Legendary running back Jim Brown dies at 87.
Brown, regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, died Thursday. He was selected in the first round of the 1957 draft, playing with the Cleveland Browns for nine seasons and leading them to the NFL championship three times, which they won in 1964. Brown retired at age 30 and was a three-time MVP. More than a football player, Brown was elected to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1983. He also was a social and civil rights activist and actor.
Federal debt ceiling negotiations at standstill.
The White House and Republican negotiators broke off talks Friday after an impasse on spending issues and with no additional meeting set. Federal lawmakers face a deadline as soon as June 1 to pass legislation raising the government's borrowing limit and to avert a government default on its $31.4T debt. See how the national debt grew to a record high here.
Zelenskyy to attend G-7 Summit in Japan Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Hiroshima will be the farthest he has traveled since Russia invaded Ukraine. The trip follows his visit to Saudi Arabia Friday to attend a summit of Arab leaders. Separately, President Joe Biden endorsed plans to train Ukrainian pilots on US-made F-16 fighter jets, a precursor to Western allies sending the jets to Ukraine. The US has not committed to sending the jets directly.
Death toll rises in contaminated eye drops outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the fourth death linked to bacteria traced back to contaminated eye drops. At least 81 cases have now been identified across 18 states, including 14 cases of vision loss and four cases of surgical removal of an eyeball. Read our previous write-up here.
Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman to step down within a year.
Gorman, who led Morgan Stanley for 13 years, was seen as instrumental in helping the bank during the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. He will transition to executive chairman for an undefined period. Three potential successors have been identified within the company; the new CEO will be selected in the next 12 months.
Blue Origin-led team tapped to build NASA moon lander.
NASA awarded the $3.4B contract to Jeff Bezo's Blue Origin-led team, which includes Lockheed Martin and Boeing, to create a human landing system for its Artemis V mission, expected to launch after September 2029. NASA plans to use Blue Origin's landing system and Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship to ferry astronauts between the lunar surface and a space station called the Gateway.
Sen. Tim Scott files paperwork for 2024 presidential run.
Scott (R-SC), who won reelection in November, becomes the latest Republican to enter the presidential race and the second South Carolinian after former Gov. Nikki Haley. He is expected to officially launch his campaign Monday. The first GOP presidential debate is set for August in Milwaukee. See all candidates so far here.
The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke dies at 59.
Rourke died in New York Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The British alt-rock group is regarded as one of the most influential bands of the 1980s, with hits such as “There is a Light that Never Goes Out" (listen here). Rourke played with the band from its inception in 1982 through 1987, when the group broke up.
