Scientists publish declaration criticizing deep cuts in research

WASHINGTON >> In his confirmation hearings to lead the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya pledged his openness to views that might conflict with his own. “Dissent,” he said, “is the very essence of science.”

That commitment is being put to the test.

On Monday, scores of scientists at the agency sent their Trump-appointed leader a letter titled the Bethesda Declaration, challenging “policies that undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe.”

It says: “We dissent.”

Ninety-two NIH researchers, program directors, branch chiefs and scientific review officers put their signatures on the letter — and their careers on the line. An additional 250 of their colleagues across the agency endorsed the declaration without using their names.

The letter, addressed to Bhattacharya, also was sent to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and members of Congress who oversee the NIH.

White House urges court not to dismiss case against judge

MADISON, Wis. >> The Trump administration argued Monday that charges should not be dropped against a Wisconsin judge who was indicted for allegedly helping a man who is in the country evade U.S. immigration agents seeking to arrest him in her courthouse.

Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice urged a federal judge to reject a motion filed by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan seeking to dismiss the charges against her, saying doing so would be “unprecedented” and allow judges to be above the law.

Dugan faces a July 21 trial in the case that escalated a clash between Trump’s administration and opponents over the Republican president’s sweeping immigration crackdown. Trump critics contend that Dugan’s arrest went too far and that the administration is trying to make an example out of her to discourage judicial opposition to the crackdown.

Dugan is charged with concealing an individual to prevent arrest, a misdemeanor, and obstruction, which is a felony. Prosecutors say she escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, and his lawyer out of her courtroom through a back door on April 18 after learning that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in the courthouse seeking to arrest him for being in the country illegally. .

City prepares for Trump’s military parade

WASHINGTON >> As the nation’s capital cleans up from the culmination of World Pride this past weekend, focus now shifts to a very different massive event — Saturday’s military parade to honor the 250th birthday of the Army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump.

“We’re preparing for an enormous turnout,” said Matt McCool of the Secret Service’s Washington Field office, who said more than 18 miles of “anti-scale fencing” would be erected and “multiple drones” would be in the air.

Army officials have estimated around 200,000 attendees for the evening military parade, and McCool said he was prepared for “hundreds of thousands” of people.

A total of 175 magnetometers would be used at security checkpoints controlling access to the daytime birthday festival and the nighttime parade.

Hurricane Barbara plows forward along western coast

MEXICO CITY >> Hurricane Barbara continued plowing northwest away from land Monday afternoon after strengthening from a tropical storm earlier in the day. The storm marked the first of the eastern Pacific hurricane season.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Monday swells generated by the storm system will affect portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Hurricane Barbara was located about 175 miles west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 75 mph. The storm’s center was moving northwest at 10 mph.

The Center said Barbara was forecast to weaken around nightfall.

— The Associated Press