| | | President Joe Biden wants Americans out of Ukraine as the threat of a Russian invasion intensifies. The Biden administration has released new guidance for the federal government that will likely support unionization efforts. The USDA announced the formation of a program to fund ambitious new green farming initiatives. And in China, tennis star Peng Shuai gave an interview that may have generated more questions than answers. All this and more in today’s PDB. | | |
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| IMPORTANT | 1 - A Win for Unions Biden Administration Releases Report that Could Strengthen US Unions Biden’s task force on organized labor, chaired by Vice President Kamala Harris, issued recommendations aimed at making it easier for federal workers and contractors to unionize. The document is the result of testimonies gathered from workers on how they would like to strengthen workers’ rights, said task force vice chair Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. The proposal, which will allow union organizers to talk with employees on federal property, will also ban federal contract dollars from supporting anti-union activities at the Office of Management and Budget as well as the Defense, Health and Human Services and Labor departments. (Source: ABCNews) |
| 2 - Time to Go Biden Advises all Americans to Get Out of Ukraine In a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Joe Biden confirmed that the Nord Stream 2, an essential German-Russian natural gas pipeline, will be scrapped if Russia further invades Ukraine with “tanks and troops.” Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday. Before the talks, Macron seemed to extend an olive branch to Putin, saying Russia’s objective was only to “clarify the rules of cohabitation with NATO and the EU.” After their talks, Putin praised France and Macron’s efforts to ensure “an equal security in Europe” regarding the Ukrainian crisis. (Sources: AP, CNBC) |
| | | 3 - Committing to the Climate Fight US Department of Agriculture Pledges $1 Billion for Green Farming The USDA is specifically looking to support pilot projects that reduce greenhouse gasses or sequester carbon emissions. The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative can include projects focused on reforestation, sustainable forest management, animal feed management, along with targeted funding to meet “national and global demand and expand market opportunities,” according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The program was met with some criticism from Republicans: Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall took issue with the USDA funding the initiative through the Commodity Credit Corporation rather than through the Farm Bill process, which would requires more congressional oversight. (Source: TheHill) |
| 4 - Peng Shuai Speaks Chinese Tennis Star Gives Interview Addressing Assault Allegations Shuai sparked international concern after publishing a 1,600-word post on social media claiming she’d been forced into sexual relations with a former Chinese party official. Her post was quickly deleted and she disappeared for weeks. In an interview granted to the French sports newspaper L’Equipe yesterday, Ms. Peng claimed she never said she was sexually assaulted and chalked it all up to a “huge misunderstanding.” But some are suspicious given the nature of the interview. Questions had to be submitted in advance and a representative from China’s Olympic Committee was present throughout the interview to translate Peng Shuai’s comments. (Source: BBC) |
| 5 - Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang apologizes for defending Joe Rogan. In a since-deleted tweet, Yang suggested Rogan is not racist because he “interacts and works with Black people literally all of the time.” (Source: NBCNews) Homeless deaths in the US have skyrocketed over five years, pointing to a deadly trend. A new study shows that, in 2020, 77% more people died while homeless than in 2016. (Source: The Guardian) Morocco mourns five-year-old boy who died in well. The child was trapped for several days as a rapt country watched rescue crews try to dig him out. (Source: Aljazeera) |
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| | | Watch Matthew McConaughey As He Reflects on his Political Future
and Writing ‘Greenlights’ |
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| INTRIGUING | 1 - Protest or Pro-Hate? University Flip-Flops Over Campus Posters Protesting Beijing Olympics Students at George Washington University are embroiled in a tense debate over whether posters criticizing the Beijing Olympics are inciting “racial hatred and ethnic tensions,” as Chinese student groups say. University President Mark Wrighton initially ordered the posters removed, but has now reversed that decision in light of the ongoing debate. In his statement reversing the decision, Wrighton said the university would refrain from taking action against the students who put the posters up — whose identities remain unknown — since he views the posters as “political statements” and not racial hate. (Source: Axios) |
| | | 2 - Spinal Miracle Paralyzed Man Can Walk Again Thanks to Revolutionary Swiss Implant The electrical implant, created by researchers in Switzerland, is surgically attached to the spine to boost the brain’s neurological signals to the legs to overcome paralysis. While the technology is very complex — and is not considered a cure for spinal injury — it has vastly improved the life of Michel Roccati. Roccati was paralyzed five years ago after severing his spinal cord in a motorcycle accident. He subsequently lost all feeling and the use of his legs. Now Roccati is the first person with a complete cut to their spinal cord to walk again freely, thanks to the new implant. (Source: BBC) |
| 3 - Merging the Skies Spirit and Frontier Airlines Announce $6.6 Billion Merger Spirit and Frontier Airlines, both known for their cheap fares, have unanimously approved a deal to create the country’s “most competitive ultra-low fare” airline. The airline industry has struggled on many fronts over the pandemic, most recently due to the omicron variant causing hundreds of employees to miss work, leading to flight disruptions across America. The companies are optimistic about their future, saying they aim to provide better fares and service while adding 10,000 jobs by 2026. The merger, which will create the fifth-largest airline in the country, is good news for frugal flyers everywhere. (Source: NPR) |
| 4 - Razzies Announced The 42nd Razzie Award Nominations for ‘Best of the Worst’ Announced The Golden Raspberry Awards, as they’re formally called, have long celebrated the worst the film industry has to offer. Whether it’s all good fun or in bad taste is a constant source of debate. Either way, Diana the Musical, a musical tribute to the late princess, racked up a remarkable nine nominations, including worst picture, worst director and worst leading actor. The awards also lampooned Bruce Willis, adding a special category this year titled, “Worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie,” and nominating eight of the actor’s movies. The “winners” will be announced March 26, just before the Oscars. (Source: CNN) |
| 5 - Diversity in the NFL The Miami Dolphins Bring NFL Minority Head Coach Count to Four The Dolphins have had a pretty wild week since former head coach Brian Flores, who is Black, sued the organization for allegedly using racist hiring practices and racial discrimination. Now the team has hired San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who identifies as multiracial, as their next head coach. In a league that has struggled to diversify its team leadership, it’s a promising step forward. Only days ago, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a memo calling the lack of diversity among head coaches “unacceptable” in response to the Flores controversy. McDaniel is the first minority hire of this head coaching cycle. (Source: TheHill) |
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