The 22-year-old man who committed a mass shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in 2019 has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, AP reports.
Suicide rates among the U.S. military increased by 41.4% from 2015 to 2020, according to a Department of Defense report out Thursday.
By the numbers: Some 580 members of the military died by suicide in 2020, and the suicide rate among active duty service members increased 9.1% that year. From 2018 to 2020, it rose 15.3%.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen voiced support Thursday for the idea of abolishing the federal debt limit, noting that the arbitrary limit on the country's ability to pay back its financial obligations is "destructive."
Why it matters: The U.S. is just weeks away from defaulting on its loans on Oct. 18 if Congress fails to raise or suspend the debt ceiling by then.
Navient announced Tuesday that it would no longer service federal student loans, leaving about 6 million borrowers waiting to be assigned to a new servicer.
Why it matters: The announcement comes after two other lenders ended their existing relationship with the Department of Education, and as prominent Democratic lawmakers continue to call on President Biden to relieve student debt.
The Senate voted 50-48 on Thursday to approve Rohit Chopra as the third director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Why it matters: Chopra, who served on the Federal Trade Commission, worked closely with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to establish the Bureau following the 2008 financial crisis.
Four United Nations agencies released a joint statement on Thursday warning countries not to deport Haitians "without proper assessment of their individual protection needs."
Why it matters: More Haitian migrants are making their way to the U.S.-Mexico border, as the Biden administration has begun deporting them under the Trump-era Title 42 policy.
President Biden on Thursday signed a short-term bill to fund the government through Dec. 3, just hours before a potential shutdown.
Why it matters: The bill passed in the Senate with bipartisan support, 65-35, after Democrats stripped language from it that would have suspended the debt ceiling. It passed in the House, 254-175.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday announced new immigration enforcement priorities that seek to "take into account the totality of the facts and circumstances" in cases involving undocumented immigrants.
Driving the news: "The fact an individual is a removable noncitizen will not alone be the basis of an enforcement action against them," per the new guidance. "We will use our discretion and focus our enforcement resources in a more targeted way."
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Thursday his topline number for the reconciliation infrastructure bill remains at $1.5 trillion, much lower than the $3.5 trillion bill sought by progressives.
Why it matters: Manchin's price cap highlights his unwillingness to compromise as progressive Democrats threaten to block a companion $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure due for a vote Thursday.
The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that it would hear a lawsuit brought by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) challenging a federal rule that limits post-election political donations that help campaigns repay personal loans from candidates.
Driving the news: The Federal Election Commission appealed a lower court ruling that sided with Cruz, who argued that the law violated the First Amendment by restricting political expression.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Microsoft and LinkedIn leadership on Thursday questioning why LinkedIn censored the profiles of U.S. journalists from the company's China-based platform this week, according to a letter obtained by Axios.
Driving the news: LinkedIn — which is owned by Microsoft — notified several U.S. journalists this week, including Axios' Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, that their accounts will no longer be viewable in China due to "prohibited content" on their profile.
The extended timeline for a reconciliation package on Capitol Hill is widening the spigot for business and advocacy group dollars to flow into the fight.
Why it matters: The longer the skirmishes on Capitol Hill last, the more time they provide for the energy industry, associated trade groups and environmental groups to pour money into TV, radio and online advertising campaigns to influence Americans' views of the wide-ranging proposals.
A group whose members include 90,000 elected school board officials around the U.S. is asking President Biden, the FBI and the Secret Service to intervene to protect members who are facing unprecedented threats in the politically charged climate surrounding debates over COVID-19 and systemic racism.
Canada's Federal Court on Wednesday upheld a human rights tribunal ruling ordering the government to compensate First Nations children who faced discrimination in the welfare system.
Why it matters: The ruling clears the way for billions of dollars in compensation for affected Indigenous families. It's the latest breakthrough in a yearslong battle for justice for Canada's Indigenous peoples.
The Kremlin on Wednesday threatened to ban YouTube unless it reinstates two of Russian state-backed broadcaster RT's German-language channels that were deleted for violating COVID-19 misinformation guidelines.
Why it matters: The threat is the latest example of Russian officials going to extreme lengths to assert greater control over the internet. The channels were deleted by YouTube on Tuesday, one day before the online video giant announced it would terminate channels spreading vaccine misinformation.
Corey Lewandowski, a top Trump aide, has been removed as chair of the MAGA Action political action committee, a spokesperson for former President Trump confirmed Wednesday evening.
Why it matters: A donor accused Lewandowski in a Politico interview of making unwanted sexual advances and inappropriately touching her at a Las Vegas charity event over the weekend.
The school board of Newberg, Oregon, passed a resolution Tuesday banning teachers in the district from displaying “political, quasi-political or controversial" symbols in the classroom, The Oregonian reports.
Why it matters: The 4-3 vote comes after a couple of racist incidents happened in the school district, and the measure was approved despite teachers in the district rallying in opposition to it.
Two Ohio men were sentenced to serve 45 days in prison after prosecutors requested incarceration for the first time at sentencing hearings for Capitol rioters who took plea deals for nonviolent misdemeanors.
Why it matters: Federal judges have debated whether the no-prison plea deals offered to low-level Jan. 6 defendants are too lenient to deter potential future attackers.
President Biden on Wednesday made an appearance at the annual Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park.
Why it matters: Biden's appearance comes amid tense political negotiations on Capitol Hill as lawmakers seek to negotiate the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package as the threat of a government shutdown looms.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is rebuffing pleas from Western Democratic senators, who are citing extreme weather in their home states, to try to gain his support for core climate provisions in President Biden’s $3.5 trillion reconciliation package.
Why it matters: Manchin’s entrenched opposition puts him on a collision course with another key holdout on the spending bill, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). She's indicated that addressing climate change is one of her top priorities in any compromise.
The “put-up or shut-up” moment has arrived for House Democrats.
Why it matters: What happens in the next 24 hours will be a crucial indicator of how long it will take, and how difficult it will be, to fulfill President Biden's agenda.
The rise of celebrity politicians is fueling record ad spending that will likely continue to flood American airwaves through next year's midterms, industry watchers tell Axios.
Why it matters: Firebrand congressional freshmen and sophomores are raking in grassroots donations — and starring in ads from both allies and opponents alike. It's part of an explosion in small-dollar fundraising that's translating into a huge spike in paid political advertising.
Panama foreign minister Erika Mouynes expressed frustration to Axios that the Biden administration seemed caught off guard by the Haitian migrant crisis because "we sounded the alarm when we should have."
Why it matters: The worst may still be coming. Mouynes said there are as many as 60,000 migrants — mostly Haitian — poised to make their way north to the U.S.-Mexico border.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced on Wednesday that college athletes at private institutions should be considered employees under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Why it matters: This would allow college athletes to unionize and receive protections from the NLRB, dealing another blow to the NCAA's business model of amateurism.
