$40 trillion: The national debt surpassed a record $40 trillion on Wednesday. Defense costs, social programs like Social Security and Medicare and interest on the burgeoning deficit make up an enormous share of federal spending. The milestone figure was recorded just five months after the U.S. hit a record $39 trillion debt in March. It reached $38 trillion five months before that, in October. The Associated Press has the full story.
Indicted: The Baton Rouge man accused of carrying out April’s fatal Mall of Louisiana shooting was indicted on Wednesday. Markel Lee, 18, faces charges of second-degree murder, six counts of attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons. Louisiana First News has the full story.
Sign of the times: Walmart has posted its slowest sales growth in years as consumers worried about their finances tightened their wallets. Comparable sales at Walmart’s U.S. stores rose 2.6% in its most recent quarter, the retailer reported Thursday. That’s its slowest pace of growth in more than six years. The company’s stock sank in premarket trading. The New York Times has the full story.
Ballooning debt
