What began last week when Columbia University students refused to end their protest against Israel’s war with Hamas had turned into a much larger movement by Tuesday as students across the nation set up encampments, occupied buildings and ignored demands to leave.
U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by a federal agency Tuesday, though the rule is sure to be challenged in court.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that’s expected to face legal challenges and disrupt the lives of content creators who rely on the short-form video app for income. The TikTok legislation was included as part of a larger $95 billion package that provides foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel and was passed 79-18. On Wednesday the bill was signed by President Joe Biden, who has backed the TikTok proposal.
Tennessee House Republicans on Tuesday passed legislation to allow some trained teachers and school staff to carry handguns despite pleas from Democrats, students and gun-reform advocates to defeat the bill.
A top Hamas political official told The Associated Press the Islamic militant group is willing to agree to a truce of five years or more with Israel and that it would lay down its weapons and convert into a political party if an independent Palestinian state is established along pre-1967 borders.
The Biden administration issued final rules Wednesday to require airlines to automatically issue cash refunds for things like delayed flights and to better disclose fees for baggage or canceling a reservation. The Transportation Department said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays. Under current regulations, airlines decide how long a delay must last before triggering refunds. The administration is removing that wiggle room by defining a significant delay as lasting at least three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international ones.
Reggie Bush has his Heisman back. The Heisman Trust reinstated the former Southern California tailback as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner on Wednesday, citing fundamental changes in the structure of college athletics during the 14 years since Bush forfeited the trophy and the honor. Bush gave up his Heisman following an NCAA investigation that found he received what were impermissible benefits during his time with the Trojans. College football players are now allowed to profit from their work in many ways, and the Heisman Trust decided it was time to move past the conflict with one of the most exciting players in the sport’s history.
It’s April 23, 2024
President Joe Biden is marking Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar projects serving 900,000-plus households in low- and middle-income communities. He also plans to expand his New Deal-style American Climate Corps green jobs training program.
The House passed legislation Saturday that would ban TikTok in the United States if the popular social media platform’s China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake within a year, but don’t expect the app to go away anytime soon.
All five members of the Spice Girls have reunited, just perhaps not as you'd expect. On Saturday night, Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Geri Horner and Melanie Chisholm, better known as Posh, Scary, Baby, Ginger and Sporty Spice, came together to celebrate Victoria's 50th birthday in London. The bandmates partied like it was 1997, performing their classic song, Stop.
Tesla has cut its prices again in a number of major markets - including the US, China and Germany - as the electric car giant run by multi-billionaire Elon Musk faces falling sales. The move comes after it reported a sharp fall in its global vehicle deliveries in the first three months of this year. A price war has been intensifying between electric vehicle (EV) makers, with particularly fierce competition coming from Chinese firms. Tesla is due to report financial results for the first quarter of 2024 after the US market close on Tuesday.
Huw Edwards, news reader for the BBC has been fired. The newsreader, who joined the BBC as a trainee in 1984, had been suspended since July over allegations in The Sun that he paid a young person £35,000 and received explicit pictures.
Minnesota legislators have a novel take on banning books, they are pursuing a prohibition on all book banning across the state. If passed it will be the first of its kind in the nation.
Both the New York Knicks and the Denver nuggets won their second game in the NBA playoffs on Monday night with last minute heroics. They each take a 2-0 lead in the best of seven playoff.
Weekend Edition April 20-21, 2024
After nearly 200 prospective jurors were screened by the judge, Trump’s lawyers and Manhattan prosecutors, a total of 12 New Yorkers and six alternates were selected Friday to hear the first criminal case of any former U.S. president. Trump is accused of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money deal with an adult film actress ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty.
Taylor Swift released a double album of new music, The Tortured Poets Department is the pop superstar's eleventh studio album; it's also her first album of new music since 2022's Grammy-winning Midnights. It immediately became the top streamed album on all streaming platforms and set various streaming and sales records.
