The Bulletin
World in Brief
Welcome to the Bulletin,
Alvin Bragg's fundraising: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has raised a whopping amount since indicting former President Donald Trump over the payments that his 2016 presidential campaign made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Here's how much he has raised. Read more about Trump's trial below.
Sydney stabbing: Australian police said Monday that the attacker who killed six people in a rampage at a Sydney mall on Saturday may have been targeting women. All victims have been identified. What we know about the incident.
Tax Day is here: Today, many Americans will file their taxes since it is the deadline nationwide to either submit your tax return or ask for an extension. Here's the extension deadline if you don't file it.
Social Security update: On April 17, Social Security recipients are expected to begin receiving monthly disbursements of up to $4,873. Find out if you qualify.
Biden touts $40 Billion investment: President Joe Biden has touted a deal with Samsung to build new semiconductor chip plants in Texas. Find out more.
In the ongoing war in Ukraine, Two Russian commanders have been dismissed for their failures to recapture southern parts of Ukraine that were lost during Kyiv's counteroffensive last summer, according to pro-Kremlin sources.
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Iran Issues Fresh Threat to U.S.
Iran has warned Israel of a larger attack should it retaliate against its drone and missile assault, adding that U.S. bases would be targeted if Washington supports Israel in any military operation against Tehran.
Why it matters: Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday in response to an April 1 strike that killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals. According to Reuters, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Sunday that Iran gave neighboring countries and the United States 72 hours' notice it would launch the strikes. However, U.S. officials say no warning was given.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Iran Defends 'Right to Self-Defense' Over Israel Attack
Video Shows Israeli Air Defense Intercepting Iran's Drones
MAGA Launches Blistering Attack on Joe Biden After Iranian Strikes
TL/DR: The chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces warned that U.S. bases would be targeted if Washington supports Israel in any military operation against Tehran.
What happens now? Israeli minister Benny Gantz emphasized that Israel is still deciding its response and will "exact the price from Iran in the fashion and timing that is right for us." Israel's war cabinet is scheduled to meet today to discuss its response, an Israeli official told CNN. The attack has heightened concerns about the Gaza conflict destabilizing the region. However, Iran insists it does not desire a full-scale regional war, according to the Associated Press. A U.S. official stated that Biden has informed Israel that the United States will not participate in any Israeli retaliatory actions, according to Reuters.
Deeper reading Iran Issues Fresh Threat to U.S.
Trump Rages at Judge Before Criminal Trial Starts
Donald Trump has lashed out at the "totally conflicted" judge overseeing the former president's falsifying business records case right before his historic criminal trial starts. In a post on Truth Social on Sunday night, Trump hit out at New York Judge Juan Merchan while also suggesting he will be "fighting for myself but, much more importantly, I will be fighting for our Country."
Why it matters: Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to so-called "hush money" he arranged for his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep an alleged affair she and Trump had a secret ahead of the 2016 election. He has denied having an affair with Daniels. The money was listed in Trump's company records as "legal fees," which prosecutors suggest was part of an unlawful attempt to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential race.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Donald Trump Can Eliminate 10 Jurors Without Explaining Why
How Do You Try Donald Trump? A Former Judge Weighs In | Opinion
Donald Trump Will Be 'Convicted' Due to One Piece of Evidence—Legal Analyst
TL/DR: Trump attacks Judge Juan Merchan online ahead of becoming the first former U.S. president in history to stand in a criminal trial.
What happens now? The proceedings in New York, which begin today with jury selection, will be the first time in U.S. history that a former president has gone on trial to face criminal charges, and could also be a major factor in determining who wins the 2024 election between Trump and Biden. Trump also faces three other state and federal trials over his alleged criminal attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, as well as his hoarding of classified documents and alleged attempt to obstruct the federal attempt to retrieve the sensitive materials from his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Deeper reading Donald Trump Rages at Judge Before Court Appearance
How Biden is Building a Battleground State Advantage Over Trump
President Biden's reelection prospects looked bleak at the start of the year, but the 2024 race with Donald Trump has tightened in recent weeks as the Biden campaign ramps up early organizing in key battleground states.
Why it matters:Inside the Democratic Party, there's growing confidence a superior campaign operation could help Biden overcome historically low job approval ratings and persistent public concerns about his age and fitness for office. The Biden campaign's staff and infrastructure advantage over Trump is perhaps most obvious in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—three states that shaped the outcome of the last two presidential elections and will be closely contested again in 2024. However, both sides recognize challenges, including Biden's lower job approval and concerns about his age, while Trump's media presence could offset infrastructure disparities.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Joe Biden Gets Poll Boost in Key Swing State
Republicans Get Warning Sign in State Trump Won
Former Trump Campaign Staffer Says He Lost Her Vote: 'I'm Out'
TL/DR: Democrats are hopeful a superior Biden campaign operation could help the president overcome historically low job approval ratings and questions about his age.
