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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Thu May 2 2024

Jane Onyanga-Omara | Audience Editor

President Joe Biden will meet with the families of four law enforcement officers killed in a shooting in North Carolina. Hundreds of college campus protesters are facing criminal charges.

👋🏾 I'm Jane, Daily Briefing author. "Unicorn of a dog" Bella has five legs − and a lot of heart .

Now, here's Thursday's news.

Biden to console families of officers gunned down in Charlotte

President Joe Biden will reprise his role as consoler-in-chief on Thursday when he meets privately with the families of four law enforcement officers killed in a shooting earlier this week in North Carolina.

Biden was already scheduled to travel Thursday to Wilmington, North Carolina, to deliver a speech on rebuilding infrastructure and creating good-paying jobs. The White House added a stop in Charlotte to his itinerary.

•	The four officers were killed Monday when a gunman with a high-powered rifle opened fire while a task force was attempting to serve a felony warrant in Charlotte. Multiple officers were hit.
•	Killed were Sam Poloche, 42, and Alden Elliot, 46, both with the state's Department of Adult Correction; Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Weeks Jr., 48, of Mooresville, North Carolina; and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Officer Joshua Eyer, 31.
•	Four other officers were wounded in the attack. The gunman, identified as 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr., exited the house with a firearm and was fatally shot by police.

The crime scene where law enforcement officers were serving a warrant on April 30, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Sean Rayford, Getty Images

Hundreds of campus protesters face charges. Will they go to prison?

Hundreds of U.S. college students arrested this week while protesting the war in Gaza face criminal charges. But how those charges play out – and whether they will stick – remains a key question. On Tuesday, New York police arrested nearly 300 people at Columbia University and the City College of New York. Scores of cases at other universities have already been dropped. Experts say prosecutors will need strong evidence to gain convictions – if the cases even get to trial or past initial court appearances. Read more

More news to know now

•	"Could have been a far worse tragedy": Wisconsin police kill armed teen outside school.
•	Exclusive: Bernie Sanders worries young people are underestimating the Trump threat.
•	Prince William gives rare health update about Princess Kate amid her cancer diagnosis.
•	Opinion: Brittney Griner puts toughness, humanity on display in moving interview.
•	On today's The Excerpt podcast, police order dispersal of gathering at UCLA as protests continue nationwide. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

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Mike Johnson's job in jeopardy after Marjorie Taylor Greene vows vote for ouster

Conservative firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said on Wednesday she's calling up a vote next week to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., setting up a high-stakes clash inside her own party. Greene's move is unlikely to succeed but still is certain to roil internal GOP tension as she continues to target Johnson. He says he has no intention of resigning from his post. House Democrats on Tuesday promised to kill any effort from Greene to oust him from his speakership. Read more

Fed holds interest rates steady, gives no sign it will cut soon

The Federal Reserve held its key interest rate steady again Wednesday and gave no signal that it plans to lower it anytime soon following a resurgence of inflation early this year. In a statement after a two-day meeting, the Fed pointedly said: "In recent months, there has been a lack of further progress toward the (Fed's) 2 percent inflation objective." It said it "does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation (now running 3% to 4%) is moving sustainably toward" the Fed's 2% goal. Read more

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•	Will a filly ever win Kentucky Derby again? Many factors stand in the way.
•	Maria Georgas reveals she "had to decline" becoming the next "Bachelorette" lead.
•	Surprise! Young boy has emotional reaction when he unboxes a furry new friend.
•	May the 4th be with you! Star Wars products to celebrate.

Arizona Senate votes to repeal near-total 1864 abortion ban

Arizona lawmakers took a significant step Wednesday toward blocking a Civil War-era abortion ban after state senators repealed the measure the Arizona Supreme Court said last month could stand. The vote fell largely on party lines, with two Republican state senators breaking from the chamber's GOP majority to back repealing the ban. Along with banning abortions in all situations except life-threatening medical emergencies, the law imposes prison terms for doctors and others who aid in an abortion. The repeal will head to Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, for her signature. Read more

Photo of the day: Protesters rally at Supreme Court for historic 2024 cases

Protesters have ben staging demonstrations in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., over issues including former President Donald Trump, abortion and homelessness. USA TODAY photographers were on hand to capture the scenes.