Human rights investigators called for arms embargo, peacekeeping force in Sudan – September 6, 2024

KPFA

KPFA - The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays

good evening it's friday september 6th i'm max pringle with scott baba coming up a new york

judge agrees to delay donald trump's hush money trial sentencing hearing until after the november

election the judge cites a desire to not appear to favor one candidate over another in the upcoming

vote the teenage shooter who killed four people at a georgia high school this week makes his first

appearance in court his father who bought the troubled team the assault rifle he used in the

shooting rampage also appears they both face numerous charges including murder and manslaughter

texas sues to stop a biden administration rule that shields the medical records of women who

seek abortions in other states from texas investigators governor gavin newsom vetoes

a bill that would have granted undocumented immigrants in california access to loans and

state-sponsored first-time homebuyers program and un human rights experts call for an international

force to protect civilians from atrocities

in sudan's brutal year-long civil war millions have been driven from their homes and tens of

millions face food shortages these stories and more coming up from the studios of kpfa and berkeley

this is the pacifica evening news i'm max pringle with scott baba

a new york judge today ruled that he will postpone donald trump's sentencing hearing in his new york

until after the november election

the judge said he wanted to avoid the perception that the court was favoring a particular side in the election

michelle price has more

former president on ultron left the campaign trail on friday and appeared in federal court in manhattan

to listen to his attorneys argue to overturn a verdict that found him liable for sexual abuse

trum did not need to be in the courtroom he has expressed regret that he did not appear at the original trial in twenty twenty three trumps lawyers are

that evidence in the trial was improper and that the verdict should be thrown out.

Attorneys for his accuser, E. Jean Carroll,

argued the evidence was proper and the verdict should stand.

Trump did not acknowledge his accuser when she sat in the courtroom,

but he walked in front of her as he took his seat on Friday.

He sat quietly, alone, conferred briefly with his lawyers,

and shook his head a few times as his accuser's lawyer described his behavior

and said that he would pounce on women.

And that's Michelle Price.

Meanwhile, Trump held court today in front of reporters

just after his hearing in New York in the E. Jean Carroll sexual assault case

and brought up a string of past allegations of acts of sexual misconduct.

Jackie Quinn has more.

Donald Trump issued a series of denials in remarks he made at Trump Tower

after his lawyers appealed his guilty verdict in a Manhattan court

in the $5 million defamation case.

Won by columnist E. Jean Carroll.

Never met her, never touched her, never had anything to do with her.

The former president denies sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll

in a department store in 1996.

I was very famous then.

If I would have walked into Bergdorf Goodman, the department store that she said,

everybody would have said, oh, there's Trump.

He blamed his lawyers for not allowing him to testify at the end of the case

and said the judge was unfair.

That's bad for me.

Very bad because I'm running for president.

His lawyers objected to an Access Hollywood tape being played in the civil suit

while Trump says Carroll was using his name to promote a book.

I'm Jackie Quinn.

President Biden will host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

for talks next week in Washington

that are expected to touch on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Next Friday's meeting with the new prime minister

comes as Biden looks to step up in government.

The two leaders will also discuss engagement on the international stage

in his final months in office.

U.S. allies and adversaries are also intently watching

how the race to succeed Biden between Vice President Kamala Harris

and former President Donald Trump plays out.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said

the leaders would also discuss threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea

posed by the Yemen-based, Iranian-backed Houthis rebel group.

The two leaders will also discuss threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

The two leaders will also discuss shared concerns about the Indo-Pacific and more.

Former President Dick Cheney said today

he's following the lead of his daughter,

former Wyoming Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney,

and voting for Vice President Kamala Harris in November.

Liz Cheney, who endorsed Harris on Wednesday,

first announced her father's endorsement of Harris

during an event in Texas today.

Like his daughter, Dick Cheney has been an outspoken critic

of former President Trump.

In a statement, he said,

confirming his endorsement,

he said Trump can, quote,

never be trusted with power again.

He added,

The 14-year-old suspect in a shooting that killed four people

at a Georgia high school and his father

will both stay in custody

after back-to-back court hearings.

The father reportedly bought the troubled teen

an assault weapon as a present.

Jennifer King reports.

Sir, are you Mr. Colt Gray?

Yes, sir.

The suspect in the shooting at Georgia's Appalachee High School

that killed four people appeared in court this morning,

as did his father.

Barrow County Judge Curry Mingledorf

first saw 14-year-old Colt Gray,

who's being charged as an adult.

In essence, you are charged with four counts of felony murder.

Mingledorf clarified that the teen cannot face the death penalty

because he is a juvenile.

Then a few minutes later,

in a separate hearing,

his father, Colin Gray.

