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Hillary Clinton joins growing chorus in support of Supreme Court expansion

22 October 2026 at 14:58

By any fair measure, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has long been at roughly the center of the Democratic Party’s mainstream. Few observers could credibly accuse her of being a conservative Democrat along the lines of former Sen. Joe Manchin or of being a progressive firebrand trying push the party to the left.

I mention this because Clinton took a policy position this week that’s likely to raise some eyebrows.

Expanding the Court is the moderate position

— Thor Benson (@thorbenson.bsky.social) 2026-10-21T17:47:34.491Z

In the latest episode of “High Stakes,” a limited series from podcast host Kara Swisher and Clinton, the discussion turned to possible Supreme Court reforms, and the former presidential candidate raised some practical concerns about term limits on Supreme Court justices — before expressing support for an alternative solution to the status quo.

“I think, instead, we should seriously look at expanding the court while the Democrats are in power,” Clinton said. “You know, it used to be that you’d have one justice for each circuit. We now have 13 circuits, we should have 13 justices. So I would be in, you know, favor of looking at that and see if we could make it work.”

The former secretary no longer holds public office, so it’s not as if she’d be in a position to vote on such a proposal, but let’s not miss the forest for the trees: When Hillary Clinton expresses public support for Supreme Court expansion, it’s evidence that a reform idea has reached the political mainstream.

She’s not alone. Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina is also widely recognized as a prominent voice representing the Democratic establishment — the 17-term incumbent has spent much of his career as a member of the party leadership in the House — and in late August he also publicly endorsed expanding the Supreme Court from nine justices to 13.

“I think we are in a position now that calls for some significant actions taken by the Congress and we ought to expand,” Clyburn said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” adding that “13 is a pretty good number. A baker’s dozen, it would be a good number to have on the court.”

Clyburn’s comments came just a few weeks after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke at the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention and voiced support for “dramatic” Supreme Court reforms.

“The Supreme Court, the conservative right-wing majority on the Supreme Court, has become basically a subsidiary of the MAGA Republican Party,” the New York Democrat said, adding that the justices seem to believe “the status quo is acceptable. It’s not.”

Jeffries didn’t elaborate on which specific reforms he had in mind, although the Democrat, positioned to be the next House speaker if his party reclaims the majority, said there are “a variety of different options that are on the table” and he’s not prepared to “foreclose any single one of them.”

If it seems like leading Democratic voices are embracing similar stances with increasing frequency and enthusiasm, it’s not your imagination. Just two weeks before Jeffries made his comments, former Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the National Urban League’s annual conference and said, “We need to revisit the point of expanding the court to 13 justices, like we have 13 district courts.”

A month earlier, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro voiced support for “radical reform” of the Supreme Court, which came on the heels of Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia agreeing that “all options have to be on the table” when it comes to changing the high court.

In the coming months, there is likely to be plenty of debate among advocates about the kind of changes to pursue and the political viability of the competing ideas. It’s also a safe bet that many reformers will disagree about the details. But the bottom line remains the same: In Democratic politics, the conversation has shifted rapidly to how, not whether, to reform the Supreme Court.

As many in the party start eyeing the 2028 presidential race, don’t be surprised if this issue becomes a litmus test for many Democratic voters.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

The post Hillary Clinton joins growing chorus in support of Supreme Court expansion appeared first on MS NOW.

European Parliament Awards Sakharov Prize to ICC Amid Escalating US Sanctions

22 October 2026 at 14:35

The European Parliament has awarded the 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials, recognising the Hague-based tribunal’s work in investigating and prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Announcing the decision in Strasbourg on Thursday, 22 October, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the award reflected the European Union’s commitment to multilateralism and international institutions.

Metsola praised the Court for its work in upholding international law and justice. The announcement was met with a standing ovation in the parliamentary chamber.

The decision comes amid an escalating confrontation between the European Union and the administration of US President Donald Trump over the ICC’s jurisdiction and independence.

Washington’s sanctions against the Court

On 9 October, the United States imposed sanctions on the ICC as an institution, extending measures previously directed against individual judges and prosecutors.

