Republican introduces transgender bathroom ban for Capitol Hill
History will be made four times over when the 119th Congress meets for the first time in just a few weeks. However, some current representatives introduced legislation to create a transgender bathroom ban that targets a new coworker.
In the House of Representatives, Sarah McBride will become the firstopenly–transgender person to be elected to Congress after winning Delaware’s only open House seat. Delaware will also see its first Black U.S. senator, who will simultaneously be the first woman to represent the state in the Senate. Maryland will also be represented by its first Black U.S. senator, and New Jersey will see the first Korean-American senator.
The measure would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.”
“Sarah McBride doesn’t get a say in this,” Mace said when asked by reporters whether the move was meant to target a marginalized person. “He’s a biological man trying to force himself in women’s spaces and I’m not gonna tolerate it. You have the radical left that are trying to erase women and erase women’s rights.”
“This is about women, this is about girls, this is about our rights and being protected in our private spaces,” Mace added. “I don’t want to see a man in a women’s restroom.”
Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness.
“Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness,” McBride wrote.
McBride went on to say the move is an attempt from far-right wing extremists to distract from the real problems facing Americans, like the cost of housing, health care and child care.
Lawyer details Gaetz accusations as committee mulls report release
The heat gets turned up on Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, as the House Ethics Committee weighs whether to release its report. And New York City issues a historic drought warning. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
Lawyer details Gaetz accusations as committee mulls report release
President-elect Donald Trump continues to make cabinet appointments, despite some of his choices sparking controversy on both sides of the aisle.
On Monday, Nov. 18, Trump announced he selected former Wisconsin congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy as his secretary of the Department of Transportation. Fox Business confirmed Duffy’s last day as an employee was Monday.
In a statement, Trump said Duffy will “prioritize excellence, competence, competitiveness and beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports.”
Former Congressman Matt Gaetz, Trump’s choice for attorney general, has been under investigation by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee for allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. The committee is expected to hold a closed-door meeting Wednesday, Nov. 20, to discuss whether it will release a report of its findings.
Since Gaetz resigned from Congress after Trump’s nomination, the committee’s investigation has ended but the future of the report is still in question.
The Justice Department declined to charge Gaetz last year after its lengthy Investigation into the allegations. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.
However, on Monday a lawyer for two women who claim Gaetz paid them for sex, said that one of his clients saw Gaetz having sex with a friend who was 17 at the time during a house party in Florida in 2017. Florida attorney Joel Leppard told multiple news outlets his client testified about what she saw to the Ethics committee.
“She testified [that] in July of 2017, at this house party, she was walking out to the pool area, and she looked to her right, and she saw Representative Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17,” Leppard said.
According to Leppard’s client, Gaetz stopped having a sexual relationship with the girl when he found out she was underage.
Trump transition team spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer responded to the allegations saying, “Matt Gaetz will be the next attorney general. He’s the right man for the job and will end the weaponization of our justice system. These are baseless allegations intended to derail the second Trump administration. The Biden justice department investigated Gaetz for years and cleared him of wrongdoing.”
While the lawyer for the two women making the accusations against Gaetz joins calls from both sides of the aisle to release the Ethic Committee’s report, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not recommend the committee do so. Johnson said since Gaetz left Congress, he does not think that would be appropriate.
Reports: Trump to join Musk for SpaceX launch in Texas
According to reports, Trump will be there along with ally and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to see the company’s sixth test of its Starship rocket. The launch is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.
Musk has been by Trump’s side in recent days, attending meetings last week at Mar-a-Lago and in Washington and joining the president-elect at the UFC event in Madison Square Garden over the weekend, where they received a thunderous welcome.
Musk was recently named to lead Trump’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency along with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court sides with Republicans on misdated ballots
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court sided with Republicans Monday, directing all the state’s county election officials not to count certain mail-in ballots. While the ballots arrived on time, they were in envelopes without the correct dates, handwritten by voters.
