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White House, Justice Department Announce Law Enforcement Grants for Hiring of Veterans

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) today announced funding awards to over 220 cities and counties, aimed at creating or saving approximately 800 law enforcement positions. The grants will fund over 600 new law enforcement positions and save an additional 200 positions recently lost or in jeopardy of being cut due to local budget cuts.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Three Men Charged with Hate Crime for Attack on African American Woman and White Man in California

Billy James Hammett, 28, and Perry Sylvester Jackson, 27, were arrested today in Yuba County, Calif., on federal hate crime charges for their racially motivated attack on an African American woman and white man in Marysville, Calif., on April 18, 2011.



  • OPA Press Releases

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United States to Accept Concurrent Jurisdiction Over White Earth Reservation in Minnesota

The Department of Justice has granted a request by the White Earth Nation for the United States to assume concurrent criminal jurisdiction on the 1,300 square mile White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the White House Gun Safety Event

"I recognize, as you do, that there’s no single prescription for addressing these challenges and confronting their underlying causes. But I also know that those whose lives have been impacted by gun violence – the victims and the survivors – are depending on us," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the White House Forum on Increasing Access to Justice

"Five decades have passed since Dr. King laid down those immortal words. Yet, as we come together today, his work remains our common pursuit," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the White House Tribal Nations Conference

As we gather for this year’s Tribal Nations Conference – here in our nation’s capital, during American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month – it’s appropriate that we celebrate these and other momentous achievements.




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Third Defendant Pleads Guilty to Racially-Motivated Assault on White Man and African-American Woman in California

Anthony Merrell Tyler, 33, pleaded guilty in federal court today to violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act for his role in a 2011 racially motivated attack on a white man and an African-American woman in Marysville, Calif.



  • OPA Press Releases

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California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Racially Motivated Assault on White Man and African-American Woman

Billy James Hammett, 30, of Marysville, Calif., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to serve 87 months in prison for violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in a 2011 racially motivated attack against a white man and an African-American woman in Marysville.



  • OPA Press Releases

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California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Racially Motivated Assault on White Man and African-American Woman

Perry Sylvester Jackson, 28, of Marysville, Calif., was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge John A. Mendez to serve 70 months in prison for violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in a 2011 racially motivated attack against a white man and an African-American woman in Marysville.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Deputy Attorney General Cole Delivers Remarks on the White House Task Force Protecting Students from Sexual Assault

It will be no small feat, but we ultimately must change the culture on campuses and in communities, so that everyone understands that sexual assault is never acceptable.




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Attorney General Holder Speaks at the White House Champions of Change Recognition Ceremony

"These groundbreaking efforts [Smart on Crime, Federal Interagency Reentry Council] are enabling us to tear down unnecessary barriers to opportunity and independence – while building up programs and policies that enable returning individuals to successfully reintegrate into their communities."




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Reopening After COVID: The 3 Phases Recommended By The White House

President Trump wants businesses to start reopening after the coronavirus forced shutdowns. Here's what the White House task force recommends for states.




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At protests, mostly white crowds show how pandemic has widened racial and political divisions

Coronavirus pandemic widens racial and political divisions





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Get rid of the White House Coronavirus Task Force before it kills again

As news began to leak out that the White House was thinking about winding down the coronavirus task force, it was greeted with some consternation. After all, we are still in the midst of a pandemic—we need the president’s leadership, don’t we? And then, in an abrupt turnaround, President Trump reversed himself and stated that…

       




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Get rid of the White House Coronavirus Task Force before it kills again

As news began to leak out that the White House was thinking about winding down the coronavirus task force, it was greeted with some consternation. After all, we are still in the midst of a pandemic—we need the president’s leadership, don’t we? And then, in an abrupt turnaround, President Trump reversed himself and stated that…

       




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On immigration, the white working class is fearful


Although a few political analysts have been focusing on the white working class for years, it is only in response to the rise of Donald Trump that this large group of Americans has begun to receive the attention it deserves. Now, thanks to a comprehensive survey that the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) undertook in collaboration with the Brookings Institution, we can speak with some precision about the distinctive attitudes and preferences of these voters.

