Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress that some Democrats and a few Republicans are the main obstacle to stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. He praised President Donald Trump’s strong commitment to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons during a House Armed Services Committee hearing about the 2027 defense budget.
Key Facts
Pete Hegseth is the current U.S. Secretary of Defense.
He spoke at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the defense budget.
Hegseth said some Democrats and Republicans in Congress are blocking efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear development.
He called their words “reckless” and “defeatist.”
Hegseth praised President Donald Trump’s determination against Iranian nuclear weapons.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also testified at the hearing.
The hearing focused on the 2027 defense budget request of $1.5 trillion, the largest in many years.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The average price of gas in the U.S. has risen to $4.23 per gallon, driven by disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East. Inflation has reached a two-year high, mainly due to increases in fuel, food, and housing costs, which is linked to a drop in President Trump’s approval rating. Despite this, consumer confidence slightly improved in April, and job growth exceeded expectations.
Key Facts
The U.S. average gas price is now $4.23 per gallon, up from $2.98 before the war in Iran.
California has the highest gas price, nearly $6 per gallon, with several other states also above $5.
Inflation jumped to its highest level in two years in March, with gasoline prices rising 18.9% in one year.
Food prices increased by 2.9%, housing costs rose 3%, and electricity prices went up by 4.6% in the last year.
President Trump’s approval rating fell to its lowest point since he took office again in 2024. Only 22% approve of his handling of the cost of living.
Despite inflation, consumer confidence rose slightly to 92.8 in April, the highest so far this year.
Job growth in March was strong, with 178,000 new jobs added, more than twice expectations.
The unemployment rate stayed steady at 4.3% in March.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A director of Camp Mystic in Texas apologized after 25 campers and two counselors died in a flash flood last summer. The camp is under investigation for lacking proper emergency and evacuation plans, and its owners want to reopen the camp with new safety measures in place.
Key Facts
Camp Mystic is an all-girls Christian camp in Texas where 25 campers and two counselors died in a flash flood.
Edward Eastland, a camp director, apologized to families and said they tried hard to save the girls during the flood.
The flood happened when the Guadalupe River overflowed during heavy rain.
The camp had no strong evacuation plan or emergency drills before the disaster.
Investigators and lawmakers say the camp missed chances to move everyone to safety earlier.
Camp Mystic owners plan to reopen the camp in late May but only in areas that did not flood.
State regulators found 22 problems with the camp’s emergency plan before the reopening.
Some families and lawmakers are against reopening because they believe the camp is not prepared to keep children safe.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A gunshot was fired during the Secret Service's interaction with Cole Allen at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The bullet may have struck a cellphone kept in a bulletproof vest worn by an officer.
Key Facts
The incident took place at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Cole Allen was involved in the encounter with the Secret Service.
A gunshot was fired during this interaction.
The bullet possibly hit a cellphone inside an officer's bulletproof vest pocket.
The bulletproof vest was worn by a Secret Service officer.
Details were reported by two sources to CBS News reporter Nicole Sganga.
The event was covered by CBS News.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Sharon McMahon, a civics educator, was scheduled to speak at Utah Valley University’s graduation but the university withdrew her invitation after pressure from politicians and the conservative group Turning Point USA. The controversy arose because McMahon posted about Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist killed on the campus earlier, explaining his influence and why he faced opposition.
Key Facts
Sharon McMahon is a bestselling author and civics teacher known for her social media work and podcasts about government.
She was invited to give the graduation speech at Utah Valley University (UVU).
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was killed on the UVU campus last September.
McMahon posted on Facebook and Instagram shortly after Kirk’s death, explaining who he was and his impact.
Her Instagram post aimed to provide context for both supporters and people unfamiliar with Kirk.
Utah Senator Mike Lee led efforts on social media to pressure UVU to cancel McMahon’s speech.
The backlash included threats against McMahon, the school president, and university officials.
UVU canceled her invitation days before graduation due to the pressure campaign.
McMahon criticizes social media for encouraging outrage and division instead of understanding different views.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Liberal justices on the U.S. Supreme Court criticized a recent decision that limits the ability to use race as a factor in drawing voting districts. They said this ruling weakens the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a law designed to prevent racial discrimination in elections.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court made a decision restricting race-based redistricting.
Liberal justices disagreed strongly and wrote a 48-page dissenting opinion.
Justice Elena Kagan emphasized the importance of the Voting Rights Act for reducing racial discrimination.
The decision is seen as removing key protections from Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
The Voting Rights Act was originally passed in 1965 to protect minority voters.
The liberal justices described the ruling as a “demolition” of the law’s protections.
This case involves the balance between race considerations and election fairness.
The ruling will affect how voting districts are drawn in the future.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Senator Thom Tillis expressed hope that the Justice Department’s case against former FBI Director James Comey has strong evidence beyond a photo. Comey was charged again for allegedly threatening President Donald Trump after posting an image made with seashells.
