President Joe Biden has announced he will seek re-election, making the declaration in a video highlighting the threat to democracy from his predecessor, Donald Trump. Biden argued that the fight against the erosion of democracy had been the work of his first term but was unfinished while Trump and his supporters posed a significant threat to fundamental rights. The president accused “MAGA extremists” of endangering bedrock freedoms, citing issues such as social security cuts, tax breaks for the wealthy, women’s healthcare, restrictions on book sales and the right to love, and voter suppression. Biden is now the oldest US president in history and would be 86 at the end of a second term if he were to win again. Despite skepticism about his age and electability, he overcame such doubts to defeat Trump in 2020. His re-election campaign comes in an era of severe political polarization and is likely to be limited to a small number of fiercely contested swing states.

US officials have revealed that the "mastermind" behind the suicide bombing in Kabul airport, which resulted in the deaths of 13 US troops and about 170 people, was killed by the Taliban in recent weeks. The senior administration official did not name the leader of ISIS-K, the group behind the attack, but said that it had become "aware in recent weeks that the ISIS-K terrorist most responsible for that horrific attack…has now been killed in a Taliban operation." The Taliban, which is against ISIS-K, carried out the killing without US involvement, but the US has welcomed the Taliban's efforts to suppress the group. ISIS-K has been responsible for the recent rise in terror attacks and plots in Afghanistan, and the general responsible for the Middle East warned last month that the group was trying to plan attacks against the US and American interests overseas. With the US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the administration was unable to prevent the resurgence of terrorism on Afghan soil.

Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, was fired from his highly-rated show which he presented to weave together daily political and social news as a narrative. Carlson, who was known for his critical stance on the Biden administration, drew the ire of the DoD with his critical coverage of several of its personnel policies over the past year. The Defense Department officials celebrated Carlson's removal from Fox News, believing that his controversial ideas were far from accurate, and could harm national security. While Carlson's remarks on diversity policies, maternity flight suits, and women in the service, among others, appealed to his conservative viewers, they were seen as derogatory by the Pentagon. Following Carlson's departure, a senior DoD official stated that "we're a better country without him bagging on our military every night in front of hundreds of thousands of people," while a second DoD official said, "Good riddance." Carlson himself downplayed the news, responding to the official reports by simply saying, "Ha! I'm sure."

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has declined an invitation from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin to testify at a hearing regarding "potential reforms" to the ethical rules that govern the Justices of the Supreme Court. In a letter to Durbin, Roberts cited his reluctance to participate due to the importance of preserving judicial independence as reasons why he would not testify before Congress. Roberts also included a statement of ethics principles and practices that all of the current members of the Supreme Court subscribe to.

The invitation to participate in the hearing comes amid recent reports on the acceptance of undisclosed gifts by Justice Clarence Thomas. Some Republicans have expressed concern that recent news reports aiming to scrutinize court ethics are efforts to discredit the Supreme Court at a time when conservative justices have a supermajority. Durbin, meanwhile, has referred to Thomas' undisclosed gifts as evidence that ethical standards and judicial codes of conduct for Supreme Court justices need reform. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is scheduled to take place on May 2nd.

As the seditious conspiracy trial comes to a close, attorneys for the Proud Boys have placed the blame for the January 6th attack on the US Capitol on former President Donald Trump. Defense lawyers in the case have argued that the Proud Boys' leader, Enrique Tarrio, was being used as a scapegoat for the former president and his allies in power. Another defense attorney argued that Trump had sold a lie to his followers when he called on them to march to the Capitol on January 6th, promising that it would "be wild." The Proud Boys and five of their members, including Tarrio, are facing numerous charges, including seditious conspiracy, in connection with the Capitol riot. Although three of the group's members were at the Capitol building, Tarrio was not physically present. If convicted, he will be the first person to be held responsible for the insurrection despite not being present on the scene. The prosecution has argued that the Proud Boys saw themselves as Trump's army in executing the assault, but the defense lawyers have rejected those allegations, calling them "ludicrous." Jury deliberations are set to begin today.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is facing a make-or-break moment as House Republicans prepare to vote on his bill to temporarily raise the debt ceiling and cut federal spending. While top Republicans are hoping to get the bill on the House floor as early as this week, there is growing concern that they will not be able to muster enough votes to pass the $4.5 trillion package. According to reports, several Republicans have expressed discomfort with environmental provisions in the bill, while others argue that work requirements imposed on federal social programs are too weak.

