Top 8 today

Top eight stories for today including the Biden administration declared monkeypox a public health emergency; More and more Argentines are seeing their futures abroad as the country deals with deep economic crisis and spiraling inflation; Four Louisville police officers were charged over the shooting of Breonna Taylor, and more.

National

Senate panel ties over Sixth Circuit nominee with history of gun control work

Rachel Bloomekatz, nominated to fill a seat on the Sixth Circuit, received a tie vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday after Republicans condemned the nominee for her work on gun control and pro bono cases.

Rachel Bloomekatz, Biden's nominee to serve as a judge on the Sixth Circuit, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing on June 22, 2022. (Screenshot via Courthouse News)

Senate confirms first South Asian judge to seat on Ninth Circuit

The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Roopali Desai to a seat on the Ninth Circuit, making her the first South Asian judge to ever serve on the San Francisco-based federal appeals court.

Roopali Desai testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 13, 2022. The Senate confirmed Desai to a federal judgeship on the Ninth Circuit on Aug. 4, 2022. (Screenshot via Courthouse News)

Jury orders Alex Jones to pay $4.1 million to parents of Sandy Hook victim

The jury in the Texas defamation trial against Infowars host Alex Jones decided Thursday to award the parents of a victim of the Sandy Hook school shooting $4.1 million.

Alex Jones attempts to answer questions about his text messages during trial at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday Aug. 3, 2022. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)

Monkeypox declared a public health emergency in US

The Biden administration declared monkeypox a public health emergency on Thursday following pressure from lawmakers and health experts to open up more resources to contain the growing outbreak.

A pharmacist removes a tray of vials of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox from a box containing 20 doses in the vaccine hub of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on July 29, 2022. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Regional

NYC judge maintains block on $200M school budget cut

While keeping in place an order blocking a $200 million budget cut from New York City schools, a judge indicated Thursday that he’s likely to allow the City Council to revote on the education budget.

A sign in lower Manhattan advocates for more school funding after New York City’s new budget slashed more than $200 million in education funding. Parents and teachers sued the city in July 2022, saying its education department violated budget procedures and misled city councilmembers. (Nina Pullano/Courthouse News)

Four Louisville cops face federal charges over Breonna Taylor shooting

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Thursday the indictment of four Louisville police officers on federal criminal charges related to the shooting of Breonna Taylor, including conspiracy charges stemming from an allegedly false affidavit used to secure a search warrant.

Protesters participate in a Good Trouble Tuesday march for Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 25, 2020. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP File)

Attempt to block San José gun fee ordinance rejected by federal judge

San José’s nascent ordinance requiring gun owners to pay a fee and carry liability insurance stands for now, with a federal judge finding a legal challenge was brought before the specifics of the ordinance have even been finalized.

(Brett Hondow/Pixabay via Courthouse News)

International

Is Argentina experiencing an emigration wave?

More and more Argentines are seeing their futures abroad as the country deals with deep economic crisis and spiraling inflation.

At the foot of the Plaza de Mayo is the Cabildo, the former colonial seat of power in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (James Francis Whitehead/Courthouse News)

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