How old are you, Mr. Gray?

54.

He faces charges because he allowed his son to have a weapon.

Two counts of felony murder in the second degree.

You're charged with four counts

of felony involuntary manslaughter.

You're charged with eight counts

of felony cruelty to children in the second degree.

It's the latest example of prosecutors

holding parents responsible

for their children's actions.

Both father and son will remain in custody.

I'm Jennifer King.

The latest Labor Department jobs numbers

show U.S. employers added jobs

at a slightly higher rate in August

than they did in July.

The unemployment rate dipped for the first time since March

and a sign that the job market may be cooling,

but remains sturdy.

Sally Patterson reports.

Friday's report from the U.S. Labor Department

shows the labor market is cooling.

It's now being watched closely by economists,

economists, and analysts.

Unemployment remains low,

but has been on an upward trajectory

for most of this year.

Data also shows the unemployment rate

dipped slightly in August to 4.2%,

after it unexpectedly rose to 4.3% the month before.

Now all eyes are on the Federal Reserve's

rate decision later this month,

which could see interest rates cut

from their 23-year high.

Sally Patterson, New York.

President Biden signed an executive order today,

okaying federal grants

that will prioritize projects with labor agreements,

wage standards, and benefits,

such as access to child care and apprenticeship programs.

The Biden administration has been making the case

that economic growth should flow

out of better conditions for workers.

Biden has prided himself on his support for unions

and said that this new executive order

was part of his commitment to organized labor.

Too many presidents like my predecessor

have looked the other way,

as companies trample on the rights of workers

while cashing in their big government checks,

but not anymore.

Yes!

With today's executive order,

Kamala and I are setting a policy across the board

to the support of good job standards.

And from this point onwards,

any president who disagrees with that

is going to have to say so out loud,

say it to your face, and repeal that order,

and I want to see them try to do it.

Some in the construction industry, however,

criticize the order

for possibly increasing construction costs

and excluding non-unionized workers from projects.

Texas filed a lawsuit today

to try to block a federal rule

that shields the medical records of women

from criminal investigations

if they cross state lines to get an abortion

in states like New York.

It's where it's legal.

Tony Waterman has more.

The new rule prohibits doctors, insurers,

and health care facilities

from sharing reproductive health care information

with law enforcement

if that information is going to be used

to prosecute a patient or their doctor.

Texas claims the new rule violates a federal statute

which allows officers to access medical records

to investigate criminal activity.

Texas is one of 22 states that now bans or restricts abortion access.

The case is a test of whether state laws

can be enforced outside of state borders.

Tony Waterman, Texas.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. succeeded

in getting his name off the November ballots

in the battleground states of North Carolina

and Michigan today.

North Carolina's Court of Appeals

issued an order granting Kennedy's request

to halt the mailing of ballots

that included his name.

The North Carolina's

absentee ballots had been scheduled

to go out today.

In Michigan, its Court of Appeals

ruled that Kennedy should be removed

from the ballot, reversing a decision

made earlier this week

by a lower court judge.

But he also received a setback

in Wisconsin where a circuit court judge

denied Kennedy's request

to put on hold

the state's election commission's decision

to keep him on the ballot

in that state.

A federal judge

today gave the U.S. Justice Department

until the end of the year

to outline how Google should be punished

for illegally monopolizing

the internet search market

and then prepare to bring its case

for imposing the penalties next spring.

The loose ended timeline

sketched out by U.S. District Judge Ahmet Mehta

came during the first court hearing

since he branded Google

as a ruthless monopolist in a trademark ruling issued today.

last month. A Pakistani man was arrested in Canada this week for plotting a mass shooting

at a Jewish center in Brooklyn on the one-year anniversary of the October 7th attack by Hamas

that sparked the latest conflict in the Middle East. This according to federal authorities today.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Mohammed Shazeb Khanhad attempted to travel

from Canada, where he lives, to New York City with the, quote, stated goal of slaughtering

in the name of ISIS as many Jewish people as possible. The 20-year-old, who is also known as

Shazeb Jadoon, was apprehended on September 4th and charged with attempting to provide

material support and resources to the terror group ISIS, which stands for the Islamic State

of Iraq and Al-Sham. The Justice Department today said it's turning

to the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for further investigation.

printing industry to help stop the proliferation of tiny pieces of plastic that turn semi-automatic

weapons into illegal homemade machine guns. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said today

that the rising threat of what are known as machine gun conversion devices, or MCDs,

requires cracking down on illegally imported devices and enlisting the help of domestic allies.