McCarthy is in a precarious position; if he can't deliver the necessary votes, Democrats might challenge him to prove he has the support needed to pass a proposal without their help. The pressure is mounting on McCarthy; even if the bill is dead on arrival in the Senate, a win for him would show that he can keep his narrow majority in line and pass significant legislation amid simmering tensions. On the other hand, defeat would compromise his leverage in negotiations with Democrats, who remain steadfast in their refusal to negotiate on the debt ceiling. As the deadline for the debt ceiling looms and the possibility of default threatens the economy, McCarthy's ability to unite and lead his party will be severely tested. |||||

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has ordered a new dress code mandating that all employees of the department follow it in a "manner consistent with their biological gender." The memo explicitly states that any employee violating this policy will be asked to leave and change, and if problems continue, can face remedies up to and including termination. The updated policy has been criticized by many as being discriminatory and violating anti-discrimination laws that bar employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Brian Klosterboer, ACLU attorney, has pointed out that there is no important governmental interest that the dress code can meet, and instead, it is designed to demean and discriminate against the agency's employees and make political statements. It is not clear if the decision to change the dress code began within Miller's office or if it resulted from a mandate from a higher authority. LGBTQ advocates have been fighting to impede various hostile legislation in Texas in recent months, including proposals to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender children.

Seven protesters were arrested on Monday for demonstrating in support of Montana lawmaker Rep. Zooey Zephyr, a transgender woman, who was refused the right to speak on a bill banning medical care for transgender minors. Supporters of Zephyr interrupted the Statehouse floor session, blowing whistles and chanting “Let her speak.” When Zephyr raised her microphone in solidarity, some protesters were escorted out by law enforcement. Zephyr’s remarks last week, that those who voted to ban gender-affirming care for youth would have "blood on their hands", incited the on-going standoff between the lawmaker and conservative lawmakers who say her comments are an “unprecedented attack on civil discourse”. The Montana Freedom Caucus of right-wing lawmakers is demanding Zephyr be censured or expelled, and continue to reinforce their discipline demands. Transgender youth are more likely to have suicidal tendencies or depression and are at less risk of these behaviors when they receive gender-affirming medical care, according to several studies.

Heather Maxine Barron, 33, and Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, have been sentenced to life in prison without parole by a Los Angeles court for the torture and murder of Barron's son, Anthony Avalos, who was 10-years-old when he died. The couple were convicted of first-degree murder and torture, after it was revealed that Avalos had been tortured for almost a week, with the abuse involving hot sauce being poured into his mouth, slamming him onto the floor, whipping him with a belt, and denying him access to the bathroom. On June 20, 2018, he was found unresponsive at their Mojave Desert home, and died later in the hospital due to blunt force trauma to the head. Seventeen relatives and witnesses testified during Tuesday's emotional sentencing hearing, with many expressing how Barron's actions had destroyed those who loved him. During the hearing, Barron wept quietly as family members detailed the impact of her actions. Prosecutors argued that the boy had been tortured over several days before his death. County child welfare officials received around 12 reports of suspected child abuse about the boy from 2013 to 2016, and some of the reports of abuse during this time had been substantiated.

