President Joe Biden is refusing to negotiate over the federal government's obligation to pay its debts, while Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia is calling for the House's chief administrative officer to withhold pay for members of Congress until the looming crisis over the debt ceiling is resolved. House GOP leaders are pushing a plan to raise the debt limit through March 2024, but the plan is dead on arrival in the Democratic-led Senate. Speculation is growing that a potential deal could be reached, but President Biden is adamant that he will not negotiate over the federal budget.
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Lori Vallow Daybell, an Idaho mom accused of murder in the deaths of her two children, is awaiting the verdict of her seven-week trial. Prosecutors have argued that she was a power-hungry manipulator who killed for money, while the defense team has claimed she was a normally protective mother. The jury adjourned after four hours of deliberation, and the verdict will be announced on Friday. The case has had a lasting impact on the families of the victims and the community of Rexburg, Idaho, where the children were last seen alive.
A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that a law banning licensed federal firearms dealers from selling handguns to young adults under 21 violates the Second Amendment and is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Robert Payne argued that many of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship are granted at the age of 18, including the right to vote, enlist in the military and serve on a federal jury, and that excluding 18-to-20-year-olds from the Second Amendment’s protection would impose limitations on the Second Amendment that do not exist with other constitutional guarantees. The ruling is being seen as a major victory for gun rights advocates, but is likely to be challenged by gun control advocates, and the debate over gun rights is far from over.
The Social Security Administration has released its list of the most popular baby names of 2022, with Olivia topping the list for girls and Liam for boys. The rankings usually don’t change much from year to year, but there were still some interesting shifts between 2021 and 2022. Names are shaped by society and history, and the SSA has been releasing lists of the top U.S. baby names since 1997, with popular culture playing a role in influencing the popularity of certain names.
Federal prosecutors have requested a judge to stop former President Donald Trump from being deposed in a four-year-old civil lawsuit filed by two former FBI officials who allege they were wrongfully terminated. The Justice Department is seeking to protect Trump from being deposed in a civil case while they are still investigating him in a criminal case and have asked the lower court judge to reconsider their ruling. If not, they will appeal to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C.
Linda Yaccarino, the current Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal, is reportedly in talks to become the new CEO of Twitter. If appointed, she would be the first female CEO of the company and the first executive from outside of the tech industry to lead the company. Yaccarino has a strong relationship with advertisers and marketing groups, which could help quell the ongoing concerns companies have with Twitter following CEO Elon Musk's takeover.
New York Rep. George Santos has signed a non-prosecution agreement with public prosecutors in Brazil to avoid prosecution for forging two stolen checks in 2008. His lawyer and the prosecutors' office have declined to comment on the details of the agreement. Santos has denied any wrongdoing and is currently running for re-election, though it is unclear if the agreement in Brazil will have any effect on the charges he is facing in the U.S.
On Monday, a mysterious object crashed through the roof of a ranch-style home in Hopewell, New Jersey. After investigation, experts from The College of New Jersey confirmed it was a rare 4.56 billion year old stony chondrite meteorite weighing 2.2 pounds and 6 inches by 4 inches in size. Nate Magee, a physics professor, said it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study a meteorite that has made landfall in a home.