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“On Monday, the Supreme Court announced it will take up an appeal of a lower court ruling that upheld New York’s strict concealed carry law. It will be the first time in a decade that the Supreme Court takes on gun control, a sign of the influence exerted by the Court’s new conservative majority built by former President Donald Trump.” [Vox] Read more at NPR / Scott Neuman
“In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that gun rights extended beyond the right to organize in a militia, that they were fundamental for the individual. That decision, authored by Justice Antonin Scalia, was extended by the Court in 2010. Not since have the justices circled back to the topic within their formal duties.” [Vox] Read more at CNN / Joan Biskupic
“The case in question is New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Corlett; the plaintiffs are challenging New York’s 1913 law that mandates anyone carrying a handgun in public must demonstrate ‘proper cause’ in order to legally do so. They argue that any law-abiding citizen ought to be able to carry a gun.” Read more at Vox / Ian Millhiser
“The decision to hear the case comes as the United States grapples with a spate of recent mass shootings that have gun control advocates renewing their calls for background checks and legislation. A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs would take the country in the opposite direction.” [Vox] Read more at Bloomberg / Greg Stohr
“The United States’ growth slowed in the past 10 years to its lowest rate since the 1930s, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau Monday.
The first numbers to come out of the 2020 Census show the U.S. population on April 1, 2020 — Census Day — was 331.5 million people, an increase of just 7.4 percent between 2010 and 2020. It is the second most sluggish rate of expansion since the government began taking a census in 1790. In the 1930s, the slowest-growth decade, the rate was 7.3 percent.
Theslowdown is probably due to the aging of the country’s White population, decreased fertility rates, and lagging immigration.
But within the United States, some regions are booming while others are stagnating. The South and West grew the fastest in the past decade. Growth in District of Columbia mushroomed, possibly predicting trends in other cities once more detailed census data are released later this year.
Since 2010,immigration has declined, driven by the economic crisis early in the decade and government restrictions later in the decade.The birthrate has also dropped; and life expectancy has dipped in the past couple of years — a reversal driven by factors such as drug overdoses, obesity, suicide, and liver disease, and sharply accelerated last year by the coronavirus pandemic.
The extent to which the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to population patterns is not apparent in the new census data, since much of the related displacement and the deaths of over half a million people took place after Census Day. According to the Pew Research Center,5 percent of U.S. adults said they moved because of the pandemic; it is not clear whether these moves will be permanent.
But it is clear that going forward, older populations, especially those over age 65, will continue to see far higher rates of growth than young ones. The percentage of Americans 65 and over has grown by 35 percent, based on census estimatesreleased last year.In the coming decade, the large baby boomer generation will reach their 60s, 70s and 80s.
[Will Americans be able to trust the 2020 Census?]
Without robust immigration, the United States would look more like Japan, Germany and Italy, where births and the influx of newcomers have been unable to keep pace with the graying of the population, placing burdens on social services and the labor force. A Pew Research Center analysis showed that over half the country’s population increase between 1965 and 2015 was due to immigration, which alone added about 72 million people. With no immigration in the next half-century, growth in the United States would nearly flatten.” Read more at Washington Post
By The New York Times | Source: United States Census Bureau
“Political power in the United States will continue to shift south this decade, as historically Democratic states that border the Great Lakes give up congressional seats and electoral votes to regions where Republicans currently enjoy a political advantage, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Texas, Florida and North Carolina, three states that voted twice for President Donald Trump, are set to gain a combined four additional seats in Congress in 2023 because of population growth, granting them collectively as many new votes in the electoral college for the next presidential election as the Democratic-leaning Hawaii has in total.
At the same time, four northern states with Democratic governors that President Biden won in 2020 — Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York — will each lose a single congressional seat. Ohio, a nearby Republican-leaning state, will also lose a seat in Congress.
The data released Monday marked the start to a constitutionally mandated effort to redraw congressional districts across the country in advance of the 2022 elections, a tangled and litigious process that is likely to benefit Republican officeholders more than Democratic ones next year. That stands as a stark threat to Democratic control of the House, which will rest on a seven-vote margin, with four outstanding vacancies, once newly elected Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) takes office in the coming weeks..
The numbers are also the first to emerge from one of the most challenging population counts in the nation’s history, one disrupted by a global pandemic. Trump, during his term, also pushed to add a citizenship question and exclude undocumented immigrants from the census.
The results show that the country grew over the past decade by the second-slowest rate in history, owing to an aging population, decreased fertility and slowing immigration. A slightly lower rate of growth was recorded between 1930 and 1940, a decade that encompassed the Great Depression.
Your questions about the census, answered
Only seven of the constitutionally mandated 435 congressional seats will be reapportioned under the latest population count. Five of the seven states that lost a House seat voted for Biden, and five of the seven newly created seats will be added to states that voted for Trump.” Read more at Washington Post
What’s behind the growth slump? Takeaways from census data - Read more at AP
“The United States will share up to 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine with other countries, as the White House faces growing pressure to help vaccinate the global population, especially in poorer countries, as cases spike across the world, the White House announced Monday.
The AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not yet authorized for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration, will be sent to other countries once it clears federal safety reviews, officials said.” Read more at Washington Post
“Turkey, which ranks fourth in the world in new daily cases per person, ordered a three-week lockdown. In France, lockdown rules have become dizzyingly complex.” Read more at New York Times
“The E.U. is suing AstraZeneca over delays in shipping hundreds of millions of doses.” Read more at New York Times
“President Biden is expected to announce updated CDC guidance on the need to wear masks outdoors.” Read more at CNN
“Women and people of color are the most likely to say they are financially worse off today than before the pandemic began, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, underscoring the struggles many Americans are still facing even as the broader economy shows signs of improvement.
A quarter of women say their family’s financial situation is worse today than before the coronavirus-related shutdowns began in March 2020, compared to 18 percent of men, the poll finds. And 27 percent of non-Whites say they are worse off now vs. 18 percent of Whites.” Read more at Washington Post
“A big majority of seniors embrace the COVID vaccine, but there's still a partisan divide that mirrors the nation's, Axios Vitals author Caitlin Owens writes from Axios/Ipsos polling:
95% of Democratic seniors said they have gotten vaccinated or are likely to — compared to 84% of independents and 78% of Republicans.” Read more at Axios
“The Justice Department will investigate the Louisville police department to assess whether the Kentucky agency ‘engages in a pattern or practice of using unreasonable force.’ The decision comes a little more than a year after the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT who was killed by police in her home during a botched raid. In North Carolina, calls are mounting for the release of police bodycam video in last week’s police shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. A family attorney said the footage she's seen shows an ‘execution.’ Peaceful protesters have gathered in Elizabeth City regularly since Brown's death. Some civil rights advocates are worried about the future of such protests. More than 90 anti-protest bills, which critics say criminalize legal activity, have been introduced in at least 36 states over the last year.” Read more at CNN
“Oklahoma GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a near-total abortion ban and two other abortion restrictions into law, making the state the second this year to enact a so-called heartbeat ban. These laws bar most abortions at the onset of a fetal heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into a pregnancy and before many people know they are pregnant. Republican-controlled states have advanced a wave of anti-abortion bills this year consistent with the trend under the Trump presidency. The Oklahoma laws are due to go into effect on November 1 and will likely face immediate legal challenges based on federal precedents set by Roe v. Wade. However, the fact that Oklahoma and other states are pushing such bans shows that the state-level fight over abortion access is far from over.” Read more at CNN
“China is ramping up its anti-espionage activities with a new set of regulations targeting foreign spies and ‘hostile forces.’ Under the new rules, companies and institutions may be asked to keep a watch out for and prevent foreign espionage activity. This means the entities must vet and train personnel who'd then be debriefed on national security issues after foreign visits. Analysts say it's another way the Chinese government is expanding control and keeping an eye on Western activity. There’s also concern about the Chinese government’s rather broad definition of spying. The new rules come as the Communist Party prepares to mark its 100th anniversary on July 1 and amid worsening relations with the US, which in recent years has charged some with spying for China.” Read more at CNN
“The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it will move to grant California permission to set more stringent climate requirements for cars and SUVs, a reversal of a key Trump administration policy.
The step, coming days after the Transportation Department withdrew Trump-era restrictions of state tailpipe emission rules, could help pave the way for a broader climate deal with the nation’s automakers. The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing on its proposal June 2, and will take comment on the plan until July 6.
The administration’s actions will give the populous state with big climate ambitions more leverage in discussions between car company executives, autoworkers and federal officials over national mileage and greenhouse gas emission standards for new passenger vehicles. Thirteen states and D.C. have signed on to California’s greenhouse gas vehicle standards. Collectively they represent 36 percent of the U.S. auto market.” Read more at Washington Post
“California election officials confirmed that recall proponents collected enough valid signatures for a special gubernatorial contest this year, making it all but certain that voters will decide Gov. Gavin Newsom’s fate this fall.
Foes of the Democratic governor needed to turn in roughly 1.5 million valid signatures by mid-March to force a vote. They have had 1.62 million signatures validated, according to an update from the California Secretary of State’s office.” Read more at POLITICO
“Biden is proposing an extra $80 billion for the I.R.S. to catch tax evasionby high earners.” Read more at New York Times
“The Department of Homeland Security will begin an internal review to root out extremism.” Read more at New York Times
“For the film industry, which was already fighting to hold its place at the center of American culture, the Nielsen ratings for Sunday night’s 93rd Academy Awards came as a body blow: About 9.85 million people watched the telecast, a 58 percent plunge from last year’s record low.” Read more at New York Times
“China plans to delay retirement — now at 50 or 55 for women, and 60 for men — as its population ages and pension funds run low.” Read more at New York Times
“Tuesday will be the first full day Apple users could have to decide whether they will allow apps to track them . Once users update to iOS 14.5 on iPhones – or update iPadOS – then launch apps such as Facebook, they are likely to get some prompts asking whether they want to let the apps track them across other companies' apps and websites. This has been a sore spot for Facebook, as less access to such data could crimp its U.S. digital advertising business, estimated by eMarketer to be about $40 billion. Consumers should appreciate the tracking because it helps Facebook deliver better, targeted advertisements, the company says. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said data collection is excessive and could be exploited.” Read more at CNN
“Algorithms determine what we see on social media ... who gets a loan or parole, or a spot at a college ... and what posts go viral.
