MedicalXpress - Researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China recently carried out a study investigating the potential link between long-term exposure to green spaces in proximity of one's home and two of the most common mental health disorders: depression and anxiety. Their findings, published in Nature Mental Health, suggest that living close to parks and green areas can reduce the risk of becoming depressed and experiencing anxiety. "Our research interest is environmental epidemiology, which mainly focuses on the impacts of environmental exposure, such as greenery and air pollutants, on human health," Yaohua Tian, co-author of the paper, told Medical Xpress. "There seems to be a consensus regarding green space on the fact that greenness can reduce stress and improve mood. However, this was just an idea rooted in our minds, and we were not clear about whether there is scientific evidence to support it."
April 23, 2024
Trump
Independent - The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York appeared unconvinced with his attorney’s defence against allegations that the former president repeatedly and willfully violated a gag order that prevents him from attacking witnesses. Manhattan prosecutors have accused Mr Trump of at least 10 different posts on his Truth Social platform and campaign website targeting Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels – likely witnesses in the so-called hush money trial underway in a Manhattan courtroom.
Defence attorney Todd Blanche has argued that Mr Trump’s posts were responding to “political” attacks but failed to offer up any examples of what, exactly, Mr Trump was responding to.
“You presented nothing,” New York Justice Juan Merchan, growing increasingly frustrated with Mr Blanche’s defence, said at the conclusion of an hour-long hearing on Tuesday. “You’re losing all credibility, I’ll tell you that right now,” he added
Jon Cooper - Not a single member of Trump’s family — not Melania, not Ivanka, not Don
Jr, not Eric, not Tiffany — has bothered to show up at his criminal
trial to show their support.
AP News - Donald Trump tried to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election by preventing damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public, a prosecutor told jurors Monday at the start of the former president’s historic hush money trial. “This was a planned, long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election, to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal expenditures to silence people who had something bad to say about his behavior,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said. “It was election fraud, pure and simple.” A defense lawyer countered by assailing the case as baseless and attacking the integrity of the onetime Trump confidant who’s now the government’s star witness. “President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes. The Manhattan district attorney’s office should never have brought this case,” attorney Todd Blanche said.
Polling update
2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE: BIDEN VS. TRUMP
Most recent five poll average: Biden leads by 1% ... Last June: Tie
2024 RACE: BIDEN VS TRUMP & OTHERS
Most recent five poll average: Biden leads by 1% a first for him
BIDEN APPROVAL RATING Most recent five poll average 42% - 7% below 2023 high, 3% above 2023 low
TRUMP APPROVAL RATING: Most recent five poll average 42%, Tied with Biden
Politics
Joe Biden Has Stunning 9-Point Lead Over Donald Trump Among Actual Voters
New York voters support ranked choice voting by a margin of greater than 2 to 1 in new poll
Republicans Are Suing for the Right To Harass Election Workers
NBC News - Pennsylvania primaries: A key contest in the fight for
control of the Senate, a moderate Republican put to the test and a
district where the war in Gaza is front and center. Here’s what to watch for in the Pennsylvania primaries.
