News – Page 2215 – 105.7 WDNY

Supreme Court considers Boston Marathon bomber death sentence as Biden halts executions

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department on Wednesday will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the death sentence for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, even as the agency has suspended all federal executions and President Biden has vowed to eliminate capital punishment.

A federal appeals court last year upheld Tsarnaev’s conviction for the 2013 attack that killed three and injured more than 200, but it tossed out the jury-recommended execution on the grounds that procedural errors during the sentencing phase compromised his right to a fair and impartial hearing.

The Biden administration calls the case “one of the most important terrorism prosecutions in our nation’s history” and plans to argue before the justices that any discrepancies during the process would not have led the jury to select a different sentence and that an execution must go forward.

“It’s one thing to say that you’re opposed to capital punishment, it’s another for the United States Attorney’s Office to tell the good people in Boston that you’re no longer going to see the death penalty against the Boston Marathon bomber. And, so they didn’t,” said Jeffrey Wall, the former Trump administration acting solicitor general who first led the appeal to reinstate Tsarnaev’s sentence, on why the new administration is continuing to seek death.

The White House would not directly answer when asked by ABC News whether President Joe Biden supports his Justice Department’s case and a federal execution of Tsarnaev.

A Biden administration official pointed to a June statement by White House press secretary Jen Psaki that noted Biden’s “deep concerns” about capital punishment and belief that “the Department should return to its prior practice, and not carry out executions.”

Attorneys for Tsarnaev said their client deserves a new sentencing hearing after an appeals court concluded that the trial judge improperly denied admission of key mitigating evidence and inadequately screened prospective jurors for bias.

The defense said the alleged involvement of Tsarnaev’s older brother, Tamerlan, in a 2011 triple homicide in Waltham, Massachusetts, is critical evidence to suggest he — not Dzhokhar — was the mastermind of the marathon attack and had previously exerted influence over younger accomplices.

“In 2011, on the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Tamerlan robbed and murdered a close friend and two others as an act of jihad,” Tsarnaev’s attorneys write in their brief to the high court. “For Dzhokhar — a teenager well-liked by teachers and peers, with no history of violence — the bombings were the culmination of Tamerlan’s months-long effort to draw him into extremist violence.”

Tamerlan Tsarnaev died shortly after the attack when he was run over by his brother as the two fled from police following a gunfight.

“If you accept the Eighth Amendment principle that somebody pretty much has a right to bring in almost anything that’s mitigating … if you don’t allow the defendant to bring in this evidence, you’ve basically deprived him of the only defense against the death penalty he was offering,” said Irving Gornstein, director of the Supreme Court Institute at Georgetown University Law Center. “I think that will give [the justices] some pause. Now, enough pause? Probably not. But some pause.”

The defense also said the trial judge failed to expose evidence of bias among potential jurors by not asking specifics about pretrial media exposure, including what they had read, heard or seen about Tsarnaev or the Boston Marathon bombing.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argues that neither error — even if undisputed — would have swayed a jury against death.

“The record definitively demonstrates that respondent was eager to commit his crimes, was untroubled at having ended two lives and devastated many others, and remained proud of his actions even after he had run Tamerlan over and was hiding out alone,” the government writes in its brief. “The jury that watched a video of respondent place and detonate a shrapnel bomb just behind a group of children would not have changed its sentencing recommendation based on Tamerlan’s supposed involvement in unrelated crimes two years earlier.”

The administration’s pursuit of death for Tsarnaev contrasts with President Biden’s 2020 campaign promise that he would “work to pass legislation to eliminate the death penalty at the federal level, and incentivize states to follow the federal government’s example.”

No legislation has been put forward, but in July, Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered a temporary halt to further executions of federal inmates, noting a number of defendants who were later exonerated as well as statistics showing possible discriminatory impact on minorities.

The Supreme Court could reinstate Tsarnaev’s death sentence, or it could hand Tsarnaev a chance at a new sentencing hearing, clarifying rules for jury selection and mitigating evidence in death-penalty cases.