The order was prompted by a request from the Republican National Committee and Pennsylvania’s Republican party. Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks County leaders voted to count hundreds of such ballots in recent days, even though the Supreme Court already said they could not be included in this election.
This comes as the Pennsylvania Senate race is headed to an automatic recount. While the Associated Press has declared Republican candidate David McCormick the winner, saying he narrowly edged Democratic incumbent Bob Casey, McCormick’s unofficial margin of victory stands at roughly 26,000 votes. That leaves it within the 0.5% threshold required under Pennsylvania law to trigger an automatic recount.
45 pro-democracy activists sentenced to prison in Hong Kong
A court in Hong Kong sentenced dozens of pro-democracy activists to 4 to 10 years in prison Tuesday in the single largest trial under a national security law introduced in 2020. Critics say it has been used by Beijing to all but eliminate political dissent in the Chinese territory.
The court convicted 45 of 47 defendants of conspiracy to commit subversion for organizing or participating in an unofficial primary election for the city legislature in 2020, despite government warnings not to. The other two defendants were acquitted earlier this year.
Legal scholar Benny Tai, whom judges said was the mastermind behind the election, got the longest sentence of 10 years.
New York City under drought warning for first time in 22 years
For the first time in more than two decades, a drought warning is in effect for New York City.
Dry conditions across the Northeast have prompted city and state officials to implement water-conservation protocols. On Monday, Mayor Eric Adams upgraded the drought warning and temporarily halted a $2 billion aqueduct repair project that had stopped drinking water from flowing from some reservoirs in the Catskill region.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also issued a statewide drought watch Monday and elevated 15 counties to drought warning status, asking residents to conserve water whenever possible.
Dozens of fires have broken out in the New York City area over the past few weeks, as well as across the state line in northern New Jersey, because things are so bone dry.
Jersey Mike’s Subs could soon be sold in $8 billion deal
Private equity firm Blackstone could soon own the popular sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s Subs. According to The Wall Street Journal, the deal would value Jersey Mike’s at $8 billion, including debt.
Blackstone has a history of investing in franchise businesses. It just made a deal in April to buy Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
Consulting company Technomic said Jersey Mike’s is the second largest sub-style sandwich company in the U.S. by sales after Subway.
These are the Democrats Troy Nehls would smoke a cigar with
When Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, arrives at the Capitol, it’s pretty much a guarantee he’ll have two things, a cigar and Trump gear. Nehls is outspoken, unapologetic and supports President-elect Donald Trump unconditionally.
“If Donald Trump says ‘jump three feet high and scratch your head.’ We all jump three feet high and scratch our heads. That’s it,” Nehls told reporters after the president-elect met with House Republicans.
Nehls added Republicans should embrace every single objective, goal and word Trump says.
“Embrace the new day because the American people have spoken,” Nehls said. “Now many are probably at home crying in their milk and whatever, going to bed early, sucking on their woobie because they lost. But the American people have spoken. So now let’s all unite as one America.”
So, in the interest of unity, Straight Arrow News asked Nehls if he could invite any Democrat to a local cigar bar to get to know them for an hour. Who would it be?
“Well I don’t want to put any Democrat in that position, because that could hurt their positions maybe in some of these committees. I’ve got a few,” Nehls said. “I have a lot of respect for some of the Democrats. But I think it would be irresponsible for me to tell you who they are. But you got to understand, I have some bipartisan legislation out there with some Democrats, and if you do a little bit of research, you’d know who they are.”
So, SAN researched Nehls legislative proposals. Based on his fellow co-sponsors, these are the Democratic representatives Nehls would get a cigar with.
House Ethics Committee cancels meeting on Matt Gaetz investigation
The Republican-led House Ethics Committee canceled its meeting Friday, Nov. 15, over the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, according to multiple outlets citing sources. Gaetz resigned from Congress earlier this week after President-elect Trump announced he’s nominating Gaetz for attorney general.
The meeting, which was scheduled for Friday morning, before Gaetz resigned from Congress. Among other topics, the meeting was to focus on the investigation into multiple allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstruction.
