Attorney General Merrick Garland made an impassioned plea Tuesday for an end to attacks on the Justice Department that he said have become routine and undermine democracy in the U.S. Why it matters: Threats against the Justice Department and its employees have ramped up in recent weeks and the department is "under attack like never before," Garland wrote in a Tuesday Washington Post op-ed. The big picture: The latest spate of attacks go beyond mere scrutiny or criticism and are "baseless...

President Biden has approved the deployment of another Patriot missile system to Ukraine, senior administration and military officials said, as the country struggles to fend off Russian attacks on its cities, infrastructure and electrical grid. Mr. Biden’s decision came last week, the officials said, after a series of high-level meetings and an internal debate over how to meet Ukraine’s pressing needs for bolstered air defenses without jeopardizing U.S. combat readiness. The new Patriot...

The Port of Baltimore’s shipping channel is fully operational again, response officials announced Monday, more than two months after a massive cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six construction workers and cutting off access to the crucial shipping artery. “We’ve cleared the Fort McHenry Federal Channel for safe transit,” Baltimore District Commander Col. Estee Pinchasin said in a statement Monday. “Although the overarching goal to restore full operational...

Animal-rights protesters have attacked a portrait of King Charles, in a London art gallery. Two protesters stuck posters on the glass covering the painting. The painting itself was unharmed, said the Philip Mould Gallery, and there were no arrests. The striking red artwork by Jonathan Yeo, unveiled last month, was the first official painting of the King since his coronation.

The hasty race to elect Iran's next political leader following the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi last month has entered a decisive campaigning phase with the potential to significantly shape the nation's domestic and foreign policies at a crucial period. Most of the six candidates approved out of more than 80 initial hopefuls reflect the nation's consolidation of power in the hands of conservative religious and military circles under the ultimate authority of Supreme Leader Ali...

Qatar and Egypt received a response Tuesday from Hamas and the Palestinian factions on a cease-fire proposal recently endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on X. “The two sides confirm that their joint mediation efforts with the United States of America will continue until an agreement is reached and that the mediators will examine the response and coordinate with the parties concerned regarding the next steps,” Qatar’s Ministry of...

Tourists were evacuated from the historic Palace of Versailles in France due to the outbreak of a fire Tuesday, according to multiple reports. A fire alarm was pulled in one of the buildings that alerted the staff, who called emergency services, the Daily Mail reported, citing French media. Firefighters were rushed to the scene of the historic 17th century palace, the Daily Mail reported. “Smoke was reported at the Palace today. The incident was quickly brought under control and the...

Three American citizens were stabbed in China on Monday in what Chinese officials are describing as an “isolated incident.” The stabbing took place as three Americans alongside a non-citizen resident of Iowa with their group were visiting Beishan Park, a public park in Jilin. The four victims were sent to a nearby hospital for treatment and are expected to recover. They were all associated with Cornell College, a private institution in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. “I am angered and deeply...

President Joe Biden delivered a speech in which he pushed more gun control for the American people Tuesday afternoon, just hours after his son Hunter was convicted on gun charges. The speech was delivered at an event sponsored by Mike Bloomberg-affiliated Everytown for Gun Safety. Biden said, “In two weeks we’ll mark the second anniversary of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.” The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) is the gun control bill which Republican Sen. John Cornyn...