In our news wrap Wednesday, a major cybersecurity threat prompted a scramble to protect websites around the world, 1,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes in Toledo, Ohio, following a chemical tank explosion and the Supreme Court is blocking the Trump administration from enforcing new restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender prisoners.
Geoff Bennett:
We start today’s other headlines with a major cybersecurity threat that prompted a scramble today to protect Web sites around the world.Government Web sites were among those temporarily taken offline as officials rushed to install security patches. Others remain offline entirely. At the center of the threat is a vulnerability involving PHP. That’s a programming language used by millions of Web sites.The FBI and National Security Agency warned that hackers could exploit the flaw to take control of Web sites and potentially compromise sensitive information. OpenAI says its artificial intelligence models helped uncover the vulnerabilities.In Toledo, Ohio, roughly 1,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes today following a chemical tank explosion.
Man:
You can literally see the particles flying in the sky.
Geoff Bennett:
The overnight explosion at MC Tank Transport blanketed the surrounding area in a thick fog-like haze. The tank contained a chemical used in some plastics and paints, which officials warned could still pose an explosion risk.Video from today shows a plume continuing to rise from the site. Fears of another explosion have hampered efforts by firefighters and hazardous material crews. Some residents reported burning eyes and irritated throats, though the city’s mayor sought to reassure the public about the potential health risks.Wade Kapszukiewicz (D), Mayor of Toledo, Ohio: There are levels of exposure to something like this that are unpleasant, but not necessarily dangerous to human health.
Geoff Bennett:
Local schools were canceled today, and the Arkansas-based company that runs the site says it’s working with local authorities to ensure the safety of those affected.The U.S. Supreme Court is blocking the Trump administration from enforcing new restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender prisoners. The decision leaves a lower court’s order in place, allowing as many as 1,000 transgender prisoners to continue receiving hormone therapy and other treatments, at least for now.Meantime, Justice Elena Kagan is criticizing her conservative colleagues over a series of rulings she says are weakening American democracy. Speaking at an event in Washington, Kagan pointed to recent decisions on voting rights and campaign finance, among others. She said those rulings have contributed to, in her words, a democracy that does not work as well as it should.The U.S. State Department has ordered nonessential government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, warning that hostilities between Houthi rebels and Saudi forces could escalate rapidly. Just today, Saudi authorities said two people were killed by falling debris from an intercepted drone attack.Meantime, in Southwestern Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi forces released this footage, claiming it shows clashes with Saudi-backed government troops. Aid groups warn the fighting has disrupted water supplies for some three million people, while garbage piles up and basic public services have all but collapsed.
Hisham Al-Mansouri, Taiz Local Council Member (through interpreter):
I developed severe infections because of this garbage. This is a huge disaster. I’m speaking to you as a member of the local council. We’re suffering, and perhaps the people will suffer more than this. The garbage is now close to our neighborhoods.
Geoff Bennett:
Meantime, Riyadh’s international airport partially reopened to domestic flights today following a series of strikes that killed at least 13 people. But major international carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, say they won’t resume service until the middle of next month.Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, New York congressional candidate Brad Lander says he was detained and later released by Israeli forces while helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the West Bank. He posted a video to social media that he filmed while being detained.Brand Lander (D), New York Congressional Candidate: We have been detained by the Israeli military for harvesting olives. And let’s be clear, occupation is a crime under international law. Harvesting olives is not a crime under any law.
Geoff Bennett:
He was later released, but several of the volunteers and American rabbis who were on the bus with him remain in custody. Israeli authorities say the group had not obtained permission for the harvest. The annual olive harvest has been marked by violence, including attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian farmers and their communities.Turning now to Europe, thousands of students and teachers held protests across Greece today calling for education reform after similar demonstrations have gripped France for weeks.(CHANTING)
Geoff Bennett:
In Athens, riot police kept a close watch as demonstrators marched through the streets there. Many expressed solidarity with students in France, where protests have turned violent. President Trump and his allies have blamed Muslim migrants for the unrest in France without offering evidence to support those claims.Speaking to reporters in Doha today, French President Emmanuel Macron pushed back against those accusations.
Emmanuel Macron, French President (through interpreter):
There has been foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath, yes. And that has led to comments that are as unacceptable as they are stupid for many people, including foreign leaders.
Geoff Bennett:
When a reporter asked if that included President Trump, Macron replied, “Among others.”Some encouraging health news from the Vatican today. Doctors for Pope Leo say final tests show he needs no further treatment for lung cancer. The 71-year-old pontiff underwent surgery last week to remove the lower portion of his right lung after doctors discovered a cancerous growth. Leo returned to the Vatican over the weekend and resumed his public appearances today.A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $25 billion in penalties for misleading users about their privacy on Facebook. It’s one of the largest fines ever levied on the company. The fine stems from the 2016 election, when Cambridge Analytica combed Facebook data for targeted political ads. Meta has said it plans to appeal the verdict. Its stock ended higher after the news.Elsewhere on Wall Street today, markets posted solid gains after some solid corporate earnings. The Dow Jones industrial average added 360 points on the day. The Nasdaq jumped more than 1 percent. The S&P 500 rose about half-a-percent.
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