The GPR Digest- March 13, 2024
Biden's State of the Union Address, abortion rights in France, and more!
[Editor’s Note: This edition of the Digest covers a longer, three-week period between February 21st and March 13th. All stories are up-to-date.]
GEORGIA
Electric truck maker, Rivian, pauses construction on $5 billion plant
Rivian, a company that has grown rapidly in recent years for its manufacturing of electric trucks, has paused the construction of a $5 billion plant near Social Circle, Georgia. The plant was originally planned to produce Rivian’s new R2 vehicle, whose production will now be shifted to Rivian’s existing plant in Illinois.
This plant was set to create over 7,500 jobs and produce 200,000 vehicles per year, eventually expanding to an additional 200,000 vehicles per year. Georgia offered $1.5 billion in incentives, one of the largest offers ever given to an American auto plant, as part of Gov. Kemp’s efforts to make Georgia a leading state in electric vehicle production.
Rivian stated that they paused the plant’s production to speed up production and save money on their current production. However, they insisted Georgia remains important and is key to the company’s growth. Gov. Kemp responded by expressing his disappointment with the news but affirmed his confidence in Rivian to honor its contract and meet production expectations by 2030.
Georgia bill, awaiting governor signature, threatens efforts to provide bail funds
Wide-scale initiatives known for funding bond relief, such as the “Mama’s Day Bail Out” and the “Freedom Day Project”, are at risk of being constrained by a new Georgia Bill.
Initiatives like “Mama’s Day Bail Out” are heavily impacted by contributions from Black churches in Georgia, who support bail fund groups to help reunite families who cannot afford to pay bail. If passed, Senate Bill 63, would both expand the number of charges requiring cash bail and restrict bail posts to no more than three bonds in a year without costly registration. Proponents of the bill note its ability to expand oversight over bail groups that previously lacked regulations. But many are concerned with overcrowding in prisons and the disproportionate effects the bill has on poor and minority communities. The bill is currently awaiting governor approval.
NATIONAL
Biden gives 2024 State of the Union Address to Congress
On Mar. 7, Biden gave his final State of the Union address. His notably “fiery” speech set the agenda for his potential second term. Biden declared abortion restrictions an “assault on freedom”, emphasized protections for the Affordable Care Act, announced plans to establish a humanitarian aid pier in Gaza, and proposed tax credits to reduce mortgage costs in housing. Biden also addressed Ukraine, affirming his support for the former in their struggle against Russia. However, Biden upset some of the Democratic party and allying immigration advocates by using the term “illegal” in reference to new executive restrictions on immigration asylum screening at the U.S-Mexico border.
Finally, Biden made frequent references to his Republican opponents, specifically President Trump. These comments indicate a shift in the political atmosphere as the country enters the 2024 election season.
Biden administration forgiving $1.2 billion in student debt for 153,000 borrowers
The Biden Administration has announced a plan to cancel $1.2 billion in student debt via the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan. This plan was introduced after Biden’s original student debt relief program, which would have canceled up to $20,000 for 43 million borrowers, was struck down by the Supreme Court. With the SAVE plan, students are eligible for loan forgiveness if they are working through at least 10 years of payment and had originally taken out $12,000 or less for college. Additionally, for every $1000 borrowed above $12,000, borrowers can also receive forgiveness for another year.
The administration states that 7.5 out of the 30 million eligible are enrolled in SAVE. Currently, the plan brings the total of student debt cancellations under Biden to about $138 billion for nearly 3.9 million borrowers.
Alabama legislature protects fertility following controversial court ruling
Alabama governor Kay Ivey signed a bill preventing IVF providers from being held legally liable after a controversial court ruling in which The Alabama Supreme Court ruled frozen embryos, formerly considered property, are legally children under anti-abortion language. Justice Greg Cook said that the ruling “almost certainly ends the creation of frozen embryos through in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Alabama.” The case rose to the Alabama Supreme Court after three couples sued fertility clinics in a wrongful death suit after frozen embryos being stored for IVF were destroyed in an accident.
Fertility clinics across Alabama put IVF treatments on pause following the decision. As a result, some feel like their future is in limbo, as one in six adults experience fertility issues that IVF is key to assisting.
Both former President Trump and President Biden spoke out against the ruling and in favor of IVF. This widespread, bipartisan, condemnation of the ruling has led Alabama legislators to quickly draft legislation to protect IVF in the future.
Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead Amidst Lawsuit
South Carolinian police are investigating the death of former Boeing employee Josh Barnett. Barnett worked as a quality manager at Boeing for 32 years until retirement in 2017. Amongst recent whistleblower lawsuits against the company after multiple technical failures, Barnett had been providing evidence about safety and quality concerns over Boeing products.
However, on March 9th, he was found deceased in his vehicle from an apparent “self-inflicted” wound after undergoing legal interviews in Charleston. This is the latest development during a time of mounting safety concerns over Boeing planes.
INTERNATIONAL
3 Killed on Barbadian Shipping Vessel in Houthi Attack
At least three sailors were reported dead on Wednesday, March 6th as a result of a Houthi attack on a Barbados-flagged shipping vessel, the True Confidence, in the Gulf of Aden in Yemen. Other reported casualties include four injured. This marks the first fatal attack by the group since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
The Houthis have attacked vessels in the past as an act of support for Palestinians against Israel. In this case, however, the group commented that the missile attack was a response to “American-British aggression” against Yemen and that the crew ignored the naval forces’ warning messages to depart, warranting the attack.