We need to engage software developers, technology experts, and leaders,

in the 3D printing industry to identify solutions in this fight. And we have to do all of this while

raising public awareness about the deadly threat posed by MCDs. Monaco said that means finding ways

to stop criminals from exploiting technology to make the devices in the first place. Her remarks

came during a Washington gathering of law enforcement officials, members of the 3D

printing industry, and academia to brainstorm ways to fight the growing problem.

The Israeli military appeared to withdraw today from a West Bank refugee camp following a major

military operation in the territory that Israel says was to disrupt militant activity. Charles de la

Desma reports. Overnight, Israeli armored personnel carriers were seen leaving the

Janin refugee camp from a checkpoint set up on one of the main roads, while troops also had pulled

out of the Tul Karim camp by Friday morning and had left Al-Farah earlier. But in a statement,

the Israeli military suggested the operation was not yet over. Israeli military officials have said

they've been targeting militants in the three camps in an attempt to curb recent attacks against

Israeli civilians that they say have become more sophisticated and deadly. I'm Charles de la Desma.

The United Nations Security Council today condemned the Afghan Taliban's draconian

new morality law, which places strict restrictions on Afghan women's participation

in public life under the group's extreme version of Islam. Twelve of the 15 member states appeared

together at a press conference at the U.N. where they issued a joint statement condemning

Afghanistan's gender discrimination and oppression of women and girls. Yamazuki Kazayuki is Japan's

U.N. ambassador.

YAMAZUKI KAZAYUKI, U.N. Ambassador to Japan

On top of the existing edicts, this new directive confirms and extends wide-ranging and far-reaching

restrictions on personal conduct and provides inspectors with broad powers of enforcement,

thus deepening already unacceptable restrictions on the enjoyment by all Afghans of human rights

and fundamental freedoms.

Security Council members Russia, China, and Algeria did not back the joint condemnation.

Diplomats from those countries said it would be unfair to pass a judgment on an internal Afghan matter.

Under the 114-page law, Afghan women must cover themselves fully in public. They're

forbidden from speaking, singing, or reading in public, and unrelated Afghan men and women

are forbidden from looking at each other, among other edicts. Japanese U.N. ambassador

Yamazuki Kazayuki said Afghan women and girls are forbidden from going to school past age

12, and from working outside the home in most professions.

YAMAZUKI KAZAYUKI, U.N. Ambassador to Japan

day by day afghan women and girls lose their opportunities and hope for their future

this is unacceptable regaining power three years ago the taliban has steadily chipped away at the

rights and freedoms of women and girls after initially promising to preserve some of the

rights won under the prior prior nato-backed government the taliban denied the u.n special

rapporteur for human rights in afghanistan entry into the country last month accusing him of

spreading propaganda u.n human rights investigators are urging the creation of an

independent and impartial force to protect civilians in sudan's civil war the fact-finding

mission is blaming both sides for war crimes including murder mutilation and torture and

warning that countries that arm and finance them could be complicit

it also accused the paramilitary rapid support forces and allies that are fighting sudan's army

of crimes against humanity including rape sexual slavery and persecution on ethnic or gender grounds

more from christina honestad a 17 months long civil war in sudan has led to famine mass displacement

and human rights violations including sexual violence and the use of children's soldiers by

all sides a criminal case of sexual violence is being filed against the country's military

including sexual violence and the use of children's soldiers by all sides

according to findings from a united nations fact-finding mission which is calling for an

arms embargo on sudan mohammed chandem othman is chair of the united nations fact-finding mission

starving the parties of arms and ammunition including new supplies of ammunition

and arms will help in slowing down their appetite

for hostilities there's a current arms embargo in dafor region but the experts say soul

soldiers with allied militias and two main rivals sudanese armed forces

saf and rapid support forces rsf all act with impunity in other regions like the capital of

khartoum join negozia zilio is one of the investigators on the mission she says rsf

in particular is using sexual violence victims recounted being attacked in their homes beaten

lashed and threatened with violence and violence in their homes beating lashed and threatened to

kill with death or harm to their relatives or children before being raped by more than one

perpetrator they were also subjected to sexual violence while seeking shelter from attacks or

fleeing we also found evidence of women being subjected to sexual slavery after being abducted by

rsf members they also charge rsf with ethnically targeting non-arabs in western darfur committing

rape torture murder and pillage experts say the warring parties have also hampered the delivery

of humanitarian aid to a civilian population facing famine their investigation found warring

parties are also using children's soldiers mona rishmawi is a u.n investigator staff is mobilizing

and sometimes is mobilizing in schools

but its allied forces have been recruiting children and have been using children in combat

and that's where the distinction that you find in our report

it is much more systematic and widespread on the base by rsf that's why the panel of human rights

experts is calling on the international community to establish a peacekeeping force in sudan