Apple pulls, Threads, What’s app, Telegram and Signal from AppStore in China after being ordered to do so by the Chinese government, which claimed national security concerns.
In the NBA, the Miami heat earned the 8th spot in the east by beating the Chicago Bulls, and the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Sacramento kings for the 8th seed in the west. Both teams will face their respective 1st seed team in the first found of playoffs. For Miami, that will be the Boston Celtics, and for New Orleans, it will be the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Speaker Mike Johnson has ushered a necessary rule through congress, with and expected Saturday vote on package of bills that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The package totals $95.3 billion in spending, which matches the total that the Senate passed in mid-February.
Earlier in the week, the University of Southern California canceled a commencement speech by its 2024 valedictorian, a Muslim student who has expressed support for Palestinians, citing substantial security risks for the event that draws 65,000 people to campus. Later in the week they canceled the commencement speaker and several honorary degrees that had been planned as protested continued over the initial decision.
The cauldron atop the Acropolis was lit with Paris 2024 Olympic torch as relay arrives in Greek capital. Retired Greek 400-meter hurdles champion Periklis Iakovakis lit a cauldron with the Paris 2024 Olympic flame in front of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis in rainy Athens on Friday.
It’s April 19, 2024
They seem to be going backwards in seating jurors for the trump “hush money” case. A second seated juror was dismissed early, making a 5 seated jurors. An additional 7 were seated by end of day for the total of 12, with 6 alternates yet to be found.
Joe Biden had gained endorsements from 15 democratic stalwarts in the Kennedy family, this is believed to be aimed at marginalizing the candidacy of Robert F Kennedy who is running as an independent.
In the NBA The Philadelphia 76’rs defeated the Miami Heat to gain the 7th seed position in the eastern conference. Later the Chicago Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks. The Heat and Bulls will play Friday to see who will earn the 8th and final seed and the opportunity to play Boston in the playoffs on Sunday.
Dickey Betts passed away on Thursday. Co-founder of the Allman Brothers band, who wrote some of their biggest hits such as “Ramblin’ Man” was 80 years old. Had been battling cancer and CPOD for more than a year. Betts shard lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the orignal band and created the multi-Guitar “southern rock” sound.
The Israeli military has conducted missile strikes against Iran, a senior U.S. military official told NPR on Thursday. There are also reports of explosions in Iraq and Syria.
Millions of Indians began voting Friday in a six-week election that’s a referendum on Narendra Modi, the populist prime minister who has championed an assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics and is seeking a rare third term as the country’s leader.
The Lyrid meteor shower is underway. But with a nearly full moon in the sky during the peak, it might be tough to see clearly. The Lyrids occur every year in mid-to-late April. This year’s peak activity happens Sunday into Monday, with 10 to 20 meteors expected per hour. Viewing lasts through April 29.
It’s April 18, 2024
The Baltimore bridge accident may be a sign of bigger problems. The Washington Post reports that 424 cargo ships longer than 600 feet reported losing propulsion — meaning the engines were shut down — in U.S. waters over the past three years. Roughly one every 2 1/2 days.
Senate Democrats successfully voted to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, just hours after the trial formally opened.
Arizona Republicans on Wednesday blocked a vote to repeal an 1864 abortion ban that the state Supreme Court revived last week, bucking former President Donald Trump’s pleas to overturn the law instead siding with the state’s influential anti-abortion lobby.
Paul McCartney’s son James and John Lennon son Sean have teamed up to record “Primrose Hill” an acoustic ballad cowritten by the two and available on streaming services.
Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled a long-awaited package of bills that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The package totals $95.3 billion in spending, which matches the total that the Senate passed in mid-February.
Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert Wednesday after eruptions at Ruang mountain sent ash thousands of feet high. Officials ordered more than 11,000 people to leave the area. The volcano on the northern side of Sulawesi island had at least five large eruptions in the past 24 hours, Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation said. Authorities raised their volcano alert to its highest level.
