A federal appeals court ruled on Jan. 5 that the Trump administration cannot reduce the amount of money the National Institutes of Health (NIH) pays grant recipients for indirect costs, such as administration or facility maintenance. The ruling applies to … Continue reading Appeals court rules Trump admin can’t cap overhead reimbursement rate for NIH research grants

I discussed the U.S. extraction of Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela and fallout from it on NewsX, a TV network in India, on January 5, 2026. Here are the video clips:     Continue reading Vadum on Maduro on NewsX, January 5 2026

Milwaukee judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted last month on a federal felony charge for helping an illegal immigrant evade federal agents, said on Jan. 3 that she was resigning as a judge. Federal prosecutors said Dugan had distracted federal … Continue reading Embattled judge convicted of obstructing immigration agents resigns

The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 2 scheduled oral arguments in cases questioning whether illegal drug users may possess guns, and whether Cuban state-owned companies may be sued for assets nationalized decades ago by Cuba’s communist government. The nation’s highest … Continue reading Supreme Court schedules hearings on drug user gun ban and suing Cuba over nationalized property

A divided federal appeals court on Jan. 2 struck down California’s ban on open carry of firearms in most parts of the state, finding that it violates the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals … Continue reading Federal appeals court strikes down California ban on open carry of firearms

A divided federal appeals court voted to revive a lawsuit by school district employees who say they were forced to self-censor and make statements they disagreed with to finish so-called anti-racism training. On Dec. 30, 2025, the full U.S. Court … Continue reading Court reinstates school district employees’ free speech lawsuit over anti-racism training

Chief Justice John Roberts said on Dec. 31 that as the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026, the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence remain sources of inspiration for Americans. The comments, which did not … Continue reading Chief Justice Roberts says Americans continue to admire the Constitution

President Donald Trump said on Dec. 31 that he will be withdrawing National Guard troops from Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon. He had previously federalized the troops to deal with civil unrest. Although the federal Posse Comitatus Act restricts … Continue reading Trump announces withdrawal of National Guard from California, Illinois, and Oregon

A federal appeals court on Dec. 30 allowed the Trump administration to withhold Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood clinics in the 22 states that sued over a congressionally-approved funding block. Section 71113 in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a … Continue reading Appeals court allows Planned Parenthood funding block

California dropped its lawsuit this week against the Trump administration over the federal government’s decision to pull $4 billion in funding for the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project. The California High-Speed Rail Authority filed a notice of voluntary dismissal on … Continue reading California ends lawsuit against federal government over high-speed rail funding

Attorneys for Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk convicted of state-level election interference, are asking a Colorado court to free her after President Donald Trump pardoned her. In a motion filed Dec. 23, Peters’s lawyers said the Colorado Court … Continue reading Tina Peters asks Colorado appeals court to recognize Trump’s pardon

The U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 19 allowed a lawsuit brought by immigration judges challenging a Biden-era policy that prevents them from speaking publicly about their jobs to move forward in the lower courts. On Dec. 5, Chief Justice John … Continue reading Supreme Court revives immigration judges’ free speech lawsuit