Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sent messages to all members of Congress terminating their positions, stating “Your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment.” All Democratic and independent members of Congress, as well as two Republicans, found themselves locked out of their offices after everything inside had been confiscated.   read more

With the military commissions having trickled at a slow drip for the last 4 1/2 years, prosecutors say the order was an apparent effort to speed up the proceedings. Miller told the court that Gill had been taken into custody, but offered no information about where he was being held. Spath didn't say what will happen if Gill still refuses to testify. The CIA held al-Nashiri at one of its secret overseas prisons. He is among three former CIA captives whom the agency admitted to waterboarding.   read more

"They are not pieces of art. They are spiritual objects deeply important for tribal identity," Udall said. "Theft not only robs the tribes of a sacred object, it robs them of a piece of their spiritual identity." The Paris auctions have presented a diplomatic dilemma for years between the U.S. and France. EVE auction house in Paris halted one sale after facing immense pressure from top U.S. officials — including Interior Secretary Sally Jewell — who produced evidence of its theft.   read more

The report covers officers who were killed during ambushes, traffic pursuits, tactical situations, domestic disturbance calls and while handling prisoners and individuals with mental illness. More than half were on vehicle patrol when they died. Most who died — 38 — were killed with firearms. More than 50,000 officers were assaulted last year while performing their duties. And 45 law enforcement officers died accidentally in the line of duty, many during automobile and motorcycle accidents.   read more

On Wall Street, companies have long relied on confidentiality agreements to prevent employees from divulging secrets. But now, the nation’s labor board has challenged provisions in Bridgewater’s contract that it requires each full-time employee to sign. The board’s action has money management firms worried because they share many of the same provisions being challenged. Hedge funds and private equity firms are bracing themselves. “I would say it is a watershed event,” said Rabin.   read more

Some of the most troubling images of the opioid crisis involve parents buying or using drugs with their children in tow. Now new research finds that the drugs appear to blunt a person’s natural parenting instincts. About 9 million American children lived with at least one parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol or an illicit drug last year. In 2014, 29 states reported that an average of 17.9% of child fatalities were associated with a caregiver who had a risk factor of drug abuse.   read more

The Florida Democratic Party sued the state saying that voters could be disenfranchised because election officials can discard the ballot if the signature doesn't match the one already on file. Voters aren't told about the problem until after the election is over. But state law requires election officials to notify a voter ahead of time if their mail ballot does not have a signature on it. Judge Walker said that discrepancy makes the law unconstitutional.   read more

The nation's high school graduation rate has reached a record 83.2%, continuing a steady increase that shows improvement across all racial and ethnic groups. President Obama welcomed the higher rate as good news, but the gains come against a backdrop of decreasing scores on national math and reading tests. "More African-American and Latino students are graduating than ever before," said Obama. Gains also were seen for disabled students and those from low-income families.   read more

The original version of the ad didn't include the word "reasonably," and the plaintiffs claimed, and the judge agreed, that absent that word, the ads made meeting the state's new ID requirement seem more onerous than it actually is or should be. Without that word, they contended, a potential voter could think that they had to have done everything humanly possible -- no matter the trouble or difficulty -- to get one of the approved forms of ID allowed under the original law.   read more

For years, the Chair of the SCE, Mary Jo White, has refused to develop a political spending disclosure rule despite ... overwhelming investor and public support for such a rule. This brazen conduct is merely the most recent and prominent example of [her] undermining your Administration's priorities and ignoring the SEC's core mission... She is concerned that companies disclose too much to investors - a presumption directly counter [to the] ... purpose of this agency for more than 80 years.   read more

In a sweeping accord reached on Saturday in Rwanda, companies including Honeywell and DuPont were among the most active backers of a move away from a profitable chemical. The firms were driven less by idealism than by intense competition,. Some environmentalists say the move provides a template for other industries to follow. The chemical industry’s response stands in stark contrast to the foot-dragging, and in many cases the outright obstruction of climate regulations, by the big oil companies.   read more

There were fewer women working as associates — junior lawyers who seek to rise through the ranks. And minority women make up only 15% of all female partners at signatory firms, and less than 3% partners overall. Minorities had flat representation even as a growing number of large firms have hired diversity directors to recruit a wider array of candidates. Even so, firm partnerships overall remain more than 75% white male, with women far behind at less than 20% and minorities at slightly over 5%.   read more

Deaths and injuries spike for children under 5, with 3-year-olds the most common shooters and victims among young children. Accidental shootings spike again for ages 15-17, when victims are most often fatally shot by other children but typically survive self-inflicted gunshots. States in the South are among those with the highest per capita rates of accidental shootings involving minors. And the vast majority of shooters and victims are boys.   read more

In 2013, he was named ambassador to Burkina Faso, becoming the first African-born naturalized U.S. citizen to serve as an ambassador on that continent. Mushingi’s tenure in Burkina Faso was eventful, with longtime President Blaise Compaoré being forced out of office after making an attempt to gain an unconstitutional third term. Mushingi played a prominent role during that time and as an attempted coup was staged after Compaoré went into exile.   read more

Unfilled judicial vacancies are occurring across the nation at an unprecedented level, mainly due to obstruction of the Republican-led Senate which has prioritized non-cooperation with President Obama. This tactic is without precedent in modern times. "People and businesses all around the county are forced to wait sometimes years for their cases to be heard," said Bannon. The problem is so severe that 32% of the vacancies represent judicial emergencies.   read more

Trump's warning that the election might be rigged along with his call for supporters to monitor polling places has alarmed advocacy groups who say such comments threaten to undermine voter confidence in the election. "We are deeply concerned about the chilling effect this call might have on the electorate and minority voters..." said Clarke. "We are concerned about disruption this will cause for election workers." Clarke and others say Trump supporters at the polls could lead to intimidation.   read more

For a Manhattan designer trying to shine pacifist ideals from the window of her historic 17th-story apartment, the court cut the lights Friday, providing no justice, no peace. Vosse's attorney noted that this decision could spell trouble for residents feeling the holiday spirit. "Most New Yorkers would be surprised to learn that displaying an illuminated jack-o'-lantern, menorah or Christmas wreath from their window ... could subject them to significant fines," Oliver said.   read more