News from around the nation.

Ukraine launches the biggest attack on Moscow in years; Trump signs his interim agreement with Iran and says only stupid people are critical of the deal; A pre-apprenticeship program in New York State helps the clean-energy workforce grow; California postal union works to save post office locations; Texas Community Health Centers now address primary and behavioral care.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Ukraine launched what appeared to be its largest attack on the city since the Kremlin invaded more than four years ago.

NBC notes waves of Ukrainian drones hit a major refinery in Moscow for the second time this week.

And President Trump lashed out a criticism over the terms of his interim U.S.-Iran peace deal, saying those who think he hasn't done enough on Tehran are either jealous, bad people, or stupid.

CNBC notes his comments came shortly after the U.S. and the Iranian president signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire, including in Lebanon, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Meantime, New York State's clean energy workforce is continuing to grow.

The Pathways to Apprenticeships Clean Energy Program connects people from low-income communities with union apprenticeship programs.

Sagan Subrian Aziz was part of the inaugural class this year.

Beyond the workforce skills, he says it allowed him to better understand climate change and its impacts.

It gave me an opportunity to understand and to see what so many people are talking about, but how I can myself get the gainful knowledge and information that I need to speak to others about it and maybe we can make a change.

For now, he wants to work with the Iron Workers Union, but is looking to work as a contractor long term.

I'm Edwin J. Viera.

And Postal Workers Union leaders are rallying communities to help save 25 post office locations in California that have suspended operations and could close permanently.

More than 414 locations nationwide are currently on the U.S. Postal Service suspension list and hundreds more have closed in recent years.

Sarah Wilson is president of Local 960 with the American Postal Workers Union.

She says the USPS has reopened multiple locations after communities campaigned on their behalf.

As of today, I can smile.

The two offices that were about to lose their lease, Shingletown and Shasta, have a brand new lease.

They're safe.

On the 10th of October, the Klamath River Post Office reopened.

USPS guidelines say local post offices may suspend operations if there's a natural disaster, if the office is severely damaged, if there aren't enough staff, or if there are problems with the lease.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

Next, Community Health Centers serve as more than just a place to see a doc in many places in Texas over the last few years.

They've also started addressing the demand for behavioral health services by integrating it into primary care appointments.

Lance Kelly with Waco Family Medicine said they've been using the practice for about 10 years.

There is oftentimes built-in trust with the primary care team.

And one of the things that the paper highlights is how essential warm handoffs are.

The primary care clinician connecting the patient with the behavioral health provider.

More than 700 centers across the state provide primary and preventive care to patients in underserved areas.

This is Public News Service.

Nearly 69 million Americans receive social security benefits, including more than 2 million in Michigan.

A new trustee support warns Congress has less than a decade to address a projected funding shortfall before automatic benefit cuts could take effect.

The report projects the combined Social Security trust funds will be able to pay full-scheduled benefits until 2034.

Bill Sweeney, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at AARP, says a reduction in benefits could have ripple effects across the state.

If Congress doesn't fix this, if Congress allows an automatic cut to go into effect, It would be absolutely devastating for the $53 billion that Social Security contributes to Michigan's economy every year.

But Sweeney still remains optimistic.

He notes Congress has never allowed Social Security to miss a payment in the program's more than 90-year history.

And while the report projects a future funding shortfall, he says there is still time to act.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Checking the calendar, it's been 40 years since Congress made major changes to Social Security.

And activists and civil society organizations say the Trump administration is manipulating the trade agenda by putting the interest of billionaires and corporations ahead of working people in North America.

The cross-border days of solidarity against a rigged trade rally is planned this weekend in El Paso, part of a series of educational events at the border.

Organizations say the meeting is planned ahead of the pending renegotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement trade deal.

Kathleen Stout, a retired political science professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, says previous agreements brought wealth to the businesses, but not necessarily the workers.

My special interest is in border inequalities, because the more that we can reduce inequalities at borders, the less exploitation there will be.

The U.S.-Mexico border was in the 40 most unequal borders in the entire world.

I'm Mark Richardson.

Finally, our Nadia Ramlagan lets us know that outcry continues across the state of Ohio after FBI agents raided the offices of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative last week, the group that runs the largest voter registration program in the state.

The agents took documents, equipment, and questioned staff members, explains Caitlin Johnson, Senior Communications Director at Innovation Ohio.

Johnson says over the past few years, there's been a troubling trend of statewide efforts aimed at silencing voters.

Whether it's through gerrymandering the districts to draw black and brown people out of power and influence or, you know, purging people from the rolls or now these new potential amendments that will be on the ballot.

This fall, Ohioans will decide on a constitutional amendment that would require photo ID to vote.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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