The restrictions place the Court under the US Treasury’s sanctions regime, limiting financial transactions involving American individuals, businesses and institutions. Washington has issued several temporary and limited exemptions intended to allow specified operations to continue.

The measures followed earlier sanctions against senior ICC officials, including Court President Tomoko Akane, and form part of Washington’s campaign to prevent the tribunal from exercising jurisdiction over American personnel.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has argued that the ICC threatens American sovereignty by asserting authority over nationals of countries that have not accepted its founding treaty.

The Court rejected the latest restrictions, describing them as an attempt to obstruct the administration of international justice.

Established under the Rome Statute, the ICC operates independently of national governments and investigates serious international crimes where its jurisdictional requirements are satisfied.

Neither the United States nor Israel is a party to the Rome Statute.

Arrest warrants involving Russia and Israel

The dispute with Washington has intensified since the ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity connected with military operations in Gaza.

Israel rejects the Court’s jurisdiction and disputes the allegations. Washington has similarly opposed the proceedings against Israeli officials.

The ICC has also pursued investigations into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In March 2023, its judges issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, over the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.

Further warrants followed in 2024 against senior Russian military commanders and officials in connection with attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.

The proceedings demonstrate the geographical scope of the Court’s investigations, although its ability to secure arrests depends heavily on cooperation from individual states.

The ICC has no independent police force and relies on national authorities to execute its warrants.

European Parliament backs international justice

The ICC’s nomination for the Sakharov Prize was submitted by the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament.

Its selection comes as European lawmakers examine how the EU should respond to American sanctions affecting the Court and organisations supporting its activities.

The October restrictions have raised practical questions about access to banking, technology services and other infrastructure required by the tribunal.

European governments must also consider how to support an institution established through an international treaty while maintaining relations with Washington.

The Sakharov Prize carries no legal authority to reverse American sanctions or compel governments to cooperate with ICC investigations. Nevertheless, the award represents an explicit institutional endorsement of the tribunal at a time when its operations face increasing external pressure.

Other nominees and award ceremony

The ICC was selected from three finalists announced earlier this month.

The other nominees were Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu and Iranian sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, whose cases have attracted international attention over political persecution and judicial proceedings.

The Sakharov Prize, established by the European Parliament in 1988, is named after Soviet physicist, dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov.

It recognises individuals and organisations defending human rights, freedom of expression and fundamental liberties. The award includes €50,000.

Previous recipients include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai and imprisoned journalists.

In 2025, the prize was awarded jointly to Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut and Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli.

The formal presentation of the 2026 prize is scheduled for 16 December at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The award places the ICC alongside previous Sakharov laureates while drawing further attention to the unresolved dispute between Washington and European governments over international criminal jurisdiction.

Canadian publisher Boréal ends relationship with novelist Thélyson Orélien over alleged use of AI

22 October 2026 at 02:13

Author withdrawn from France’s Prix Goncourt last month has repeatedly denied using artificial intelligence to write novel

The publisher of top-selling Haitian Canadian writer Thélyson Orélien, who was removed from France’s most prestigious literary prize list last month, has confirmed the author used artificial intelligence to help write his novel C’était ça ou mourir (It Was Either That or Die).

Orélien has denied allegations that he used AI on his breakthrough novel and, last week, Canadian publisher Les Éditions du Boréal said it was standing by the 38-year-old writer.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

Canadian publisher Boréal ends relationship with novelist Thélyson Orélien over alleged use of AI

22 October 2026 at 02:13

Author withdrawn from France’s Prix Goncourt last month has repeatedly denied using artificial intelligence to write novel

The publisher of top-selling Haitian Canadian writer Thélyson Orélien, who was removed from France’s most prestigious literary prize list last month, has confirmed the author used artificial intelligence to help write his novel C’était ça ou mourir (It Was Either That or Die).

