Midday Movers: Banking Stocks, Moderna, and Mullen Automotive Rise

Associated Press
Congressman praises heckling of war protesters, including 1 who made monkey gestures at Black woman
Israel-Hamas war demonstrations at the University of Mississippi turned ugly this week when one counter-protester appeared to make monkey noises and gestures at a Black student in a raucous gathering that was endorsed by a far-right congressman from Georgia. “Ole Miss taking care of business,” Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins wrote Friday on the social platform X with a with a link to the video showing the racist jeers. The Associated Press left voicemail messages for Collins on Friday at his offices in Georgia and Washington and sent an email to his spokesperson, asking for an explanation of what Collins meant.
CBS News
A boy gave away his only dollar. In exchange, he was rewarded for his generosity.
Nine-year-old Kelvin Ellis Jr. had just received the dollar for good grades, and it was the only money he had to his name.
TODAY
McDonald’s plans on beefing up its burgers in a big way
McDonald’s promises a “larger, satiating burger” is coming this year. Here's what we know.
TODAY
Mom gives birth in a restaurant and names her baby after the seafood spot
Alyse Sparkman gave birth in just two minutes at Lily’s Seafood Grill and Brewery in Royal Oak, Michigan.
CNN
Mexico questions three people over missing American and Australian tourists
Concerns are growing for a trio of missing tourists, including a US citizen, as Mexican authorities question three people in connection with their disappearance.
USA TODAY
Donald Trump's $9,000 gag order fine paid for comments about Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen
With another gag order ruling looming, former President Donald Trump's $9,000 fines for repeated violations have been paid, per a court spokesperson.
Associated Press
The SEC charges Trump Media's newly hired auditing firm with 'massive fraud'
The Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday charged an auditing firm hired by Trump Media and Technology Group just 37 days ago with “massive fraud” — though not for any work it performed for former President Donald Trump’s media company. The SEC charged the accounting firm BF Borgers and its owner, Benjamin F. Borgers, of “deliberate and systematic failures” in more than 1,500 audits. BF Borgers agreed to pay a $12 million fine while its owner agreed to pay a fine of $2 million.
TODAY
Which ‘Married at First Sight’ couples are still together?
From Season 1's Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner to Season 16's Nicole Lilienthal and Christopher Thielk, these are the "MAFS" duos who are still going strong.
Reuters
Canada toughens import requirements on US breeding cattle over bird flu concerns
The first confirmed case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a dairy herd on March 25 and the second human case in two years on April 1 have heightened concerns in the U.S. about the spread of the virus to animals and people. The CFIA has enhanced import requirements on dairy cattle from the U.S. from April 29, the statement said.
The Conversation
Why Russia gave up Alaska, America’s gateway to the Arctic
The tale of how and why Russia ceded its control over Alaska to the U.S. 150 years ago is actually two tales and two intertwining histories.
CNN
Canada charges three Indian nationals for assassination of Sikh separatist
Three men have been arrested and charged in Canada for the alleged murder of a prominent Sikh separatist, according to Canadian police – a death Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has previously linked to the Indian government, drawing vehement protests from New Delhi.
AFP
Stocks gain while dollar retreats as US labor market cools
Stock markets rose Friday as cooling US job growth raised hopes of interest-rate cuts, while London hit another record high following speculation of a bidding war for mining giant Anglo American.- London stocks set record high - European stocks also rose, with London setting a new record high as Anglo American shares vaulted more than three percent to top London's risers after a report that Swiss-based commodities giant Glencore was considering a move on the British group.
NBC News
To fend off aggressive female mosquitoes, L.A. is releasing thousands of sterile males
An aggressive mosquito species has moved into Los Angeles. So officials are releasing thousands of sterile mosquitoes in bid to fight them.
Associated Press
A judge is forcing Hawaii to give wildfire investigation documents to lawyers handling lawsuits
A judge on Friday forced the Hawaii attorney general's office to turn over to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over last summer's Maui wildfires all documents, interviews and data collected by the outside team hired to investigate the disaster. The state refused, saying disclosing the records would “jeopardize and hinder” the investigation. Last month Lopez and representatives from the Fire Safety Research Institute released a report on the first phase of the investigation, which said the head of the emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island amid the unfolding crisis, while a broad communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts.
USA TODAY
How pro-Palestinian camp, and an extremist attack, roiled the protest at UCLA
This week's roundup of extremism news focuses on one campus protest that was roiled by extremist counterprotesters.
CNN
Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife allegedly took nearly $600,000 in bribes, indictment says
Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife have been charged with accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities, according to an indictment in federal court in Texas.
Reuters
Democratic lawmakers tell Biden evidence shows Israel is restricting Gaza aid
Scores of lawmakers from U.S. President Joe Biden's Democratic Party told him on Friday that they believe there is sufficient evidence to show that Israel has violated U.S. law by restricting humanitarian aid flows into war-stricken Gaza. A letter to Biden signed by 86 House of Representatives Democrats said Israel's aid restrictions "call into question" its assurances that it was complying with a U.S. Foreign Assistance Act provision requiring recipients of U.S.-funded arms to uphold international humanitarian law and allow free flows of U.S. assistance. Such written assurances were mandated by a national security memorandum that Biden issued in February after Democratic lawmakers began questioning if Israel was upholding international law in its Gaza operations.
NBC News
Congratulations on getting your degree. Now welcome to a tricky job market.
New college graduates are entering an economy full of service-sector and part-time roles that don’t require diplomas, but their prospects still aren’t half bad.
NBC News
Trump’s VP search is off to a slow start: From the Politics Desk
Trump's VP search is off to a slow start, Hope Hicks takes the stand in the hush money trial and the Israel-Hamas war negotiations are plagued by wishful thinking.
CNN
Biden presents Medal of Freedom to key political allies, civil rights leaders, celebrities and politicians
President Joe Biden on Friday honored 19 Americans with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom - a diverse list that includes some high-profile Biden political allies, celebrities, civil rights leaders and even one of his former political rivals-turned-financial backer.

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