There are different ways of defining the white working class. Along with several other survey researchers, PRRI defines this group as non-Hispanic whites with less than a college degree, with the additional qualification of being paid by the hour or by the job rather than receiving a salary. No definition is perfect, but this one works pretty well. Most working-class whites have incomes below $50,000; most whites with BAs or more have incomes above $50,000. Most working-class whites rate their financial circumstances as only fair or poor; most college educated whites rate their financial circumstances as good or excellent. Fifty-four percent of working-class whites think of themselves as working class or lower class, compared to only 18 percent of better-educated whites.

The PRRI/Brookings study finds that in many respects, these two groups of white voters see the world very differently. For example, 54 percent of college-educated whites think that America’s culture and way of life have improved since the 1950s; 62 percent of white working-class Americans think that it has changed for the worse. Sixty-eight percent of working-class whites, but only 47 percent of college-educated whites, believe that the American way of life needs to be protected against foreign influences. Sixty-six percent of working-class whites, but only 43 percent of college-educated whites, say that discrimination against whites has become as big a problem as discrimination against blacks and other minorities. In a similar vein, 62 percent of working-class whites believe that discrimination against Christians has become as big a problem as discrimination against other groups, a proposition only 38 percent of college educated whites endorse.

This brings us to the issue of immigration. By a margin of 52 to 35 percent, college-educated whites affirm that today’s immigrants strengthen our country through their talent and hard work. Conversely, 61 percent of white working-class voters say that immigrants weaken us by taking jobs, housing, and health care. Seventy-one percent of working-class whites think that immigrants mostly hurt the economy by driving down wages, a belief endorsed by only 44 percent of college-educated whites. Fifty-nine percent of working-class whites believe that we should make a serious effort to deport all illegal immigrants back to their home countries; only 33 percent of college-educated whites agree. Fifty-five percent of working-class whites think we should build a wall along our border with Mexico, while 61 percent of whites with BAs or more think we should not. Majorities of working-class whites believe that we should make the entry of Syrian refugees into the United States illegal and temporarily ban the entrance of non-American Muslims into our country; about two-thirds of college-educated whites oppose each of these proposals.

Opinions on trade follow a similar pattern. By a narrow margin of 48 to 46 percent, college-educated whites endorse the view that trade agreements are mostly helpful to the United States because they open up overseas markets while 62 percent of working-class whites believe that they are harmful because they send jobs overseas and drive down wages.

It is understandable that working-class whites are more worried that they or their families will become victims of violent crime than are whites with more education. After all, they are more likely to live in neighborhoods with higher levels of social disorder and criminal behavior. It is harder to explain why they are also much more likely to believe that their families will fall victim to terrorism. To be sure, homegrown terrorist massacres of recent years have driven home the message that it can happen to anyone, anywhere. We still need to explain why working-class whites have interpreted this message in more personal terms.

The most plausible interpretation is that working-class whites are experiencing a pervasive sense of vulnerability. On every front—economic, cultural, personal security—they feel threatened and beleaguered. They seek protection against all the forces they perceive as hostile to their cherished way of life—foreign people, foreign goods, foreign ideas, aided and abetted by a government they no longer believe cares about them. Perhaps this is why fully 60 percent of them are willing to endorse a proposition that in previous periods would be viewed as extreme: the country has gotten so far off track that we need a leader who is prepared to break so rules if that is what it takes to set things right.

      
 
 




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Get rid of the White House Coronavirus Task Force before it kills again

As news began to leak out that the White House was thinking about winding down the coronavirus task force, it was greeted with some consternation. After all, we are still in the midst of a pandemic—we need the president’s leadership, don’t we? And then, in an abrupt turnaround, President Trump reversed himself and stated that…

       




white

On immigration, the white working class is fearful


Although a few political analysts have been focusing on the white working class for years, it is only in response to the rise of Donald Trump that this large group of Americans has begun to receive the attention it deserves. Now, thanks to a comprehensive survey that the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) undertook in collaboration with the Brookings Institution, we can speak with some precision about the distinctive attitudes and preferences of these voters.

