Japan’s Defense Budget As Big As Russia’s

On Monday, Kansas Republicans voted to override Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of four anti-abortion measures. Three bills—which will require doctors to gather and report information from patients about why they are getting an abortion; make it a crime to force someone to obtain an abortion; and allow people to receive tax credits for donations to anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers—will now become law.

A longtime lieutenant and criminal co-defendant of far-right Chinese fugitive mogul Guo Wengui has agreed to plead guilty to fraud charges ahead of their upcoming trial. This development strengthens the position of federal prosecutors in a case in which they have called Steve Bannon, a vocal Guo ally, a “co-conspirator.” Yvette Wang, Guo’s former chief of staff and alleged co-conspirator in defrauding thousands of Guo supporters of more than $1 billion, pleaded not guilty after her arrest in March 2023.

By Elliott Wenzler, Post-Independent A proposal to restrict big-rig truckers from using the left lane in certain high-risk areas of Interstate 70 through Colorado’s mountains moved closer to becoming law Tuesday after the state House gave near-unanimous support of the idea. Related Articles Politics | Interstate 70, E-470 exit in Aurora closed Thursday, Friday nights for construction Politics | Westbound Interstate 70 reopens at Eisenhower Tunnel after truck fire Politics | Westbound Interstate 70 reopens after closing for crash near Eagle Politics | Overnight alternating traffic at I-70 Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel begins late April Politics | Eastbound Interstate 70 closed near Loveland Pass for crash, Vail Pass Summit closure reopens Senate Bill 100, brought by Western Slope lawmakers, would also expand where truckers are required to carry chains during winter months. After sponsors amended the bill, it now also requires the Colorado Department of Transportation to look into whether the state should temporarily close roadways to truckers during snowstorms.

The Colorado legislature has expanded its floor calendars and plans fast agendas as it works to pass legislation on housing, gun regulation, transportation, taxes and other priorities ahead of the end of the 2024 session next week. Here are updates on major action and key developments. This story will be updated throughout the day. Updated at 3:16 p.m.: The House advanced a bill Thursday afternoon that would launch a study to determine “any potential historical and ongoing effects of slavery and subsequent systemic racism on Black Coloradans that may be attributed to practices, systems and policies of the state.” Senate Bill 53 would be conducted by History Colorado and overseen by a governor-appointed commission.

In his first public remarks on this week’s campus protests, President Joe Biden criticized much of the unrest over the Israel-Hamas war erupting at colleges across the country, saying “none of this is a peaceful protest.” [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “Destroying property is not a peaceful protest,” Biden said Thursday. “It is against the law.

Kristen Clarke told Congress during her confirmation hearings that she had never been arrested .