Here are the top stories for April 30th.
Headlines
Supreme Court Hands Down Major Redistricting Ruling
The Supreme Court opened the door for another round of redistricting, ruling that congressional districts drawn on the basis of race were unconstitutional. See Details
Vice President J.D. Vance repeatedly questioned whether the Pentagon was providing President Trump with an accurate appraisal of the war with Iran. See Details
Jerome Powell will remain on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors after his term as chairman ends on May 15. President Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell for not supporting interest rate cuts that Trump favors. Source
Politics
Florida Republicans approved a new Congressional map that redrew four Democratic-held seats to favor the GOP. Find out More
House Republicans passed a rule allowing an extension of Section 702 of the FISA Act, funding for ICE, and the Farm Bill to come to the floor for a final vote. Source
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the House for the first time since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began. Members questioned Hegseth over the conflict’s roughly $25 billion cost, the munitions drawdown, and the plan to end the conflict; he is set to face the Senate today. See Details
U.S. News
Conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the administration’s argument that it holds authority to cancel humanitarian protections for Haitian and Syrian nationals currently in the United States. Find out More
Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a U.S. special forces soldier, entered a not-guilty plea in federal court in New York to charges that he used classified details about the mission to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to win more than $400,000 on the prediction market Polymarket. See Details
A federal jury found an Afghan man guilty of terrorism-related offenses but declined to link him to the deaths that occurred at Kabul airport, in a case that drew significant attention amid ongoing scrutiny of the 2021 withdrawal. Source
Business
Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft all topped analyst expectations for the first quarter; Alphabet soared after-hours on strong Google Cloud results, Amazon rose, while Meta fell roughly 6% on elevated AI spending plans, and Microsoft rose after reporting its AI business now has a $37 billion annual revenue run rate, up 123% year-over-year. Read More
The FOMC’s 8-4 decision to hold rates at 3.5%–3.75% is the most divided Fed vote in over three decades; three dissenting members objected to language suggesting the next move would be a cut, leaving open the possibility of a rate hike later in 2026 if inflation worsens. See Details
The U.S. government said companies will receive the first tariff refunds on May 11. The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, saying Trump exceeded his authority to impose the duties under his emergency authority. Source
World News
President Trump praised the UAE’s decision to leave OPEC. The UAE’s departure — effective Friday — removes OPEC’s third-largest producer and is widely seen as a step toward a more competitive global oil market, though near-term supply remains constrained by the ongoing war. Find out More
The European Commission found in a preliminary investigation that Meta is breaching the Digital Services Act by failing to prevent children under 13 from accessing Instagram and Facebook, citing inadequate age-verification and an ineffective removal process. See Details
Britain’s King Charles III departed Washington for New York City on Wednesday — where he will pay respects at the 9/11 memorial — after becoming the first British monarch to address a joint session of Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and holding a closed-door meeting with President Trump. Source
Entertainment
‘Mission: Impossible’ star Ving Rhames received medical attention after collapsing while eating a meal with his family at a Los Angeles restaurant. Source
Prosecutors allege that singer D4vd used a chainsaw to dismember his 14-year-old girlfriend, Celeste Rivas, after they charged that he stabbed her to death at his home. Source
Medical examiners revealed ‘Days of Our Lives’ star Patrick Muldoon passed away at the age of 57 from a heart attack. Source
Sports
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr met with team executives to discuss his future. The Warriors lost in the NBA play-in round and finished under .500 this season. There are also reports that team ownership is growing tired of Kerr’s outspoken political beliefs. Source
Saudi Arabia is reportedly pulling funding for LIV Golf, meaning the rival tour to the PGA will end after the 2026 season. Read More
The main event, UFC 328, is in jeopardy after Sean Strickland said he would pull his gun and shoot opponent Khamzat Chimaev after Chimaev suggested Strickland would run away if confronted before the fight. Source
Off the Wall
Embattled New England Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel reportedly held a 24-hour summit with his wife to save their marriage after the New York Post published pictures of Vrabel and former Athletic reporter Diana Russini out at a New York bar, taken in March 2020, the latest layer in an unfolding scandal. Find out More