Key Facts
Senator Thom Tillis is a Republican from North Carolina.
Tillis commented on the Justice Department's case against James Comey.
Comey faces new charges related to threatening President Trump.
The charges involve a photo of seashells arranged in a certain way.
Tillis questioned if the evidence is more than just symbolic or weak.
The incident and charges were reported on a Wednesday.
James Comey previously served as FBI Director.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Florida House approved a new congressional map proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis that would give Republicans up to four additional seats. The map now moves to the Florida Senate, where Republicans hold a strong majority, but some Republican senators oppose it.
Key Facts
The new map aims to increase Republican seats by up to four in Florida’s congressional delegation.
Currently, Florida has 20 Republican and 7 Democratic representatives, with one Democratic seat vacant.
The proposed map reduces or removes districts that favor Democrats in Tampa, Orlando, and parts of southeast Florida.
The Florida Senate, with a two-thirds Republican majority, will review the map next.
Three Republican senators on the Senate Rules Committee opposed the map, but seven Republican defections would be needed to block it.
The map redraws at least one majority Hispanic district in central Florida.
The Supreme Court recently limited a part of the Voting Rights Act requiring some states to make majority-minority districts.
Some say the map may violate Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment, a 2010 rule against unfair redistricting.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Rep. Lauren Boebert criticized a list of rules that House Speaker Mike Johnson gave to Congress members before King Charles III’s speech. The list described what members should and should not do during the British king’s visit and address to Congress.
Key Facts
Rep. Lauren Boebert represents Colorado and is a member of the Republican Party.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, provided Congress members with a list of guidelines for King Charles III’s visit.
The list included “do’s and don’ts” for members during the British king’s speech to Congress.
Boebert publicly criticized the British royal family related to these rules.
The event involved King Charles III giving a speech to the U.S. Congress.
A reporter asked Boebert her opinion about the king meeting with Congress members.
The article centers on U.S. political figures and their reaction to an international guest at Congress.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Pentagon’s acting chief financial officer told Congress that the U.S. military operation against Iran has cost $25 billion so far. Most of this money has been spent on ammunition.
Key Facts
The U.S. is involved in a military operation called Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
The cost of this war has reached about $25 billion.
The majority of the spending is on ammunition.
Jules Hurst III is the acting chief financial officer of the Pentagon.
He shared this information with the House Armed Services Committee.
The statement was made on a Wednesday during a congressional hearing.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress that Iran’s nuclear sites had been destroyed before the U.S. war began. Lawmakers questioned the timing of the attack and raised concerns about the war’s goals, costs, and effects on U.S. forces.
Key Facts
Pete Hegseth said Iran’s nuclear facilities were "obliterated" before the conflict started.
Democratic lawmakers questioned why an attack happened if the nuclear threat was already removed.
The hearing focused on the Pentagon’s proposed 2027 budget, which would reach $1.5 trillion.
The U.S. war with Iran began in February without congressional approval.
The conflict has cost around $25 billion so far.
Lawmakers want clear answers on the war’s purpose, results, and impact on soldiers and weapons.
Concerns include civilian casualties, depleted weapons, and Iranian drone attacks on U.S. forces.
A fragile ceasefire is in place, but the overall military and political plan is unclear.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review how the Justice Department released files related to Jeffrey Epstein. This is the second review after the department’s own inspector general began checking the matter last week.
Key Facts
The GAO is a government office that oversees how federal agencies follow laws.
Congress ordered the Justice Department to release certain files about Jeffrey Epstein.
The GAO will check if the Justice Department followed this order correctly.
The Justice Department’s inspector general started a separate review of the same files last week.
The GAO’s review confirms continued congressional interest in the case.
The focus is on the Justice Department’s handling and release of the Epstein-related documents.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was questioned by U.S. lawmakers for the first time since President Donald Trump began the war against Iran. Some Democrats argue the war is expensive and was started without the approval of Congress.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump launched a war against Iran.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced questions from U.S. lawmakers about the war.
This was Hegseth’s first congressional hearing related to the conflict.
Some Democrats disagree with the war, saying it is costly.
Democrats also say the war was started without Congress’s permission.
The hearing was covered by France 24 and is available for replay.
The conflict has been ongoing for nearly two months as of late April 2026.
The situation has caused concern related to U.S. government decisions and military actions.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case on whether President Donald Trump can end the temporary protected status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians living in the U.S. TPS is given when it is unsafe for people to return to their home countries. The court’s decision could affect over a million people from 17 countries.
Key Facts
TPS allows people from certain countries to stay in the U.S. temporarily if it is unsafe to return home.
The Trump administration ended TPS for Haitians and Syrians, arguing conditions in those countries have improved.
About 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians currently have TPS in the U.S.
Lawsuits accuse the Trump administration of ending TPS unfairly and possibly for racist reasons.