Orélien has denied allegations that he used AI on his breakthrough novel and, last week, Canadian publisher Les Éditions du Boréal said it was standing by the 38-year-old writer.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

Supreme Court’s split on gender care highlights Alito and Thomas as pro-Trump outliers

21 October 2026 at 21:11

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito further distanced themselves from their Supreme Court colleagues on Wednesday when they were the only two jurists to note their objections to the court’s refusal to let the Trump administration immediately enforce its preferred policy on gender-affirming care in prison.

The court’s unsigned order contained no explanation from the majority or the dissenting duo. Still, it’s the latest data point showing Thomas and Alito backing the administration even when their fellow GOP appointees — including President Donald Trump’s own three appointees — decline to do so.

Wednesday’s order follows last month’s Supreme Court rejection of Trump’s desired mail-ballot restrictions for the midterm elections. That loss led the president to lash out at the court, including his own appointees, while calling Thomas and Alito “legends.”

Asked during a recently published CBS News interview about a Wall Street Journal study showing that Alito sided with Trump more than any of his colleagues, the justice said he’s “not trying to decide cases to help President Trump.”

Whatever his or Thomas’ intentions, their latest actions spotlight their dynamic of voting for the president’s position when other justices don’t. Their votes come ahead of the rapidly approaching Election Day in less than two weeks, with voters set to determine which party will control Senate confirmation of justices for the near future.

Alito said he’s staying on the court at least through this court term, even if Democrats win back Senate control. Thomas has likewise not signaled that he is stepping down imminently. If he stays on the court through the next term, he will become the longest-serving justice ever. In their late 70s, Thomas and Alito are the two eldest members of the current court, but they aren’t very old by the court’s historical standards.

Yet if Trump has an opportunity to appoint their successors or any other justices before he leaves office in 2029, their latest votes underscore why he will likely model his next selection(s) on them, rather than on the justices he has put on the bench thus far, who have backed him in a series of significant cases but not all of them.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administration’s legal cases.

The post Supreme Court’s split on gender care highlights Alito and Thomas as pro-Trump outliers appeared first on MS NOW.

Justice Kagan reminds Americans of Supreme Court majority’s antidemocratic actions

21 October 2026 at 17:13

With Americans deciding the congressional balance of power in November’s midterm elections, Justice Elena Kagan is reminding the nation of how the Supreme Court’s decisions have shaped the ballot.

It’s an antidemocratic shape, according to the Obama-appointed justice’s remarks Tuesday at Catholic University’s law school in Washington.

Kagan said the court “has kind of blinded itself to the very deleterious effect of their rulings on how the political system works and has created a democracy that does not work as well as it should.”

Her off-bench comments reprised impassioned criticisms she has made in dissenting opinions from the GOP-appointed majority’s rulings on gerrymandering in 2019 and earlier this year on the Voting Rights Act and campaign finance.

In 2019’s Rucho v. Common Cause, the majority said partisan gerrymandering claims present “political questions” that courts can’t answer. Writing the dissent for what was then a four-justice minority, she said the case marked “the first time ever” that the court “refuses to remedy a constitutional violation because it thinks the task beyond judicial capabilities.”

Writing for the current three-justice minority this year, Kagan called the six-justice majority’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais the “latest chapter in the majority’s now-completed demolition of the Voting Rights Act.” Leading the same trio on campaign finance, in dissent from a ruling that struck down more limits and overturned another precedent in the process, she said the majority “jettisons a rule needed to protect our democracy’s integrity.”

On Tuesday, she said the American people “look around this political system and think that all this money chasing all these political candidates is a nightmare.” She added, “And they’re right.”

The justices are in between their October and November hearing sessions, but they will continue to field any emergency applications that come to them regarding the midterms or anything else. Currently, there is a pending application from New Hampshire Republicans to prevent the use of student IDs in voting.

The justices have weighed in on an array of election disputes already this year — and they haven’t always backed the GOP. But whatever the outcome in the midterms, Kagan’s comments provide a useful backdrop for understanding the political landscape the court has helped set.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administration’s legal cases.

The post Justice Kagan reminds Americans of Supreme Court majority’s antidemocratic actions appeared first on MS NOW.