Stephen Curry will make his Olympic debut for team USA after he was named to the 12-man roster for this summer's Olympics in Paris. Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).
It’s April 17, 2024
Joseph Fischer spent about four minutes inside the capital building on Jan. 6th, and was charged with seven criminal charges, including a felony count of obstructing an official proceeding. Fischer has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial, but first his case will be heard at the Supreme Court, which on Tuesday will consider his claim that the obstruction of Congress charge is illegitimate. If the court agrees, it could reverse hundreds of Jan. 6 prosecutions—including Trump’s.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a motion Tuesday seeking to hold former President Trump in contempt for alleged violations of his partial gag order in the New York criminal case. Prosecutors in the Tuesday filing pointed to recent posts the former president made on his Truth Social account "attacking two known witnesses — Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels," per the filing. Additionally, 7 jurors have been selected with 11 more needed to cover the jury and alternates
Whitey Herzog, former Cardinals, and Royals manager and Baseball Hall of Famer has died. Herzog, whose managerial work helped the Cardinals win the World Series in 1982 (and appear in two others), and whose name became synonymous with 1980s baseball, died on Tuesday. He was 92.
The University of Southern California has canceled a commencement speech by its 2024 valedictorian, a Muslim student who has expressed support for Palestinians, citing substantial security risks for the event that draws 65,000 people to campus.
Despite her record-breaking performance in the NCAA and the energy that she’s generated for the sport, Clark’s base salary will be $76,535 as a rookie. In the NBA, meanwhile, the first draft pick is expected to make roughly $10.5 million in base salary their first year.
In the NBA the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans to secure the 7th seed in the western conference of the nba playoffs. The Pelicans will next play the Sacramento kings for the 8th seed. The Kings defeated the San Francisco Warriors in the second game of the evening for the chance to play on.
A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings Tuesday, destroying about half of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange and collapsing its iconic dragon-tail spire. Passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables.
BONUS: on this day in 1961 1,400 Cuban exiles land in the Bay of Pigs in a doomed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro
It’s April 16, 2024
Caitlyn Clark was as expected drafted by the Indiana fever of wnba, on Monday.
Billy Joel broadcast his 100th consecutive sellout show live from Madison square garden on Sunday night on cbs, but the network started it late due to the masters coverage, and then abruptly ended the broadcast in the middle of his piano man song angering the artist. In a follow up, CBS apologized, and vows to rerun the concert in its entirety.
No jurors were chosen on the first day of Donald trumps trial for misuse of campaign funds. The jury selection will continue tomorrow.
After a loosening of apples App Store policies, an emulator for an original game boy was posted online and then promptly removed. Apple stated that it allowed unlicensed games to be played in violation of Apple Store policies
Us alliances in the Middle East provided intelligence about Iranian attack plans making defense of Israeli positions possible
As the fbi criminal investigation into the Baltimore bridge collapse a victims body was recovered.
The state of California has filed suit against the city of Huntington Beach’s policy of requiring ID to vote, claiming it is in violation of state election laws.
It’s April 15, 2024
It is tax day here in the US. Everyone has to have their taxes filed by today or risk penalties.
The first of several trials against Former president Donald Trump has begun. This one is to determine if campaign funds were used illegally to pay porn actress stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an affair with Donald trump.
Justice Thomas was missing from Mondays Supreme Court session with no explanation given
In golf the master tournament wrapped up on Sunday with Scottie Scheffler winning, Tiger woods made his record breaking 24 consecutive weekend cut but followed that with his worst round of golf as a professional, finishing far back of the lead.
The NBA finished its regular season on Sunday, with playin games starting on Tuesday. Playoffs begin in earnest on the weekend.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked access to three Chicago O’Hare airport terminals today causing delays at one of the busiest airports in the country.
FBI agents have boarded the cargo ship that caused the Baltimore bridge collapse, they are investigating electrical issues that may have lead to the crash.
Bonus On this day in 1912 the titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean