Morning Wire XX
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[4] I'm Daily Wire editor -in -chief John Bickley with guest co -host Sage Steel, host of the Sage Steel Show.
[5] It's Wednesday, April 24th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
[6] President Joe Biden says military equipment will head to Ukraine within the day.
[7] This comes after the president signed the $95 billion foreign aid package after it passed the Senate last night in the House earlier this week.
[8] Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham has the latest.
[9] The package provides funding to Israel and our Indo -Pacific allies as well, but it reserves more than $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine in their war against Russia.
[10] Here's Biden's remarks after signing the legislation.
[11] This package is literally an investment, not only in Ukraine, security, but in Europe's security, in our own security.
[12] We're sending Ukraine equipment from our own stockpiles.
[13] Then we'll replenish those stockpiles with new products made by American companies here in America.
[14] The bill also includes $26 billion for Israel to use in their ongoing war against Hamas terrorists, as well as $8 billion for allies in the Indo -Pacific, namely Taiwan.
[15] Also tucked away in the pages of this legislation is a measure that will ban TikTok in the U .S. Unless its Chinese parent company divests from the app within a year.
[16] Though today in a video posted to social media, TikTok CEO says they plan to challenge the legislation and that they, quote, aren't going anywhere.
[17] We are confident that we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts.
[18] The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we expect to prevail again.
[19] Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in China today, just as President Biden signed that aid package, which provides billions to Taiwan and potentially bans TikTok.
[20] Both are areas of contention for U .S. relations with Beijing.
[21] State Department officials say that during Blinken's three -day trip, he plans to press Chinese officials on a wide range of issues, including its support for Russia, cheap Chinese exports, and the aggressive nature of Chinese ships in the South China Sea.
[22] The Secretary and other U .S. officials are also expected to address China's role in the U .S. fentanyl epidemic.
[23] Critics say the Biden administration has not put enough pressure on Beijing over fentanyl -related substances, which is the leading cause of overdose in the U .S. Here's Blinken.
[24] We just arrived here in Shanghai in the People's Republic of China to work on issues that matter to the American people.
[25] One of those is fentanyl, synthetic opioids, the leading killer of Americans between the ages of 1849.
[26] Face -to -face diplomacy matters.
[27] It's important for avoiding miscommunications, misperceptions, and to advance the interests of the American people.
[28] Hamas has released a video showing Israeli -American hostage, Hirsch Goldberg, Poland still alive.
[29] It is the first proof that he survived terrible injuries he got during his capture on October 7th.
[30] The undated video shows the 23 -year -old with part of his left arm missing.
[31] During the terror attack, when Goldberg, Poland, was kidnapped, he tried to throw back a live grenade which blew off part of his arm.
[32] He ended the video by urging his own family to stay strong and saying he hoped the video gave them some kind of comfort on the holiday.
[33] For the first time since overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, the Supreme Court weighed the scope of a state law that restricts abortion.
[34] The court's ruling could determine when doctors are permitted to provide abortions to women with medical emergencies.
[35] Daily Wire senior editor Ash Short reports.
[36] The court heard arguments today over whether or not Idaho's Defense of Life Act conflicts with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, a federal law.
[37] The Idaho law took effect in August of 2022 and prohibits abortions in most cases.
[38] The Biden administration promptly sued the state, claiming it conflicted with the previous federal law.
[39] The justices seem to be divided on the case, even as the federal law does not specifically mention abortion.
[40] For example, liberal -leaning justices, like Elena Kagan, appear to side with the federal government.
[41] Federal law does take a position on that question.
[42] It says that you don't have to wait until the person is on the verge of death.
[43] If the woman is going to lose her reproductive organs, that's enough to trigger this duty on the part of the hospital.
[44] Meanwhile, Justice Samuel Alito appeared skeptical of the administration's position.
[45] So we have this phrase, emergency medical condition in that provision, and then under E1, the term emergency medical condition is defined to include a condition that places the health of the woman's unborn child in serious jeopardy.
[46] So in that situation, the hospital must stabilize the threat to the unborn child.
[47] But performing an abortion is antithetical to that duty.
[48] But in a circumstance...
[49] You go so far as to say that the statute is clear in your favor.
[50] I don't know how you can say that in light of that.
[51] of those provisions that I've just read to you.
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[55] A Texas grand jury has indicted over 140 illegal immigrants on rioting charges just a day after a judge threw the charges out.
[56] The Tuesday indictment is in relation to an attempted border breach earlier this month in which a large crowd came through a breach in the razor wire and rushed Border Patrol agents guarding a port of entry.
[57] This month's incident follows a similar episode that was caught on video in March that went viral.
[58] Staff on all school grounds in Tennessee, including colleges and universities, may soon be allowed to carry concealed firearms on campus as lawmakers in the volunteer state have now sent a bill to the governor's desk.
[59] The bill passed the state house yesterday and the state senate earlier this month.
[60] Yesterday, protesters could be heard in the gallery chanting during the floor proceedings, and in some cases, dropping to the floor pretending they were victims of gun violence.
[61] Even some Democrat lawmakers participated in the Dian, as it's being called.
[62] Meanwhile, Republicans in the House say the bill will bolster safety in schools.
[63] Here's Representative Ryan Williams.
[64] Currently, it's just one of those gun -free zones where people know they can go there and take advantage of folks.
[65] And say goodbye to self -checkout.
[66] Kiosks.
[67] Love them or hate them, the unmanned checkout lanes are being axed or altered in hundreds of stores across the U .S. Walmart, Target, Costco, and Kroger have all announced they're moving away from self -checkout, as well as putting limits on the number of items you can purchase, and even installing true scan systems that can detect theft.
[68] The kiosks were supposed to save retailers' money by cutting down on labor, but self -checkout has led to losses due to either accidental or intentional theft.
[69] Supermarket guru Phil Lempert says customers prefer a full -service experience.
[70] So I think we are going to see the demise of self -checkouts very soon.
[71] A lot of consumers are basically saying, hey, I'm paying you full price.
[72] I want full service.
[73] I want to have a cashier.
[74] I want to have a bagger.
[75] Or reward me for checking out myself.
[76] John, we were forced to use these.
[77] Remember, during COVID and just when you get used to them and master the art of bagging groceries yourself, they take it away.
[78] Yeah, just got pretty proud of my self -checkout skills.
[79] Oh, well.
[80] All right, those are your drive home updates this afternoon.
[81] To learn more about these stories, go to Dailywire .com, and for more in -depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to our latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.