On Wednesday, strong storms, including tornadoes, winds and hail, swept through parts of the Central U.S., leaving at least two people dead and several others injured. The National Weather Service issued tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings, and video footage from the scene showed emergency vehicles making their way past damaged buildings. The American Red Cross is providing assistance to those affected and urging people to prepare for future storms.
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The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for three American sailors who went missing while sailing off the coast of Mexico earlier this month. The Coast Guard has asked anyone with information to contact them, and the families of the missing sailors have set up a GoFundMe page to help with the search. Cmdr. Christopher Higgins expressed his sympathies to the families and friends of the missing sailors, noting that no evidence of their whereabouts or what might have happened was found.
At a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) called Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas a "liar" and accused Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) of having a "sexual relationship with a Chinese spy" without offering any evidence. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), the chair of the committee, barred Greene from speaking any further and plans to have a conversation with her about her comments and the expected decorum of the committee. The incident has sparked debate about the appropriateness of Greene's comments and what action, if any, will be taken against her.
The CDC has announced that older adults aged 65 and up, as well as those with weakened immune systems, can now receive a second dose of the updated versions of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid booster shots. The agency has recommended that people wait at least two weeks after their first dose before getting the second dose, and that those immunocompromised should wait at least two months. Vaccination is the best way to protect against the virus, but it is not 100% effective, so people should still take precautions such as wearing a mask and social distancing.
A federal judge has ruled in favor of the House Judiciary Committee's subpoena of former Manhattan District Attorney's office prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, allowing the committee to proceed with its investigation into former President Donald Trump. The ruling is a victory for the committee and a setback for the District Attorney's office, which had argued that the subpoena was an attempt to interfere with its investigation. Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump nominee, concluded that the subpoena was issued with a "valid legislative purpose" and that Mr. Pomerantz must appear for the congressional deposition.
Mark Jennings, McCurtain County Commissioner, has resigned following a report of him and other officials discussing killing reporters and lynching Black people. Governor Stitt called for Jennings' resignation, as well as the resignations of Sheriff Kevin Clardy and two other sheriff’s department employees, and has requested an investigation into the matter. Jennings' resignation letter was delivered to Governor Stitt and it is hoped that the investigation will bring to light the full extent of the incident and that justice will be served.
The Florida Board of Education has approved a new rule banning the instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools from kindergarten through grade 12. The rule is an expansion of the state's existing "Don't Say Gay" legislation, and has been met with criticism from many who argue it is an infringement on the rights of LGBTQ+ students. Supporters of the rule argue that it is necessary to protect the rights of parents to decide what their children are taught in school, and the rule is set to go into effect immediately.
The Supreme Court has granted a temporary extension of access to the abortion pill mifepristone until Friday while they consider a legal challenge to the medication's FDA approval. The lower court ruling had increased the gestational age limit for using the drug and reduced the number of required in-person visits. The Biden administration and drug maker Danco Laboratories have requested the Supreme Court to halt the appeals court ruling. The temporary extension of access to mifepristone will remain in place until Friday at 11:59 p.m.