5 things to know for April 30: University protests, Trump trial, Bird flu, Internet bills, coal plants

As protests and encampments proliferate on college campuses, some companies are wondering if these actions could start to spread to offices as well. Google CEO Sundar Pichai already fired about 50 employees for protesting the company’s relationship with the Israeli government as he urged his staffers to keep “politics” out of the workplace.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. University protests

Hundreds of protesters have been arrested on over 20 college campuses from coast to coast as schools prepare for spring commencement ceremonies. Overnight, at least 200 student protesters at Columbia University barricaded the entrance to one of the school’s main buildings for undergraduates. Protesters began occupying the building hours after the school began suspending students who refused to vacate an on-campus encampment. Another Ivy League school, Cornell University, said Monday it was suspending student protesters who declined to move to an alternate location. Dozens of others were also arrested at UT-Austin, most of whom are not believed to be affiliated with the university, school officials said.

2. Trump trial

The third week of former President Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial will kick off in New York today, with prosecutors expected to continue questioning Michael Cohen’s former banker Gary Farro. Last week, Farro testified about working with Cohen and banking arrangements that were made to pay $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, which is at the center of the case. Farro’s testimony today is expected to get into the documents that detail the paper trail tied to the 34 counts of falsifying business records that Trump faces. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies the alleged affair. Meanwhile, Judge Juan Merchan has yet to rule on whether he’ll hold Trump in contempt for violating a gag order that bars him from talking publicly about trial witnesses, the prosecutors, court staff and their families.

3. Bird flu

The US Department of Agriculture said it is testing beef, including ground beef from grocery stores, for the presence of the H5N1 bird flu virus that is spreading in dairy cattle. The agency is also conducting cooking studies, which will inoculate ground beef with a “virus surrogate” and cook it to different temperatures to see how much virus is killed under each heat setting. The agency sought to quell concerns about consuming beef, saying in a statement Monday that “USDA is confident that the meat supply is safe.” It outlined “multiple safeguards in place” and recommended consumers cook meat to a “safe internal temperature,” which kills bacteria and viruses.

4. Internet bills

More than 23 million US households will be forced to pay hundreds more per year or give up internet access as a key federal aid program runs out of money. Specifically, a federal benefit known as the Affordable Connectivity Program — which covers home internet service for low-income Americans — could end in May. The program is heavily used by Americans over age 50, military veterans and low-income working families nationwide, according to FCC data. Military families account for almost half of the ACP’s subscriber base, according to the White House. President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats have blamed Republicans on Capitol Hill for blocking legislation that would extend the ACP, even as many Republican congressional districts have received millions of dollars from the program.

5. Coal plants

Ministers from the G7 nations have agreed to shut down all their coal plants by 2035 at the latest, a UK minister said on Monday, in what could mark a climate breakthrough. Putting an end date on coal — the most climate-polluting fossil fuel — has been highly controversial at international climate talks, but could ultimately influence other countries to do the same. Japan, which derived 32% of its electricity from coal in 2023, according to the climate think tank Ember, has blocked progress on the issue at past G7 meetings. The development comes less than a week after the EPA announced new rules that will require coal-fired power plants to either capture nearly all of their climate pollution or shut down by 2039.

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Paramount Global ousts CEO Bob Bakish
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TODAY’S NUMBER

10%
That’s the percentage of high school students in the US who regularly partake in vaping, according to the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Now, a new study has found that e-cigarette use among teenagers may increase the risk of exposure to lead and uranium — potentially harming brain and organ development in young people.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“They are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harm’s way to protect us.”

— President Joe Biden, issuing a statement Monday mourning the loss of four officers who were killed in a shooting while attempting to serve a warrant at a home in Charlotte, North Carolina.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Why this luxury Paris apartment is a bargain
A lucky tenant was able to score an apartment in an iconic Paris building for just $800 a month! Watch this video to learn how.

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