NASA's global temperature data set, which has found that the past 5 years have been the warmest on record, has received new and independent validation of its readings, per a new study.
Why it matters: The research bolsters confidence in NASA's data set, which climate change doubters have been trying to poke holes in for years, in part because it tends to find greater Arctic warming than NOAA. The study also signals how global observations might be conducted in the future.
What's new: Tiny plastic pieces from broken down bags and packaging are now being detected in another element: the air. These microplastics are being deposited onto an isolated, pristine site in the French Pyrenees at an altitude of about 4,600 feet, per a new study. There's also been a sharp uptick in plastic pollution in the ocean since the late 1950s, according to another study published this week.
The 448-page redacted Mueller report that was released Thursday is a sprawling document based on hundreds of witness interviews and thousands of subpoenas — and its deeply sourced conclusions have already been subject to spin attempts from President Trump's legal team and administration as well as congressional Democrats.
What you need to know: The report largely refrains from making any grand, sweeping conclusions about Trump's conduct — especially on possible obstruction of justice, where Mueller's investigators made a point of not absolving him completely. It's not a great outcome for the president — but it also doesn't seem to contain any unexpected bombshells that might end his presidency, either.
March may have been unusually cold in parts of the U.S., but globally, average temperatures ticked upward to rank as one of the top 3 warmest Marches on record, new data from climate groups in Europe, Japan and the U.S. shows.
Why it matters: The new data shows that global average temperatures during 2019 are on track to make it another top 5 warmest year, should these trends continue. An El Niño event, featuring unusually warm water in the tropical Pacific Ocean along with an increase in shower and thunderstorm activity near the equator, is helping to add additional heat to the atmosphere.
The Justice Department released on Thursday a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, including any potential links to President Trump's campaign.
The Justice Department released on Thursday a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, including any potential links to President Trump's campaign.
The big picture: The public release comes just after the redacted report was sent to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees at 11 am ET. Attorney General Bill Barr said earlier this morning that President Trump's personal lawyers were able to view the redacted report earlier this week, which Axios later confirmed.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is subtly shifting its position on climate change and growing vocal about the need to address it.
Driving the news: The chamber recently updated its website with new language, including a statement stronger than anything the group has said before: “Inaction is not an option.” The group last week also released what it dubbed an energy and climate agenda, focused on clean-energy innovation.
Electric scooters have overtaken station-based bicycles as America's most popular form of shared transportation outside transit and cars, per AP.
Why it matters: Smartphones are powering a "micromobility revolution," where consumers tap shared scooters and bikes for short trips. Riders took 38.5 million trips on shared electric scooters in 2018, eclipsing the 36.5 million trips on shared, docked bicycles, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials.
The Trump administration must decide by May 2 whether to allow Iran to continue exporting crude oil — a decision with huge implications for Washington’s Iran strategy and the oil market.
The big picture: Since withdrawing from the nuclear deal last May, the U.S. has steadily ratcheted up economic and political pressure on Iran. The core component of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” strategy is reducing the Islamic Republic's oil exports, which provide provide a third of government revenues.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry is preparing to leave his post in the Trump administration and he's finalizing the terms of his departure, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing 2 people familiar with the plans.
Details: The former Texas governor's exit wasn't imminent and he still hadn't made up his mind, but he'd been seriously considering quitting for weeks, according to Bloomberg News. In a statement provided to Axios and other outlets, Department of Energy spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes denied the report. "He is happy where he is serving President Trump and leading the Department of Energy," she said.
On Thursday morning at around 11 a.m., Attorney General Bill Barr will send to Congress a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Why it matters: The public is about to get its most in-depth view yet into an investigation that has cast a cloud over the Trump presidency since May 17, 2017 — the day the special counsel was appointed. Mueller's team has been virtually silent for the past 2 years, leaving the media to obsessively parse through indictments and court filings for a glimpse at what the investigation has uncovered. That all changes tomorrow for the first time.
