May 10, 2017

Surprise defeat: Senate fails to repeal Obama methane rule

Steven Senne / AP

The GOP-controlled Senate Wednesday morning failed to repeal an Obama-era regulation that curbs methane emissions from gas wells on public and tribal lands, a major win for environmental advocates. The final vote was 51 "nays" to 49 "yays." The last day to use the CRA is at the end of the week.

  • What it means: The November 2016 Interior Department rule will stay in place, although the department has said it will review the regulation, as required by an executive order Trump signed.
  • Get smart: This victory by environmentalists is more symbolically important than substantively impactful; public lands account for a small portion of domestic drilling — 11% of the nation's natural gas supply and 5% of its oil supply — according to Interior Department data.
  • The hiccup: Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins, and John McCain voted along with the Democrats. McCain's vote was a surprise.

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Axios
6 mins ago - Politics & Policy

The aftermath of George Floyd's death: Everything you need to know

A mural outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis, near where George Floyd was killed in an encouner with police. Photo: Steel Brooks/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is in jail under $500,000 bail on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter after a video of him kneeling on George Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes and Floyd's death catapulted the country's major cities into a state of protest.

The big picture: Floyd's fatal run-in with police is the latest reminder of the disparities between black and white communities in the U.S. and comes as African Americans grapple with higher death rates from the coronavirus and higher unemployment from trying to stem its spread.

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Miriam Kramer
12 mins ago - Science

Live updates: SpaceX attempts to launch NASA astronauts Saturday

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket on the launch pad. Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky

At 3:22 p.m. ET today, SpaceX is expected to launch NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station for the first time.

Why it matters: The liftoff — should it go off without a hitch — will be the first time a private company has launched people to orbit. It will also bring crewed launches back to the U.S. for the first time in nine years, since the end of the space shuttle program.

Follow along below for live updates throughout the day...

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Axios
Updated 13 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11 a.m. ET: 5,968,693— Total deaths: 365,796 — Total recoveries — 2,520,587 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11 a.m. ET: 1,749,846 — Total deaths: 102,900 — Total recoveries: 406,446 — Total tested: 16,099,515 — Map.
  3. Economy: The future of mobility in the post-pandemic world —George Floyd's killing and economic calamity are both part of America's unfinished business.
  4. Supreme Court: Chief Justice Roberts sides with liberals in denying challenge to California's pandemic worship rules.
  5. Public health: Hydroxychloroquine prescription fills exploded in March.
  6. 2020: North Carolina asks RNC if convention will honor Trump's wish for no masks or social distancing.
  7. Business: Fed chair Powell says coronavirus is "great increaser" of income inequality.
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