♪ ♪ ♪ >> Chance for Gaza rang out across Kentucky's largest college campus.

>> And so for people who are new to cannabis research, I think a lot of barriers will fall.

>> What a change in marijuana law means for cannabis research.

>> The biggest thing you have to KET in mind is the virus could be in the environment.

So can be on your shoes.

>> And what you need to know about the bird flu in Kentucky.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KU Team Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday.

May the second.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your Thursday night with us.

>> Pro-Palestinian protests came to college campuses in Kentucky this week as Kentucky additions June Leffler reports things got loud but stayed calm.

>> At a rally at the University of Kentucky yesterday.

>> This is I would say the launch of the student into photo, which basically means the revolution solidarity with all the other universities that have been taking this place.

We're not okay with the genocide or not okay with the funding of Israel and all the money that gets sent to them because in return, it does has been killing Palestinians every single day for the last 207 days.

>> Student groups across the country are urging their colleges to stand up for Palestinians in cut any financial ties to Israel to make that point, students have set up tents and taking over buildings on their campuses leading to mass arrests.

That wasn't the case at UK this week.

>> Because of what's happening in the nation right now.

The university directly hopped into the minds of like, oh, no, it's an encampment.

There's going to be violent.

Um, students, you've got to the point of them walking down the library and everywhere else.

The card Act is only by 05:00PM.

The police were here before the protesters were here.

Media was far everyone else as well.

>> A spokesperson for UK says, quote, as a public university outdoor UK's campus are designated public forums by law, meaning community members may demonstrate in public areas so long as they don't interrupt classes once learning about a demonstration.

UK police are on site to ensure the safety of all involved during the rally.

Counter-protesters, stand to the side lines.

>> They're protesting against straight.

I stand.

We're Americans and we are allies with Israel and if they're against Israel there against America.

>> What organizers say is a rally for freedom and peace feels like an attack for some Jewish people at UK's campus.

Rabbi Shlomo Litvin advises Jewish students at UK.

>> For students to come to the rabbi, not with the question of how can I best observe Passover as a student?

More common question.

I get, but is it safe for me to go to campus this week?

I have a test.

Should I do?

Should I ask if I can do it online?

Try only go to campus for the tests that I have to take and then avoid campus rest of the day.

It's a question I didn't think I'd have to answer in 2024.

In America.

♪ Every single term and imagery associated with this rally.

It's one that calls for violence against Jews.

>> Not all Jews at UK agree.

♪ People students at the University of Louisville did not demonstrate this week that saved the war in Gaza continues.

Their campaign will ramp up come the fall semester for Kentucky edition of John Leffler.

>> Thank you.

June student activists at UK are calling on the university to disclose and divest from any financial ties to Israel.

Same goes for ties to universities in Israel.

Students also want UK President doctor Eli Capilouto to issue a statement of support for Palestinians as he did for Ukrainians 2 years ago.

Of course, this conflict in the Middle East is not new.

Today I sat down with Professor Robert Farley with the UK Paterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce to talk about the protests and better understand the current conflict.

Doctor Farley, thank you so much for a few minutes of your time.

Thank you for having me.

Such an important topic.

The Associated Press reported today that the arrests related to these protests over the Israel, Hamas conflict has now topped 2000 and we know that college campuses across this nation, even some in Kentucky have had demonstrations.

The ones in Kentucky have been far more peaceful.

What's the message that protesters are sending about this conflict about this war, that they want policy makers to pay attention to?

>> Well, the protesters are very good.

And so they're sending a few different messages.

But the central message, the real message is that Israel should stop its offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

That the United States should stop its support for Israel delivery of military equipment.

And that in particular, the universities that the protesters are on should take a set of steps that essentially divests them cut any connections between the university and the state of Israel and even parts of the United States military and that its military industrial complex.

>> And that's a shift, perhaps unpopular thinking about supporting Israel.

Is it not?

