20251108-news-a02briefs

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Supreme Court issues order to block full SNAP payments

BOSTON — The Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration’s emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order to fully fund SNAP food aid payments amid the government shutdown. A judge had given the Republican administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. But the administration asked an appeals court to suspend any court orders requiring it to spend more money than is available in a contingency fund. After the appeals court declined to immediately intervene, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued an order late Friday pausing the requirement to distribute full SNAP payments until the appeals court rules on whether to issue a more lasting pause.

US airlines cancel 1,000 flights, comply with shutdown order

Anxious travelers across the U.S. are feeling a bit of relief as airlines have mostly stayed on schedule while gradually cutting flights because of the government shutdown. At least 1,000 flights were called off on Friday as airlines comply with the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce service. Some passengers were forced to make last-minute changes and rebook on different flights. Plenty of nervousness remained, as more canceled flights are expected in the coming days. Airports in Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and Dallas led the way with the most disruptions. The upheaval will intensify the longer the shutdown lasts and could become chaotic if it extends into the Thanksgiving holiday.

Cornell to pay $60M in deal with Trump administration

WASHINGTON — Cornell University has agreed to pay $60 million and accept the Trump administration’s interpretation of civil rights laws in order to restore federal funding and end investigations into the Ivy League school. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced the agreement on Friday, saying it upholds the university’s academic freedom while restoring more than $250 million in research funding that the government withheld amid investigations into alleged civil rights violations. The university agreed to pay $30 million directly to the U.S. government along with another $30 million toward research that will support U.S. farmers.

Supreme Court weighs appeal to overturn same-sex marriage

WASHINGTON — A call to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide is on the agenda Friday for the justices’ closed-door conference. Among the new cases the justices are expected to consider is a longshot appeal from Kim Davis, the former Kentucky court clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. Davis had been trying to get the court to overturn a lower court order for her to pay $360,000 in damages and attorney’s fees to a couple whom she denied a marriage license. Clarence Thomas is the only justice to call for erasing the same-sex marriage ruling.

Louvre vows to restore damaged imperial crown

PARIS — The diamond and emerald-studded crown of Empress Eugénie, which was found damaged near the Louvre after being dropped by thieves during last month’s robbery, will be restored as a symbol of “renaissance,” the museum’s director Laurence des Cars said. Thieves stole eight objects, including a sapphire diadem and necklace, but the imperial crown was recovered outside the museum. Des Cars said Friday the crown was likely damaged when removed from its display case. She said the restoration will be funded by patrons. Des Cars offered to resign after the robbery, but the culture minister refused. She said she has pushed for modernizing the museum since 2021, addressing issues like overcrowding and security.

Man who threw sandwich at agent found not guilty of assault

WASHINGTON — A former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington has been found not guilty of assault. A viral video of the incident made Sean Charles Dunn a symbol of resistance to Trump’s deployment of federal agents to combat crime in the nation’s capital. Dunn’s misdemeanor acquittal Thursday is another setback for prosecutors who’ve faced a backlash for how they’ve handled criminal cases resulting from the surge. Dunn says he’s relieved and looking forward to moving on with his life. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is accepting the verdict but says “law enforcement should never be subjected to assault.”

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