Pro-Palestinian protests lead to dozens of students arrested across some of the country’s most elite college campuses and day two of testimony in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
Protests lead to arrests across college campuses
Some of the country’s most prestigious universities have been disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters this week, with the White House describing some incidents as “blatantly anti-Semitic” and “dangerous.” Student protests against the war in Gaza have led to a significant number of arrests.
Columbia University will continue hybrid classes until the semester ends following protests which resulted in 100 arrests on campus.
Additionally, 47 protesters at Yale University were arrested Monday, April 23, with the university stating it does not tolerate harassment.
Dozens of protesters at New York University were also arrested. The school said it called in the New York Police Department to help “gain control” of a “disorderly anti-Israel protest.”
Furthermore, school yards from the University of North Carolina to MIT are closing to the public, with Harvard Yard gates closed until Friday, April 26.
First witness to resume testimony in Trump’s criminal trial
Former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York continues, with the prosecution’s first witness — former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker — expected to return to the stand.
In opening statements Monday, April 22, prosecutors accused Trump of participating in a “criminal conspiracy” to interfere with the 2016 election. Defense attorneys countered, asserting Trump did nothing wrong and claiming some prosecution witnesses are biased and dishonest.
Additionally, a judge will hear arguments Tuesday, April 23, on whether to hold Trump in contempt for allegedly violating a gag order with his social media posts criticizing the trial.
White House imposes staffing requirements for nursing homes
Vice President Kamala Harris has announced new federal rules for nursing homes, setting a minimum staffing level and requiring that a portion of their federal funding be allocated toward higher wages for workers.
It’s the first time the federal government has implemented staff requirements for nursing homes, a response to staffing shortages exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The rules mandate a registered nurse be on-site 24 hours a day and staffing levels sufficient to provide nearly four hours of care per resident each day.
For facilities with 100 residents, this translates to a minimum of three registered nurses and 11 nurse aides per shift. Some nursing homes have expressed concerns, stating the staffing standards are unachievable due to a shortage of workers.
FTC blocks Coach, Michael Kors merger following Kroger, Albertsons antitrust lawsuit
The Federal Trade Commission is suing to prevent a merger of top luxury brands, citing concerns it would stifle competition in the industry. Meanwhile, major grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons are selling off some of their stores in hopes the FTC will approve their merger.
The FTC, which can block large business acquisitions to prevent companies from gaining excessive market power, is currently moving to block a deal between Tapestry and Capri Holdings. Tapestry, which owns Coach and Kate Spade, plans to buy Capri Holdings, the owner of Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo. The FTC argues the acquisition would harm American consumers who benefit from competition between these top brands.
In the grocery sector, Kroger intends to purchase Albertsons for $25 billion. Federal regulators sued to block the deal in February. The grocery chains are divesting 166 stores to gain FTC approval for the transaction.
Express files for bankruptcy, closing 100 stores
Express, a popular retailer often located in malls, has filed for bankruptcy and plans to close nearly 100 of its 500 stores.
The company reported nearly $1.2 billion in total debts with $1.3 billion in total assets, according to its Chapter 11 filing. The chain has become the latest victim of a decline in mall shopping, as consumers change their shopping and dressing habits.
The CEO of Express noted that workers are dressing less formally than the styles the chain currently offers, and shoppers are increasingly turning to online retailers.
Voyager 1 sending data to Earth for first time in five months
After five months, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has resumed sending back data on its onboard systems for the first time since November.
Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory identified and addressed a malfunction in one of Voyager 1’s onboard computer chips that disrupted data transmission. Small adjustments to the code were sent over a radio signal through 15 billion miles of interstellar space, taking nearly 45 hours for scientists to hear back from the spacecraft.
Once the chip’s malfunction is corrected, they believe scientific data can start funneling back to Earth.
