China launched the Joint Sword drills on Saturday, a show of strength in response to Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to the US. The drills were smaller in scale than last August's live-fire military exercises, and are seen as a warning to Taiwan and the US. It remains to be seen how the US and Taiwan will respond to the drills, and whether China will continue to increase its military presence in the region.
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At least four people were killed and nine others wounded in a mass shooting at a Louisville, Kentucky bank on Monday morning. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the tragedy, calling on Congress to take action to address gun violence, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expressed shock at the deaths of two close friends. President Joe Biden has already taken executive action to strengthen background checks and close loopholes in gun sales, but Jean-Pierre said Congress must act to further combat the issue.
Nashville Metro Council has voted to reappoint Tennessee Democratic Rep. Justin Jones to the state House, following his expulsion from the House last Thursday for participating in a peaceful gun protest. Supporters of Jones gathered to show their support, and the vote is a sign of solidarity with the young, Black men who were silenced for speaking out against gun violence.
Former President Donald Trump has filed an appeal in federal court in Washington, DC, seeking to block former Vice President Mike Pence from testifying before a grand jury investigating Trump's role in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The Biden administration has said it is committed to transparency and accountability, and that it will cooperate with any investigations into the Trump administration. It is unclear how the appeal will affect the investigation.
The Tennessee House of Representatives is set to reconvene Monday, with the Nashville Metropolitan Council meeting to consider the recent expulsion of two young Black lawmakers. The expulsion, which was a two-thirds majority vote cast by their Republican colleagues, has sparked national attention to racial dynamics in the state's top legislative body. Demonstrators are expected to gather at the Capitol to protest the expulsion and the outcome of the Council's meeting is yet to be seen.
Nashville's Metro Council and Shelby County Commission are set to hold special meetings this week to decide whether to reinstate former Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones and Memphis Rep. Justin Pearson, respectively, to their seats after they were expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House last week for joining a protest demanding stricter gun control. If reinstated, Jones and Pearson intend to run in the special elections for the vacated seats, and the outcome of the meetings will have a significant impact on the state's political landscape.
The Tennessee state House of Representatives voted last week to expel two Democratic lawmakers, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, for their involvement in protests on the chamber floor. The expulsion resolution was sponsored by Republican Representative Andrew Farmer, and passed despite criticism of his comments during the vote. A vote to expel a third Democrat, Gloria Johnson, fell short. The expulsion of Jones and Pearson has sparked debate over the role of activism in the legislature and its effect on the balance of power in the chamber.
A U.S. District Judge appointed by former President Donald Trump has suspended the FDA's approval of abortion pills, sparking outrage among Congressional Democrats. Chuck Schumer has urged Republicans to speak out against the ruling, while President Joe Biden has said his administration will file an appeal. Republicans in Congress have yet to respond to the ruling.