[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE MAJORITY OF RENTERS SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING HOMEOWNERS DISAPPEARING ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK HOUSING SURVEY.  THEY’LL NEVER BECOME HOMEOWNERS.

THE RESULTS SHOW – JUST SHY OF 75% OF RENTERS VIEW OBTAINING A MORTGAGE AS “SOMEWHAT OR VERY DIFFICULT” – NEARLY 8 AND A HALF PERCENT  INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR – WHICH THE NEW YORK FED CLASSIFIED AS A SERIES LOW.

ONLY 13-PERCENT OF RENTERS BELIEVE THEY’LL OWN A HOME ONE DAY.

THE SURVEY ALSO SHOWS – ATTITUDES REMAIN “STRONGLY POSITIVE” WHEN VIEWING REAL ESTATE AS AN INVESTMENT – AS JUST OVER 67-PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SAID BUYING PROPERTY IN THEIR ZIP CODE WAS A “VERY GOOD” OR “SOMEWHAT GOOD” INVESTMENT A SLIGHT DECLINE FROM PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY HAS SOMEWHAT IMPROVED SINCE LAST SUMMER.

THE MEDIAN PRICE FOR AN EXISTING FAMILY HOME IS JUST OVER $388-THOUSAND DOLLARS ($388,700) – DOWN FROM JUNE 2023’S HIGHER MEDIAN PRICE OF $415-THOUSAND DOLLARS, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS’ HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INDEX. THE AVERAGE MONTHLY HOUSING PAYMENT WAS $2,040 THAT REPORT SHOWED.

THE FED SURVEY, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED IN FEBRUARY FOUND – RESPONDENTS EXPECT HOUSING PRICES TO INCREASE BY MORE THAN 5 PERCENT AND RENTAL COSTS TO INCREASE BY NEARLY 10 PERCENT OVER THE NEXT YEAR. 

EVEN THOUGH THE FED IS EXPECTED TO CUT INTEREST RATES BY THE END OF THIS YEAR – SURVEY RESPONDENTS BELIEVE MORTGAGE RATES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE TO 8.7-PERCENT A YEAR FROM NOW AND 9.7-PERCENT IN THREE YEARS.

HOMEOWNERS ARE LOOKING TO STAY PUT IF THEY’VE LOCKED IN A LOW MORTGAGE RATE. THE NEW YORK FED SAYS FEW U-S HOMEOWNERS ARE PLANNING TO MOVE IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND MOVING RATES ARE CURRENTLY LOW THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. RATES WERE ALREADY BELOW 10-PERCENT IN 2019 – WHEREAS THEY HOVERED AROUND 20-PERCENT, ON AVERAGE, IN THE 1980S.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEW, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

IF YOU WANT MORE STORIES JUST LIKE THIS ONE – BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MOBILE APP.

[KARAH RUCKER]

13 U-S FEDERAL JUDGES ARE TAKING A STANCE AGAINST COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY FOR ITS HANDLING OF CAMPUS PROTESTS.

VOWING NOT TO HIRE ANY FUTURE STUDENTS OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BEGINNING WITH THE 2024 FRESHMAN CLASS.

IN A LETTER TO SCHOOL LEADERS, THE JUDGES EXPRESSED THEIR LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE INSTITUTION. 

LABELING THE SCHOOL AN “INCUBATOR OF BIGOTRY.”

CITING WHAT THEY SEE AS A SURGE IN DISRUPTIONS, ANTISEMITISM AND HATRED FOR DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS ON CAMPUSES NATIONWIDE SINCE OCTOBER.

THE JUDGES LAID OUT THREE DEMANDS FOR THE UNIVERSITY TO RECLAIM ITS REPUTATION.

THEY INSISTED THERE BE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CAMPUS DISRUPTIONS, NEUTRALITY WHEN PROTECTING FREE SPEECH, AND DIVERSIFYING VIEWPOINTS AMONG FACULTY AND STAFF.

THE LETTER CONCLUDED BY SAYING THE OBJECTIVE OF THE BOYCOTT “IS NOT TO HAMPER ACADEMIC FREEDOM, BUT TO RESTORE IT AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.”

DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST ISRAEL AND THE ONGOING WAR IN GAZA SPREAD TO DOZENS OF UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY– LEADING TO CLASHES BETWEEN PRO-PALESTINIAN AND PRO-ISRAELI PROTESTERS. 

