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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Wed May 1 2024

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Dozens of police in riot gear stormed into a building held by pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University. Also in the news: A North Carolina community is mourning four slain officers and Florida's six-week abortion ban takes effect today.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Wouldn't want to be on this cruise to nowhere.

Police in helmets and nightsticks close in on protesters

New York City police arrived at Columbia University Tuesday night in an armored vehicle used a mechanical ramp to enter and clear an occupied academic building through a window, as hundreds of protesters below looked on or were arrested by police on the ground.

Protesters described chaos as police descended on the campus, where more than a dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators were taken away in zip-tie handcuffs as supporters screamed in outrage.

•	The school is pointing at the protesters for escalating the situation, giving the administration "no choice" than to call officers on the students and clear the campus.
•	Tuesday's clearing of Hamilton Hall at Columbia and the onslaught of officers came on the 56th anniversary of a police bust of a campus protest against racism and the Vietnam War.
•	Not all pro-Palestinian campus protests have culminated in clashes. At Northwestern University and Brown University, demonstrators negotiated agreements with their schools.

NYPD officers in riot gear break into a building at Columbia University, where pro-Palestinian students are barricaded inside a building and have set up an encampment, in New York City on April 30, 2024.

KENA BETANCUR, AFP via Getty Images

Trump's hush money trial from the inside

In the historic first criminal trial of an ex-president, Donald Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a violation of campaign finance law. But despite such a major event, there are no video cameras allowed in the courtroom, and no still photos save for those typically taken of the defense table in a minute-long photo opportunity. Millions of Americans following cannot see what the trial actually looks like. USA TODAY has a seat in the courtroom. If you were there, here's what you would feel and see .

More news to know now

•	House Dems say they'll kill motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson.
•	Federal rules on marijuana could majorly change.
•	Alaska residents want limits on salmon fishing.
•	Here's how the bungled FAFSA rollout repaved the road to college for students who need it most.
•	On today's The Excerpt podcast, why election polls matter. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Neighbor describes bullets flying in Charlotte

Saing Chhoeun was leaving his house shortly after 1 p.m. Monday when members of a U.S. Marshals Service task force raced into his yard, taking cover behind a powder-blue Honda sedan. As gunfire blasted through the yard of the two-story home next door, Chhoeun, 54, began livestreaming to Facebook from his iPhone. The incident left four officers dead and another four injured. The suspected shooter, 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr., was fatally shot by police. Chhoeun watched as one officer was hit after another just nearby.

Xxx Xxx 2024 Charlotte Shootings Th 1351 Jpg

Saing Chhoeun, 54, shows how an officer took cover behind a sedan parked in his driveway and fired at the house next door during an incident April 29, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY

How long will interest rates stay higher?

The Federal Reserve meets this week for the first time since recent high inflation readings dampened hopes that the central bank would lower interest rates three times this year. The prospect of three rate cuts had juiced the stock market and led analysts to boost their 2024 economic growth forecasts. At the close of a two-day meeting on Wednesday, the Fed was expected to keep its key short-term interest rate unchanged at a 23-year high of 5.25% to 5.5%. Read more

Keep scrolling

•	This is when women should begin breast cancer screening.
•	Here's how a librarian became a social media sensation spreading a message of love and literacy.
•	Want to turn off the Meta AI chat?
•	Two giant pandas are headed to the San Diego Zoo.
•	Alicia Keys' "Hell's Kitchen" and "Stereophonic" garnered 13 Tony nominations.

Florida's 6-week abortion ban takes effect

On Tuesday, A Woman's Choice clinicin Jacksonville, Florida, saw its last patients who fell outside of Florida's strict new abortion law taking effect on Wednesday. The legislation prohibits most abortions after about six weeks – before many peopleknow they're pregnant. Now, those whoare seeking an abortion beyond about six weeks of pregnancyare being redirected to clinics out of state. Florida's Supreme Court gave the state's new restrictions the green light last month, also permitting a constitutional amendment protectingabortion access up to viability, often around 24 weeks, to be on November's ballot. Read more

Photo of the day: A beekeeper saves the day

Matt Hilton, the branch manager of the Blue Sky Pest Control office in Phoenix, threw the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night after a bee colony on top of the protecting netting above home plate caused more than hour of delay in the Diamondbacks game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mlb Los Angeles Dodgers At Arizona Diamondbacks

Beekeeper Matt Hilton throws out the first pitch prior to the Arizona Diamondbacks' game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field.

Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.