President Joe Biden visited Wisconsin to make his case for a strong economy and to continue the fight for the social safety net, highlighting US manufacturing and calling out Republican lawmakers who had previously expressed support for cuts to Social Security and Medicare. The union workers in the room cheered his commitment to protecting these programs, and Biden's message is likely to be a major theme of his 2024 campaign in the battleground state.
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An international team of investigators has found "strong indications" that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the supply of heavy anti-aircraft weapons to Ukrainian separatists who shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014. The Joint Investigation Team has collected a large amount of evidence, including witness statements, intercepted phone calls, satellite images and videos, and identified the exact location from which the missile was launched. However, the team has insufficient evidence to prosecute Putin or any other suspects and has suspended their 8½-year inquiry into the shooting down that killed all 298 people on board.
On Wednesday morning, tragedy struck the city of Laval, Quebec, when a city bus crashed into a day care center, leaving two children dead and six others hospitalized. The 51-year-old bus driver was arrested and charged with reckless driving and homicide, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement expressing his condolences. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
At a House Oversight Committee hearing on Wednesday, Twitter executives faced questioning over their handling of a 2020 New York Post story about Hunter Biden's laptop. It was revealed that Twitter had previously changed its policy to protect former President Donald Trump from consequences for breaking the rules, and had requested the removal of a tweet from model Chrissy Teigen insulting the then-President. The hearing highlighted the complex relationship between social media platforms and the government, and the ongoing debate about content moderation.
On Wednesday, the South Carolina courthouse hosting the double murder trial of former attorney Alex Murdaugh was evacuated after a bomb threat was called in. The jury had just been sworn in when the announcement was made, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division released a statement saying that a bomb threat had been received. Alex Murdaugh was taken by the police, while the family was rushed out ahead of them. The trial is expected to resume on Thursday, with no further information released about the bomb threat.
Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi pleaded not guilty to three charges in a US federal court on Wednesday in connection with the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which killed 270 people. The US Department of Justice has been investigating the attack for more than 30 years, and Mas'ud is the fourth person to be charged in the case. A jury trial has been requested, but the date has not yet been set.
A domestic king pigeon, nicknamed Flamingo, was found in Madison Square Park last week and taken in by the Wild Bird Fund. It was likely dyed pink with hair dye and released into the wild, making it more vulnerable to predators and unable to find food. Despite the Fund's efforts, the bird died on Tuesday, likely due to inhaling toxins from the dye. This incident has sparked a renewed call for people to not release domestic birds into the wild.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has appointed Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to the select committee investigating the weaponization of the federal government, chaired by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) and ranking member Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). The committee will examine the use of federal agencies to target political opponents, the use of federal funds for political purposes, and the use of executive orders to bypass Congress.