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The House of Representatives passed a massive government funding bill that includes $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine. The tight deadline to reach a funding deal before Friday’s deadline had already frustrated some lawmakers – then House Democrats found themselves embroiled in an intra-party fight over whether additional Covid relief funds should be included in the package. Ultimately, facing backlash from both sides, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Covid-19 relief would be removed from the government’s funding package. House Democrats then introduced a standalone $15.6 billion coronavirus relief bill, but it is expected to face GOP opposition in the Senate and will struggle to get the 60 votes needed in this room to overcome a buccaneer.
3. South Korea
South Korean voters have elected a new president. Conservative Yoon Suk Yeol of the People Power Party took victory by a slim margin, edging rival Lee Jae-myung by less than a percentage point. Yoon is a relative newcomer to politics, having spent the last 27 years of his career as a prosecutor – but he won support after focusing his campaign on a tough stance on North Korea. Inter-Korean relations have been a key election issue, with tensions running high amid a recent increase in North Korean missile tests. This year alone, the country has launched nine missile tests, including a new type of “hypersonic missile” capable of high-speed maneuvering, drawing condemnation from the South. Separately, US officials said yesterday they were stepping up “intelligence gathering, preparedness and surveillance activities” related to North Korea.
4. Capitol Riot
A federal judge said yesterday he would review emails regarding the 2020 presidential election between right-wing attorney John Eastman, former President Donald Trump and others before determining whether the documents should be turned over to the select committee of the House investigating the January 6 attack in the United States. Capitol. The ruling is a small step forward in the speedy trial in which the House panel is seeking access to Eastman’s emails from Chapman University, his former employer, and Eastman is trying to shield his discussions about or with Trump. and his presidential campaign. Separately, the Republican National Committee yesterday filed a lawsuit against the House Select Committee to stop a subpoena for donor and supporter data from the software company Salesforce. The Trump campaign and Trump’s 2020 PAC also used the software, according to the subpoena.
5. Cryptocurrency
President Joe Biden signed an executive order yesterday calling on the government to study the risks of cryptocurrencies. Biden specifically called for exploring a government-backed digital currency that would be operated by the US central bank. He also encouraged regulators to identify and mitigate the risks that digital assets pose to the financial system and the economy in general. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the new order will help the government make markets fairer and more transparent. Sixteen percent of Americans have invested, traded or used cryptocurrencies, the White House said in a fact sheet.
BROWSE
Kelly Clarkson Reaches Divorce Agreement With Ex-Husband
Love costs… but seriously. The singer must pay her ex-husband $1.3 million AND must pay $115,000 in monthly child support.
MLB cancels more games with union negotiations unable to reach agreement
Come on, life is throwing too many curve balls at us already. Good baseball and stadium nachos would really help.
Ukrainian photographer turns war into art
Instead of wallowing in the destruction around her, this woman is making artful videos on TikTok to document her daily life during the Russian invasion.
Amazon’s stock is about to get much, much cheaper
Want a piece of the cake? A 20-to-1 stock split will go into effect June 6.
A Dog’s Affection Is Truly Medicinal, New Study Says
So, dogs are actually dog-tors?! Experts say the canine affection may help reduce physical pain for some hospital patients.
NUMBER OF THE DAY
106,000
This is approximately the number of people waiting on the national organ transplant list. Earlier this week, a 57-year-old man from Maryland died of end-stage heart disease after receiving a genetically modified pig’s heart during an initial surgical transplant in January. He received the pig’s heart after doctors deemed him ineligible for a conventional heart transplant or an artificial heart pump after reviewing his medical records – and because the pig’s heart was the only available option, the center said patient medical.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“No settlement will ever come close to remedying the magnitude of the suffering and damage caused by Purdue and the Sackler family.”
— Connecticut Attorney General William Tongafter approving a massive $6 billion settlement that will force the Sackler families to pay states and individuals for his role in creating OxyContin, the drug that has become part of an opioid crisis.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
Search underwater
Yes, a diving dog! This adorable golden retriever is probably a better swimmer than most of us. (
Click here to view)