U.S. and world news for April 9

Train wreck settlement: Norfolk Southern Corporation announced today that it has reached a $600 million agreement in principle to resolve a consolidated class action lawsuit relating to the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment about a year ago. If approved by the court, the agreement will resolve all class action claims within a 20-mile radius from the derailment and, for those residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius from the derailment. In addition to this settlement, Norfolk Southern reports having made contributions including: $104 million in community assistance to East Palestine and the surrounding areas in Ohio and Pennsylvania, including $25 million for a regional safety training center, $25 million in planned improvements to East Palestine’s city park, $21 million in direct payments to residents, and $9 million to local first responders.

Drone attacks: Ukraine said today that it staged a drone attack on an aviation training center in southern Russia. It did not provide a damage report. A drone exploded at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it was aware of an explosion at a facility next to the power plant. Russia has occupied the power plant and the U.N. described the situation there as being very serious.

Roe v. Wade: Former Vice President Mike Pence says Donald Trump’s statement yesterday taking full credit for overturning Roe v. Wade is a slap in the faces of all the people who voted for him in 2016 and 2020. Pence said that numerous people worked for years to do away with Roe, which wiped out the Constitutional right to reproductive freedom for women that Roe provided. At the same time, Sen. Lindsay Graham and other right-wing Republicans renewed their calls for a national abortion ban rather than allowing states to set their own policies. Follow us and stay informed We’re Westfair’s Business Journal. Visit Westfaironline.com

Negotiations: Hamas said today that it will study Israel’s latest cease-fire offer. Negotiations continue in Cairo in an effort to bring about cease-fire and hostage release. The director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, Bill Burns, has been involved in the talks. Hamas said that although the latest Israeli proposal doesn’t meet its demands, it will continue to study it and submit a formal response.

Trump appeal rejected: A New York state appeals court has rejected Donald Trump’s request for an emergency order to delay the start of his hush money trial. Jury selection is scheduled to begin this coming Monday. Trump’s attorneys claimed that an impartial jury cannot be found because of pretrial publicity. The prosecution said that it is Trump himself who has contributed to publicity for the case through his constant comments about the case. They pointed out that jut because someone knows about a case doesn’t mean that they can’t be impartial when considering evidence.

UCONN’s win: The University of Connecticut men’s basketball team beat Purdue last night to win its second NCAA title in two years. The score was 75 to 60 in the playoff game held in Glendale, Arizona. The UCONN Huskies have won six national titles since 1999. Thousands of UCONN students celebrated the victory at the campus in Storrs, Connecticut. There were five arrests. A formal celebration is scheduled to take place tonight.