September 18, 2023 - Your Daily Digest

Military loses a fighter jet, Kevin McCarthy fumbles as Speaker, Over 500 mass shootings this year, and more in today's digest

Today is September 18, 2023 and here are five stories from today that you need to know about. If you enjoy these daily digests, and want to see more, regular content, then please consider becoming a monthly subscriber at the link below:

1) Military Loses Fighter Jet (Then Finds It)

The United States Military temporarily lost a F-35 fighter jet after a malfunction caused a pilot to eject himself out of the jet, leaving the aircraft to fly for several miles without anyone operating it. Earlier today, the military base in South Carolina put out an alert calling on residents in the area to help find the missing fighter jet. After over one day of searching, the military found a debris field in northern South Carolina. According to reports, the field is about two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston. The base lead the search, and according to a news release from the Marine Corps, they are “transferring incident command to the USMC this evening, as they begin the recovery process.”

2) Twelve Days Until a Government Shutdown

We are now twelve days away from a government shutdown and Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans have failed to come close to a deal to keep the lights on in Washington, D.C. Late last night, some House Republicans came together to draft a potential deal that would avert a shutdown, but that deal failed before getting much traction. before getting much traction. Meanwhile, Kevin McCarthy is extremely focused on impeaching President Biden, and remains committed to moving his inquiry forward, despite the possibility of a government shutdown. With twelve days left, there does not appear to be a deal in sight. Learn more about what happens if the government shuts down here.

3) United States Hits Grim Number

The United States hit yet another record in the fight against gun violence, with now over 500 mass shootings in less than 300 days. For perspective, in 2019, the United States experienced 414 mass shootings total. The 500 mass shooting threshold has now been crossed in September two years in a row, and there does not appear an end to this epidemic coming anytime soon. If you are reading this and are concerned about the future of gun violence in America, then make sure to call your representative and get out to vote next year. The only way to make change is by making your voice hear. Tomorrow is national voter registration day, so send this link to anyone you know who is not yet registered to vote.

4) Ukraine Update

Ukrainian President Zelensky has arrived in New York where he is expected to address the United Nations General Assembly. He is also expected to meet with President Biden later this week in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Ukrainian troops successfully recaptured the villages of Klishchiivka and Andriivka near the eastern city of Bakhmut. Winter is quickly approaching in Europe, and Ukraine is preparing for increased attacks by Russia on energy infrastructure to make what will be a difficult winter even harder. In any event, as NATO’s Chief made clear the other day, this will be a long, drawn out war of attrition. It is critical that we continue to support Ukraine in this fight for freedom in the interim.

5) Hostages Released

After months of tense negotiation, Iran has released five wrongfully detained Americans from custody. These Americans have left Iranian airspace and are on their way back to the United States. Three of these detainees were held in Iran for over 5 years, with one being held for over 8 years prior to his release today. Meanwhile, in exchange for their release, the United States unfroze 6 billion dollars of Iranian funds that were previously held in a South Korean bank. The funds have since been transferred to a bank in Qatar. The United States also released 5 Iranians it had previously detained, but made clear that none of these detainees were violent criminals or committed espionage. Overall, Americans are coming home which is a great thing.