Yosemite National Park has announced that it will close most of its areas due to the risk of flooding. The region saw massive snowfall which left more than 15 feet of snow in less than a month, closing Yosemite National Park last month. The Park will be closed until May 3 at the earliest, but may stay closed for longer, warns the National Park Service. The snowfall has also raised concerns over flooding as the snow melts. Yosemite National Park is no stranger to flood and drought cycles, in 2018 floodwaters covered Cook's Meadow in Yosemite Valley before years of drought took hold in much of California. However, with such vast amounts of snow still yet to melt, it raises concerns for increased flooding. Reports from San Joaquin and Owens valleys suggest that the heatwave expected this week could cause Sierra snowmelt and flooding in those areas. As part of the announced closure, immediate refunds will be given to those with lodging or campground reservations, which will be automatically canceled.

As President Joe Biden is expected to announce his re-election campaign soon, skeptics are once again raising concerns about his age. If he wins a second term, Biden will begin it at the age of 82, older than any previous U.S. President. Despite this, many Americans believe he stands a good chance of being re-elected, especially as he has already secured the Democratic nomination. Although Biden's approval rating has not been strong, he has achieved policy accomplishments such as steering the country out of the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing economic recovery. Regardless, concerns remain over whether he is too old to run for the presidency again. Some suggest the age issue could be resolved by tapping a successor, as Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway have done with Canadian Greg Abel. Whether or not Biden addresses these concerns, he has already overcome skepticism about his electability once before, becoming the oldest president ever elected to the U.S. presidency.

The mastermind behind the August 2021 ISIS bombing at Kabul airport has been killed by the Taliban, US officials report. The blast killed 13 US soldiers and at least 170 Afghan civilians as they tried to escape the country following the Taliban's rise to power. US officials, who did not release the name of the deceased, confirmed that intelligence gathering and monitoring of the region led to their determination that the individual was responsible for the bombing. How the man died and whether the Taliban were responsible or if he was killed during fighting between IS and the Taliban is not clear. The US learned of his death in early April. The Taliban's elimination of the militant leader follows criticism from the West that the Taliban has not done enough to suppress terrorist activity in Afghanistan. The US and its allies had warned of an imminent attack at Kabul International Airport by the Islamic State's Afghanistan branch, also known as IS-K, prior to the explosion.

The trial of former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four of his lieutenants went to the jury on Tuesday, with the group charged with seditious conspiracy among other charges in what has been one of the most serious cases related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. Federal prosecutors allege that the group had a desperate plot to keep Donald Trump in the White House after he lost the 2020 election. Attorneys for the Proud Boys argued that the group was prompted by Donald Trump. “Their commander-in-chief sold them a lie,” said Norm Pattis, an attorney for Joe Biggs. Lawyer for Enrique Tarrio argued that the group is being made a “scapegoat” for Trump. The defense argued that the defendants only went to Washington D.C. because of Trump. The Proud Boys members Ethan Nordean, Dominic Pezzola and Zach Rehl, along with Tarrio, are each facing at least nine counts, including seditious conspiracy. Jurors are set to begin deliberating on Wednesday.

CNN has announced that it has parted ways with longtime host Don Lemon. The CEO of CNN, Chris Licht, thanked Lemon for his “contributions over the past 17 years” and pledged that the company will continue to support the success of its morning show. The reasons behind Lemon’s departure are yet to be confirmed, but his loss comes just months after he made inappropriate comments about former Republican governor Nikki Haley. During an episode of “CNN This Morning,” Lemon questioned whether Haley, 51, was fit to run for president, stating that prime age for women was their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Lemon later expressed regret for these comments, but they are part of a wider problem of male TV figures making sexist remarks about powerful women. CNN has not yet released any information on Lemon’s replacement or his future plans.

President Joe Biden announced his reelection bid on Tuesday, despite his current approval rating being only 42.5%, according to FiveThirtyEight's average. While there is no correlation between approval ratings for presidents seeking reelection at this same point relative to the general election, approval ratings correlate strongly to actual vote margins by Election Day. The challenge for Biden is that approval ratings simply don't move as much as before. Since 2010, approval ratings have been sharply and consistently polarized on partisan lines, where a president's party views them positively and the opposing party views them negatively. Most undecided movement comes down to how independents feel. If the trend in correlation between approval ratings and final vote margins since Truman holds fast, a 42.5-percent approval rating for Biden on Election Day 2024 would be expected to result in a half-point loss in the popular vote.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has turned down an invitation to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss Supreme Court ethics rules. In a letter, Roberts stated that appearance before the committee was “exceedingly rare” and could be considered a risk to judicial independence. This letter came after Senator Richard J. Durbin invited the chief justice to testify in light of revelations of unreported gifts, travel, and real estate deals between Justice Clarence Thomas and Republican donor Harlan Crow.

