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Schumer using procedural tactics to outfox conservatives seeking to delay debt ceiling bill

Current News / News & Features /

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday pulled procedural tricks out of his hat in an effort to short-circuit right-wing stall tactics and rush the debt ceiling bill through the Senate.

Facing a Monday deadline, the New York Democrat started the clock ticking to a final passage right after the House passed the bill to avert a national default...Read more

Ivy Ceballo/Tampa Bay Times/TNS

In Tampa and across Florida, Hispanic groups protest immigration law

Current News / News & Features /

TAMPA, Fla. — Epi Gutierrez owns a landscaping business that employs six people in Tampa. But two of his employees plan to leave Florida in less than a month because they and their families no longer feel safe, he said.

The reason for their sudden departures, according to Gutierrez, was an immigration measure that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed ...Read more

Ethan Hyman/The Raleigh News & Observer/TNS

Mandy Cohen, who led NC's coronavirus response, likely to be Biden's next CDC leader

Current News / News & Features /

RALEIGH, N.C. — Dr. Mandy Cohen, who led North Carolina’s public health response to the coronavirus pandemic, could become a national health leader in President Joe Biden’s administration.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that Cohen is Biden’s pick for head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cohen was secretary of ...Read more

Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS

Judge won't allow jury in ex-deputy's trial to visit Parkland shooting scene

Current News / News & Features /

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The jury deciding the negligence case against former Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson won’t be allowed to visit the scene where a gunman murdered 17 students and faculty, nor will jurors be allowed to stand where Peterson took cover while it was happening.

Broward Circuit Judge Martin Fein denied a defense ...Read more

L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

Pentagon cancels previously approved drag show at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada

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Pentagon officials have canceled an upcoming drag event at the Nellis Air Force Base in Southern Nevada, even though the family-friendly show had been previously approved by the Air Force.

“Drag-u-Nellis,” first hosted at the base in 2021, brought Las Vegas-based drag performers — including former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestants �...Read more

U.S District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania/TNS/TNS

A prayer book with a bullet hole, a lost yarmulke, a closet: The images of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial

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PITTSBURGH — On one side of the small storage closet, chairs were stacked nearly to the ceiling. The legs of almost two dozen round card tables were folded in, the tables lined up against the back wall. Next to them, white boxes were stacked, the top one was filled with red and white faux flowers. A sign near the entrance advertised a pancake ...Read more

Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images North America/TNS

Fired former aide of Rep. George Santos says he paid a senior staffer $1,050 to get permanent job

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NEW YORK — A fired former aide of controversial Rep. George Santos now says he paid off another aide in a failed effort to get a permanent job in the congressman’s office.

Derek Myers, 31, who also claims Santos sexually harassed him, told the House ethics subcommittee this week that he sent at least $1,050 to Vish Burra, a senior aide to ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Schools in Florida's Seminole County offer to remove LGBTQ+ pages from high school yearbook

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Seminole County Public Schools is offering to reprint this year’s Lyman High School yearbook and remove two pages for parents upset about LGBTQ+ content, prompting criticism that the district isn’t standing up to bigotry.

The pages highlight the school’s LGBTQ+ community and provide definitions of terms such as ...Read more

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Gavin Newsom warns California schools that ban books will answer to the attorney general

Current News / News & Features /

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a stern message Thursday to school leaders across California — any attempt to ban books from classrooms or libraries may require them to answer to the state attorney general.

In a letter to county and district superintendents and charter school administrators, Newsom, State Superintendent Tony ...Read more

Sarah A. Miller/Idaho Statesman/TNS

'This law specifically targets us': Idaho families sue to block trans health care ban

Current News / News & Features /

BOISE, Idaho — Two Idaho families are suing to block a law that makes it a crime to provide gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

House Bill 71, passed by the Legislature this year and signed into law by Idaho Gov. Brad Little, makes it a felony for physicians to provide transition-related surgeries and medication, such as puberty ...Read more

Brendan Smialowski/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/TNS

Biden falls at Air Force Academy graduation, but gets back up and finishes ceremony

Current News / News & Features /

President Joe Biden fell after handing out the final diploma during a graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado on Thursday, the second time the 80-year-old has tumbled since taking office.

