The Supreme Court on Monday voted 5-4 to halt a lower court order requiring Alabama to redraw its congressional districting maps.
Why it matters: The lower court had ruled that the GOP-led state legislature's maps likely violated the Voting Rights Act (VRA) by diluting Black voting power.
The U.S. and Japan on Monday announced an agreement that will end steel tariffs imposed by former President Trump.
State of play: The U.S. remove the 25% tariff for a limited amount of steel products, specifically 1.25 million pounds, coming in from Japan, according to senior U.S. Trade Representative and Department of Commerce officials.
The Biden administration on Monday condemned South Dakota's new transgender athlete ban, calling it "nothing more than bullying disguised as legislation."
Why it matters: The law, signed last week by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, bars trans girls and women from participating in school sports that align with their gender identity. It's the 10th state in the U.S. to implement such a measure, according to think tank Movement Advancement Project.
President Biden repeatedly and vigorously defended Germany's reliability as an ally at a press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday, insisting that "there is no need to win back trust" when it comes to Berlin's approach to NATO and Ukraine.
Why it matters: Scholz's first visit to the White House since he succeeded Angela Merkel in December has been overshadowed by accusations that Germany is unwilling to stand up for Ukraine as it faces the threat of a large-scale invasion by Russia.
About 140 Republican leaders and former officials signed a statement out Monday condemning the Republican National Committee's decision last week to censure Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) over their participation in the Jan. 6 select committee.
The big picture: The statement, issued by the Renew America Movement, included signatures from former RNC chief Michael Steele and Trump White House communications aides Alyssa Farah and Anthony Scaramucci.
The Virginia Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a lawsuit from Chesapeake parents against Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) for his order making mask-wearing optional in schools.
Why it matters: Judges wrote that they couldn't issuewrits of mandamus and prohibit the Chesapeake School Board from making masks optional, because such relief cannot be issued in the case. But they made clear they aren't ruling on the legality of the case, potentially leaving the door open for future litigation.
The Department of Justice indicted Hytera, a China-based telecommunications company, on Monday for conspiring to steal trade secrets from Motorola.
Why it matters: The Justice Department accused Hytera, which produces radio transceivers and radio systems, of hiring former Motorola employees to steal information related to Motorola's digital mobile radio technology from 2007 to 2020.
Kaleb Franks is expected to plead guilty to willingly conspiring with five other men to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in 2020, according to documents filed on Monday.
Why it matters: Franks will be the second man to plead guilty in the alleged plot, which the FBI disrupted.
Former Atlanta Mayor and one-time vice presidential hopeful Keisha Lance Bottoms is joining CNN as a political commentator.
Why it matters: In an exit interview with Axios Atlanta, Bottoms promised to remain engaged in politics and campaign for Democrats in 2022, but had not disclosed any paid work until now.
Former President Trump incited the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 "to intimidate" former Vice President Mike Pence into overturning the 2020 election, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday.
What he's saying: "January 6 was a riot that was incited by Donald Trump in an effort to intimidate Mike Pence and the Congress into doing exactly what he said in his own words last week — overturn the election," he told Hewitt.
Free community college will no longer be included in Democrats' social spending package, which has so far failed to pass in the Senate, first lady Jill Biden announced Monday.
Why it matters: Democrats have abandoned the provision that would give eligible students two years of free education at community colleges — the first lady's signature legislative initiative. She is a professor at a community college in Virginia.
Eric Lander, President Biden's science adviser, has apologized for speaking to White House Office of Science and Technology Policy staff in "a disrespectful or demeaning way," according to a note he sent to OSTP staff this weekend.
The big picture: An investigation found that Lander violated the White House's workplace policy and "corrective action" was taken, according to a OSTP spokesperson.
The National Archives and Records Administration last month retrieved boxes containing information from former President Trump's time at the White House that he took to Mar-a-Lago instead of handing over to the agency.
Details: The boxes contained correspondence between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which he once referred to as "love letters," and a letter from former President Obama, per the Washington Post, which first reported the story.
Peng Shuai announced she's retiring from tennis and called sexual abuse allegations she'd made against a former Chinese government official a "huge misunderstanding," in an interview with French sports news outlet L'Équipe published Monday.
Why it matters: The call during which Biden accepted an invitation to visit Israel later this year came as the nuclear talks have entered a crucial crunch period.
President Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed in a phone call Sunday "ongoing diplomatic and deterrence efforts" in response to Russia's military buildup along Ukraine's border, according to a White House statement.
Why it matters: Macron is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday and with Ukraine's President Volodymyr in Kyiv a day later in an attempt to de-escalate tensions, per AFP.
