Donald Trump faced backlash Wednesday night for disparaging writer E. Jean Carroll during a CNN town hall, one day after a federal jury found him liable for battery and defamation in a civil trial stemming from rape allegations. The jury awarded Carroll $2 million in damages, and Trump's comments were widely condemned by legal experts and advocates for survivors of sexual assault. Many argued that Trump’s comments were an attempt to undermine the jury’s verdict and discredit Carroll.
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Key takeaways: Mayor Eric Adams expressed his condolences to Jordan Neely’s family and pledged to do more to help people experiencing mental health crises. Neely…
Prominent Republicans have reacted to the jury verdict in New York finding former President Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll, awarding her $5 million in damages. Jason Osborne, a Republican endorser of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, expressed disgust at the allegations against Trump, while other GOP rivals for the 2024 presidential nomination have expressed sympathy for Carroll. The verdict has sparked debate among Republicans about the impact it will have on Trump's political future, as well as questions about how the party will address the issue of sexual assault going forward.
Heather Armstrong, pioneering mommy blogger and founder of Dooce.com, has died at the age of 47. Her death was confirmed by her boyfriend, Pete Ashdown, who said she had died by suicide at their Salt Lake City home. Armstrong was known for her honest and open approach to motherhood, her struggles with depression and alcoholism, and her popular website Dooce.com, which she began in 2001. Her death is a tragic loss for the blogging community.
The United Kingdom has seen the birth of its first babies created using an experimental technique known as mitochondrial donation, which combines DNA from three people to prevent the children from inheriting rare genetic diseases. The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has confirmed that fewer than five babies have been born this way and that the technique has been rigorously tested and regulated to ensure its safety and effectiveness. The technique is only used in cases where the mother is at risk of passing on serious genetic diseases to her children and is not used to create designer babies or to alter the characteristics of the baby.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) returned to the Senate floor on Wednesday after a nearly three-month absence due to health issues. She was greeted by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and had missed 91 floor votes during her absence. Feinstein's return is crucial to move President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees to the floor, as she sits on the Judiciary Committee.
French Prosecutors Launch War Crime Investigation into Death of AFP Reporter Arman Soldin in Ukraine
French Prosecutors Launch War Crime Investigation into Death of AFP Reporter Arman Soldin in Ukraine
French prosecutors have launched a war crime investigation into the death of Agence France-Presse (AFP) reporter Arman Soldin, who was killed in Ukraine on Tuesday. The investigation, handled by the OCLCH, will seek to determine the exact circumstances of Soldin's death, which brings to at least 11 the number of journalists killed in Ukraine since 2014. The death of Soldin has highlighted the risks that journalists face while reporting in conflict zones, prompting the AFP to call for an independent investigation and greater protection for journalists in conflict zones.
Two FDA advisory panels have voted unanimously to recommend that a birth control pill, called Opill, become available without a prescription, which would make it the first birth control pill available for over-the-counter sales in the United States. The FDA is not required to follow the recommendation, but the vote is expected to weigh heavily on its final decision, expected in late summer. Advocates argue that over-the-counter access to birth control would make it more accessible and reduce the need for doctor visits.