U.S. intelligence officials released a report on Friday rejecting some points raised by those who argue COVID-19 leaked from a Chinese lab. The report has angered some Republicans, who argue the Biden administration is withholding information, while intelligence officials argue China's obstruction has made it impossible to determine the origin. U.S. Rep. Mike Turner has noted that U.S. intelligence had "extraordinary detail" about the risk posed by the Wagner group, and that top congressional leaders had been briefed multiple times by the administration.
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Former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence both addressed the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, with Trump speaking on the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning the national right to an abortion and Pence challenging every GOP presidential candidate to support a national ban on abortions at least as early as 15 weeks of pregnancy. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is running for president in 2024, also addressed the conference and openly criticized Trump for being unwilling to take responsibility for his mistakes.
Phoebe D. Copas, a 48-year-old woman from Kentucky, has been charged with murder after shooting her Uber driver out of fear that he was kidnapping her and driving to Mexico. She allegedly took a handgun from her purse and shot the driver, Daniel Piedra Garcia, in the head, causing the vehicle to crash into a concrete barrier. Garcia was taken off life support this week and Copas remains in jail while the investigation continues.
Three San Antonio police officers have been charged with murder for the fatal shooting of a woman experiencing a mental health crisis. Police Chief William McManus has stated that the officers' actions were not consistent with SAPD policy and training. The incident has sparked outrage in the community, with many calling for justice and reform.
A federal judge in Florida has temporarily blocked a law championed by Governor Ron DeSantis that would have restricted drag performances, granting a preliminary injunction requested by the owner of a Hamburger Mary's restaurant and bar in Orlando. The judge refused to dismiss the law entirely, meaning the underlying lawsuit challenging it will go forward. The case is expected to go to trial in the coming months, and the outcome could have far-reaching implications for the state of Florida.
Hundreds of Starbucks stores across the US are set to go on strike this week in response to the company's treatment of queer and trans workers. The union representing baristas, Starbucks Workers United, said more than 150 stores representing nearly 3,500 workers have pledged to join the strikes. The dispute began last week when the union alleged that dozens of US stores were not allowing employees to decorate for Pride month. The strike is set to be a major test for Starbucks, as it remains to be seen how the company will respond to the demands of the union.
The U.S. intelligence community has released a 10-page declassified report on the origins of Covid-19, finding no direct evidence of a "biosafety incident" at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and that natural exposure to an infected animal is the most likely scenario for the first human infection. The report also noted that the intelligence community has not seen evidence that the virus was released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology intentionally or accidentally, and that the Chinese government has not been fully transparent in its response to the pandemic.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has been accused of ethical misconduct after taking a luxury fishing trip to Alaska in 2008 aboard a private jet chartered by a hedge fund billionaire. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island has called the situation a "real mess" and Alito preemptively wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal defending himself against the allegations. This has sparked a debate about the ethical standards of Supreme Court Justices and the potential for conflicts of interest.