News Wrap: Debt limit debate still deadlocked as economist warns of default risks

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: The debate over the debt ceiling deadlock heated up in Congress today.

Democrats condemned Republican calls for demanding deep spending cuts first. Republicans argued the cuts are critical to curbing inflation. At a Senate hearing today, economist Mark Zandi warned the impasse could end in a federal default and economic disaster.

Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics:

We need to end this drama as quickly as possible. If we don't, we're going to go into recession and our fiscal challenges will be made even worse.

Geoff Bennett:

Zandi said, if nothing changes, the government could default by June 8. Leaders from both parties are set to meet with President Biden on Tuesday.

Police in Atlanta are still trying to work out what led to Wednesday's shooting attack in the city's busy Midtown; 24-year-old Deion Patterson was captured last night and charged with murder. He waived his court appearance today and was denied bail. Police say he opened fire in a doctor's office with a handgun. But it's not clear why.

One woman was killed and four others remained hospitalized today. In Serbia, thousands of people turned out today to mourn eight students and a security guard killed in a school shooting on Wednesday. The shooter was a 13-year-old boy. In Belgrade, people gathered to lay flowers and say prayers. Many expressed shock that it could happen in a country where mass shootings are rare.

Branislav Grubaci, Belgrade Resident (through translator):

The overwhelming feeling I have is that this tragedy is of cosmic proportions. The horror of it is indescribable. We were aware that our society is capable of such events, but the possibility of such an escalation among elementary school children was unforeseen.

Geoff Bennett:

Police there are now urging Serbians to lock up their guns after it emerged that the shooter used his father's weapons.

Russia is accusing the U.S. of ordering what it says was a drone attack on the Kremlin. The White House today called the claim ludicrous and denied any role in Wednesday's incident. Meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands. He urged that Russian President Vladimir Putin be convicted of war crimes.

The U.S. ambassador to Russia visited jailed American Paul Whelan today at a remote prison. He's serving a 16-year sentence for espionage, something that Washington denies.

On Twitter, Ambassador Lynne Tracy wrote that — quote — "The U.S. government will continue to engage Russian authorities so Paul can come home as soon as possible."

Tracy did not elaborate on his condition.

Fierce new fighting raged around Sudan's capital, Khartoum, today, as the army tried to push back paramilitary fighters. Plumes of smoke rose above the skyline, disrupting any efforts to help trapped civilians. Both sides had agreed to a new cease-fire, but the U.S. director of national intelligence told a Senate hearing that there's a little prospect of peace.

Avril Aines, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Nominee: Both sides believe that they can win militarily and have few incentives to come to the negotiating table.

Both sides are seeking external sources of support, which, if successful, is likely to intensify the conflict and create a greater potential for spillover challenges in the region.

Geoff Bennett:

In a bid to stem the fighting, President Biden signed an executive order authorizing possible sanctions on leaders of the warring factions.

Israeli soldiers have killed three Palestinians linked to the fatal shooting of a British Israeli woman and her two daughters. It happened today in Nablus in the occupied West Bank when a gun battle broke out during an army raid. Later, hundreds of Palestinians marched in a funeral to mourn the slain gunmen. The militant group Hamas said they were members and vowed to avenge their deaths.

Back in this country, California and New York state announced investigations of alleged workplace discrimination at the National Football League. It involves possible pay disparities, sexual harassment and racial bias at league offices, not specific teams or players. The NFL said in a statement that it does not tolerate discrimination in any form.

On Wall Street, stocks struggled again amid worries that more bank failures are on the way. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 286 points, nearly 1 percent, to close it 33127. The Nasdaq fell 59 points. The S&P 500 was down 29.

And on this May the 4th, Star Wars Day, the late Carrie Fisher received a star of her own on the Hollywood walk of fame. She played Princess Leia in six films of the franchise, starting out as a princess and ending as a general. Co-stars Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill already have stars on the Walk of Fame.

And still to come on the "NewsHour": India faces the challenge of feeding its people as it becomes the world's most populous nation; poor test scores reveal shortcomings in the students' understanding of history and civics; and a story of forgiveness — a woman agrees to meet the man who shot and paralyzed her decades earlier.