US Domestic News Roundup: Denver to appeal $14 million verdict in case against police over 2020 protests; California food waste law proves heavy lift in small towns as fuel costs spike and more

PEN compiled a database of banned books that includes the first novel by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and a memoir by actor and activist George Takei about being sent to an internment camp in California as a Japanese-American child during World War Two. Amid COVID rise in Washington, White House celebrates Judge Jackson confirmation The White House will celebrate the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court in an outdoor event on Friday as coronavirus cases among Washington's political elite rise.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Denver to appeal $14 million verdict in case against police over 2020 protests

The city of Denver said it will appeal a federal jury's verdict from March that awarded $14 million to a dozen activists who sued Denver police, claiming excessive force was used against peaceful protesters during racial injustice demonstrations following the death of George Floyd in 2020. "There hasn't been a final judgment entered, but Denver City Attorney's Office has decided to pursue post-trial relief, including an appeal," the Denver City Attorney's Office said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

California food waste law proves heavy lift in small towns as fuel costs spike

A California law requiring grocery stores and restaurants to donate leftover food has been hard for local food banks and small towns to implement due to climbing fuel costs and uncertainty over who pays for food recovery. The effort to reduce methane emissions from discarded food sent to landfills while feeding hungry people has been slow to take off, illustrating the difficulty of curbing food waste on a large scale.

Jury in Michigan governor kidnapping case resumes deliberations

A federal jury resumed deliberations for a fifth day on Friday in the trial of four men charged with a plot to kidnap Michigan's governor, allegedly over her COVID restrictions and with hopes of starting a new civil war. Prosecutors said Adam Fox, Brandon Caserta, Barry Croft Jr. and Daniel Harris planned to abduct Governor Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home in northern Michigan, aiming to end what they perceived to be draconian restrictions championed by the Democrat to control the spread of coronavirus.

Ferrero recalls some Kinder chocolates from U.S. over salmonella fears

Italian confectionery group Ferrero has voluntarily recalled some of its Kinder chocolates from the American shelves for a potential link with salmonella contamination. Kinder Happy Moments Chocolate Assortment and Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats basket are being recalled because they were manufactured in a facility where salmonella was detected, Ferrero North America said on Thursday.

Alabama passes bill making some transgender healthcare a felony

Alabama lawmakers passed a bill on Thursday that would criminalize gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth, with a threat of 10 years in prison for medical providers. The legislation, passed 66-28 by the state's House of Representatives on the last day of the legislative session, is the latest in a flurry of measures in Republican-led states dealing with transgender youth.

U.S. House Speaker Pelosi is latest U.S. official to test positive for COVID

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has COVID-19 and is currently asymptomatic, her spokesman said on Thursday, after more than half a dozen other federal officials tested positive in recent days. The Democratic leader tested positive after a negative test result earlier in the week, spokesman Drew Hammill said in a statement.

Omicron spawns U.S. search for better kids' masks, new standard

The fast-spreading Omicron variant stoked U.S. interest in better masks for children to ward off COVID-19, and that is adding fuel to an effort that could set the stage for domestic oversight of their quality. Adult N95 masks are federally regulated and considered a gold standard. They were among the "better masks" U.S. health officials recommended in January to protect against Omicron. For children, no comparable U.S.-regulated mask exists, and some concerned parents turned to kid-sized masks made to South Korea's KF94 or China's N95 standards instead.

U.S. court reinstates Biden federal employee COVID vaccine mandate

A U.S. appeals court panel on Thursday reinstated President Joe Biden's executive order mandating that federal civilian employees be vaccinated against COVID-19. By a 2-1 vote, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted an injunction issued by a U.S. district judge in Texas in January that had blocked enforcement of the federal employee vaccine mandate. Biden said in September he would require about 3.5 million government workers to get vaccinated by Nov. 22, barring a religious or medical accommodation, or face discipline or firing.

U.S. schools pull more than 1,000 book titles in 'unparalleled' censorship bid, report finds

More than a thousand book titles, most addressing racism and LGBTQ issues, have been banned from U.S. classrooms and school libraries in the last nine months, many under pressure from conservative parents and officials, the writers' organization PEN America said on Thursday. PEN compiled a database of banned books that includes the first novel by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and a memoir by actor and activist George Takei about being sent to an internment camp in California as a Japanese-American child during World War Two.

Amid COVID rise in Washington, White House celebrates Judge Jackson confirmation

The White House will celebrate the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court in an outdoor event on Friday as coronavirus cases among Washington's political elite rise. Jackson was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday in a milestone for the United States and a victory for President Joe Biden, who made good on a campaign promise to nominate an African American woman to the post as he seeks to infuse the federal judiciary with a broader range of backgrounds.