In the face of US Senate opposition, House Republicans have dropped a plan to split the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals. House Republicans who contend the nation's largest federal appeals court has gotten too big to be effective had sought to attach legislation breaking it in two to a deficit-trimming bill. Senators led by California Democrat Dianne Feinstein vowed to block the move if it made it to the Senate floor. The measure was left out when the bill passed the House early Monday. A Senate vote could come later in the day. Nevada Democrat Harry Reid also opposes...