Republicans fight for Latino voters in Democratic strongholds

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Voting rights activists from Mi Familia Vota said after years of being ignored, they are seeing significant investments from politicians trying to reach out to the Latino community. As the largest non-white ethnic group in the United States continues to grow, Latinos have become a focal point for Republicans and Democrats alike.

But Héctor Sánchez Barba, the executive director and CEO of the Latino-focused civic engagement organization Mi Familia Vota, said that Latino voters must be prepared to identify which efforts are performative and what political promises will be kept.

“Nobody has a free ride with the Latino vote,” Sánchez Barba told ABC News. “The important part is this is not a transactional element, just for the Latino vote. It [must be] a serious holistic engagement on Latino priorities.”

The percentage of Latinos who were eligible to vote and did so rose to a historic high of 53.7% in 2020, increasing from 47.3% in 2016, according to CUNY’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies.

This research also shows that the number of Latino votes in the 2020 election also increased by 29.8%: from the 12.7 million votes cast in 2016 to approximately 16.5 million in 2020.

Now, the fight for their votes is on ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

President Joe Biden won the majority of Latino voters across the country, but former President Donald Trump scored more votes in 2020 than he did in 2016.

Latino turnout in Texas rose from 1,938,000 in 2016 to 2,972,000 in 2020, the CUNY research shows. That’s a 31.1% increase.

Republicans are now targeting Democratic Latino strongholds throughout the state — like the Rio Grande Valley — which seemingly faltered in 2020. Biden won in most counties, but by less than Hillary Clinton had won them in 2016. Zapata, Starr and Val Verde counties, which previously voted for Democrats, flipped to Trump in 2020.

Democratic representatives from across the state — Colin Allred, Vicente Gonzalez, Filemon Vela, Henry Cuellar, and Lizzie Fletcher — are being threatened by GOP challengers, according to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

McAllen, a Latino-majority border city in the valley, voted for its first GOP mayor in 24 years.

And in order to flip more seats and hold onto newly acquired seats, Republicans are creating Hispanic community centers across the country. The next one is slated to open in San Antonio, GOP Communications Director Danielle Alvarez told ABC News.

“We just opened in Doral, which is in South Florida,” said Alvarez. “[We were] talking about having “pastelitos” and “cafecito” and having photos of the South Florida community up, and instead of campaign pull-out tables, doing domino tables. Just making it personal.”

They’ve said they have also implemented this strategy with other ethnic groups, like Asian Pacific Americans and Black voters.

She added, “It provides us the ability to not just share our message and our agenda, but for them to have a conversation back and share their values and what they’re hoping to accomplish.”

From there, the RNC can train them to do the on-the-ground organizing for the Republican efforts.

“Most people kind of hear Democrats’ wishful thinking that Texas is going to be purple,” Alvarez said. “We would make the argument that Texas is red and it’s become even more red, since the previous election.”

Alvarez said that the RNC has a strong data operation that can analyze voters and what is important to them. The party’s 2012’s “Growth And Opportunity Report” continues to be an important source of information for the GOP strategy, Alvarez said. The report highlighted the party’s need to campaign among Latino, Black, Asian, and LGBTQ Americans and “demonstrate we care about them, too,” the report states.

Republicans said they hope to combine what they’ve learned to ensure that the new Hispanic-targeted centers hit home with voters.

“We’re lucky that we don’t often have to paint people with broad brushes — we can get down to what moves in individual voter,” said Alvarez.

Overall, Latinos voted less for Democrats in 2020 than they did in 2016, but the demographic still chose Biden over Trump with 58% of the vote.

Despite this, the Democratic National Committee is attempting to quell any Republican progress, reaching back into its playbook that has long won them the “Latino vote.”

Democrats’ I Will Vote initiative has invested $25,000,000 in voter education, voter protection and targeted voter registration and aims to make voting more accessible. With this, they hope to drive new voters — hopefully Democrats — to the polls.

“You’ll see Democrats going out into communities across the country and specifically showing how these bills are going to be impacting their lives: creating jobs, lowering costs for families and cutting taxes for them as well,” said Lucas Acosta, the senior spokesperson and coalitions director at Democratic National Committee.

In 2020, Latinos overall were concerned with their safety, their health amid COVID-19, and the economy, according to Pew Research.

