The White House has expressed its disapproval of Senate Republicans for denying Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) request to temporarily replace her on the Judicial Committee. This would have allowed her to recover from an illness and prevented her Republican-appointed replacement from providing the deciding vote to strike down Roe v. Wade's abortion rights guarantee. The Democratic Party is now facing a similar dilemma with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and it is unclear how they will proceed to ensure Biden's judicial nominees are approved.
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Julie Su’s Senate Confirmation Hearing for Labor Secretary Nomination to Test Closely Divided Senate
Julie Su’s Senate Confirmation Hearing for Labor Secretary Nomination to Test Closely Divided Senate
Julie Su, the current deputy labor secretary and a civil rights attorney, is set to testify at her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday for the position of labor secretary. If confirmed, she would be the first Asian American in the Biden administration to serve in the Cabinet. The outcome of the hearing will be closely watched as it could have a major impact on the Biden administration's labor policies.
A federal judge has ruled that the House Judiciary Committee can question a former Manhattan prosecutor about the criminal case against ex-President Donald Trump. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has issued a stay that will delay the testimony until a three-judge panel can consider the appeal of the ruling. Until then, the House Judiciary Committee's investigation into the Manhattan prosecution of former President Donald Trump will remain on hold.
On Wednesday, strong storms, including tornadoes, winds and hail, swept through parts of the Central U.S., leaving at least two people dead and several others injured. The National Weather Service issued tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings, and video footage from the scene showed emergency vehicles making their way past damaged buildings. The American Red Cross is providing assistance to those affected and urging people to prepare for future storms.
On Thursday, 20,000 eclipse chasers gathered in the remote tourist town of Exmouth, Australia to witness a rare solar eclipse. Under a cloudless sky, temperatures dropped and the sky darkened for two minutes, before returning to its normal brightness. The event was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of the eclipse chasers, who had traveled from all over the world to witness the phenomenon.
At least 78 people were killed and 73 injured in a tragic incident in Yemen's capital late Wednesday night, sparked by armed Houthis firing into the air in an attempt at crowd control. The incident occurred during an event to distribute financial aid during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and is the deadliest incident in Yemen in years that was not related directly to the country's long-running civil war. The Houthi rebel group and the Yemeni government have launched investigations into the cause of the tragedy, and the international community must continue to work to bring an end to the conflict and to ensure the safety and security of the Yemeni people.
Viktoria Nasyrova, a 47-year-old Brooklyn woman, was sentenced to 21 years in prison on Wednesday for attempting to kill her lookalike friend with a poisoned cheesecake. The chemical used was phenazepam, a benzodiazepine developed by the Soviet Union, and the jury deliberated for two days before convicting Nasyrova of attempted murder and other counts. The Queens district attorney’s office said the case was a reminder that justice will be served no matter the circumstances.
The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for three American sailors who went missing while sailing off the coast of Mexico earlier this month. The Coast Guard has asked anyone with information to contact them, and the families of the missing sailors have set up a GoFundMe page to help with the search. Cmdr. Christopher Higgins expressed his sympathies to the families and friends of the missing sailors, noting that no evidence of their whereabouts or what might have happened was found.