Author: Brittany Mays

A California court is now weighing whether social media can be called addictive and whether platforms share blame for teenage mental health struggles, in a case involving a young woman who has used social media since her age was recorded in single digits and whose hearing started last week. The question heading into the courtroom is blunt: can a product be addictive the same way a substance can be, and can companies be held legally responsible for the mental health fallout among youth? Lawyers for the plaintiff argue that design choices on major platforms deliberately hook young users and that…

A sudden, violent tragedy in Woodbridge left four relatives dead and has put investigators and a grieving neighborhood on alert as authorities work to piece together what happened. “Four family members in Woodbridge were found dead from stab wounds in their home Saturday morning in what police think was a murder-suicide.” Police arrived after a call and found the scene inside the house, and investigators quickly secured the area to preserve evidence. Officers described the discovery as a traumatic scene that will require careful processing by detectives and forensic teams. The county police department has taken the lead on the…

Crews recovered the bodies of nine backcountry skiers who were killed in a California avalanche four days ago, authorities said Saturday, ending a difficult recovery operation hampered by intense snowfall. The recovery wrapped up after days of relentless weather that kept teams from moving more quickly through steep, snow-choked terrain. Crews faced heavy snowfall that made travel slow and raised the risk of further slides, forcing careful, deliberate work on each approach. Authorities confirmed the identities have yet to be released as next-of-kin notifications and examinations proceed. The incident happened in remote backcountry where avalanche conditions can change in hours,…

Recent economic surveys still show activity short of pre-pandemic norms, but new business reports suggest forecasts and expectations are inching back toward 2018–2019 levels while inflation outlooks among firms are becoming steadier despite President Donald Trump’s tariffs. For several years the dominant story in economic data has been a gap between today’s conditions and those that existed before the pandemic. Surveys kept pointing to slower growth, fractured supply chains, and changes in consumer behavior that wouldn’t simply snap back. That narrative has been consistent, even as policymakers and market watchers searched for catalysts that might close the gap. Over the…

The talking filibuster deserves a fair shot as a tool to force public debate, test Senate majorities, and give voters a clear record of whether this Senate will fulfill its responsibilities to the American people. The talking filibuster is worth trying. It is worth a public accounting of whether this Senate, in this moment, for this American people, can deliver on its duties. Let’s be blunt: institutions matter and so do norms. The talking filibuster brings both into the light by requiring senators to stand and speak, or at least to make the Senate work under more visible rules rather…

The New York Times’ The Daily featured a half-hour episode on Thursday with U.S. senator Catherine Cortez Masto that illustrated how elite media and some Democrats frame immigration debates, and that framing deserves scrutiny from anyone concerned about border security, legal process, and the rule of law. The podcast set out to shape the conversation by spotlighting a familiar political persona and a predictable argument. After a recent episode that amplified a voter open to stricter immigration controls, editors brought on Senator Catherine Cortez Masto to offer the opposing view, and the contrast underscored how media outlets manage which voices…

The court’s temporary halt pauses what RNC Chair Joe Gruters called ‘an illegal redistricting scheme that a court has already called a blatant abuse of power.’ The recent ruling freezes plans that were shaping electoral boundaries and stops immediate implementation of a map many Republicans view as unfair. For conservatives, this pause is a necessary check on judges and officials who have been overreaching. The decision keeps the status quo in place while the legal fight continues. RNC Chair Joe Gruters summed up the GOP reaction bluntly with the line, “an illegal redistricting scheme that a court has already called…

Early voting in the Texas primaries has begun, with March 3 marking the practical start of the midterm season as attention zeroes in on high-stakes US Senate contests amid Democratic momentum from a recent special election win in the state. Early voting kicked off and the calendar now points toward a packed primary period, with local, statewide, and federal races all drawing interest. March 3 is being treated as the de facto kickoff for this midterm cycle, and campaigns are already setting narratives. The mood on the ground mixes cautious optimism from Democrats with a focused, disciplined effort from Republican…

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has sharply increased Coast Guard aircraft use for migrant deportation flights, ramping missions to roughly ten times prior levels and stirring friction with top Coast Guard leaders over mission priorities. Noem has pushed the Coast Guard into a new rhythm by redeploying its planes for deportations at about ten times the previous rate, and that move has rubbed the service’s senior officers the wrong way. The change has intensified questions about how to balance search-and-rescue, counternarcotics, and border security. Republicans argue this is the exercise of legitimate authority by DHS leadership to secure the border.…

Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing for nearly three weeks and investigators are still piecing together sparse forensic leads, surveillance footage and a puzzling mix of public silence and targeted investigative moves. The search began when Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on February 1 and has produced frustratingly little clarity. Surveillance captured a masked person near her Pima County home, described as about 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build, but that figure remains unidentified. Investigators say they believe she was taken during the late night or early morning hours, and the case…