Here are your must-read stories for April 17th.
Headlines
Former Virginia Lt. Governor Kills Himself and His Wife
Former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax killed himself and his wife in a murder suicide. Link
The House of Representatives passed a two-week extension of Section 702 of the FISA Act after conservatives rejected 5-year and 18-month extensions of the government surveillance programs, arguing that the proposals lacked sufficient safeguards to prevent the government from spying on Americans without a warrant. Read More
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons announces he will step down. The announcement leaves President Trump’s immigration crackdown in limbo. See Details
Politics
A Democrat aligned with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won a special election to fill the Congressional seat vacated by Mikie Sherrill when she won the state’s Gubernatorial Election. Link
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified new documents that shed light on the 2019 impeachment of President Trump for withholding military aid to Ukraine. Link
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy testified before Congress about his MAHA agenda and changes to federal vaccine policy. Link
U.S. News
Newly unsealed evidence shows that the bullet that killed Charlie Kirk matches the gun owned by alleged assassin Tyler Robinson. See Details
Artemis II astronauts detail dramatic re-entry flight after record-setting moon mission. Read More
Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna accused Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego, a close friend of disgraced former Congressman Eric Swalwell, of sexual misconduct. Gallego denies all allegations. Read More
Business
The parent company of the popular steakhouse chain 801 Chophouse filed for bankruptcy. There is no indication yet that they will close the doors of restaurant locations. Read More
Oil prices fell after President Trump said the Iran War should “end soon.” Find out More
Tech and semiconductor stocks push the stock market to rally above its pre-Iran War level. Find out More
Market Report
| Symbol | Last Close | % Change | |
| Dow Jones | DJIA | $48,578.72 | 0.24% |
| S&P 500 | SPX | $7,041.28 | 0.26% |
| Nasdaq Composite | IXIC | $24,102.70 | 0.36% |
| Alphabet Inc. | GOOG | $332.77 | -0.51% |
| Tesla, Inc. | TSLA | $388.90 | -0.78% |
| Apple Inc. | AAPL | $263.40 | -1.14% |
| Microsoft Corp. | MSFT | $420.26 | 2.20% |
World News
Israel and Lebanon strike a 10-day ceasefire, adding to hopes that a larger regional peace deal is within reach. Source
Experts warn Europe has six weeks of jet fuel remaining as oil shocks from the Iran War hit the continent. Source
Entertainment
Legendary Hollywood director and producer Mel Brooks announced that the sequel to his 1987 cult-classic film ‘Space Balls’ will be entitled ‘Space Balls 2: The New One.’ See Details
Marvel brought down the house at Cinemacon by unveiling Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom and debuting footage from “Avengers: Doomsday,” which is set to hit theaters on December 18th. Find out More
Sports
The NFL’s Los Angeles Rams unveiled new uniforms ahead of the 2026 season. See Details
Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout smacked five home runs in four games against the New York Yankees. Source
Off the Wall
DNA proved remains found in the Columbia River are from an Oregon family that went missing in 1958. See Details
