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Wednesday, April 23, 2025

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Nightly Brief

Top CNS stories for today including the Office of Government Ethics criticizing President Donald Trump after he belatedly noted a reimbursement to his attorney, Michael Cohen, for the $130,000 that Cohen paid Stormy Daniels; Senate Democrats successfully pass a resolution reversing the Federal Communication Commission’s hotly contested repeal of net neutrality rules; the Senate Judiciary Committee release transcripts of its closed-door interviews with Donald Trump Jr. and others on a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Kremlin-connected lawyer; Michigan State University agreed to pay a $500 million settlement to hundreds of survivors sexually abused by Larry Nassar; a study from the Center for Biological Diversity finds marine wildlife populations like Florida manatees and California sea otters are bouncing back in protected habitats throughout the United States; the European General Court rules against regulators for shirking their responsibility to ensure that merger conditions placed on the German airline giant Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines remain necessary, and more.

Your Wednesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News

Top CNS stories for today including the Office of Government Ethics criticizing President Donald Trump after he belatedly noted a reimbursement to his attorney, Michael Cohen, for the $130,000 that Cohen paid Stormy Daniels; Senate Democrats successfully pass a resolution reversing the Federal Communication Commission’s hotly contested repeal of net neutrality rules; the Senate Judiciary Committee release transcripts of its closed-door interviews with Donald Trump Jr. and others on a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Kremlin-connected lawyer; Michigan State University agreed to pay a $500 million settlement to hundreds of survivors sexually abused by Larry Nassar; a study from the Center for Biological Diversity finds marine wildlife populations like Florida manatees and California sea otters are bouncing back in protected habitats throughout the United States; the European General Court rules against regulators for shirking their responsibility to ensure that merger conditions placed on the German airline giant Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines remain necessary, and more.

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**National **

1.) The Office of Government Ethics criticized President Donald Trump on Wednesday as it disclosed the Republican’s latest disclosure form, which belatedly notes a reimbursement to his attorney, Michael Cohen, for the $130,000 that Cohen paid Stormy Daniels.

2.) Senate Democrats successfully passed a resolution reversing the Federal Communication Commission’s hotly contested repeal of net neutrality rules, at the very least giving their party a potential rallying issue for the 2018 mid-term elections as the Republican-controlled House is unlikely to take the measure up.

FILE - In a Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016 file photo, Donald Trump Jr., son of President-elect Donald Trump, walks from the elevator at Trump Tower, in New York. Donald Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he couldn't remember whether he had discussed the Russia investigation with his father, according to transcripts released Wednesday of his interview with the panel. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on budget on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The offices of Cambridge Analytica in central London were photographed here on March 20, 2018, after it was announced that Britain's information commissioner Elizabeth Denham is pursuing a warrant to search the company's computer servers. Denham said she is using all her legal powers to investigate Facebook and political campaign consultants Cambridge Analytica over the alleged misuse of millions of people's data. Cambridge Analytica said it is committed to helping the U.K. investigation. (Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP)

**Regional **

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2018, file photo, former Gov. John Engler speaks after Michigan State's Board of Trustees met and voted to name him as their interim president in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State University has reached a $500 million settlement with hundreds of women and girls who say they were sexually assaulted by sports doctor Larry Nassar in the worst sex-abuse case in sports history. The deal was announced Wednesday, May 16, 2018 by Michigan State and lawyers for the 332 victims. (Dale G.Young//Detroit News via AP)

6.) Michigan State University announced Wednesday that it has agreed to pay a $500 million settlement to hundreds of survivors sexually abused by former university and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens speaks at a news conference about allegations related to his extramarital affair with his hairdresser, in Jefferson City, Mo., Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Greitens initiated a physically aggressive unwanted sexual encounter with his hairdresser and threatened to distribute a partially nude photo of her if she spoke about it, according to testimony from the woman released Wednesday by a House investigatory committee. (Julie Smith/The Jefferson City News-Tribune via AP)

7.) The St. Louis Police Department announced Tuesday that it will launch an investigation into perjury allegations against the private investigator hired by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office in the ill-fated invasion of privacy case against Gov. Eric Greitens.

8.) The Florida city of Pensacola on Wednesday asked the 11th Circuit to reverse a lower court order requiring the city to remove a 34-foot-tall Latin cross from a public park.

Jannett Martinez holds her cat, Gigi, as she rides a boat out of her neighborhood, which was inundated after water was released from nearby Addicks Reservoir when it reached capacity due to Tropical Storm Harvey on Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

**Science **

10.) Marine wildlife populations like Florida manatees and California sea otters are bouncing back in protected habitats throughout the United States, according to a study from the Center for Biological Diversity.

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean as seen from the International Space Station. Anvil tops of thunderclouds are also visible.

11.) Climate change could shift the geographic distribution of hundreds of marine species that inhabit North America’s Atlantic and Pacific continental shelves, a new study finds.

**International **

12.) The European General Court ruled against regulators Wednesday for shirking their responsibility to ensure that merger conditions placed on the German airline giant Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines remain necessary.

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