To see how the federal government has pursued money-laundering cases against big banks over their dealings with Iran and other countries under US trade sanctions, consider what happened when Barclays and the justice department were required to file reports describing the UK bank’s co-operation under a settlement in 2010.

A US judge has backed a finding by government scientists that global warming is threatening the survival of the polar bear.

A judge who questioned whether Barclays Bank was getting off too easily nonetheless approved a deal likely to enable the bank to avoid prosecution over claims that it engaged in $500m (€390.4m) in illegal transactions with banks in Cuba, Iran, Libya, Sudan and Burma for more than a decade.

A US federal judge ruled in favour of the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus in a case brought by animal rights activists who accused the circus of abusing elephants.