The Supreme Court has extended an existing order that temporarily prevents restrictions on the abortion drug, mifepristone, from being enforced. This ruling comes amidst several conflicting court rulings on mifepristone, the most common method of abortion administered in the US, which led to legal confusion, prompting the high court to put a pause in place. Mifepristone along with misoprostol is part of a two-drug regimen for medication abortions, and existing regulations permit mifepristone to be dispensed by mail and administered up to ten weeks into pregnancy. Federal judges in Texas and Washington have issued opposing rulings on mifepristone, intensifying the legal confusion. These rulings have raised uncertainties over the drug regulatory process, and if upheld, they could prompt other challenges to long-standing and safe FDA-approved drugs, including vaccines against Covid-19 and hormonal birth control.

The stay, prompted by emergency requests from the Justice Department and drug manufacturer Danco Laboratories, follows a week of legal battles over mifepristone. The Supreme Court has issued a temporary hold until Friday, April 21, 2023.

According to a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, over 7 out of 10 Americans do not want President Biden or former President Trump to run for the presidency in 2024. Interestingly, nearly half of those polled preferred that neither man run for president in the next election. These findings come as Biden is expected to announce his re-election campaign sometime next week. While 47% of Democrats want Biden to run again in 2024, only 26% of Americans overall expressed such a desire. Despite this lukewarm response, 78% of Democrats still approve of the job Biden is doing as president, and 81% say they would probably or definitely support him if he were the Democratic nominee. The hesitancy among Democratic voters to see Biden run again likely indicates concerns over his age and the desire for a candidate that better reflects the values of younger generations of Democrats. Biden is currently 80 years old and would be 86 at the end of a second presidential term.

Mark F. Pomerantz, a former prosecutor who once assisted Donald Trump's criminal investigation, will testify before the House Judiciary Committee in a closed-door deposition on May 12. This decision puts to rest the legal dispute between Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, and Republican lawmakers, who had summoned Pomerantz to testify. Pomerantz worked with the Manhattan district attorney's office for a year but quit more than a year before Donald Trump was indicted. In the past, he wrote a book that chronicled his frustration with Bragg's handling of the investigation. The House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Pomerantz in April, just after Bragg charged Trump with plotting the cover-up of a hush-money payment made to a porn star in 2016. Bragg then sued Jim Jordan, the committee's chairman, alleging that it was interfering with the district attorney's conduct after Trump's indictment. After a federal judge refused to block the interview, Bragg and Pomerantz have appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The appeals court postponed the interview, which was originally scheduled for Thursday. In negotiations between both parties' lawyers, they reached a resolution that allows Bragg's general counsel, Leslie Dubeck, to be present for Pomerantz's questioning.

On Friday, a crash involving a fuel truck and a car on the southbound side of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge in Connecticut caused a fire that spread to one side of the bridge. Officials closed Interstate 95 in both directions during the blaze, with the truck driver dying and other people being injured. The northbound side of the bridge has since reopened, but the southbound side remains closed for inspection of structural damage. Engineers and state workers are inspecting the structural integrity to determine whether it is safe to drive on again. They will look at several things, such as the amount of combustible material and maximum temperature oil reached. Other factors include how long the bridge was exposed to those temperatures, heat effects at the microscopic atomic level, and what happened to areas exposed underneath. The Gold Star Memorial Bridge, which is Connecticut’s largest passenger and truck bridge at 6,000 feet in length, has been undergoing a major overhaul. The fire’s cause is under investigation. A New London police officer saved a man from the crash's burning car, causing him smoke inhalation but expecting to return to work on Saturday.

Multiple global military powers are deploying forces to Sudan as violence escalates between rival factions in the country. Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, and Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, have been fighting over control of the nation after a military coup ousted the prime minister 18 months ago. The conflict involves tens of thousands of fighters and has intensified in the capital Khartoum in recent days. In response to the escalating violence in the country, the U.S. is deploying military capabilities to the region to prepare to evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum if the situation deteriorates further. The Biden administration has authorized the military to move forward with pre-positioning forces and to develop options for evacuation. While the U.S. is concerned about the safety of its citizens, other countries that have a military presence in Sudan might use the opportunity to exploit their existing military presence in the war-torn country to achieve their ambitions. As of yet, it is not clear which countries are deploying their military to Sudan. The violent power struggle playing out in Africa's third-largest country comes after the genocide in Darfur in 2003, which left an estimated 300,000 citizens dead.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign is currently experiencing difficulties, with his popularity dwindling since December 2022 when he is believed to have peaked. A Wall Street Journal poll shows that DeSantis is trailing behind Donald Trump by double digits, and his core supporters are not pleased with past voting decisions to reduce Social Security. DeSantis is also struggling to gain support from Republican lawmakers, who consider him to be running from Florida rather than for President. DeSantis has a reputation for being overly reliant on campaign donations without particularly appealing to working-class Americans. Reports suggest that DeSantis' popularity is declining in New Hampshire, Georgia, and South Carolina. If he cannot secure a victory in Florida, where he currently lags in polls, it is doubtful that he will be successful in other areas. Trump has also cornered DeSantis on the issue of Social Security, which has alienated supporters of the former congressman.

Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a new partnership between California Highway Patrol, California National Guard, San Francisco Police Department, and the San Francisco District Attorney's Office to combat the fentanyl crisis in San Francisco. As the city's overdose deaths jumped 40% between January and March, the partnership aims to provide more law enforcement resources to crackdown on crimes linked to the fentanyl crisis, dismantle fentanyl distribution rings, and increase law enforcement presence to improve public safety and confidence in San Francisco. The partnership is in its nascent stages, and the exact number of resources and personnel from state enforcement agencies to assist San Francisco is yet to be determined. However, San Francisco officials have hailed it as a significant step, and Governor Newsom said that the partnership would hold poison peddlers accountable and disrupt the drug supply to curb overdose deaths. The CHP and the Calguard will assist the police department with technical assistance, training, and drug trafficking enforcement within key areas, including the Tenderloin.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday directing federal agencies to prioritize investment in disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change. The order will create a new Office of Environmental Justice in the White House Council to coordinate all environmental justice efforts across the federal government. Moreover, agencies will have to work more closely with impacted communities and fill the gaps in scientific data to tackle the impacts of pollution on people’s health. In addition, the order mandates federal agencies to notify nearby communities about the release of toxic substances from federal facilities. Biden criticized Republicans for “safeguarding handouts for Big Oil companies” and “fighting to make it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute the air we breathe” while contrasting his administration's historic environmental justice and climate agenda with the GOP's policies.

State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, sponsored Senate Bill 17 in the Texas Senate, which was passed along party lines in a 19-12 vote. The bill targets diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices on public university campuses, effectively banning hiring and training practices based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and limiting admission and data collection practices related to these issues. The bill also requires that a university's governing board submits a report certifying compliance, and access to funding would be limited to schools in compliance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The legislation would ban DEI offices and initiatives, which Republicans view as promoting a 'woke agenda' to indoctrinate students, while Democrats argue that it is discriminatory and exclusionary. Staff who fail to comply would risk termination, while universities that do the same could lose funding for a year. While it is believed to pass through the House, Rice University will not be impacted by the bill since it is a private university.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has released a debt limit proposal that he hopes will bring the Democratic-led Congress to the negotiating table. However, there is no guarantee that McCarthy can bring his party together to support the bill. He can only afford to lose four votes and faces opposition from both the left and the right of his party. Furthermore, his proposal has no chance of passing the Senate. Republican intransigence on raising the debt limit threatens US financial stability, and Biden says he's willing to talk as long as Republicans agree to stop holding the economy hostage. While McCarthy attempts to shift the blame equation to the President, the White House argues that Congress has a moral obligation to act since the debt is needed to pay for past spending, some of it during the Trump administration. The supposedly moderate Republicans could end the crisis if they joined Democrats in supporting a clean debt limit increase. A shadow war over moderates is currently underway between the White House and McCarthy, with Republicans from districts won by Biden in 2020, self-described "governing" Republicans, and members of the Problem Solvers Caucus potentially offering the best hope for a resolution.