Mediators report ‘encouraging’ signs in Israel-Palestine ceasefire talks
Talks have continued between the US, Egypt and Qatar to find a ceasefire solution that can satisfy both the Israelis and Hamas. The White House has reported that these talks have been successful and each side is softening on their demands. The Israelis have vowed to continue their offensive in Gaza until Hamas is completely destroyed and hostages are recovered and Hamas has demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
The urgency for a ceasefire is more urgent than ever, as Israel prepares to invade Rafah, which now hosts more than half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million who have fled from other war-torn parts of the tiny Mediterranean enclave. The mediating parties are also seeking to reach a ceasefire deal before March 10, the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The US has vetoed several UN Security Council resolutions demanding a ceasefire while it works to mediate its own ceasefire agreement. The US said that the resolution, backed by many Arab states, would not be as effective as this hostage deal and ceasefire agreement that the US has been negotiating for months.
Yulia Navalnaya becomes Russian opposition leader after husband’s death
Yulia Navalnaya, wife of the late-opposition Russian leader Alexei Navalny, has stepped up to fill her husband’s shoes. Navalnaya vowed, “I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny.”
This statement comes after her husband’s death, which was announced Feb. 16. Alexei Navalny was an influential Russian opposition leader, and he posed a great threat to Vladimir Putin’s regime. Navalny had been poisoned in 2020 but chose to return to Russia in 2021, where he was arrested upon arrival and eventually sentenced to 19 years in prison. His death, officially ruled by “natural causes”, has led to condemnations of Putin by the international community.
Navalnaya, who always privately supported her husband but never played a large public role, is now eager to continue Navalny’s work. Navalnaya has already met with EU representatives and other exiled opposition leaders to begin her work towards continuing opposition against Vladimir Putin and seeking justice for her husband’s death.
The Cuban government requests UN aid amidst food shortages
For the first time in history, the Cuban government has requested aid from United Nations food programs, such as the World Food Programme (WFP), as their current food shortage has worsened amidst an economic crisis. This crisis comes alongside Cuba’s ongoing struggles with rampant inflation. Goods requested include powdered milk and other basic foods at a subsidized price.
The Cuban government currently follows a food-requesting system implanted by Fidel Castro in 1962 in response to United States sanctions. However, little has been done to improve Cuba’s situation. Prime Minister Jorge Fonseca cited a lack of a “culture of productivity” as the cause for concern. Interior Commerce Minister Betsy Díaz remains working with the Cuban government for alternative solutions.
France becomes the first state in the world to enshrine the right to abortion within its constitution
On Mar. 8, France became the first state to explicitly guarantee the right to an abortion in its constitution. This was done through a revision of the 1958 constitution— making it the 25th amendment to France’s founding document and the first amendment since 2008. Although abortion has been legal in France since 1975, President Emmanuel hopes the enshrined right will lead to more cemented protections for women.
The historic 780-72 vote in its favor was met with resounding applause from both chambers of the French Parliament. Likewise, Macron promised to continue pursuing women’s rights initiatives, stating he “will not rest” until women across Europe have the same protections. His comments sparked positive reactions from feminists.
CULTURE
UNESCO finds gender bias in generative AI tools
A new report from UNESCO’s International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence has reported that AI outputs reflect “a considerable amount of gender and sexuality-based bias”. The report noted that LLMS, or large language models, pull from human-created texts over long periods of history to generate results for prompts, ultimately reflecting the biases scattered within these texts. As such, the LLMS may reinforce stereotypes and biases against certain demographics in “AI recruitment tools” or “finance sectors” and may even lead to “medical or psychiatric misdiagnosis” based on demographic biases.
UNESCO has announced it is critical to include anti-discrimination measures in the AI development cycle. They seek “holistic approaches, including judicial and social interventions, alongside technological solutions” that will prompt equitable and responsible application of AI, and they will work towards including marginalized groups in future AI development.
11th Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development reaffirms UNESCO and partners’ commitment to climate change education
UNESCO hosted the 11th Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference was organized in partnership with representatives from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat, and other global organizations.
During the event, delegates addressed recent declines in funding for climate change education. Nonetheless, UNESCO Bangkok Regional Director, Soohyun Kim, emphasized the need to integrate Climate Change Education into worldwide education systems. Especially among young and vulnerable populations, conference leaders seek to support initiatives to cultivate a sense of responsibility and encourage sustainable behaviors in environmental awareness.
Historic England funds 56 projects to preserve working-class heritage
Historic England, the public body of the UK government responsible for maintaining English heritage and culture, announced an initiative to protect 56 icons of England’s working-class history last Wednesday. Titled “40 Years”, the initiative funds projects that highlight often-overlooked English groups, such as the Chinese, Roma, Bootle, and Yorkshire Pigeon Fancier communities.
As motivation for the initiative, project leader Sean Curran noted: “The real danger is that it’s easy to overlook working-class stories…it’s not that the stories aren’t there but we may take them for granted, which is where the risk of loss comes from.”
Contributors: Sophia Nguyen, Zach Leggio, Marin Arvin, Blake Daniel, Vikram Bharadwaj