Eight in 10 registered Latino voters rated the economy as their biggest priority at the time — as the pandemic surged on and the unemployment reached a peak of 14.8% in April 2020, the Congressional Research Service reports. It was the highest rate observed since data collection began in 1948.

Latinos comprise 18.7% of the U.S. population, but represent 28.1% of the population in poverty, according to the U.S. Census.

Acosta said Democrats will focus their door-to-door, on-the-ground community-based outreach on Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which promised to “deliver immediate relief for hard-hit Latino families and small businesses, build a bridge towards economic recovery, and reduce poverty in Latino communities by almost 40 percent,” the plan’s fact sheet read.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that voters know who was in the room fighting for that,” Acosta said.

For Latino-targeted voting groups like Mi Familia Vota, they said the focus remains on protecting voters by campaigning against misinformation targeting this sought-after demographic and legislative efforts that make it harder for Latinos to vote.

Republicans across the country have enacted a wave of new voting laws. In September, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a sweeping voting bill into law that restricts counties’ ability to expand options for voting and makes the election process harder for Texans. The law would limit how and when voters can cast ballots by banning overnight early voting hours as well as drive-thru voting.

Voting groups also said ads targeting the Latino community spread false claims about politicians and their platforms. Specifically, they say these misinformation campaigns instilled fear and betrayed the trust of voters. A recent Nielson report showed that Latino consumers are more likely to receive and share fake news on social media when compared to the rest of the population.

“Those policies that they’re promoting are gonna make it way harder for us to go to the polls and have the basic right to vote,” Sánchez Barba said. “And this is not something new. This is something historical, so we’re keeping the Republicans accountable at a very high level.”

Sánchez Barba also called out anti-immigrant language from the right. He said the party has a lot of work to repair a reputation of hate against people of color and Latino folks.

“A lot of these politicians and these parties only show up very last minute when they need the Latino vote,” Sánchez Barba said. “The Latino community doesn’t forget.”

Blue Origin live updates: Watch William Shatner and crew blast to the edge of space

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(VAN HORN, Texas) — Actor William Shatner and his three crewmates on Blue Origin’s New Shepard are just hours away from their suborbital space flight.

The eleven-minute mission for Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight company was initially set for Tuesday but was delayed one day due to forecasted winds in West Texas.

Shatner is joining Audrey Powers, Blue Origin’s vice president of mission and flight operations and a former NASA flight controller and engineer; Chris Boshuizen, the co-founder of satellite company Planet Labs and a former space mission architect for NASA; and Glen de Vries, the co-founder of Medidata Solutions, a life science company.

The launch is expected around 10:30 a.m. ET and will be streamed on ABC News Live.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Oct 13, 9:58 am
Bezos chauffeurs astronauts to launch tower

The countdown clock was paused for approximately 30 minutes as Blue Origin teams assessed launch conditions on the ground, but the astronauts are en route to the launch pad.
PHOTO: In this still image taken from a Blue Origin video, the New Shepard rocket sits on the launch pad prior to lift off on Oct. 13, 2021, from the West Texas region, 25 miles, north of Van Horn.
Jose Romero/Blue Origin/AFP via Getty ImagesJose Romero/Blue Origin/AFP via Getty Images
In this still image taken from a Blue Origin video, the New Shepard rocket sits on the lau…

Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos, who went to space himself in July, chauffeured the four astronauts to the launch tower as workers cheered.

Oct 13, 9:16 am
NASA wishes Shatner ‘all the best’ on his flight to space

NASA sent a good luck tweet to William Shatner Wednesday morning ahead of the actor’s trip to the edge of space.

Oct 13, 9:10 am
Astronauts will experience 3 to 4 minutes of weightlessness

During the 11-minute flight, the astronauts will experience about three to four minutes of weightlessness.

They’ll also travel above the Karman Line, the internationally recognized boundary separating Earth’s atmosphere from space.

Oct 13, 7:31 am
Shatner set to become the oldest person to go to space

Star Trek star William Shatner, 90, is poised to become the oldest person ever to go to space.

