News Wrap: Supreme Court sides with cheerleader kicked off squad for social media post

Judy Woodruff:

In the day's other news: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Pennsylvania school was wrong to suspend a girl from cheerleading over a social media rant.

Brandi Levy made the vulgar post while off-campus, after failing to make the varsity cheerleading squad. The court found 8-1 that the school violated her free speech rights. It did not issue a ban on punishing all off-campus speech.

The justices also struck down a California regulation allowing labor unions to recruit agricultural workers on private farms. The regulation was issued in 1975 after Cesar Chavez, a pioneering organizer, pushed for it. Today's 6-to-3 decision is the latest in a string of setbacks for unions.

Members of Congress in both parties said today that they will move ahead on changing how the military handles sexual assault cases. On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin endorsed shifting those cases to trained prosecutors, instead of military commanders.

But some, including California Democrat Jackie Speier, called for going even further.

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA):

It needs to go beyond sexual assault and sexual harassment, and include all military felonies that are — all non-military felonies that should not really be handled by a commander, but by professional staff.

Judy Woodruff:

Meanwhile, the nation's top general, Mark Milley, clashed with Republican lawmakers over military efforts to address racism and extremism.

At a congressional hearing, the chair of the Joint Chiefs rejected criticism of West Point's instruction those issues. He said: "I want to understand white rage, and I'm white."

In Iran, state TV reports security officials have foiled an attempt to sabotage a civilian nuclear site. The statement today said the target was in Karaj city, 25 miles Northwest of Tehran. There were no reports of deaths or damages, and few other details.

Hong Kong's last pro-democracy newspaper announced today it's closing immediately, amid China's crackdown on dissent. Police had raided Apple Daily last week, arresting executives and freezing millions of dollars in assets. The tabloid had been an outspoken critic of Beijing's policies.

Back in this country, they're still counting ballots in New York City's Democratic primary for mayor. The city used ranked choice voting, and with thousands of absentee ballots outstanding, it could take weeks to name a winner. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former police captain, built a lead last night as soon as counting began.

Eric Adams, New York Mayoral Candidate:

We know that this is going to be layers. This is the first early voting count. We know that. But there's something else we know, that New York City said, our first choice is Eric Adams.

(Cheering and applause)

Judy Woodruff:

Curtis Sliwa, who is founder of the crime prevention group Guardian Angels, won the Republican nomination.

And, in Buffalo, New York, self-described socialist India Walton scored an upset in the Democratic primary for mayor, ousting the four-term incumbent.

A grand jury in Texas has declined to indict eight jailers in the death of a Black inmate last March. They used pepper spray and a spit mask on Marvin Scott as he struggled and then became unresponsive. His death was ruled a homicide. Scott's family says that he was likely having a mental health crisis.

A federal judge today sentenced the first of nearly 500 people charged in the January assault on the U.S. Capitol. Anna Morgan-Lloyd received three years of federal probation, plus community service, for a single misdemeanor. She was not involved in any violence.

Separately, Graydon Young became the first of the Oath Keepers militia to plead guilty in a conspiracy case involving their role in the assault.

And on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 71 points to close at 33874. The Nasdaq rose 18 points to another record close. But the S&P 500 slipped four.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": an alarming new report warns of climate change's dire and accelerating consequences; innovations that could solve the ongoing problem of unrecycled plastic; and indigenous people nationwide advocate for the return of their cultural artifacts.