The United States military conducted strikes against two facilities in eastern Syria on Thursday in response to recent attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, which have injured 19 U.S. service members. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes were intended to send a message that the U.S. does not seek conflict and will not tolerate attacks on its personnel. The Pentagon has reported 16 such attacks since October 17, and the action is intended to protect U.S. personnel and interests in the region.
News Mash
Rep. Jared Golden of Maine announced a major shift in his stance on gun control legislation, calling for a ban on assault rifles like the one used in the mass shooting in his hometown of Lewiston. Golden discussed his previous opposition to legislation largely backed by fellow Democrats that would prohibit assault weapons and said he was wrong to oppose those measures. His call for a ban has been met with support from both sides of the aisle as the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of the two mass shootings in Lewiston.
On Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip resulted in the death of 37 Palestinians, including the family of veteran journalist Wael Dahdouh. Despite the tragedy, Dahdouh has returned to the field to continue his reporting, showing remarkable courage in the face of such tragedy. The airstrike is the latest in a string of violence between Israel and Palestine, with the death toll now reaching over 200 since the conflict began.
Democratic strategist Chai Komanduri has warned of chaos in the House of Representatives following the election of Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) as its new speaker, which was allegedly kickstarted by extremist Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) at the behest of Donald Trump. Komanduri believes Johnson will do Trump's bidding, potentially leading to the shutdown of aid to Ukraine. The election of Johnson marks the end of a three-week standstill in the House of Representatives, with the consequences of his leadership yet to be seen.
After 60 years of Beatlemania, the Beatles are releasing their last "new" song, "Now And Then," taken from unreleased demos written by John Lennon. The single will be released by Apple Corps Ltd. and Universal Music Group, and will be accompanied by a music video featuring archival footage of the band. Fans of the Beatles are sure to be excited to hear the new track.
The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) is a conservative Christian legal organization that has been at the forefront of many legal battles related to reproductive rights and the LGBTQ community. Their involvement has been met with criticism, especially due to House Speaker Mike Johnson's past comments comparing the judicial philosophy that legalized the right to an abortion to Hitler's. The ADF has also been involved in the Terri Schiavo case, representing the Schiavo family in their legal battle.
A federal judge in Georgia has ordered the state to redraw its congressional and legislative maps, adding one majority-Black congressional district and seven majority-Black legislative districts. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ruled that the current maps discriminated against Black voters in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and gave the state until December 8th to take action. This is a major victory for voting rights activists, who have long argued that the state's maps were drawn in a way that diluted the voting power of Black voters.
The Coast Guard is responding to a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine that left 18 people dead late Wednesday night. The suspect, Robert Card, had been experiencing an "acute" mental health episode and was hearing voices that were saying "horrible" things about him. His vehicle was found abandoned by a boat dock and the Coast Guard has deployed resources to help search for him. He has been charged with eight counts of murder and the investigation is ongoing.