An old video of Dejounte Murray, currently playing for the Atlanta Hawks, talking about his former teammate Derrick White has resurfaced on social media. In the clip, Murray claims that the former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich preferred White over him because he was not a "yes man". Murray did not hold back on speaking his mind against coach Popovich and throwing a bit of shade on Brad Stevens, claiming that the former Celtics coach really wanted the critical backcourt player. Derrick White, who is now a vital player for the Boston Celtics in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, was traded in 2022 by the Spurs, where he spent five seasons with his former teammate Murray. White has emerged as a key player for the Celtics in the playoffs series against the Hawks, averaging 25 points per game in their two wins this series. Despite Murray saying he has no bad blood against White, the video certainly raises some questions about the relationship between Murray, White, and their former coach Popovich.

According to an anonymous poll conducted by The Athletic, Trae Young has been voted the most overrated player in the NBA. Young received 14.8% of the vote, leaving him technically behind the "other" category. The poll was conducted among 54 NBA players, with Young receiving eight total votes, and no other player receiving more than four. Young rose to fame when he led the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, and he was a huge factor in the Hawks' success. However, he has had poor individual performances in the past two postseasons, with an average of just 15.5 points per game on 31% shooting from the field. The anonymous poll of his peers likely reflects Young's recent struggles and the possibility of him being traded from the Hawks. However, this poll should be taken with a grain of salt, as 'overrated' is a subjective term that could be influenced by Young's media coverage.

Boston Celtics point guard, Marcus Smart, has said that the team has returned to their preseason mindset of anger as they prepare to face the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. Despite becoming the number two seed after a period of inconsistency leading up to the All-Star Break, the Celtics managed to finish the regular season with the second-best record in the NBA, and Smart believes this has been due to the overcoming of several obstacles that were thrown at them. The player himself has recently recovered from a neck injury and admits that he is not physically 100 percent, but is looking forward to playing against reigning Hawks' star guard, Trae Young. The Celtics have swept the Hawks during the regular season, however, on both occasions that the Hawks were at full strength, the scorelines were close, with Young being a major threat.

Snapchat has announced new tools and features for users and creators at its 2023 Partner Summit. The social media app is rolling out generative AI on its My AI chat assistant to personalize its avatars and allow users to engage with it visually. It will let all users use My AI, and also add generative AI Lenses that adapt based on user inputs. Meanwhile, Snapchat is offering more monetization opportunities for creators with over 50,000 followers or 25 million monthly views by doubling down on revenue sharing. Snapchat+ paid plan, launched last June, now has three million subscribers. The plan offers subscription perks like customizable chat wallpapers and notifications, custom sounds, and gifting options. The app has earned $80 million from in-app purchases so far. The subscription program also includes a new offering that lets creators generate revenue payouts from ads in their stories. The move to expand Snapchat to new features comes as tech companies vie for the attention and engagement of users.

