Republican Looks As If He Will Win the Virginia Governor’s Race In Setback For Biden
Results show Republican Glenn Youngkin leading in the Virginia governor’s election, widely seen as a referendum on U.S. President Joe Biden.
US News
Texas judge rules businesses/religious nonprofits can be protected against LGBTQ discrimination laws
A judge in Texas ruled Sunday that businesses and religious nonprofits can be protected from LGBTQ and transgender lawsuits provided the person in charge of hiring and firing makes decisions based on sincerely held beliefs, the Washington Examiner reports.
Minneapolis voters reject Dems’ plan to replace the city’s police department
Minneapolis voters soundly rejected a proposal Tuesday night that would have opened the door to reducing the city’s police force, more than a year after the death of George Floyd ignited calls to “defund the police.”
Thousands Unvaccinated as US Military Hits Deadline for COVID-19 Shots
About 10,000 active duty Air Force airmen and Space Force guardians remain unvaccinated for COVID-19, according to the latest data provided on the day of the military’s first vaccination deadline Tuesday.
US gives final clearance to COVID-19 shots for kids 5 to 11
US health officials on Tuesday gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a milestone that opens a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign to children as young as 5.
9,000 NYC workers on leave as vaccine mandate takes effect
About 9,000 New York City municipal workers were put on unpaid leave for refusing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that took effect Monday and thousands of city firefighters have called out sick in an apparent protest over the requirement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
Supreme Court won’t hear New York abortion funding case
The Supreme Court announced Monday it would not hear a challenge against New York’s requirement that employers provide abortion coverage with health insurance plans.
Supreme Court hears argument on Texas abortion ban, appears sympathetic to abortion provider’s suit
The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on challenges to the Texas law that bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Following three hours of argument presentation and questioning, a majority of the justices appeared willing to allow abortion providers in Texas to continue their challenge against the state’s new law.
Manchin to progressives: ‘Quit playing games’ and let’s pass bipartisan infrastructure bill
West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin on Monday urged House progressives to “quit playing games” and support passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill that’s already passed the Senate.
COVID vaccines for children already prepped for shipment, ahead of CDC meeting
The Biden administration has prepared shipments of low-dose COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 ahead of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions final approval, according to reports.
Supreme Court declines to block Maine vaccine mandate for healthcare workers
The Supreme Court declined a request to block Maine’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare works on Friday.
Minneapolis plan to replace police department worries many Black residents
The ballot proposal that goes to voters Tuesday has roots in the abolish-the-police movement that erupted after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last year. It has drawn strong support from younger Black activists who were mobilized by Floyd’s death, as well as from some Black and white residents across this liberal city.
Animal-human transplant breakthrough raises questions
In September, a surgical team at NYU Langone Health performed the first successful animal-to-human transplant. Led by Dr. Robert Montgomery, the team attached a pig kidney to blood vessels on the exterior of a brain-dead patient’s leg. The animal biotechnology company Revivicor provided a genetically engineered pig for the experiment. The animal lacked the gene encoding the sugar molecule alpha-gal, known to trigger immediate organ rejection in humans.
Bill Allowing Minors to Get Abortion Without Parental Consent Passes in Illinois
Pro-Choice politicians and other supporters of abortion are celebrating a win in the Illinois legislature earlier in the week. Lawmakers voted to repeal the Parental Notification Act which required parents to be notified 48 hours in advance before their child could go through with an abortion.
DeSantis sues Biden over vaccine mandates for contractors
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody filed another lawsuit against the U.S. government Thursday, challenging the rule requiring companies that are federal contractors to show proof of vaccination or weekly COVID tests of their employees and calling it a “heavy-handed mandate never authorized by Congress.”
‘Build Back Better’ Plan Cut to $1.75 Trillion, Democrats Move Agenda Closer to Finish Line — But Not a Done Deal
President Joe Biden delayed his departure to a pair of global summits Thursday so he could first visit the U.S. Capitol to tout the framework of a deal on his “Build Back Better” agenda.
U.S. Economy Slowed in Third Quarter on Delta Surge, Supply Crunch
The U.S. economy grew at the slowest pace of the recovery in the third quarter, but economists expect strong consumer demand and an easing pandemic to boost growth in the coming months despite lingering supply constraints.
Minneapolis residents to vote on ballot measure that could replace city’s police department
Minneapolis residents are considering a measure that would replace the city police department with a Department of Public Safety, roughly 18 months after the George Floyd killing in the city that sparked nationwide calls for police reform.
California In-N-Out restaurant closed for refusing to monitor patrons’ COVID vaccine status
A fast-food restaurant in California was shut down Tuesday for refusing to ask patrons to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the restaurant.
FDA Panelist on Vaccinating Kids: ‘We’re Never Gonna Learn About How Safe the Vaccine Is Until We Start Giving It’
A Harvard professor of immunology who serves as a voting member of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee admitted Tuesday it won’t be clear whether vaccinating children against COVID-19 is safe until the shots are widely administered.