Brand Logo
Quashed impeachment, sanctioned Venezuela and tripled tariffs

 
Today's politics story

Senate dispatches effort to impeach Mayorkas

What happened
The Senate on Wednesday voted to dismiss both articles of impeachment brought by House Republicans against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, avoiding a full trial in the first impeachment of a sitting Cabinet member. The votes to rule both articles unconstitutional fell along party lines, though Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted "present" on the first article.

Who said what
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the House effort an "illegitimate and profane abuse of the U.S. Constitution" to punish a "policy disagreement," and said validating it would have been a "grave mistake" and set a "dangerous precedent for the future." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said short-circuiting the impeachment trial was "unprecedented" itself and "history will not judge this moment well." If there had been a "fulsome debate and discussion," Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said, "you could have seen several of us" Republicans vote for dismissal.

The commentary
The "outright dismissal" of the Mayorkas impeachment, "with no chance to argue the case," was an "embarrassing defeat for House Republicans," The Associated Press said. But it is "likely to resonate politically for both Republicans and Democrats in a presidential election year when border security has been a top issue."

What next?
Republicans vowed to exact a political price from vulnerable Senate Democrats for quashing the impeachment.

 
 
Today's international story

US reinstates Venezuela sanctions

What happened
The State Department said it will not renew temporary sanctions relief for Venezuela's oil industry when the six-month pause expires Thursday. The U.S. suspended the sanctions on Venezuela's top export after Nicolás Maduro's government agreed in October to allow Venezuelan opposition parties to compete fairly in July 28 elections.

Who said what
Contrary to its agreement, Maduro's government "prevented the democratic opposition from registering the candidate of their choice" and "harassed" and "unjustly detained numerous" political opponents, said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. "We are not a gringo colony," Maduro said Monday in a preemptive TV address. 

The commentary
Most polls show that opposition unity candidate María Corina Machado, blocked from the ballot after her nomination, "would win any free and fair election by a landslide," NPR said. Suspending the punishing sanctions drew "fierce blowback from Republican lawmakers," Politico said, but reimposing them could "drive up oil prices or lead to an increase of migration out of Venezuela," both of which carry political costs.

What next?
The State Department said it will still issue Venezuelan oil export permits on an individual basis.

 
 
Today's BUSINESS Story

Why Biden is pushing to triple Chinese steel tariffs

What happened
President Joe Biden told United Steelworkers union members in Pittsburgh on Wednesday that he will push to triple tariffs on some Chinese steel and aluminum imports to 25%, from 7.5%, and take other steps to counter "unfair" Chinese competition.

Who said what
Chinese steel prices are "unfairly low" due to government subsidies to companies "who don't need to worry about making a profit," Biden said. "They're cheating," and "we've seen the damage here in America."

The commentary
Biden's new steel protections come as he's working to "shore up his political fortunes" across "states in the industrial Midwest that could decide the election," The Washington Post said. "In addition to potentially winning over Midwestern voters," Politico said, "boosting U.S. steel and aluminum could cut emissions from shipping and aviation" and ensure "production adheres to stronger environmental regulations."

What next?
The U.S. won't impose new tariffs until after a review by the U.S. Trade Representative's office, which will also investigate China's shipbuilding industry, as requested by the United Steelworkers.

 
 

It's not all bad

Park Choong-Kwon, who once helped build missiles as part of North Korea's nuclear program, now holds a seat in South Korea's parliament. His election last week marked a rare feat for North Korean defectors, only four of whom have become lawmakers in South Korea. Park, 37, painted his journey as a testament to South Korea's liberal democracy and citizen empowerment. For North Korean watchers, "it's also a sign of progress," the BBC said.

 
 
Under the radar

As global tensions ratchet up defensive preparations, countries are beginning to reconsider whether conscripting only men into their armed forces will be enough. In Ukraine, the country's military adviser on gender issues, Oksana Grigorieva, has said it should get rid of its "old-fashioned mentality" and start conscripting women into the army. 

There are already about 65,000 women serving as volunteers in Ukraine's armed forces — an increase of about 40% from the year before Russia's invasion. But this represents a smaller percentage (7.3%) of female participation than in most NATO states. Last month, Denmark announced plans to become the 10th country in the world, and the third in Europe, to extend military conscription to women.

In the face of increasing Russian bombardment, dwindling supplies and heavy Ukrainian losses, it is "only right that women serve too," Grigorieva said to The Times. 

Throughout history, conscription has predominantly targeted men, reflecting traditional gender roles, perceptions of physical strength and military duty. This has often excluded women, though they serve voluntarily in many armed forces around the world. But amid growing gender equality and global insecurity, the picture is changing. 

Ira Shevchenko, who has volunteered in the Ukrainian military since 2021, believes women should be conscripted. "Equal rights goes hand-in-hand with equal responsibilities," she told The Times.

 
 
On this day

April 18, 1775

Silversmith Paul Revere took his legendary midnight ride through Massachusetts to alert American militia about the approaching British forces. Revere helped the colonists prepare for the upcoming Battles of Lexington and Concord. However, most historians agree that Revere didn't actually shout "The British are coming!"

 
 
TODAY’S newspaperS

The short impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas gets little love on Thursday's front pages. The New York Times says the "Senate rejects push for trial," while The Boston Globe puts it in context: "As legislation languishes, another day of chaos in D.C." Ukraine's plight, as military help languishes in the House a little longer, is front-page news in several papers. "As U.S. aid is delayed, Ukraine's hopes dim for stopping Russia," The Wall Street Journal says. Ukraine "is not giving up the fight for its life," the Los Angeles Times says, but "the unthinkable is now 'what if?'"

► See the newspaper front pages

 
 
Tall tale

Period piece

The design for a new train station in Nanjing, China, is being lampooned by social media users who believe it looks like a sanitary pad. "I think we should take this chance to call for society to pay attention to period shaming," one Weibo user quipped. "This design is ahead of its time." Officials insist the architect was inspired by the city's famous plum blossoms, not the hygiene product.

 
 

Morning Report was written and edited by Theara Coleman, Nadia Croes, Catherine Garcia, Scott Hocker, Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, Justin Klawans, Harold Maass, Harriet Marsden, Devika Rao, Rafi Schwartz and Peter Weber, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly and Julia Wytrazek.

Image credits, from top: Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images; Ronald Pena / AFP via Getty Images; Kyle Mazza / Anadolu via Getty Images; Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images