U.S. Senate confirms Zahid Quraishi as country’s first Muslim American federal judge
The Senate voted last week to confirm Zahid Quraishi, a former United States magistrate judge in New Jersey.
North & Central America
This archive covers progress stories from North and Central America, spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the nations of Central America. Readers will find reporting on health, environment, community resilience, and policy advances across the region.
Biden administration to buy 500 million Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses to donate to the world
The first 200 million doses will be distributed this year, with the subsequent 300 million shared in the first half of next year.
El Salvador to use energy from volcanoes for bitcoin mining
Hours after becoming the first nation to authorize bitcoin as a legal tender, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele instructed a state-owned geothermal electric company to plan to use renewable geothermal energy from the country’s volcanoes for mining for the cryptocurrency.
TC Energy officially cancels Keystone XL Pipeline
The project that was supposed to cost under $5 billion had ballooned to nearly double that amount, thanks to determined opposition from environmental groups and Indigenous communities.
Nevada will start teaching LGBTQ history in K-12 school curriculum
Nevada will become the sixth state in the nation to require lessons on LGBTQ people and historic events.
California Assembly passes groundbreaking deforestation bill
AB 416 requires that state’s forest product suppliers have policies that prevent deforestation and guarantee Indigenous Peoples the right to free, prior and informed consent for any operations on their territories.
America’s first transgender suicide hotline is up and running
The new hotline is staffed entirely by transgender people and dedicated to addressing and supporting members of the trans community in mental health crises.
San Francisco Giants make MLB history wearing Pride-themed uniforms
The San Francisco Giants became the first team in Major League Baseball to wear Pride colors onto the field on June 5 for their Pride Day game against the Chicago Cubs.
Biden administration makes $1 billion in grants available for broadband on tribal lands
The funds will be made to eligible Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian entities for broadband deployment, to support digital inclusion, workforce development, telehealth, and distance learning.
Biden suspends oil leases in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The suspension includes 10-year leases that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued on Jan. 6, 2021, which span more than 430,000 acres of the refuge.