AURN News

In a heated political showdown, House Republicans are pushing forward with impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

They contend that he and the Biden administration disregarded federal immigration laws and that Mayorkas willfully refused to comply with these laws, allowing millions of people to enter the country illegally. They also accuse Mayorkas of breaching the public trust and obstructing lawful oversight of the Department of Homeland Security.

Of course, Democrats are pushing back heavily, labeling them as politically motivated.

Mayorkas says the immigration system is in dire need of reform, and the current laws are not equipped to handle present-day migration patterns. He asserts the department has been enforcing immigration laws and shown Congress ample evidence of that.

As the Homeland Security Committee convenes today, tensions are high with procedural motions expected from Republicans.

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(AURN News) – Alaska Airlines has returned portions of its Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet to operation after one of its planes made an emergency landing on January 5 due to a blowout that caused a "door-sized" hole in the cabin. Flight 1282 was en route from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, when the incident occurred, forcing the aircraft to return. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been investigating a door plug issue with the Max 9 fleet.

The airline announced the resumption of services last Friday afternoon, with a flight from Seattle to San Diego. Alaska Airlines emphasized that the FAA has approved their inspection and maintenance processes before allowing the aircraft to return to service.

In a statement, the airline stated, “Each of our 737-9 MAX will return to service only after the rigorous inspections are completed and each plane is deemed airworthy according to FAA requirements. The individual inspections are expected to take up to 12 hours per aircraft.” 

Alaska Airlines anticipates completing all inspections by the end of January, including ongoing oversight of the production of the Boeing 737-9 Max. Despite the aircraft's return to service, the FAA remains vigilant and has underscored the seriousness of the incident. 

“This won’t be back to business as usual for Boeing. We will not agree to any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or approve additional production lines for the 737 MAX until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved,” affirmed FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker.

The FAA has outlined enhanced maintenance requirements, including inspecting specific bolts, guide tracts, and fittings, as well as addressing damage and abnormal conditions, among other measures. A Boeing Safety Culture Review report which began in 2023 is expected to be released within a few weeks according to the FAA.

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Established on this day (Jan. 30) in 1867, in Baltimore, Maryland, Morgan State University is a historically Black institution with a rich history.

Initially known as the Centenary Biblical Institute, it was founded by the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church with the primary goal of training young men for ministry.

In 1915, the institution received a significant boost when steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie contributed $50,000, enabling the construction of its current campus in northeast Baltimore.

Transitioning to a public institution in 1939, Morgan State University took on the vital role of providing educational opportunities to the Black community in the city.

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The United States has suspended funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, also known as UNRWA, following allegations of staff involvement in Hamas's October 7th attacks on Israel. The U.N. has fired nine employees and is investigating further, potentially leading to criminal prosecution.

The U.S. decision has been echoed by 10 other countries. Critics argue that cutting off support to the entire agency, which provides vital humanitarian aid to Palestinians, is a drastic and morally indefensible act. The U.N. warns that without funding, humanitarian operations may cease by the end of February.

Israel has not accused UNRWA of operating as a secret Hamas cell, but Israeli intelligence claims evidence linking some employees to the attacks.

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"We shall respond."

Those are the words of President Joe Biden while speaking in South Carolina, referring to the devastating drone attack on a U.S. outpost in Jordan, where three U.S. Army soldiers have been killed and over 30 service members have been injured. This marks a huge escalation in the Middle East combat.

The president is attributing the attack to Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria. The target of the deadly assault was a military base known as Tower 22 near the Jordan-Syria border.

Biden made it clear that those responsible will be held accountable. However, Iran is denying any involvement in the incident.

As tensions continue to escalate, concerns are mounting about the possibility of a wider war. Additionally, discussions about the future of the U.S. military presence in Iraq are expected to take place soon.

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Believed to have been born on January 29, 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland, Harriet Tubman, the renowned abolitionist, dedicated her life to guiding hundreds of enslaved individuals to freedom as a key "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. 