Roberts included an appendix of the relevant laws that apply to judicial disclosures and a “statement of ethics principles and practices” signed by all nine Justices. The signed statement insists that existing rules around gifts, travel, and other financial interests are sufficient. The Justices also wrote that they would look to “judicial opinions, treatises, scholarly articles, disciplinary decisions, and the historical practice of the court and the federal judiciary” to help resolve ethical questions.

This decision to decline the invitation points to an ongoing debate over Supreme Court ethics and transparency. The statement from Chief Justice Roberts and the other eight justices comes amid increased scrutiny over unreported real estate deals and private travel arrangements made by Justice Thomas. The Senator Durbin controversy highlights the difficulties faced by Congress in bringing about bipartisan agreement for reform that the Justices themselves do not want.

As the deadline to raise the debt ceiling approaches, analysts warn that if the United States fails to reach an agreement, it could result in another U.S. recession. With the Republicans proposing a new plan that would reduce federal spending and President Biden firmly against any negotiations, there seems to be no resolution in sight. As a result, some on Wall Street have started to consider the possibility of a default, and the increasing uncertainty is leading investors to become "on edge." This panic is in contrast to the 2011 fight between the Conservatives and President Obama, which also involved using the debt ceiling to seek spending cuts; it cost taxpayers over $1 billion and saw a downgrade in U.S. credit, precipitating a decline in the stock market. Fitch Ratings, a leading credit rating agency, has warned that another standoff could further erode confidence in Washington and its ability to pay, ultimately affecting the sovereign credit profile. If the debt ceiling remains unaddressed, it may cause even more problems and the United States risks facing economic and financial instability.

Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno's knee-on-knee hit with Dallas Stars' Radek Faksa earned him a game misconduct and a five-minute major penalty just over two minutes into Game 5 on Tuesday night. Faksa remained facedown on the ice for a while after the hit but returned to the game midway through the first period. The major penalty was upheld after officials reviewed the play, and the Stars scored eight seconds later on Tyler Seguin's power-play goal. This was the second time in the series that Foligno committed a penalty, which led to two of Seguin's goals in Game 4, which Dallas ultimately won to even the series. With the 5-4 loss in Game 5, the Wild face elimination in the next game. The team will need to step up as the series continues in order to give themselves a chance to advance to the second round.

Carolina Hurricanes' forward, Teuvo Teravainen, suffered a broken hand during Game 2 against the New York Islanders and will require surgery, according to head coach Rod Brind'Amour. Although he finished his shift just after taking a slash on his left hand from Jean-Gabriel Pageau, he did not return to the ice. Pageau was not penalized on the play. Losing Teravainen is a serious blow to Carolina, who already lost offseason acquisition and core forward Cedric Paquette. The series is now looking even more promising for the Hurricanes, who have taken a 2-0 lead. Brind'Amour expressed dissatisfaction with the non-call on Pageau and believes that it was responsible for sidelining Teravainen for the rest of the series. Brind'Amour was quoted as saying, “I'm a little (ticked), to be honest with you." The Islanders put up a better fight in this game, but the Hurricanes’ Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns proved the difference makers in the game. Although they lost Teravainen, Carolina still has enough talent, smarts, speed, and hunger to dispose of the Islanders in five or six games of this series.

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.

