May Current Events 2023: U.S. News
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The world is a very busy place, and it's hard to stay on top of everything. Infoplease has got you covered. Here are the U.S. news events you need to know so far for May 2023.
- Governor Of Colorado Signs Four Gun Control Bill Into Law
- Five People Killed In Texas By Their Neighbor
- 1,500 Troops To Be Sent To Southern Border By Biden Administration
- Republicans In North Carolina Reach Agreement On 12-Week Abortion Ban
- Gunman Kills Eight People In Allen Mall, Texas
- Joe Biden Has Picked Neera Tanden As The Top Domestic Policy Adviser
- Car Rams Into People At A Bus Stop In Texas Border Town, Kills Eight People
- Donald Trump Found Guilty In Rape Case Against E. Jean Carroll
- Governor Of North Carolina Vetoes Abortion Ban
- Crossing At The Border Drops After Striking Down Title 42
- The US Has Approved The Use Of A Bird Flu Vaccine In California Condor
- Montana Bans TikTok To Become The First State In The United States To Do So
- Legislature In Nebraska Passes Restriction On Abortion And Transgender Medical Care
- Shooting At Nightclub In Kansa City Leaves Three People Dead, And Three Injured
- Agreement Reached By Seven States Over Colorado River
- Ron DeSantis Joins White House Race After Launching His Bid On Twitter
Governor Of Colorado Signs Four Gun Control Bill Into Law
Photo Source: AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Friday, April 28, 2023 — On Friday, the Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, who is a Democrat signed four bills into law. The bills see a raise in the age requirement for gun possession and establish a minimum waiting period for gun deliveries.
Jared Polis said in a statement that “today, they are taking some important steps to help make Colorado one of the ten safest states, and building upon the ongoing work to make Colorado communities safer.” He also added that the gun bill will improve public safety and reduce gun violence.
Under the new bill, the minimum age to possess a gun has increased from 18 years to 21 years of age. There are however several exceptions to the bill. The bill also sees the inclusion of a 3-day minimum waiting period before delivery of a firearm that was purchased following a background check.
Source: CNN
Five People Killed In Texas By Their Neighbor
Photo Source: AP Photo/Michael Wyke
Saturday, April 29, 2023 — A man in Texas shot and killed five people, including an 8-year-old child, he also wounded three other people. The shooting broke out after the neighbors complained that he was making too much noise.
The sheriff of San Jacinto County, Greg Capers told reporters that law enforcement is in search of the suspect, 38-year-old Francisco Oropeza, after patrolling the community more than 40 miles outside of Houston.
Capers confirm that Oropeza is facing five charges of murder. Capers also told the local media on Saturday afternoon that amid the continuous search by the police, he believes they have cornered the suspect in a wooded area.
Oropeza was asked by family members to cease shooting rounds in his yard, as he was disturbing an infant that was trying to sleep. Oropeza responded to them saying it was his property, then walked to the neighbor’s front door with the riffle.
Source: The Guardian
1,500 Troops To Be Sent To Southern Border By Biden Administration
Photo Source: AP Photo/Christian Chavez
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 — The administration of President Joe Biden is planning to send additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. The plan is due to the anticipation of an influx of migrants when the Title 42 public health authority expires next week.
In a statement, a United States official said, temporarily, an additional 1,500 military personnel would be sent to the border to supplement the effort of CBP for 90 days. Later on Tuesday, the spokesperson of the Pentagon, Brig. Gen Pat Ryder confirmed that Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin has approved the deployment.
On Tuesday night, the White House announced that the United States and Mexico have agreed on a set of additional measures to check the migrant crisis. The agreement includes that Mexico will continue to take back migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela past May 11 on humanitarian grounds.
Source: CNN
Republicans In North Carolina Reach Agreement On 12-Week Abortion Ban
Photo Source: AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 — Republicans Lawmakers in North Carolina confirm that they have reached an agreement on plans to limit most abortion plans to the first trimester of pregnancy. The plan is a very sharp drop from the state’s current limit of 20 weeks gestation.
State senate leader, Phil Berger during a news conference said “The bill that has been developed is a commonsense, reasonable approach to restricting second and third-trimester abortions. With the legislation, elective abortions would be limited to 12 weeks gestation, with exceptions for rape, incest, life-limiting fetal anomalies, and the life of the mother.
The governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, who is a Democrat said he strongly opposed the bill. He also said on Twitter that “the proposal erodes even further the freedom of women and their doctors to make deeply personal health care decisions.
