President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss a way to break the logjam on the debt ceiling and avert a potential economic calamity. The White House has indicated that Biden is open to making changes to the budget, but will not accept any cuts to Social Security or Medicare. If an agreement is not reached by June 1, the U.S. could face a default on its debt, a situation that could have devastating economic consequences.
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Former Indianapolis police sergeant Eric Huxley pleaded guilty this week to violating the civil rights of a homeless man by kicking him in the face during an arrest in 2021. Huxley faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted, and the incident has sparked outrage in the Indianapolis community. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has launched an internal investigation into the incident and will take appropriate action once it is complete.
The U.S. Virgin Islands has issued a subpoena to Tesla CEO Elon Musk in connection with its lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase over sex trafficking by the late Jeffrey Epstein. The subpoena seeks documents related to any communication between Musk, JPMorgan and Epstein, and the Virgin Islands government believes Epstein may have referred Musk as a client to JPMorgan. Musk has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and the subpoena is part of the government's effort to obtain documents related to the case.
The Supreme Court has rejected Alabama's bid to execute death row inmate Kenneth Smith by lethal injection, leaving in place a lower court ruling that his preference for lethal gas is a viable alternative method. This marks the first time an inmate has been allowed to choose an execution method other than lethal injection, as the state has authorized nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled for Smith in November, allowing him to choose nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative to lethal injection.
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and attorney for former President Donald Trump, is facing a $10 million lawsuit from a former employee for alleged sexual assault, failure to pay wages, and offering pardons for $2 million. The lawsuit includes phrases such as "This conversation was recorded" which could be a problem for Giuliani, and mentions three potential federal crimes. Giuliani has denied all of the allegations.
13-year-old Ella Reed from Fort Pierce, Florida, bravely fought off a shark attack in the waters off the coast, leaving her with 19 stitches and bites on her torso, arm, finger and knee. After the shark latched onto her stomach, she fought it off with her arm and yelled for her nearby friend to head for safety. Reed is now grateful for the support of her family and friends and is looking forward to getting back in the water.
A Florida elementary school teacher is under investigation by the state Department of Education after she showed her fifth-grade students a Disney movie featuring an openly gay character. Jenna Barbee, the teacher, believes the investigation is an example of discrimination against the LGBTQ community. She said she showed the movie as a “brain break” in between students’ standardized testing and that she had no intention of offending anyone. The state Department of Education has not yet commented on the investigation.
On Monday, a shooting in Farmington, New Mexico left four people dead, including a suspect who was "confronted and killed on scene", and two police officers wounded. Schools citywide were put on lockdown in response, and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham thanked police for their quick response. The incident is a reminder of the dangers of gun violence and the need for increased gun control measures.