7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution:
In new estimates released [Tuesday], WHO reports that in 2012 around 7 million people died - one in eight of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. [...]
Regionally, low- and middle-income countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions had the largest air pollution-related burden in 2012, with a total of 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths related to outdoor air pollution. [...]
“The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes,” says Dr Maria Neira, Director of WHO’s Department for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe.”
Blast from the Past. At Daily Kos on this date in 2006—Endgame:
Two news stories this week should have resulted in 44 Senators signing on to censure the President of the United States for his abuse of power in ordering massive domestic spying on American citizens without a warrant. Two administration actions reinforce the fact that Congressional laws have been rendered meaningless: (1) the President's signing statement on the Patriot Act; and (2) the administration's answers to Judiciary Committee questions about the warrantless spying program.
When President Bush signed the Patriot Act into law, he issued a signing statement which in its application, is effectively a quasi-veto of its oversight provisions:
WASHINGTON -- When President Bush signed the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act this month, he included an addendum saying that he did not feel obliged to obey requirements that he inform Congress about how the FBI was using the act's expanded police powers.
The bill contained several oversight provisions intended to make sure the FBI did not abuse the special terrorism-related powers to search homes and secretly seize papers. [...]
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Democrats who voted for the Patriot Act reauthorization and promised us that oversight would protect our civil liberties, how do you feel now? You still feel glad that the "compromise" that was reached was nothing more than you compromising your principles in the hopes that a power-hungry executive would recognize your existence? |
Tweet of the Day:
Always be yourself...
Unless you run into one of your exes...
Then... Be a WAY more successful version of yourself...
— @WilliamRodgers
On
today's Kagro in the Morning show,
Greg Dworkin caught us up on Charles Gaba's latest sign-up numbers, ACA "fatigue," and McConnell's Duke gaffe.
Joan McCarter joins in with the latest ACA deadline tweak, and the DC Circuit's hearing of the
Halbig ACA challenge, which brought us to blue slip reform, and the troubled Surgeon General nomination. Dems are jumping out in front on Social Security expansion, even as Third Way renews its campaign to do the opposite. Congress is back on the "doc fix," and faces more Ukraine aid wrangling. Plus, the administration is openly floating NSA reform. Gee, I wonder why! Speaking of which, how much snooping is your email provider doing?
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