He’ll beat the record set by 82-year-old Wally Funk during July’s inaugural New Shepard launch.

President Biden to meet with port heads ahead of expected Christmas supply crunch

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — With global supply chain bottlenecks threatening the Christmas shopping season, President Joe Biden will highlight his administration’s work with ports on Wednesday and try to stave off the potentially politically explosive headaches Americans may face as delays threaten holiday gift-giving.

The president plans to meet with the leaders of the two busiest ports in the United States — Los Angeles and Long Beach, both in California — and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, “to discuss the challenges that ports across the country and actions each partner can take to address these delays,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.

The port of Los Angeles, a senior Biden administration official said, will announce on Wednesday that it will move to 24/7 operations in order to help alleviate bottlenecks.

Several shippers and retailers will announce that they are taking steps to move toward 24/7 operations, too, according to senior administration officials.

According to the White House, Walmart will increase its use of nighttime hours; UPS will increasingly use 24/7 operations and enhance data sharing with ports; FedEx will increase its nighttime hours and make changes to trucking and rail use; Samsung will operate 24/7 over the next 90 days to move almost 60% more containers out of the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports; The Home Depot will move up to 10% more containers out of these ports in their off-hours each week; and Target will move 10% more containers during these off-peak hours.

Several of these companies and other stakeholders will participate in a virtual roundtable hosted by the White House Wednesday, according to the White House.

That dynamic carries great political risk for Biden, who has pegged his presidency to both pulling the country out of the coronavirus pandemic — the onset of which precipitated this supply crunch — and rebuilding the U.S. economy.

But Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tried to temper fears Tuesday during an interview with CBS News.

“There may be isolated shortages of goods and services in the coming months,” Yellen said. “But there is an ample supply of goods. I think there’s no reason for consumers to panic about the absence of goods that they’re going to want to acquire at Christmas.”

The White House launched a task force in June to address disruptions to supply chains and in August added a port envoy to that group.

“We certainly know addressing those bottlenecks at ports could help address what we see in many industries across the country, and frankly are leading people who are preparing for holidays, for Christmas, whatever they may celebrate, birthdays, to order goods and get them to people’s homes,” Psaki said Tuesday.

Diaper crisis escalates amid COVID-19 pandemic

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As her belly curves in a small circle overlapping the top button of her jeans, Elisha White, 26, anticipates the birth of her fifth child.

White is currently unemployed and without a car, and though her family is pitching in and assisting her, she said her local diaper bank has been a saving grace now and since the beginning of her journey into motherhood.

“Ever since high school, they have always been there for me and been someone I can go and talk to,” said White. “They are really important to families that need [diapers] and that can’t afford them.”

White’s local diaper bank, The Diaper Bank of the Delta, which is located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, is the only organization in the state that is a part of the National Diaper Bank Network, which includes more than 200 independent diaper banks and pantries.

According to data from the organization, disposable diapers can cost up to $80 a month per child, with the average child needing up to 12 diapers daily. The federal government assistance programs such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) do not allow funding for diapers to be expensed through them.

“Before the pandemic, [there] was already a need in our community, especially in our service. I am located in the Mississippi Delta, where most of our population is African American, and they were already struggling to afford diapers to properly diaper their children,” said Chelesa Presley, executive director of the Diaper Bank of the Delta and member of Black Diaper Bank Leaders Group. “And then when the pandemic happened, oh my goodness.”

In 2020, the National Diaper Bank Network distributed more than 100 million diapers to 220 diaper banks across the country — a 67% spike from 2019. In addition, most child care facilities require parents to provide diapers for their child. Nationally, 57% of parents experiencing diaper needs who rely on child care said they missed an average of four days of school or work in the past month because they didn’t have diapers to send with their children.

Presley said many low-income families and families of color spend twice as much on diapers for their children compared to families who have the means to buy diapers in bulk at a lower price.

“They’re leaving the diapers on the babies longer,” said Presley. “I can tell you more and more families are coming to us, and we’ve increased the number that we give out because they’re saying, ‘We’re still not having enough to meet our needs.'”

