The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Lambda Legal argue it discriminates by banning those forms of care only as treatment for gender dysphoria.
Under the law, minors who need the treatments for other reasons can still get them. One example is puberty blockers being used to treat children who experience early puberty.
While an appeals court had already ruled to uphold Tennessee’s law, the Supreme Court granted the Biden administration’s appeal. The Supreme Court will not consider the part of the law that bans surgery because the lower court’s injunction didn’t cover it.
Tennessee’s attorney general argues the law doesn’t discriminate based on sex. He says it “draws a line between minors seeking drugs for gender transition and minors seeking drugs for other medical purposes,” adding “boys and girls fall on both sides of that line.”
Currently, 26 states have laws restricting gender-affirming care for youth, but they’re not all uniform. If the Supreme Court lets Tennessee’s law stand, it’ll effectively leave the decision up to states. As a result, different states would still be offering various levels of access to care for trans minors.
Conditions so bad at Fulton County Jail, they violate civil rights: DOJ
Conditions in Georgia’s Fulton County Jail are so bad that they’re violating inmates’ civil rights, according to the U.S. Justice Department. A DOJ investigation found the jail’s housing units were flooded by broken toilets, infested with roaches and rodents, and had dangerous exposed wiring.
They also said inmates were malnourished from a lack of food, didn’t have access to medical and mental health care and staff often used force, like Tasers, without justification.
On top of that, the DOJ said the jail doesn’t protect inmates from other inmates like it should.
“In 2023 alone, we identified 314 stabbings and more than 8,000 assaults,” said U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke. “This rate of violence exceeds what we’ve seen in other cities across the country. The Fulton County Jail had as many stabbings in a single month as the Miami-Dade County Jail had all year. And that’s a facility with one and a half times more people. Since 2022, six people in the jail have lost their lives to violence.”
DOJ officials said conditions in the jail violate the 8th and 14th Amendments, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The report says the U.S. Attorney General’s Office could file a lawsuit to correct the issues if state officials don’t address the concerns within 49 days.
Creator of Kamala Harris parody video sues California over ‘deepfake’ ban
A conservative commentator who used artificial intelligence to create a parody video of Vice President Kamala Harris is suing California, arguing that recent laws banning AI-generated political content violate his constitutional rights. Christopher Kohls, known online as “Mr. Reagan,” filed the lawsuit after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation aimed at curbing the spread of digitally altered deepfakes in political campaigns.
The lawsuit claims the laws infringe on Kohls’ First Amendment and 14th Amendment rights, asserting that political satire, whether created by AI or traditional methods, is a protected form of free speech.
In July, Kohls posted a video that mimicked Harris’ voice using AI, portraying her as “the ultimate diversity hire” in a mock campaign ad. The video quickly went viral after it was shared by X owner Elon Musk without being labeled as parody.
Newsom, who criticized the video, vowed to act swiftly to ban such AI-altered content, citing concerns over the potential for misinformation to influence elections.
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, he signed laws targeting fraudulent campaign materials, including those generated with artificial intelligence.
Kohls’ lawsuit challenges these laws, claiming that the state is attempting to make political satire illegal and restrict his ability to use AI in his content. He argues that the laws could suppress free expression in political discourse, especially as AI becomes more commonly used in media.
Legal experts say the case could set a precedent for how AI-generated content is regulated in future elections and whether existing free speech protections extend to digital parodies.
Newsom’s office has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
California couple faces up to 20 years for helping Chinese women give birth in US
A jury convicted a California couple on Friday, Sept. 13, of running a tourism business to help pregnant Chinese women give birth to babies in the United States who would be granted automatic American citizenship. Michael Liu and Phoebe Dong were found guilty of 10 counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy.
The case against the now-separate couple comes nearly a decade after more than a dozen homes were searched across Southern California as part of a crackdown by authorities on birth tourism operators.
Investigators said that the pair encouraged pregnant women to lie on visa documents and hide their pregnancies, suggesting that clients wear loose fitting clothing and not “waddle like a penguin” in order to hide pregnancies.
The couple ran the company known as “USA Happy Baby,” offering services to hundreds of women from 2012-2015. Tourists reportedly paid as much as $40,000 for services, which included housing.
Liu and Dong were charged in 2019 with more than a dozen other defendants, including a woman who pleaded guilty to running a company known as “You Win USA,” she was sentence to 10 months in prison.
