More Biden-McCarthy face time

Leaders meet for more debt ceiling talks

Advertisement eNewspaper       |        Crosswords       |       Horoscopes Read in browser Read in browser The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Mon May 22 2023 Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer More Biden-McCarthy face time Leaders meet for more debt ceiling talks Advertisement After a weekend of start-stop talks, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are set to meet Monday to keep the government from running out of the cash to pay its bills. Also in the news: The U.S. has signed a new security agreement with Papua New Guinea to counter China's influence in the Pacific and SpaceX's second all-private crew of astronauts is docking at the International Space Station Monday morning. 🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Seven wonders in fewer than seven days? That's a lot of flights. Now, here we go with Monday's news. More talks amid partisan debt ceiling rancor President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy plan to meet again Monday after talks broke down this weekend over GOP demands for spending cuts as part of a deal to increase the debt ceiling. The president and the speaker had a "productive" telephone conversation as Biden flew back Sunday from an economic summit in Japan, McCarthy announced. • Biden has raised the prospect of unilateral action  to pay the nation's bills, but told reporters at the G-7 summit in Japan that there probably isn't enough time before a proposed deadline of June 1. • McCarthy has accused Biden of backing off on spending cuts based on pressure from the more liberal members of his party. • There is some uncertainty as to the "real" deadline here. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has implied the government could conceivably pay its bills beyond June 1 – but not for long. A poster at a bus shelter shows the national debt in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2023. MANDEL NGAN, AFP via Getty Images Biden said Zelenskyy gave 'flat assurance' he won't use F-16s in Russia President Joe Biden said Sunday that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told him personally he won't use F-16 fighter jets to attack Russian territory. "I have a flat assurance from Zelenskyy that they will not," Biden said at a news conference in Hiroshima. Zelenskyy met with Biden and other world leaders in Japan, where Biden told Group of Seven leaders Friday the U.S. would assist with training Ukrainian pilots on modern fighter aircraft, including American-made F-16s. Read more • U.S. participation in the F-16 training program could signal that Washington is closer to arming Ukraine with the aircraft. US President Joe Biden (L) walks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of a working session on Ukraine during the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 21, 2023. SUSAN WALSH, POOL/AFP via Getty Images More news to know now • Three people are dead and two injured in a shooting at a Kansas City bar, police say. • The mother of a child who died in Border Patrol custody says pleas were ignored. • Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating a second hospital for gender-affirming care. • On today's 5 Things podcast, a look at a U.S. plan to train Ukrainian pilots. Listen on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or your smart speaker. What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. US signs new security pact with Papua New Guinea amid competition with China The United States signed a new security pact Monday with Papua New Guinea as the U.S. continues to jostle with China for influence in the Pacific. Papua New Guinea is strategically located and its nearly 10 million people are the most among Pacific island nations. The State Department says the agreement would help improve security cooperation, enhance Papua New Guinea's defense capacity and increase regional stability. But many in the Pacific are concerned about the increasing militarization. The move also comes after G-7 leaders gathered in Japan urged China to press Russia to end war in Ukraine. • A massive fire tore through Manila's historic post office building overnight,  razing a nearly 100-year-old landmark. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Papua New Guinea's Defence Minister Win Bakri Daki shake hands in Port Moresby on May 22, 2023. ADEK BERRY, AFP via Getty Images How will Tim Scott challenge Donald Trump in 2024? Tim Scott, the lone Black Republican senator who showcases himself as a "sunrise" conservative, is expected to launch his historic yet underdog bid for president on Monday. The South Carolina senator will join an expanding field of GOP contenders looking to knock out Donald Trump, the former president who remains a muscular frontrunner despite qualms that he isn't the best to challenge President Joe Biden. Scott often talks about his racial heritage on the campaign trail, using an ad that has blasted Biden and the Democrats for promoting "victimhood" over "personal responsibility." Read more • NAACP posted a Florida travel advisory, warning DeSantis' policies are ''hostile'' to Black Americans. • Gov. Ron DeSantis' feud with the College Board over AP African American Studies, explained. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks during a town hall, Monday, May 8, 2023, in Manchester, New Hampshire. Charles Krupa, AP Just for subscribers: • A more aggressive FTC is starting to target drug mergers and industry middlemen. • Pausing AI development would be a mistake. Congress shouldn't meddle – for now. • Ohio's gun laws have seen major changes in 20 years. What happened? • ''It sucks for Graham'': World watches as Rahal family suffers thru Indy 500 qualifying disaster. These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here.  Brooks Koepka becomes first LIV golfer to claim major For the fifth time in his career — and third time at the PGA Championship — Brooks Koepka has won a major championship. Koepka, who shot 3-under par Sunday to fend off a challenge from Viktor Hovland, became the first LIV Golf player to win a major title since defecting to the Saudi-backed tour. Koepka raced out to a remarkable start Sunday, deploying his short irons with precision. He birdied three consecutive holes That helped him open a three-stroke lead over Hovland, his playing partner in the final pairing of the championship round, through four holes. Read more • More from USA TODAY Sports: Brittney Griner made her WNBA return after her Russian detainment. Brooks Koepka celebrates after winning the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. Adam Cairns, USA TODAY Sports Quick hits • Black women looking for Black sperm donors struggle with the harsh reality of a shortage. • Protect your skin this summer with these affordable face sunscreens. • Unsolved: Did serial killer Israel Keyes have a link to the Alexis Patterson case? • ''Killers of the Flower Moon'' got a rapturous reception at Cannes. • Taylor Swift shared a personal update during her concert: ''Never been this happy in my life.'' Photo of the day:  SpaceX's Axiom-2 mission journeys to the International Space Station SpaceX's Axiom-2 mission is slated to dock at the International Space Station Monday morning, carrying the second all-private crew of astronauts on a multimillion-dollar journey. The crew, which includes  the first two Saudi Arabian government-sponsored astronauts, will remain there for eight days before returning back to Earth. Read more The Axiom-2 astronauts blast off from Kennedy Space Center Sunday, May 21, 2023. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY 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 or follow along with her musings on  Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here. Associated Press contributed reporting. Advertisement Follow Us Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe  •   Manage Newsletters  •  Terms of Service  •   Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights  •  Privacy Notice  •   Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy  •  Feedback