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Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Monday, April 25, 2022:
U.S. DIPLOMATS RETURNING TO UKRAINE
The U.S. is reestablishing formal diplomatic relations with Ukraine “starting next week,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced during his trip to the war-torn country. Blinken said President Joe Biden will nominate Bridget Brink as the U.S. ambassador there; she currently holds that position in Slovakia. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was also in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, as Ukrainians attempted to celebrate Orthodox Easter, Russia continued its assault. A Ukrainian official said Russian forces were "continuously attacking" the surrounded steel plant in Mariupol on Easter Sunday. CNN
MACRON REELECTED
French President Emmanuel Macron has been reelected, defeating far-right leader Marine Le Pen to become the first French president in 20 years to win a second term. Macron, a centrist, captured 58.5% of the vote to Le Pen’s 41.5%, the best the challenger has polled in three presidential campaigns. In his victory speech, Macron vowed to be the “president for each and every one of you,” in a nod to Le Pen supporters. His victory also solidifies that country’s place in the EU and in NATO, which could prove crucial in the global effort to end the crisis in Ukraine. POLITICO
MCCARTHY LEAKS FALLOUT
A bombshell audio tape reveals House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he planned to tell then-President Donald Trump to resign following the Jan. 6 insurrection. McCarthy denied this in a Tweet where he reiterated his support for Trump. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren responded to McCarthy’s backtrack by calling him "a liar and a traitor." Republican Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Matt Gaetz denounced McCarthy for being caught in a lie and standing against Trump, respectively. With the GOP anticipated to win the majority in November's midterms, McCarthy is expected to take over as speaker of the house, though the recent fallout makes his future far from certain. THE HILL
CAWTHORN SAGA
Late last week, photos surfaced online of North Carolina Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn wearing women’s lingerie at a party. Cawthorn acknowledged the pictures, defending himself in a tweet, saying the pictures were taken “waaay” before he ran for Congress. Cawthorn has become polarizing to both parties in Congress, arguing that Democrats are at war with biology and claiming that Republicans have invited him to orgies. With the recent photo leak, Republicans may be drawing the line for the 25-year-old. A super PAC affiliated with fellow North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is spending over $300,000 on an ad targeting Cawthorn, potentially marking the beginning of the end for the uber-controversial GOP representative. AXIOS
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE TESTIMONY
Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared at a hearing in response to a group of voters in her district who formally questioned her eligibility to run for reelection because of her possible role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Challengers say Greene posted to social media encouraging the attack, in addition to declaring this is “our 1776 moment” in an interview the day before the insurrection. Greene defended herself by saying she simply doesn’t remember the social media posts, and that violence was not her intention in the interview. A decision on Greene’s eligibility for reelection is expected later this week. (A federal judge blocked a similar challenge to Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s reelection bid.) AP
FAITH AND/OR FOOTBALL
The U.S. Supreme Court today will hear a high-profile case from a high school football coach who was fired for praying during games. Joseph Kennedy was let go from his assistant coaching gig at Bremerton High School in Washington state after the school district said his prayers could expose the school to a lawsuit for officially endorsing religion, overstepping the line that separates church and state. Lower courts denied Kennedy’s appeal, ruling that as a public employee, his prayers were not entitled to the same protection as a private individual's. Kennedy, however, argues he was engaging in religious expression that is constitutionally protected. The high court's decision is expected in June. CBS NEWS
EXXON FLAG FUSS
Exxon is facing backlash from its employees after the oil and gas company banned flags representing outside organizations on its flagpoles. To maintain a uniform look across corporate campuses, Exxon is only allowing government flags, Exxon Mobil flags, and its employee resource groups’ flags, such as the LGBT employee group. The policy does not allow outside flags that represent Black History Month, Women's History Month, or LGBT Pride Month, for example. Outside flags are, however, allowed elsewhere on Exxon campuses — just not on flagpoles. NY TIMES
IN MEMORIAM: ORRIN HATCH
Former Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving Republican and the sixth longest-serving senator in the history of the Senate, has died. The former Senate president pro tempore served in the chamber from 1977 to 2019, leaving a legacy that lasted seven presidencies. The conservative supported corporate tax cuts, limited government, and military spending, and opposed LGBT and abortion rights. He crossed party lines by introducing the DREAM Act and recommending the famously liberal Ruther Bader Ginsberg to the Supreme Court, though he was a persistent defender of conservative Justice Clarence Thomas. Following retirement, Hatch gained additional fame as a Christian musician, with one of his songs gaining Platinum status. He was 88. POLITICO
YANKEE FANS TRASH GAME
Visiting players and home team fans clashed during Saturday's New York Yankees game against the Cleveland Guardians. When a Guardians left fielder was being checked for injuries after running into the wall, outfielder Myles Straw climbed the fence and began jawing with taunting Yankees fans. Following a Yankees’ game-winning hit on the next play, fans started throwing trash onto the field toward the, well, trash-talking Straw. Yankee players including star Aaron Judge rushed out to implore the fans to stop, and after the game, Straw didn’t hold back by calling Yankee fans “the worst fan base on the planet.” The altercation led to increased security for Sunday's game, where the taunting continued but the trashing did not. ESPN
PICKLEBALL PICKS UP
The U.S. Open Pickleball Championship is taking place this week in Naples, Fla. The tournament, which will air on CBS Sports, features thousands of players competing for a $100,000 grand prize. Pickleball is similar to tennis, but players use a paddle and play on a smaller court. The sport reportedly saw a growth rate of 39 percent since 2019, with nearly five million new players picking up a paddle in that time, and the money is pouring in to help it grow even more. Major professional franchise owners, as well as famed entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, have invested in pickleball leagues like Major League Pickleball and the Pro Pickleball Association. CNBC
