National News - Page 95

Dissents from the bench: A Supreme Court tradition missing during Covid

By Joan Biskupic The Covid pandemic deprived the Supreme Court of its courtroom for oral arguments, its intimate conference room for deliberations and, as is evident these days, the bench where dissenting justices can vent. At the end of each Supreme Court session, individual justices on the losing side of a case often find that a written dissent is not enough. They feel compelled to read excerpts from the tall mahogany bench and rhetorically grab courtroom spectators by the collar to convince them of the majority’s wrongheadedness. History unfolds on these occasions, as when Justice Sonia Sotomayor gave voice to her experience

Bill Cosby is a free man after Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturns sex assault conviction

By Ray Sanchez, Sonia Moghe and Kristina Sgueglia Bill Cosby was released from prison Wednesday after Pennsylvania’s highest court overturned his sexual assault conviction, saying the disgraced actor’s due process rights were violated. The stunning decision in the case of the man once known as “America’s Dad” reverses the first high-profile celebrity criminal trial of the #MeToo era. The panel of Pennsylvania State Supreme Court judges said in their opinion that a former Montgomery County district attorney’s decision to not prosecute Cosby in 2005 in return for his deposition in a civil case was ultimately used against him at trial.

Rise of Delta variant brings mask question back, even for the vaccinated

By Maggie Fox Nearly all the staff at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health are vaccinated against Covid-19. Yet they are all still wearing masks to work. These researchers, who are among the most well-versed in the tricks of the coronavirus, aren’t taking any chances. They’re advising the rest of the country and the world to be similarly careful as strains like the Delta variant arise and spread. “We still have a masking policy here, particularly in group situations,” Andrew Pekosz, a professor of immunology at Johns Hopkins who is studying the coronavirus, told CNN. “This pandemic isn’t over

House votes to create select committee to investigate January 6 insurrection

By Jeremy Herb, Manu Raju, Ryan Nobles and Annie Grayer The House voted Wednesday to create a new select committee that will investigate the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol, in a vote falling mostly along party lines that signals the political fight to come over the panel’s examination of the insurrection. The House voted 222-190 to formally create the select panel. Just two Republicans joined with Democrats to support its formation — Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on the floor that she was “heartbroken” Congress could

Bill for gender, racial representation signed into law

By Rob Polansky A multifaceted bill that encourages equitable gender and racial government representation, as well as helps parents running for office, has been signed into law. Gov. Ned Lamont signed the legislation on Tuesday. First, the bill promotes greater gender and racial diversity of appointments on state boards and commissions. It creates a statutory requirement for appointing authorities to consider recommendations from organizations that represent the interest of gender and racial diversity when seeking people to serve on state boards and commissions. It also codifies a transparent process for people to express interest in serving on boards and commissions

Randy Moore to become US Forest Service’s first African American chief

By Devan Cole Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will appoint Randy Moore as the new chief of the US Forest Service, making him the first African American to lead the agency once sworn in, Vilsack announced Monday. Moore, a longtime employee of the Forest Service, will take the agency’s reins just as it braces for the 2021 wildfire season, which officials say could be longer this year due to record-high temperatures in the Southwest and an intensifying drought in the region. Vilsack said in a statement that Moore, who had been serving as regional forester in the Pacific Southwest Region in California since 2007, “has

US lawmakers launch investigation into FDA approval and price of new Alzheimer’s drug

By Jacqueline Howard Two House committees have launched an investigation into the approval and pricing of the Alzheimer’s disease drug aducanumab, made by the company Biogen and sold under the brand name Aduhelm. The US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug earlier this month under its “accelerated approval” program, although an FDA advisory committee concluded last year that there was not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of the treatment. Biogen announced in early June that the wholesale cost of treatment — which requires an infusion once every four weeks — is about $4,312 per infusion, making the annual cost about

UN rights chief urges US to ‘stop denying and start dismantling racism’

By Leah Asmelash The United Nations’ human rights chief is calling on the US to reform its criminal justice system, reimagine policing nationwide and provide reparations for descendants of enslaved Africans. In a report published on Monday, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet urged the US to make “transformative change for racial justice and equality.” “I am calling on all States to stop denying, and start dismantling, racism; to end impunity and build trust; to listen to the voices of people of African descent; and to confront past legacies and deliver redress,” Bachelet said in a statement. The report

This Iowa county used to be named for a slave-holding former vice president. Now, it’s named after a Black academic

By Leah Asmelash A county in Iowa was named after a slave-holding vice president. Now, it’s named after the first Black woman to earn a PhD from the University of Iowa. The Board of Supervisors of Johnson County in Iowa, home to Iowa City and the state university, voted unanimously on Thursday to recognize Lulu Merle Johnson as the official eponym of the county, rather than Richard Mentor Johnson. “Today was touching and I am so happy,” said Royceann Porter, the board’s vice chairperson, in a statement. “It was amazing to include Lulu Merle Johnson’s family in the recognition. I look forward

More people looking for — but not taking — jobs after their unemployment benefits end early

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By Tami Luhby Jason Smith thought he’d have an easier time filling jobs at his three auto repair shops after Indiana’s governor announced that pandemic unemployment benefits would end in mid-June. But it hasn’t worked out that way so far. While he is getting more applications for the auto technician, service consultant and administrative assistant postings, the job seekers haven’t responded to his requests for interviews. Smith has reached out to more than three dozen people in the last month, but he only heard back from a few, who said they weren’t interested in the position. “I thought it was going to be

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