President Joe Biden has nominated Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, making her the first woman to be a Pentagon service chief and the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Adm. Franchetti has extensive command and executive experience, and her selection is being met with criticism from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) who is holding more than 250 military promotions in protest of the Defense Department's abortion policy. If confirmed, Adm. Franchetti will be the first woman to lead the Navy in its 244-year history.
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Rex Heuermann, 59, has been arrested and charged with six counts of murder in the Gilgo Beach case, which has been a source of mystery since 2010. Investigators are searching Heuermann's home for any potential evidence, and Dr. Johanna Ellerup, Heuermann's sister-in-law, expressed shock and disbelief at the news. The investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear what evidence will be found.
Alabama lawmakers have passed a new map with one majority-Black congressional district and a second district that is approximately 40% Black, in response to a Supreme Court order to give minority voters a greater voice in elections. Civil rights groups have argued that the new map does not go far enough to ensure that minority voters have an equal voice, and the map could still face legal challenges. The new map could also have an impact on the 2022 congressional elections, as the boundaries could shift the balance of power in the state.
Judge Royce C. Lamberth has denied a motion to vacate the conviction of QAnon Shaman Jacob Chansley, who had pleaded guilty to obstruction of Congress during the 2021 Capitol attack. The judge rebuked Fox News host Tucker Carlson for his broadcast claiming to show exonerating footage, citing it as "replete with misstatements and misrepresentations" and "conveniently omitted" in past programming. Chansley's attorney said his client remains committed to fighting for his freedom and the freedom of all Americans.
The Department of Justice has issued a warning to Texas officials that they must remove their recently installed floating border barriers in the Rio Grande River or face legal action. The barriers, which are orange buoys with nets beneath them, have raised humanitarian concerns due to reports of a woman having a miscarriage being trapped in the barrier and officials being told to push migrants into the river and deny them water. The Justice Department has given Texas officials until the end of the month to remove the barriers.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a review of the state's pension fund holdings in Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bud Light's parent company, after a promotion with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney sparked a boycott from some conservatives. DeSantis is concerned that the Florida State Board of Administration may have breached legal duties owed to its shareholders and is considering all options to protect the SBA and retirees, including a possible shareholder action. He is also looking to ensure that the pension funds of Florida's hardworking law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders are managed prudently and not used to subsidize an ideological agenda.
The White House has announced an agreement between seven leading AI companies to adhere to industry best practices, known as "voluntary commitments for responsible innovation." The agreement seeks to ensure safety, security and trust for users, as well as transparency about the products and how they are used. This is a major step forward in the regulation of AI technology, and is seen as a sign of the industry's commitment to responsible innovation.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democratic presidential candidate, falsely insisted he was not opposed to vaccinations during a House hearing on Thursday, prompting his grandson, Jack Schlossberg, to ridicule him for not endorsing Joe Biden's re-election bid and running for president himself. The hearing highlighted the deep divisions within the Democratic Party, as Biden works to implement progressive policies while Kennedy continues to spread false information.