Thursday morning news: March 2, 2023

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Up next, Kent Covington with the news.

Havana syndrome » American intelligence agencies say they cannot tie suspected sonic attacks against US diplomats to Russia, China, or any adversary. In fact, they’re not even sure that the incidents were sonic attacks. That’s according to a new intel assessement of so-called “Havana Syndrome” cases.

But State Dept. spokesman Ned Price told reporters:

PRICE: The book is never fully closed. We are going to, as a government, going to continue to look at every single input and every source of information that is available to us.

Starting in 2016 in Havana, Cuba, workers at American embassies around the world complained of headaches… dizziness… and buzzing and humming in their ears.

Last year, intelligence officials said the symptoms were consistent with a focused energy weapon. But they have since found no evidence that any US adversary possesses such a weapon. And they now say there could be a wide array of explanations for the symptoms.

COVID origins » Intel agencies also still don’t know for sure where exactly COVID-19 came from. But FBI Director Christopher Wray said his agency does not believe it came from a bat.

WRAY: The FBI has for some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.

In the wake of a Wall Street Journal story which reported that the Department of Energy shares that view … the White House insists that there’s no consensus among US agencies.

But the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Marco Rubio, says we’ll probably never know for certain.

RUBIO: This is all going to be circumstantial. It’s doubtful we’ll ever have a smoking gun because, frankly, China’s a closed society. They’re not gonna put that stuff out there.

Christopher Wray also said China seems to be doing everything in its power to thwart the search for answers.

Greece train » The Greek government is investigating a deadly rail accident that killed at least 43 people.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the site Wednesday.

MITSOTAKIS (Greek): I have already asked for the formation of an independent committee of experts, which will fully investigate the causes of the accident.

A passenger train carrying roughly 350 passengers when it collided head-on with a freight train late Tuesday night.

Authorities arrested a 59-year-old stationmaster … and charged him with manslaughter in connection to the crash.

The Greek transportation minister also resigned Wednesday saying the country’s rail system has not been properly maintained.

Senators introduce rail safety bill » Meantime, in eastern Ohio, executives with the company that operates the rail line where a train spilled its toxic cargo last month … will get an earful from residents today.

EPA regional administrator Debra Shore said Wednesday …

SHORE: At EPA’s request and per EPA’s order, Norfolk Southern will attend tomorrow’s town hall.

Cleanup continues in the town of East Palestine. Gov. Mike DeWine told residents:

DEWINE: We’re here. We’re with you, and we’re going to continue to work to get the job done.

And on Capitol Hill, a bipartisan group of senators has unveiled a bill that would install a series of new safety regulations for rail companies like Norfolk Southern.

But even before Congress acts, regulators plan to step up inspections of the tracks that carry the most hazardous materials.

Senate 401k rule » The Senate has passed a bill that would keep so-called ESG investment policies away from 401-K retirement funds in the U-S.

ESG stands for “environmental, social, and corporate governance.” It has to do with a company’s perceived ethics … something conservatives have dubbed “woke capitalism.

The U-S Labor Department under President Biden ruled that 401-K managers could consider ESG when deciding where to invest Americans’ retirement money.

White House Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

JEAN-PIERRE - This is unacceptable to the President, and that is why he will veto this bill if it does come to his desk.

The bill passed the Republican-controlled house on Tuesday… and Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana voted with Republicans to pass it in the Senate.

California Snow » They’re shoveling snow in Flagstaff, Arizona this morning.

A winter front could dump as much as 2 feet of snow on the northern part of the state.

Officials closed schools and even some interstate highways.

David Roth with the National Weather Service said winter weather will impact most of the lower 48 states.

ROTH: The system is going to be moving generally east-northeast and fairly fast. So it’s going to cross the country in a few days.

Meantime, in Northern California, emergency crews have been scrambling since Wednesday to shuttle food and medicine to mountain communities stranded … after back-to-back winter storms. Some residents that their roofs caved in under the weight of the snow … while others say they can barely see out their windows.

I'm Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org.

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