other media outlets reported that situation was nothing short of chaotic. (Politico, The Federalist)

President Biden's border policies have not been popular with Americans, and ranchers are tired of finding bodies on their border properties. How Many More?, a group based in Texas has called on the Biden administration to address the role of cartels in illegal immigration. They suggest seizing assets of cartels and declaring them terror organizations would be a start in shutting down child trafficking and drug smuggling into the States. (Texas Monthly, How Many More?)

The House passed a new law as Title 42 ended, stipulating minimum staffing requirements and building more wall. (WNG)

Life

A baby conceived using genetic material from three people has been born in the UK. The baby has mitochondria from a donor with the objective being to avoid diseases passed through the mother. The process of removing damaged mitochondria can be performed pre- or post-fertilisation and presents a whole new range of ethical dilemmas. (BBC) 

Former abortion doctor talks about his old and grisly job (Not the Bee) 

Climate

The EPA has proposed new cuts to carbon dioxide emissions to encourage the closure of coal-fired power plants (Bloomberg) 

President Biden wants to crack down on efficiency standards for dishwashers (Bloomberg)

Religion and the church

Freedom From Religion Foundation, an atheist organization, has sent a letter to the IRS, after Rev. Brian Dulli, a Catholic minister in Wisconsin, advised his congregants not to vote for a pro-abortion Supreme Court candidate. FFRF believe the parish should lose it's tax-exempt status for engaging in "illegal electioneering". (WPR)

An ELCA seminary and Presbyterian Church USA theological college will move on to the Chicago campus of Catholic Theological Union. Spokesmen said they welcomed the chance to collaborate but as with many dwindling religious organizations, money was probably on their minds. Religion News Service says many churches and other organizations "plan to sell part or all of their properties to remain nimble as the religious landscape continues to shift." (RNS)

The courts and the law

Former Marine, Daniel Penny has turned himself in after putting homeless man, Jordan Neely in a chokehold on the New York subway. Penny is charged with second-degree manslaughter and faces 15 years in prison. New footage shows Neely in recovery position as Penny checks he is okay. "Penny’s lawyers have said that it was not possible for Penny to “have foreseen” that his efforts to subdue Neely would cost him his life." (Post Millennial)

Donald Trump has been found guilty of defamation and sexual assault by a Manhattan jury. The defendant, E. Jean Carroll, a sex columnist, was awarded $5m in damages, which Mr Trump is appealing. During an appearance on CNN, Mr Trump described Ms Carroll as a "wack job", prompting her to say she might sue him again for accusing her of lying. (The Blaze, Just the News, Yahoo)

Tech and social media

Elon Musk has named a new CEO for Twitter. The appointment of Linda Yaccarino has raised some eyebrows over her connections with the World Economic Forum and (Reclaim the Net)

Apple and Google say they'll team up to prevent unwanted tracking of Bluetooth devices such as AirTags (PS News)

TikTok tracked users who watched homosexual content, resulting in complaints that the data could be easily shared by employees. It is not unusual for social media to collect such data, but employees said "sensitive data" should be locked down. (WSJ)

The Technical Operations Group, a unit run by US Marshals Service is still offline after a ransomware attack in February. "The Group operates 29 field offices in the US and Mexico and uses high-tech methods to track fugitives." A spokesperson said a new and more secure system was being installed. (CNN) 

Headlines from far away

Pakistan has seen a violence and unrest after the arrest of former prime minister, Imran Khan. Although the nation's Supreme Court has ruled the detention unlawful, protestors have been lighting fires and clashing with police. The government shut down internet and mobile phone services in a bid to quell the protests. Khan says his ouster from leadership last year was backed by the CIA. He faces corruption charges, but his stance against Pakistan's military establishment has gained him many supporters. Update: Khan has been released on bail.  (Sydney Morning Herald, Spectator, BBC)

Zimbabwe has launched a gold-backed digital coin in a bid to shore up its rapidly devaluing currency. "The southern African country now joins other African states like Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa that have introduced digital currencies, even as several others have plans in the works." (Al Jazeera) 

The EU cancelled a planned event to avoid "giving a platform" to "far-right"/anti-Palestinian Israeli minister who was set to attend (BBC)

Chile's right-wing Partido Republicano will have a prime opportunity to help rewrite the country's Pinochet-era constitution after it "won an emphatic victory in a vote to select the committee." (The Guardian)

Dozens dead in Peru gold mine fire (WNG)

Locust outbreak threatens Afghanistan's wheat harvest (UN News)