Supreme Court rejects Trump administration on gender-affirming care in prison

21 October 2026 at 16:31

The Supreme Court on Wednesday denied the Trump administration’s application to enforce its ban on gender-affirming medical care for federal inmates after a judge blocked the policy.

The denial came in an unexplained order. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito noted they would have granted the administration’s application, but they also did not explain their reasoning.

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said the high court’s action “protects incarcerated trans people from the administration’s attempt to steamroll over constitutional rights for now.” But she added, “the fight to uphold the dignity and respect our community deserves is far from over.”

Urging the justices to lift the judge’s order while it appeals, the administration argued that the public interest favors such a result because the policy “provides appropriate, individualized treatment for gender dysphoria, while disallowing only interventions that are medically unnecessary.”

Lawyers for inmates with the American Civil Liberties Union implored the high court not to back the government’s attempt to “overturn a three decades-long status quo.” They said the government turned to the justices at this preliminary stage of the litigation not because it has a pressing legal claim but rather because it is upset about how the district judge applied settled law to the facts in this case.

Over the past couple of years, the Supreme Court has ruled against transgender people in a series of cases involving sports, the military, passports and gender-affirming care for minors.

When he granted a preliminary injunction for inmates in June, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, said he didn’t want to wade into “the culture war being waged against transgender individuals.” He said he was merely making a legal decision that the government had failed to follow proper procedures when it implemented the new policy.

The Washington judge called the government action “arbitrary and capricious” because it “failed to seriously consider its own experience providing gender-affirming care to inmates for years under its prior policy.” Lamberth issued a subsequent order in August maintaining the injunction, finding that despite officials’ claims, it wouldn’t cause safety issues to continue inmates’ medical care while the litigation proceeds.

Over dissent from a Trump appointee, a federal appellate panel declined to lift Lamberth’s injunction.

In the administration’s application to the justices, Solicitor General John Sauer said the Bureau of Prisons had previously provided both what he called “mental-health treatment (such as psychotherapy and psychiatry services)” and “sex-rejecting interventions (such as sex-trait-modification surgeries, hormone interventions, and social accommodations).”

Sauer said the government concluded it could no longer justify the second category for two reasons: that such interventions weren’t supported by the latest evidence and that they “raised security and prison-administration concerns that outweighed whatever limited benefits they had.”

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administration’s legal cases.

The post Supreme Court rejects Trump administration on gender-affirming care in prison appeared first on MS NOW.

Authors urge UK to halt ‘draconian’ Palestine Action ban as Rooney sales end

21 October 2026 at 16:26
Open letter signed by 150 actors, writers, public figures including Nobel laureates, says ban is 'affront to basic principles of free speech,' calls for government to change course

Teacher insists he reported marks on Stylianos’ body to headmaster

21 October 2026 at 16:00

The third-grade teacher of Stylianos Constantinou told the Nicosia district court on Wednesday that he informed the headmaster regarding marks on the boy’s body which had been attributed to his father.

The witness said it was his duty to inform a member of the school’s violence prevention team and that the headmaster was one.

He said there were indications of beatings and that the child had said they came from his father.

The prosecution cited an education ministry manual that requires school staff to report cases when told a child is experiencing domestic violence.

The incident occurred when Stylianos was in second grade, when the boy complained of back pain during class, whereupon the school matron and speech therapist called the teacher to see the marks.

Stylianos took his own life at the age of 14, with the trial examining whether family or state service negligence contributed to his death.

On Monday the same teacher described the boy as a gentle child who saved school food for his siblings and resembled “a saintly recluse”.

He said Stylianos arrived with dirty clothes and an unpleasant odour, and that the school tried to support him.

The defence also questioned him regarding statements made in his main testimony that were absent from his testimony in 2020, which the witness said he had testified unprepared and emotionally charged.

On the decision to end the boy’s school escort, he said it was collective and that he had reservations.

He said he was told the matter would be reviewed if problems arose, and rejected the suggestion that he had agreed the child no longer needed support.

