Law & Society

When the last U.S. Supreme Court term ended in June with an unusual showdown over a decision approving Oklahoma's lethal injection process, some court watchers saw it as a sign the court might soon take up the bigger question of the constitutionality of the death penalty itself.

Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) shares plunged by nearly 20 percent on Monday after the German carmaker admitted it had rigged emissions tests of diesel-powered vehicles in the United States, and U.S. authorities said they would widen the probe to other automakers.

Environmental samples have been taken at a sensitive military site in Iran, the head of the U.N. nuclear agency said on Monday, citing "significant progress" in its investigation of Tehran's past activities.