The defense argued that birth tourism is not a crime, and the pair helped women who would have faced punishment under China’s former one-child policy. However, prosecutors said visiting while pregnant is not a crime, but deceiving immigration authorities is a crime.
The lawsuit contends that the school board’s action to change the names has created “an unlawful and discriminatory educational environment for Black students.” The filing further alleges that the renaming violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s Equal Education Opportunities Act.
In May, the board reversed its 2020 decision to rename Stonewall Jackson High School and Ashby-Lee Elementary School, a decision initially made during the Black Lives Matter protests after George Floyd’s death.
The reversal to Confederate names came after a conservative group, the Coalition for Better Schools, lobbied for the restoration, claiming that the names are a significant part of the community’s heritage — a sentiment reportedly shared by over 90% of the local residents in a poll.
“Students walking through the halls of the newly renamed Stonewall Jackson High School and Ashby Elementary School will be constantly reminded of Confederate legacies that enslaved and discriminated against people of African descent,” NAACP Chapter President Rev. Cozy Bailey said regarding the lawsuit. “This community deserves better.”
Biden defends memory after classified documents report: The Morning Rundown, Feb. 9, 2024
President Biden fires back after a special counsel report questions his memory. And Russian President Vladimir Putin is asked about releasing a Wall Street Journal reporter detained in his country. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Get The Morning RundownTM newsletter straight to your inbox!
Biden defends memory after special counsel report on classified documents
“My memory is fine. My memory – take a look at what I’ve done since I become president,” Biden said. “None of you thought I could pass any of the things I got passed. How’d that happen? You know, I guess I just forgot what was going on.”
While special counsel Robert Hur found that Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified military and national security information, he recommended the president not face any charges. Hur also noted that Biden cooperated with the investigation.In the nearly 400-page report, Biden’s memory was called into question, at times referring to it as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” and having “significant limitations.”
According to Hur, Biden had trouble remembering key dates such as the years he was vice president or when his son Beau died, a claim the president vehemently countered.
“I know there’s some attention paid to some language in the report about my recollection of events,” Biden said. “There’s even reference that I don’t remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business.”
“I am well-meaning. And I’m an elderly man. And I know what the hell I’m doing,” Biden said. “I’ve been president — I put this country back on its feet. I don’t need his recommendation.”
Biden calls Israel’s response in Gaza ‘over the top’
After responding to questions about the special counsel’s report, President Biden was asked about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the fighting in Gaza. Biden said Israel’s military response in Gaza has been “over the top,” in what is being considered the president’s sharpest public criticism of Israel’s operations in the territory.
"We are clear in condemning the horrific attacks of Hamas.
We are also clear in condemning the violations of int'l humanitarian law in Gaza.
We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
We also need the immediate & unconditional release of all hostages."
The president said he’s seeking a “sustained pause in the fighting” to help aid Palestinian civilians. Biden said “a lot of innocent people are starving and dying” in Gaza, and “it’s got to stop.” Before Biden’s comments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a cease-fire proposal from Hamas, saying the terms were “bizarre.”
Trump wins Nevada caucuses; SCOTUS hears Colorado ballot case
Straight Arrow News political reporter Ray Bogan reported that the justices asked tough questions of both sides, but two of the court’s liberal justices, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, directed particularly difficult questions to the lawyer representing Colorado’s voters.
“I guess my question is why the framers would have designed a system that would, could result in interim dis-uniformity in this way,” Justice Jackson said. “Where we have elections pending and different states suddenly saying you’re eligible, you’re not, on the basis of this kind of thing.”
Zelenskyy fires top general; Putin speaks on detained WSJ reporter
In a major shakeup on Thursday, Feb. 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired his top general after nearly two years of the country’s war with Russia. In a post on X, Zelenksyy thanked the outgoing general for his service but said, “The time for… a renewal is now.”
Zelenskyy has appointed the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces to be the new leader of the army. The change came as the Senate voted to advance a standalone $95 billion national security bill for additional aid to Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies.
Today, I made the decision to renew the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
I am grateful to General Zaluzhnyi for two years of defense. I appreciate every victory we have achieved together, thanks to all the Ukrainian warriors who are heroically carrying this war on… pic.twitter.com/GBj9gBI0vT
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 8, 2024
Meanwhile, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson posted his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin to his website and X on Thursday, Feb. 8.
The interview, lasting more than two hours, was Putin’s first with Western media since the start of the war. During the interview, Putin said Russia would be open to a prisoner exchange, which would see the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained since March 2023.