Former player Ricky Rubio believes that New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has evolved as a coach, especially on offense. He remembers playing for Thibodeau in Minnesota during the 2016-2017 season and how he led a top-10 offense during his first season with the Timberwolves. Rubio mentioned that Thibodeau is known as a defensive coach but had a lot of good offense as well. Thibodeau's offensive knowledge was evident when he ended the Timberwolves' 14-year playoff drought with a top-four offense. Rubio thinks that Thibodeau has learned and evolved to become a complete coach, molding the Knicks into a third-ranked offensive juggernaut. Although Rubio is no longer a starting point guard, playing against his former coach can always light up a fire under his belly, and he will have extra motivation to perform against Thibodeau's Knicks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing uncertainty ahead of Game 3 against the New York Knicks as Cedi Osman is listed as questionable with an ankle sprain. Although he finished Game 2 with five points and six rebounds, it's unclear when and how the injury occurred. If he's unable to play, the Cavaliers will be missing a valuable bench contributor. Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert, and possibly Danny Green are likely to see increased playing time if Osman sits out. Fans are hopeful that Osman will be able to take the court, as he reportedly practiced on Thursday and was seen walking fine. However, his status remains up in the air. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are facing an ongoing debate about whether they need to upgrade the swing spot, which has been a weak point in their lineup. While Okoro brings solid defense, his limited offensive contributions have led to trade rumors. Some analysts have suggested the team could benefit from a short-term veteran addition to mentor Okoro and fill in any gaps, such as Bruce Brown or Josh Richardson.

The New York Knicks are hoping that All-Star forward Julius Randle can join their lineup for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. Randle sprained his left ankle against the Miami Heat on March 29 and has missed the Knicks' final five games of the regular season. The 28-year-old forward has been a key figure for the Knicks this season, averaging 25.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. If Randle can't start, this will place more pressure on Jalen Brunson, who has been playing through pain for much of the second half of the season. The Cavaliers have Donovan Mitchell, who has been playing exceptionally, averaging more than 40 points in four straight games before being put on the bench for his team's final two tilts. However, since the NBA odds for Mitchell's total points prop has adjusted to 30.5, up from a high of 28.5 in his final regular-season tilt, bettors might be sacrificing a little juice. Mitchell has cleared 3.5 three-pointers in most of his previous games, making him a great bet to get at least four threes in this game. Overall, the Cavaliers are favored to win the series against the Knicks, but Randle's return could help increase the Knicks' chances to win Game 1.

Southeastern has announced that runners participating in the London Marathon this weekend can travel for free to the start line from any of their London stations. Southeastern has urged runners to carry their race number to claim the benefit from staff at the gate line. However, runners are required to have valid train tickets for travel into London, as well as after the race. Supporters and spectators traveling with runners will need to purchase tickets. Southeastern has recommended that spectators take later trains if possible, as London Bridge is expected to be very busy. For the runners, this is an excellent opportunity to save money and reduce pre-race anxiousness. Traveling from London stations have eased the morning prepload of racers, and now they can expect less hustle on April 28th.

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart might miss Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to a sprained left ankle. The Knicks’ trade deadline acquisition was instrumental in the victory against the Cavaliers in Game 1, putting in 17 points and 10 rebounds, including a clutch three-pointer in the closing minutes. Though he was limping with the injured ankle, Hart scored the crucial 3-pointer with just 1:49 seconds remaining on the clock. The Knicks had listed him as doubtful for Game 2 before the play-offs match. Hart had participated only in one part of Monday's practice session and received treatment instead. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau stated that Hart said he felt fine in the game and that it was more about seeing how he feels the next day since he rolled his ankle in the fourth quarter. R.J. Barrett and Quentin Grimes might have to fill the void if Hart misses the game as the Knicks attempt to carry forward their momentum and secure the series win.

FanDuel offers a same-game parlay for Hawks-Celtics Game 2 in which the Duke product needs to play exactly as he did on Saturday afternoon, finishing with 25+ points, 4+ assists, and draining as many trios as he did in Game 1, while Young simply needs to finish with 25+ points. However, through the first two games of the NBA Playoffs against the Hawks, Tatum has only shot two free throws total while he averaged a career-high 8.4 attempts per game. Tatum has let it be known to the referees he's not happy with the calls, but he added he's not the only one affected by the whistles. Both sides have experienced stretches of increased physicality where fouls were not called. In any case, the Celtics currently hold the 2-0 series lead over the Hawks heading into Game 3. Finally, it was revealed that Julian Edelman switched to being a Celtics fan in 2017 after joining the Patriots, but his true NBA fandom was put to a direct test during the NBA Finals last year, rooting for Boston against his former favorite team, the Golden State Warriors.