The committee was set to vote on whether to release a report of the investigation. Now, there are calls from both sides of the aisle to make the results of the investigation public anyhow, especially from senators who will be tasked with whether to approve Gaetz’s nomination.
Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest (R-Miss.) said earlier this week their investigation would end now once Gaetz was no longer a member of Congress.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
President-elect Trump has named RFK Jr. as his Health and Human Services Secretary. And fight fans are ready for a streaming spectacle: former champ Mike Tyson will return to the ring to take on social media star Jake Paul. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
“[Kennedy is] another one, who’s a great guy and great mind and so popular, and I think he’s right, he wants to make people healthy,” Trump said. “It’s driven him pretty wild over the last number of years, and the Democrats didn’t treat him well. He was doing fantastically well.”
“Today I nominated him for, I guess if you like health and you like people that live a long time, it’s the most important position RFK Jr.,” Trump said.
Kennedy responded to the nomination earlier in the day, posting on X in part, “We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.”
The 70-year-old Kennedy is a former Democrat, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race. He would oversee a group of health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) called Kennedy “a brilliant, courageous truth-teller whose unwavering commitment to transparency will make America a healthier nation.”
Meanwhile, critics of Kennedy pointed to his previous comments questioning vaccinations. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) said in a statement, “Mr. Kennedy’s outlandish views on basic scientific facts are disturbing and should worry all parents who expect schools and other public spaces to be safe for their children.”
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey (D) just posted three words: “Dangerous. Unqualified. Unserious.”
Kennedy is also the founder of the Children’s Health Defense, which is described by media outlets as the leading anti-vaccine group in the nation.
When pressed on the subject of vaccinations by both NBC News and NPR in interviews earlier this month, Kennedy said if put into this type of role he is “not going to take away anybody’s vaccinations.”
President-elect Trump adds more names to his cabinet
Also on Thursday, Trump nominated Doug Collins as Veterans Affairs secretary. The former Republican congressman from Georgia and Iraq war veteran was a supporter of Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2019.
Trump also named three of his lawyers to positions in the Justice Department.
Finally, John Sauer, who won the presidential immunity case at the U.S. Supreme Court, is Trump’s pick for solicitor general.
House Ethics Committee cancels meeting on Matt Gaetz investigation
The Republican-led House Ethics Committee canceled its meeting over the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, according to multiple outlets citing sources. Gaetz resigned from Congress earlier this week after President-elect Trump announced he’s nominating Gaetz for attorney general.
The meeting, which was scheduled for Friday morning, Nov. 15, before Gaetz resigned, was supposed to focus on the investigation into multiple allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstruction.
Tropical Storm Sara brings dangerous torrential rain to Honduras
Tropical Storm Sara made landfall late Thursday in northern Honduras, bringing torrential rain as it skirts the country’s coast. Authorities there have warned of the potential for dangerous flash flooding and landslides, with the country’s president saying it could “become a catastrophic event.”
Honduran officials have issued the highest-level warning along the country’s northern coast and activated the national police and military for rescue and relief efforts. Sara is expected to move inland, making landfall over Belize on Sunday, Nov. 17, before dissipating over the Yucatán Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center.
This marks the 18th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.
Annual UFO report finds 21 cases that can’t be explained
Pentagon officials maintain they’ve found no evidence of alien activity, but the government’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) said it takes every report seriously and investigates each one.
If none of this UAP stuff exists, if it’s all false, why at every turn are people trying to stop transparency? You can’t talk about fight club if there’s no fight club. pic.twitter.com/otPGNbwu71
Of the new reports the AARO has received, nearly 50 have already been closed as everyday items, such as balloons, birds or drones. The government agency expects to resolve another 243 cases by identifying them as one of those objects.
More than 400 of the new reports were put into an active archive because there was not enough data or evidence to keep investigating.
