Biden will announce executive actions to tighten gun laws.
Following a series of mass shootings, President Joe Biden is expected to unveil six executive orders aimed at reducing gun violence on Thursday, putting pressure on the administration to follow through on the president’s long-held campaign pledge to address gun control. According to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the first step would guide the Department of Justice to propose a regulation within 30 days to stop the proliferation of so-called “ghost arms,” or makeshift firearms that can be built at home or lack a serial number. Furthermore, administration officials stressed that the executive measures were just the “first steps” they would take to combat gun violence and that they would focus on more in the coming weeks.
The murder trial of Derek Chauvin resumes, with more witnesses planned.
In the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, more witnesses are expected to testify on Thursday. So far, jurors have heard from 30 witnesses, all of whom were called by the prosecution. Sgt. Jody Stiger of the Los Angeles Police Department testified Wednesday that Chauvin’s constant assault on Floyd “opened the risk of death,” but defense attorney Eric Nelson turned the subject back to Floyd’s substance use, claiming Floyd said during his battle with police, “I consumed too many drugs.” For witnesses, he played several seconds of unintelligible police body-cam recording. Two forensic scientists also said pills found in the SUV and police squad car Floyd was in that day included methamphetamine, a stimulant, and fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, according to one who couldn’t make out Floyd’s words and another who thought Floyd was saying “I ain’t do no drugs.” In Floyd’s death in May 2020, Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
Louisiana legislators are considering issuing a warrant for LSU coach Orgeron.
Louisiana lawmakers are upset that Louisiana State University football coach Ed Orgeron declined to testify before the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children on Thursday to address questions about the committee’s investigation into a sexual assault by LSU football players over the years, and they are considering subpoenaing him. When the committee demanded Orgeron’s testimony last week, one of the choices he was given was to testify in a letter to the committee. State Representative Aimee Freeman, on the other hand, believes that since a portion of Orgeron’s salary comes from state taxpayers, he should appear before a committee investigating his program. Since winning the 2019-20 national championship, Orgeron became the highest-paid state employee in Louisiana, earning $6 million a year. The school’s athletic department and larger administration also mishandled sexual assault cases, according to USA TODAY’s news.
The Masters’ first round begins in Augusta, Georgia.
On Thursday, the Masters, the year’s first major men’s golf tournament, will begin. Dustin Johnson is attempting to become just the fourth golfer in history to win back-to-back Masters championships. To win the tournament, Johnson, the current world No. 1, will have to beat out rivals like Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, and Justin Thomas. Tiger Woods, the five-time Masters champion, will be absent from the tournament due to several leg injuries suffered in a car accident in Los Angeles on Feb. 23. At 8:30 a.m., the tournament will begin with honorary tee shots by Lee Elder, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player, followed by live coverage. CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET
Disney World is loosening the rules on wearing masks in pictures.
Disney World’s mask policy will change on Thursday, allowing visitors to remove their masks for selfies. Both visitors aged 2 and up, including those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine, must also wear masks. Previously, guests could only remove their masks while actively eating or drinking, but beginning Thursday, tourists will be able to remove them for outdoor photos as well. In July, the Florida theme park reopened with COVID-19 limits, and in the weeks that followed, the mask requirement was tightened even further. For the first time since March 2020, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park will reopen to California residents on April 30.
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