The Supreme Court backed a bid to dismiss Steve Bannon鈥檚 case. On Monday it threw out a lower court鈥檚 ruling that upheld a 2022 criminal conviction. The right-wing media personality was jailed for four months for defying a subpoena to testify before a House committee investigation of the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Department of Justice filed to dismiss Mr. Bannon鈥檚 conviction 鈥渋n the interests of justice.鈥� The Supreme Court鈥檚 unsigned order returned the case to the lower court for further consideration.
Vice President J.D. Vance is in Hungary to support its leader before a key election. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n has been in power since 2010 but is facing perhaps his toughest challenge yet in Sunday鈥檚 election. Mr. Orb谩n is widely seen as a model and hero for Europe鈥檚 resurgent far-right parties, and President Donald Trump has endorsed him. But critics say he has dramatically undermined judicial and journalistic independence, pushing the country toward autocracy. Polls suggest the opposition Tisza party is leading Mr. Orb谩n鈥檚 party, Fidesz. (See our coverage of the election below.)
Somalia is expected to start its first offshore oil drilling. A Turkish drilling vessel is set to arrive Friday to begin operations. The move follows earlier surveys that identified promising reserves and marks a step toward tapping the country鈥檚 energy potential. The project is part of a growing partnership with Turkey, which has expanded its presence in Somalia in recent years. Years of conflict had deterred exploration. Officials say discovery of hydrocarbon resources could support economic recovery.
Artemis II set a distance record. NASA鈥檚 spaceship rounded the far side of the moon and set a record for the farthest humankind has traveled from Earth. Artemis II surpassed the previous record of 248,655 miles, set by Apollo 13, by 4,100 miles. The crew received a posthumously released recording from Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell, saying, 鈥淲elcome to my old neighborhood.鈥� During the lunar flyby, commander Reid Wiseman requested an unnamed crater be named after his wife, Carroll, who passed away in 2020.
Seven members of Eritrea鈥檚 national soccer team failed to return home after a game. The match in Eswatini in southern Africa marked the first time Eritrea鈥檚 government allowed its national team to play abroad since seven members defected after a tournament in Uganda in 2019. Since 2007, more than 60 players have used international matches to flee the authoritarian nation, often dubbed 鈥渢he North Korea of Africa鈥� for its extreme isolation and indefinite military conscription.
A bald eagle pair welcomed two new chicks. That鈥檚 significant because, last year, the parents lost one of their three hatchlings. It鈥檚 rare for the endangered species to have a second clutch after a fatality. The eagles, Jackie and Shadow, have a public webcam of their nest in California鈥檚 San Bernardino National Forest. When the second eaglet hatched Sunday, the Friends of Big Bear Valley Eagle Cam said that Shadow 鈥渟eemed quite proud and didn鈥檛 waste any time snuggling in for daddy duty.鈥�
鈥� Compiled by Monitor writers around the world