Tyson vs. Paul in Netflix’s first live streaming boxing event
The two faced off during a final weigh-in on Thursday, with Tyson slapping Paul. The eight-round match at AT&T Stadium in Texas was postponed from July after Tyson suffered an inflamed ulcer weeks before the bout.
Reports indicate both competitors are expected to have a big payday. Tyson, who has a record of 50-6, will reportedly make $20 million and the 27-year-old Paul, who has a record of 10-1, will make $40 million.
Paul’s startup, Most Valuable Promotions, teamed up with Netflix to bring the fight together.
Netflix currently has more than 282 million paid subscribers worldwide and Paul predicts at least 25 million of them will tune in. If that comes to pass, it’ll make this the most watched boxing match of all time.
Gaetz resigns from Congress after being picked as Trump’s attorney general
President-elect Donald Trump has made his selection for attorney general: Rep. Matt Gaetz. Why it might be an uphill battle for the Florida congressman to get confirmed. And we now know in a clean sweep, Republicans won control of the House of Representatives. Who GOP lawmakers voted to lead them in the next term. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.
Gaetz resigns from Congress after being picked as Trump’s attorney general
President-elect Trump selected more names for key cabinet positions on Wednesday, Nov. 13, including nominating Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general. That choice is being met with opposition from some Senate Republicans — who would need to confirm the pick.
“I think out of deference to us, he issued his resignation letter effective immediately,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said of Gaetz’s decision. “That caught us by surprise a little bit. But I asked him what the reasoning was, and he said, ‘Well, you can’t have too many absences.’ So, under Florida state law there is about an eight-week period to select and fill a vacant seat.”
Johnson said Gaetz’s resignation started the clock for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to call for a special election to fill the vacancy, which will narrow Republicans’ slight majority in the House.
In making his nomination, Trump called Gaetz a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney…who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.”
A bipartisan House Ethics Committee is in the final stages of its own investigation into Gaetz. Gaetz told the committee in September he was done cooperating with its investigation.
His resignation would put an end to that investigation, as the Ethics Committee does not have jurisdiction over former House members.
Trump’s announcement came during the House Republicans’ closed door leadership election, with lawmakers telling several news outlets that there were “audible gasps” in the room when they heard the pick.
In response to Gaetz’s nomination, multiple senators went on record not throwing their full support behind the decision. One senator told Fox News Gaetz “will never be confirmed” and another said it “ain’t gonna happen.”
Gaetz’s office has not responded to the criticism. Gaetz himself issued a statement on social media in response to the nod from the president-elect, saying, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”
Johnson wins nomination for speaker as GOP takes House majority
The landscape of Congress in the new year became clearer on Wednesday with Republicans winning enough seats to control the House. Victories in Arizona and California gave the GOP the 218 seats needed to make up the majority in the chamber.
Republicans will now have control of the House and the Senate when President-elect Trump takes office. GOP lawmakers voted on leadership in both chambers Wednesday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson won the nomination to remain on the job for another two years. A full house vote will take place in January. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and GOP Whip Tom Emmer were also reelected in their leadership roles.
In the Senate, Republican John Thune of South Dakota was elected as the next majority leader. The fourth-term senator will replace longtime leader Mitch McConnell.
Pennsylvania Senate race heads to a recount
While Republicans have won enough seats to take control of Congress, Pennsylvania’s Senate race is headed for a recount as Democratic incumbent Bob Casey refused to concede to his Republican rival, Dave McCormick, despite the race being called by the Associated Press.
Across our Commonwealth, close to 7 million people cast their votes in a free and fair election.
The American democratic process was born in Pennsylvania and that process will play out. pic.twitter.com/R2RirIa09j
While provisional and mail-in ballots are still being counted, unofficial results show the race to be within the one-half of 1% margin which automatically triggers a recount under state law. Currently, McCormick leads Casey by less than 30,000 votes.
