Today’s Headlines and Commentary

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The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol held its sixth day of its series of hearings with surprise witness Cassidy Hutchinson, writes the New York Times. Hutchinson has cooperated with the committee previously, providing information in videotaped closed-door testimony, pieces of which have been shown during the public hearings. Hutchinson testified today that former President Trump knew the crowd at his Jan. 6 speech at the Ellipse was armed and that he intended to go to the Capitol with his supporters, attempting to grab the steering wheel of the presidential limo from a Secret Service agent after being told he had to return to the White House. The former aide also revealed that Meadows and Rudy Giuliani sought presidential pardons related to Jan. 6.

Biden arrived in Spain to discuss increasing U.S. presence in Europe with NATO leaders amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports AP News. The summit comes as the western alliance begins to show signs of weakening, with member countries struggling to weather the economic cost of high energy prices connected to sanctions against Russia. Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser, said Biden intends to announce a plan to increase the number of Navy destroyers in Spain, along with other defense support commitments.

At least 50 migrants died after being abandoned in the back of a tractor trailer in San Antonio, writes CBS News. Sixteen others, including four children, are being treated at hospitals for heat-related injuries. Federal officials have said that the event is the deadliest human smuggling case in modern American history. Investigators have not yet disclosed the nationalities of the migrants who died or were injured.

Talks to resume negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials aimed at repairing the 2015 nuclear deal are underway in Qatar, according to the Wall Street Journal. The negotiations will be the first since March, when the two countries and other participants nearly came to an agreement but disputes concerning the scopes of sanctions halted progress. Officials are tempering expectations going into the talks, saying they do not know how long negotiations will take nor if they will be successful.

A chlorine gas tank exploded at a port in Jordan, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 250 others, writes the Washington Post. The incident occured when a crane dropped a tank while it was being loaded onto a ship. Government authorities have told nearby residents to close their windows and stay indoors but have also stated that the gas leak possesses no further risk to public health.

At least 51 prisoners died in a fire started during a prison riot in Colombia, reports Reuters. Twenty-four people are currently being treated for injuries sustained in the fire. Many of the dead died from smoke inhalation, according to the director of the country’s prison agency. The fire was started by prisoners who lit mattresses which caught fire in a cell block housing 180 prisoners in the 1,267 inmate facility.

Thousands of protestors took to the streets in Oslo, ignoring the advice of police officials who urged people not to attend the week’s Pride events following a deadly attack at a gay bar that killed two people and left 21 injured, writes the BBC. The suspect in custody accused of carrying out the attack has been charged with murder, attempted murder, and terrorist acts. Police are still investigating the attacker’s motives, but Norwegian intelligence services have said his actions are connected to “Islamist extremism.”

ICYMI: Yesterday on Lawfare

Jen Patja Howell shared an episode of the Lawfare Podcast in which Jacob Schulz sat down with Elizabeth Grasmeder to discuss the historical practice of use of legionnaires and what it can reveal about conflicts today.

Tommasco De Zan argued that the cyber skills shortage presents a strategic public policy problem that should be addressed through a comprehensive skills strategy.

Yang Liu and Brandon Vines discussed the impact of Louisiana v. CDC on the Biden administration’s efforts to roll back Trump-era immigration policies.

Nicol Turner Lee shared an episode of TechTank in which she sat down with Cameron Kerry and Jennifer King to discuss the current draft of the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, and its implications for the future of privacy protections.

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