The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Thursday that President Trump and Joe Biden will appear at next week's second presidential debate from "separate remote locations."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Thursday that President Trump and Joe Biden will appear at next week's second presidential debate from "separate remote locations."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Chauvin's defense attorney Eric Nelson opened his closing argument on Monday by reminding the jury that Derek Chauvin "does not have to prove his innocence."
Why it matters: The jury's verdict in Chauvin's murder trial is seen by advocates as one of the most crucial civil rights cases in decades.
What he's saying: Nelson focused his remarks on two issues: determining Floyd's exact cause of death and arguing that if Chauvin's actions were an authorized use of force under his department's policy, then he would not have committed a crime. He argued that Floyd was actively resisting arrest, while prosecutors said Floyd was unable to comply.
Catch up quick: Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and third-degree murder for Floyd's death.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
In his first major speech, Attorney General Merrick Garland warned the nation Monday to remain vigilant against the rising threat of domestic extremism.
Why it matters: Domestic terrorism poses an "elevated threat" to the nation this year, according to U.S. intelligence. Garland has already pledged to crack down on violence linked to white supremacists and right-wing militia groups.
What he's saying: Addressing a memorial service in Oklahoma City for victims of the U.S.'s most deadly act of domestic terrorism, Garland said the FBI warned of "ongoing and heightened threat posed by domestic violent extremists" just last month, Politico reports.
Garland told lawmakers in February that "we are facing a more dangerous period than we faced in Oklahoma City."
Garland didn't mention the most recent case of high-profile domestic terrorism — the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
Steve Schleicher, an attorney for the prosecution in Derek Chauvin's trial, began closing arguments on Monday by describing in detail George Floyd's last moments — crying out for help and surrounded by strangers, as Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd for nine minutes and 29 seconds.
Why it matters: The jury's verdict in Chauvin's murder trial, seen by advocates as one of the most crucial civil rights cases in decades, will reverberate across the country and have major implications in the fight for racial justice.
What they're saying: "His name was George Perry Floyd Jr.," Schleicher began, as he summarized the stories witnesses told about Floyd's family and upbringing.
The big picture: "This case is called the State of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin. This case is not called the State of Minnesota v. the police. ... Policing is a noble profession," Schleicher said, addressing the arguments many have made about the wider implications of the case.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
Europe's biggest soccer clubs have established The Super League, a new midweek tournament that would compete with — and threaten the very existence of — the Champions League.
Why it matters: This new league, set to start in 2023, "would bring about the most significant restructuring of elite European soccer since the 1950s, and could herald the largest transfer of wealth to a small set of teams in modern sports history," writes NYT's Tariq Panja.
How it works: Instead of having to qualify for the Champions League each year, the 15 founding members would compete annually in the Super League, irrespective of their domestic league performance.
The response: UEFA responded to the threat by unanimously voting to revamp the Champions League with an expanded field (from 32 to 36) and more group stage games (from six to 10 per team).
The big picture: Europe's wealthiest clubs have long sought a better way to monetize their global popularity.
First-quarter earnings so far have been very strong, outpacing even the rosy expectations from Wall Street and that's a trend that's expected to continue for all of 2021. S&P 500 companies are on pace for one of the best quarters of positive earnings surprises on record, according to FactSet.
Why it matters: The results show that not only has the earnings recession ended for U.S. companies, but firms are performing better than expected and the economy may be justifying all the hype.
By the numbers: After a strong week of bank earnings last week, 81% of S&P 500 companies have reported a positive EPS surprise for Q1, on pace to tie the mark for the second-highest percentage of positive EPS surprises since FactSet started tracking the data in 2008.
The big picture: The big numbers in the first quarter are not expected to be an aberration. Analysts also predict double-digit earnings growth for the remaining three quarters of 2021 thanks to a combination of higher earnings and an easier comparison to 2020 as a result of the COVID-19-pandemic.
Yes, but: Only 9% of S&P 500 companies have reported earnings, and those have largely been in the banking sector, which has gotten a major boost from lower-than-expected loan losses.
What's next: This week will bring earnings reports from dozens of big names including Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, United Airlines, Intel and Netflix, with the Dow and S&P starting the week at record highs.
NASA successfully piloted the Ingenuity Mars helicopter for its first experimental flight on Monday, briefly hopping the aircraft as NASA's Perseverance rover collected data.
Why it matters: Ingenuity's short flight marks the first time a human-built aircraft has flown on a world other than Earth, opening the door to new means of exploring planets far from our own.
What they're saying: "We've been talking for so long about our Wright brothers moment. And here it is," project manager MiMi Aung told her team. “We can now say that human beings have flown a rotorcraft on another planet."
What to watch: Up to five more helicopter flights are planned, per AP — and if the test flights are successful, they "could lead the way to a fleet of Martian drones in decades to come."
"Wow!"
— NASA (@NASA) April 19, 2021
The @NASAJPL team is all cheers as they receive video data from the @NASAPersevere rover of the Ingenuity #MarsHelicopter flight: pic.twitter.com/8eH4H6jGKs
All 50 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, have now made U.S. adults over the age of 16 eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, meeting President Biden's April 19 deadline.
Why it matters: The landmark speaks to the increased pace of the national vaccination campaign, but will increase pressure on the federal government, states and pharmaceutical companies to provide adequate vaccine supply and logistics.
The state of play: Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont were the last states to make the vaccine available to all adults on Monday.
Between the lines: The U.S. is on pace to vaccinate 70% of its population by mid-June, according to the Times. But vaccine hesitancy and the lack of FDA-authorized vaccines for children could prove to be hurdles on the country's path to herd immunity.
Go deeper: White House pushing vaccine eligibility with media blitz
Minneapolis is waking up to images of an occupied city on Monday, as the city and the world await a verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial.
What it's like: Residents running errands, picking up dinner and heading to the dog park in recent days encountered heavily-armed National Guard troops stationed throughout the city.
The big picture: For months, officials and residents have braced for the possibility of more unrest at the culmination of the trial. Operation Safety Net, a centralized command of state and local law enforcement, was formed to prevent a repeat of the fires and looting that followed George Floyd's killing last summer.
What's happening: The police shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center has raised already heightened community tensions ahead of the verdict.
The other side: Top state law enforcement officials and leaders say the operation — and its actions in Brooklyn Center — are necessary to keep the peace and protect property.
Businesses, meanwhile, remain on edge after last year. Last week's "crime spree" targeting Twin Cities establishments further rattled many.
The bottom line: We don't know how long the jury deliberations will take. But expect tense days and weeks ahead.