AT COLUMBIA, AN ENCAMPMENT FORMED ON THE MAIN CAMPUS.

FOLLOWED BY THE TEMPORARY OCCUPATION OF A CAMPUS BUILDING LAST WEEK LEADING TO MORE THAN 100 ARRESTS.

THE 13 JUDGES — ALL OF WHOM WERE APPOINTED BY FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP — ARE PART OF A LARGER BODY OF NEARLY 900 FEDERAL JUDGES.

THEIR ANNUAL HIRING FOR PRESTIGIOUS CLERKSHIPS ADDS WEIGHT TO THEIR BOYCOTT.

THE JUDGES BOYCOTT DREW MIXED REACTIONS.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGAL INSURRECTION FOUNDATION AND FOUNDER OF EQUAL PROTECT-DOT-ORG TOLD FOX NEWS–

HE QUESTIONED JUDICIAL INVOLVEMENT IN SUCH MATTERS OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM.

BUT AGREED WITH THEM ON SUBSTANCE.

A U-C-L-A LAW PROFESSOR WROTE IN AN OPINION PIECE ON REASON: 

MY VIEW IS THAT WE SHOULDN’T THREATEN INNOCENT NEUTRALS AS A MEANS OF INFLUENCING THE CULPABLE.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HAS YET TO RESPOND TO THE LETTER.

FOR MORE UP-TO-THE-MINUTE COVERAGE OF THESE CAMPUS PROTESTS AS WELL AS THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

UKRAINIAN COUNTERINTELLIGENCE STOPPED AN ALLEGED PLOT BY RUSSIA’S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY ALONG WITH OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THE PLOT WAS DIRECTED FROM MOSCOW AND INVOLVED TWO COLONELS IN UKRAINE’S STATE SECURITY DEPARTMENT, WHO REPORTEDLY PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION TO THE RUSSIAN FSB.

ACCORDING TO UKRAINE’S SECURITY SERVICE THE PLOT INCLUDED PLANNED MISSILE AND DRONE STRIKES ON LOCATIONS FREQUENTED BY PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY. ONE SUSPECT WAS ALLEGEDLY FOUND WITH TWO DRONES AND EXPLOSIVES, INTENDED FOR USE IN THE ATTACK.

THIS IS ONE OF NUMEROUS REPORTED ATTEMPTS ON PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY’S LIFE SINCE THE RUSSIAN INVASION. ZELENSKYY CLAIMED IN 2022 THERE HAD BEEN AT LEAST 10 ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS SINCE THE START OF THE WAR– A WAR THAT IS NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR.

THE TWO COLONELS FROM THE UKRAINIAN SECURITY FORCE WERE ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF TREASON — ONE SUSPECT WAS CHARGED WITH ASSISTING IN PLANNING A TERRORIST ACT. BOTH FACE LIFE IN PRISON.

STAY UP TO THE MINUTE WITH THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN UKRAINE BY DOWNLOADING THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.

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[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A U.S. SOLDIER WAS DETAINED IN RUSSIA ON CRIMINAL CHARGES LAST WEEK — ACCORDING TO ARMY OFFICIALS.

OFFICIALS SAY THE SOLDIER — IDENTIFIED AS STAFF SERGEANT GORDON D. BLACK — IS BEING ACCUSED OF THEFT.

BLACK’S MOTHER SAYS HE WAS VISITING HIS GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST.

ACCORDING TO THE ARMY — BLACK WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SWITCHING STATIONS FROM SOUTH KOREA TO TEXAS —

WHEN HE TRAVELED TO RUSSIA ON HIS OWN, WITHOUT OFFICIAL PERMISSION.

THIS INCIDENT COMES AS TENSIONS CONTINUE OVER OTHER DETAINED AMERICANS IN RUSSIA, INCLUDING FORMER MARINE PAUL WHELAN AND JOURNALIST EVAN GERSHKOVICH — BOTH ARE BEING HELD ON ESPIONAGE CHARGES.

GERSHKOVICH’S TRIAL IS SET FOR JUNE 30TH.

THE U-S CONTINUES TO ADVISE CITIZENS AGAINST TRAVEL TO RUSSIA DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

BOEING’S STARLINER SPACECRAFT FACED ANOTHER SETBACK MONDAY NIGHT — AS A PLANNED LAUNCH WAS HALTED —

DUE TO A VALVE ISSUE IN THE ROCKET JUST HOURS BEFORE LIFTOFF.

