Yesterday, the Transportation Dept announced a plan to hold airline companies more accountable. Alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, President Biden said airlines should cover the cost for flight delays and cancellations — if they're within the airline's control. Currently, companies are only required to pay back the cost of the flight ticket when the airline is at fault for delays or cancellations. Now, the Transportation Dept wants them to pay up in actual cash and cover "meals, hotels, taxis, rideshares, and rebooking fees." The announcement is only a proposal, but the admin said the rule could come "later this year." It's in an effort to make up for the years-long turbulence that's been hitting the airline industry.
Carry on.
Passengers have faced a carousel of problems in recent months. From over a thousand flight cancellations due to winter storms to pandemic restrictions to staff shortages or operational meltdowns. Stuck in the middle (seat): Travelers who've had to pay with their money and time. The Biden admin is expecting more issues to pop up as airline travel could reach pre-pandemic records this summer. Buttigieg said "passengers should not foot the bill" for airlines' faults. Meanwhile, one airline trade association group said they have "no incentive to delay or cancel a flight." Experts also argue new compensation requirements could make ticket prices even more expensive.
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Airlines have been all systems go ever since they received billions of dollars in federal pandemic relief and managed to add over 80,000 workers since 2021. However, it still doesn't seem to be enough. Now, the gov wants to throw passengers a lifeline.
Today, a Manhattan jury is expected to begin deliberations in a battery and defamation case against former President Trump. Last year, author and advice columnist E. Jean Carroll sued Trump for alleged sexual assault and defamation. In 2019, Carroll first went public with allegations that the former president sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room in the '90s. Trump has said Carroll is "not my type" and called her accusations "a hoax and a lie." Now, after a two-week trial, both sides have given their closing arguments. Here's a recap of what's happened in the courtroom.
Carroll's attorneys: They brought 10 witnesses and focused on evidence they said shows that Carroll was "exactly his type." They cited the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape as an example of Trump's treatment toward women. They also played an excerpt from a 2022 deposition when Trump accidentally mistook Carroll for his ex-wife.
Trump's attorneys: They refused to put Trump on the stand. They maintained that Carroll's claim is "unbelievable" and that it was similar to a "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" episode, which mentioned an assault in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman.
If the jury of six men and three women finds Trump liable, he may have to pay monetary damages and retract the defamatory statements.
And Also...This
What's doing its research...
The federal gov. Yesterday, New York University and Brown University announced that, for the first time, the gov is paying for a study that's looking into whether safe injection sites can prevent overdoses. The grant will give $5 million to the universities over four years to study a site in New York City and another one opening in Providence, Rhode Island, next year. The overdose prevention centers will allow people to use heroin and other illegal drugs under the supervision of trained staff to respond when needed. Researchers plan to enroll 1,000 adult drug users to track their overall health and the operation costs of running the sites. NYC health officials say they're fighting "the rising tide of overdose deaths in the US." Critics worry the sites will encourage more drug abuse and impact communities.
Where people are calling for change...
Serbia. Yesterday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Belgrade and another city to protest gun violence after two mass shootings. Last week, a 13-year-old boy opened fire at his school in Belgrade, killing nine people and injuring seven others. A day later, a 20-year-old man with an assault rifle shot and killed eight people in several different villages. Serbia has the highest rate of gun ownership in Europe. In response to the shootings, the gov launched a month-long effort to get people to surrender their illegal weapons with no questions asked. So far, more than 1,500 guns have been surrendered to authorities. Now, Serbians are demanding a boost in security, a reduction of violent media content, and the resignation of top government officials. Serbia's president condemned the protests, saying the opposition party was using the tragedy for their own interests.
Who's being celebrated…
The 2023 Pulitzer Prize Winners. Yesterday, Columbia University awarded achievements in journalism, poetry, and fiction. The Associated Press won two awards for its coverage of the war in Ukraine. The Los Angeles Times won for its breaking news reporting of racist remarks by LA council members. AL.com and Mississippi Today were recognized for their local reporting. Other big winners: Caroline Kitchener of The Washington Post and the staff of The New York Times. "English" won a Pulitzer for Drama. "Stay True" won the Pulitzer for a memoir. Barbara Kingsolver and Hernan Diaz shared the fiction award for "Demon Copperhead" and "Trust," respectively. Add to your reading list.
Why getting called 'dusty' is no longer offensive...
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Skimm'rs
We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community.
Coding the future…Thomas N (NJ).He founded a non-profit, CRLT-SAVE, as a way to make coding accessible for kids.
(Some) Birthdays…Cathy Heller (NY), Susan Ross (FL), theSkimm's Gillian Zingler (NY), Ada Johnson (CA), Alexandra Mastorakis (CT), Erica Grant (FL), Kayla Morse (OH), Uadajane Ketcham (NY), Lisa Martin (CT), Jill Ryan (NY), Anna Siegel (NY), Lisa Bryant (MI), Ethel Morales (CA), David Wrobleski (MI)
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Skimm'd by: Melanie De Lima, Anacaona Rodriguez Martinez, Chantal Vaca, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Mariza Smajlaj
