Here's why a government default may be worse than a government shutdown

ceremony in their backyard in -35 C weather.That’s how Kay and Curtis Ballance celebrated their “perfect” wedding day.The couple got married at their home in Grand Prairie, Alta., in February this year just seven weeks after giving birth to their first daughter.Kay Ballance said their preference was to have no guests at all and to just tie the knot at the courthouse, but in Alberta, you are required by law to have a marriage ceremony – which is what they ended up doing.“The size of our wedding, it actually turned out to be perfect,” said Curtis Ballance.“The very important people in our lives were there and yeah, just the smaller the better.

PA State Game Commission Warden Tyler Barnes searches a wooded early after multiple residents reported a black bear wondering the Roxborough and Andorra neighborhoods in Northwest Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Image MOUNTAIN TOP, Pa. - Authorities say a bear that attacked and injured two young children playing in the driveway of a northeastern Pennsylvania home has been captured and euthanized.The Pennsylvania Game Commission said Friday that two bears, a male and a female, had been caught overnight in live traps set following Monday's attack in Wright Township near Mountain Top.

Memorial Day long weekend, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen extended the deadline for a deal to raise the government’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, but only by four days.Originally, Yellen said the deadline was as early as June 1 to avoid a potential default but in a letter to Congress on Friday, the date was extended to June 5.Yellen said her department would make more than $130 billion in scheduled payments in the first two days of the month, including to veterans and Social Security and Medicare recipients, but encouraged the White House and Republicans to come to an agreement “as soon as possible.”“If Congress fails to increase the debt limit, it would cause severe hardship to American families, harm our global leadership position, and raise questions about our ability to defend our national security interests,” she wrote.The extension comes as President Joe Biden and Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy appeared to narrow in on a two-year budget deal that was aimed at curbing federal deficits.The pair are hoping to strike a compromise over the weekend, but any deal would need to be a compromise as support would be needed from Republicans and Democrats to pass a divided and narrowly-controlled Congress.On Friday evening before departing for Camp David, Biden said “things are looking good.”“I’m hoping we’ll have some clear evidence tonight before the clock strikes 12 that we have a deal,” he said. “But it’s very close.”Despite potential hang-ups, including over stiffer work requirements on people receiving government food stamps, both sides appeared to be optimistic that they could find a deal.“I’m a total optimist,” McCarthy said Friday.

FILE - The Nobska Point Light, famed lighthouse that the Coast Guard is putting up for sale. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images))BOSTON - Ten lighthouses that for generations have stood like sentinels along America's shorelines protecting mariners from peril and guiding them to safety are being given away at no cost or sold at auction by the federal government.The aim of the program run by the General Services Administration is to preserve the properties, most of which are more than a century old.The development of modern technology, including GPS, means lighthouses are no longer essential for navigation, said John Kelly of the GSA's office of real property disposition.

Demonstrators hold Serbian flags and a banner reading "Serbia against violence" as they march during a rally to call for the resignation of top officials and the curtailing of violence in the media. (ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images) Tens of thousands of people are expected in the Serbian capital on Friday for a major rally in support of President Aleksandar Vucic, who is facing an unprecedented revolt against his autocratic rule amid the crisis triggered by two mass shootings that stunned the nation.Answering Vucic’s call for what he called "the largest rally in the history of Serbia," his supporters, many wearing identical T-shirts with his portrait, were being bused to Belgrade from all over the Balkan country as well as neighboring Kosovo and Bosnia.Those working in state firms and institutions were told to take a day off from work to attend the rally in front of the parliament building.

Seperated by gender, here Native American students sit down to a meal. The United States Indian School in Carlisle Pennsylvania opened in 1879. Its director, Captain Richard H.

Cold Lake but in the summertime the city, located 280 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, shines.“We’ve got a beautiful beach and a lot of people come up here to camp and to fish,” said Cold Lake mayor Craig Copeland.Over the next several years, thousands of people could be coming to the area of Alberta to work as well.The city has been home to a Royal Canadian Air Force based for decades — the military says 4 Wing Cold Lake is the busiest fighter base in Canada.People who live in Cold Lake either, for the most part, work at the military base or in oil and gas — but soon, Cold Lake could become major hub for clean energy as site of one of the largest carbon capture and storage facilities in the world.“It has the right geology,” Pathways Alliance president Kendall Dilling said.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphians are known for having an edge, but this probably isn't something to be proud of. A recent survey found that among nearly 30 cities in the country, Philadelphia has the rudest kids and teens. Over 1,400 people were asked by Solitaired.com to rate the rudeness of the kids in their city on a scale of 1-to-10, with 10 being the rudest.The survey used 5.90 as the average on its ‘Rudeness Scale.’ Philadelphia ranked number one at 7.21, San Francisco was next at 6.78, and New York City's was third at 6.55.Participants also ranked what they believe are the rudest behaviors among children in their city, and which age groups displays those ill-mannered behaviors. The three worst behaviors for 5-8-year-olds were disobeying rules, not saying please and thank you, and making a mess. For 9-12-year-old, being absorbed in their phone, playing music or videos too loudly and not saying hello were the three worst behaviors.