After years of secrecy by the tech platforms, lawmakers and regulators want to know what's inside those black boxes, Axios' Ashley Gold and Ina Fried write.
Executives from YouTube, Twitter and Facebook will testify today at a hearing on "Algorithms and Amplification," before the Senate Judiciary Committee's privacy, technology and law subcommittee.” Read more at Axios
“Former Florida State Seminoles and NFL linebacker Geno Hayes, who had been under hospice care at his parents' home, died Monday evening from liver disease. He was 33.” Read more at USA Today
“Lives Lived: Helen Weaver fell in love with Jack Kerouac months before ‘On the Road’ rocketed him to literary fame, and recorded their romance in an enduring book of her own decades later. She died at 89.” Read more at New York Times
“The final week of April kicked off Monday night with a full moon, known this month as the pink moon. Plus, it's a "supermoon."
Pink moons don't really look pink, but there is a reason why they have that name.
A supermoon occurs when the full moon is at its closest approach to Earth in its orbit. On average, supermoons appear about 7% bigger and about 15% brighter than a typical full moon. Here are more photos of the supermoon seen around the world.” Read more at CNN
The full moon rises behind Glastonbury Tor on April 26, 2021 in Glastonbury, England.Finnbarr Webster, Getty Images
“Rights group accuses Israel of apartheid. Human Rights Watch has accused the Israeli government of committing the crime of apartheid in a new report released today, citing policies that ‘maintain the domination of Jewish Israelis over Palestinians,’ especially in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. The apartheid designation is the first from an international rights organization, and follows a similar labelling of Israel as an ‘apartheid regime’ by Israeli group B’Tselem in January. Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed today’s report as both ‘preposterous and false’ and accused Human Rights Watch of pursuing a ‘longstanding anti-Israeli agenda.’” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Chad’s new prime minister. Chad’s new military government, set up after the death of President Idriss Déby, has named Albert Pahimi Padacke as interim prime minister. Padacke had served as prime minister from 2016 to 2018, and finished second to Déby in Chad’s April 11 presidential election.
The decision has angered opposition politicians. ‘It is not up to the transitional military council to designate a prime minister in this isolated manner,’ Yacine Abderamane, president of the opposition Reformist Party, said. The African Union has called for a swift return to democratic rule following Déby’s death and reacted with ‘grave concern’ to the new military council headed by Déby’s son, Mahamat Idriss Déby.” Read more at Foreign Policy
China's government censored Chloé Zhao's Oscar win for 'Nomadland.'
“After Zhao became the first woman of color and the first Chinese woman to win the Oscar for best director, official media, major search engines and internet censors in her home country are acting as if it didn’t happen. Her win sparked a flurry of congratulatory messages on Chinese social-media sites when the news broke on Monday morning Beijing time. By midafternoon, they were almost all gone. Two state media reporters told the Journal that they received orders to not cover her victory because of ‘previous public opinion.’ Earlier this year, Zhao—who moved to the U.S. when she was in high school—was ridiculed online in China for critical comments she made about the country in a 2013 interview, calling it a place ‘where there are lies everywhere.’ The government's reaction to Zhao's victory highlights challenges in its desire for soft-power prestige while also seeking to shape the narrative. ‘There is a basic contradiction between wanting to claim credit for someone born in Beijing who has succeeded in the West in a creative field and wanting to control the message about how great and successful China is as well,’ said Stanley Rosen, a Chinese politics professor at University of Southern California.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Johnson under fire. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is confronting a public outcry over comments he allegedly made during a discussion on whether to institute a third national coronavirus lockdown late last year. Johnson, underlining his opposition to a lockdown, reportedly said ‘let the bodies pile high in their thousands.’ Johnson and a number of ministers have denied the comments were ever made.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Saudi-Qatar ties. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has invited Qatar’s leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to visit the kingdom in the latest sign of warming ties. Sheikh Tamim last visited Saudi Arabia in January, when Gulf leaders agreed to lift a three-and-a-half year embargo on Qatar. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have since resumed air travel and reopened a border crossing between the two countries.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Gunfire rocks Mogadishu. Violence erupted in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Sunday as anti-government fighters traded fire with troops loyal to Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed over his decision to remain in power after his term expired. Mohamed, whose four-year term ended in February, extended his presidency for two years on April 14 after an election deadlock, drawing strong condemnation from, among others, the United States and the European Union, who have threatened to impose sanctions on the country.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Tesla posts its best ever profit. The electric-vehicle pioneer posted a record 74% rise in quarterly profit, fueled by both its popular Model Y compact sport-utility vehicle and sustained demand in China.” Read more at Wall Street Journal