Putin repeated Russia’s claims that Gershkovich was guilty of espionage. Allegations that the reporter, the newspaper, and the U.S. government deny. The Wall Street Journal said it was encouraged to see Russia’s desire for a deal.
“Evan is a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Any portrayal to the contrary is total fiction,” the Journal said. “Evan was unjustly arrested and has been wrongfully detained by Russia for nearly a year for doing his job, and we continue to demand his immediate release.”
Feds offer $10 million reward for info on hive ransomware hackers
On Thursday, Feb. 8, the State Department announced a $10 million reward for anyone who could provide information about the identification and/or location of anyone who holds “a key leadership position in the Hive ransomware variant transnational organized crime group.” According to the State Department, the Hive group has targeted victims in more than 80 countries across over 1,500 institutions, leading to more than $100 million in theft.
Hive Ransomware targeted victims in the United States and globally. Today we are holding them accountable. @StateDept is announcing rewards of up to $15M for information leading to identification, arrest, and/or conviction of key leaders and participants of Hive Ransomware. pic.twitter.com/tjjB3Tx0sB
In 2022, the FBI penetrated Hive’s network, helping prevent more victims from paying up to $130 million in ransoms. The State Department is also offering a reward of $5 million for any information that leads to an arrest of anyone from any country trying to take part in Hive ransomware activity.
Americans to eat 1.45 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 11, is almost here. That means there’s the potential for lots of touchdowns, lots of celebrity-filled commercials, and lots of chicken wings. Make that lots and lots of wings. Americans are expected to eat 1.45 billion wings during the big game. That’s a billion with a “B.”
Regarding Sunday’s matchup, BWW social media admin quipped, “if the game goes to overtime, america will get free wings.” https://t.co/Yf4AjRkjOi
There is a side of good news to go with all those wings. According to the National Chicken Council, the price of wings is down compared to this time last year. The cost of fresh chicken wings is down 5%, and frozen chicken wings are 11% cheaper.
As of January, AARP reports fresh and frozen chicken wings average $3.26 and $3.17 respectively per pound. Just something to chew on as we get closer to kickoff.
Supreme Court to hear arguments over Trump’s ballot eligibility: The Morning Rundown: Feb. 8, 2024
The case to keep former President Donald Trump off the ballot heads to the Supreme Court. And Disney has its sights set on the video game industry with an Epic announcement. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Get The Morning RundownTM newsletter straight to your inbox!
Trump and his team are arguing Section 3 does not apply to Trump for several reasons, saying the provision does not cover the president, that his actions leading up to and on Jan. 6, 2021, do not constitute an insurrection, and that Congress, not state or federal courts, enforces the clause.
As the future of the 2024 presidential election hangs in the balance, Trump’s name remains on the ballot in Colorado and Maine, where his candidacy is also being contested. Both sides have asked the court to move swiftly. When the justices issue their decision, it will be historic, as the Supreme Court has never before made a ruling directly concerning the 155-year-old clause.
Special counsel concludes investigation of Biden classified documents
A report is expected to be released soon to lawmakers and the public after the White House reviews it for potential executive privilege issues. Classified documents were found in Biden’s Washington D.C. office, which he used after serving as vice president, and at his home in Delaware.
The president has denied any wrongdoing. Multiple media outlets suggest Hur’s report is not likely to recommend any charges. Garland said he is committed to making as much of the report public as possible.
Senate Republicans block bipartisan bill on border security, foreign aid
Efforts to pass legislation over additional aid to Ukraine and Israel will continue in Congress on Thursday, Feb. 8. Senate Democrats plan to hold a vote to advance a standalone foreign aid bill after Republicans rejected the $118 billion bipartisan package that included immigration policies on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Five Democrats joined the majority of Republicans in voting against the bill. Only 4 of the Senate’s 49 Republicans vote for it. Senate Republicans argued the bill did not do enough to address the border crisis, with former President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson both coming out against the package.
Officials said the latest strike was part of the retaliatory actions authorized by President Biden following the killing of three U.S. soldiers at a base in Jordan in January. In a statement, U.S. Central Command said the U.S. will continue to take “necessary action to protect our people.” It added there are “no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties at this time.”
Search efforts on for 5 Marines on board missing helicopter found in California
Search and rescue efforts are well underway for five U.S. Marines in California after the helicopter they were in went missing during what the military called a routine training flight from Nevada to San Diego overnight on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
“All we know right now is that the search is ongoing for, for the helicopter and the crew,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. “Obviously, our hopes are of the best here. But this was a MH-53, Marine Corps, MH-53, a large helicopter that was on its way from Creech Air Force Base to San Diego. And that’s really all we know. We’re watching this closely. And and again, our thoughts are for the best.”