FILE - Smith & Wesson handguns are seen for sale in a gun store on Sept. 09, 2022, in Houston, Texas.

paralyzed man has regained the ability to walk thanks to artificial intelligence-powered implants that re-established communication between the brain and spinal cord, researchers said. "Now I can just do what I want – when I decide to make a step the stimulation will kick in as soon as I think about it," Gert-Jan Oskam said, adding that he now has "freedom that I did not have" and that between the surgeries and therapy, it has been "a long journey to get here." Oskam, a 40-year-old Dutchman, was left paralyzed following a cycling accident 12 years ago. He lost full use of his legs and partial use of his arms due to damage to the spinal cord in his neck. The device that has allowed him to walk is the result of a decade of research, building on the work of French neuroscientist Grégoire Courtine.

The health package My first port of call was the mobile app. but it had no mechanism to book an appointment for the check-up. In fact, it had no mention of a complimentary health check-up.

LGBTQ2 community are cautioning about living in or travelling to various “hostile” U.S. states as multiple bills they call “anti-LGBTQ+” are being passed.Last week, Florida Gov.

Drivers with certain medical problems must declare them to the DVLA or risk being hit with hefty fines - and a possible licence surrender.

DOVER, DE - JUNE 5: Delaware Governor John Carney is interviewed by broadcast media after placing the first bet at Dover Downs Casino on June 5, 2018 in Dover, Delaware. Delaware is the first state to launch legal sports betting since the Supreme Cou DOVER, Del. - Members of the Delaware legislature’s budget-writing committee have added more than $120 million to Gov.

The UK Government recently published the Health and Disability White Paper, which lays out proposed reforms to the benefits system. As part of its shake-up, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced plans to scrap the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to encourage people who need to claim benefits back into work.

Yellowstone National Park had to euthanize a newborn bison calf this week after an unidentified visitor handled the wild animal, according to a release from the National Park Service.The bison calf was falling behind its herd and mother as they crossed the Lamar River in Wyoming on Saturday evening. Though park guests are warned not to interact with wildlife, a man approached the animal.In what appeared to be an attempt to hurry the calf along, the unidentified man touched the bison and pushed it up from the river and onto the roadway.The National Park Authority claimed after crossing the river, the bison calf was observed as it tried to approach and follow both cars and people in the park.Park rangers repeatedly tried to reunite the calf with its herd, but all efforts were unsuccessful.

ATLANTA - Perhaps it should go without saying that any official government identification, one should be, well, properly attired, if not at very least wearing clothes.A post on the verified Georgia Department of Driver Services’ Facebook page on Tuesday seems to suggest some folks do not know that.The post features a graphic meme of a Neil deGrasse Tyson cutout with his hands up.The graphic reads "Please wear clothes when taking your selfies for your Digital Driver’s License and IDs."The post itself expands on that message reading:"Attention, lovely people of the digital era! Please take pictures with your clothes on when submitting them for your Digital Driver’s License and IDs. Let’s raise our virtual glasses and toast to the future.

The head of a far-reaching UK inquiry into the government's handling of the Covid pandemic is threatening legal action to obtain former prime minister Boris Johnson's WhatsApp messages and diaries, according to correspondence released Wednesday. Heather Hallett's demand for the unredacted documentation came after Johnson was embroiled in new drama about alleged breaches of his own government's Covid lockdowns, which police are now investigating.

the Supreme Court can do to "adhere to the highest standards" of ethical conduct, an acknowledgment that recent reporting about the justices' ethical missteps is having an effect on public perception of the court.Speaking at a law dinner Tuesday where he was honored with an award, Roberts provided no specifics but said the justices "are continuing to look at the things we can do to give practical effect to that commitment."He said he is "confident there are ways to do that consistent with our status as an independent branch of government and the Constitution’s separation of powers."The court has resisted adopting an ethics code of its own, and Roberts has raised questions about whether Congress could impose a code of conduct on the court.All nine justices recently signed a statement of ethics that Roberts provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee. His remarks Tuesday suggested he knows that statement is not enough to quiet critics.Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts attends President Joe Bidens State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S.

WASHINGTON - Like the blue and yellow flags that popped up around the U.S. when Russia invaded Ukraine 15 months ago, U.S. popular support for Washington's backing of Ukraine has faded a little but remains widespread, a survey by the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy and NORC shows.It found that half of the people in the U.S.

Governor of Delaware John C Carney Jr. speaks at the Delaware Memorial Day Ceremony, in New Castle, DE on May 30, 2019.

Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. At first it seemed likely that the virus had been transmitted from bats to humans via an “intermediate" animal that was infected outside the city and then sold at the market. This was how SARS first emerged 20 years ago.

