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A week after his brain cancer diagnosis, Sen. John McCain returned to Washington to cast a crucial vote to begin debate on the GOP health care legislation.

POSTED JULY 25, 2017 4:12 PM

Can the president pardon himself? In an interview with Yahoo News, law professor Brian Kalt explains the presidential pardon power, historical precedents and how a pardon could affect independent counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

POSTED JULY 24, 2017 12:21 PM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Investigators believe a truck driver accused in the deaths of 10 people found inside a packed, sweltering tractor-trailer is just one member of a larger organization involved in human smuggling that they are looking to identify and dismantle, a U.S. immigration official said Tuesday.

POSTED JULY 25, 2017 7:21 PM

Matt Katz, reporter for WNYC, talks with Rachel Maddow about the sketchy employment by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie of Donald Trump's pick to replace James Comey has director of the FBI, Chris Wray.

POSTED JULY 24, 2017 2:00 PM

The fires coincide with the peak tourism season on the French Riviera

POSTED JULY 26, 2017 4:14 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A condemned killer in Ohio arrived at the death house a day ahead of his scheduled execution Wednesday with several requests for a delay pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

POSTED JULY 25, 2017 2:07 PM

Researchers regularly remind us that the world's oceans are still hiding some truly remarkable secrets, but when we imagine new species of ocean life it's usually tucked away in the crushing depths, or so tiny that we somehow didn't notice it up until now. An all-new species of ocean sunfish was just discovered that throws those expectations completely out of the window, weighing in at over two tons and making regular trips near the surface in order to keep warm, but it's a remarkable find nonetheless.

Researchers led by Marianne Nyegaard of Australia's Murdoch University discovered the new sunfish species after looking closely at over 150 DNA samples from various sunfish. After matching three of the DNA samples with known species, the team realized that the fourth was completely new and undocumented. They subsequently nicknamed it the "hoodwinker sunfish" thanks to its ability to remain hidden for so long.

But despite having DNA samples that proved the presence of an unknown species, nobody knew exactly what it looked like. After hunting for a specimen that matched the DNA for a year, Nyegaard got a tip that four sunfish had washed up on a beach in New Zealand, and it was at that point that she finally found what she had been searching for.

Like the other members of the ocean sunfish family, the new species — officially named Mola tecta — is absolutely huge. Its massive, disc-shaped body is punctuated by large fins on its top and bottom, and its bony structure pushes its weight over the two ton mark.

The hoodwinker sunfish has since been spotted in several different places, including the waters off South Africa, Chile, Australia and New Zealand.

POSTED JULY 24, 2017 8:00 PM

Richard Dawkinswants "a public apology" from a California radio station that cancelled an event with the scientist because of his “abusive speech against Islam”. The influential academic and writer was scheduled to speak about his memoir A Brief Candle in the Dark at an event organised by Berkeley’s KPFA Radio next month. But KPFA has now cancelled the talk, citing his "hurtful speech" against Islam.  “We had booked this event based entirely on his excellent new book on science, when we didn’t know he had offended and hurt – in his tweets and other comments on Islam – so many people," KPFA wrote in an email to ticket buyers. KPFA exercises its free speech right not to participate with anyone who uses hateful language against a community already under attack. https://t.co/nTC1LYQKiG— KPFA Radio (@kpfa) July 21, 2017 "KPFA does not endorse hurtful speech. While KPFA emphatically supports serious free speech, we do not support abusive speech. We apologise for not having had broader knowledge of Dawkins’s views much earlier. We also apologise to all those inconvenienced by this cancellation.” Residents had reportedly highlighted statements made by the evolutionary biologist and confirmed atheist, including a 2013 tweet saying "Islam is the greatest force for evil in the world today". @ToddKincannon I think Islam is the greatest force for evil in the world today. I've said so, often and loudly.What are you talking about?— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) March 1, 2013 Professor Dawkins responded to the radio station in an open letter published on his website, saying he had lived in Berkeley for two years  and had appreciated KPFA's  "objective reporting and humane commentary".  "It was therefore a matter of personal sorrow to me to receive this morning your truly astonishing 'justification' for de-platforming me," he wrote. “You conspicuously did not quote a source when accusing me of ‘abusive speech’. Why didn’t you check your facts – or at least have the common courtesy to alert me – before summarily cancelling my event?” This is so stupid. Oh and by the way, my entire family is Muslim. Oh and Muslims aren't weak little children. They can hear other views.— Fouad (@fouadalnoor) July 22, 2017 Professor Dawkins said that he had “never used abusive speech against Islam”, explaining that while he had previously called Islamism “vile”, Islamism is not the same as Islam. “I have criticised the appalling misogyny and homophobia of Islam, I have criticised the murdering of apostates for no crime other than their disbelief. Far from attacking Muslims, I understand – as perhaps you do not – that Muslims themselves are the prime victims of the oppressive cruelties of Islamism, especially Muslim women,” the author wrote.  Dawkins 'not certain' God does not exist 01:31 Urging the radio station to find examples of the abusive speech, he added: "When you fail to discover any, I presume you will issue a public apology." Professor Dawkins' bestselling book about the study of evolution, The Selfish Gene, was named the most influential science book of all time last week by the Royal Society. Berkeley, historically known as the home of the Free Speech moment in the 1960s, has hit the headlines in recent months over the cancellations of other controversial speakers. An event for alt-right figure Milo Yiannopoulos was cancelled in February by the University of California after clashes involving far-left protesters, as was a speech by conservative pundit Ann Coulter. 

POSTED JULY 24, 2017 7:29 PM

Allegiant Air left over 200 passengers in Las Vegas for four days after a canceled Oklahoma City-bound flight.

POSTED JULY 25, 2017 1:42 PM

China on Tuesday denied its fighter jet pilots operated dangerously during an encounter with a U.S. surveillance plane in international airspace in which the American pilot took evasive action to avoid a possible collision.

POSTED JULY 25, 2017 11:36 AM