A Texas jury on Friday ordered Infowars’ Alex Jones to pay $49.3 million in total damages to the parents of a first-grader killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which the conspiracy theorist falsely called a hoax orchestrated by the government in order to tighten U.S. gun laws.

In a span of 3 days this week, court rulings seesawed between outlawing abortions and permitting them. A judge allowed them to continue Wednesday for at least 21 days.

“He didn’t ride a wave. He created the wave,” Bernard Francis Pettingill, Jr. told jurors in Austin. “He is a very successful guy.”

Infowars host Alex Jones is on trial in Texas and Connecticut for saying that the Sandy Hook school shooting never happened. A jury now has the Texas case, while the Connecticut case is in bankruptcy court. Defense teams representing Jones face more problems stemming from a dramatic moment in court Wednesday that featured the appearance of a text message representing the type of record Jones swore he didn’t have.

From the Philippines to Singapore, countries are worried the status quo could turn from tension to conflict. Southeast Asia especially feels the strain of living in the shadow of U.S.-China rivalry.

"We've never seen anything like it," said atmospheric scientist Luis Millán, who works at NASA. The vapor sent skyward by the eruption will likely stay in the stratosphere for years.

It's not the first time for such a dire warning. Here's a brief look at why Guterres and others are raising the alarm now.

Hyperion, the world's tallest living tree, has suffered as hikers in California's Redwood National Park damaged its habitat. Now, prospective visitors face a $5,000 fine and six months in jail.

On Tuesday, jury selection begins in a defamation lawsuit filed in Connecticut on behalf of families of the 2012 Newtown school shooting victims against Infowars host Alex Jones. Connecticut Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis has ordered attorneys to court Tuesday, despite Infowars' parent company filing for bankruptcy.

Federal lawmakers have passed a bill that could get more pickup trucks and smartphones out to consumers. Both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives approved a $52 billion investment in U.S. companies specifically targeted at the production of semiconductor chips.