Editor’s Note: This listicle is part of a weekly series by The Ball State Daily News summarizing five stories from across the United States. All summaries are based on stories published by The Associated Press.
The president’s focus on the impeachment inquiry, marijuana vape seizures, the Supreme Court case over New York City gun laws, abuse lawsuits against the Catholic Church and Elon Musk’s trial over his previous tweets make up this week’s five national stories.
U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he and U.S. first lady Melania Trump arrive at Stansted Airport in England, Monday, Dec. 2, 2019. US President Donald Trump will join other NATO heads of state at Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday to mark the NATO Alliance's 70th birthday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Impeachment shadows Trump on trip to NATO leaders meeting
President Donald Trump kicks off a two-day whirlwind of meetings with NATO alliance members, but his focus appears to remain centered on the impeachment inquiry playing out at home. Before departing for London to meet Tuesday with other leaders from the 29-member alliance, Trump accused Democrats of trying to embarrass him by scheduling this week’s impeachment hearing while he’ll be abroad with NATO leaders.
Read More: Trump impeachment inquiry
This photo provided Nov. 7, 2019, by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety shows some of the 75,000 THC vaping cartridges seized in drug busts by Minnesota's Northwest Metro Drug Task Force. (Minnesota Department of Public Safety via AP)
More than 500K pot vapes seized in 2 years as busts rise in US
As health officials scrutinize marijuana vaping, it’s increasingly on law enforcement’s radar, too. From New York City, to Nebraska farm country to California, authorities have seized at least 510,000 marijuana vape cartridges and arrested more than 120 people in the past two years, according to an Associated Press tally derived from interviews, court records, news accounts and official releases.
Read more: Marijuana
In this Feb. 6, 2019 file photo, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts answers questions during an appearance at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. How a Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump would unfold is not yet known, but among the issues senators will have to decide are how long it lasts and whether witnesses are called. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Roberts seems to hold key to case over New York City gun law
Chief Justice John Roberts appeared Monday to be the key vote in whether the Supreme Court considers expanding gun rights or sidesteps its first case on the issue in nearly 10 years. The court’s dismissal of the case would be a disappointment to gun-rights advocates and a huge relief to gun-control groups. The arguments dealt with a dispute over New York City restrictions on taking licensed, locked and unloaded guns outside the city limits.
Read more: U.S. Supreme Court
In this Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, photo, attorney Adam Slater takes a phone call on a patio outside his high-rise Manhattan office overlooking St. Patrick's Cathedral, in New York. Slater's firm is representing clients accusing the Roman Catholic Church of sexual abuse. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
Legal reckoning: New abuse suits could cost church over $4B
Across the country, attorneys are scrambling to file a new wave of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by the Roman Catholic Church clergy, thanks to rules enacted in 15 states that extend or suspend the statute of limitations to allow claims stretching back decades. Associated Press reporting found the suits could surpass anything the nation’s clergy sexual abuse crisis has seen before, with potentially more than 5,000 new cases and payouts topping $4 billion.
Read More: The Reckoning
In this March 14, 2019, file photo, Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks before unveiling the Model Y at Tesla's design studio in Hawthorne, Calif. Musk is going on trial for his troublesome tweets in a case pitting the billionaire against a British diver he allegedly dubbed a pedophile. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Tesla CEO Musk facing defamation trial for ‘pedo guy’ tweet
Elon Musk is going on trial Tuesday for his troublesome tweets in a defamation case pitting the billionaire against a British diver he allegedly branded a pedophile. The Tesla CEO will be called to testify early in the case in Los Angeles federal court to explain what he meant when he called Vernon Unsworth, who helped rescue youth soccer players trapped underwater in a Thailand cave, “pedo guy” in a Twitter spat more than year ago.
Read More: Elon Musk
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Comm Center Catchup: See what you missed
By Ball State Daily / 4 hours agoWith the last week of the semester creeping up, we know it’s easy to miss important announcements from Ball State’s Communication Center! Don’t fret — Ball State Daily has your back! This week, learn about the Multicultural Center’s annual Celebration of Excellence, important updates in OneDrive policies and the Art in Boom exhibit.
Ball State softball drops weekend series to Buffalo, clinches spot in MAC Tournament
By Zach Carter / 11 hours agoBall State dropped this weekend's three-game series to the visiting Buffalo Bulls 2-1.
The Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Honors House will have an expanded look in Fall 2025
By Shelby Anderson / 15 hours agoDuring the upcoming Fall semester, the Honors House will have a different look that will benefit students and faculty.
