The Ocean Exploration Trust recently captured detailed images of three iconic World War II shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway, including the first up-close photos of a Japanese aircraft carrier since it sank in 1942. The team spent 14 hours surveying the Japanese Imperial Navy’s Akagi and two other aircraft carriers, the Kaga and the Soryu, providing a unique glimpse into the Battle of Midway and the damage inflicted on the ships. The group plans to continue its exploration of the seafloor in the coming months.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has detained a person of interest in the fatal shooting of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, a six-year veteran of the department who is survived by his wife and two children. Sheriff Robert Luna will provide more details of the case at a news conference scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PDT (1:30 p.m. ET), and the department is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects.
In an interview aired Sunday, former President Donald Trump admitted that it was his decision to challenge the 2020 election result, despite his lawyers and advisers telling him he had lost. His comments could be damaging to his legal defense, as he faces legal challenges from multiple states over his claims of election fraud. His legal team has yet to comment on his remarks, and it remains to be seen how his comments will affect his legal defense going forward.
House Republicans have reached a tentative agreement to avert a government shutdown, which includes a conservative border security measure and a short-term continuing resolution that would cut nearly 1% from current spending levels. The agreement was reached by the far-right Freedom Caucus and the center-right Main Street Caucus, and is expected to pass in the House this week before being sent to the Senate for consideration.
Virginia Representative Jennifer Wexton has announced that she will not seek re-election in 2024 due to a worsening health condition, Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy, which she described as “Parkinson’s on steroids.” Wexton has been a vocal advocate for gun control, healthcare reform, and women’s rights and is proud of the work she has done in Congress. Her seat will be up for grabs in the 2024 election, and it is unclear who will run for the seat and who she will be endorsing.
On Sunday morning, a World War I-era Nieuport 28 aircraft crashed and flipped onto its roof while attempting to land at the American Heritage Museum in Stow, Massachusetts. The pilot, the only occupant, was able to remove himself from the plane without injury and was evaluated at the scene as a precaution. An initial investigation found that the plane's front landing gear failed while the pilot was attempting to land. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Five U.S. citizens wrongfully imprisoned in Iran for years have been released as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the U.S. and Iran. The agreement included the transfer of $6 billion in unfrozen Iranian oil assets and the release of five Iranians facing charges in the U.S. The freed Americans are now on a flight from Tehran to Doha, Qatar, and five Iranian nationals held in U.S. custody are also expected to be released. This marks a major diplomatic breakthrough between the two countries and could lead to further progress in the future.
Donald Trump's defense team has filed papers in D.C. federal court to request that Judge Tanya Chutkan recuse herself from the federal 2020 election conspiracy case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, arguing that her prior comments have created an appearance of prejudgment. Chutkan has refused to recuse herself, noting that the defense’s argument “fails to identify any actual bias or prejudice” she has expressed. The case is set to go to trial in June 2021, and it is unclear how the court will rule on Trump's request.