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With Feinstein back, Judiciary advances Biden nominees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

By Tierney Sneed and Lauren Fox | CNN(CNN) — With the return of California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Senate Democrats approved several judicial nominees out of the Judiciary Committee on Thursday that had been stalled in her absence.Feinstein told reporters Thursday that she decided to return to work at this time because, “I felt better.”However, the committee did not vote on former New Hampshire Attorney Michael Delaney, President Joe Biden’s embattled selection for the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals.The committee approved six Biden judicial nominees on Thursday, three of them moving forward on a party-line vote, meaning Feinstein’s attendance was necessary for them to advance. Those party-line nominees were Charnelle Bjelkengren, nominated for the US court in Eastern District of Washington; S. Kato Crews, nominated for Colorado’s US district court; and Marian F. Gaston, a nominee for the US district court in the Southern District of California.The...

Boat strike ruled as cause of death for gray whale that washed ashore in Point Reyes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

(KRON) -- Over the weekend, two dead gray whales washed ashore in the Bay Area, the Marine Mammal Center confirmed to KRON4. Both whales washed ashore at various locations in Point Reyes National Seashore. “To respond to two known gray whales on consecutive days, including one that our team has been actively monitoring for months in San Francisco Bay, is challenging and concerning to say the least,” said Dr. Pádraig Duignan, director of pathology at the Marine Mammal Center. “As sentinels for ocean health, gray whales face several human-caused threats including vessel strikes."  Oakland Unified School District claims teacher's union's demands cost $1 billion Officials with the Marine Mammal Center responded to a 39-foot adult male whale that washed ashore on North Beach on Tuesday. Officials said they had been closely monitoring this whale since it was first spotted in February in the San Francisco Bay. Its cause of death was most likely due to multiple boat strikes and malnu...

Monty Python’s ‘Spamalot’ hits Kennedy Center starring two-time Tony nominee Alex Brightman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

Hear our full chat on my podcast “Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley.” toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews 'Spamalot' at Kennedy Center (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); Alex Brightman earned a pair of Tony Award nominations for Broadway’s “School of Rock” and “Beetlejuice,” the latter of which premiered at D.C.’s National Theatre in 2018 before bringing the show to New Y...

Protected: What to consider when considering a workplace move

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

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Senate votes to limit critical habitat designation for imperiled species and drop bat’s protections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

The U.S. Senate voted narrowly Thursday to overturn two Biden administration policies intended to protect endangered species.Senators called for reinstating a rule adopted under former President Donald Trump but rescinded by the Biden administration that limited which lands and waters could be designated as places for imperiled animals and plants to receive federal protection.They also proposed dropping a 2022 federal designation of the northern long-eared bat as endangered.Earlier this month, the Senate voted to undo federal protections for the lesser prairie chicken, a rare grouse found in parts of the Midwest and Southwest.The actions, backed mostly by Republicans, represent rare congressional involvement in matters usually left to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Endangered Species Act tasks those agencies with deciding which animals and plants to list as endangered or threatened and how to rebuild their populations.President Joe ...

Federal lawsuit filed over fatal 2022 police shooting of Kansas City-area suspect

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The family of a man killed by police officers in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit Thursday, accusing the officers of shooting the man without justification.The lawsuit on behalf of Tyrea Pryor’s relatives names two officers and the city of Independence. It seeks at least $25 million in damages.In March 2022, police were called to a disturbance and began following a car that left the scene. The car crashed a short time later. Pryor, 39, and a woman were in the car.Police found a rifle in the vehicle but the lawsuit said Pryor was not brandishing it. Video footage released by the family’s attorneys showed that officers also believed Pryor had a pistol. No pistol was found.“Tyrea was shot approximately 15 times while he was unarmed, defenseless and trapped in a wrecked vehicle,” it states.Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker announced in March that the officers would not be char...

IVERIC bio: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (AP) — PARSIPPANY, N.J. (AP) — IVERIC bio, Inc. (ISEE) on Wednesday reported a loss of $72.2 million in its first quarter.The Parsippany, New Jersey-based company said it had a loss of 53 cents per share.The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 44 cents per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ISEE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ISEESource

Djokovic expects to rev up his clay-court game at Italian Open

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

ROME (AP) — Novak Djokovic is right where he wants to be after a slow start to his clay-court season.Back at the Italian Open — the clay event where he’s had his most success.The top-ranked Serb is a six-time champion in Rome and six-time runner-up.“Historically throughout my career, Rome has always been a very nice tournament for me,” Djokovic said Thursday. “Hopefully it can serve, again, as a great, great springboard for me to what’s coming up in Paris where I want to play my best.”The French Open, the clay-court Grand Slam, starts at the end of the month, and Djokovic is hoping to add a third title at Roland Garros after his victories in 2016 and 2021.Djokovic is returning after three weeks off due to a lingering issue with his surgically repaired right elbow.In his previous two tournaments on red clay, Djokovic had consecutive early exits.He lost in the round of 16 at Monte Carlo to Lorenzo Musetti. Then Dusan Lajovic beat him in the quarterfinals of the Srpska Open in Bosnia a...

First Guaranty Bancshares: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

HAMMOND, La. (AP) — HAMMOND, La. (AP) — First Guaranty Banchshares Inc. (FGBI) on Wednesday reported first-quarter earnings of $2.9 million.The bank, based in Hammond, Louisiana, said it had earnings of 27 cents per share.The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 32 cents per share.The bank holding company posted revenue of $44 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $25 million, which topped Street forecasts._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on FGBI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/FGBISource

Free speech, racial equity battles are playing out on Wisconsin campuses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:59 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The fight over racial equity and free speech on Wisconsin college campuses is intensifying, mirroring a national battle as Republicans work to close campus diversity offices and demand that students and faculty treat conservative speakers with respect.In the past two weeks, the state’s top Republican announced a push to defund the University of Wisconsin System’s diversity efforts — a move the Democratic governor lambasted as ridiculous. Nonetheless, the UW System’s chief announced Thursday that he has barred schools from asking job applicants how they would support diversity.Meanwhile, a UW-Madison student has posted racial slurs online, triggering bitter protests but no announced discipline. And a state medical college canceled a diversity symposium featuring Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson out of concerns the discussion would be too disruptive, resulting in cries of bias from conservatives.Amid that backdrop, Republican legislative leaders held a heari...