Initially named Araminta Harriet Ross and born into slavery, she faced severe brutality, including enduring a two-pound weight thrown at her head that almost killed her and resulted in permanent head trauma.

Tubman escaped slavery in 1849, later returning to the South to assist others in finding freedom by utilizing a clandestine network of "safe houses" provided by abolitionists to reach Canada. 

Earning the moniker "Moses," she reportedly completed 19 trips, never losing a single passenger. During the Civil War, Tubman served as a spy for the Union Army. 

Following the abolition of slavery in 1865, she spent her later years caring for former slaves at the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, New York, where she ultimately passed away in 1913 at the age of 91.

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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a ruling in the case brought by South Africa against Israel, accusing it of committing genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza war. The court's decision requires Israel to increase efforts to protect Palestinians and provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, but it does not call for an immediate ceasefire.

The ruling indicates that the court believes Israel is not doing enough to prevent genocide and incitement to genocide. While the case will continue for years, the court affirmed that it will hear the genocide case, rejecting Israel's request for dismissal.

The ICJ issued six legally binding measures that oblige Israel to take further action to protect Palestinian civilians and prevent genocide. However, the enforcement mechanism relies on the politically influenced UN Security Council, where the U.S., Israel's strongest ally, has a permanent veto.

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Peter Navarro, a former adviser to former President Donald Trump, has been handed a four-month jail sentence after he defied a congressional subpoena connected to the investigation into the January 6th Capitol attack.

The judge didn't mince words when he called out Navarro for suggesting the trial was politically driven, doubling down that Navarro's situation was his own doing. Navarro is appealing the decision.

But this case isn't just about Navarro. It's about a larger puzzle involving the January 6th committee's push to hold key figures accountable.

Remember Steve Bannon? Convicted on contempt charges and currently appealing.

The big question now is who could be next in this legal tangle?

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(AURN News) – Inflation continues to cast a long shadow over the United States economy, with fresh data revealing a concerning trend despite efforts by the Federal Reserve to rein it in. According to estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the struggle to bring inflation under control persists, as personal incomes experienced a slight uptick in December, paralleled by an unwelcome rise in inflation.

The Fed closely monitors Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data as a key indicator in its battle against inflation. The latest report suggests progress, albeit modest, in lowering inflation rates toward the central bank's targeted goal of 2 percent. For the month of December, the PCE price index saw a 0.2% increase, reflecting a rise in the prices of goods, services, and food. As we await the release of January's data on February 29th, the focus will turn to the Fed’s next move in trying to bring inflation under control.

The Fed is set to convene for its two-day meeting next week, which will play a pivotal role in determining the course of monetary policy. All eyes will be on Fed Chair Jerome Powell as he addresses the nation with insights into whether interest rates will see an increase, decrease, or remain unchanged in response to persistent inflationary pressures.

The December PCE data highlights the challenges faced by the Federal Reserve in taming inflation, a task that has become increasingly complex amid global economic uncertainties ranging from the U.S. and China relationship, the Israel-Hamas War, as well as the war between Russia and Ukraine.

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Former President Donald Trump is urging states to send their National Guard troops to Texas. Why? To back Governor Greg Abbott's tussle with the Feds over removing razor wire along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump is calling this a national security, public safety, and public health catastrophe and is all-in for Texas, invoking the Invasion Clause of the Constitution.

The kicker? Texas is doing its own thing, ignoring a Supreme Court decision that said they must take down the razor wire barriers.

Abbott is blaming President Biden for what he calls a failure in immigration law enforcement. And Trump, he is rallying Republican governors from Oklahoma, South Dakota, Florida, Virginia, and Georgia to join the border wire saga.

The former president's grand plan, if he returns to the Oval Office, is to launch what he's calling the largest domestic deportation operation in history.

On the flip side, Democrats are suggesting Biden might need to take control of the Texan National Guard to enforce the court's decision.

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