Wednesday morning news: April 26, 2023

Biden »

SOUND: [Four more years!]

President Biden greeted by supporters just before addressing the union audience in Washington.

Hours earlier, the president officially launched his reelection bid in a video announcement.

BIDEN: When I ran for president four years ago, I said we’re in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are.

He’s asking voters to give him more time to—quote—“finish this job.” If reelected, Biden would turn 86 years old in the White House.

He faces a smooth path to the Democratic nomination, with no serious challengers.

Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed Biden on Tuesday, ruling out a campaign of his own.

Haley speech » Meantime, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Tuesday vowed to run a staunchly pro-life campaign.

NIKKI HALEY: I said I want to save as many babies and help as many moms as possible. That is my goal.

But she offered few specifics during a speech at the headquarters of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List.

SBL favors a federal pro-life law and has criticized former President Trump for saying the matter should be left to the states.

For her part, Haley said Tuesday:

HALEY: I do believe there is a federal role on abortion.

But she stopped short of endorsing federal pro-life legislation.

She suggested Republicans should soften their tone on the matter, and said we must “find consensus” on the issue. But she did not specify what that means.

CBO on McCarthy debt plan » House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s plan to cut spending while raising the debt ceiling would slash the national deficit by nearly $5 trillion dollars over a decade. That’s according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

McCarthy unveiled the plan last week. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday:

CHUCK SCHUMER: I urge Speaker McCarthy to stop wasting any more time on this DOA, dead on arrival, bill.

Democrats insist that Republicans sign off on raising the nation’s borrowing limit without condition.

And the White House says a separate analysis suggests McCarthy’s plan would hurt the economy.

The two parties have until sometime this summer to reach an agreement and lift the debt ceiling to avoid defaulting on US debts.

Taliban-ISIS » In Afghanistan, a ground assault by the Taliban killed the ISIS militant who spearheaded the a deadly suicide bombing at the Kabul airport during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER: U.S. intelligence has reportedly confirmed “with high confidence” that the ISIS leader is dead.

Initially, neither the U.S. — nor apparently the Taliban — were aware that the mastermind was dead. He was killed during a series of battles early this month in southern Afghanistan between the Taliban and ISIS fighters.

Over the weekend, the Pentagon began informing the families of the 13 US troops who were killed in the blast at Abbey Gate.

Nearly 200 Afghans also died in the attack.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Scripture reading »

READER: And He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it. He gave it to them saying “this is my body, given for you, do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)

Hundreds of people have gathered in Washington D.C. for a days-long Bible reading marathon that began over the weekend.

Volunteers are reading the whole Bible aloud over the course of 90 hours.

The 34th annual reading is wrapping up this morning in the West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol.

Members of Congress participated in the reading yesterday in the House Chaplain’s office.

Belafante obit »

SOUND: [Day-o]

Harry Belafonte has died. The singer, actor, and civil rights activist passed away at his home in New York.

Belafonte was one of the first Black performers to gain a wide following on film and to sell a million records as a singer with hits like Banana Boat and Jump in the Line.

SOUND: [Jump in the Line]

But he scaled back his performing career in the 1960s, organizing civil rights marches and benefit concerts, sometimes working closely with Martin Luther King Jr. Harry Belafonte was 96.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Washington Wednesday with Henry Olsen. Plus, finding hope through butterfly wings.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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