Friday morning news: April 14, 2023

Guardsman to be arrested over doc leak » The FBI hauled away a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman in handcuffs on Thursday in connection with leaked classified military documents.

Attorney General Merrick Garland:

MERRICK GARLAND: The Justice Department arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira. FBI agents took Teixeira into custody without incident. He will have an initial appearance at the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Agents converged on his home Thursday.

The guardsman is an IT specialist. He is suspected of disclosing highly classified military documents about the Ukraine war and other top national security issues.

The incident has raised concerns about the military’s ability to safeguard America’s most sensitive secrets.

Pentagon Press Secretary Gen. Patrick Ryder:

PATRICK RYDER: We have procedures. We have protocols in place. We receive regular training on the proper handling of classified information. As I mentioned, we sign nondisclosure agreements.

But former Vice President Mike Pence asked the same questions many U.S. lawmakers are asking right now.

MIKE PENCE: How could a Massachusetts National Guardsman have access to this type of classified and sensitive information?

Pence noted that the documents didn’t just reveal information related to the war in Ukraine, but also about China’s testing of hypersonic missiles, among other things.

Mifepristone » The Fifth US Circuit court of Appeals has issued an interim ruling on a legal challenge to the FDA’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone.

The court says the drug will remain legal as the case continues, but only by prescription … and it cannot be sold by mail .

Alliance Defending Freedom lawyer Erin Hawley:

HAWLEY: The FDA put politics ahead of the health of women and girls when it impermissibly failed to study how dangerous the chemical abortion drug regimen is and when it unlawfully removed every meaningful safeguard that it previously implemented.

A federal judge in Texas last week ordered the suspension of the drug’s FDA approval, but the Biden administration filed an appeal on Monday.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre:

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: We believe the law is on our side and we will prevail.

Also under Wednesday’s order, mifepristone is prohibited after seven weeks of pregnancy.

Biden in Ireland » After a visit to the UK’s Northern Ireland, President Biden is in the EU’s Ireland today.

SOUND: President Biden, I invite you now to address the houses.

Speaking to the Irish parliament, Biden stressed the importance of economic ties and a united front on the war in Ukraine.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Today, Ireland and the United States are standing together to oppose Russia’s brutal aggression and support the braves people of Ukraine.

Biden discussed his own Irish ancestry. And he told lawmakers that the story of Irish immigrants setting sail for the U.S. is at the very heart of "what binds Ireland and America together.”

Earlier Thursday, Biden met with the Irish prime minister, praising the nation for its humanitarian work welcoming Ukrainian refugees.

Russia open to prisoner swap » A Russian official says his government may consider a prisoner exchange for jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

The official told a Russian news agency that a decision would come after a Russian court decides whether to declare him guilty of espionage.

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken says Russia is wrongly detaining Gershkovich.

TONY BLINKEN: I think it sends a very strong message to people around the world to beware of even setting foot there lest they be arbitrarily detained.

The Russian official said any talks about Gershkovich would be conducted through a special channel, and those talks could also include another detained American, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelen.

Unemployment » New jobless claims rose last week. WORLD’s Anna Johansen Brown has more.

ANNA JOHANSEN BROWN: Unemployment applications are at their highest level in more than a year.

The Labor Dept. says new claims for the week ending April 8th rose about 5% from the prior week to 239,000.

That’s the most since January of last year.

The four-week moving average of claims, which evens out some of the week-to-week fluctuations, rose slightly to 240,000. That's the most since November of 2021.

Still, unemployment levels remain relatively low. And American employers added a solid 236,000 jobs in March.

For WORLD, I’m Anna Johansen Brown.

Florida abortion / DeSantis » Republican lawmakers in Florida have passed a bill that would protect the unborn past six weeks of pregnancy.

The legislation would provide exceptions for rape and incest up till 15 weeks.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he will sign it into law.

DeSantis was in Ohio on Thursday where he spoke to Republicans in Summit County.

RON DESANTIS: Nationwide, the Republican party has developed a culture of losing. I think that needs to end. No more excuses. Just get it done so we can save our country.

DeSantis continues to raise his national profile ahead of an expected presidential campaign.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Culture Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus, finding frogs down under.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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