Source: Reuters
Gunman Kills Eight People In Allen Mall, Texas
Photo Source: AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Sunday, May 7, 2023 — Emergency service confirmed that eight people were shot and killed at a mall north of Dallas, Texas, by a gunman. A lot of people were evacuated from the Allen Premium Outlets mall. An eyewitness described that a man was firing indiscriminately at passers-by. A police officer close to the scene killed the gunman after hearing shots.
Chief of Allen Fire, Jonathan Boyd, confirmed that seven people, which includes the gunman, were pronounced dead at the scene and two later died in the hospital. Police Chief in Allen, Brian Harvey, said gunshots were heard by a police officer close to the mall, who then went there and neutralized the suspect.
Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, said the shooting was an unspeakable tragedy. He also said the state was ready to assist the local authorities.
Source: BBC
Joe Biden Has Picked Neera Tanden As The Top Domestic Policy Adviser
Photo Source: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
Friday, May 5, 2023 — The White House said in a statement that the President of the United States, Joe Biden picked a senior aide, Neera Tanden, to replace his former domestic policy adviser, Susan Rice. Tanden has long been a Democratic aide who served in two prior presidential administrations. She will take up one of the most senior policies in the administration.
Former domestic policy adviser Susan Rice departed after a two-year term, which included wrangling over tense issues from immigration to healthcare, guns and police reform. The move to appoint Tanden comes as a result of Biden facing some opposition on immigration after he promised to roll back most of the restrictive policies imposed by his predecessor.
Tanden was named to her current job after she was forced to withdraw her nomination to the budget chief amid fierce opposition from Republicans and Senator Joe Manchin, who is Democrat from West Virginia.
Source: Reuters
Car Rams Into People At A Bus Stop In Texas Border Town, Kills Eight People
Photo Source: AP Photo/Michael Gonzalez
Monday, May 8, 2023 — A car ran into a group of people at a bus stop near a shelter for the homeless and migrants in Texas, United States. As a result of the incident, eight people were killed, and five others were injured.
The police are still investigating whether the attack was accidental or deliberate and whether the driver, who is yet to be identified publicly, was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The mayor of Brownsville said in a Facebook post that the suspect has been uncooperative with the investigators.
Mr Maldonado, the director of the nearby Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, said a group of close to 20 people walked to the bus stop from the center to wait about 30 minutes before the incident.
Source: BBC
Donald Trump Found Guilty In Rape Case Against E. Jean Carroll
Photo Source: AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 — A federal jury in Manhattan found Donald Trump guilty of sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in a luxury department store dressing room in the spring of 1996; he thus awarded her $5 million for battery and defamation.
The lawsuit was filed by Carroll last November under the “New York State Adult Survivors Act.” A state bill opens a look-back window for sexual assault allegations with long-expired statutes of limitation.
In a statement, Carroll said her reason for filing the lawsuit against Donald Trump is to clear her name and get her life back. She added that the victory is for every woman who has suffered because they were not believed.
The former president's attorney, Joe Tacopina, said outside the court that he had spoken to Trump and is ready to proceed and go forward.
Source: CNN
Governor Of North Carolina Vetoes Abortion Ban
Photo Source: AP Photo/Chris Seward
Saturday, May 13, 2023 – The governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, who is a Democrat, has vetoed a bill that is set to ban most abortions after 12 weeks. This will set up a likely override effort from the state's legislative arm, mostly Republicans.
Before the veto, while speaking to the crowd gathered at a rally in Raleigh, he told them they should pressure four state Republican lawmakers who had previously promised to protect abortion rights to stand by their commitment.
Demi Dowdy, the spokesperson for Republican House Speaker Tim Moore, expressed her confidence that lawmakers will override Governor Cooper’s veto. She dismissed his effort to press Republican members into voting his way.
Women seeking abortions have made North Carolina their haven after the U.S. Supreme Court sent abortion issues back to the states.
Source: CNN
Crossing At The Border Drops After Striking Down Title 42
Photo Source: AP Photo/Julio Cortez
Sunday, May 14, 2023 – Secretary of United States homeland security Alejandro Mayorkas said that there have been of crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border by 50% after the Title 42 restriction ended at the end of Thursday, and President Biden implemented a much stricter immigration policy.
While speaking on Sunday, President Biden said the situation at the border after eliminating Title 42 was much better than everybody expected. He also said he plans to wait to visit the border.
With the current rule, migrants are now barred from asylum if they do not request refugee status in another country before entering the United States. Mayorkas confirmed that border patrol officers detained 6,300 migrants on Friday and 4,200 on Saturday, down from over 10,000 before the end of Title 42 earlier this week.