A U.S. judge ruled that ending TPS may have been motivated by racial bias against nonwhite immigrants.
The U.S. House passed a bill to extend TPS for Haitians until 2029, but the Senate has not voted on it.
The Trump administration has also tried to end TPS for people from other countries, with mixed court results.
The Supreme Court allowed the cancellation of TPS for Venezuelans to stand while legal battles continue.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a faith-based pregnancy center that challenged a New Jersey investigation into whether it gave misleading information to discourage abortions. The court said the investigation could violate the center’s free speech rights under the First Amendment.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court gave a unanimous ruling supporting First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a faith-based pregnancy center.
The center was being investigated by New Jersey for possibly misleading people to discourage abortions.
The court’s decision was about procedural rules related to the investigation and free speech rights.
The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, including religious expression.
Even the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which supports abortion rights, backed the center’s free speech claim.
The conservative-majority Supreme Court has recently made decisions favoring abortion opponents.
In 2022, the court overturned the nationwide right to abortion in a major case.
This ruling does not decide on abortion directly but on how investigations can affect speech rights.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal appeals court in New York refused to reconsider President Donald Trump's challenge to a legal verdict against him. The court upheld a $5 million reward to writer E. Jean Carroll for claims that President Trump sexually assaulted and defamed her.
Key Facts
E. Jean Carroll accused President Trump of sexual assault in the 1990s and defamation in 2022.
Carroll was awarded $5 million in damages after a nine-day trial in 2023.
President Trump denied the allegations and tried to replace himself with the U.S. government as the defendant, citing presidential immunity.
The appeals court rejected Trump’s attempts, saying these arguments were made too late in the process.
Judge Denny Chin emphasized that such a substitution would not be allowed for any defendant after the trial and judgment.
Another jury later awarded Carroll $83 million in damages in a separate trial.
The court declined to review the case with the full panel of judges (en banc).
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Virginia Supreme Court decided to keep a temporary order that stops the state from officially approving the results of a redistricting vote. This decision affects Democrats who wanted to reverse the earlier court ruling.
Key Facts
The Virginia Supreme Court is allowing a lower court’s order to stay for now.
The order stops Virginia from certifying the results of a redistricting referendum.
The Attorney General of Virginia, Jay Jones, is a Democrat.
Jay Jones asked the court to appeal the temporary blocking order.
The Supreme Court denied that request on Tuesday.
The decision is a setback for Democrats who hoped to challenge the order in court.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jimmy Kimmel highlighted a joke made by President Donald Trump about his own age and marriage during King Charles III’s visit to Washington. Kimmel’s audience reacted with cheers, while the comedian and president’s exchanges about jokes and firing demands have continued, reflecting ongoing tensions.
Key Facts
President Trump joked that he and First Lady Melania Trump would not be married as long as his parents were, referencing his age.
Jimmy Kimmel pointed out this joke on his show, noting the president’s earlier demand that Kimmel be fired for a joke about Melania Trump.
Kimmel previously made a joke about Melania Trump that led to criticism from the president and first lady.
The joke came during a speech at an official reception for King Charles III’s visit to Washington.
Melania Trump is 56 and President Trump is 79; they have been married for 21 years.
The National Religious Broadcasters Association filed a complaint with the FCC about Kimmel’s joke.
Disney, ABC’s parent company, confirmed it received a call-in for station license renewals linked to the dispute.
The tension between Kimmel and President Trump is part of a longer-running feud involving jokes about public figures.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Bryan Kohberger’s attorneys criticized a defense expert, Brent Turvey, for sharing confidential information about Kohberger’s case. Turvey, who was hired to give an opinion on the crime scene, claimed police mishandled evidence related to a knife sheath found at the crime scene.
Key Facts
Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to killing four University of Idaho students in 2023.
Kohberger’s defense team hired Brent Turvey solely for opinions about the crime scene.
Turvey signed a confidentiality agreement in October 2024, which he is accused of violating.
The defense lawyers say Turvey spoke about confidential topics beyond his area of expertise.
Turvey claimed police mishandled the chain of custody for a knife sheath linked to Kohberger.
He said evidence signatures were missing or falsified, which could have affected the prosecution.
Police and other experts disagreed, saying the evidence would still have been allowed at trial.
The case ended last summer after Kohberger pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said that if the elections were held in May, the Republican Party would lose. He advised GOP lawmakers to unite in promoting themes of affordability and peace to improve their chances.
Key Facts
Newt Gingrich is a former House Speaker and a Republican from Georgia.
He stated on Tuesday that Republicans would lose if elections happened in May.
Gingrich made these comments to the New York Times.
He urged Republican lawmakers to work together as the party focused on affordability and peace.
Gingrich’s remarks suggest concern about the party’s current standing with voters.
The term "midterm elections" refers to elections held halfway through a president’s term.
The GOP is the abbreviation for the Republican Party.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
