The Supremes: The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 yesterday that police officers may take a DNA swab from suspects arrested for serious crimes. The majority opinion said taking a DNA sample is an identity procedure the same as taking fingerprints or a picture. Justice Antonin Scalia joined with the court’s liberals in dissent saying suspects’ DNA could be entered into a national database even if they are found not guilty or their case is dismissed. Scalia said police already know who they have arrested and taking a DNA sample is a warrantless search for evidence of a crime. He wrote that to claim otherwise “taxes the credulity of the credulous.”

On Appeal: President Obama threw down a challenge to Republicans today, making three nominations at once to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Obama hopes to tip the balance of this important court in his favor and Republicans already accuse him of trying to “pack the court”. But The White House may also be using this as a challenge to the repeated use of the filibuster to block his judicial nominations.

National: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has a dilemma choosing a replacement for the late Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg. He can appoint a Republican and please his party, or he can appoint a Democrat to curry votes in his largely Democratic state as he runs for re-election. He’s already irritated Republican leaders by complimenting President Obama for his help rebuilding the Jersey Shore after Hurricane Sandy.

World: A Turkish woman in a red summer dress being sprayed with tear gas has become the symbol of anti-government protests in Turkey.  Many secular women fear that Prime Minister Erdogan wants to roll back women’s rights and impose the Islamic headscarf. The image of the woman wincing as she has sprayed has been reproduced on the Internet and on posters, one of which reads, “The more you spray the bigger we get.”

• UN Human rights investigators said today that both the government and possibly the rebels have used chemical weapons in Syria’s civil war. The Human rights team bases its conclusion on 430 interviews, but no weapons inspectors have been allowed inside Syria to get physical evidence.

The Obit Page: David “Deacon” Jones, leader of the LA Rams “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line in the 1960s, has died at age 74. Jones is credited with creation of the “sack” for the way he threw down opponents.

How Happy Can you Get?: The happiest place on earth has raised its ticket prices again, entrance to Disneyland up $6 to $92 for anyone over the age of 10. Plus parking, $16. And everyone’s going to want something to eat before waiting on line for Space Mountain.

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