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In the news today: A federal judge temporarily blocks federal health officials from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for every child; Trump ratchets up the pressure on journalists to cover the Iran war the way he wants; and a decades-old recording could unlock mysteries of the ocean. Also, as St. Patrick's Day arrives, a look at a business that offers miniature Irish pubs on wheels. |
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is seen following President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 24. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert) |
Judge blocks US government from slimming down vaccine recommendations |
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked federal health officials from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for every child, and said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee. Read more. |
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- The decision halted an order by Kennedy — announced in January — to end broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. It also stopped a meeting of a Kennedy-appointed vaccine advisory committee, which was set to convene this week in Atlanta.
The judge's order, however, is not the final word. The blocks are temporary, pending either a trial or a decision for summary judgment. Federal health officials indicated they planned to appeal. "HHS looks forward to this judge's decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing," said Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon.
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Trump team applying pressure to media: Tell the war's story the way we see it |
Through lectures, scoldings and outright threats, President Donald Trump and his aides are ratcheting up the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants. Read more. |
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All presidential administrations tangle with the press; it's the natural byproduct of journalists' watchdog roles in a democratic society. But the incidents of the past few days speak to a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned — in a way that, some say, scratches up against the First Amendment itself.
The government's top media regulator has warned that broadcasters risk losing their licenses if they don't stay away from "fake news." Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have both questioned the patriotism of news outlets because of their reporting.
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Oldest known whale recording could unlock mysteries of the ocean |
A haunting whale song discovered on decades-old audio equipment could open up a new understanding of how the huge animals communicate, according to researchers who say it's the oldest such recording known. Read more. |
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The song is that of a humpback whale and was recorded by scientists in March 1949 in Bermuda, said researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The ocean of the late 1940s was much quieter than the ocean of today, providing a different backdrop than scientists are used to hearing for whale song, researchers explain. The discovery of long-lost whale song from a quieter ocean could be a jumping-off point to better understanding the sounds the animals make today, said Hansen Johnson, a research scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium. "It's pretty special," said Johnson.
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Revelers gather for an early St. Patrick's Day party in a rented tiny pub, Friday, in Andover, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) |
A fleet of festive pubs on wheels bring a taste of Ireland to New England
Tiny Pubs, a small business run by brothers Matt and Craig Taylor, builds miniature Irish pubs on wheels for holidays, weddings and backyard parties across New England. Decorated with antique signs, church pews, an electric fireplace and a bar crafted from the front panel of an 1864 piano, the pubs recreate the feel of a traditional Irish pub — but are just small enough to fit in a driveway. What began as a pandemic project has since grown into a small business with four bars, including two Irish pubs, booked most weekends throughout the year. |
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