He said the canteen head had agreed with the mother that Stylianos would receive food and that she would pay for it, and that the child also received free meals through a ministry programme.

He had no personal knowledge that there was no food at the home, as he had not visited the family, and the information came from what the child told his escort.

He said the boy’s clothes smelled strongly of farm animals and ruled out mould as the cause. “I don’t think clean clothes can absorb such a bad smell just by being next to dirty clothes,” he said. He said he or his wife bought clothes for the boy but kept no receipts.

Mariah Carey wins bitter legal battle with brother as $20M lawsuit over tell-all memoir is tossed

21 October 2026 at 15:00

Mariah Carey earned a win in court after a New York judge dismissed a $20 million defamation case filed by her brother, Morgan Carey.

Morgan alleged in a 2021 lawsuit that his sister's 2020 memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey," contained defamatory statements and caused intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

In his initial complaint, Morgan wrote that Mariah's book contained "numerous passages which are of and concerning plaintiff, and which are, both individually and collectively, false and defamatory."

MARIAH CAREY DIDN'T STEAL LYRICS FOR HIT SONG 'ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU,' JUDGE RULES

He initially brought the action against the "We Belong Together" singer "more in sorrow and disappointment in his sister’s betrayals and malicious falsehoods than in anger at them" and claimed "the damage was intended" before press began on the book.

Morgan cited a passage where the singer recalled an alleged fight between her brother and father as "false and defamatory," and claimed the excerpt alone not only portrayed him as a "physically violent man," but also fulfilled a "clichéd and racially charged portrayal of two Black males engaged in a physical struggle never happened."

"It took twelve cops to pull my brother and father apart," Mariah allegedly wrote. "The big bodies of men, all entangled like a swirling hurricane, crashed loudly into the living room. I was a little girl with very few memories of a big brother who protected me."

In his second amended complaint, Morgan alleged that Mariah "weaponized the death of both their parents and sister Alison," which he claimed "speaks to [Defendant's] true character, and is ample evidence of malice towards [Plaintiff.]"

ALANIS MORISSETTE SUES EX-TOUR MANAGER OVER ALLEGED BLACKMAIL, FALSE DRUG TRAFFICKING CLAIMS

"Having reviewed both the First and Complaints, the Court finds that Defendant did not forfeit her opportunity to above allegations in the Second Amended Complaint that were included as the Defendant's 'actual malice' necessary for Plaintiff's defamation claims," Judge Leslie A. Stroth ruled.

"In the First Amended Complaint, the above instances were not alleged as being indicative of Defendant's actual malice, rather, they were largely claimed as defamatory statements themselves. The Court finds Defendant could not have responded to these instances of 'actual malice' in the First Amended Complaint, as they were not framed as such."

Morgan claimed that "actual malice" was to be inferred from Mariah's "betrayal and deeply hurtful violation of [Plaintiff's] privacy" by revealing he stayed at the Sagamore Children's Psychiatric Center when he was a child, and further characterizing Morgan as "the Big Bad Wolf" in addition to her "ex-brother."

"Plaintiff further states that Defendant's actual malice is also demonstrated in Defendant's Oprah Winfrey interview, and when Defendant 'weaponized' the death of the parties' parents and sister to boost commercial sales of her Memoir," documents stated.

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Morgan acknowledged in his filing that Mariah's sources for some of her "allegedly defamatory statements" are unverified, including her deceased mother, an anonymous photographer and hairstylist, in addition to "inner circle common knowledge."

"The Court finds that Plaintiff has not sufficiently pleaded actual malice on the part of Defendant," the judge ruled. "Plaintiff has alleged that Defendant was more concerned with the 'commercial viability' of her Memoir, than verifying the truth of her statements, and that Defendant's sources for such statements are anonymous and/or unverifiable.

BLAKE LIVELY ALLEGES ‘MEAN GIRL’ SMEAR CAMPAIGN DAMAGED HER CAREER, SEEKS UP TO $296M

"Notably, Plaintiff fails to provide any proof that Defendant made such statements with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth."

