National News at a Glance

Trump Relents Under Pressure, Offering ‘Respect’ to McCain

In the Senate chamber Monday, senators praised John McCain as a hero who “spotlighted many of our highest values.” Outside, flags over Capitol Hill flew at half-staff. In only one building in Washington were McCain’s legacy and achievements greeted with anything like ambivalence: the White House. President Donald Trump, after ire from critics, lawmakers and veterans’ groups crescendoed, released a statement that began with highlights of past conflicts. “Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country,” Trump said, “and, in his honor, have signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment.”

Federal Court Throws Out North Carolina’s Congressional Districts, Again

A divided panel of three federal judges on Monday again declared North Carolina’s congressional map an unconstitutional political gerrymander. The decision, which may have major implications for control of the House after the midterm elections, set the stage for an election-year appeal to the Supreme Court, which is evenly split on ideological lines. The three judges had ruled unanimously in January that the state’s map was a partisan gerrymander unfairly favoring Republicans. But the Supreme Court declined in June to hear the case, sending it back for reconsideration. In the ruling Monday, the judges reached largely the same conclusion they had in January.

Claims of Staff Sex Parties: New Troubles for Public Housing

The problems facing New York City public housing residents — mold, lead paint, faulty boilers and leaky roofs — just got longer: claims of staff sex parties. The entire 40-person staff of a housing development in the Bronx was reassigned over the weekend after residents complained that some workers had been drinking and having sex on the job. Supervisors at Throggs Neck Houses engaged in erotic activities with their subordinates for months — both inside and outside the buildings, said Monique Johnson, president of the development’s resident association. The employees were replaced Monday and reassigned to other developments, said a spokeswoman for New York City Housing Authority.

In Jacksonville, the $1 Billion-a-Year World of Esports is Rocked by Gunfire

The finest players of a football video game had gathered on the riverfront in Jacksonville, Florida, for two days of animated battle in the “Madden” franchise. Then came the gunfire. Two players were killed. Eleven people were injured, 10 by bullets. And the gunman, identified as David B. Katz, 24, a player from Baltimore, was dead. “The suspect clearly targeted other gamers,” Sheriff Mike Williams said. He had been defeated in the tournament earlier in the day, and later pulled out a handgun. “The suspect walked past patrons who were in other parts of the business and focused his attention on the gamers,” the sheriff said.

Breast-Feeding Mothers Should Avoid Marijuana, Pediatricians Say

Marijuana is more widely available than ever, but what does it do to babies? There is no answer to that yet, but nursing mothers are being warned to avoid it: Traces of the drug can show up in breast milk, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that gets people high, can be detected in breast milk up to six days after use of the drug, according to a study published Monday by the journal Pediatrics. In response to evidence that babies are being exposed to marijuana, the AAP recommends that women avoid the drug altogether when they are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Charles Kushner and Michael Cohen Accused of Falsifying Building Permits to Push Out Tenants

Charles Kushner, whose son Jared is a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, and Michael Cohen, the president’s former personal lawyer, face scrutiny in New York for claims that they falsified construction permits in an attempt to remove rent-regulated tenants from buildings. On Monday, the Department of Buildings fined Kushner Cos. $210,000 for 42 instances in which it says the company falsified construction permits at 17 buildings, where many tenants were protected by rent regulations. Tenant activists also issued a report Monday that suggested that an investment group led by Cohen also falsified permits by claiming three buildings were vacant or without rent-regulated tenants, when they were occupied and many tenants had rental protections.