“We were giving out 30 diapers. We’ve increased it up to 50, and some still need diapers to just completely diaper their babies because they just can’t afford it,” said Presley.

But Joanne Samuel Goldblum, the CEO and founder of the National Diaper Bank Network, said there is a greater need for diapers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, because many families lost their jobs and cannot afford diapers due to their price increase. As if that wasn’t enough, the consumer price index — the Labor Department’s measure of what consumers pay for everyday goods and services — spiked 5.4% over the last 12 months. In June alone, it jumped 0.9%

“The price of all commodities is rising,” said Goldbulm. “So people have sort of latched on to this conversation about the diaper-pricing increase — and it has, but so has almost every other commodity that we buy.”

One in three American families are experiencing a diaper shortage, according to a 2020 report from the National Diaper Bank Network. Goldblum says internal research in 2020 found that National Diaper Bank Network members distributed on average 86% more diapers in 2020 versus 2019.

“Everybody knows that when a baby’s crying, no matter who’s around, somebody is going to say, ‘Did you check their diaper?'” said Goldblum. “What does it mean, as a parent — especially a new parent, you know, if it’s a little baby — not being able to meet that child’s needs?”

Goldblum said that although the research for 2021 has not been released yet, diaper banks across the country are continuing to see the increased need for diapers and trying to continue to expand their capacity.

This is a problem that goes beyond diaper hygiene. Goldblum pointed to a 2013 study published in Pediatrics found that diaper need is more highly correlated with maternal stress and depression than any other material deprivation.

“Diaper needs impact children and it impacts caregivers,” Goldblum said.

“It is a crisis and is a real problem for families who are struggling, and this is affecting our future,” Presley said. “Our future children, it is affecting their health, it is affecting their mental health, and eventually in about 10 to 20 years, we’re going to see the effect this pandemic has had because of diaper needs and mental health issues.”

White said her local diaper bank will continue to help her and other mothers in need.

“It is so helpful for people who can’t afford [diapers] right now during the pandemic,” she said. “They are really helpful to me because I be about to lose my mind without them.”

People turn to glucose monitors to track their body’s reaction to foods: What to know

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — People with diabetes rely on blood glucose devices to monitor their blood sugar levels, but now people who do not have diabetes are tapping into the technology.

People without diabetes are using the devices, via apps, to learn more about how their lifestyle habits, like diet and exercise, may be affecting their blood sugar levels too.

One product designed for people without diabetes, Levels, features two sensors worn on the skin for 14 days each.

The product, currently in beta testing, links to an app that displays the user’s blood sugar level at all times so they can see how their body reacts to eating a bagel, for example, a food high in carbohydrates, versus a high-protein food like chicken.

ABC News’ Becky Worley, who did a complimentary tryout of the Levels app, found that while tracking her meals with the app, proteins like chicken and boiled eggs kept her blood sugar level, while a salad dressing loaded with sugar did not.

“What makes [continuous glucose monitors] so effective is that they empower people to learn about their health in a way that wasn’t possible before by seeing the impacts right away,” said Dr. Aaron Neinstein, a California-based endocrinologist who is not associated with Levels and prescribes continuous glucose monitors to his patients with diabetes. “I think what a lot of people learn when they use continuous glucose monitoring is just how much unhealthy ingredients are hidden in foods that we don’t know about.”

Medical experts say steady blood sugar levels generally keep the body in a state of using food as fuel, but big spikes in blood sugar can stimulate the body to store fat, increase your risk of heart disease and spur chronic inflammation.

Keeping blood sugar levels in range as much as possible can help delay or prevent health problems like heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease, and can help boost energy and mood, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some of the keys to balancing blood sugar levels include avoiding processed foods, eating more protein, adding healthy fats like avocado, olive oil and nuts and even walking after big meals.

“When you’re exercising, your body is able to bring glucose or sugar into the cells without insulin,” Neinstein, also an associate professor in the University of California San Francisco division of endocrinology, told GMA. “So it is a very effective tool.”

While several continuous glucose monitors are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use by people with diabetes, the Levels app is currently not FDA-regulated.