Despite Casey refusing to concede, McCormick was on Capitol Hill Wednesday for freshman orientation, where he and other new lawmakers met with outgoing Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Suspect dead after explosion outside Brazil’s Supreme Court
Security concerns are heightened in Brazil after an explosion outside the country’s Supreme Court less than a week before G20 leaders are set to meet in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil’s Supreme Court is in the nation’s capital, Brasilia about 700 miles northwest of Rio.
Authorities said a man killed himself while detonating explosives in Three Powers Plaza, which is home to all three branches of Brazil’s government, after unsuccessfully trying to get into the Supreme Court with the explosives.
The vice-governor of the country’s federal district said the suspect blew up a car near Congress before heading to the Supreme Court. Police have not identified the attacker, but they believe he was working alone.
Teen ‘serial swatter’ behind hundreds of hoax threats pleads guilty
A prolific teenage “serial swatter” from California, has pleaded guilty to making hundreds of hoax calls about mass shootings and bomb threats to schools, religious institutions and government officials nationwide.
The Department of Justice announced Wednesday Alan Filion, 18, pleaded guilty in a Florida federal courtroom to four counts of making interstate threats. He faces up to 20 years in prison, as each charge carries a five-year maximum sentence.
Officials said from August 2022 to January of this year, Filion made more than 375 swatting and threat calls in various parts of the country including Maryland, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Washington, Texas and Florida.
“Swatting” is when someone makes false accusations to send a large number of law enforcement rushing to a location where there is essentially nothing going on.
Dem lawmaker to introduce 22nd Amdt resolution after Trump 3rd term remarks
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., says that he will introduce a resolution that will, in his words, reaffirm Congress’ commitment and the Constitution’s clear definition that prohibits any president from serving more than two terms. Earlier on Wednesday, Nov. 13, President-elect Donald Trump told House Republicans, “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s so good, we got to figure something else out.’”
Some Republicans said he was joking, but Goldman does not think it’s funny.
“They always say he’s joking. It’s always Trump being Trump, or he’s just joking, but this is his MO,” Goldman said. “He will drop in something outlandish, claim he’s joking, but then he starts to repeat it more and more, and it starts to become normalized.”
Goldman added, “When you see members of Congress like Lauren Boebert start to parrot the same rhetoric, it’s time once and for all, for those of us who took an oath to uphold the Constitution to declare clearly that the Constitution does not permit a third term.”
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, one of Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill, repeatedly assured reporters that the president-elect would only serve one more term.
This is how he reacted when asked by Straight Arrow News about Goldman’s resolution.
“Oh, stop it, you guys,” Nehls said. “Stop all that. President Trump’s going to be president for four more years. That’s what we have. Stop all this stuff. Don’t you guys have more important things to focus on? And instead of all that garbage.”
Straight Arrow News responded by saying it was Goldman who came to reporters to make the announcement, reporters did not seek him out.
Nehls answered, “The point I’m making is we had a great meeting this morning. President Trump shows up to our conference, and it was just so reassuring, and it just, very positive comments coming from the 47th president. It’s a new day in America.
The 22nd Amendment states: “No person shall be elected to office of the president more than twice.” It makes no exceptions for those elected to non-consecutive terms.
More than one week after Election Day, we still don’t know who has control in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, Republicans are very confident they’ll be in the majority once all the races are called.
As of Wednesday, Nov. 13, The Associated Press projected Republicans winning 216 seats, while Democrats only have 207.
Twelve races have not officially been called yet. The GOP would only need two of those uncalled races to keep control of the House.
California has the largest number of uncalled House races with six. This is due to California requiring mail-in ballots be postmarked by Election Day, or Nov. 5. County elections offices can receive them up to seven days after the election.
Other states where a congressional seat is up in the air include Ohio, Maine, Arizona, Iowa, Oregon and Alaska.
Decision Desk HQ has Republicans with 219 seats to Democrats 211, with five seats undecided. That tally would give the GOP the majority in the House.
As the counting continues, Republicans in D.C. are proceeding as if they’ve won.
