North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile on Wednesday, which flew for 74 minutes before landing in the Sea of Japan. Japan has responded by strengthening its surveillance and maintaining military preparedness with the U.S., while the international community awaits a response from the U.N. Security Council. It is unclear how the U.S. and its allies will respond to the launch.
News Mash
Iowa legislators passed a bill banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy late Tuesday night, with vocal objections from Democratic lawmakers and abortion advocates. Governor Reynolds will sign the bill on Friday, and if it is not blocked by a court, it will go into effect immediately. The bill's passage marks a major victory for pro-life advocates in Iowa, and could have far-reaching implications for abortion access in the state.
House members returned to Washington Tuesday to begin a three-week stint at the Capitol, but confusion remains over Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's membership in the House Freedom Caucus. Members of the right-wing group have refused to comment on the matter, and Greene herself is unsure of her status. Despite the three-week session, the issue is likely to remain unresolved until the House takes a six-week break at the end of the month.
Matthew Jason Beddingfield, 22, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for assaulting police officers with a metal flagpole with a sharpened end during the January 6th Capitol riot. He had previously been free on pretrial release for an attempted murder charge in Johnston County, North Carolina. U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin warned that this sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who would consider similar conduct in the future.
The Justice Department has reversed its position on a lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll against former President Donald Trump, saying that Trump was not acting within the scope of his presidential duties when he allegedly defamed Carroll. The lawsuit, which was filed in 2019, accuses Trump of defaming Carroll when he denied her allegation that he raped her in the 1990s. The Department's reversal is based on a jury's determination in a separate civil lawsuit that Trump was liable for sexual abuse and defamation of Carroll. It is unclear what impact the reversal will have on the case.
Gal Luft, co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, has been indicted on charges of unregistered advocacy of Chinese causes, attempting to sell weapons on behalf of a Chinese company to foreign countries, violating Iranian sanctions, and making false statements to federal agents. Luft is a dual Israeli and American citizen and is currently a fugitive. The indictment is the latest development in an ongoing investigation into Luft's activities, and the potential implications of the case are far-reaching.
Key takeaways: The jury found that a document handwritten by the late singer Aretha Franklin is a valid will. The jury’s decision is a victory…
Senate Democrats have called out Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama for defending white nationalism and claiming that militant white people are simply “Americans.” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said this is “deadly serious stuff” and urged Tuberville to apologize, while Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown said his nomination to become the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff could be held up in the Senate due to the hold. Schumer said Tuberville’s comments are “deeply and terribly disturbing” and called on Republican colleagues to urge him to apologize.