doing what they think is the best it's important we the product service says no

such action must be taken recorded or under another organization or government

the report calls for action without partners including a special cause for the case

t lecture on accountability Sheriff general have made some verynamipts on the warring

cellular monitor heaven program extends thecope it shares separateìn the report calls forщという

country. The people of Sudan have suffered greatly, and the violations against them must

stop. This cannot be done without ending the fighting, and all efforts might therefore be

invested in reaching a sustainable ceasefire that would also enable the effective delivery

of much-needed humanitarian assistance. Since Sudan's civil war began nearly a year and a half

ago, conflict has spread to 14 out of Sudan's 18 states, leaving 8 million Sudanese internally

displaced and more than 2 million forced to flee to neighboring countries. I'm Christina Onestad

reporting for Pacifica Radio KPFA. California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed new emergency

regulations today, banning THC-containing hemp products in what he said is an effort to protect

children from potentially toxic effects.

THC, the chemical primarily responsible for the high associated with cannabis,

exists in both cannabis and hemp, which are actually the same species.

Federal law classifies cannabis plants with THC concentrations below a certain level as hemp.

In 2018, Congress passed a law making it legal to grow hemp as well as sell hemp-derived products.

Newsom announced the new rules next to a table loaded with over-the-counter hemp-infused drinks

and snacks.

That in some cases contained more THC than regulated cannabis products would have been

allowed to have. He said that the rules, released by the California Department of Public Health,

come after earlier, more moderate attempts to regulate the industry were made.

None of us expected the kind of exploitation that we've experienced in the hemp industry since.

What we're doing today as it relates to emergency regulations is because of that exploitation,

because of the

greed of many folks in the industry, many represented right here in the products that

you see, not just here today, but products you see proliferating all throughout the United States

and on shelves in grocery stores all across the state of California.

The governor presented the THC-filled hemp products, which he said could be picked up

off the shelf in California grocery stores. He criticized the colorful packaging of the

products, which he argued made them attractive to children.

According to the governor's office, THC is particularly dangerous for children,

with some studies indicating it can negatively impact cognitive functions,

memory, and decision-making abilities in developing brains. Newsom said that it is

disgraceful that products harmful to children are being so blatantly marketed and sold to

children in the state. You see that in the evidence and the data, emergency rooms,

the number of emergency calls, the stress and anxiety many parents have. You see so many of

these products specifically in and around in grocery stores near high schools, near middle

schools, near elementary schools is the case in my backyard. Newsom said he does not want to hurt

the hemp industry, but argued manufacturers have exploited a loophole and must be regulated.

Newsom warned retailers to remove hemp products which contain THC from their shelves before state

agencies pay them a visit. The governor said that after the new rules come into effect,

both retailers and manufacturers will be held accountable if they continue to offer

intoxicating hemp products in stores. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that

China, India, and Brazil could act as mediators in potential peace talks over Ukraine. Putin said

a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the first weeks of

the war at talks in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as the basis for the

talks. Neha Pune reports. Putin made the comments while speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in

Vladivostok. Naming New Delhi, Beijing, and Brasilia as Russia's, quote, respected friends

and partners, Putin said he believes these nations will sincerely try to resolve all issues surrounding

this conflict. Earlier this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Moscow, his first

visit abroad after winning a record third term in national elections. He said back then that Putin

and him had exchanged perspectives on the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Later, Modi also visited

Kiev and urged President Vladimir Zelensky to hold talks with Putin. And that was Neha Pune reporting.

Meanwhile, President Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine told U.S. and allied military leaders today that

his country needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, pressing the West to loosen

weapons use restrictions and allow to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the

border. We need to force Russia to seek peace. We need to make Russia's cities and even Russian

soldiers think about what they need, peace or Putin. And it is realistic to push them to choose

peace. Zelensky made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group

at Rammstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defense leaders

from the 50-plus partner nations.

who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for the war. But he did not appear to sway the

ally he needs most. After the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea

that long-range strikes would be a game changer. There's no one capability that will in and of

itself be decisive in this campaign. You know, we had this discussion about tanks. We had this

discussion about other capabilities.

And each time we point out that it's not just one thing. It's a combination of capabilities

and how you integrate those capabilities to achieve objectives.

While the Biden administration has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles into

Russia in self-defense, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed

a direct threat out of concerns for further escalating the conflict. Zelensky's request

comes after a series of attacks against Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense said that the

series of recent deadly Russian airstrikes, including against a Ukrainian military training

center that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. Since 2022, the member

nations of Ukraine Defense Contact Group have together provided about $106 billion in security

assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total. Austin said the

U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions,

and artillery.

Boeing's beleaguered space capsule has left the International Space Station

without its astronaut crew. NASA's two test pilots stayed behind at the space station

as the Starliner capsule undocked today and aimed for a touchdown in New Mexico.

