US government: North Carolina LGBT law violates civil rights
By EMERY P. DALESIO and GARY D. ROBERTSON A North Carolina law limiting protections to LGBT people violates federal civil rights laws and can’t be enforced, the U.S. Justice Department…
Laws
China passes law tightening controls on foreign nonprofits
By DIDI TANG China passed a law Thursday tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations by subjecting them to close police supervision, a move officials say will help the groups but…
Former House speaker sentenced to more than a year in prison
By MICHAEL TARM Dennis Hastert, the Republican who for eight years presided over the House and was second in the line of succession to the presidency, was sentenced Wednesday to…
Conservative lawmakers drive backlash against LGBT rights
By JEFFREY COLLINS Year after year, South Carolina Sen. Lee Bright has watched as gays won more rights through legislation and the courts. And as he sees proposals elsewhere in…
Backlash grows over North Carolina LGBT discrimination law
By EMERY P. DALESIO An economic backlash broadened Tuesday against a North Carolina law that critics say discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people with PayPal announcing it has…
N. Korea, on defense after sanctions, makes nuclear threat
By HYUNG-JIN KIM North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his military on standby for nuclear strikes at any time, state media reported Friday, an escalation in rhetoric targeting rivals…
Education, transportation highlight 2015 in Congress
By MATTHEW DALY In a chaotic year, when Republicans in the House unseated a speaker, Congress produced a significant amount of bipartisan legislation that affects every American. It enacted laws…
Senate set to OK Republican bill unraveling health care law
By ALAN FRAM Republicans are pushing toward Senate approval of legislation demolishing President Barack Obama’s signature health care law and halting Planned Parenthood’s federal money, setting up a veto fight…