[naviga:h3]High court won’t hear abortion clinic ‘buffer zone’ cases[/naviga:h3]

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday turned away pleas from anti-abortion activists to make it easier for them to protest outside clinics, declining to wade back into the abortion debate just days after striking down a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics.

The justices said in a written order that they would not hear cases from Chicago and Harrisburg, where anti-abortion activists had challenged ordinances that restrict their behavior outside clinics.

As is usual, the justices did not comment in turning away the cases. The order from the court noted Justice Clarence Thomas would have heard the Chicago case.

The Supreme Court has since the late 1990s heard several cases involving demonstration-free zones, called buffer zones, outside abortion clinics. Most recently, in 2014, the justices unanimously struck down a law that created a 35-foot protest-free zone outside Massachusetts abortion clinics. The court said Massachusetts’ law, which made it a crime to stand in the protest-free zone for most people not entering or exiting the clinic or passing by, was an unconstitutional restraint on the free-speech rights of protesters.

[naviga:h3]U.S. releases guidelines but no rules for air travel[/naviga:h3]

Federal officials said Thursday that airlines should consider limiting capacity on planes to promote social distancing, but they are not considering making the airlines do it.

The officials also recommended, but did not move to require, that travelers wear face coverings in airports and on planes. All leading U.S. airlines now require passengers to wear masks, but regulators have refused a request by the airlines to make it a federal rule.

The Transportation, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services departments made those and other recommendations in a report containing guidelines for reducing the risk of spreading the new coronavirus by air travel.

The agencies said airlines and airports should take steps to increase social distancing, clean surfaces touched by passengers, and ask passengers about their health to discourage people who may be ill from traveling. “This document provides clear guidance to airlines and airports to protect the traveling public, and we encourage people to pay attention to it,” said Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

[naviga:h3]Coronavirus concerns freeze Vanilla Ice show[/naviga:h3]

AUSTIN, Texas — Vanilla Ice cooled off plans for a concert in Texas after taking considerable heat for an event that sought to gather hundreds of fans in one of the nation’s coronavirus hot spots.

The 1990s rapper with the hit single “Ice Ice Baby” had been scheduled to play a lakeside show just outside Austin on Friday, but on Thursday he announced it was being postponed.

“Due to the increase in COVID-19 numbers in Austin we’re gonna move the concert to a better date,” Vanilla Ice tweeted. “We were hoping for better Coronavirus numbers by July but Unfortunately the numbers have increased quite a bit so for the safety and health of everyone we’re going to stay home.”

Barrett Brannam, who owns the venue where Vanilla Ice had been scheduled to play, said Saturday’s planned appearance by 1990s R&B group Color Me Badd also was postponed.