Biden turned to return to his seat as the ceremony neared its end when he tripped and went to both knees, his right arm breaking his ...Read more

NOAA/Orlando Sentinel/TNS

Tropical depression forms off coast of Florida, hurricane center says

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On the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center says Tropical Depression Two has formed. The NHC was to begin advisories on the system in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida’s coast at 5 p.m. Eastern time.

The NHC declared an unnamed subtropical storm had formed in January, which is why this is the second named ...Read more

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Gavin Newsom warns California schools that ban books will answer to the attorney general

Current News / News & Features /

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a stern message Thursday to school leaders across California — any attempt to ban books from classrooms or libraries may require them to answer to the state attorney general.

In a letter to county and district superintendents and charter school administrators, Newsom, State Superintendent Tony ...Read more

ED HILLE / Staff Photographer/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Bill Cosby is facing another sexual assault lawsuit

Current News / News & Features /

PHILADELPHIA — Bill Cosby is facing another sexual assault lawsuit filed by former Playboy model Victoria Valentino, who alleges that the comedian drugged and raped her in 1969.

Valentino, 80, filed the case in Los Angeles County Superior court Thursday in accordance with a new law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on civil ...Read more

Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Family of slain Temple University police officer sues suspect and parents, alleging the shooting 'could and should have been prevented'

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PHILADELPHIA — The family of a slain Temple University police officer has sued Miles Pfeffer, the Bucks County 18-year-old charged with his death, and his parents, asserting that the February shooting “could and should have been prevented” by those closest to Pfeffer.

Calling Christopher Fitzgerald’s death “a horrific and tragic act ...Read more

New anti-transgender laws will hurt Indigenous peoples’ rights and religious expression

Current News / News & Features /

Montana’s Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte became the latest to sign several new anti-transgender laws, including one that will prevent gender-affirming medical care for minors.

One thing these new laws do not take into account is that the 12 federally recognized tribes in Montana have historically recognized multiple gender ...Read more

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America/TNS

Schumer pushes debt ceiling through Senate with sleight of hand to doom conservative delay tactics

Current News / News & Features /

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday pulled procedural tricks out of his hat in an effort to short circuit right-wing stall tactics and rush the debt ceiling increase through the Senate.

Facing a Monday deadline, the New York Democrat started the clock ticking to a final passage within minutes after the House passed the bill to avert a ...Read more

Joshua Boucher/The State/TNS

Store owner charged in South Carolina teen's death previously shot at 2 others, deputies say

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — The gas station owner who shot and killed a 14-year-old on Sunday had previously shot at two people he believed were stealing from his store, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Rick Chow, 58, is accused of fatally shooting Cyrus Carmack-Belton of Columbia in the back after an argument between the two ...Read more

Sara Nevis/The Sacramento Bee/TNS

California bill would allow Sikhs to ride motorcycles without a helmet

Current News / News & Features /

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sikhs and other people whose faith requires them to wear a turban or patka could soon be allowed to ride motorcycles in California without a helmet as mandated by state law.

The state Senate this week voted to grant a religious exemption for the headwear. The measure, Senate Bill 847 from Sen. Brian Dahle, a Bieber ...Read more

Ed Hille/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Bill Cosby is facing another sexual assault lawsuit

Current News / News & Features /

PHILADELPHIA — Bill Cosby is facing another sexual assault lawsuit filed by former Playboy model Victoria Valentino, who alleges that the comedian drugged and raped her in 1969.

Valentino, 80, filed the case in the Los Angeles County Superior court Thursday in accordance with a new law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations civil ...Read more