MicroWave

Summary

An Idaho doctor testified that confusion over the state’s strict abortion bans left a miscarrying patient “passed around like a hot potato” as doctors avoided treating her out of fear of legal consequences.

The 14-week pregnant woman, suffering heavy bleeding and anemia, was denied care during three ER visits before being admitted against hospital rules, miscarrying, and requiring a blood transfusion.

The testimony is part of a lawsuit challenging Idaho’s abortion laws, which ban most abortions with few exceptions, leaving patients in dangerous situations without timely care.

Summary

The U.S. plans to invest $800 million in military upgrades on Tinian, part of the Northern Mariana Islands, to bolster its Indo-Pacific defense strategy amid growing tensions with China.

The development includes rehabilitating a WWII-era airfield, building training facilities, and upgrading port infrastructure.

Governor Arnold Palacios supports the project, citing regional security concerns, including China’s missile tests and military activity near Taiwan.

Tinian’s strategic location serves as a backup to Guam and enhances U.S. power projection.

Critics note the upgrades’ potential vulnerability in a conflict. Completion is expected by 2025.

Summary

The California House race between Michelle Steel and Derek Tran is the closest in the nation, with Tran leading by 314 votes after nearly 310,000 ballots have been counted.

The outcome will determine the size of the Republican majority in the House and could be the second California seat picked up by Democrats.

Both campaigns are focusing on fixing rejected ballots to increase their chances of winning.

Summary

The North Carolina House passed a controversial bill allocating $227 million for Hurricane Helene relief while including provisions to reduce powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general.

Critics, including Democrats, called it a “power grab,” citing changes like stripping the governor’s control over the State Board of Elections and limiting the attorney general’s ability to challenge state laws or advocate for utility customers.

Republicans defended the bill as necessary, but some GOP lawmakers opposed it.

The bill now heads to the Senate and may face a gubernatorial veto.

Summary

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, led by ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies, and ChevronPhillips, is under criticism for producing 132 million tonnes of plastic in five years—1,000 times more than the 118,500 tonnes it cleaned up.

Established in 2019 to combat plastic pollution, the alliance quietly abandoned its ambitious cleanup target.

Critics, including Greenpeace, accuse AEPW of greenwashing and lobbying against production caps in a proposed global treaty on plastic pollution.

Environmentalists argue that reducing virgin plastic production is the only sustainable solution.

Summary

Arizona voters approved the “secure our border” initiative, which makes crossing the US-Mexico border without authorization a state crime.

Immigrant rights groups fear the measure could bolster Trump’s promise to enact mass deportations and deputize local law enforcement to help him expel undocumented immigrants.

Activists and advocates are scrambling to prepare to react to the law and brace for more round-ups and threats against immigrants as Trump moves to implement his plans for mass deportations.

Summary

Javier Milei’s plan to privatize the Paraguay-Paraná waterway, an important shipping route for Argentina and its neighbors, has raised concerns among local communities about environmental damage and the destruction of their way of life.

The privatization, which aims to boost international trade and reduce logistics costs, has also been criticized for potentially benefiting multinational businesses at the expense of the local population.

Despite previous privatization in the 1990s, the decision has sparked protests and raised questions about its impact on the environment and the fight against drug trafficking.

Summary

A private school in Pennsylvania, Lancaster Country Day School, is under scrutiny after a 15-year-old student allegedly used AI to create explicit, manipulated images of female classmates.

The incident led to the resignation of the school’s head and board president, a student protest, and a criminal investigation.

The suspect’s phone was seized, and authorities are working to address the case.

The controversy highlights growing concerns over AI misuse, as Pennsylvania prepares to enact a law criminalizing AI-generated child exploitation material.

The school is offering counseling and reviewing safety policies.

Summary

The FDA has issued a warning to Colgate-Palmolive, parent company of Tom’s of Maine, after finding bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Ralstonia insidiosa, in water used to manufacture toothpaste at its Sanford, Maine facility.

The May inspection also uncovered a black “mold-like” substance near production equipment and other sanitary violations.

The FDA criticized the company for releasing products despite contamination risks and demanded corrective action within 15 days.

Tom’s stated it is addressing the issues and upgrading its water system.

Summary

Donald Trump has nominated former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as U.S. ambassador to NATO, a role critical to transatlantic security.

Whitaker, praised by Trump as a “strong warrior,” lacks foreign policy experience but is a loyal ally and critic of federal cases against Trump.

The appointment is unconventional, given Whitaker’s background in law enforcement.

NATO allies remain sensitive to Trump’s past skepticism of the alliance and his criticism of defense spending.

Summary

Under incoming FCC Chair Brendan Carr, plans to regulate broadband data caps are likely to end.

ISPs argue caps offer affordable options and promote fair pricing, while consumer groups claim they are unnecessary, harmful to low-income households, and purely profit-driven.

Critics point out that data caps don’t manage network congestion and were suspended during the pandemic without issues.

Supporters insist caps are needed for pricing flexibility and to avoid higher costs for low-data users.

The debate continues, with no regulation expected under the new FCC leadership.

Summary

The reelection of Donald Trump and his promise of mass deportations has reignited fears for mixed-status immigrant families.

Angel Reyes Rivas, a DACA recipient from Long Island, recalls the emotional toll of his mother’s deportation and is now preparing his family for similar risks.

Carolina Saavedra, a U.S.-born daughter of undocumented immigrants, shares how her parents raised her with contingency plans for potential separation.

Families like hers express frustration at the lack of a path to citizenship despite decades of contributing to U.S. society, relying instead on community support for resilience.