The family of Emmett Till announced Monday that the Department of Justice has formally closed its second investigation into the 1955 murder of Emmett Till.
Why it matters: The DOJ reopened the probe in 2018 after the white woman at the center of the case reportedly recanted her allegation that Till, a Black 14-year-old, sexually harassed her prior to his murder.
Microsoft announced Monday that it has seized a number of websites that were being used by a China-based hacking firm to carry out cyberattacks in 29 countries, including the U.S.
Why it matters: Microsoft said it believed the sites "were largely being used for intelligence gathering from government agencies, think tanks and human rights organizations."
Why it matters: Nunes, once considered a moderate member of the party, became one of the fiercest defenders of former President Donald Trump throughout both of Trump's impeachments and the Intel committee's Russia investigation.
Chris Cuomo on Monday announced that he is stepping away from his SiriusXM radio show, citing difficulties brought on by new revelations about his involvement in the management of his brother's sexual harassment scandal.
State of play: CNN fired Cuomo last week after reviewing documents that showed that the star news anchor used his contacts to garner information about the women accusing his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, of sexual harassment.
A New York man was arrested and charged with mailing threatening letters to LGBTQ+ affiliated organizations and individuals, including threatening to attack New York City's Pride March, prosecutors said on Monday.
Driving the news: In one letter, Robert Fehring, 74,allegedly threatened that there would “be radio-cont[r]olled devices placed at numerous strategic places” at the 2021 New York City Pride March with “firepower” that would “make the 2016 Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting look like a cakewalk,” the complaint said.
Conservative provocateur James O'Keefe's Project Veritas has retained a former senior Trump administration official as a lobbyist, records show.
Why it matters: The FBI raided O'Keefe's home last month amid an investigation into a diary allegedly stolen from President Biden's daughter. Project Veritas' new lobbyist was retained to discuss the situation with members of Congress.
The Department of Justice on Monday filed a lawsuit against Texas, alleging Republican state lawmakers discriminated against Black and Latino voters and have "again diluted the voting strength of minority Texans" when they approved new redistricting maps.
Why it matters: A DOJ assessment of the new districts found that they violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press conference.
Regulators are investigating the planned merger between Digital World Acquisition Corporation and former President Trump's social media business, according to a recent filing by the SPAC.
Driving the news: The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority are looking into the trading of Digital World's shares, while the SEC is investigating communications and documents between Digital World and Trump Media Technology Group.
Michigan school officials had the legal grounds to search alleged shooter Ethan Crumbley's backpack and locker but did not do so, Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald told CNN Monday.
Catch up quick: Crumbley has been charged with numerous felony counts related to terrorism and murder after opening fire at Oxford High School, killing four students and wounding seven other people.
Vulnerable Democrats are urging President Biden and congressional leaders to act quickly to prevent the Medicare cuts that will take effect on the first day of the new year.
Why it matters: Congress has little time to act before the Medicare reimbursement cuts kick in on Jan. 1, 2022, and there’s currently no vehicle on the table to push the legislation through.
The Department of Homeland Security has identified more than 280 migrant children since September who are now in the process of being reunited with their families, a DHS spokesperson told Axios.
What's happening: President Biden's family reunification task force in September established two websites, one in English and one in Spanish, for separated families to directly sign up for reunification. To date, 284 children have been identified through the websites and are on the path to reunification.
The Biden administration on Monday released the first-ever U.S. government strategy for countering corruption, kicking off a week of policy initiatives pegged to the inaugural "Summit for Democracy" on Dec. 9-10.
Why it matters: Joe Biden is the first president to establish the fight against corruption as a core national security interest. Critics say corruption not only robs a nation of its core resources but discourages citizens from believing in the rule of law.
Despite bipartisan support in the Senate, a plea by the Commerce Secretary and growing desperation from industry officials, Congress still can't get a key bill that funds the U.S. chip business over the finish line.
Why it matters: With the global chip shortage continuing to crimp the economy, the semiconductor industry has ramped up pressure for funding of U.S.-based manufacturing facilities as one remedy.
A Myanmar court sentenced the country's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Monday to four years in prison on charges of "inciting public unrest" and breaking COVID-19 protocols, per the New York Times.
The latest: Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the country's leader, later cut Suu Kyi's sentence to two years, the Times reports.
Pope Francis criticized European countries' response to migrants and asylum seekers during his visit to a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos on Sunday.
Why it matters: The pope said "migration is a humanitarian crisis that concerns everyone," but little had changed in the global response to displaced peoples since his first visit to Lesbos five years ago, per a transcript of his remarks. "Human lives, real people, are at stake. ... Let us stop this shipwreck of civilization!"
Former National Security Agency contractor Reality Winner told CBS' "60 Minutes" she's not a traitor and acted in "service to the American people" when she leaked classified documents on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Why it matters: Her attorney Debra Katz said in a statement that she heard "the hypocrisy" of his on-air words about his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and was "disgusted by his efforts to try to discredit these women," so "retained counsel to report his serious sexual misconduct against her to CNN."
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden attended Sunday night's Kennedy Center Honors, resuming a tradition of presidential participation not carried out by the previous administration.
Driving the news: This year's honorees include "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels, operatic bass-baritone Justino Díaz, actress Bette Midler, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell and the songwriter Berry Gordy, one of the founders of Motown.
