State of the Union: President Biden is expected to call for higher taxes for corporations and billionaires during his State of the Union address tonight. He is also expected to slam Republicans for refusing to approve a bipartisan deal that would have instituted border reforms. He also is expected to contrast his support for women’s health care with what Republicans have done to end the ability of women and their doctors to make health care decisions. Observers suggest that during the speech Biden needs to present himself as a strong, energetic leader.
Ship burning: At least three sailors were killed on board the Barbados-registered cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden that was attacked yesterday by a Houthi missile and drone. The ship still was on fire as of this morning. The U.S. Central Command reported that at least three injured sailors from the ship were in critical condition. A Houthi spokesman claimed credit for staging the attack. A British source said the crew has abandoned the vessel.
Guilty verdict: The person who was in charge of guns on the set of Alec Baldwin’s movie “Rust” has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. A jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, returned the verdict against Hannah Reed. Baldwin was holding the gun, which was supposed to have been loaded with blanks, when it went off. A live round struck and killed the cinematographer. Baldwin denies having pulled the trigger. Reed could face up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Israel-Hamas war: Negotiators in Cairo say it is unlikely that a deal will be reached this week for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Hamas negotiators left Cairo today and there was no idea when they might return if at all. It had been hoped that a cease-fire could be put into effect by the start of Ramadan this weekend. It had appeared as if the parties would agree to a 45-day cease-fire and the release of 45 hostages being held by Hamas.
New Alabama law: Alabama’s Republican Governor Kay Ivey has signed into law a bill that was rushed through the state legislature to shield personnel at fertilization clinics from being charged with killing a child should an embryo they’re handling be destroyed. The new law was in response to the outcry when an Alabama judge ruled that embryos are children and anyone involved in the destruction of an embryo could be charged with killing a child. It’s common for embryos to be damaged or destroyed during the in vitro fertilization process and Alabama clinics stopped providing fertilization services after the judge issued his ruling..
McConnell’s endorsement: In a move that sent shockwaves echoing around Capitol Hill yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump for president. After Jan. 6, Republican McConnell made a speech on the Senate floor blasting Trump for his attempted coup and called for his criminal prosecution. McConnell and Trump had been at odds with each other for years, and Trump used racist language to describe McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, who had served as Secretary of Transportation during the Trump Administration.
