Most orchid lei sold in Hawaii are imported from Thailand, prompting state lawmakers to consider legislation supporting local flower growers. Senate Bill 2781 would create a working group to study procurement requirements and labeling mandates.
A proposal to test howitzer artillery in New York's Adirondack Park has drawn fierce opposition from residents and environmentalists, with over 1,400 public comments against the plan and only 19 in support. The Adirondack Park Agency has scheduled an adjudicatory hearing for April 22 after five years of regulatory review.
Cedric Ricks, 51, faced lethal injection Wednesday for the 2013 stabbing deaths of his girlfriend and her 8-year-old son, with his attorneys asking the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the execution over claims of racial discrimination in jury selection.
As the partial government shutdown stretches into its third week, a handful of airports using private security contractors under TSA's Screening Partnership Program have maintained normal operations while most facilities face growing disruptions. The contrast has reignited debate over whether privatization could shield airport security from Washington's political battles.
US Central Command announced the destruction of 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz as the critical waterway faces a shipping crisis. Despite President Trump's pledges of naval escorts, the Navy has told industry officials the risk remains too high.
Rep. Bennie Thompson defeated primary challenger Evan Turnage in Mississippi's 2nd District on Tuesday, securing the Democratic nomination for another term. The 78-year-old, who chaired the Jan. 6 Select Committee, faced criticism over his age and the district's persistent economic struggles.
Alberta will pilot 120 km/h speed limits on select divided highways this spring after 68% of 59,000 survey respondents supported the increase. Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says the trial will begin once winter snow clears, though critics point to British Columbia's decision to roll back similar increases due to rising collision rates.
Queensland Senator Matt Canavan has been elected leader of Australia's National Party, promising a nationalist economic agenda focused on resource development and domestic manufacturing as he confronts a rising challenge from the far-right One Nation party.
The FBI has subpoenaed Arizona Senate records from the 2020 Maricopa County audit, marking the second federal probe into 2020 election administration. The investigation coincides with President Trump's ultimatum demanding Senate passage of the SAVE America Act before he signs any legislation.
Australia's corruption watchdog has cleared former PM Scott Morrison of corrupt conduct in the Robodebt scandal while finding two public servants engaged in serious corruption. The scheme wrongly recovered $750 million from nearly 400,000 welfare recipients and was linked to multiple suicides.
A Fulton County judge has barred District Attorney Fani Willis from challenging nearly $17 million in legal fee claims from President Trump and co-defendants, ruling her disqualification from the collapsed election interference case prevents her participation. Willis plans to appeal the decision as the reimbursement battle moves forward without her.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy told CATO Institute immigration scholar David Bier he "triggers my gag reflex" during a heated Senate Budget Committee exchange over Bier's social media posts calling Trump administration immigration policies "ethnic cleansing" and a "population purge agenda."
