Iran on Saturday launched attacks against Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces, escalating long-standing tensions between the two nations that have the potential to trigger a regional war. Strains between Iran and Israel have been heating up since the start of the war in Gaza in October, and especially over the past several weeks after Iran accused Israel of perpetrating an attack on its consulate in Damascus on April 1. Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pledged to retaliate against Israel for the Damascus strike and Israel, in turn, threatened a counterattack of its own. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the Damascus attack.
A St. Louis judge has ruled that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is entitled to Planned Parenthood's transgender care records, ordering the nonprofit to turn over some of its most sensitive files to the man who has built his unelected political career on restricting health care access for trans people. read more
President Biden has announced he will close the gun-show loophole that allowed guns to be sold without background checks. This new provision will enable the largest expansion of background checks for gun sales in 30 years. read more
Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the U.S. commitment for Ukraine to eventually join NATO but held back commitments ahead of the alliance's annual summit, which will take place in Washington in July. "Ukraine will become a member of NATO. Our purpose at the summit is to help build a bridge to that membership," Blinken told reporters Thursday in Brussels. read more
The Florida Supreme Supreme Court upheld the state's abortion ban on Monday but also voted to allow a proposed amendment to enshrine abortion protections in the state's constitution to appear on the November ballot. Meanwhile, The Bulwark's Marc Caputo writes about how GOP candidate Donald Trump is talking or not talking about abortion rights in America. read more
In Vietnam Trump would be known as Man Orange Phat.