China has strongly opposed US President Joe Biden's comments calling Chinese leader Xi Jinping a dictator, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expressing "strong dissatisfaction and opposition" to the remarks. The response comes days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing in an effort to re-establish communication between the two countries. The latest clash of words is likely to further strain the already tense relationship between the US and China.
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On June 21, 2023, two Palestinian attackers opened fire at a restaurant and gas station near an Israeli settlement, killing four Israelis and wounding several others. In response, Israeli settlers stormed Palestinian towns, setting fire to dozens of cars and homes, and the Israeli military deployed additional forces. This incident has sparked outrage among Palestinians and raised tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, with both sides accusing each other of inciting violence. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and has urged both sides to exercise restraint and work towards a peaceful resolution.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has published a commentary in The Wall Street Journal defending himself from questions about his ethical conduct raised in an upcoming article by ProPublica. Alito claims he had recused himself from cases involving entities connected to hedge fund founder Paul Singer and reported gifts on his financial disclosure forms. ProPublica is expected to publish its investigation into Alito’s ethical conduct later today, raising questions about the accuracy of Alito’s claims.
Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of willful failure to pay federal income taxes on over $1.5 million in income earned in 2017 and 2018. He will also enter a pretrial diversion agreement on a gun charge, and his attorney has stated that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved. The plea agreement is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, though it is unclear if Hunter Biden will face any jail time or other penalties.
At a private fundraising event in California, President Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a dictator, and implied that Xi was caught off guard by the U.S. military shooting down a Chinese surveillance balloon in February. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had just visited China for a rare diplomatic trip, in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries. The meeting between Blinken and Xi was the first high-level diplomatic meeting between the two countries since President Biden took office, and the White House has said that the U.S. will continue to push for a more equitable relationship with China.
However, Democrats need the unanimous consent of all 100 senators for the bills to move forward, which they do not have.
Senator Bernie Sanders has launched an investigation into Amazon's labor practices, citing dangerous and illegal conditions in the company's warehouses. The letter alleged that Amazon's warehouses are "uniquely dangerous" due to physically demanding work and "aggressive productivity quotas," and that Amazon has failed to protect its workers from the coronavirus pandemic. Sanders has been a vocal critic of Amazon in the past, and is calling for the company to raise wages and improve working conditions for its employees.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has accused the Department of Justice of having a "two-tier system of justice" after the announcement of criminal charges against President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden. Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and enter a pre-trial diversion agreement for a felony firearm offense, potentially avoiding incarceration or a trial. Republicans have argued that the Biden administration has "weaponized" the Department of Justice against former President Donald Trump and his supporters.