Source: The Guardian
The US Has Approved The Use Of A Bird Flu Vaccine In California Condor
Photo Source: AP Photo/Richard Vogel
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 – United States officials announced the emergency use of a bird flu vaccine to protect California condor. California condor is an animal that is critically endangered and has once bounced back from the brink of extinction.
In March, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service sought help from the United States Department of Agriculture after finding a California Condor dead from highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu. USDA said in a press conference that 13 condors have since died from bird flu.
Wildlife Service will carry out a pilot safety study on North American vultures beginning this month before condors will be vaccinated. It will hence mark the first time in the United States that the vaccine has been tested on birds, the spokesperson of the wildlife service, Joanna Gilkeson, said.
Source: Reuters
Montana Bans TikTok To Become The First State In The United States To Do So
Photo Source: AP Photo/Tommy Martino
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 – The governor of Montana has signed legislation prohibiting mobile application stores from offering the TikTok app within the state by next year. The legislation makes Montana the first state in the United States to ban the app.
TikTok has been accused of having ties to China, with the government believing that such links could pose a national security threat. The App is now prohibited on government devices in half of the United States and the federal government.
The new law signed in Montana will take effect on January 1. It bars anybody from downloading TikTok in the state, and a fine of $10,000 per day would be imposed on any entity (an app store or TikTok) each time someone is offered the ability to use it. The users, however, are not affected by the penalty.
Source: The Guardian
Legislature In Nebraska Passes Restriction On Abortion And Transgender Medical Care
Photo Source: AP Photo/Margery Beck
Friday, May 19, 2023 – Lawmakers in Nebraska passed a bill limiting abortion. The bill also puts restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. The bill awaits the signature of the Governor Jim Pillen, a Republican who bans abortion at 12 weeks of gestational age.
Also, the bill bans surgeries aimed at altering the gender of an individual and also places restrictions on hormone therapy and puberty-blocking drugs for transgender people under 19. The vote for the bill, which is also known as L.B. 574, ended 33-15 in favor of the Republicans.
Those who support the bill said it was an avenue to protect unborn babies from abortion and also to protect teenagers from undergoing irreversible medical procedures that they may regret later in life.
Source: Reuters
Shooting At Nightclub In Kansa City Leaves Three People Dead, And Three Injured
Photo Source: Getty Images
Sunday, May 21, 2023 – Early on Sunday, three people were killed and two others were injured in a shooting at a Missouri nightclub. The shooting is one of the three mass shootings in the United States this weekend.
The police confirmed that one of the victims that was shot dead was found outside the club, another one was found dead inside the club, and the third person died after being taken to the hospital. They also said one of the two injured people was in critical condition.
The names of the victims were not immediately released to the public. However, friends and fans of the popular musician Jason McConnell on social media identified him as one of the victims.
According to the Gun Violence Archive data, the killing in Kansas City brings the number of mass shootings in the United States this year to about 230.
Source: The Guardian
Agreement Reached By Seven States Over Colorado River
Photo Source: AP Photo/John Locher
Monday, May 22, 2023 – Seven states in the United States that depend on the overused Colorado River agreed to cut consumption from the river. The river provides drinking water for 40 million people and also irrigation for some bountiful farmland in the country.
In agreement with the Biden administration, the Department of Interior in the United States announced that Arizona, California, and Nevada will take 3 million acre-feet (3.7 billion cubic meters) less from the river through the end of 2026. The amount equals 13% of their allotment.
The river's long-term health is essential for the entire region, especially for the economies of major cities, such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, Arizona, and the agricultural industry. The agreement on Monday clears a major hurdle for reaching a three-year plan for the distribution of water rights starting in 2024.
Source: Reuters
Ron DeSantis Joins White House Race After Launching His Bid On Twitter
Photo Source: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 – The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, announced that he is entering the Republican Presidential Primary through the audio platform of Twitter. The announcement was, however, delayed for about 25 minutes due to technical glitches.
During his announcement, he said the reason he is entering the race is so he can lead his great country's comeback. He added, "everyone knows the country is headed in the wrong direction; everyone sees it with their eyes and also feel it in their bones.”
DeSantis, who filed with the Federal Election Commission earlier on Wednesday, said there is no substitute for victory. He also emphasized the need to end the culture of losing that he claimed has infected the Republican Party. He also lashed out at the congressional action to limit cryptocurrency.
Source: CNN
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