The judge added, "While Plaintiff alleges that Defendant demonstrates ill will towards her brother, such a statement is insufficient, and Plaintiff has not satisfied the pleading requirements for actual malice in his Second Amended Complaint."

WYNONNA JUDD SAYS SHE AND SISTER ASHLEY AREN'T SPEAKING AS FAMILY PAIN RESURFACES

The Grammy-winning singer's familial relationships have been challenging over the years.

Shortly after the release of her memoir, her sister Alison claimed Mariah intentionally inflicted "emotional distress" and filed a $1.25 million suit against the "Fantasy" singer.

The suit referred to Carey as "heartless, vicious [and] vindictive," and stated that Alison had begun abusing alcohol and was "uncharacteristically tearful" after the book's release.

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Carey alleged in her book that Alison gave her Valium and tried to "pimp her out" and threw boiling hot tea on her, per People, a story which Alison cited in the summons and claims "presented no evidence to substantiate."

"[Carey] also callously dismisses [Alison] as her 'ex' sister," docs stated. "But instead of saying no more about her, [Carey] used her book to humiliate and embarrass plaintiff as stories about the memoir appeared in newspapers around the world, on TV and across the Internet, most of them with headlines repeating defendant's allegations — all of them published without giving [Alison] any opportunity to respond."

Alison was allegedly diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression, and was in therapy to process "the horrific abuse" she allegedly suffered as a child, which includes incidents she's described as "satanic" in a 2020 lawsuit against their mother, Patricia.

Prior to her own suit against Mariah, Alison sued their mother, claiming she was forced to endure sexual abuse from multiple men by way of Satanic worship meetings when she was a child.

Alison accused her mom, Patricia, of sexual abuse when she was 10 years old in a summons filed with the New York Supreme Court in February 2020, that was obtained by Fox News Digital at the time. 

Alison alleged that her mother allowed and encouraged an undisclosed number of men to engage in sexual acts such as forcible touching, sexual assault in the first degree and made her witness people engaged in sexual acts with adults and children.

In her memoir, Mariah wrote that her relationship with her mother "has been full of contradictions and competing realities."

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"Our relationship is a prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration and disappointment. A complicated love tethers my heart to my mother's," she wrote.

After referring to her relationship with her mother as a "complicated love," Carey dedicated her memoir in part to Patricia.

"And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could," Carey wrote. "I will love you the best I can, always."

In August 2024, Carey confirmed both her mother and sister died on the same day.

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"My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day," she told People at the time.

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"I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed. I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time."

Kagan says supreme court conservatives have made US political system ‘a nightmare’

21 October 2026 at 14:57

Liberal justice says recent decisions on redistricting and campaign finance have undermined democracy and polarized US even more

Elena Kagan criticized rulings made by the US supreme court’s conservative majority this week, arguing that its recent decisions on redistricting and campaign finance had undermined America’s democracy.

“The court has kind of blinded itself to the very deleterious effects of their rulings on how the political system works,” said Kagan, one of the court’s three liberal justices, during a discussion at Catholic University’s law school in Washington DC on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

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© Photograph: Finn Gomez/Getty Images

© Photograph: Finn Gomez/Getty Images

© Photograph: Finn Gomez/Getty Images

The secret terms of Trump’s Venezuelan oil deal

21 October 2026 at 13:40

In late August, President Donald Trump announced what he called the “biggest oil deal in world history.” Since then, the full text of the accord — which grants the U.S. sweeping access to Venezuela’s oil reserves — has been one of the most sought-after secrets in Washington, DC.  ProPublica has reviewed a copy of the […]

The post The secret terms of Trump’s Venezuelan oil deal appeared first on Asia Times.

North Carolina mail-in ballot restrictions to remain through midterms, judge rules

20 October 2026 at 22:39
A federal judge ruled Monday that North Carolina is permitted to keep its strict mail-in ballot rules in place for November’s election, which were changed just before ballots were mailed in September.  In the ruling, Judge Thomas D. Shroeder wrote that it was too close to the election to change the rules again, and that…

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