Its exit follows months of turmoil over its safety. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and

Sonny Williams should have returned to the space station, but they have not.

The U.S. will return in February on a SpaceX spaceship.

Governor Gavin Newsom today vetoed a bill that would have made some undocumented immigrants

eligible for loans under a state program,

offering assistance to first-time homebuyers. The bill drew staunch opposition from Republicans.

Some opponents say the state should prioritize housing assistance for Californians who are in

the country legally. Newsom said there was no money available to expand the program.

Supporters of the proposal say it would have helped families who pay taxes and contribute

to the economy, regardless of their immigration status, build generational wealth. State lawmakers

have said they would not be able to do that. The U.S. will return in February on a SpaceX spaceship.

The U.S. has passed various proposals in recent years aimed at expanding services for immigrants

without legal status. When lawmakers return to Washington from their summer recess,

they'll be considering several bills this autumn that would attempt to improve hiring,

retention, and benefits for federal government employees. More from Will Waltke.

Their proposals come as agencies and departments struggle with understaffing,

plus gaps in knowledge or skills among their employees.

The U.S. will return in February on a SpaceX spaceship.

Max Steyer with the Partnership for Public Service says one issue is a lack of young

people in government positions.

Right now it's 7% of the workforce, although thereabouts is under the age of 30

in the federal government. That number drops to closer to 4% in the technology area.

Congress is expected to consider changes to the federal hiring process, which currently takes

more than double the time of the private sector. A 2% pay bump could also be on the horizon,

as well as expanding paid leave for reserve military members.

Virginia politicians have often been a voice for federal,

workers given the commonwealth's high number of government employees.

Democrat Rep. Abigail Spanberger is leading the charge to increase social security benefits for

millions of Americans, including many current or former public servants. Steyer says beyond

adding incentives to hire and retain talent, the federal government needs to improve internal

practices, starting at the leadership level. Internal communication pipelines, technology,

and customer service centers are often outdated, which ultimately harms the public.

Americans want a government that's not political. They want to,

that's serving them better. They want the expertise that the system is supposed to be

based on, but they don't think they're getting that in most instances. And that lack of trust

leads to sometimes a buy-in for bad solutions. Former President Donald Trump has proposed

eliminating or altering thousands of government positions if he wins this November. Another

likely debate this fall will be over remote work. Some lawmakers want federal employees

to spend more time in the office rather than working from home.

For Public News Service, I'm Will Wacke.

A recent environmental report from the Alaska Community Action on Toxics, or ACAT,

documents extensive community health risks from plastics in the Arctic region. The report drew

from over 250 peer-reviewed studies worldwide. Rachel Cassandra has more.

According to the report, concentrations of microplastics are higher in the Arctic Basin

than in any other ocean basin.

Bawinukwai Waakaiyi is the Environmental Health and Justice Director for ACAT. She says

plastics and chemicals from all over the world deposit and accumulate in the Arctic Oceans,

in what is called a hemispheric sink.

Because of our reliance on our subsistence foods and because of where we live, we are

some of the most highly contaminated people on the planet. A burden we didn't create,

so it's so important that we are proactive.

Microplastics are a very important part of our lives. Microplastics are a very important

part of our lives. Microplastics are a very important part of our lives. Microplastics are a very important

part of our lives. Microplastics are a very important part of our lives. Microplastics are

found around the globe, but studies show the Arctic contains some of the most highly contaminated

animals and people in the world. Scientists still don't know exactly how microplastics affect

people's health, but chemicals in plastics are known to cause cancer, to interfere with how

bodies use hormones, and to harm brain and body development in children. Pamela Miller is a founder

and executive director of ACAT. She says microplastics have been found in placenta, newborn

stool, and breast milk. Both microplastics and nanoplastic particles can cross the blood-brain

barrier. So the short summary of this is that babies are entering this world with their brains

and bodies contaminated with plastics. ACAT is a non-profit that advocates for legislation to

protect Alaskans from toxic chemicals and plastics. They worked with state representative Andy

Josephson on a bill to restrict disposable styrofoam packaging in Alaska. Styrofoam food packaging is a

environmental pollutant and one way microplastics contaminate people's bodies. The organization

also advocates for a global plastics treaty to reduce production and use of plastics and to ban

adding toxic chemicals to plastics during manufacture. In Anchorage, I'm Rachel Cassandra.

