‘Duty to warn’ guided US advance warning of the Moscow attack. Adversaries don’t always listen
WASHINGTON — The U.S. warning to Russia couldn’t have been plainer: Two weeks before the deadliest attack in Russia in years, Americans had publicly and privately advised President Vladimir Putin’s government that “extremists” had “imminent plans” for just such slaughter.
Supreme Court seems likely to preserve access to the abortion medication mifepristone
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed likely to preserve access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion case since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.
Trump’s social media company gains in its first day of trading on Nasdaq
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Donald Trump’s social media company rose about 16% in the first day of trading on the Nasdaq, boosting the value of Trump’s large stake in the company as well as the smaller holdings of fans who purchased shares as a show of support for the former president.
Biden and Harris argue that Democrats will preserve health care and Republicans would take it away
RALEIGH, N.C. — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday promoted their health care agenda in the battleground state of North Carolina, arguing that Democrats like themselves would preserve access to care while Republicans would reverse gains made over the past decade and a half.
NBC has cut ties with former RNC head Ronna McDaniel after employee objections, some on the air
NEW YORK — NBC News cut ties Tuesday with former Republican National Committee chief Ronna McDaniel less than a week after hiring her as an on-air political contributor, a decision that followed a furious protest by some of its journalists and commentators.
Lego head mugshots add to California’s debate on policing and privacy
LOS ANGELES — A Southern California police department has been handcuffed by Lego after the toy company asked the agency to stop adding Lego heads to cover the faces of suspects in images it shares on social media.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. picks Nicole Shanahan as his running mate for his independent White House bid
OAKLAND, Calif. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chose Nicole Shanahan on Tuesday to be his vice presidential pick, adding a wealthy but nationally unknown figure to his independent White House bid that’s trying to appeal to voters disaffected by a rematch of the 2020 election.
Texas AG Ken Paxton reaches deal to end securities fraud charges after 9 years
HOUSTON — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution under a deal to end criminal securities fraud charges that have shadowed the Republican for nearly a decade.
Baltimore bridge collapses after powerless cargo ship rams into support column; 6 presumed dead
BALTIMORE — A cargo ship lost power and rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, destroying the span in a matter of seconds and plunging it into the river in a terrifying collapse that could disrupt a vital shipping port for months. Six people were missing and presumed dead, and the search for them was suspended until Wednesday morning.
UK court says Assange can’t be extradited on espionage charges until US rules out death penalty
LONDON — A British court ruled Tuesday that Julian Assange can’t be extradited to the United States on espionage charges unless U.S. authorities guarantee he won’t get the death penalty, giving the WikiLeaks founder a partial victory in his long legal battle over the site’s publication of classified American documents.
Judge issues gag order barring Donald Trump from commenting on witnesses, others in hush money case
NEW YORK — A New York judge Tuesday issued a gag order barring Donald Trump from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial, citing the former president’s history of “threatening, inflammatory, denigrating” remarks about people involved in his legal cases.
Israel and Hamas dig in as international pressure builds for a cease-fire in Gaza
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday blasted a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a Gaza cease-fire that his country’s top ally, the United States, chose not to block. He said the resolution had emboldened Hamas and he vowed to press ahead with the war.
Russia persists in blaming Ukraine for concert attack despite its denial and Islamic State’s claim
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian officials persisted Tuesday in saying Ukraine and the West had a role in last week’s deadly Moscow concert hall attack despite vehement denials of involvement by Kyiv and a claim of responsibility by an affiliate of the Islamic State group.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyer says raids of the rapper’s homes were ‘excessive’ use of military force
LOS ANGELES — Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyer said Tuesday that the searches of the rapper’s Los Angeles and Miami properties by federal authorities in a sex trafficking investigation were “a gross use of military-level force” and that Combs is “innocent and will continue to fight” to clear his name.
Court agrees to pause collection of Trump’s massive civil fraud judgment if he puts up $175M
NEW YORK — A New York appeals court on Monday agreed to hold off collection of former President Donald Trump’s more than $454 million civil fraud judgment if he puts up $175 million within 10 days.
Trump’s New York hush money case is set for trial April 15
NEW YORK — The first of Donald Trump’s four criminal trials will begin April 15, a Manhattan judge ruled Monday after tearing into the former president’s lawyers for what he said were unfounded claims that the hush-money case had been tainted by prosecutorial misconduct.
New York police officer fatally shot during traffic stop
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City police officer was shot and killed Monday during a traffic stop, the city’s mayor said. It marked the first slaying of an NYPD officer in two years.
Republicans threaten to hold Attorney General Garland in contempt over Biden documents case
WASHINGTON — House Republicans threatened to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress if he did not turn over unredacted materials related to the special counsel probe into President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents.
High school teacher and students sue over Arkansas’ ban on critical race theory
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A high school teacher and two students sued Arkansas on Monday over the state’s ban on critical race theory and “indoctrination” in public schools, asking a federal judge to strike down the restrictions as unconstitutional.
Hospitality workers ratify new contract with 34 Southern California hotels, press 30 others to sign
LOS ANGELES — Thousands of Southern California hospitality workers overwhelmingly ratified a new contract with 34 hotels after repeated strikes since the summer, their union announced Monday.