Princess Kate's diagnosis prompts apologies and lottery jackpots hit $1.9 billion: Morning Rundown
Four men suspected of carrying out a deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall have appeared in court, the Kevin McCarthy-Matt Gaetz feud heats up months after the former speaker’s ouster. And Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots are now at a combined $1.9 billion.
Here’s what to know today.
Moscow mass shooting suspects appear in court injured
The four men accused of killing more than 130 people at a concert hall in Moscow appeared in court yesterday, some sporting significant injuries.
The men, all from the former Soviet state of Tajikistan, were charged with committing terrorist acts, according to court information.
Two men, including one described as an alleged shooter and accused of setting fire in the Crocus City Hall building, admitted guilt during the closed-door hearings, the court said. All four were ordered held through at least May 22, according to the court.
Several of the men appeared to be badly injured, with one appearing with a bandage over his ear, while another was wheeled into court in a wheelchair.
The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, though experts have warned it could be used to bolster Russia's war in Ukraine.
Read more:
A Russian long-range cruise missile heading for western Ukraine briefly entered Polish territory, prompting the country’s armed forces to launch “all necessary procedures.”
Kevin McCarthy-Matt Gaetz feud heats up months after the former speaker’s ouster
Kevin McCarthy, while speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” referenced a motion filed last week by Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene aimed at removing House Speaker Mike Johnson. McCarthy, who was voted out of the speakership last fall after Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz filed a similar motion, gave advice to the Republican conference — and dinged Gaetz.
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“The one advice I would give to the conference and to the speaker is: Do not be fearful of a motion to vacate,” McCarthy said. “I do not think they could do it again. That was surely based on Matt Gaetz trying to stop an ethics complaint.” Pressed about his reference to Gaetz, McCarthy elaborated, saying, “It was purely Matt coming to me trying, trying [to get] me to do something illegal to stop the Ethics Committee from moving forward in an investigation that was started long before I became a speaker.”
The House Ethics Committee opened a probe into Gaetz in 2021 to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against him and former New York Rep. Tom Reed, who resigned from Congress in 2022. Gaetz has not been charged with any crime, and he has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. The feud between Gaetz and McCarthy came to the forefront when Gaetz triggered the vote that led to McCarthy’s ouster. McCarthy maintained that Gaetz filed a motion to vacate because he refused to intervene in the ethics probe.
Princess Kate’s cancer treatment news sparks remorse from people who spread conspiracies online
Hundreds of people online spread conspiracy theories, posted memes and cracked jokes in an attempt to answer one question: Where is Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales?
But many people who had partaken in the online frenzy found themselves expressing regret after the princess broke her silence Friday, announcing she had been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Actor Blake Lively was among the first to make a statement online apologizing for her now-deleted Instagram post, a Photoshop joke inspired by the manipulated Mother’s Day photo released by Kensington Palace.
The questions around Kate’s whereabouts — and subsequent online remorse — underscore a pattern in which lack of information provides a perfect mix for people online to chase relevance on social media platforms, experts say. “Everybody’s trying to jump in to get a piece of the viral pie, so to speak,” said Jessica Maddox, an assistant professor of digital media technology at the University of Alabama.
The Kate news has also highlighted the strain between the public’s desire to know every detail about the royal family and the royals’ desire to keep their lives private.
Shohei Ohtani set to address media for first time since his interpreter was fired
Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani plans to speak to the media today for the first time since the illegal gambling and theft allegations involving him and his interpreter, Ippei Mizhuara, emerged during the team’s trip to South Korea. Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers when the team opened the season with two games against the San Diego Padres in Seoul.
Mizuhara was let go following reports from The Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and claims from Ohtani’s attorneys that the Japanese star had been the victim of a “massive theft.”
Read more on the alleged betting scandal:
The MLB launched an investigation into the gambling allegations surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter.
Who is Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara? Here’s what to know.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots at a combined $1.9 billion
Grab your tickets! The Powerball and Mega Millions Powerball jackpots are now at a combined $1.9 billion.
The lottery prizes swelled after no tickets matched all six numbers in drawings Friday and Saturday night. The Mega Millions jackpot grew to $1.1 billion and the Powerball jackpot rose to $800 million; the prizes were $977 million and $750 million respectively Wednesday night. The next Powerball drawing will be today — and if there’s a winner, it would be the sixth-largest prize in the game’s history, according to the company. There have been 35 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner since Jan. 1.
Politics in Brief
Congress: New Jersey's first lady Tammy Murphy announced that she is withdrawing from the Democratic Senate primary. The first lady’s campaign drew some criticism, with many frustrated by the optics of her husband, Gov. Phil Murphy, pushing his wife’s candidacy.
Meet the Press: Former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel said that she disagrees with former President Donald Trump’s plan to free those charged and convicted of crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Supreme Court: Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said it’s “possible” the Supreme Court could one day overrule its 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which itself overruled Roe v. Wade.
Pharmaceuticals: Vaccines, birth control pills, hormone therapies and fertility drugs would be subject to new litigation if the Supreme Court endorses a challenge to abortion pill mifepristone, according to pharmaceutical industry experts.
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Staff Pick: How a satirical headline sparked real coverage of a fake feud
Today, it’s more important than ever to check your sources: That’s the message Reba McEntire posted to Instagram in response to a bogus headline claiming she was beefing with Taylor Swift. Many news outlets reported on McEntire’s post as fact, suggesting she and Swift had squashed the imaginary beef. In reality, the headline McEntire shared was from a satire Facebook account run by Christopher Blair, a self-proclaimed professional troll.
— Kalhan Rosenblatt, internet culture reporter
In Case You Missed It
More than 20 million people from the West Coast to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula were under winter weather alerts over the weekend, with steady snow showers continuing through today.
Ruby Franke, a former YouTube family vlogger who was sentenced last month on child abuse charges, detailed months of abuse in journal entries released by prosecutors.
Airports laud the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding as a “game changer” for modernizing terminals but say it lags behind needs for upgrades.
Passengers of the Alaska Airlines flight that was forced to make an emergency landing when a door plug blew out midair got a letter from the FBI identifying them as victims of a possible crime.
Linda L. Bean, a granddaughter of outdoor retailer L.L. Bean. who became an entrepreneur, philanthropist and conservative activist died at age 82.
Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
A good quality phone case can only do so much to help you avoid a broken screen, but that’s where a screen protector comes in. Here’s what to look for in one and the best options to choose from.
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