>> I'm not sure it's a shift from sort of where students and young people have been in the just Palestinian cause has long been popular on campuses.

And if you'd been 5 years ago, UNC Palestinian flags, not as many as you do now.

You know, I think certainly it is more vocal now because of the events that are happening in Gaza.

But I'm not sure we've seen the transformation in the tip of the source of opinion.

It's just that the opinion has gotten louder, gotten louder.

Well, because since the mid 20th century, of course, this is nothing new Middle East conflict.

And we know that Israel engaged in wars and they face threats from Hezbollah.

>> To Hamas, what events or circumstances make this particular conflict.

You make.

So what makes this particular conflict unique in the context of the conflicts you just talked about?

>> This is a much bloodier conflict than we have ever seen between Israelis and Palestinians.

This is a conflict for the for the longest time was characterized by dispossession and of the seizure of land and territory, but not by a tremendous numbers of deaths.

Even when Israel was waging war against Syria or Egypt really what's happened in the past 6 months in Gaza has a level of bloodshed that this conflict could never seen before.

The level of destruction.

And so that I think is what has really changed in this country can in the U.S. response to this conflict.

>> And that since the fall since October 7th, I believe it was in 2023 right since October 7th, which was a devastating attack that killed over 1000 Israelis.

And since that time, the numbers But but people placing about 30,000 Palestinian deaths help us and may seem like a very pedestrian question.

>> Define pro-Palestinian.

>> Well, that is a very complicated question.

That at its maximum pro-Palestinian means the idea that were the people who lived British mandate in an autumn in Palestine in the 20th century should be restored to the political rights to that territory.

And so sometimes when people say from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

That's what they mean.

The Palestinians should control this territory.

A different way of being pro-Palestinian is to say the Palestinians should have all the same rights and privileges that Israelis enjoy within this particular territory.

And one-state solution, Palestinian for Jews and Palestinians live together another way of being pro-Palestinian to say that there should be a two-state solution where the Israelis have their state.

The Palestinians have their state and that these are separate and distinct that have their own sovereign >> Being pro-Palestinian doesn't mean you're pro-Hamas, though, correct?

>> It does not necessarily mean that you are pro Hamas.

There are certainly lots of people who are pro Palestinians who are also but being proposed team does not necessarily mean that your indoor saying assets viewpoint or Hamas actions.

>> So let's talk about the U.S. role.

We know that the U.S. was the first to recognize Israel as an independent state in 1948.

With President Harry Truman, every U.S. President, correct me if I'm wrong to follow has been supportive of an ally of Israel.

When we look at the current conditions that we're in and dynamics in an active presidential election year, we know that recent polling shows that President Biden is losing ground with young people in part, not in whole because of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

Is this a liability for him?

And it couldn't Bowie.

Former President Donald Trump in some way.

>> So you bring it to history is very interesting most U.S. presidents have been pretty pro Israel since the founding of Israel.

But that's very to the relationship is not always been close between Israel and the United States we're a very interesting position right now in that President Trump has staked out a very clear former President Trump stick a very clear position that he is strongly pro-Israel.

And so by any way, you can measure President Trump has a stronger pro-Israel, really into Palestinian position.

And President Biden to U.S.. President Biden's political problem is that and the United States is almost entirely unique in this that the coalition of the Democratic Party includes both Jews to a pro-Israel and Muslims who are pro Palestine.

That's not a connection.

You see in many other democracies and it creates a huge problem for President Biden because he has to, on the one hand, KET this one constituency happy.

And then this other constituency, which has an entirely opposite view of what should be happening in the Middle East.

So it creates a massive problem for President Biden in terms of keeping his own coalition together.

And it does, I think open up some opportunities for for former President Trump in this election.

>> Well, thank you, Professor.

We appreciate your time.

Thank you for having me.

Yesterday the U.S. House voted 320 to 91 in favor of the Anti-Semitism awareness Act.

A bill that aims to fight Anti-Semitism on college campuses after protests on some campuses turned violent.

Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky's 6th congressional district in Central Kentucky, voted yes and posted this after the vote, quote Today under Speaker Johnson's leadership, the House GOP took decisive action against the repulsive rise of Anti-Semitism on college campuses nationwide bypassing the Anti-Semitism awareness Act.

America will continue to stand with our Jewish friends at home and abroad, end quote, Congressman Barr's praise for Speaker Mike Johnson came just after a Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is 4th congressional district.

Join Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor.

Greene of Georgia to call for a vote next week to remove Johnson as Speaker Massie and Green are critical of Johnson.

They say Johnson is cooperating too much with Democrats in the U.S. House.

We told you yesterday that Kentucky Attorney General Russel Coleman is joining 5 other states challenging the Biden administration change to the title 9 sex discrimination law.

The change clarifies that the law protects LGBTQ+.

students.

Coleman says that means men identifying as women will have access to women's sports bathrooms and locker rooms today.

Governor Andy Beshear commented on Coleman's challenge.

>> I hope the way that the General Coleman or anybody else will go about this is not fear-mongering and isn't attacking a.

Our people.

He sees LGBTQ.

Kentuckians are Kentuckians just like every other one of us.

And they deserve the same dignity and respect they deserve to be seen for who they are.

And and I again, I just want individuals who feel attacked by this to know that somebody here in Frankfort cares about you.

And we will do our best to make sure that this commonwealth is accepting for everyone.

>> During his press conference today, the governor also urged Kentuckians to be alert for signs of human trafficking during Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

He says human trafficking always increases during big events involving people from all over the world.

♪ Most women should get their first mammogram earlier, according to an expert panel, new guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend women get a mammogram every other year, beginning at age 40, a decade sooner than the previous recommendation.

Our Chris T-dot and spoke to a radiologist specializing in breast cancer imaging to find out what's causing the change.

That and today's medical news >> the new breast cancer screening is receiving high praise from some, but it's leading others to wonder why the sudden chains joining us now is doctor else that cool from U of L Health.

Why is this change happening?

Why are we seeing these guidelines change for where they work?

I think it's from a lot fish back from a lot of national organizations, such a society of breast imaging.

>> The American College of Radiology, the American College of guided foggy and spent on Specht, Rick's of all really pushed for the screening age for the average.

Each nt starting at the age of 40.

>> And so with increased breast cancer screening.

So will that also increased false positives?

Not so.

That's a really common but a lot of data has shown both the night D*** and Ann and European Miles.

>> That this doesn't necessarily think these false positives, but there might be and slightly increased back rate by just why would it be singer screening Bull and you're seeing more patients on backcourt beaches over the amount of cancers that are being detected, which is building Horton, particularly the ages of 40 49 are increased in not did not the code word.

>> Catch some people think that this maybe too much screening others.

Others think it's we could do more.

Where do you lie on in that spectrum?

>> Well, I agree with the society breast imaging and that the American College of Radiology as up, we're inserted by breast officials addressed a major.

agree that we should start at the age of 40 for the average patient.

I do think that we should be doing annual screening mammograms, not every other year because that has been show to actually.

I'm Andrew overall mortality and increased like during game for all of our were screened at, particularly at the ages of 40 and looking in.

>> So you think that it could even go another step for there a little bit more.

And so with this new recommendation, which will increasingly at least a step in the right direction, in your how do you hope this changes the lives of those that have breast cancer?

>> Maybe for women.

And Hugh, you're going to see more work with it at a younger age, getting diagnosed with breast cancer.

I think by certain screening at the age of 40 and particularly when it and we will be able to detect it early and subtle breast cancers that are much more treatable.

You don't really have that sort of breast cancer.

And while breast cancer that has come a long way in the last couple of decades, really the closest thing to learn is by spring, it's been on every dirty, but you can detect that for the unsettled rescue and treat them.

>> Well, thank you so much for your time and thank you for that information.

In your perspective.

