Michael Simms: Round-up of top stories in the news

Maryland’s state legislature has passed a ban on fracking which, with the blessing of the Republican governor, is expected to be signed into law any day now. This twist shows fracking is not a partisan issue and puts pressure on leaders of both parties to work together to protect our communities and to oppose fracking. [see complete story in Food and Water Watch]

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House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) is refusing to step aside from the panel’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, despite growing calls for him to do so in the wake of revelations that he secretly visited the White House the day before he announced President Donald Trump’s transition team may have been incidentally surveilled by U.S. intelligence agencies. [ Common Dreams]

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Officials in New York, California and elsewhere say they’ll fight Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ move to cut off billions in federal grant money to cities that don’t share the Trump administration’s strict approach to enforcing immigration laws. “The Trump Administration is pushing an unrealistic and mean spirited executive order,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted Monday night. “If they want a fight, we’ll see them in court.” [NPR]

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Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass), Environment and Public Works Committee member, says that President Trump’s executive order rolling back EPA regulations is a “declaration of war.” [MSNBC]

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After decades of constant increases, the consumption of electricity in many European countries is going down. Coupled with the rise in the use of renewable energy, this has cut carbon emissions faster than expected, renewing hope for a solution to global climate change. [Climate News Network]

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For thousands of years, people have claimed that eating rosemary spice quickens the mind. Now researchers have discovered scientific evidence that a half-teaspoon of dried rosemary can indeed improve cognitive function. [NutritionFacts]

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Thousands turned out for demonstrations across Russia on Sunday, protesting corruption and railing against the government of President Vladimir Putin. It was the largest show of defiance since a 2011-2012 wave of demonstrations rattled the Kremlin and led to harsh new laws aimed at suppressing dissent. Hundreds were arrested, including Alexei Navalny, the anti-corruption campaigner who is Putin’s most prominent critic. [CBS News]