Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged senators to swiftly confirm more than 60 nominees to key foreign policy positions, warning that leaving the roles unfilled would damage America's global standing and national security interests. Senator Rand Paul has blocked the confirmation of the nominees while seeking information on the origins of Covid-19, and Blinken has asked for the senators' leadership to swiftly confirm the nominees and reconsider or work with the Department to find a reasonable and expedited path forward. The confirmation of the nominees is seen as critical to the Biden administration's foreign policy agenda.
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This week's Powerball lottery is offering an estimated $900 million jackpot, with no winner in Saturday night's drawing. Three tickets matched all five white balls, however, and are eligible for $1 million prizes. Monday's drawing will offer a choice between an annuitized prize or a one-time lump sum before taxes, with odds of 1 in 292,201,338. It is the third biggest Powerball jackpot and the seventh largest in U.S. lottery history.
Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, is blocking hundreds of military promotions over a Pentagon abortion policy, causing a potential national security crisis. President Joe Biden and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan have denounced the move, and Senator Tammy Duckworth has warned it will jeopardize the U.S.' ability to lead the free world. Sullivan has warned that the blockade could soon leave the U.S. without a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or a chief of Naval Operations.
Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA, has declared that artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to creative professions, leading to a strike of 65,000 Hollywood actors and 11,000 script writers. The unions are demanding a contract that would guarantee actors fair pay and control over how their work is used in the future, protecting them from exploitation by AI.
Kevin Lyons, who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and stole a framed photo of Rep. John Lewis from Nancy Pelosi's office, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on Friday. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell also ordered Lyons to pay restitution for the items he stole and a $100 special assessment.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) proposed an amendment to the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act, which was adopted in a 214-210 vote. The amendment aims to prohibit the Defense Department from considering race, gender, religion, political affiliations or “any other” when making decisions. During the floor debate, Crane referred to Black people as “colored people”, sparking a debate over the use of language when discussing race and ethnicity. Crane has since apologized for his remarks and the bill is expected to pass the House this week.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) sparked controversy on the House floor when he referred to non-white Americans serving in the U.S. military as “colored people” while proposing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) argued that Crane's language was "offensive and unacceptable" and that it was "unfortunate that we have to debate an amendment that seeks to limit the progress of people of color and women." Crane argued that his amendment was meant to ensure that recruitment and promotion decisions were based on merit, rather than on any other ideological concepts. The amendment was ultimately voted down, highlighting the ongoing struggle to ensure that recruitment and promotion decisions in the military are based on merit.
After two weeks of negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed to reach an agreement, SAG-AFTRA has voted to go on strike. The union's chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, said the strike will begin at midnight and affect 65,000 actors, potentially crippling film and TV productions across the U.S. and impacting the entertainment industry.