The United Nations has confirmed that 99 of their staff members have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict between Hamas and Israel on October 7th. Thousands of Palestinians have fled the intensifying Israeli assault, many carrying white flags in an attempt to avoid being attacked. The U.N. has condemned the use of civilians as human shields and has called for an immediate end to the violence in Gaza.
News Mash
The Biden administration has chosen Greenbelt, Maryland, as the location for the new FBI headquarters, according to the U.S. General Services Administration. The decision was based on its low cost to taxpayers, transportation access, and sustainability and equity potential. The GSA has not yet released a timeline for the construction, but this decision is a major step forward in the process, which is expected to bring jobs and economic growth to the area.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is encouraging Republicans to make their stance on abortion clear to voters following the Democratic victories in Tuesday's elections. Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) is advocating for reasonable limits on late-term abortions, with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. The NRSC is pushing for Republicans to make it clear to voters that they do not support a national ban on all abortions in order to regain control of Congress.
The Republican presidential candidates are preparing for their third and smallest debate yet in Miami, Florida, with Donald Trump leading in the polls and absent from the debates thus far. This debate will be an important moment for the candidates, as it will be their last chance to make an impression on the voters before the 2023 election. NBC News will be live-tracking every attack, criticism, and barb made during the debate, providing an interesting insight into how the candidates use their time to make their case for the 2024 presidential ticket.
After months of negotiations, the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The agreement must still be ratified by SAG-AFTRA members, and once it is, actors will be able to return to work. The agreement will bring relief to the more than 150,000 film and television performers represented by SAG-AFTRA, and will provide a much-needed boost to the entertainment industry.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that former President Donald Trump can appear on the state's 2024 primary ballot, but his eligibility for the general election will be determined at a later date. The ruling is the latest in a series of legal challenges to Trump's eligibility, and the issue could ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The United States has conducted two sets of self-defense strikes in Syria against facilities used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in response to attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes were conducted at the direction of President Biden and were a “precision self-defense strike” to protect U.S. personnel and facilities. This is the first time the U.S. has targeted Iran-linked facilities in Syria and is part of an effort to combat Iran's presence in the region.
Democrats had a successful night in the off-year elections on Tuesday, winning critical races in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. The abortion referendum and pot legalization referendum both won in Ohio, and Democrats saw over-performance against 2020, current polls, and expectations. The elections also showed that the war in Israel and other hot-button national issues had a smaller impact on the results than expected, suggesting that voters are looking beyond these issues when making their decisions.