An investigation to determine if backcountry guides were criminally negligent during a California ski trip that ended with eight people killed in an avalanche and another presumed dead has surprised legal experts, who said the probe has scant precedent. Backcountry tour clients typically sign waivers of liability that shield guides and their companies from potential lawsuits. And skiing is recognized by courts in California as inherently dangerous, attorney Andrew McDevitt said. That means as...

WASHINGTON (AP) —For a few hours on Friday, congressional Republicans seemed to get some relief from one of the largest points of friction they have had with the Trump administration. It didn't last. The Supreme Court struck down a significant portion of President Donald Trump's global tariff regime, ruling that the power to impose taxes lies with Congress. Many Republicans greeted the Friday morning decision with measured statements, some even praising it, and GOP leaders said they would on...

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — They are hunted for their unique scales, and the demand makes them the most trafficked mammal in the world. Wildlife conservationists are again raising the plight of pangolins, the shy, scaly anteaters found in parts of Africa and Asia, on World Pangolin Day on Saturday. Pangolins or pangolin products outstrip any other mammal when it comes to wildlife smuggling, with more than half a million pangolins seized in anti-trafficking operations between 2016 and to a...