The company told ABC News that doctors routinely prescribe drugs and devices intended for other uses they think can help patients, but state in their terms of service, “We do not warrant that the results that may be obtained from the use of the service will be accurate or reliable.”

Neinstein said there is more data needed, stating, “Mu” h more research is needed to help us understand what the risks and benefits might be for people who don’t have diabetes.”

When should I mail holiday gifts? USPS, FedEx, UPS release 2021 ship-by dates

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Each year, we spend time sweating over getting holiday gifts out in time and worrying about shipping delays.

This year, experts are warning of possible shortages and delays on getting everything from toys to artificial Christmas trees due to COVID-related supply chain issues, as well as reports of slower shipping service.

With that in mind, shipping services have released their recommended ship-by dates in order for packages to arrive on or before the Christmas holiday. The overall advice: The earlier you send, the better.

Scroll down for deadlines from USPS, UPS and FedEx:

USPS

Dec. 15: This is the last day for retail ground shipping.

Dec. 17: This is the last day for first-class mail service (including greeting cards) and packages up to 15.99 ounces.

Dec. 18: This is the last day for Priority Mail service.

Dec. 23: This is the last day for Priority Mail Express service.

More information on USPS holiday shipping deadlines can be found here.

UPS

Dec. 15: This is the last day for UPS Ground service.

Dec. 21: This the last day for UPS 3 Day Select service.

Dec. 22: This is the last day for UPS 2nd Day Air service.

Dec. 23: This is the last day for UPS Next Day Air service.

More information on UPS holiday shipping deadlines can be found here.

FedEx

The company advises planning ahead to ensure gifts arrive on time. You can create your own shipping label at home and find a nearby location for easy drop-off service.

Dec. 15: This is the last day for FedEx Ground service.

Dec. 21: This is the last day for FedEx Express Saver and 3Day Freight services.

Dec. 22: This is the last day for FedEx 2Day A.M. and 2Day Freight services.

Dec. 23: This is the last day for FedEx 1Day Freight, Extra Hours, Standard Overnight, Priority Overnight and First Overnight services.

Dec. 24: This is the last day for FedEx SameDay, SameDay City Priority and SameDay City Direct services.

More information on FedEx holiday shipping deadlines can be found here.

Senate committee questions TikTok in Jan. 6 Capitol attack investigation

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Senate Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday added TikTok to a list of social media companies being scrutinized for their potential involvement in the spread of misinformation related to the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol.

In a letter obtained by ABC News, chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., wrote to the company seeking additional information on how the app monitors “extremist and conspiracy” content.

“In the lead up to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, domestic extremists reportedly used TikTok to recruit, organize, and communicate,” Peters writes to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. “Since January 6th, domestic extremist groups have used TikTok to continue to spread their messages through content supporting white supremacists, extremists, and terrorist organizations.”

The Senate Homeland Security Committee spent months examining security and response failures related to the Jan. 6 attack culminating in a bipartisan report that found failures at every level of government that led to the breach of the Capitol by Trump supporters.

Part of that report, released in June, found that there were multiple warnings on social media about potential violence leading up to the attack.

Since the report, the committee has been sharpening its focus on the role that social media played in the attack, and continues to play in the spread of extremist misinformation.

The committee’s letter to TikTok Tuesday adds the company to a list of social media giants already being examined. Chairman Peters sent letters last month to other social media and tech giants like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. A committee aide confirms that work to get the information requested from these organizations is ongoing.

Peters is seeking information from TikTok on how the company identifies content that violates its terms of service governing violent extremism, enforcement of community guidelines and information on how the company’s algorithms recommend content.

He raises concerns in his letter that TikTok benefits financially from keeping viewers engaged with extremist content, citing a Wall Street Journal investigation which found that the app directed users who viewed political videos to QAnon and election fraud content.

“These algorithms increase user engagement, which in turn increases the amount of time users spend on these platforms, and by extension, the amount of advertisements that can be shown,” Peters writes. “There is a financial incentive for social media platforms like TikTok to keep users engaged on their platforms and viewing content, including extremist content.””

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the committee’s letter. Its community guidelines, posted on its site, say it prohibits “violent extremism.” A TikTok representative responded to earlier questions about extremist videos on the site in a separate report by Politico.

