Amna Nawaz:
On Tuesday night, the representative from Texas took issue when Trump claimed to have an historic mandate from voters. Green refused to sit down and shouted at Trump before Speaker Mike Johnson ordered him removed from the chamber.
Presidential addresses to Congress have grown more contentious in recent years. In 2009 Republican, Representative Joe Wilson was formally reprimanded by the House for shouting at then-President Obama. Republican lawmakers also interrupted Joe Biden during his speech last year.
A judge in Baltimore agreed to reduce the sentence for Adnan Syed to time serve today. That means the 43-year-old will remain free, even though his murder conviction still stands. Syed’s case gained worldwide attention through the “Serial” podcast. He was sentenced in 2000 to life in prison for the murder of his former high school girlfriend.
Syed also always maintained his innocence and was released from prison in 2022 after prosecutors found problems with the case. Since his release, Syed has been working at Georgetown University’s Prisons and Justice Initiative.
In South Korea, a pair of fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a civilian area during a joint military exercise with U.S. forces. The incident took place in the city of Pocheon near the country’s heavily armed border with North Korea. Camera footage caught the moment of impact. At least eight people were injured, four of them seriously.
South Korea’s air force has apologized and offered compensation to the victims. An investigation is ongoing and all live-fire training has been suspended until further notice.
Pope Francis was heard in public today for the first time since being hospitalized with double pneumonia nearly three weeks ago. In an audio message broadcast to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, the 88-year-old pontiff spoke directly to those who supported him.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health,” Francis said in his native Spanish. His voice was notably weak and breathless. A cardinal stood to the side presiding over the evening prayers. Doctors say Pope Francis has been stable for three full days, though his prognosis remains guarded.
In space news, U.S. company Intuitive Machines said this afternoon that its Athena lunar lander did touch down on the South Side of the moon today, but they could not confirm whether it’s upright or indeed even where it is.
Earlier all had appeared well for the six-legged robotic spacecraft as it began its descent, but some 20 minutes after touchdown:
