Tuesday, April 25 top stories
It is Tuesday, April 24. Here are today’s top stories.
Joe Biden announces 2024 reelection bid
President Joe Biden announced this morning in a video that he will run for re-election in 2024.
The video opened with scenes from the Jan 6. riot at the Capitol. Biden said the work of his first term was to fight for our personal freedoms. He said he is concerned that “MAGA extremists” around the country are cutting social security, dictating what health care decisions women can make, banning books, and telling people who they can love.
Biden said he is running for re-election to finish this job, to defend democracy. The video showed images of Vice President Kamala Harris, so she’s in the race as well.
ABC News said Biden is facing a difficult path because polls have shown that most Americans and most Democrats would prefer he not run again, with many citing his age as a major factor. Biden is 80 years old.
Biden may face Donald Trump in a rematch of the 2020 election if Trump wins the Republican nomination. Trump is facing several legal issues but he can still run for the presidency.
North Dakota bans almost all abortions
AP News said North Dakota on Monday adopted one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country that bans nearly all abortions.
The only exceptions would be abortions up to six weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, or medical emergency.
North Dakota Gov. Burgum said the law “reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state.”
AP said after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe vs Wade last year, at least 13 states have bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy and there are more states that want to do the same but they are on hold due to court injunctions.
AP said the new law in North Dakota will likely be challenged in court.
Packers trade Aaron Rodgers to Jets
The Green Bay Packers agreed to trade their star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets in a package that includes several draft picks.
ESPN said “For the Packers, it marks the end of an era. Rodgers, 39, a four-time NFL MVP, led them to 11 playoff appearances and one Super Bowl championship in 15 years as the starting quarterback.”
Many compared the trade to when the Packers traded Brett Favre to the New York Jets in 2008.
Montana transgender lawmaker silenced for third day
Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who is the first openly transgender woman elected to the Montana legislature, was forbidden from participating in debate for a third straight day as of Monday.
CBS News explained that the controversy started on Thursday when Zephyr spoke out in opposition to Republicans’ proposal to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Zephyr said if they voted in favor of it, she hoped they would see “blood on their hands” when they prayed. The Republican Speaker Regier said Zephyr’s comments violated decorum on the floor and refused to let her speak unless she apologizes. A group of Republicans called for a censure and referred to Zephyr with male pronouns, misgendering her.
Zephyr did not apologize for her “blood” remark and was not allowed to speak on Friday and Monday. Protesters showed up in the House on Monday and chanted “Let her speak!” Several protesters were arrested.
Zephyr said she is doing her job as an elected representative. This is the second major conflict to come up in a statehouse over controversial issues in recent weeks with the first being the expulsion of two lawmakers in Tennessee.
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SpaceX’s Starship caused massive damage at launch site
Last Thursday SpaceX launched the largest and most powerful rocket ever made, the Starship. It flew for about four minutes before exploding.
The launch pad was severely damaged by the power of the rocket’s blast. There is a huge crater at the site in Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the force of the rocket’s engines may have shattered the concrete. Experts said it may take several months to repair the launch pad. Musk said SpaceX was hoping to build a “massive water-cooled steel plate to go under the launch mount” but didn’t finish it in time for last week’s launch but hopes to have one for the next one.
Another major issue with the launch is that it caused sand- and ash-like particulate matter to be kicked up and spread across several miles to communities where people live. It may cause respiratory issues and harm animals who live in the area.
Trump on trial in E. Jean Carroll lawsuit case
CBS News said jury selection is scheduled to begin today in a civil trial stemming from a lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll against Donald Trump. Carroll, who is an advice columnist and author, said Trump raped her in a store in New York City in the mid-1990s.
When Carroll shared her story in 2019, Trump said the story was false and that she spread lies to get publicity. Carroll sued Trump for defamation in 2019, but that did not progress quickly due to legal issues about suing sitting presidents.
In November 2022, Carroll filed a second lawsuit against Trump, alleging defamation and battery under a New York State law. That case is now going on trial and may last about a week.
Trump previously said he’s never met Carroll, that she is not his type, and that he is being targeted because he’s Trump.
It is unlikely that Trump will attend the trial in person and he is not required to show up in person because it is a civil case. Carroll is seeking monetary damages and for Trump to retract his statements about her.
Sudan cease-fire
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken announced that the Sudanese military and a warring group called RSF have agreed to a 72-hour cease-fire beginning at midnight on Monday.
Blinken said the U.S. would continue to work with Sudanese leaders to implement a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements.
That’s all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/joe-biden-running-reelection-2024-setting-trump-rematch/story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChjibtX0UzU
https://apnews.com/article/abortion-north-dakota-six-week-ban-2bccde2925d30dd4772aaed84f3c2d98
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/36282465/sources-packers-trade-aaron-rodgers-jets-multiple-picks
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zooey-zephyr-montana-transgender-lawmaker-silenced/
https://news.yahoo.com/giant-spacex-rocket-leaves-crater-014055008.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/e-jean-carroll-lawsuit-against-trump-defamation-battery-trial-tuesday/
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/25/politics/e-jean-carroll-trump-defamation-trial/index.html
https://www.axios.com/2023/04/24/sudan-ceasefire-burhan-military-rsf-hemedti-blinken