IM News 5-30-23: MA legislature least productive in 40 years; Native Americans help solve river drought; profiteering the driver of inflation...

Please donate to the show!This week in activism!Wednesday, May 31st - Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s advocacy day at the State House Thursday June 1st, 10am Lobby Day for Homes for All including rent control and foreclosure preventionJune 6, 11am, Local Option for Housing Affordability - Day of action at the state house room 428June 7th 2pm, Citizens for Juvenile Justice Youth Justice Lobby Day, State House room 428ClimateGila River Indian Community project addresses Colorado River drought…the new Reclaimed Water Pipeline Project will help the Gila River Indian Community maintain water resources for many years and will also conserve more water in Lake Mead.Delta Air Lines is facing a lawsuit over its $1bn carbon neutrality claim which plaintiffs say is “false and misleading” as it relies on carbon offsets that do little to mitigate global warming. Rare and “very aggressive” spring wildfires in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia have destroyed buildings and forced thousands from their homes; officials have declared a local state of emergency.Hedgerows in England, which are a vital habitat providing food and shelter for mammals, birds and pollinators, are under threat because of post-Brexit legal and funding changes.New research shows that Rock “flour” produced by the grinding under Greenland’s glaciers can trap climate-heating carbon dioxide when spread on farm fields.InternationalDrone attack on Moscow, which Russia blames on Ukraine, while Russia continues drone attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv Ugandan president signed an anti-LGBTQ+ law with death penalty for same-sex acts; the US is considering sanctions against the country as well as restricting visas for Ugandan officialsPressure is building on Japan’s government to legalise same-sex unions after a court ruled that a ban on them was unconstitutional.Sudan’s rival factions agree to extend shaky ceasefire. The conflict has forced nearly 1.4 million people to flee their homes so far.Erdoğan Wins Reelection in Presidential Runoff in TurkeyNationalSouth Carolina Court puts temporary hold on their new near-total abortion banDebt ceiling deal includes: 2-year debt ceiling suspension; spending limits: defense budget of $886B, non-defense spending $704B; natural gas pipeline approval; fully fund medical care for veterans; some extra funding for IRS but not as much as Biden had proposed; new work requirements for SNAP recipients, but not for Medicaid; resume student loan payments paused under COVID; Biden’s $10K cancellation of student debt has not been changed. Still has to pass through House and Senate.The prices of oil, transportation, food ingredients and other raw materials have fallen in recent months as the shocks stemming from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have faded. Yet large corporations have continued raising prices rapidly in order to increase profits, with profit becoming the largest driver of inflation.StateBoston City councilors voted 10-2 on Wednesday on new district lines.Cambridge will launch free public preschool for all 4yoOn the state budget: Senate version budget may differ from House budget on: funding to Dept Public Health for the creation of birthing centers; online lottery; in-state public-school tuition for certain undocumented immigrants, permanent funding for free school meals, drug-testing kits to nightlife venues, and a floating hospital for mental health and substance abuse recoveryFive months into the year, Massachusetts lawmakers have had the least productive start to a legislative session in at least 40 years, passing only 10 laws so far.