In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: Terrorism; death; death penalty] Victims are giving statements today at the sentencing hearing for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who will be formally sentenced today. "The same federal jury that earlier this year found Tsarnaev, 21, guilty of killing four people and injuring 264 in the bombing and its aftermath voted in May to sentence him to death by lethal injection. U.S. District Judge George O'Toole on Wednesday will order the punishment."

[CN: Police brutality; racism; misogyny] In November of last year, Tanisha Anderson, a 37-year-old black woman from Ohio who was bipolar, died in police custody. Her death was ruled a homicide by the Cuyahoga County medical examiner, but no charges have been brought against the officers. Now, the prosecutor's office has asked the Cuyahoga County sheriff to begin an investigation into Anderson's death. Meanwhile, her family has filed a civil lawsuit against the city and against the officers, seeking damages and also something even looking a little bit like justice.

[CN: Terrorism; white supremacy] According to a study by the Washington-based research organization The New America Foundation, white USians are the biggest terror threat in the United States. NAF "did a review of 'terror' attacks on US soil since Sept. 11, 2001 and found that most of them were carried out by radical anti-government groups or white supremacists. Almost twice as many people have died in attacks by right-wing groups in America than have died in attacks by Muslim extremists. Of the 26 attacks since 9/11 that the group defined as terror, 19 were carried out by non-Muslims. Yet there are no white Americans languishing inside the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. And there are no drones dropping bombs on gatherings of military-age males in the country's lawless border regions."

[CN: War on agency; misogyny; racism; class warfare] Goddammit: "Senate Republicans released a funding proposal on Tuesday that would significantly cut funding for women's health, including low-income family planning and teen pregnancy prevention. ...The spending bill proposed by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on labor, education, and health and human services would cut Title X by 10 percent, or $28.7 million. A vulnerable population that is 90 percent women, about half Black or Latino, and mostly uninsured or young relies on Title X clinics for birth control, testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and cancer screenings. Some recipients have no other contact with the health-care system except through Title X."

[CN: White supremacy] Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are among the retailers who have also announced an intention to stop selling merchandise emblazoned with the Confederate flag. And in Alabama: "On the order of Gov. Robert Bentley, the Confederate battle flag which stands at the foot of the confederate memorial on the state Capitol grounds was taken down this morning. Two workers came out of the Capitol building about 8:20 a.m. and with no fanfare quickly and quietly took the flag down. They declined to answer questions. Moments later Gov. Bentley emerged from the Capitol on his way to an appearance in Hackleburg. Asked if he had ordered the flag taken down, the governor said, 'Yes I did.'"

Dr. Jill Stein has announced that she is running for president again as a Green Party candidate. I honestly don't know a whole lot about her; I'm generally favorably disposed toward the Green Party platform, but I haven't always been a huge fan of their candidates. Still, I'll try to get up to speed on her platform and include news about her in the Primarily Speaking posts.

RIP Albert Evans, one of the most well-known black ballet dancers in the US and a star of the New York City Ballet. "All of us at New York City Ballet are heartbroken by Albert's passing," said NYCB's Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins. "There was simply no one else like him. He was an absolute joy, beloved by dancers, staff and audiences members alike. The company will never be the same without him."

Something something white actor cast as the new Spider-Man, because of course.

All right then: "US military to develop Star Wars-style hoverbikes with British company."

And finally! A ridiculously adorable time-lapse video of two golden retriever puppies growing up from 11 weeks to 46 weeks old. Awwwww.