U.S. Supreme Court lets FCC loosen media ownership rules

Source: Reuters

April 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the Federal Communication Commission to loosen local media ownership restrictions, handing a victory to broadcasters in a ruling that could facilitate industry consolidation as consumers increasingly move online.

In a unanimous ruling, the justices overturned a lower court decision that had blocked the FCC's repeal of some media ownership regulations in 2017 for failing to consider the effects on ownership by racial minorities and women. Critics of the industry have said further consolidation could limit media choices for consumers. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)



Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/finance.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/u-supreme-court-lets-fcc-141146800.html

Anyone remember when Matt Gaetz defended Katie Hill?

DHS secretary says border is closed: 'The message is quite clear, do not come'

Source: The Hill

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday urged migrants not to travel to the United States, as the Biden administration struggles with a surge of incomers, especially unaccompanied minors, at the southern border.

"The message is quite clear, do not come. The border is closed, the border is secure," Mayorkas told host Martha Raddatz on ABC's "This Week."

"We are encouraging children not to come. Now is not the time to come. Do not come, the journey is dangerous. We are building safe, orderly and humane ways to address the needs of vulnerable children. Do not come," Mayorkas added.

On Saturday, the U.S. government was housing approximately 15,500 unaccompanied migrant minors, CBS News reported, including 5,000 teenagers and children in Border Patrol facilities not equipped to handle them.

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/544201-dhs-secretary-the-message-is-quite-clear-do-not-come%3famp

Ex-officer on trial for George Floyd's death asks to show jury an earlier arrest

Source: https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN2B82

Almost exactly a year before George Floyd was killed in a deadly arrest by Minneapolis police officers in May 2020, he found himself in another encounter with police in which he became distressed as an officer pointed a gun at him.

On Tuesday, a lawyer for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer on trial for murder charges for Floyd's death, asked the judge to allow the jury to see evidence of the earlier episode.

In the arrest of May 6, 2019, a panicking Floyd swallowed several opioid pain-killer pills as police approached. Eric Nelson, Chauvin's lead lawyer, has argued that the main cause of Floyd's death a year later, which was ruled a homicide, was the opioid fentanyl found in his blood at autopsy.

"The similarities are incredible, it's the exact same behavior in two incidents almost exactly one year apart," Nelson told the court before the resumption of jury selection, noting Floyd called out for his "mama" in both arrests, according to video footage.

Read more: Reuters

Groping accusation against Cuomo referred to Albany police

Source: The Hill

An allegation of groping made by an aide of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) who said he fondled her at the Executive Mansion last year has been referred to police in Albany.

Albany Police Department spokesperson Steven Smith told The New York Times on Thursday that the department received the referral Wednesday night by New York State Police after The Times Union of Albany published additional details of an account by a sixth woman who accused the governor of unwanted sexual behavior.

The aide did not file a formal complaint over the incident. Cuomo has denied the allegation.

Smith told The New York Times that the referral doesn't mean that the department has begun investigating, but that it has offered the victim services "as we would do with any other report or incident."

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/542785-groping-accusation-against-cuomo-referred-to-albany-police%3famp

Cuomo faces new sexual harassment allegation, this time at Executive Mansion

Source: Albany Times-Union

ALBANY — A sixth woman has come forward and leveled allegations of sexual harassment or inappropriate conduct against Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, and over the weekend a supervisor in the Executive Chamber became aware the woman had alleged that the governor inappropriately touched her late last year during an encounter at the governor's mansion, where she had been summoned to do work.

An official close to the matter on Tuesday confirmed to the Times Union that the new allegation had been made. The governor's office learned of the matter over the weekend.

In response to questions about the handling of the revelation of the woman's allegations, Beth Garvey, acting counsel to the governor, said: "All allegations that we learn of directly or indirectly are going promptly to the investigators appointed by the attorney general."

