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Chapter 1: What turmoil is occurring at the Justice Department?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Turmoil at the Justice Department is intensifying after at least seven prosecutors have now quit rather than follow orders to dismiss a major corruption case. NPR's Kerry Johnson reports the episode is raising questions about political pressure at justice.
Chapter 2: Who resigned from the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office?
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten resigned his post in Manhattan after sending a letter to say prosecutors cannot use their vast power to lean on elected officials. Scotten earned two bronze stars in military service and clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts.
He wrote that he expected senior leaders at justice would eventually find someone who's enough of a fool or a coward to file a motion to dismiss the case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but it was never going to be me. Ultimately, it's up to Judge Dale Ho to formally dismiss the corruption case.
The judge may decide to hold a hearing to explore the pressure acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bovee put on line prosecutors. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.
Chapter 3: What are the details of the recent midair collision?
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board gave their first on-camera briefing almost two weeks since the January 29th midair collision involving a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet. The plane was trying to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, killing all 67 people on board both aircraft. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the collision happened at 278 feet above the river. The helicopter was supposed to be no higher than 200 feet. Over Homendy said it's unclear whether the altimeters in the helicopter were showing the pilots the proper altitude. Mexico's president says if the U.S.
Chapter 4: How is Mexico responding to U.S. actions against drug cartels?
designates Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, her country will expand legal actions against the U.S. gun makers. Foreign terrorist designation would put the cartels in the same category as armed foreign groups like al-Qaeda and Boko Haram. Nita Kravinsky of member station KJZZ reports.
President Trump directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in an executive order shortly after taking office. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in her regular morning press conference that if the U.S. goes through with that designation, she plans to expand an existing lawsuit in U.S. courts against gun manufacturers.
Sheinbaum says more than 70 percent of the guns used by cartels come from the U.S.,
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments about whether the lawsuit against gunmakers should go forward early next month. For NPR News, I'm Nina Kravinsky in Hermosillo, Mexico.
Cold and unusual weather in many parts of the country last month put retail sales in the deep freeze. That's based on new numbers from the Commerce Department. They show retail sales down nine-tenths of a percent in January from the previous month. A mixed close on Wall Street. The Dow fell 165 points. The Nasdaq rose 81 points. This is NPR.
While many people make time to smell the roses or take in the trees, people don't usually notice moss. But Dina Pritchett reports students at Oregon's Lewis and Clark College are trying to change that with their seventh annual Moss Appreciation Week.
Mosses are ancient, simple plants, which grow from the driest deserts to the highest mountaintops. Their ancestors helped create the oxygen levels that made human life possible. I think moss is something that we kind of take for granted. Student Kenji Yamamoto helped organize this year's Moss Appreciation Week with moss walks, moss talks, moss valentines, and a moss petting zoo.
It's undeniably silly, but Yamamoto says it can also be profound.
Just to like focus on the little things and like slow down to the pace of moss, if you will.
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