Breaking News

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy Will Retire WASHINGTON — Justice Anthony M. Kennedy announced on Wednesday that he would retire this summer, setting in motion a furious fight over the future of the Supreme Court and giving President Trump the chance to put a conservative stamp on the American legal system for generations. Justice Kennedy, 81, has been a critical swing vote on the sharply polarized court for nearly three decades as he embraced liberal views on gay rights, abortion and the death penalty but helped conservatives trim voting rights, block gun control measures and unleash campaign spending by corporations. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/us/politics/anthony-kennedy-retire-supreme-court.html?2

Federal Judge in California Issues Injunction Halting Government From Separating Families WASHINGTON — A federal judge in California issued a nationwide injunction late Tuesday temporarily stopping the Trump administration from separating children from their parents at the border and ordered that all families already separated be reunited within 30 days. Judge Dana M. Sabraw of the Federal District Court in San Diego said children under 5 must be reunited with their parents within 14 days, and he ordered that all children must be allowed to talk to their parents within 10 days. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/us/politics/family-separations-congress-states.html

Supreme Court Upholds Trump’s Travel Ban WASHINGTON — President Trump acted lawfully in imposing limits on travel from several predominantly Muslim nations, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday. https://nyti.ms/2KjtncB

Trump Retreats on Separating Families, but Thousands May Remain Apart WASHINGTON — President Trump caved to enormous political pressure on Wednesday and signed an executive order meant to end the separation of families at the border by detaining parents and children together for an indefinite period. “We’re going to have strong — very strong — borders, but we are going to keep the families together,” Mr. Trump said as he signed the order in the Oval Office. “I didn’t like the sight or the feeling of families being separated.” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/20/us/politics/trump-immigration-children-executive-order.html?3

Canada Vote on Marijuana Paves the Way for Legalization OTTAWA — Canada’s Senate passed legislation on Tuesday that will make the country the first major economy to legalize recreational marijuana use. The bill, which was approved by the House of Commons on Monday, goes next to the governor-general, the representative of Queen Elizabeth, as a formality. Once it is formally approved, the legislation is expected to create a multibillion dollar industry, with Canada joining Uruguay in allowing its citizens on a national level to use marijuana without fear of arrest. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/19/world/canada/canada-marijuana-legalization.html

Trump Administration Withdraws U.S. From U.N. Human Rights Council WASHINGTON — The United States withdrew on Tuesday from the world’s most important human rights body in protest of its frequent criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. It was the latest effort by the Trump administration to pull away from international organizations and agreements that it finds objectionable. It was the first time a member has voluntarily left the United Nations Human Rights Council. The United States now joins Iran, North Korea and Eritrea as the only countries that refuse to participate in the council’s meetings and deliberations. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/19/us/politics/trump-israel-palestinians-human-rights.html

Comey Cited as ‘Insubordinate,’ but Report Finds No Bias in F.B.I. Decision to Clear Clinton WASHINGTON — The former F.B.I. director James B. Comey was “insubordinate” in his handling of the investigation of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, a critical Justice Department report concluded on Thursday. But the report, by the department’s inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, does not challenge the decision not to prosecute Mrs. Clinton. Nor does it conclude that political bias at the F.B.I. influenced that decision, the officials said. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/us/politics/fbi-inspector-general-comey-trump-clinton-report.html

N.Y. Attorney General Sues Trump Foundation Over Self-Dealing The New York State attorney general’s office filed a scathingly worded lawsuit on Thursday taking aim at the Donald J. Trump Foundation, accusing the charity and the Trump family of sweeping violations of campaign finance laws, self-dealing and illegal coordination with the presidential campaign. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/nyregion/trump-foundation-lawsuit-attorney-general.html

AT&T’s Time Warner Takeover Wins Judge’s Approval in Defeat for Justice Dept. WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Tuesday approved the blockbuster merger between AT&T and Time Warner, rebuffing the government’s effort to stop the $85.4 billion deal, in a decision that is expected to unleash a wave of corporate takeovers. The judge, Richard J. Leon of United States District Court in Washington, said the Justice Department had not proved that the telecom company’s acquisition of Time Warner would lead to fewer choices for consumers and higher prices for television and internet services. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/business/dealbook/att-time-warner-ruling-antitrust-case.html

Trump and Kim Shake Hands in First Face-to-Face Meeting SINGAPORE — President Trump and Kim Jong-un of North Korea shook hands at the start of their first face-to-face meeting Tuesday, a momentous step in an improbable courtship that has opened a new chapter for the world’s largest nuclear power and the most reclusive one. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/world/asia/trump-kim-summitmeeting.html

Trump Refuses to Sign G-7 Statement and Calls Trudeau ‘Weak’ QUEBEC CITY — President Trump abruptly upended two days of global economic diplomacy late Saturday, refusing to sign a joint statement with America’s allies, threatening to escalate his trade war on the country’s neighbors and deriding Canada’s prime minister as “very dishonest and weak.” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/09/world/americas/donald-trump-g7-nafta.html

Anthony Bourdain, Renegade Chef Who Reported From the World’s Tables, Is Dead at 61 Anthony Bourdain, whose darkly funny memoir about life in New York City restaurant kitchens made him a celebrity chef and touched off his second career as a journalist, food expert and social activist, was found dead on Friday in his hotel room in France. He was 61. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/business/media/anthony-bourdain-dead.html?3