What happens now? Despite recent gains following his State of the Union address, Biden's narrow lead over Trump in some polls doesn't secure the 2024 election, with most showing he still trails when third-party candidates are included. Trump's challenges may increase due to Republican backing for state-level abortion bans, which could alienate moderate suburban voters.
Deeper reading Donald Trump is Falling Behind Joe Biden in Battleground State Campaigning
Republicans Reportedly Cancel Multiple Bills
Republicans in the House of Representatives have reportedly canceled several planned bill hearings to instead focus on a response to Iran's attack on Israel, according to Fox News's Chad Pergram.
Why it matters:Last week, it was announced that Republicans were proposing six bills that focus on rules around household appliances on April 15, following regulation from President Joe Biden's administration. These bills, including the Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act and the Refrigerator Freedom Act, seek to prohibit the Secretary of Energy from enforcing energy-conservation standards for various household appliances that are not cost-effective or seem technologically unfeasible. Despite being listed on the House of Representative's website, the House is reportedly canceling them to put 17 bills on the floor instead to show support for Israel in response to Iran's attack.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Republicans Push 'Refrigerator Freedom Act' as They Focus on Home Appliances
Republicans Just Killed Their Own Bill
MAGA Launches Blistering Attack on Joe Biden After Iranian Strikes
TL/DR: The GOP appears to be shifting planned bills centered on household appliances to focus on the situation in Iran.
What happens now? Pergram reported that one bill will ratchet up sanctions on Iran, and another will condemn the country for drone attacks over the weekend that Iran launched after an Israeli strike killed two Iranian generals earlier this month. Bills on Congress' website focusing on Iran include a three-page resolution by New Jersey Representative Tom Kean that declares that the House "stands with Israel."
Deeper reading Republicans Suddenly Cancel Multiple Bills
Hollywood's Ozempic Epidemic
Celebrities discussing their use of Ozempic to lose weight has increased its popularity, but the surge in demand has restricted access for those with diabetes.
Why it matters: Trilliant Health reports a 300% increase in demand for semaglutides like Ozempic and Wegovy from 2020 to 2022. While Novo Nordisk has no Ozempic supply issues in the U.S., Wegovy has encountered problems. These drugs, costing over $1,000 monthly without insurance, may cause stomach issues and serious psychiatric effects, including anxiety and depression, as noted in a study by the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, though Novo Nordisk denies these claims.
Read more in-depth coverage:
People Are Using a Diabetes Drug for Weight Loss and It Seems to Be Working
Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy Linked to Severe Gut Problems: Study
Ozempic 'Fatal Outcomes' Study Raises Serious Concern
TL/DR: The diabetes medication is all the rage among Hollywood celebrities, subsequently presenting a host of issues.
What happens now? Nearly 40% of U.S. adults and 20% of children are obese, with over 38 million Americans diabetic, according to CDC data. The popularity of these drugs used for weight loss makes it inevitable that a young audience will soon view this as the standard way to slim down, Psychiatrist Carole Lieberman told Newsweek. "Rather than simply eat a healthy diet, some kids develop eating disorders, and others [could] beg their parents for Ozempic," she said.
Deeper reading Hollywood's Ozempic Epidemic
Ten Years Since Chibok—Nigeria Will No Longer Pay the Price | Opinion
By Bola Tinubu
President of Nigeria
Ten years ago today, 276 girls were abducted in the night from their school in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria. The attack by Boko Haram pricked the conscience of the world. From London to Washington, protesters held placards reading #BringBackOurGirls—the hashtag the girls' families had posted to pressure their idle government into action. It would take almost three weeks for then-Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan even to make a public announcement. Critical time had been lost.
When this March, 137 children were tragically taken from a school in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, the shadow of Chibok lay ever present. Why, Nigerians and the world asked, after the passage of a decade was such an atrocity still happening?
This time, unlike Chibok, the girls and boys were brought back a fortnight later, the security and intelligence agencies deployed immediately to rescue them. Nevertheless, legitimate concerns over kidnappings persist in Africa's most populous country. Success in Kaduna has brought families relief and praise for the military, yet the government bears no illusions: The scourge of kidnappings must be routed once and for all.