THE TWO VETERAN ASTRONAUTS ON BOARD WERE PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF WHEN THE LAUNCH WAS CALLED OFF.

THIS TEST FLIGHT MARKS BOEING’S FIRST MANNED MISSION — INTENDED TO FERRY THE ASTRONAUTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

NASA AND BOEING ARE NOW TARGETING A NEW DATE — NO EARLIER THAN FRIDAY TO TRY AGAIN.

HOWEVER IF A VALVE REPLACEMENT IS NEEDED, THE LAUNCH MAY BE DELAYED FURTHER.

[JACK AYLMER]

RON DESANTIS HAS A BEEF WITH MAN-MADE MEAT.

THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR MADE HIS STATE THE FIRST TO BAN LAB-GROWN MEAT LAST WEEK.

SIGNING THE BAN INTO LAW…

AND DECLARED.

[GOV. RON DESANTIS]

“TAKE YOUR FAKE LAB-GROWN MEAT ELSEWHERE… WE’RE NOT DOING THAT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.”

[JACK AYLMER]

BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS LAB-GROWN MEAT?

IT’S A MEAT ALTERNATIVE MADE FROM ANIMAL STEM CELLS CULTIVATED IN A LAB.

IT MIMICS THE TASTE AND TEXTURE OF CONVENTIONAL MEAT.

THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM SEES IT AS THE FUTURE.

AND SO DOES NEW FLORIDA RESIDENT JEFF BEZOS.

THE THIRD RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD IS INVESTING MILLIONS IN ITS DEVELOPMENT.

ADVOCATES SAY IT WILL REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

PROMOTES ANIMAL WELFARE AND WOULD HELP SOLVE FOOD INSECURITY…

AS THE WORLD POPULATION GROWS.

HEALTH ADVOCATES ALSO SAY IT REDUCES THE RISK OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS.

WHILE SOME BELIEVE LAB-GROWN MEAT COULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE FOOD INDUSTRY, OTHERS LIKE DESANTIS, ARGUE IT THREATENS TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE.

DESANTIS CLAIMS IT’S AN ATTEMPT BY ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO BLAME CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE CATTLE INDUSTRY.

SIMILAR DEBATES ARE BREWING IN OTHER STATES LIKE ALABAMA, ARIZONA AND TENNESSEE, WHERE BILLS BANNING LAB-GROWN MEAT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION.

LAB GROWN MEAT STILL FACES CHALLENGES, INCLUDING TASTE, SAFETY AND AFFORDABILITY.

WHILE THE FDA HAS DEEMED IT SAFE TO EAT, CRITICS REMAIN UNCONVINCED.

AS FOR AVAILABILITY, LAB-GROWN MEAT IS NOT YET ON SUPERMARKET SHELVES IN THE U.S.

WITH SALES LIMITED TO SELECT RESTAURANTS.

[KARAH RUCKER]

SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS OF VERMONT ANNOUNCED HE’S RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION THIS YEAR

SANDERS, A SELF-DESCRIBED DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST –

HAS EASILY WON THREE TERMS IN DEEP BLUE TERRITORY –

HIS MOST RECENT VICTORY  WAS BY A 40 POINT MARGIN.

SO HE’S LIKELY – TO WIN OVER HIS STATE AGAIN COME NOVEMBER.

WHILE HE’S WELL KNOWN FOR HIS PROGRESSIVE TAKES ON CAPITOL HILL.

BERNIE SANDERS IS ALSO KNOWN – FOR HIS AGE.

CURRENTLY 82. AND IF RE-ELECTED – HE’LL BE 88 AT THE END OF HIS NEXT TERM.

SANDERS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST SENATORS IN CONGRESS –

SECOND ONLY TO REPUBLICAN SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY OF IOWA.

WHO IS 90 YEARS OLD – WILL BE 95 AT THE END OF HIS CURRENT TERM –

AND WHO HAS ALREADY FILED PAPERWORK TO RUN AGAIN IN 2028.

MEANING IF RE-ELECTED – HE WOULD BE OVER 100 YEARS OLD SERVING OUT A NINTH TERM. 

AMERICAN VOTERS – OVERWHELMINGLY CLAIM TO WANT AGE LIMITS FOR LAWMAKERS.

EVEN THOUGH THEY KEEP RE-ELECTING ELDERLY CONGRESS MEMBERS.

