.By Mary Clare Jalonick and Eric Tucker
Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday after the FBI served a search warrant for his phone as part of an ongoing insider-trading investigation tied to the coronavirus pandemic.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the move, saying he and Burr had agreed it was in the Senate's best interests.
FBI officials showed up at Burr's home with the warrant on Wednesday, marking a significant escalation into the Justice Department's investigation into whether Burr broke the law with a well-timed sale of stocks before the coronavirus caused markets to plummet,
The Justice Department declined to comment. His attorney did not respond to phone and email messages, but said last month that the law is clear that any senator can participate in stock market trading based on public information "as Sen. Burr did."
A Republican-led coalition of fossil fuel giants, environmental advocates, and former federal policymakers on Thursday issued a "Roadmap" to addressing climate change that, while labeled as "Bipartisan," is particularly aimed at garnering GOP support.
The World Health Organization Thursday pointed to a change in reporting, rather than a sudden acceleration of infections. But for many, it strengthened the concern that nobody really knows how widespread the illness is, and there appears to be no good way to figure it out.
The Senate has approved a bipartisan measure limiting President Donald Trump's authority to launch military operations against Iran. The resolution says Trump must seek approval from Congress before engaging in further military action.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, February 13, 2020.
With two ships at sea, one recently allowed to dock, as quarantines are put in place, the WHO is communicating to countries to change the practice as the cruise industry insists it's able to ramp up its procedures to protect people from the health emergency.
Jessica Jackson, chief advocacy officer at REFORM Alliance, says getting the First Step Act passed in 2019 with the aid of celebrity Kim Kardashian-West, was literally just the initial hurdle in reforming the criminal justice system.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus indicated the body's support has stemmed from the drastic actions China has taken, despite the obvious impact to its citizens and economy.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, February 12, 2020.
The operators of a cruise ship that was barred from docking by four governments announced Wednesday it will finally land and disembark passengers in Cambodia.
Political ad spending will reach $6.89 billion this election cycle according to eMarketer, up 63.3 percent compared to the 2016 elections.