>> And just much for having me.

>> And thank you, Christy.

A new outbreak of avian influenza also called the bird flu has infected commercial poultry facilities in the U.S. since 2020 on March.

25th of this year, experts spotted the first case of it infecting dairy cattle in Texas.

We sat down with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife and the commissioner of AG Jonathan Shell to see how it's impacting Kentucky.

>> We had our first detection in February.

It's we've been tracking this since then.

And he's previously showed up in the United States and North America back in 2014 to 2016, there was a big outbreak now predominantly affected domestic birds.

At that time, it didn't really have this a big impact on wildlife that we're seeing with the current outbreak where, you know, we're seeing mortality in wild mammals we've seen in wild birds is the stream came in and then it started to re assortment North American variance and actually did a little less severe.

But there's also been some other spill over into.

I want to sing on target.

But accidental like the wild mammal situations.

We've had that actions and raccoons in Kentucky.

And then we also just had a recent detection make which is the first in the United States back in March, it was first detected and Texas dairy cattle.

And since then it's been in the news and we've been aware of the situation >> first, a vets office so it is only in dairy cattle like taking dairy cattle and what the infection is.

A half bath aviation influenza, which I think it's h 5 n one is the classification of it that the new stuff with cattle.

I mean, that's a totally different system.

And they're not as can find.

>> And there's definitely potential exposure to wild birds.

But once what they're seeing, the cows, the cow to cow transmission and the movement of the cows has propagated this influenza outbreak.

It's it's.

>> Basically it's making have a little bit less milk production.

And he had ration a little bit.

But as of now, it's those are mild symptoms.

it's it's affecting the production of the dairy cattle.

The FDA recommend communications that we've got now is that past rows milk is completely safe through this process.

It's not in any other types of cattle.

As of right now.

And so the restriction movements of the federal government has put down having them being protested before movement across state lines.

And then here in Kentucky, implemented a quarantine section to where that they can permit and say you know, just make notification that they're receiving cattle into the state of Kentucky from other affected areas in the nation.

Right now, we don't have any cases in Kentuckyian dairy cattle and we're we're trying our best to be monitoring that situation.

And with the permitting and the notification process for the state best office.

So we should be able to KET pretty close handle on it.

>> Now, USDA to some surveillance and hunter harvested bird.

So those are also dead birds.

So that's kind of like passive surveillance where there harvesting these birds and then we would USDA.

Woods problem is we've got a few detections to that.

Is there not a disease?

And that's one of the reasons why high on everyone's radar from a domestic poultry side or domestic animals to wildlife.

>> It also affects public health and human health.

The biggest thing you have to KET in mind is the virus can be in the environment.

So can be on your shoes.

That's honestly probably how a lot of the transmission happens on the domestic side is humans moving the virus around?

>> Practice affective and understood about security measures on your farm.

Just claim workstations in your barns, that your milk and with it.

So Washington and making sure that you don't any necessary composting way around that animal removals.

Those kind of cleaning up in between washes the people that have contracted it.

>> Have either worked in a poultry house that had an outbreak.

So you imagine that a lot of virus in a confined space and then the other one was a dairy operator.

We know that there was high viral loads in the mouth and that's clearly not passed rise at that point.

So they had a very high risk exposure there.

>> And they were able to get it.

So yes, it can infect humans.

But the average person is at very low risk for this disease.

>> Currently, 9 states have reported outbreaks in dairy cattle.

They are Colorado, Ohio, Idaho, New Mexico, Michigan, Texas, Kansas, South Dakota and North Carolina.

The U.S. drug Enforcement Administration is moving toward reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

The Justice Department proposal would recognize the medical uses of cannabis but would legalize it for recreational use.

The proposal still faces a potentially potentially lengthy review process.

But if it's approved, it could have wide ranging effects.

Doctor Shannon Babb alone us is director of the Cannabis Center at the University of Kentucky.

