
RFK Jr.'s Moves Gut Vaccine Infrastructure, Fired Advisers Say
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to overhaul a key committee on vaccine policy has left the country's vaccine infrastructure 'critically weakened,' former members of the group said in a piece published in JAMA on Monday.
Last week, the health secretary dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, before appointing eight new members, several of whom are vocal vaccine critics. The abruptness of the terminations undermines the committee, the fired members say, in a rare public letter decrying the government's actions.
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Down to the wire if you haven't returned your Special Election ballot
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The deadline for Colorado Springs' Special election is coming up on Tuesday, June 17. All Ballots are due by 7.p.m. on Tuesday. 'The most important thing is if you want to have a voice. We all know everybody has an opinion because we hear it all the time, right? So, the way to make it really heard is to vote that ballot,' said Sarah Johnson, the City Clerk for Colorado Springs. There is only one question on this ballot, and that is whether to give the go-ahead to the city to approve the Karman Line annexation, which would add 1,800 acres of land west of Schriever Space Force Base. The annexation has plans to have 6,5000 home built on the new land. The deadline for mail-in ballots has passed, but you can still drop yours off at any of the City's drop box locations. You can also track the ballot counts as they come in on the City's website. Some in the community have reported that their ballot envelope came pre-sealed. The city thinks that the humid weather lately may have caused the glue to melt. Officials recommend taping the envelope shut or mailing it in an envelope of your own, you just need to make sure that you sign the back so they can verify that it is your ballot. 'We verify signatures. That's how we know that you actually cast that ballot, and that's how we do it. It's based upon the signature on your voter registration file, which could be the last time you got your driver's license… It can be the last time you voted,' Johnson said. 'There's a series of signature images to compare to… So cutting up the envelope will have absolutely no effect to how we can verify that signature.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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32 minutes ago
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Column: Is this the beginning of the end for Tesla?
It was always difficult to understand the odd-couple relationship of U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Trump has made it clear that he wants to cut support for electric vehicles, if not generally reduce environmental protections, and Musk owns a company that builds electric cars. Someday, those opposing forces would come to a head, and the only loser would be Tesla. Business and politics mix like oil and water. They eventually separate, and in the Trump-Musk scenario, rather dramatically. Sign up for Automotive News Canada's weekly podcast newsletter for a lively and in-depth discussion of the biggest stories. While Musk was busy angering his liberal customer base by aligning with Trump in the most visible manner possible as the chainsaw-wielding head of the Department of Government Efficiency, the leaders of other auto companies were largely out of the news and focused on battling Trump's tariffs. What they were not doing was making their brands unpopular. Tesla gained a cult-like following partly because Musk was seen as a rebel, but, as we've witnessed, the potential volatility cuts both ways. Interest in Tesla among Canadians with intentions of buying an electric vehicle has fallen to 13 per cent from 29 a year ago, according to the J.D. Power 2025 Canada Electric Vehicle Consideration Study, released May 29. The survey, detailed in a separate story, doesn't get into the reasons Canadians are turning their backs on Tesla, but Musk's politics — and saying Canada isn't a real country — are likely the key driver. In one fell swoop, Musk became a pariah, and Tesla is paying the price. Aside from public protests, several provinces removed Tesla from their EV rebate programs, and Ottawa froze Incentives for Zero Emission Vehicle (iZEV) payments as it investigated the validity of a large number of last-minute Tesla rebate claims. Before the Musk-Trump bromance, people would buy Teslas, seemingly no matter how good or bad the vehicle was, because of Musk. Now, no matter how good or bad the vehicle is, they're less likely to buy because of Musk. It's all so unnecessary. The lesson, which most people in business know, is don't mix in politics. Regardless of whether that's seen as commonplace or even expected in the Trump orbit, the obvious problem is that sharply divisive politics can make permanent enemies out of customers. Musk, in aligning with Trump, had everything to lose and little to gain. Trump for years has openly berated EVs, so it's not like his supporters would be suddenly swayed by the tacky and now-infamous Tesla sales pitch on the White House lawn. And since the Trump-Musk relationship has soured, reports that Trump will sell his Tesla are bound to undo any inroads made. (Not to mention Musk's vilification of Trump on X, formerly Twitter.) So all Musk managed to do was alienate droves of customers and potential customers who feel, well, wronged. The danger for Tesla is that customers don't need the drama or misery (what will Musk do next?) when there are excellent EV alternatives, whether the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Kia EV6 or Hyundai Ioniq 5. According to the J.D. Power survey, Hyundai was the top brand, with 36 per cent of Canadian EV shoppers interested, while Kia, Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet rounded out the top five. It's hard to fathom how Musk, an intelligent individual, did not see this coming. Perhaps he was too disconnected from the car business or that, in his mind, he could do no wrong. Regardless, damage control seems impossible, raising the question of whether Tesla can be pulled from the fire. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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32 minutes ago
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Trump approves US Steel-Nippon merger
This story was originally published on Manufacturing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Manufacturing Dive newsletter. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday approving Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel, with the companies promising $11 billion in new investments by 2028. The deal includes an initial investment in a new site that would be completed after 2028, according to U.S. Steel's June 13 press release. The companies have completed the Department of Justice's review process. With all regulatory approvals finished, they said the deal is 'expected to be finalized promptly.' As part of the regulatory approval, the two companies have agreed to sign a national security agreement with the federal government. U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding what the new project will entail or its value. 'This partnership will bring a massive investment that will support our communities and families for generations to come,' Nippon and U.S. Steel said in a joint statement. 'We look forward to putting our commitments into action to make American steelmaking and manufacturing great again.' The merger would retain and create more than 100,000 jobs, according to a study by Parker Strategy Group commissioned by U.S. Steel. Additionally, the agreement involves other commitments related to domestic production commitments, trade and the granting of veto power to the U.S. government in the form of 'golden shares.' The veto power will allow the U.S. government to oversee key decisions to any changes to the company. Nippon initially announced plans to acquire U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion in December 2023, but faced opposition from the Biden administration. Then-President Joe Biden blocked the deal in January, citing national security concerns and a negative impact on domestic steel production. Trump previously opposed the acquisition, saying he would block the deal. The president, however, revived talk of the deal in April, when he ordered the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review the proposal. Last month, Trump announced he supported the deal, calling it a 'planned partnership.' The United Steelworkers have also voiced their opposition to the merger. The labor union said Sunday it had not received a copy of the agreement between U.S. Steel, Nippon and the federal government. USW said it's disappointed that Trump reversed course, saying the merger could jeopardize 'the future of American steelmaking.' The union added that Nippon refused to promise USW to not transfer production from any of U.S. Steel's facilities in the country. 'It is left to be seen whether the president's 'golden share' and stated 51 percent control prevents Nippon from doing what has been clear it would do since December of 2023.' USW said in a statement. 'Those that ignore the threat, do so at their own peril. The focus of the International union has always been about protecting the members' job security and employment.' USW's labor agreement with U.S. Steel expires Sept. 1, 2026. The union said it's prepared to engage with Nippon to obtain 'a fair contract, one that maintains our existing facilities and recognizes the decades of contributions to the profitability of the company by USW members.' Recommended Reading Trump to increase steel, aluminum tariffs to 50% Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data