A lot has happened in the world over the past week. Let’s catch up on the major news headlines:
California sues Trump Administration over tariffs
California’s state governor and attorney general have issued a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration for their recent tariff initiatives, citing that it was an abuse of presidential emergency powers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta argued in the lawsuit that Trump’s implementation of tariffs on key U.S. trading partners “violates the separation-of-powers doctrine” and is an improper use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act.
The lawsuit aims to nullify the tariffs enacted by Trump and block their enactment, which will very heavily impact California as the number one manufacturing state in the country.
Gov. Newsom additionally urged Democrats and Republicans in Congress to act, lamenting “they’re sitting there passively as this guy wrecks the economy of the United States of America, which has dominated the global economy.”
More than 100 dead in heavy rain in India and Nepal
Heavy rains have devastated India and Nepal, with death counts reaching over 100 as of Friday, April 11.
The Indian monsoon season typically starts in June, but the Indian Meteorological Department has issued weather hazards for extreme heat as well as for heavy thunderstorms.
Numerous deaths have been reported as a result of rain-related incidents across India and Nepal, in addition to lightning strikes and other occurrences associated with the storms. Heat waves have also been tied to several deaths over the past few months.
As violent storms continued to ravage India and Nepal, it was additionally predicted that the month of April would see above-average temperatures across India, compounding the brutal weather conditions.
Measles outbreak ravages Texas
Measles was declared eliminated by the U.S. in 2000. However, there has been an outbreak across 20 Texas counties.
The reason for the sudden resurgence of measles after its effective eradication, officials say, is due to a lack of funding for health departments’ vaccination programs.
Despite a clear need for it, immunization funding in Texas has not increased in over 15 years. Texas also receives some of the lowest per capita state funding for public health, at just $17 per person as of 2023
The Trump administration’s recent slashes to COVID-19 related immunization program funding has led to this gap in resources for vaccine programs, in addition to a growing sense of distrust in vaccinations spearheaded by Health Secretary Robert. F Kennedy Jr.
The U.S. has seen a total of 700 cases of measles this year, 540 of which have been in Texas, but cases have also been reported in 23 other states. Several cases of measles in children have resulted in death.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star announces health update
“Grey’s Anatomy’s” Eric Dane announced Thursday that he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The “Euphoria” star divulged his health update in a statement to People, assuring fans of his plans to pick back up the role of Cal Jacobs in the highly anticipated third season of the hit HBO show: “I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to the set of ‘Euphoria’ next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time,” Dane told People.
The degenerative disease currently has no known cure, but the ALS Association continues to provide support for those affected by the disease and raise money towards further research.
Anti-abortion agenda continues even in states with voter-approved amendments
Despite voter support on several state ballot initiatives to protect abortion access, Republican lawmakers have continued to propose increasingly restrictive legislation.
Abortion initiatives appeared on 10 state ballots this past November, with many of them voting to protect and even expand access to abortion within their respective states. Anti-abortion lawmakers, however, have forged ahead with restrictive legislation in more than half of the states that voted in favor of abortion.
There have also been increased efforts to make it difficult to put abortion initiatives on ballots in future elections.
Arizona voters, for example, clearly demonstrated sentiment towards protecting abortion within the state, but lawmakers have continued to push legislation to further restrict the use of abortion-inducing drugs.
mkane10@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @gavinnewsom, Instagram