“There is absolutely no place for violent extremism or hate speech on TikTok, and we work aggressively to remove any such content and ban individuals that violate our Community Guidelines,” spokesperson Jamie Favazza said in an email to Politico. ABC News has not independently reviewed that email.

The House has already taken some interest in TikTok, a Chinese-owned company that features a stream of short videos. The House Select Committee on Jan. 6 has asked social media companies, including TikTok, to turn over any records regarding the attack at the Capitol. The committee asked 15 companies including Facebook, and Twitter, to turn over any “records, including data, reports, analyses, and communications stretching back to Spring of 2020,” according to a committee press release.

Congress has heightened its focus in recent weeks on regulating social media more generally in light of allegations by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who unearthed documents she says shows the company had knowledge of its platforms’ negative impact and did little to stop it.

Among other allegations, Haugen alleged in an interview on the CBS News program “60 Minutes” that Facebook decided to ease safeguards put in place to stop the spread of disinformation during the 2020 election season, which she says contributed to the Jan. 6 attack.

Facebook has publicly disputed Haugen’s claims, pointing to investments in security that the company has made in recent years.

“Every day our teams have to balance protecting the ability of people to express themselves openly with the need to keep our platform a safe and positive place,” Lena Pietsch, the director of policy communications for Facebook, said in a statement earlier this month. “To suggest we encourage bad content or do nothing is just not true.”

Haugen testified before a subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee last week. The Senate Homeland Security Committee also plans to meet with Haugen, a committee aide confirms.

The administration also said it is working to thread the needle between ensuring citizen privacy and preventing future attacks.

“We are focused on ensuring that while we do this critical work, we protect civil rights, civil liberties, and the rights and privacy of each member of the American public,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told the House Homeland Security Committee in September.

He emphasized to the committee the department is “ideology neutral” and focus on ideologies “connectivity to violence, regardless of the politics.”

“This has been a long-standing challenge,” he said.

UNC Chapel Hill cancels classes for ‘Wellness Day’ amid suicide investigations

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(CHAPEL HILL, N.C.) — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill canceled classes and declared Tuesday a “Wellness Day” as officials investigate two suicide-related incidents from over the weekend.

“We are in the middle of a mental health crisis, both on our campus and across our nation, and we are aware that college-aged students carry an increased risk of suicide,” Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said in a statement to students Sunday evening. “This crisis has directly impacted members of our community — especially with the passing of two students on campus in the past month.”

He encouraged students to “rest and check in with each other, adding: “Reach out to a friend, a classmate or colleague and ask them, ‘Honestly, how are you doing?'”

The UNC Police Department reported a suicide at the Forest Theater on Sept. 4, according to UNC Police’s online crime log.

Campus police responded to a suicide Saturday morning at the Hinton James Residence Hall and to another call on Sunday at 3:35 a.m. for an attempted suicide at the Granville Towers South on campus, according to the log’s data.

UNC Media Relations told ABC News the incidents are under investigation.

Leaders of the UNC student government had called for the school to pause instruction on Monday as well as Tuesday.

“The leaders of the Undergraduate and Graduate and Professional Student Governments are mourning the tragic loss of life that occurred on Carolina’s campus this weekend. We share the pain of our peers who are now navigating both the grief of losing a friend and simultaneously completing a rigorous curriculum during an already stressful semester,” students said in a statement.

Some students said they wished the university was doing even more.

“I think they are trying, but it kind of seems like a bare minimum response to me,” sophomore Annalise Zola said to ABC Durham station WTVD. “I think the response was a little delayed in that they could be funding CAPS [Counseling and Psychological Services] better and doing more to support our students.”

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people 15 to 34 years old, according to National Institute of Mental Health data.

Guskiewicz said UNC is working to create a special support network for students and staff this week, and that the campus will convene a mental health summit later this month. Students who live on campus also have been encouraged to reach out to Carolina Housing staff for support.

He also announced the upcoming launch of a campus-wide campaign to support mental health awareness called the Heels Care Network, a reporting mechanism where people can share information about someone else who may need help.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

COVID-19 live updates: US to reopen Mexico, Canada borders for vaccinated

October 13, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.