The Minnesota Timberwolves had a lackluster start to their Western Playoffs series with a 109-80 loss against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. Despite coming off a convincing 120-95 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Play-in Tournament, the Timberwolves were unable to recover from a slow start on Sunday night. Karl-Anthony Towns, the team's franchise player, had an off night with just 11 points on 5-of-15 shooting and was 1-of-7 from the perimeter. To make matters worse, virtually everyone on the team struggled offensively in what was one of their worst games of the season. Despite the loss, Towns remained optimistic, saying, "gotta flush it, just move onto the next one. It's fine. It's a series, so we've got to move on and get ready for the next one." With Game 2 coming up, the Timberwolves know that they need to bounce back quickly if they want to stand a chance against the Nuggets.

Legendary NBA player and sports analyst Charles Barkley surprised Inside the NBA viewers during halftime of Game 4 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves by stating, "I was watching hockey on TBS; I'm not gonna lie. This game is boring as hell." Barkley, who is known to be a big fan of the NHL, has shown support for the league and made appearances in the hockey studio throughout the year. He also previously admitted to watching the NHL playoffs during the 2018 NBA playoffs, stating: "Thank God for the NHL playoffs. That's what I would be watching in the back instead of some of these blowouts." While the NBA playoffs have been criticized by viewers and experts alike, the NHL playoffs have been nothing short of exciting with unpredictable matches and physical play. Barkley’s comments on hockey during the NBA halftime show have been praised by hockey fans, but some have also criticized him for being rude. Nevertheless, many appreciate Barkley's love and respect for hockey as a sport.

Tigres and Puebla will face each other in a crucial match for Liga MX qualification on Saturday night at the Universitario stadium. With only one point in their last 5 games, Tigres is in seventh place and has yet to secure qualification for the knockout phase of the Clausura tournament. Despite their recent struggles, Tigres is still favored to win the match against Puebla due to their more qualified squad, which includes players like Gignac, Rafael Carioca, and Luis Quinones. However, Puebla has shown a good ability to play on the counterattacks, recently beating Juarez 2-0 while playing away from home. With a chance to enter the group of 12 clubs with a win, Puebla will be looking to capitalize on Tigres' current bad form. The match is expected to be a close and decisive one for both clubs. Fans can catch the match on Thursday, April 20th, at 10:05 pm ET, and bettors can take advantage of the moneyline odds offered by TUDN.

The Carolina Hurricanes are waiting to hear the status of forward Jack Drury, who left Game 4 against the New York Islanders with an upper-body injury. Drury took a hit from behind by Ryan Pulock of the Islanders, resulting in a minor penalty that gave the Hurricanes a five-on-three advantage, which they capitalized on. While Drury did walk out with the team after the game, his status for Game 5 remains uncertain. The Hurricanes have already been plagued with injuries to their forward group, losing Andrei Svechnikov for the season and Teuvo Teravainen to a broken hand in Game 2. If Drury is unable to play in Game 5, coach Rod Brind'Amour will have to shuffle his already depleted forward lines again, and may even need to play seven defensemen. The Hurricanes are hoping to claim a rare road playoff win in Game 4 and close out the Islanders in Raleigh during Game 5, giving them time to recuperate before a second-round matchup with the New York Rangers or New Jersey Devils.

After three quarters of Game 4, Michael Porter Jr. was looking like a non-factor in the Nuggets-Timberwolves playoff matchup. However, MPJ caught fire in the fourth quarter, scoring two difficult 3-pointers that helped the Nuggets force overtime. Despite Porter's contributions, the Timberwolves held on to win 114-108 in overtime, denying the Nuggets' hopes for a playoff sweep. While some may wonder if Porter's sudden emergence in the fourth quarter made up for his earlier lack of presence, some praised the Nuggets' strategy against the Timberwolves. Reports noted that the Nuggets were supremely prepared for the matchup, with defensive coordinator Ryan Saunders and the advanced scouting staff working to prepare several players for Minnesota's key offensive players. Despite the loss, the Nuggets remain determined to move forward in the playoffs. "You gotta win 16 games to win a championship, and we're just taking it one game at a time," Porter said.