According to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was reported “overdue” at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. The military announced that it located the aircraft but not the crew in a mountainous region at 9:08 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Local media outlets reported that the helicopter was located by a drone at 5,800 feet in a rugged area with the weather likely impacting rescue efforts from the ground. Heavy cloud cover on Wednesday morning, Feb. 7, prevented the local sheriff’s department from sending its helicopter up.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection told CBS that nothing was located at the location, which is reportedly being hit with heavy snow. According to reports, before going missing, the helicopter’s last-known location was reported at 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6. There is still no sign of the crew, President Biden has been briefed on the situation, according to a White House spokesperson.
Bill aiming to exclude Trump from ballot gains traction in Hawaii
As the Republican primaries unfold, there’s growing concern that former President Donald Trump might face exclusion from the ballot in Hawaii. A bill gaining traction aims to bar voters from electing presidential candidates identified by a federal or state supreme court as insurrectionists.
The proposed legislation also seeks to prohibit Hawaii state electors from voting for a nominee disqualified under the 14th Amendment.
Hawaii State Sen. Karl Rhoads, D, the bill’s proponent, additionally proposed safeguards that require state electors to pledge against casting their ballots for any nominee disqualified under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, in case voters nominate an individual who is considered an insurrectionist.
“The Legislature finds that citizens of this State have the right to expect that public servants be people of integrity, and not people who have committed actions that threaten democracy or undermine the vote of the people,” the bill states.
Despite Trump being removed from ballots in Colorado and Maine, he hasn’t been legally found guilty of insurrection charges. Both states’ decisions are pending appeal.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to review Colorado’s decision, upheld by the state Supreme Court, in early February.
It remains uncertain whether the Supreme Court will secure Trump’s name on all state ballots or if states will explore alternative avenues, such as the proposed bill in Hawaii, to exclude the GOP frontrunner from the state ballot.
Similar lawsuits that aim to remove Trump from ballots in Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona and Oregon were dismissed on procedural grounds, according to Newsweek. Meanwhile, the Illinois State Board of Elections is reportedly contemplating a challenge to the former president’s eligibility for appearing on the state’s ballot.
Congress passes short-term funding bill to avert government shutdown: The Morning Rundown, Jan. 19, 2024
Congress passes a short-term funding bill with just hours left to avoid a government shutdown. And Japan looks to be the next country to land on the lunar surface with its ‘moon sniper’ explorer. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Jan. 19.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Get The Morning RundownTM newsletter straight to your inbox!
Congress passes short-term funding bill to avert government shutdown
With just hours to go before Friday’s Jan. 19 deadline, Congress passed a short-term funding bill to avert a partial government shutdown, at least for a few more weeks. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed.
By a vote of 314-108, the House passed the stopgap measure on Thursday, Jan. 18, following the Senate’s 77-18 vote, extending current spending levels as four government funding bills were set to expire at midnight on Friday, Jan. 19. Funding for those operations now extends to March 1. The other government agencies, set to run out of funding on Feb. 2, will now receive funds through March 8.
BREAKING NEWS:
The Senate has just passed the bill to fund the government and avoid an unnecessary shutdown.
It's good news for every American, especially our veterans, parents and children, farmers and small businesses, all of whom would have felt the sting of a shutdown.
Some House Republicans met with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., earlier on Thursday, Jan. 18, to add a border security measure to the stopgap bill, but that did not come to be. Last week, Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed on overall spending levels of $1.66 trillion, with $866 billion for defense and $772.7 billion for non-defense spending. However, Johnson is experiencing opposition about the deal from within his party.
Hunter Biden agrees to deposition with Republicans behind closed doors
The House Oversight Committee has announced that the president’s son, Hunter Biden, will appear in front of Republicans for a private deposition next month. Confirmed by his legal team, Biden is slated to testify behind closed doors on Feb. 28, ending a months-long back and forth with House Republicans.
In December, Hunter Biden defied a subpoena to testify in private, which kickstarted a resolution to hold him in contempt of Congress that has since been called off. Republicans view Hunter Biden as a key witness in their investigation into President Joe Biden, alleging he profited off of his family’s foreign business dealings during his tenure as vice president during the Obama administration. Republicans have not been able to show any proof of their claim to this point.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters that the president’s son will be able to testify publicly sometime after the private deposition.
