Author: rpnadmin

A federal judge on Thursday ordered an indefinite halt to new construction at an immigration detention facility that Florida officials have dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” and barred any new detainees from being brought to the site, siding with environmental groups who said the facility is endangering the Everglades and its wildlife.The decision is a setback for Florida’s Republican-led state government and its aggressive efforts to aid the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda, including by deputizing thousands of state police as federal immigration officers.The order by U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams did not require Florida officials to completely cease operations at Alligator…

Forgive us if watching them brings to mind the inept Principal Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. When Rooney realizes Ferris is playing hooky after already missing class nine times, he grits his teeth and insists to his secretary Grace that this occasion will be different. This time, the truant will be caught. This time, Ed Rooney will teach him a lesson.“Oh, Ed, you sounded like Dirty Harry just then,” marvels an admiring Grace. A pleased Rooney makes his meanest Clint Eastwood scowl. It’s easy to imagine Newsom, Hochul, and Pritzker practicing similar faces in a mirror. They’re making…

Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the Trump administration to proceed with the cancellation of National Institutes of Health research grants tied to issues like gender identity and diversity, equity and inclusion.In a 5-4 decision, in which Justice Amy Coney Barrett sided in part with the majority, and Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the minority, the high court lifted a lower court order that required the NIH to restore hundreds of research grants that had been canceled because they were tied to these issues. But the legal challenge over the from 16 states and…

The U.S. will stop issuing worker visas for commercial truck drivers, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday. He said the change was effective immediately.”The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio wrote in a post on X.A State Department spokesperson said later Thursday the pause was done “in order to conduct a comprehensive and thorough review of screening and vetting protocols used to determine their qualifications for a U.S. visa.”The spokesperson noted it “applies to all nationalities and is not directed at…

Dancers rehearse at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. ANNA-ROSE GASSOT/AFP via Getty Images/AFP hide caption toggle caption ANNA-ROSE GASSOT/AFP via Getty Images/AFP The Kennedy Center has fired its dance programming team. “Three individuals were terminated,” read a statement from Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi. “We will have an exciting announcement about the new direction for Dance programming soon.” Programming staff help curate and manage the performances planned for the season. The Kennedy Center did not identify the three people who were fired, but Jane Raleigh is listed as Director of Dance Programming on the Kennedy Center’s website. NPR has…

Texas flooding survivors still struggling to recover amid push to pass new safety laws – CBS News Watch CBS News The Texas legislature passed a law that requires youth camps to created detailed evacuation plans after 27 girls died in flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas. Jason Allen reports that residents are still struggling to recover. Source link

In this moment of crisis, we need a unified, progressive opposition to Donald Trump.  We’re starting to see one take shape in the streets and at ballot boxes across the country: from New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s campaign focused on affordability, to communities protecting their neighbors from ICE, to the senators opposing arms shipments to Israel.  The Democratic Party has an urgent choice to make: Will it embrace a politics that is principled and popular, or will it continue to insist on losing elections with the out-of-touch elites and consultants that got us here?  At The Nation, we…

The California Legislature on Thursday approved Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s contentious redistricting plan, sending it to Newsom’s desk for an expected signature as state Democrats sought to move quickly to counter a Trump-backed effort to add to the GOP’s House majority by redrawing Texas’ congressional maps.The new map would shift five of California’s Republican U.S. House seats to be more favorable to Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections. The legislation easily passed the Democratic-led Assembly and Senate on Thursday. After Newsom’s signature, it will be added to the ballot on Nov. 4 for the voters’ final say. That election is likely…

Washington — A federal judge ruled Thursday that President Trump’s former personal lawyer Alina Habba is serving illegally as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey.The judge’s decision came after three men facing criminal charges in the state challenged her appointment, arguing that Habba’s appointment last month as acting U.S. Attorney in the District of New Jersey violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann of Pennsylvania wrote that Habba has been serving “without lawful authority” since the beginning of July and “must be disqualified from participating in any ongoing cases.” The judge did not toss out the criminal indictments…

Texas state Rep. Todd Hunter, front right, answers questions during debate over a redrawn U.S. congressional map during a special legislative session on Wednesday in Austin. Eric Gay/AP hide caption toggle caption Eric Gay/AP California and Texas, the country’s two most populous states, are getting closer to redrawing their congressional districts in a political fight sparked by President Trump. Lawmakers who lead the states are both seeking to add five U.S. House seats for their respective parties, after Trump, who’s eager to maintain the narrow GOP majority in the House, pushed the Texas Legislature to redistrict and help Republicans in…