There are different ways of defining the white working class. Along with several other survey researchers, PRRI defines this group as non-Hispanic whites with less than a college degree, with the additional qualification of being paid by the hour or by the job rather than receiving a salary. No definition is perfect, but this one works pretty well. Most working-class whites have incomes below $50,000; most whites with BAs or more have incomes above $50,000. Most working-class whites rate their financial circumstances as only fair or poor; most college educated whites rate their financial circumstances as good or excellent. Fifty-four percent of working-class whites think of themselves as working class or lower class, compared to only 18 percent of better-educated whites.

The PRRI/Brookings study finds that in many respects, these two groups of white voters see the world very differently. For example, 54 percent of college-educated whites think that America’s culture and way of life have improved since the 1950s; 62 percent of white working-class Americans think that it has changed for the worse. Sixty-eight percent of working-class whites, but only 47 percent of college-educated whites, believe that the American way of life needs to be protected against foreign influences. Sixty-six percent of working-class whites, but only 43 percent of college-educated whites, say that discrimination against whites has become as big a problem as discrimination against blacks and other minorities. In a similar vein, 62 percent of working-class whites believe that discrimination against Christians has become as big a problem as discrimination against other groups, a proposition only 38 percent of college educated whites endorse.

This brings us to the issue of immigration. By a margin of 52 to 35 percent, college-educated whites affirm that today’s immigrants strengthen our country through their talent and hard work. Conversely, 61 percent of white working-class voters say that immigrants weaken us by taking jobs, housing, and health care. Seventy-one percent of working-class whites think that immigrants mostly hurt the economy by driving down wages, a belief endorsed by only 44 percent of college-educated whites. Fifty-nine percent of working-class whites believe that we should make a serious effort to deport all illegal immigrants back to their home countries; only 33 percent of college-educated whites agree. Fifty-five percent of working-class whites think we should build a wall along our border with Mexico, while 61 percent of whites with BAs or more think we should not. Majorities of working-class whites believe that we should make the entry of Syrian refugees into the United States illegal and temporarily ban the entrance of non-American Muslims into our country; about two-thirds of college-educated whites oppose each of these proposals.

Opinions on trade follow a similar pattern. By a narrow margin of 48 to 46 percent, college-educated whites endorse the view that trade agreements are mostly helpful to the United States because they open up overseas markets while 62 percent of working-class whites believe that they are harmful because they send jobs overseas and drive down wages.

It is understandable that working-class whites are more worried that they or their families will become victims of violent crime than are whites with more education. After all, they are more likely to live in neighborhoods with higher levels of social disorder and criminal behavior. It is harder to explain why they are also much more likely to believe that their families will fall victim to terrorism. To be sure, homegrown terrorist massacres of recent years have driven home the message that it can happen to anyone, anywhere. We still need to explain why working-class whites have interpreted this message in more personal terms.

The most plausible interpretation is that working-class whites are experiencing a pervasive sense of vulnerability. On every front—economic, cultural, personal security—they feel threatened and beleaguered. They seek protection against all the forces they perceive as hostile to their cherished way of life—foreign people, foreign goods, foreign ideas, aided and abetted by a government they no longer believe cares about them. Perhaps this is why fully 60 percent of them are willing to endorse a proposition that in previous periods would be viewed as extreme: the country has gotten so far off track that we need a leader who is prepared to break so rules if that is what it takes to set things right.

      
 
 




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White House releases breakthrough strategy on antibiotic resistance


After years of warnings from the public health community about the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, yesterday the White House announced a national strategy to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance within the U.S. and abroad. The administration’s commitment represents an important step forward, as antibiotic-resistant infections are responsible for 23,000 deaths annually, and cost over $50 billion in excess health spending and lost productivity.  The administration’s National Strategy on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria includes incentives for developing new drugs, more rigorous stewardship of existing drugs, and better surveillance of antibiotic use and the pathogens that are resistant to them.  President Obama also issued an Executive Order that establishes an interagency Task Force and a non-governmental Presidential Advisory Council that will focus on broad-based strategies for slowing the emergence and spread of resistant infections. 