ACCORDING TO PEW RESEARCH –

87 PERCENT OF ADULTS ARE IN FAVOR OF TERM LIMITS. 

AND 79% ARE IN FAVOR FOR AGE LIMITS ON ELECTED OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON.

WHILE YOU’VE GOT OLDER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS –

YOU’VE ALSO GOT TWO MEN ABOVE THE AGE OF 75 RUNNING FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

WHICH IS ALSO A CONCERN FOR NEARLY 60% (59%) OF VOTERS.

SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS – FROM BOTH MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES –

HAVE LISTENED TO AMERICANS’ CONCERNS OVER AGE.

REPUBLICAN MITT ROMNEY ANNOUNCED HE’S STEPPING DOWN TO ALLOW FOR YOUNGER LEADERSHIP.

AND DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE JIM CLYBURN OF SOUTH CAROLINA ALSO ANNOUNCED HE’S STEPPING DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR A YOUNGER GENERATION.

A CONCERN FOR A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS RIGHT NOW –

IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

AN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THAT JUST KEEPS ADVANCING –

AND THE CONGRESS MEMBER TASKED WITH REGULATING IT –

IS 73 YEAR OLD DON BEYER.

THE AVERAGE AGE OF OUR CONGRESS IS 58 YEARS OLD.

GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD – AVERAGE AROUND 50.

[JACK AYLMER]

WIND ENERGY IS GETTING EVEN GREENER. 

ONCE THE TURBINES ARE UP AND SPINNING, THEY GENERATE ALMOST ZERO POLLUTION.

BUT, BUILDING THEM CAN STILL BE A FAIRLY CARBON INTENSIVE PROCESS.

THE SOLUTION: WOOD.

IT COSTS LESS, IS EASIER TO DISPOSE OF, AND WILL CREATE FEWER EMISSIONS.

THE IDEA IS ALREADY BEING TESTED OUT. 

REPLACING THE STEEL TRADITIONALLY USED IN TURBINES COULD MAKE CONSTRUCTING THEM MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.

FOR EVERY TON OF STEEL MANUFACTURED, ALMOST TWO TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE ARE EMITTED. 

THE AVERAGE U.S. WIND TURBINE REQUIRES NEARLY 400 TONS OF THIS METAL TO CREATE-

MEANING EACH ONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AROUND 800 TONS OF CO2 POLLUTION BEFORE THEY EVEN START PRODUCING ENERGY.

THOSE EMISSIONS ARE EQUIVALENT TO BURNING ALMOST A MILLION POUNDS OF COAL FOR EVERY TURBINE BUILT. 

AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS DON’T END ONCE THESE WIND FARMS ARE BUILT.

RETIRING TURBINES IS ALSO A CHALLENGE.  

BY 2050, INDUSTRY EXPERTS PREDICT THE WORLD WILL BE DEALING WITH 50 MILLION TONS OF DECOMMISSIONED FIBERGLASS TURBINE BLADES.

-MATERIAL THAT’S NOT EASY TO RECYCLE.

ENERGY COMPANIES IN GERMANY AND SWEDEN ARE PUTTING WOOD TO WORK. 

JUST LIKE HOW TREES ABSORB CARBON, THEY’RE PROVING THAT USING WOOD CAN STORE MORE OF THIS POLLUTION THAN THE TURBINES EMIT.

GERMANY recently ANNOUNCED THE FIRST EVER REAL INSTALLATION OF ITS WOOD-BASED BLADES ON A WIND TURBINE AT AN OPERATIONAL FARM. 

AND SWEDEN USED SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS TO BUILD THE WORLD’S TALLEST WOODEN TURBINE TOWER LAST YEAR.

THESE MANUFACTURES SAY THAT USING A WOOD SUBSTITUTE CAN HELP CUT DOWN ON 90 PERCENT OF THE EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING A TURBINE. 

IT ALSO MAKES THEM MUCH EASIER TO RECYCLE, WITH SOME OF THE WOODEN BLADES BEING COMPLETELY BIODEGRADABLE.

ALL WHILE CUTTING COSTS ON BUILDING MATERIALS BY UP TO 20 PERCENT.

BENEFITS THAT WILL BE MUCH NEEDED AS WIND ENERGY IS SET TO GROW EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE NEXT THREE DECADES. 

MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE U.S. AND HALF OF EUROPE ARE EXPECTED TO BE POWERED BY TURBINES COME 2050. 

JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.