Renewable energy advocates in Minnesota have been eyeing farmland as spaces where renewable

energy sources like wind and solar could be located. More from Mike Mullen,

Minnesota has lots of prime farmland with some of it being converted in the transition to clean

energy sources like solar. This movement has sparked conversations about future land use and

ag-heavy areas. The Clean Grid Alliance says Minnesota has 17 million acres of farmland

considered prime. Even if all current development plans are fully realized, solar would take up less

than one-half percent of that total. However, in some farming communities, residents sometimes

express reluctance to do so. Minnesota has lots of prime farmland with some of it being converted

to clean. In Anchorage, I'm Rachel Cassandra. Renewable energy advocates in Minnesota have been

eyeing farmland with some of it being converted to clean. Even if all current development plans are

fully realized, solar would take up less than one-half percent of that total. In Anchorage,

Minnesota has lots of prime farmland with some of it being converted to clean. Even if all current

development plans are fully realized, solar would take up less than one-half percent of that total.

Mower County Administrator Trish Herron says that can happen after visible signs of a solar project.

But she adds that economic benefits are substantial.

As solar builds out, it will be an economic development tool that will help us keep our tax

base stable. Herron says they've already seen that with wind development and the pending Louise

solar project is expected to provide more than $2 million in new tax revenue. That helps pay down

local tax levies.

And officials say that's on top of direct payments to landowners hosting these projects.

Herron stresses that as they map out future land use, they have to strike a delicate balance

because agriculture is still their primary economic driver. Virginia Tech researchers

are looking at the possible connection between larger solar farms and soil erosion along farm

property. But Marlon Fay of the Mower County Farm Bureau suggests whatever side effects might come

up, these projects aren't going to eliminate the nation's ability to grow.

If you have solar panels on a land for 30 years, they can come out of there and that land can go

back to farming. If you start having residential development and big business or something come

into farmland and start putting stuff on there, that's never going to go back to farmland again.

These local leaders also point to the emergence of agrivoltaics, which is farming and renewables

working hand in hand. Examples include growing rows of crops in between or under canopies of

solar panels.

The European Climate Service Copernicus says Earth just endured its hottest summer on record.

The service said that makes it even more likely that this year will end up being the hottest

that humanity has ever measured. More from Charles de Ledesma.

Climate expert Carlo Buontempo from Copernicus says the main driver is long-term human-caused

climate change.

From the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, rather than the impacts of El Niño or El Niña.

Of the many drivers of climate variability, I think one of the ones we need to look into

in this case as a main responsible is really the anthropogenic climate change and the increase

in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.

For his part, Stefan Ramstorff, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate

Research, says what these sober numbers indicate is how the climate crisis is tightening its

grip on us.

I'm Charles de Ledesma.

Dozens of supporters of a fired staffer at UCSF gathered at a lunchtime rally today to

protest what they call racist repression of voices opposed to the Israeli-led violence in Gaza.

Protesters say the University of California has upheld a pattern of silencing anti-Israel

voices, up to and including terminating employees who criticize Israel.

Teresa Wiersbianski reports from San Francisco.

A group of about 50 people, many wearing white medical coats and carrying pro-Palestine

signs, gathered outside a UCSF library today to protest what they say are two miscarriages

of justice.

The first is the Israeli occupation and attacks on Palestine.

The second is the university's termination of a vocal opponent to the state of Israel's

actions in the region.

Denise Caramagno served as the university's campus advocacy resources and education director

since 2015.

But in the past weeks, she's faced action from the university that ultimately led to

her dismissal.

Students, staff, and supporters in attendance say the termination was unjust and representative

of what they assert is the university's overall intention to silence voices against genocide.

Kamel Awida is a third-year MD-PhD student at UCSF and one of the organizers of the rally.

Speaking through a megaphone, he says he's disappointed with UCSF's

position as a bastion for health justice.

For this crowd, health care access and justice is paramount.

Yet, in light of the military strikes on hospitals affecting medical providers and patients in

Palestine, he criticizes the university medical center for not speaking up and, worse, silencing

the voices of faculty and students.

We began with letters, hundreds of students and faculty detailing our responsibility to

speak against the systematic destruction of health justice.

According to Caravagno, her job was to advocate for students.

She says she stood by students advocating for Black Lives Matter and the Me Too movement

without university reproach.

But a public comment on social media about Palestine invited criticism by a colleague.

That individual accused her of anti-Semitism and questioned her ability to advocate for

Jewish students.

Caravagno and her supporters said,

they make a critical distinction between criticizing Israeli state policies and Judaism

as a religion.

And she says she extends support to Jewish students and allies of the cause.

And we can fight this fight right here, right now on this Ohlone land.

We can use our voices, our experience, our academic expertise in our platform.

I want to give a special thanks to the Jewish allies.

I'm so grateful for you.

I know this is a very hostile environment for you all.

And I thank you for your commitment and your courage.