While antibiotics are crucial for treating bacterial infections, their misuse over time has contributed to a rather alarming rate of antibiotic resistance, including the development of multidrug-resistance bacteria or “super bugs.” Misuse manifests throughout all corners of public and private life; from the doctor’s office when prescribed to treat viruses; to industrial agriculture, where they are used in abundance to promote growth in livestock. New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirm that rising overuse of antibiotics has already become a major public health threat worldwide.

The administration’s announcement included a report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) titled “Combatting Antibiotic Resistance,” which includes recommendations developed by a range of experts to help control antibiotic resistance. In addition, they outline a $20 million prize to reward the development of a new rapid, point-of-care diagnostic test. Such tests help health care providers choose the right antibiotics for their patients and streamline drug development by making it easier to identify and treat patients in clinical trials.  

The Need for Financial Incentives and Better Reimbursement

A highlight of the PCAST report is its recommendations on economic incentives to bring drug manufacturers back into the antibiotics market. Innovative changes to pharmaceutical regulation and research and development (R&D) will be welcomed by many in the health care community, but financial incentives and better reimbursement are necessary to alleviate the market failure for antibacterial drugs. A major challenge, particularly within a fee-for-service or volume-based reimbursement system is providing economic incentives that promote investment in drug development without encouraging overuse.

A number of public and private stakeholders, including the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and Chatham House’s Centre on Global Health Security Working Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, are exploring alternative reimbursement mechanisms that “de-link” revenue from the volume of antibiotics sold. Such a mechanism, combined with further measures to stimulate innovation, could create a stable incentive structure to support R&D. Further, legislative proposals under consideration by Congress to reinvigorate the antibiotic pipeline, including the Antibiotic Development to Advance Patient Treatment (ADAPT) Act of 2013, could complement the White House’s efforts and help turn the tide on antibiotic resistance. Spurring the development of new antibiotics is critical because resistance will continue to develop even if health care providers and health systems can find ways to prevent the misuse of these drugs.

Authors

       




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COVID-19’s recent spread shifts to suburban, whiter, and more Republican-leaning areas

There is a stereotypical view of the places in America that COVID-19 has affected most: they are broadly urban, comprised predominantly of racial minorities, and strongly vote Democratic. This underlines the public’s perception of what kinds of populations reside in areas highly exposed to the coronavirus, as well as some of the recent political arguments…

       




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Around the halls: Brookings experts on the Middle East react to the White House’s peace plan

On January 28 at the White House, President Trump unveiled his plan for Middle East peace alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjanim Netanyahu. Below, Brookings experts on the peace process and the region more broadly offer their initial takes on the announcement. Natan Sachs (@natansachs), Director of the Center for Middle East Policy: This is a…

       




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COVID-19’s recent spread shifts to suburban, whiter, and more Republican-leaning areas

There is a stereotypical view of the places in America that COVID-19 has affected most: they are broadly urban, comprised predominantly of racial minorities, and strongly vote Democratic. This underlines the public’s perception of what kinds of populations reside in areas highly exposed to the coronavirus, as well as some of the recent political arguments…

       




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Get rid of the White House Coronavirus Task Force before it kills again

As news began to leak out that the White House was thinking about winding down the coronavirus task force, it was greeted with some consternation. After all, we are still in the midst of a pandemic—we need the president’s leadership, don’t we? And then, in an abrupt turnaround, President Trump reversed himself and stated that…

       




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Record-setting White House staff turnover continues with news of Counsel’s departure

With the recent departure of White House Counsel, Don McGahn (and premature announcement of his successor, Pat Cipollone), turnover within the most senior level of White House staff members bumped up to 83 percent. Ten of the twelve Tier One staff members have departed, leaving only Cabinet Secretary, Bill McGinley, and Chairman of the Council…

       




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White House or State House: Who do we listen to on social distancing?

On March 16, 2020, the Federal government issued new guidelines to help protect Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. Dubbed “15 days to slow the spread,” these guidelines urged Americans to avoid social gatherings, discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits. Since then, many states, at different times, also issued directives to promote social distancing. What…

       




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Around the halls: Brookings experts on the Middle East react to the White House’s peace plan

On January 28 at the White House, President Trump unveiled his plan for Middle East peace alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjanim Netanyahu. Below, Brookings experts on the peace process and the region more broadly offer their initial takes on the announcement. Natan Sachs (@natansachs), Director of the Center for Middle East Policy: This is a…

       




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There's not a lot of history in the White House, actually

It's mostly a fake, completely rebuilt in the early 1950s.




