The Biden administration is considering updating the nation's racial and ethnic categories for the first time since 1997, based on the more than 4,600 comments submitted by various individuals and organizations. The changes are part of the administration's goal of creating a more equitable society, and the decision is expected to be announced in the near future.
News Mash
Sayfullo Saipov, an Islamic extremist who drove a truck along a popular bike path in 2017, killing eight people, will not face the death penalty after a jury in New York City was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The jury deliberated for four days before deciding that Saipov, a 35-year-old Uzbekistan citizen, will receive an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Saipov's lawyers argued that he was mentally ill and had been radicalized by ISIS propaganda, while prosecutors argued that he was a cold-blooded killer who had planned the attack for months.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for a concussion and a rib fracture. He will now go to an inpatient rehabilitation facility for physical therapy before returning home, and his concussion recovery is progressing well. McConnell is the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Kentucky's history and is the most senior Republican in the Senate.
The family of Manuel Esteban Páez Terán, an environmental activist known as "Tortuguita", released the results of an autopsy which revealed that he had been shot 14 times. The family's attorneys are now filing an open-records lawsuit to force Atlanta police to release more evidence about the killing, which occurred during a peaceful protest. The GBI has been investigating the shooting for nearly two months, and the family is hoping that the lawsuit will help them get the answers they are looking for and bring justice for Tortuguita and other activists.
President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have announced the purchase of nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize Australia's fleet in response to China's military buildup.
Former President Donald Trump has declined an invitation to testify before a grand jury convened by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office investigating a "hush money" payment allegedly made on his behalf days before the 2016 election. Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina has stated that the former president has “no plans” to appear before the grand jury. The payment in question was made by Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels, and the grand jury is expected to continue its investigation despite Trump's refusal to testify.
A coalition of media organizations is pushing back against U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk for holding a hearing without proper public notice in a closely watched case involving the abortion pill. The lawyer for the news outlets argued that this attempt is unconstitutional and "undermines the important values served by public access to judicial proceedings and court records." Judge Kacsmaryk is known for his controversial decisions on a variety of issues, and the media organizations are now challenging his decision to hold a hearing without proper public notice.
Kenzaburo Oe, a Japanese author and Nobel Prize for literature laureate, passed away at the age of 94. His works of fiction were heavily influenced by his experience of being the parent of a disabled son and his activism for nuclear disarmament and the anti-war movement. His legacy will live on through his works and his activism, remembered as a powerful voice for peace and justice in Japan and around the world.