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Eight States Sue USA for Suspending Greenhouse Gas Rule for Automobiles

By JON PARTON

Led by California, eight states sued the U.S. Department of Transportation on Wednesday, challenging the Trump administration’s suspension of the Greenhouse Gas Performance Measure that was to take effect seven months ago.

Oklahoma City Police Shoot
to Death a Deaf Latino Man

By DAVID LEE

Oklahoma City police admitted Wednesday that a Hispanic man who was shot to death in front of his home was deaf and could not understand their commands to drop a metal pipe.

EEOC Sues Texas Doctor
for Religious Discrimination

By DAVID LEE

A Dallas-area medical practice fired four employees for refusing to attend morning Bible discussions or after judging their personal lives, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Wednesday in a federal lawsuit.

Republicans Say Watchdog Kowtowed to Wells Fargo

By DANIEL W. STAPLES

Pointing to records that they say regulators intentionally withheld, House Republicans say there is more evidence than ever that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau obstructed oversight of Wells Fargo’s fraudulent accounts scandal.

Latest GOP Health Care Plan Includes Steep Cuts to States

By BRITAIN EAKIN

The GOP’s last-ditch effort to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s health care law could cut federal funding to states by $215 billion through 2026, and by $4 trillion over 20 years, according to a new study.

The current border fence, with a view of the solid wall jutting into the Pacific Ocean in the background. (Bianca Bruno/CNS)

California Sues to Keep Border Wall Off Environmental Fast Track

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra – standing steps from the fence along the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego – said Wednesday he and the California Coastal Commission have sued the federal government for circumventing state and federal environmental laws in order to speed up construction of the border wall.

Most Americans Blame Media for Distorting Science

By JOSH RUSSELL

Nearly three-quarters of American adults think their science news is subject to media distortion, a study published Wednesday by the Pew Research Center says.

Phone Data & Sewage Offer Novel Look at Drug Use

By SEAN DUFFY

Using cellphone data and sewage testing, researchers in Norway have developed a novel approach for measuring drug-use patterns that overcomes limitations that have affected previous efforts to evaluate consumption of pharmaceutical and illicit substances.

US ECONOMY

Fed Sets Stage for Mortgage Rate Hike

By DAN MCCUE

The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday that come October it will start shedding some of the massive portfolio of bonds it amassed after the 2008 financial crisis, a move that could mean higher mortgage rates in the new year.

Read Wednesday's Nightly Brief Here

Congress Asks Merck
for Information
on Cyberattack

By BRANDI BUCHMAN

Worldwide disruption from a cyberattack on pharmaceutical giant Merck this summer has led Congress to request a formal briefing with the company’s CEO and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

Uber Class-Action Waivers Invalid, Labor Watchdog Tells 9th Cir.

By NICHOLAS IOVINO

Appearing before a Ninth Circuit panel Wednesday, a lawyer for the federal government’s labor watchdog said Uber can’t make drivers give up their rights to participate in class actions against their employer.

+ Waymo Wants to Delay Showdown With Uber

Two-State Solution
and Iran Nuclear Deal
in Peril, UN Told

By ADAM KLASFELD

The United Nations General Assembly heard dire warnings from Middle Eastern officials on Wednesday, with the leader of Iran blasting U.S. President Donald Trump as a “rogue newcomer,” and Palestine’s president pressing for a two-state solution with Israel.

+ Bittersweet Ceremony as Nuclear Powers Snub UN Ban Treaty

EU High Court Shines Light on Foreign-Currency Loans

By BARBARA LEONARD

In a blow to banks, the European Court of Justice ruled Wednesday that lenders must be frank with borrowers about the economic consequences of foreign-currency loans.