Despite posting 29 points and 12 rebounds in the Celtics' Game 1 win against the Hawks, Jaylen Brown was dealing with a cut that reopened on his right hand, according to Coley Harvey of ESPN. Brown originally suffered the cut last week and had to get stitches, but he was cleared to play on Tuesday for Game 2. Brown had padding over the cut during Game 1 but he left in the first quarter to return with a new bandage that was more comfortable. Boston will need Brown to be playing at his best as they continue in the playoffs, and it is uncertain whether his hand injury will affect him going forward. Despite the injury, Brown's performance in Game 1 was impressive, especially considering he had some trouble gripping the ball.

Minnesota Wild's center, Joel Eriksson Ek, skated by himself at the TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul for the first time after suffering a lower-body injury on April 6 during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Although the Wild listed him as week-to-week, Eriksson Ek's evident progress bodes well for his return. Even though his coach, Dean Evason, was hesitant to give a timeline for his return or his readiness for Game 1, it seems that it could be a possibility. Similarly, Marcus Johansson, who took a cross-check directly to the ribs in a game against the Dallas Stars and avoided any serious injuries, returned to the ice for the Wild's practice after stating he's feeling 100 per cent. The Wild will certainly benefit from having these players return to the game, particularly Eriksson Ek's outstanding record of career highs in assists, points, and goals. The Wild are currently leading the series 2-1, and the return of Eriksson Ek and Johansson can potentially secure a win in the upcoming matches.

Mark Pomerantz, a former prosecutor who led Manhattan district attorney's criminal probe into former US President Donald Trump, will testify before a congressional committee on May 12, as efforts to prevent him from appearing were dropped. Trump became the first ex-president to be criminally charged related to a hush money payment case, and the committee subpoenaed Pomerantz in connection to the May 12 case. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, sued Jim Jordan, a Republican chair of the committee, to stop the subpoena questioning of Mr. Pomerantz, but the appeal was dropped by both sides, which means that the deposition will take place. The agreement ensures that the General Counsel is present during Pomerantz's questioning on an agreed upon timeframe.

Montana Republican lawmakers from the Freedom Caucus are calling for the censure of Democratic state representative, Zooey Zephyr, following her verbal condemnation of a bill that bans medical care for transgender minors. Zephyr, one of the first two transgender lawmakers to be elected to Montana’s state legislature, accused colleagues of “torture” by denying essential medical care to trans children during a floor debate on Tuesday. “If you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there's an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” Zephyr said. Following Zephyr’s speech, the Montana Freedom Caucus released a statement calling for the lawmaker's censure. However, the group misgendered Zephyr, who uses she/her pronouns, in its call for censure. Despite calls for censure, Montana’s house adjourned on Thursday without taking action. To add insult to injury, weeks prior, the Republican-controlled House passed a bill that would define sex as binary and ignored Zephyr during the debate. Transgender rights have been in the spotlight in Montana and throughout the US, with other state legislatures also passing bills targeting the rights of trans people.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has escalated his battle with Disney, offering to build a prison next to Disney’s theme park complex in a retaliatory act for Disney speaking out against a Florida bill designed to ban elementary school classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity. Despite the Governor’s increasingly petulant behaviour, Disney continues to show its mettle by staying true to its values and continuing to weigh in on issues relevant to its business and its employees, while highlighting its stance on diversity and inclusion with a Pride Nite event at Disneyland next month amid the unfolding drama in Florida. Disney is using this conflict as an opportunity to outline its corporate values and ethics, successfully positioning itself as a hero standing up for its principles, in contrast to DeSantis, the villain, who is being criticised for being anti-business as well as anti-Florida.