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Trump admin removes White House Capital Bikeshare station

It's not a big deal but it could become a big symbol.




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Photo: White-tailed jackrabbit is a noble being

Our beautiful photo of the day comes from snowy Calgary, Canada.




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Whitening Clouds To Stop Climate Change Might Actually Increase Warming

One of the more invasive geoengineering methods that's been proposed to avert global warming is spraying clouds with seawater to whiten them, reflecting solar radiation. New research presented at the European Geosciences Union meeting urges caution




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The Week in Pictures: Toxic Industrial Sludge Covers Hungarian Villages, Solar Panels on the White House, and More (Slideshow)

A state of emergency has been declared in Hungary where four people are dead, 120 injured and six missing as torrents of red toxic sludge, the byproduct of bauxite refining for aluminum, burst from a containment pond and poured through six villages in




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How to clean white sneakers without bleach

This all-natural DIY solution to dirty kicks went viral on Twitter ... for good reason!




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Elusive snowy white giraffes filmed in Kenya

As if giraffes weren't exotic enough, this very rare mother and baby seem outright otherworldly in their absence of color and pattern.




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White Castle becomes first fast food chain to serve plant-based Impossible Burger

The so-called "bleeding" veggie burger is bleedin' everywhere these days.




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So, what does White Castle's plant-based 'Impossible Slider' taste like?

A few intrepid film makers went to check it out. Their responses were not exactly uniform.




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Do You Carry Black or White Pebbles In Your Organic Pockets?

Based on the belief that we carry black or white pebbles with us, depending on the choices we make in our lives (black pebbles represent self-focused, irresponsible decisions; white pebbles represent a life of sound,




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Are white roofs really three times more efficient than green roofs?

They are certainly more reflective, but that's not the only thing that matters.




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Sweden's famous white moose in all his mystical glory

When the rare leucistic moose appeared before his camera, photographer Anders Tedeholm captured the magic.




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48 environmental rules the White House is working to undo

In the latest installment of 'A Death by 1000 Cuts,' a New York TImes analysis lists the Earth-loving rules that Washington is seeking to reverse.




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The last male northern white rhino in the world has died

WIth the death of Sudan, the world's last male northern white rhinoceros, the species is one step closer to complete extinction.




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The early bird gets the iPhone. And also gets media attention for an organic farm at the White House

You may have heard that the iPhone 3G went on sale this morning. I saw a line outside of the AT&T; stores here in Manhattan, and I heard there was a line around the block this morning at the Union Street Apple store in San




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Scientists may have just saved the northern white rhino from extinction

With only two members of the species left, a successful egg harvest and fertilization could mean all is not lost.




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Which type of roof is best in cold climates: solar, white or green?

A study looks at the life cycle impact of the different types of sustainable roofs and finds a clear winner for colder regions.




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Little Brown Bat Will Be Pushed to Extinction by Spreading White Nose Syndrome: New Study

photo: US Fish & Wildlife Service via flickr White nose syndrome, a disease caused by exposure to a particular fungus, first discovered in 2006, has been afflicting bats in the eastern United States and appears to be spreading. Considering that it's




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Deadly White Nose Syndrome Keeps Spreading Among New York's Bat Population

New York's brown bat continues to be hard hit by White Nose Syndrome (WNS). WNS is named for the white fungus that eats bat tissues and wakes the bats prematurely from hibernation. WNS has been




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White House finally reinstalling solar panels

It took a while, but there will soon be solar panels on the White House.




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Solar panels are back on the White House roof, 28 years later (it's about time!)

The 6.3kW solar array might not produce enough energy to power the White House, but its symbolism is important.




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White House releases strategy for deep decarbonization by 2050

Download it while you can.




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How whitening strips can harm teeth

New research reveals that the active ingredient in whitening products can damage the layer beneath the tooth's enamel.