New Delhi: India reported 513 fresh covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours, leading to a decline in active cases to 6591 nationwide, the union health ministry data showed on Wednesday. Over the span of three years, the country has seen in excess of 44.9 million infections and lost over 531,849 individuals to virus-related complications. Health specialists are noting that current hospital admissions predominantly involve elderly individuals with pre-existing health conditions, reinforcing the need for people to receive their booster shots if they haven’t done so already.

AUSTIN, Texas - Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling on Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign, saying the Republican from Beaumont was "in an obviously intoxicated state" while presiding over the House.But Paxton's call for Phelan's resignation comes as a House committee revealed it's investigating Paxton and his office over a push to use taxpayer money to pay off his settlement with a group of whistleblowers.So far, the attorney general is the highest state official calling for Phelan to resign. Phelan's office fired back, saying a committee is investigating Paxton's office, and they said his comments were an attempt to "save face."Video from the House floor at the end of a 14-hour session on Friday night showed Phelan appearing to slur his words on the House floor while debating an amendment to a Senate bill. The video quickly went viral online over the weekend.Paxton, who is also a Republican, issued a statement on Tuesday about the incident:"After much consideration, it is with profound disappointment that I call on Speaker Dade Phelan to resign at the end of this legislative session.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images) LONDON (AP) - A London judge rejected Prince Harry's bid to pay for his own police protection Tuesday, denying the royal's request to challenge the U.K.

A United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) truck makes deliveries July 23, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.

Lewis Capaldi has been an open book when it comes to discussing her personal struggles with mental health.

The world needs to learn from the Covid-19 pandemic in order to prepare for "even deadlier" viruses in the future, a World Health Organisation (WHO) chief has warned.

MADRID (AP) - Seven people accused of racially abusing Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior have been arrested in Spain, police said Tuesday.Three were detained in Valencia for alleged abuse against Vinícius in a Spanish league match on Sunday. Four were arrested in Madrid for allegedly hanging an effigy of the player off a highway bridge in January.The arrests come after an outpouring of support for Vinícius after he said he was abused in Valencia.

Health chiefs and politicians in Trafford are warning that the government risks a major ‘public health crisis’ unless a scheme to help struggling families is improved. Trafford council leader Tom Ross, and Helen Gollins, Trafford council’s director of public health, are now calling on the government to update the Healthy Start Scheme as soon as possible.

NEW DELHI: India recorded 519 new COVID-19 cases nationwide in the past 24 hours, as announced by the union health ministry on Tuesday. Furthermore, the number of active cases has decreased to 7,104. Over the course of the three-year pandemic, India has reported a total of more than 44.9 million cases and 5,31,843 Covid-19-related deaths.

STONE HARBOR, N.J. - A local girl is recovering from what officials believe to be a shark bite she suffered while surfing along the Jersey coast days before beachgoers head to the water for the unofficial start of summer.Maggie Drozdowski, 15, said she was surfing with a friend off the beach near 109th Street in Stone Harbor when she felt something wrap around her foot and try to tug her under. "I felt something around my foot, and it pulled me down a little bit," Maggie said. "I shook my leg as hard as I could to get it off, but it just wouldn't." Maggie credits her 3 millimeter wetsuit for giving her enough protection to keep the suspected shark from inflicting much more serious injuries. "I went over the wave and she went under it, she screamed and I turned around because I thought she was drowning or something, but she got up and she said ‘I think something bit me," said Sarah O’Donnell, a friend who was with Maggie during the attack. Medics were called to the beach and rushed Maggie to Cape May Regional Medical Center for treatment that included six stitches.

TikTok Inc. filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to overturn Montana's first-in-the-nation ban on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights and is based on "unfounded speculation" that the Chinese government could access users' data.The lawsuit by TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, follows one filed last week by five content creators. They made similar arguments including that the state of Montana has no authority to take action on matters of national security.

A voter arrives at a polling place on March 3, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) The 2024 presidential election is still over a year away, but the field of hopefuls is beginning to fill up, with the Republican field expected to become especially crowded in the coming months.  The field already includes two former presidents hoping to win a second term – Joe Biden and Donald Trump – which has potential to bring about a Biden-vs.-Trump rematch after the last tumultuous presidential election. Here’s all the people who have launched campaigns to win the White House in 2024:Learn more about each candidate below: Tim Scott, the Senate’s only Black Republican, firmly won reelection in South Carolina by more than 20 points.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference following the G7 Leaders Summit in Hiroshima on May 21, 2023.

The temperature outlook for June, July and August 2023 from NOAAs Climate Prediction Center. (FOX Weather) Summer 2023 is expected to be a scorcher for millions of Americans in the West, South and East, according to a long-range outlook issued by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC).The forecast covers the three-month period of June, July and August, also known as meteorological summer.Residents of the Southwest and southern Rockies have the highest likelihood of hotter-than-average temperatures this summer.