Since UCSF decided to fire me, I've been hearing from people all over the world.

And what they tell me is that we are on the right side of history.

When has a nationwide student movement ever been wrong?

I stand with y'all.

I stand with the students.

Daniel Zager, a medical student at UCSF, represents Jewish Voice for Peace, a group of Jewish

allies calling for an end to the killings in Gaza.

Which have already amounted to over 50,000 lives.

These are unfathomable numbers.

And we must say the words that UCSF leadership refuses to.

This is genocide.

KPFA reached out to UCSF administrators for comment.

A representative of the university said privacy laws prevent them from commenting on specific

individual or situations, but said that, quote, what is being discussed on social media is

factually inaccurate.

Caravagno says he's not sure.

And he's not sure.

And in fact, she was fired over releasing supposed internal communications with a supervisor

discussing the public comment and subsequent dispute.

She is currently working with an Oakland-based attorney to fight the termination.

In San Francisco, I'm Teresa Huertz-Bianska, Pacifica Radio, KPFA.

Berkeley Rabbi Michael Lerner, who founded Tikkun Magazine and was an early Jewish advocate

of peace and coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians, has died at the age of 81.

Eileen Alfondieri has this look at his life.

Rabbi Michael Lerner was a lifelong peace and social justice advocate.

As a student at the 1960s at UC Berkeley, he served on the executive committee of the Free Speech Movement

and chaired the Berkeley chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society.

Lerner was indicted by the Nixon White House for inciting a riot after organizing a major anti-war demonstration in Seattle.

Lerner later founded the Network of Spiritual Progressives.

He advocated that Israel end its occupation of the West Bank

and either support creation of an independent Palestinian state

or for Israel and Palestine to become a democratic state with one person, one vote.

Takun Magazine, which he co-founded, described itself as a prophetic voice for peace, love, environmental sanity,

social transformation, and unabashedly utopian aspirations

that would not be able to be realized without the support of the West Bank.

Lerner was an early Jewish voice calling for peace with the Palestinians.

During the three-week Gaza War in 2009, which killed about 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis,

Lerner appeared on Democracy Now! after taking out a full-page ad in the New York Times

with a coalition of U.S. rabbis and other partners.

It called for an immediate ceasefire and a Mideast peace conference.

Lerner told Democracy Now!

the mainstream media was obliterating the message

that many, many American Jews and other religious leaders,

spiritual leaders, and just American citizens

are outraged at the immorality of what was happening.

The Israel lobby combining extremely right-wing Jews in this country

with a powerful Christian Zionist movement

have blocked out of public discourse

all of the moral sentiments of the American public,

which would be outraged at what's going on in Gaza at this moment

and more generally understand that the best interests of Israel

and Israeli security lies in reconciliation with the Palestinian people,

not in trying to wipe them out.

Rabbi Michael Lerner speaking on Democracy Now! in January of 2009

during an earlier Israeli war on Gaza.

In 2021, Lerner wrote that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

should be tried for...

for war crimes against the Palestinians

and spend the rest of his days in prison in The Hague.

Lerner died at his Berkeley home last week of congestive heart failure.

I'm Aileen Alfondieri for KPFA News.

Cannabis lounges in California may soon have the opportunity

to broaden their appeal and accessibility.

If California Governor Gavin Newsom signs into law

a bill approved by the legislature

that would let licensed cannabis users in the country

and the rest of the country

be able to use cannabis as a source of income for the rest of their lives.

Cannabis stores also sell food, non-alcoholic beverages,

and tickets for entertainment events.

Democratic Assembly member Matt Haney of San Francisco

urged Governor Newsom to sign Assembly Bill 1755,

calling the current ban on food and drink at cannabis businesses ridiculous.

Even if you don't know a whole lot about weed,

you do know that weed and food goes together.

People know that.

And it is just that much more ridiculous

when you think about...

That part of it?

That when people are consuming any lounge

that is permitted for people to be consuming in,

we cannot give them a water.

You cannot sell them food that may be important for their health.

There are people who are consuming cannabis

because they have a medical necessity around it.

Sometimes that is related to appetite,

and yet we are banning any cannabis lounge

to be able to sell any type of food or non-alcoholic beverage.

alcoholic beverage. Under current state law, licensed cannabis dispensaries are treated

similarly to pharmacies and can only sell cannabis products that have passed testing

and quality assurance review or cannabis accessories such as rolling paper or pipes.

In recent years, some dispensaries have attempted to draw in more business by creating spaces where

customers can consume their purchases on site. These so-called cannabis lounges have gained

popularity, but they argue the restrictive rules on what they can offer their customers

is hurting their business. Some cannabis lounges have managed to bring food and drink

into the experience by making use of legal workarounds, like getting food delivered or

by opening associated restaurants that are technically separate businesses. But Haney

said the unnecessary restrictions are preventing the cannabis industry in California from reaching

its full potential. The governor recently said that

the cannabis industry is not going to be able to reach its full potential.

