Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
Supreme Court Delays Arguments in Honor of George H.W. Bush’s Funeral
Former President George H.W. Bush’s funeral will take place this Wednesday at Washington National Cathedral. In observance of the national day of mourning — which President Trump declared — the Supreme Court is delaying its arguments. Trump and first lady Melania Trump are set to attend the funeral along with the Bush family and the Obamas.
Until Wednesday, Bush will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. There, the public can pay their respects beginning Monday morning. A second memorial service is also planned for Thursday at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, where Bush lived. Bush will be laid to rest at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, alongside his wife and former first lady Barbara, who died in April, and their daughter Robin.
The 41st president died in Houston late Friday night at age 94. His son, former President George W. Bush, made the announcement and praised him as “a man of the highest character.” Many people, including other former presidents, have since paid their respects with public statements and dedications.
Neil deGrasse Tyson is Being Investigated for Sexual Misconduct
Three women have accused astrophysicist and Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey host Neil deGrasse Tyson of sexual misconduct. Fox and National Geographic, the broadcasters of his show, are investigating the claims. Tyson denied them in a lengthy Facebook post, writing, “Accusations can damage a reputation and a marriage. Sometimes irreversibly. I see myself as loving husband and as a public servant – a scientist and educator who serves at the will of the public.”
The allegations surfaced in a story published by Patheos on Thursday, in which physics and astronomy professor at Bucknell University Dr. Katelyn N. Allers, said she was “felt up” by Tyson at an after-party for an American Astronomical Society event in 2009. Allers said she didn’t report what happened because AAS “didn’t have a mechanism for reporting sexual harassment at the time.”
Allers added that she wanted to come forward so that other allegations against Tyson would be investigated. Ashley Watson, Tyson’s former assistant, said she quit her job because of alleged unwanted sexual advances. An earlier report from Patheos accused Tyson of drugging and raping a woman, Tchiya Amet, in 1984 when they were both graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin.
“We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent report,” Fox and National Geographic said in a statement, adding that they had “only just became aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson.”
Protests in Paris Continue Over Rising Taxes
For the third weekend in a row, protesters across Paris demonstrated against rising taxes and the high cost of living. Saturday saw what’s being called France’s “most violent urban riot in more than a decade,” as protesters “torched cars, smashed windows, looted stores, and tagged the Arc de Triomphe with multi-colored graffiti,” the Associated Press reported. In total, there were 133 injures and 412 arrests.
French President Emmanuel Macron was at the G-20 summit in Argentina, but he denounced the violence, saying that “no cause justifies” the damage caused and people hurt. He also said that an emergency government meeting would be held on Sunday.
The protests began after a fuel tax hike on November 17; however, according to the AP, the demonstrations now involve “a broad range of demands related to France’s high cost of living.”
What to look for…
Ways to be an ally to people with disabilities, since today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities.