The court once again appeared divided on whether redistricting could be done on the basis of politics. The newest justice seemed to be at least open to considering it as a problem.
Purdue Pharma Agrees To $270 Million Opioid Settlement With Oklahoma
The maker of OxyContin will pay to settle a historic opioid lawsuit brought by the attorney general of Oklahoma. Will other drugmakers named in the lawsuit follow?
Trump’s National Emergency Stands As House Fails To Override Veto
The vote means the administration can continue to spend billions of dollars to construct a Southwest border wall. The fight shifts to federal court, where several states sued to block the president.
After Mueller Report Memo, Democrats Turn To Health Care — For Now
After the special counsel apparently found no conspiracy by the Trump campaign to attack the 2016 election with Russia, Democrats in Congress want to focus on health care with help from the president.
Trump Administration Says Entire Affordable Care Act Should Be Repealed
A letter from the Department of Justice announced the shift, in support of a district court judge’s ruling that the law is unconstitutional. The case is likely to end up in the Supreme Court.
Cyclone Idai: A Town Is Haunted By The Smell Of Death
The town of Chimanimani is said to be the hardest hit in Zimbabwe. Survivors are searching for the bodies of their lost loved ones.
Prosecutors Drop Smollett Charges In Move Decried As ‘Whitewash Of Justice’
The Empire actor was accused of filing a false report of a hate crime. Now, the decision to drop the charges has exposed a stark fault line between Chicago authorities and state and county officials.
Missile Defense Agency Claims Successful Warhead Intercept
Multiple interceptors tracked and destroyed a missile carrying a dummy warhead. Advocates claim the test proves the system can provide some defense against countries such as North Korea.
Hospital Finances Improve After Medicaid Expansion, But At Whose Expense?
Now that Colorado has expanded Medicaid coverage to include more low-income residents, hospitals are better off financially. But that hasn’t stopped them from shifting costs to other insured patients.
Trump Faces Mixed Reviews Among Union Workers, Who Still Face Insecurity
As they debate whether he’s fulfilled promises to restore manufacturing jobs, some union members who were Trump backers from 2016 are reassessing whether they’ll support him again in 2020.
In The Shadow Of Suicides, Senate Panel Makes Rare Move To Consider Gun Control
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a previously scheduled hearing Tuesday on so-called red flag laws, which allow for the temporary removal of guns from individuals if they are deemed a risk.
Why Hasn’t The Gig Economy Killed Traditional Work?
Recent studies suggest we’re not witnessing the dawn of a new gig economy. What accounts for the resilience of traditional employment?
Pentagon Takes $1 Billion From Military Personnel Account To Build Border Fence
The money nearly doubles the $1.3 billion Congress authorized for border wall funding — a move made possible after President Trump declared a national emergency.
NASA Scraps First All-Female Spacewalk For Want Of A Medium-Sized Spacesuit
Two female astronauts were set to become the first women to spacewalk together around the International Space Station this week. But they both wear medium spacesuits, and only one was space-ready.
The U.S. Pledges A Harder Line In Cyberspace — And Drops Some Hints
Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of the secretive National Security Agency and Cyber Command, is promising more aggressive cybermeasures against rivals. And he’s talking about it — at least a little.
Soccer-Playing Engineer Calls Foul On Pricey Knee Brace
After a sports injury, Esteban Serrano owed $829.41 for a knee brace purchased with insurance through his doctor’s office. The same kind of brace costs less than $250 online.
Bolstered By Mueller Synopsis, Republicans Go On Offense Over Investigations
President Trump and his allies in Congress are seeking a new wave of investigations that will target their opponents after embracing findings from the Justice Department they said vindicated Trump.
A Surge Of Migrants Strains Border Patrol As El Paso Becomes Latest Hot Spot
The Border Patrol is bringing in more agents and asking the Pentagon for help as thousands of migrants continue to cross the U.S.-Mexico border each day.
Appeals Court Says Parents Can’t Sue San Francisco Over Immigrant Who Killed Daughter
The case drew national attention when a local sheriff released from a city jail an unauthorized immigrant without notifying federal officials. The immigrant later killed Kate Steinle.
Man Pleads Guilty To Phishing Scheme That Fleeced Facebook, Google Of $100 Million
Evaldas Rimasauskas admitted to his role in helping to orchestrate a two-year-long scam that tricked employees into wiring more than $100 million to his own company’s bank accounts.
Venezuela’s Maduro Faces Pressure From Much Of The World, Yet He Persists
The U.S. has hit Venezuela’s oil sector and government associates with sanctions and has rallied behind opposition leader Juan Guaidó, yet President Nicolás Maduro persists.
Trump Formally Recognizes Israeli Sovereignty Over Golan Heights
President Trump said the move, reversing decades of U.S. policy in the Middle East and drawing sharp international criticism, was “a long time in the making.”
To Curb Kids’ Sugary Drink Habits, Pediatricians Now Call For Soda Taxes
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association, in a joint statement, endorsed taxes on sugary drinks, restrictions on marketing to kids and incentives for healthier purchases.
Pine Ridge Reservation In South Dakota Suffers 2 Weeks Of Flooding
“There are community and tribe members getting on horseback to reach people and get them supplies,” a state lawmaker told NPR. Residents said the reservation was already strapped for resources.
Duke Whistleblower Gets More Than $33 Million In Research Fraud Settlement
Duke University is paying the U.S. government $112.5 million to settle accusations that it submitted bogus data to win federal research grants.
Suicides In Parkland Leave Community In Shock
Two students who attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., have taken their own lives in recent days. The school was the site of a 2018 mass shooting that killed 17 students.
Father Of Sandy Hook Shooting Victim Dies By Apparent Suicide
Jeremy Richman spoke openly and often about the depth of his grief over the death of his 6-year-old daughter, Arielle. He said he wanted people to “hear the reality of it.”
A Battle Is Raging Over The Largest Solar Farm East Of The Rockies
As demand for solar energy continues to grow in the Eastern U.S., the fight over a massive solar farm in Virginia is a harbinger of conflicts to come.
Attorney Michael Avenatti, Sometime Scourge To Trump, Now Faces Federal Charges
Prosecutors in both California and New York City announced charges against the well-known onetime attorney for Stormy Daniels. Avenatti also had a cameo in the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation saga.
Author Says New Zealand Massacre Points To A Global Resurgence Of ‘Extremism’
J.M. Berger, who studies extremist movements, warns that white nationalism is a growing phenomenon worldwide — with many in the movement drawing inspiration from President Trump.
Apple Debuts Streaming Video, Payment Card And News Subscription Services
As iPhone sales slow, Apple is rolling out Apple TV+, a service to compete with Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services. It’s also offering a virtual credit card and a subscription news service.
New Climate Books Stress We Are Already Far Down The Road To A Different Earth
David Wallace-Wells’ The Uninhabitable Earth and Nathaniel Rich’s Losing Earth offer valuable perspectives on climate change — if we’re committed to being adult enough to face the future.
The Supreme Court Takes Another Look At Partisan Redistricting
A pivotal retirement and a new conservative majority could give the state legislatures a green light for even more partisanship when it comes to drawing political boundaries.
Scott Walker, Pop Idol Turned Avant Auteur, Dies At 76
The former member of The Walker Brothers and singer of “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)” was also one of experimental music’s most beloved composers.
Impeachment Just Got Less Likely And 6 Other Takeaways From The Barr Letter
Attorney General William Barr’s letter to Congress about the Mueller Russia probe is a big short-term win for the president, but it doesn’t “exonerate” him totally, and Democrats want to see more.
Next Steps And Big Unanswered Questions As The Nation Moves Into Post-Mueller Era
The curtain has nearly fallen on the special counsel investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election, but this drama may have at least one more act left to run.