The future happens here first. He was talking about California. Well, this is the future.

This is the future when it comes to adult-use cannabis. It's the future when it comes to

supporting our cannabis small businesses and their ability to thrive. It's the future when

it comes to California's tourism and bringing back our commercial districts when still many

are struggling after the pandemic. This can be done because it's being done here.

There are cannabis lounges that exist all over the state.

This is the second year in a row that a bill on the issue has reached the governor's desk

with broad bipartisan support. Last year, Governor Newsom vetoed a similar bill because

he said it lacked protection for cannabis industry employees exposed to smoke. Haney

said that this time around, AB 1755 provides more protection for cannabis employees, and

he said local governments will still be able to add protections and restrictions as they

see fit.

Haney said that only existing authorized cannabis lounges will be affected by the law,

and he said he hopes the bill is passed by the governor before the upcoming Olympic Games and

World Cup, which are scheduled to take place in California.

Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court removed Clean Water Act protections from

waterways in Colorado, the state government has designated new protections from 385 miles across

15 states.

There are 14 rivers and streams in the Upper and Lower Colorado, Eagle, Yampa, and Roaring

Fork River Basins. Eric Galatas reports.

Chad Ruto with the Roaring Fork Conservancy says the Outstanding Waters designation is

an important tool for protecting drinking water.

Which means it's protecting the actual quality of the water, and that's the highest level

of protection that can be given to a stream within the state of Colorado.

The designation aims to protect existing waterways.

The designation is designed to protect existing high-quality waterways from any future degradation,

including pollution from development, mining, oil and gas extraction, and other uses.

It does not affect any existing uses in the watershed, so long as they don't degrade current

water quality.

The designation, which won unanimous approval by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission

in late August, comes after years of work done by conservation groups.

Carrie Sandstead with the Pew Charitable Trust says protections are still needed for many

streams in the state.

She says,

Protecting water quality is critical not only for drinking water, but also healthy

wildlife habitat and ecosystems.

This designation not only protects rivers and streams, but it also protects their associated

wetlands.

And it helps preserve important plant life and other species critical for healthy freshwater

habitats.

The designation also protects one of the state's biggest economic drivers.

A recent study found that Colorado's river basins generated nearly $11 billion in outdoor

recreation spending in 2019.

Ruto notes,

Clean water is essential.

For swimming, rafting, and other activities across the Roaring Fork Valley.

We have the second longest contiguous reach of gold medal water in our watershed, so that's

high quality fishing streams.

People come from all over the world, literally, to go fly fishing.

Eric Galatis reporting.

Voting rights advocates in Ohio are fighting efforts to ban voter drop boxes in the state.

Proponents of the ban say it's about voter security.

But,

Voting rights groups say it's an effort to make voting more difficult.

Farah Siddiqui reports.

The recent proposal by Secretary of State Frank LaRose to eliminate ballot drop boxes

has sparked significant controversy.

State Senator Bill DeMora is a vocal advocate for voting rights and says it's already difficult

to use drop boxes around the state, with just one drop box in each county.

It's ridiculous.

And it's all those working people and working families and college students.

To make it covered for people to vote.

DeMora adds that the proposal disproportionately affects those with limited access to transportation

or tight schedules.

However, LaRose's proposal stems from concerns over ballot harvesting, where unauthorized

individuals collect and submit multiple ballots, a practice illegal under Ohio state law.

Supporters of the proposal argue that such measures are necessary to prevent potential

voter fraud and ensure the integrity of the election process.

Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou says there's a

month before early voting begins, so this gives everyone a chance to understand the

rules.

This is a simple safeguard that we have for anyone who decides they're going to cast

a ballot for another citizen.

Despite these assurances, critics remain unconvinced, pointing out that the timing of these changes

just weeks before an election could lead to confusion and deter voter participation.

Congressman Greg Lansman was among Democrats gathered outside the board of elections who

pointed to voter intimidation.

If you are taking your grandmother.

To drop off her ballot and she says, sweetheart, can you please take my ballot and just drop

it off at the box right over there?

You could be facing jail time.

Other Democrats say there are less than 70 days before the election and facing new rules

for Ohioans could impact how they cast their ballots.

While the debate continues, voters will need to navigate these changes to ensure their

voices are heard on Election Day.

For Public News Service, I'm Farah Siddiqui.

A national effort is underway.

To vote.

To encourage parental involvement in helping raise the high school graduation rate among

Latino students.