Republicans Are Turning Activists Into Enforcers  —  A Texas law banning most abortions went into effect on Wednesday.  By refusing to act on an emergency petition that would have blocked it, the Supreme Court did not overturn Roe v. Wade, but it rendered that precedent, at least for the time being, irrelevant.

Joe Rogan, A Podcasting Giant Who Has Been Dismissive of Vaccination, Has Covid  —  Joe Rogan, the host of the hugely popular podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” said on Wednesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus after he returned from a series of shows in Florida, where the virus is rampant.

White supremacist praise of the Taliban takeover concerns US officials  —  Video reportedly shows Taliban celebrating with military parade  —  (CNN)As the United States-backed government in Afghanistan fell to the Taliban and US troops raced to leave the country, White supremacist …

Another Trump Organization executive to appear before NY grand jury as prosecutors probe former President's business  —  Toobin: Trump Organization can try to pretend this is Weisselberg problem  —  (CNN)The Trump Organization's corporate director of security is expected to appear …

The effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is struggling, new California poll shows  —  Most likely California voters are opposed to the Republican-led recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom and a growing number fear the consequences of removing him from office with a hard-right conservative best positioned …

AP sources: Intel shows extremists to attend Capitol rally  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Far right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are planning to attend a rally later this month at the U.S. Capitol that is designed to demand “justice” for the hundreds of people who have been charged …

McCarthy Threatens Technology Firms That Comply With Riot Inquiry  —  The top House Republican said his party would retaliate against any company that cooperated with an order to preserve the phone and social media records of G.O.P. lawmakers.  —  WASHINGTON — Representative Kevin McCarthy …

Purdue Pharma Is Dissolved and Sacklers Pay $4.5 Billion to Settle Opioid Claims  —  The ruling in bankruptcy court caps a long legal battle over the fate of a company accused of fueling the opioid epidemic and the family that owns it.  —  Purdue Pharma, the maker of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin …

Woman hurls racist slurs at Jefferson Parish workers, aims car at deputy, is shot dead  —  'There didn't seem to be a whole lot right with her,' sheriff says  —  A crew of Jefferson Parish workers was repairing a Metairie water main broken by Hurricane Ida when a woman pulled up in her car Wednesday, called them “f—

Mueller Scrutinized an Unidentified Member of News Media in Russia Inquiry  —  The scrutiny was one of several new disclosures the Justice Department made about investigative actions involving the news media during the Trump years.  —  WASHINGTON — The special counsel who investigated …

How anti-California propaganda and racism are driving the recall  —  In the summer of 2019, as early efforts to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom foundered, right-wing commentators launched a smear campaign against California to discredit its progressive policies and stoke anger at its leaders.

For Afghan evacuees arriving to U.S., a tenuous legal status and little financial support  —  The Biden administration is preparing to screen and resettle tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees in the United States over the coming weeks and months, but the majority will arrive without visas as …