10 things you need to know today: June 3, 2023

1. Biden to sign legislation avoiding budget default

President Biden is expected to sign a new budget agreement into law on Saturday, helping the nation avoid a catastrophic default and suspending the debt ceiling for another two years. The U.S. Treasury had previously announced that it would run out of funds this coming Monday, and the White House and Republicans worked to etch out a bipartisan budget agreement that slashes government funding but carves out additional protections for working-class Americans. The deal made its way through the House and then the Senate, and now awaits Biden's signature. During an Oval Office address on Friday, Biden said, "Passing this budget agreement was critical. The stakes could not have been higher."

The Associated Press The Washington Post

2. More than 250 killed and 900 injured in Indian train crash

At least 260 people were killed and 900 injured during a three-way train crash in India on Friday, in one of the worst accidents in the history of the country. The crash occurred in the city of Balasore in eastern Odisha state. Officials said the incident began when the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, a passenger train, derailed and hit a freight train, which dislodged several of the Express' carriages and threw them onto another track. These carriages were then hit by another passenger train. The crash has renewed calls for increased rail safety in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the scene and wrote on Twitter, "My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon."

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The New York Times CNN

3. Trump attorneys unable to locate classified document discussed on tape

Attorneys for former President Donald Trump informed the Justice Department that they are unable to locate the classified document Trump was caught on tape discussing, multiple media outlets reported on Friday. The document in question, which reportedly related to a potential American attack on Iran, first came to light via a recording obtained during special counsel Jack Smith's probe into Trump's handling of classified documents. In the recording, Trump can allegedly be heard confirming that he understood the document was classified, but removed it from the White House anyway. One source from Trump's legal team said they were not aware if the document even exists, or if Trump had misidentified what he was talking about in the recording.

CBS News ABC News

4. Scores of LGBTQ+ people flee Uganda following restrictive law

Many people in the LGBTQ+ community began fleeing Uganda this past week after the country's president signed a bill imposing strict penalties for homosexuality, including life in prison and the death penalty. As anti-gay sentiment in the country grows, LGBTQ+ people have been attempting to get into neighboring Kenya, where homosexuals can live in relative peace. "Right now, homophobes have received a validation from the government to attack people," Pretty Peter, a transgender woman, told The Associated Press. Homosexuality has long been illegal in Uganda, but the new penalties have received almost universal condemnation around the globe. President Biden called the act "a tragic violation of universal human rights," and is reportedly considering sanctions against Uganda.

The Associated Press

5. Hawaii expands concealed carry permits, but prohibits firearms almost everywhere

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) signed legislation on Friday aimed at reducing the risk of gun violence. Green inked a legal overhaul that will allow more Hawaiians to conceal carry firearms, but the legislation also bans guns in a sweeping array of public venues, including beaches, hospitals, stadiums, bars that serve alcohol, and movie theaters. Any public store wishing to allow concealed carry firearms will have to post a sign stating such. The new law comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on additional concealed carry rights for citizens last year. Green, who is a physician and ER doctor by training, has been a longstanding proponent of gun control and efforts to reduce mass shootings.

The Associated Press

6. Zelenskyy says Ukraine is preparing to launch counteroffensive

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that his country was nearly ready to launch a counteroffensive against invading Russian forces, almost a year and a half after the war began. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Zelenskyy said that while an offensive push could come at a heavy cost, "We strongly believe that we will succeed," adding, "I don't know how long it will take. To be honest, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we are going to do it, and we are ready." The Ukrainian president, while remaining hopeful about the prospects of pushing back Russia, acknowledged that superior Russian air power will likely cause significant Ukrainian casualties.

The Wall Street Journal

7. Companies reach $1.8B deal to resolve contaminated water claims

A trio of chemical companies agreed Friday to pay $1.8 billion to settle a series of claims that they had contaminated drinking water nationwide with unsafe "forever chemicals." The companies, Chemours, DuPont, and Corteva, reached an agreement to use the nearly $2 billion fund to help remove toxic perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also called PFAs, from nationwide drinking sources. PFAs have been linked to numerous health problems, including liver damage and forms of cancer. The agreement comes as hundreds of plaintiffs have sued the companies for allegedly allowing PFAs to enter public water supplies via their products. Rob Bilott, an environmental lawyer, called the settlement "an incredibly important next step in what has been decades of work."

The New York Times

8. Tensions high in Senegal following looting and violent unrest

Rubble-filled streets and looted storefronts dotted the streets of Senegal's capital, Dakar, on Saturday following days of violent unrest and protests. At least 10 people have reportedly died after clashes erupted between anti-government protesters and Senegalese law enforcement. This led to at least two days of violence that, while concentrated in Dakar, was also seen in numerous other cities around Senegal. The protests started Thursday after Ousmane Sonko, an opposition leader, was sentenced to prison in a trial that many felt was politically motivated. The government has brought the Senegalese Army into Dakar to assist with quelling protesters, though a large portion of the violence throughout the city had subsided by the weekend.

Reuters The New York Times

9. Churchill Downs halts racing following 12 horse deaths

Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, announced Friday that it was suspending racing at its park following a dozen horse deaths in recent months, including seven in the lead up to the Kentucky Derby in May. The decision to halt racing came following a recommendation by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, a newly created watchdog to oversee the sport. The body said that the move was necessary to allow for an investigation into the horse deaths, which have cast a renewed shadow over a sport long marred by scandal. "What has happened at our track is deeply upsetting and absolutely unacceptable," Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Inc., said in a statement.

The Washington Post ESPN

10. Stanley Cup Final gets underway in Las Vegas

The last two teams are ready to compete for hockey's holy grail. The Stanley Cup Final will get underway on Saturday night, with the Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Florida Panthers in Las Vegas. This is Vegas' second time reaching the Final since entering the NHL five years ago, and the Golden Knights will look to have better results than 2018, when they lost to the Washington Capitals. The Panthers have made the Final for the first time since 1996, beating the Boston Bruins, the team with the best record in NHL history, along the way. The Panthers would then best the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes for an improbable spot in the Final.

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