Former President Trump urges Supreme Court to keep his name on ballots
Following Colorado’s first-of-its-kind ruling to ban Trump’s name from the state’s ballot for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which led to the deadly Jan. 6 capitol riot, Trump’s lawyers are urging the Supreme Court to reverse the ruling. First, Colorado took Trump’s name off the ballot, and then Maine followed suit.
With more states looking into similar matters, Trump’s legal time submitted a filing to the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear arguments from both sides on Feb. 8. With the 2024 presidential election looming and Super Tuesday in March just around the corner, the pressure for a decision is palpable.
Trump’s attorney’s writing that efforts to bar the GOP’s top presidential candidate from ballots “threaten to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans and which promise to unleash chaos and bedlam if other state courts and state officials follow Colorado’s lead and exclude the likely Republican presidential nominee from their ballots.”
Now, American voters eagerly await a decision by SCOTUS. The 1872 14th amendment clause, which Colorado’s high court used to bar Trump from the ballot, is a Civil War provision that states that anyone who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it is no longer eligible to hold state or federal public office.
Trump’s attorneys contend that Trump did not engage in an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.
Netanyahu rejects calls for a Palestinian state post-war
In a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 18, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he objects to the idea of the establishment of a Palestinian state after the war ends with Hamas, striking an opposing tone to President Biden, who has called for a two-state solution.
Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have urged Netanyahu to seek a resolution where a revitalized Palestinian Authority would run Gaza once Hamas is defeated. In a nationally televised press conference, Netanyahu said that as prime minister, he needs to be able to say no, “even to our best friends.”
“The state of Israel must have security control over the entire territory west of the Jordan River; that’s a necessary condition; it clashes with the principle of sovereignty; what can you do?” Netanyahu said. “I tell this truth to our American friends, and I also stopped the attempt to impose a reality on us that would harm Israel’s security.”
Netanyahu’s remarks sparked an immediate response from the White House. National Security spokesman John Kirby said, “We obviously see it differently.”
The back-and-forth shows the growing rift between the two allies, as the U.S. suggested earlier this week it’s the right time for Israel to scale back its fighting after 100 days. In his remarks, Netanyahu vowed to continue Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas and bringing all the remaining hostages home. The prime minister said Israel will not stop short of an “absolute victory.”
In a memo sent to employees on Thursday, Jan. 18, the company said it wants to add more automation to its supply chain and will outsource some positions. In addition to the cuts, Macy’s will shut down five stores this year. The company currently operates more than 560 locations. Tony Spring, who formerly ran the company’s Bloomingdale business, will take over as CEO next month.
Japan attempts ‘pinpoint landing’ on the moon
Japan has its sights set on the moon as the country attempts to land its “moon sniper” explorer on the lunar surface on Friday, Jan. 19. If Japan’s first moon landing is successful, it will be the fifth country to pull off such a feat.
The “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon,” or Slim, was launched in September and uses “pinpoint landing” technology to reach within 328 feet of its specified target on the moon. The landing is scheduled for Friday morning, Jan. 19.
Meanwhile, a spacecraft that was intended to be the first lunar lander by a U.S. private company returned to Earth on Thursday, Jan. 18, burning up upon entering the planet’s atmosphere. A fuel leak doomed the U.S. lander’s journey early on. Another NASA-backed commercial moon mission is set to launch next month.
Pakistan strikes back at Iran; US targets Houthi missiles: The Morning Rundown, Jan. 18, 2024
Developing stories out of the Middle East as Pakistan fires back at Iran and the U.S. launches additional strikes at Houthi targets. And the latest Apple Watches will be back on sale on Thursday, Jan. 18, but with some changes. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Get The Morning RundownTM newsletter straight to your inbox!
Pakistan strikes Iran; U.S. targets Houthi missiles
There are new developments out of the Middle East as the possibility of a wider war in the region looms. Pakistan said it has carried out strikes targeting terrorists inside Iran.
The sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest, which is paramount and cannot be compromised.
Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry
The strikes come after an Iranian missile attack on Tuesday, Jan. 16, that Pakistani officials said killed two children and was unprovoked. Pakistan said its strikes on Iran were “highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision strikes against terrorist hideouts.”
An Iranian official said the strikes killed at least nine people, including four children. Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry released a statement that said Pakistan’s national security is its priority.
“Pakistan fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the statement said. “The sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest, which is paramount and cannot be compromised.”
