The Biden administration has sent messages to the Houthi rebels in Yemen via several channels recently warning them to stop their attacks on ships in the Red Sea and against Israel, two U.S. officials said.
Why it matters: The Houthi attacks have created tensions in the region and are posing a growing threat to ships navigating one of the region's main commercial shipping routes.
Legislation banning ski masks in some public spaces became law in Philadelphia on Thursday.
The big picture: The law is intended to help authorities identify crime suspects, but those opposed to the measure say it could target youngpeople of color, violate freedom of expression rights and be misused by police to stop pedestrians.
House conservatives are blasting both the negotiation process and the contents of the bill following the passage of the sprawling National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Thursday.
Why it matters: More Democrats voted for the bill than Republicans, despite the GOP controlling the House.
The Senate is expected to blow past their planned holiday departure date and return to session next week, senators said Thursday.
Why it matters: SenateDemocrats are holding out hope that they can cut a last minute deal with Republicans on an emergency national security spending package before the end of the year.
New York Republicans tapped county legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip as the GOP candidate in a Feb. 13 special election to replace former Rep. George Santos in New York's 3rd congressional district.
Why it matters: The district voted for President Biden by eight percentage points in 2020 but flipped to Republicans in 2022, making it a top target for Democrats in their efforts to retake the House.
The U.S. government's terrorism watchlist has grown to include approximately 2 million people in the two decades since its creation, a CBS Reports investigation found.
Why it matters: Thousands of people have complained about being treated like suspected terrorists after being incorrectly added to the list and having limited ability to get their names removed from it.
James Bennet — who resigned as editorial page editor of the New York Times in 2020 amid internal fury over an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) — hit back Thursday with a 17,000-word cover story for the Economist, where he's now Lexington columnist and senior editor.
Why it matters: The headline signals the takedown he's been saving up: "When the New York Times lost its way."
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is exploring a new career that includes connecting the next-frontier worlds of space and AI with Washington, he told Axios during a more than hour-long exit interview at the Capitol.
Driving the news: McCarthy has been friends with Elon Musk for about a decade, and says he could imagine working with him or other future-tech moguls.
After mostly lying low for years, Hunter Biden — ignoring the wishes of some White House aides — is going on the attack in the belief that it will help President Biden in the long run, according to people familiar with his team's thinking.
Why it matters: That's what led Hunter to go to the Capitol grounds Wednesday — not to be deposed in private, as House Republicans investigating the Bidens wanted — but to confront the GOP on camera for its tactics, and not letting him publicly testify as he offered.
Young voters are not impressed by President Biden's record on student loan forgiveness, according to new survey results by Bloomberg/Morning Consult.
Why it matters: Securing and motivating young, largely-Democratic voters could be crucial for Biden's reelection chances. The poll found former President Trump outpolling Biden in seven out of seven swing states.
Why it matters: The vote nearly failed, and the episode highlighted stark Democratic divisions that have been bubbling up to the surface during the Israel-Hamas war.
A federal judge on Wednesday agreed to pause proceedings in former President Trump's 2020 election subversion case while he appeals a decision rejecting his claims of immunity.
Driving the news: The court agrees with both parties that Trump's appeal automatically stays any further proceedings that would move the case toward trial, Judge Tanya Chutkan wrote in an order Wednesday.
It's like clockwork: Each time Republicans appear to be building political momentum, America is reminded of the GOP's gaping — and still unresolved — vulnerabilities on abortion rights.
Why it matters: The cascade of new restrictions and legal challenges triggered by the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade will guarantee the abortion debate remains salient throughout the 2024 campaign.
House Republicans in swing districts are bristling at the Supreme Court's decision on Wednesday to hear a case on restricting access to the abortion pill mifepristone.
Why it matters: The Supreme Court's decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade helped propelled Democrats to a better-than-expected midterm showing, and Republicans fear a repeat could play out in 2024.
