Stories from United States

The Marina Coast Water District is reactivating a 30-year-old desalination plant in Marina, California. Remlea Schezinga of the district stated the move aims to diversify the water portfolio. The project is intended to reduce reliance on the groundwater basin and improve sustainability. The plant is expected to help boost the local water supply. The project involves preparing an existing intake well at Marina State Beach to pipe water back to the plant for re-injection into the dunes. The project is expected to serve roughly 1,000 homes along the Monterey Peninsula. The legislature must still approve $55 million to cover the California Department of Motor Vehicles' costs to execute the plan. The project is currently in its first phase involving preparation. It is expected to provide an additional 300 acre feet of water and become operational by the end of this year.

Greg Hogan has been appointed to oversee the US government's Login.gov platform. The move is part of an effort to integrate driver's licenses and passport information into the service.

California authorities are required to share immigration and privacy data to comply with the federal REAL ID Act. State officials say compliance ensures California driver's licenses and IDs remain accepted at federal facilities like airports.

Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency are filing allegations of agency retaliation. The employees claim that two-week suspensions violated their First Amendment rights and federal whistleblower protections. Attorneys representing the staff have submitted 15 complaints and stated that more are forthcoming. More than 600 EPA employees are filing claims of unlawful agency retaliation following an investigation launched in the summer of 2025. More than a dozen separate complaints have been filed so far, with lawyers representing workers stating more are expected. The investigation, which began around September 2025, resulted in disciplinary actions across three groups. These actions included proposed termination notices, outright firings of mostly probationary employees, and two-week suspensions without pay.

Disney does not plan to spin off ESPN, according to a report from Business Insider. The sports channels will remain within Disney as the company develops its streaming offerings.

Shane Basia recorded his first win in an Orioles uniform during his sixth start of the season. He pitched five and two-thirds innings and allowed one earned run on six hits. Basia recorded six strikeouts against the Houston Astros. He described the performance as his best outing so far. Boz stated post-game that his fastball command was good and he felt capable of throwing any pitch in any count.

A California federal jury cleared Armistice Capital and two executives of class action claims on Tuesday. The lawsuit alleged the firm engaged in a pump-and-dump scheme involving $250 million of Vaxart stock during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A report from a nearby American think tank suggests that US ammunition supplies used in the war have decreased by 50 percent. The report indicates that replenishing these primary munitions could take up to four years.

The US Department of Defense is working to redevelop directed energy weapons to address threats to US airspace. The agency is also developing stealth aircraft for deep penetration into enemy territory, though this carries risks of exposure to enemy fighters and air defense systems. Since the 1970s, research has been conducted on laser weapons for missile defense, with the US Air Force designing a program to explore developing an airborne laser weapon to protect strategic rockets from air defense missiles. These weapons are considered effective against low-cost, slow-moving reconnaissance drones, with systems like the "Reaper" drone capable of over 20 hours of continuous flight. These weapons are being developed to counter threats like the "Death Scythe" drone, which possesses advanced optical and infrared sensors and can perform long-duration hovering missions for intercepting drones.

A move to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook is being taken to the United States Supreme Court. If successful, the action would grant the initiator complete control over four positions.