More than 716,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 66% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Oct 12, 11:26 pm
US to lift land-border restrictions on Canada, Mexico with proof of vaccination

The U.S. is moving forward to lift restrictions for foreign travelers coming into the country over land-border crossings as long as they have proof of COVID-19 vaccination, according to multiple senior Biden administration officials.

The news follows a decision about two months ago from Canadian authorities to allow vaccinated American travelers to enter by land. It also follows the announcement last month of a vaccine requirement for foreign air travelers coming into the U.S.

Current air travel requirements also include presenting a negative COVID-19 test while land border requirements remain more restrictive for anyone deemed “nonessential.”

The first stage of the land-border changes is expected in early November, the officials said, when travelers deemed “nonessential” will be able to enter the U.S. with proof of vaccination. Nonessential travel, including recreation, family visits and tourism, was previously restricted at all land-border crossings.

All travelers, both essential and nonessential, will be required to have proof of vaccination starting in early January.

Unlike the requirements for air travel, this new set of restrictions does not have a testing component, the officials said.

Customs and Border Protection will enforce the requirements at U.S. land ports of entry where they will ask about vaccination status and refer travelers to a more thorough inspection on a case-by-case basis.

Oct 12, 6:00 pm
62% of 2020 law enforcement line of duty deaths were from COVID-19: Report

A report issued Tuesday found that 62% of all law enforcement deaths in the line of duty in 2020 were from COVID-19.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund revealed the statistics in a release, announcing its annual candlelight vigil on the National Mall.

Attorney General Merck Garland will lead Thursday’s vigil that will honor 701 law enforcement officers who recently died in the line of duty, including 434 who died in 2019 and 2020, the museum said in a statement.

Oct 12, 5:02 pm
White House to governors: Get ready to start vaccinating kids in November

In a private phone call Tuesday, the White House urged governors to prepare to begin vaccinating elementary-age kids in early November.

Once federal regulators give the green light, the pediatric Pfizer vaccine will be distributed in 100-dose packs. The doses, which are about one-third of what is given to adults, will be sent to thousands of sites, including pediatricians, family doctors, hospitals, health clinics and pharmacies enrolled in a federal program that guarantees the shots are provided for free. Some states are planning to provide the vaccine through schools, as well.

“We’ve secured plenty of supply, and we’ll be putting in place an allocation ordering and distribution system similar to what we’ve used for the other vaccines,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on the call.

The Biden administration has purchased 65 million Pfizer pediatric vaccine doses, according to an HHS official. That number is more than enough to vaccinate all 28 million 5-to-11-year-olds.

At least 31,000 providers have enrolled to administer free vaccines already, according to the HHS official, and that number is expected to increase as the HHS and CDC continue to work with the existing federal program that funds many other routine childhood vaccinations all over the country.

While the White House said shipments of the pediatric vaccine will begin as soon as the FDA gives the green light, shots wouldn’t happen until the CDC makes its recommendation on who should get the vaccine.

The CDC is drafting guidance on the practice of “test to stay” being used by schools in lieu of quarantines, according to the White House call. CDC director Rochelle Walensky said it’s possible that the guidance is released this week.

Oct 12, 3:32 pm
What to expect at this week’s meetings on Moderna, J&J boosters

On Thursday and Friday, the FDA’s independent advisory panel is set to discuss and vote on whether to authorize Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters for people 18 and older. If approved, the FDA and CDC both still need to sign off. The earliest that could happen is Oct. 22.

An initial and nonbinding vote on the Moderna booster has been scheduled for around 4:45 p.m. ET Thursday. Moderna’s own scientific summary posted on Tuesday argues for a booster shot with a half dose given six months after the second shot.

An initial and nonbinding vote on the J&J booster has been scheduled for around 3:15 p.m. ET. Friday. Johnson & Johnson’s summary posted Tuesday makes the argument for a second shot, same as the first dose, given roughly six months after the single-shot vaccine.

On Friday, the National Institutes of Health will also present data on whether it’s safe and effective to mix-and-match booster doses.

+ More