The complaint was reported to the governor's counsel by other employees in the Executive Chamber. The information also was relayed by the governor's office to the attorney general's office, which is coordinating an investigation into multiple allegations of sexual harassment that have been made against the governor.

Read more: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Cuomo-faces-new-allegation-of-sexual-harassment-16011424.php?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=t.co&cmpid=twittersocialflow

Supreme Court sides with Christian students silenced on Georgia campus

Source: ABC News

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday sided with a former Georgia college student who sued his school after it prevented him from expressing religious views in a free-speech zone on campus.

The 8-1 decision, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, said that Chike Uzuegbunam -- who was silenced by Georgia Gwinnett College officials even after he had obtained a permit to proselytize and handout religious literature -- can seek nominal damages despite the fact that the school ultimately changed course and Uzuegbunam subsequently graduated.

In a very rare alignment of votes, Chief Justice John Roberts was the lone dissenting justice in the case.

"It is undisputed that Uzuegbunam experienced a completed violation of his constitutional rights when respondents enforced their speech policies against him," wrote Justice Thomas. "Because 'every violation [of a right] imports damage,' nominal damages can redress Uzuegbunam’s injury even if he cannot or chooses not to quantify that harm in economic terms."

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-sides-christian-students-silenced-georgia-campus/story?id=76320592

Connecticut dramatically rolls back COVID restrictions, allowing full indoor dining, increased enter

Source: Hartford Courant

Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday announced that he will roll back pandemic-related restrictions in Connecticut starting March 19, including allowing restaurants to operate at full capacity, loosening rules on sports and entertainment venues and lifting the state’s travel ban.

The state will maintain some key measures, including a mask mandate, social distancing rules, a curfew for restaurants and the closure of all bars. Restaurants, retail stores, houses of worship and other businesses will be allowed to reopen at full capacity, within the confines of the remaining rules.

Sports will be allowed to resume fully, with outdoor venues permitted up to 50% capacity, capped at 10,000 visitors, and indoor venues permitted up to 10% capacity. Travelers will still be recommended to quarantine after arriving in Connecticut, but they will not be required to do so.

Most of the new changes will take effect on March 19, with several more following over the subsequent two weeks. The reopening anticipates a summer that approaches something more normal, with outdoor concerts, ballgames and weddings along with reduced travel restrictions.

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.courant.com/coronavirus/hc-news-coronavirus-daily-updates-0304-20210304-56d7cbx6k5da7auqqroznhhdfa-story.html%3foutputType=amp

Pelosi: Sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo 'credible'

Source: The Hill

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday called the sexual harassment allegations levied against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) “credible” and backed an independent investigation into his behavior.

In a statement, Pelosi said the two women who have accused Cuomo of harassment and inappropriate behavior should be taken seriously.

“The women who have come forward with serious and credible charges against Gov. Cuomo deserve to be heard and to be treated with dignity. The independent investigation must have due process and respect for everyone involved,” Pelosi said in a statement.

Cuomo has been accused by two former staffers of using language that made them uncomfortable and hinted at a desire for a sexual relationship. One of the accusers said Cuomo kissed her without consent.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/540979-pelosi-allegations-against-cuomo-credible

3 names removed from Khashoggi intelligence report after initial publication

Source: CNN

(CNN) — Shortly after the US intelligence community published its long-awaited report on Friday afternoon on the Saudis who were responsible for the death of Jamal Khashoggi, it was taken down without explanation and replaced with another version that removed the names of three men it had initially said were complicit.

The quiet switch by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence went largely unnoticed as the outcry grew that the Biden administration was failing to punish the prince in any way, despite having just declared in no uncertain terms that MBS was responsible.

The first link to the report that was sent out by ODNI went dead. It was then replaced with a second version that removed three of the men it had just announced “participated in, ordered, or were otherwise complicit in or responsible for the death of Jamal Khashoggi.”

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to clarify why the names were originally on the list and what roles, if any, they may have had in Khashoggi’s killing.


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