At least five people were killed and several communities were left in ruins after a devastating tornado tore through Bollinger County, Missouri. First responders rushed to the scene to search for injured people and Governor Mike Parson visited to survey the damage. The National Weather Service is still assessing the damage and local officials are urging residents to stay safe.
Posts published in “US”
Idaho Governor Brad Little has signed a bill into law making it a felony crime for adults to help minors travel to other states for abortion care without parental consent. The law creates a new crime called "abortion trafficking" with a minimum sentence of two years in state prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The bill has been met with criticism from pro-choice advocates, while proponents argue it is necessary to protect minors from making decisions with long-term consequences.
On Tuesday night, the FBI and US Army Special Operations Command conducted a training exercise in downtown Boston that went awry when they mistakenly raided the wrong hotel room and detained an innocent bystander. USASOC Lt. Col. Mike Burns has extended an apology to the individual affected, and the FBI has said that it is “working to ensure that all training exercises are conducted in a safe and appropriate manner.” No further information has been released about the individual detained or the training exercise.
The Maryland Attorney General's Office has released a report revealing that over 600 children have been sexually abused by Catholic priests and other individuals associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore over the past 80 years. The report also accuses church officials of covering up the abuse for decades, and paints a damning picture of the Archdiocese. The Attorney General's Office is now investigating the Archdiocese and providing support and resources to the victims, while the Archdiocese has expressed its deep sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of the victims and committed to taking action to ensure that such abuse never happens again.
The LSU Tigers women's basketball team have won their first national championship, prompting star player Angel Reese to declare that neither she nor her team will be visiting the White House. Reese suggested that the two teams should share the spotlight, and that Iowa should be invited to the White House as part of the tradition. It remains to be seen if Iowa will be invited to the White House.
Governor Whitmer signed legislation to repeal the 1931 abortion ban in Michigan, which was passed by the Democratically controlled state legislature last month. The repeal follows a major victory for abortion rights advocates in neighboring Wisconsin, and is a result of a major ballot drive galvanized by the US Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The court is expected to decide a lawsuit challenging the state’s 1849 abortion ban, furthering the protection of women's rights in the region.
Wisconsin has seen a major shift in its political landscape this week, with Janet Protasiewicz, a liberal backed by Democrats, winning a seat on the Wisconsin state Supreme Court and flipping the ideological balance of the court to the liberal bloc for the first time in 15 years. Meanwhile, Republicans won a supermajority in the state Senate's 8th District, but a newly elected Republican state senator is threatening to impeach Protasiewicz and challenge the GOP-gerrymandered maps. These results have the potential to shape the future of Wisconsin politics.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Dalaneo Martin by U.S. Park Police in D.C. on March 18th. The incident began with officers attempting to arrest Martin, which led to a physical altercation and the discharge of a firearm. The Martin family has called for the officers to be charged and the U.S. Attorney's Office has committed to conducting a thorough investigation and urged anyone with information to contact them.