Team USA athletes rallied around a skier after Trump called him a “real loser” — and it turned into a free-speech fight

Team USA athletes rallied around a skier after Trump called him a “real loser” — and it turned into a free-speech fight

MILAN — A political flare-up spilled into the sports world after President Donald Trump attacked U.S. freestyle skier Hunter Hess on social media, calling him a “real loser,” prompting other American Olympians to publicly defend Hess and argue the episode tested the country’s commitment to free speech. The controversy started when Hess expressed internal conflict…

The permit question that comes up the moment you move a switch

The permit question that comes up the moment you move a switch

The moment you reach for a screwdriver to move a light switch, you are not just changing how a room feels. You are stepping into a tightly regulated world of electrical safety rules, permits, and inspections that exist to keep homes from catching fire and utility workers from getting hurt. The permit question arrives faster…

Hand over your socials to visit the U.S.? Senators are trying to veto the plan

Hand over your socials to visit the U.S.? Senators are trying to veto the plan

WASHINGTON — Two Democratic U.S. senators are urging the Trump administration to abandon a proposal that would require millions of foreign visitors to provide their social media handles from the past five years, warning it could become a privacy and free-speech minefield while doing little to improve security. The proposal has been circulating as part…

The grounding detail buyers’ inspectors are suddenly picky about

The grounding detail buyers’ inspectors are suddenly picky about

Buyers and renters are suddenly treating electrical grounding as a make‑or‑break detail, and inspectors are following their lead. What used to be a line item buried in a long report is now a focal point that can stall a sale, derail a lease, or trigger thousands of dollars in surprise work. If you are preparing…

The FAA’s “10 days closed” alert stunned El Paso — and then it vanished

The FAA’s “10 days closed” alert stunned El Paso — and then it vanished

EL PASO, Texas — Air travelers were stranded and medical evacuation flights were disrupted after the Federal Aviation Administration abruptly announced it was shutting down El Paso International Airport for 10 days — an extraordinary step for a single airport — before the agency reversed course about eight hours later and lifted the shutdown early…

4,400 court losses later, ICE detentions are still surging

4,400 court losses later, ICE detentions are still surging

WASHINGTON — U.S. courts have ruled more than 4,400 times since October that Immigration and Customs Enforcement unlawfully detained people under the Trump administration’s immigration policies, according to a Reuters review of court decisions and filings. The volume of rulings has become its own headline — not because judges suddenly turned “soft,” but because the…

The panel work homeowners start without realizing it’s regulated

The panel work homeowners start without realizing it’s regulated

Across the country, homeowners open their breaker boxes, swap parts, or even replace entire panels without realizing they have stepped into regulated territory. Electrical service equipment sits at the intersection of safety codes, insurance rules, and local permitting, so work that feels like routine tinkering can actually trigger legal and financial consequences. Understanding where the…

Pandora settles a comedians’ royalty war — and the lawsuit dragged Robin Williams and George Carlin’s estates into it

Pandora settles a comedians’ royalty war — and the lawsuit dragged Robin Williams and George Carlin’s estates into it

LOS ANGELES — Pandora Media has settled a lawsuit brought by prominent comedians — including the estates of Robin Williams and George Carlin — that accused the music-streaming service of failing to pay for the rights to stream their comedy material, according to a court filing in California federal court. The settlement ends a legal…