Top 8 today

Top eight stories for today including D.C. Circuit ruled it is constitutional for the military to court-martial retired servicemembers for post-retirement crimes; The suspension of the extradition of Rafael Caro aroused suspicions that Mexico has no plans to send the notorious drug trafficker to the U.S. any time soon; The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld a law that allows state residents to vote by mail without an excuse, and more.

National

DC Circuit finds court-martial of military retirees constitutional

In a 2-1 vote, the D.C. Circuit ruled on Tuesday that it is constitutional for the military to court-martial retired servicemembers for post-retirement crimes.

An empty courtroom in the D.C. Circuit. (Image via Courthouse News)

Major US companies ask Supreme Court to uphold affirmative action

American companies have come to find that diversifying their workforce is not only socially responsible but financially beneficial. However, they are worried they may soon find a roadblock to diversity at the nation's highest court.

In this Sept. 24, 2019, file photo, a sign is shown on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Stephen King takes stand for feds in antitrust trial over publishing merger

Testifying against his own book publisher, bestselling author Stephen King said Tuesday that it would stifle competition if Simon & Schuster is allowed to merge with its biggest rival, Penguin Random House.

Author Stephen King arrives at federal court in Washington on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, before testifying for the Department of Justice as it tries to block the proposed merger of two of the world's biggest publishers, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Regional

Pennsylvania Supreme Court upholds no-excuse mail-in voting

Upholding the legitimacy of a 2019 law that allows state residents to vote by mail without an excuse, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday stamped out a lower court’s determination that the legislation had been improperly introduced.

A mailbox sits outside a U.S. Post Office building in the Susquehanna Township section of Harrisburg, Pa., on Nov. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

Defamation case against Alex Jones in Connecticut halted by bankruptcy filing

Jury selection in the Connecticut defamation case against radio personality and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones ground to a halt Tuesday afternoon after the attorney representing Jones filed a notice that the case was removed to federal bankruptcy court.

Alex Jones talks to media in a break from his trial at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on July 26, 2022. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)

Water use in California dips, but still short of Newsom’s goal

Californians used less water in June but are still falling short of the 15% mark set by Governor Gavin Newsom.

California Governor Gavin Newsom met with water leaders from across California on Friday to press home the needed for additional water savings (Office of the California Governor)

International

Mexico’s will to extradite Rafael Caro Quintero questioned after judge issues definitive suspension

The definitive suspension of the extradition of notorious drug trafficker Rafael Caro Quintero on Tuesday aroused suspicions that Mexico has no plans to send the “Narco of Narcos” to the United States any time soon.

This image released by the FBI shows the wanted poster for Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of U.S. DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985. (FBI via AP, File)

Science

Webb telescope captures images of chaotic Cartwheel Galaxy

The James Webb Space Telescope has peered back 500 million years to reveal new images of the aptly named Cartwheel Galaxy. The images released Tuesday shed light on the rare circumstance that created the galaxy's striking spoked-wheel shape.

This James Webb Space Telescope image released by NASA on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, shows the spoked-wheel shape of the Cartwheel Galaxy in unprecedented detail. (NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI)

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