Musk, Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
President-elect Trump has created the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. And new details on a deadly massive explosion at a Kentucky food dye plant. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
Musk, Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
Trump said Musk will be joined by entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in leading the department. The president-elect said the two businessmen will help his administration “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”
Trump added the department will provide guidance from outside the government and “send shockwaves through the system.” The statement said Musk and Ramaswamy’s work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Musk, who also owns X, said on the social media site Tuesday night that all actions of the department will be posted online for “maximum transparency.”
Both Musk and Ramaswamy endorsed Trump during the 2024 campaign, with Ramaswamy doing so after dropping out of the race in January.
Along with meeting President Biden at the White House Wednesday, President-elect Trump is expected to also meet with Republicans at the Capitol as the GOP prepares to take control of both chambers of Congress, though some House races have still yet to be called.
The 44-year-old Army veteran is currently the host of Fox News channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend.” Hegseth joined the network in 2014.
Hegseth is a Princeton and Harvard Business School graduate. He served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay and is still a member of the Minnesota Army Reserve.
In a statement, Trump said Hegseth is “tough, smart and a true believer in America first.” He added, “With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — our military will be great again, and America will never back down.”
Trump also filled other roles Tuesday, including selecting lawyer William McGinley as White House counsel, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel, real estate investor Steve Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East, and former Congressman John Ratcliffe as CIA director. Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence in the first Trump administration.
Republican senators to choose new majority leader
While control of the House of Representatives remains undecided, the Senate is firmly in the hands of Republicans after last week’s election and now they’re getting ready for another vote.
House Oversight Committee holding second UFO hearing
The House Oversight Committee is meeting Wednesday to once again talk UFOs. The hearing, which calls the objects by their new preferred name, is titled “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth.”
Arrogant bureaucrats in D.C. spend your money and withhold information on UAP while our nation's best pilots give a different story. How does the government expect to gain our trust when they don't trust us with the truth? pic.twitter.com/un2RzRfwrE
2 dead in Louisville plant explosion, nearby homes damaged
New information is emerging about the explosion at a food dye plant in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday afternoon. CBS and NBC News have reported two people have died, and at least nine others were badly hurt.
Authorities said two people had to be rescued from inside the plant Tuesday, but all employees have been accounted for.
The explosion, which happened in the city’s Clifton neighborhood, damaged nearby homes and residents were evacuated. One homeowner said it was a huge explosion and his entire house shook.
Today was a tough day for our city but we will get through this. I’m praying for everyone who was impacted and I’m incredibly thankful for the first responders who rushed in to save them. pic.twitter.com/cRbmqblph0
The mayor of Louisville said employees who were inside the building “reported normal activity when the explosion occurred.” The cause is under investigation.
This is not the first explosion to happen at that factory. One worker died after a tank exploded in 2003, when the plant had a different owner.
Kraft Heinz pulls school-approved Lunchables off the menu
The school-specific meals made their debut last school year. Kraft Heinz said they were protein-enriched and had reduced levels of saturated fat and sodium to meet the requirements of the national free and reduced-price school lunch program.
However, the meals got pushback from nutrition experts, who were concerned the school versions of Lunchables would confuse parents into thinking store-bought versions were healthier than they are. Then in April, Consumer Reports said it found the school-approved Lunachables actually contained more sodium than their store-bought counterparts.
In a statement, Kraft Heinz said its decision to pull school Lunchables was due to lack of demand.
Trump fills more White House roles with Rubio, Noem among likely next picks
From a new border czar to an EPA administrator to national security adviser, team Trump is taking shape. We’ve got a look at the latest names. And shareholders are suing a major restaurant chain accused of skimping on the portions. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
Trump fills more White House roles with Rubio, Noem among likely next picks
We are getting a clearer picture of what the incoming Trump administration will look like come January. After naming his chief of staff, border czar, and United Nations ambassador, the president-elect filled additional key roles on Monday, Nov. 11, as more names surface for other cabinet positions.