Meanwhile, the United States launched another round of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Wednesday night, Jan. 17. U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces targeted 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired from the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The U.S. said the missiles presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and Navy ships in the region.
On Wednesday, Jan. 17, the U.S. announced it was redesignating the Houthis as global terrorists for the group’s continued attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea. The move subjects the Houthis to economic sanctions aimed to cut off funding to the militant group.
Speaker Johnson pushes the president for border reform in meeting on Ukraine aid
Following a meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Jan. 17, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters he pressed President Biden on immigration reform, calling the southern border a “national security and humanitarian catastrophe.” Biden called congressional leaders pushing for more aid to Ukraine, aid that has been blocked by House Republicans for months demanding stricter border policy as the U.S.-Mexico border has been flooded with a record number of migrants.
According to the Pew Research Center, 10.5 million undocumented immigrants have been living in the U.S. since 2021. While Republicans have drawn a proverbial line in the sand demanding the border be addressed in any Ukraine-Israel funding package, the meeting may have marked a path forward for negotiations that have been at a stalemate in Congress.
Biden has requested $61.4 billion in additional funding for Ukraine, which includes additional funding for Israel. Still, it hinges on what border policy changes both sides can agree upon.
“We understand that there is concern about the safety, security, sovereignty of Ukraine,” Speaker Johnson said. “But the American people have those same concerns about our own domestic sovereignty and our safety, and our security.”
In talking to reporters following the meeting, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed some hope that talks are moving in the right direction, with both sides having similar goals. But he did note that compromise is the only way anything gets passed.
Texas defies DHS cease-and-desist letter after park takeover
A war of words is brewing between Texas and the Biden administration amid the immigration crisis at the border after the state’s national guard took over a public park along the U.S.-Mexico border last week. The state said the move was to deter migrants from illegally crossing into the area.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a cease-and-desist letter to Texas over the weekend, calling for officials to stop blocking federal border patrol agents from entering Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, by a deadline of Wednesday, Jan. 17.
The department said Texas’ move is obstructing border patrol from apprehending and processing migrants. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton responded Wednesday, Jan. 17, sending a letter to Homeland Security, rejecting its request and saying the state will continue “utilizing its constitutional authority to defend her territory.” DHS has warned Texas it would refer the matter to the Justice Department should the state continue to deny border patrol full access.
Maine judge defers Trump decision until Supreme Court ruling
Maine’s secretary of state barred Trump from the ballot last month, citing his actions around the Jan. 6 capitol riots a week after the Colorado Supreme Court’s similar decision. Trump, the GOP frontrunner for the 2024 presidential election, has appealed the states’ decisions, leaving his name on both ballots for now.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case out of Colorado, with arguments set for Feb. 8. The Maine judge ordered Maine’s secretary of state to make a new ruling within 30 days of the Supreme Court’s decision.
On Wednesday, Jan. 17, Trump voluntarily attended his defamation trial in New York for a second day, where he sparred with the judge, who threatened to kick him out of court for making comments as his accuser, columnist E. Jean Carroll, was testifying. Trump said he will not be at Thursday’s Jan. 18 court proceedings so he can attend the funeral of his mother-in-law, who passed away last week at the age of 78.
Iowa sues TikTok for misleading parents and exposing children to harmful content
Other states have filed similar lawsuits, though a judge in Indiana threw out the case. TikTok faces many other legal challenges, from inappropriate content to privacy concerns. It is not just TikTok facing backlash and challenges when it comes to protecting children from harmful content on social media; globally, there have been calls for social platforms to protect children.
In a statement regarding the latest lawsuit in Iowa, TikTok said it “has industry leading safeguards in place for young people, including parental controls and time limits for those under 18. We are committed to tackling industry wide challenges and will continue to prioritize community safety.” TikTok’s CEO, along with the other social media CEOs, is set to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 31 discussing online child sexual exploitation.
Apple begins selling watches without blood oxygen feature
The latest versions of the Apple Watch will return to Apple store shelves but with some modifications. Beginning Thursday, Jan. 18, Apple will once again sell its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches online and at its retail stores, but the watches will be without the blood oxygen feature.
This comes after Apple was banned from using the technology following an intellectual property dispute with the medical device company Masimo. The blood oxygen app will still be on the watches, but Apple said when users tap on it, they will be alerted that the feature is no longer accessible. Apple is still appealing the International Trade Commission’s ruling that found Apple infringed on Masimo’s patents.