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Freedom Industries has been blamed for a chemical spill that left around 300,000 people without water for days. Last week, a chemical the company uses in cleaning coal leaked into the Elk River and into the public water system.

Venezuela is running out of newsprint and newspapers are shutting down. Media outlets say that it's another form of harassment by a government that often doesn't like what independent media reports.

An appeals court ruled against the New Orleans public school system this week — a decision that could bankrupt the Orleans Parish public schools. The five-judge panel ruled that the school board wrongly terminated some 7,000 teachers and other school employees after Hurricane Katrina. For more information, Melissa Block speaks with education reporter Sarah Carr, who has written a book on the changes to the New Orleans school system after Katrina.

California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency on Friday, amid growing concerns about future water supplies for residents and for farmers. Brown called for a 20 percent voluntary reduction in water use and eased water transfer rights between farmers. However, mandatory measures will still be left to local communities to impose, for now.

There's evidence that many standard treatments for back pain — including surgery, spinal injections and painkillers — are often ineffective and can even worsen and prolong the problem.

Since the violent 1957 standoff over the integration of Central High School, federal courts have been involved in Little Rock school affairs. Now a deal by the state, school districts and lawyers representing black students could end that oversight.

A chemical spill Thursday led officials to warn customers across nine counties not to use the water coming from their taps. About 300,000 people are affected. Officials say tests of the water have been encouraging, and that they've begun a systematic restart of the system.

At issue in the Supreme Court on Monday is whether the president's power to make temporary appointments during the Senate recess can be curtailed by the use of pro forma Senate sessions during which no business is conducted.

Demonstrators have vowed to continue the protests until Feb. 2 elections are called off and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is driven from office.

The Southwest Airlines 737 landed at a wrong airport in Missouri, narrowly averting a slide off the end of a short runway.