President-elect Trump tapped Stephen Miller as his deputy chief of staff of policy. Miller was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration and is a staunch supporter of deporting undocumented immigrants.
Former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin is Trump’s pick for Environmental Protection Agency administrator. He also ran for governor in 2022.
In a post on X, Zeldin wrote, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator.
We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water. https://t.co/FQk9XPdgcw
Some of the other names who will reportedly be joining Trump’s White House include Florida Congressman and retired Army National Guard officer Mike Waltz as national security adviser. The war veteran would be responsible for briefing the president on important national security issues and coordinating with various agencies.
Senator Marco Rubio is reportedly in line for the position of secretary of state. Once formally announced, the Florida lawmaker would be the first Latino to serve as America’s top diplomat.
In May, a jury found Trump guilty in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying a porn actor who claimed she had sex with trump to keep quiet. Now, Judge Juan Merchan must decide whether to uphold the conviction, order a new trial or dismiss the indictment entirely.
In July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for “official acts,” though they did not specify what those acts include. While Trump was a private citizen when the so-called “hush money” payment was made, he had taken office by the time his then-lawyer Michael Cohen was reimbursed for the payment.
The judge was set to make the ruling in September but put it off to “avoid any appearance” he was trying to sway this year’s election.
If the verdict is upheld sentencing is set for Nov. 26.
Republicans make more gains as control of the US House remains undecided
That makes 214 Republican seats to the Democrats’ 203 with 18 races yet to be called. The magic number for either party is 218.
Of those still undecided races, 11 are considered key to controlling the House. Republicans currently lead the vote count in eight of them.
That puts Republicans within striking distance of controlling both chambers of Congress after the GOP flipped the Senate in last week’s election.
Democrats did score a win in the Senate Monday, though, with Ruben Gallego defeating Trump ally Kari Lake to become Arizona’s first Latino senator.
The Senate race in Pennsylvania remains the only one uncalled, though Republican Dave McCormick does have the slight lead over Democratic incumbent Bob Casey. McCormick declared victory, and some Republicans already said they’d to host him in Washington on Wednesday. Nov. 13, for orientation. Casey, however, said he wants every vote counted.
New Zealand’s leader apologizes to victims of state-run, faith-based abuse
New Zealand’s prime minister formally apologized to the country’s parliament Tuesday for the widespread abuse, torture and neglect of hundreds of thousands of children and vulnerable adults in state, foster and faith-based care.
It comes after a scathing report released in July detailed seven decades of “unimaginable” abuse, which disproportionately impacted the Māori, New Zealand’s indigenous people.
“Today, I stand before you as the representative of not only this government but of all the governments that have gone before us to offer a formal and unreserved apology for the abuse that you suffered while in state care, churches and other faith-based places,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said. “For many of you it changed the course of your life, and for that, the government must take responsibility.”
The report on the six-year investigation called the findings a “national disgrace” and for the first time, New Zealand’s government acknowledged the issues. Luxon said his administration is working on more than two dozen of the 138 recommendations that came from that report.
Richard Allen found guilty in 2017 murders of 2 teenage girls
Allen was arrested in 2022, five years after investigators found 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German dead near a trail.
The jury spent 19 hours deliberating before coming to its verdict on Monday.
The Associated Press has reported Allen could be sentenced to up to 130 years in prison. His sentencing is set for Dec. 20.
Shareholders sue Chipotle over damage from portion size controversy
Shareholders have sued the restaurant chain Chipotle after it failed to disclose the number of locations that were cutting portion sizes.
In the proposed class action suit filed in California Monday, shareholders claim the chain failed to disclose that customers were unhappy with the inconsistent portion sizes of its burritos and burrito bowls. It alleges once customers spoke out on social media and Chipotle had to correct the matter, it hurt margins causing the stock price to fall.
Shareholders are seeking unspecified damages for anyone who bought into the company between Feb. 8 and Oct. 29, 2024.
The suit was filed on the same day Chipotle named Interim Chief Executive Officer Scott Boatwright its permanent CEO.