Her team just wrapped up 2 studies involving medical cannabis.

She says this move by the federal government could make marijuana research easier.

>> So one of the barriers to some researchers obtained that schedule and gag license holding Drive-In schedule requires in ministering in a very controlled way.

Summer to how you would have to administer heroin or fentanyl.

And so for people who are new to cannabis research, I think a lot of barriers will fall for what this reclassification KET in mind that there are now after he approved marijuana products available to prescribe.

And so be because it's becoming schedule 3.

Doesn't mean.

There is an FDA approved product actually prescribed.

And so I think >> the main >> rationale for this change is to positively impact research and to have that research be conducted for several years before making further decision is my understanding.

>> Doctor, about alone.

Us is also getting ready to launch 2 new trials that are funded by the state.

One will look at the effects of medical cannabis on certain cancer patients.

And the other will look at daily doses and patients with pre diabetes and obesity.

♪ And you know, the 100 and 50th Kentucky Derby is this Saturday.

And if you've ever been to Churchill Downs, you'll notice some changes this year after 2 years of renovations, the much anticipated new Paddock area is being revealed for the first time the 200 Million Dollar Project more than doubles the space.

Our Chris T-dot and gives us an inside look and a little perspective.

The paddock is the heartbeat of any race track across.

>> The world staying true to the heart of Churchill Downs can be tricky with such a big renovation that hopes to transform, but also preserve.

>> It's real fine line because you you know, historical landmark that he's built off of, you know, history and the tradition.

But at the same time, you want to bring it up to modern, you know, they amenities.

>> Amenities like 2 new clubs offering exclusive dining and unique have a fuse.

You can literally sit at a table and watch, of course, being saddled while you're eating your lunch, the new padded brings new experiences, but it also brings Churchill Downs, historic icon back in focus.

>> Right from when you walk in through the gates, you're now going to see the horses and they're situated right beneath the twin spires.

The twinspires that are it's our iconic, the symbol.

It's our the Nike swoosh, the the big McDonald's them the twin Spires.

That's what we're known for.

And you see them, you know, front and center once again.

>> The new panic is the biggest construction and are taking in recent memory.

But in the 150 year Derby history, the patent has evolved quite a bit from its humble beginnings >> the earliest paddocks were I just near the end of the grandstand.

And then that shifted behind as wouldn't paddock in the 19 teens.

But the Pats wasn't always accessible.

>> To everyone there was actually a fence around the paddock for a very long time as the popularity of horse racing group, the paddock became an important part to a day at the races.

>> That all changed in the 19 teens when spectators really started coming to Churchill Downs when the audience is got bigger, more excited and people really were coming to see superstar forces.

>> As the audience grew during the roaring 1920's soda Churchill Downs with major grandstand extensions in a re.

Imagine Paddock the 1923 Paddock was a steal paddock, a steel frame paddock.

The earlier ones have been made of wood >> and the pad was also into the area where it's been basically until the 1980's, the padded built in 1985.

Was designed to accommodate an electronic toll board.

Impressive upgraded the time.

But the new paddock and built this turvy season takes it to the next level.

>> We know of 20 stalls and they're in a circular fashion.

We have a video board above each of the stalls that will tell the horse's name its odds.

The jockey, the trainer.

So you know what you're looking at all times.

You don't have to look back down into program.

>> With all the paddock changes in the last 150 years.

They are still a few pieces of the past that remain like the original brick from the 18.

95 grandstand and a part of history that has been repeated since the very first Kentucky Derby.

>> The one common experience that we have throughout the years with the evolution of the paddocks is the paddock round one.

The tunnel leading to the track.

Every derby winners stepped through that time.

>> Stepping through that tunnel.

Also hoping to make history from Churchill Downs.

I'm Kristi >> thank you.

Christie's something to see and we hope to see you tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central again for Kentucky.

Addition inside Kentucky politics and we take you to the Derby Oaks that tomorrow night.

Until I see you then take really good care.

♪