JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 863

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105 on Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round NBA playoff series, overcoming a Minnesota first-half outburst and a third-quarter slump. Jamal Murray scored 30 points and Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double as Denver used a third-quarter run to seize control of the game.

Denver took a 1-0 series lead and extended its in-season winning streak, while Minnesota confronted a scoring drought and concerns over Anthony Edwards' right-knee discomfort that surfaced after the loss; coaches and medical staff provided postgame comments this week and both teams prepared adjustments ahead of the next matchup.

Washington: As the United States prepared a mission to rescue an airman whose fighter jet was shot down by Iran this week, users on Polymarket placed bets on the date of the rescue. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., posted a screenshot showing markets favoring an April 4 rescue over April 3, prompting public criticism and scrutiny.

Polymarket then suspended trading, stating the market 'does not meet our integrity standards.' Moulton called the activity 'war profiteering' and urged congressional action. This week, the pause has spurred officials and platforms to reconsider oversight of prediction markets tied to human events, and lawmakers signaled they may pursue hearings or regulatory review.

Los Angeles, United States. The Lakers will host the Houston Rockets Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in a Western Conference first-round opener after Luka Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain and Austin Reaves sustained a Grade 2 oblique strain during a 139-96 loss in Oklahoma City on April 2, leaving both players out for Game 1.

The injuries thrust 41-year-old LeBron James into a primary leadership and scoring role this weekend, with the Lakers' depth and rotations adjusted accordingly; the Rockets enter the series as the No. 5 seed and Kevin Durant is listed questionable with a bruised right knee, adding further uncertainty to lineup matchups.

Washington. President Donald Trump said on Friday that talks with Iran were 'looking very good' and noted that Iran's foreign minister declared the Strait of Hormuz completely open during a 10‑day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, signaling a window for resumed negotiations this weekend; he told reporters outside the White House a formal signing could occur in Islamabad if an agreement is reached.

Markets reacted immediately on Friday: Brent crude fell about 10 percent to roughly $89 per barrel and WTI dropped to about $81.50, while stock indices gained on reduced supply‑risk; Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. naval blockade on Iran would remain 'in full force' until a transaction is '100 percent complete', and Tehran has not publicly confirmed any concessions.

Washington — The International Monetary Fund announced on Thursday that it has resumed dealings with Venezuela under the administration of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, guided by the views of IMF members representing a majority of the Fund's total voting power; Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva made the declaration after polling members over recent days.

Venezuela's government confirmed the re-engagement on state television on Thursday night, with Rodríguez saying authorities would normalise processes involving Venezuela's rights at multilateral institutions; the IMF said the country had not been engaged with since March 2019 and noted Venezuela has been an IMF member since December 1946, while CNA reported the World Bank also moved to restore relations.

Orlando, Fla. The Orlando Magic defeated the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Friday, securing the Eastern Conference's eighth seed and eliminating the Hornets from postseason contention. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 25 points as Orlando dominated the paint and forced 20 Charlotte turnovers at Kia Center.

Orlando's victory means the Magic will travel to Detroit to begin a best-of-seven first-round series on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. and national coverage on NBC and Peacock; the team recorded a combined 84 points from its starters and will return home April 25 for its next scheduled game.

Cleveland — Meteorologists in Ohio, South Carolina, Wisconsin and Alabama forecast a strong cold front moving through this weekend that will trigger thunderstorms and gusty winds from Friday into Sunday. Local stations issued First Alert advisories this week detailing timing, expected gusts, and potential for isolated severe storms and heavy downpours across multiple counties.

Immediate consequences include Flood Watches in parts of Wisconsin, a state burn ban remaining in effect amid drought conditions in the Carolinas, and advisories to monitor the First Alert Weather App and NOAA Weather Radio. Temperatures were near-record highs ahead of the front in some inland areas, then are expected to fall sharply behind the boundary early next week.

Las Vegas: Paramount Pictures announced on Thursday at CinemaCon that Top Gun 3 is officially in development, with Tom Cruise set to reprise Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer will return and studio executives said a script is already underway; the announcement was made during the studio's presentation to theater owners and press.

Los Angeles: The announcement follows Top Gun: Maverick's 2022 release, which grossed about USD 1.5 billion worldwide, and earlier 2024 reports that writer Ehren Kruger joined development. Studios emphasized a theatrical rollout, Cruise narrated the CinemaCon opening film, and Paramount indicated the project will proceed with the creative team in the coming months.

Washington — The House early Friday approved a short-term renewal of a controversial surveillance program until April 30 after Republicans revolted and blocked a plan to extend the authority for a longer period. Lawmakers met in a post-midnight session after a late Thursday failed procedural vote left leaders scrambling to prevent the program from expiring Monday.

This week leaders had unveiled a five-year proposal and debated an 18-month renewal supported by President Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, but roughly 20 GOP defections helped doom the longer extension; the stopgap passed by voice vote shortly after 2 a.m. and now moves to the Senate, which convened a rare Friday session to consider the measure.

Washington — On Saturday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the administration to accelerate federal reviews of certain psychedelic drugs, notably ibogaine, and to enable federally funded clinical research into their medical uses. The move follows growing veteran interest and private clinics abroad providing ibogaine treatments to Americans who currently travel for access.

This action is intended to speed access to trials and research this year while maintaining ibogaine's Schedule I classification for now, according to federal reports. Immediate consequences include potential federal funding paths, statements of support from veterans and conservative lawmakers, and increased scrutiny of safety risks and regulatory oversight in coming months.