President Biden plans to speak with Republican Kevin McCarthy as part of negotiations over raising the US federal $31.4tn debt ceiling. Talks broke up on Friday with no signs of progress, jeopardising the situation as the Treasury Department has warned that the federal government could be unable to pay all its debts before 1 June. No progress was made during negotiations on Saturday. Biden is set to return to Washington on Sunday after cutting short his Asia trip to focus on the debt limit talks.
CNN has sunk to become the fourth most watched cable news network in America, overtaken by conservative rival Newsmax despite CNN's superior budget. It marks a decline for CNN, which has been beset by a series of scandals, rifts and an identity crisis. The ratings crisis comes alongside new ownership after CNN became part of Warner Bros Discovery last year, with the newly installed chairman and chief executive launching a strategic turnaround, making CNN less partisan than during the Trump presidency, but the resolution is expected to take time. Moreover, Chris Licht's high-profile step, inviting former President Trump on CNN for his first appearance since 2016, has led to internal turmoil and appeared to have had the short-term effect of alienating some existing left-wing viewers. Republican politicians, are already back on CNN, demonstrating Licht's vision in restoring the channel to its non-partisan roots.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is defying strict Senate dress code regulations by wearing gym shorts and hoodies, causing somewhat of a sensation in the chamber. However, his casual dress is said to demonstrate his relaxed and rejuvenated approach following six weeks in inpatient treatment for clinical depression earlier this year. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is also known for attending in gym clothes, however, Fetterman's signature Carhartt sweatshirts and gym shorts are shaking up convention within the Senate building. His recovery is said to resemble the same person he was before last year when he suffered from a stroke while campaigning for re-election.
US President Joe Biden has called on Republicans to move their position on raising America’s debt limit, warning a lack of agreement will result in a catastrophic default. Biden said a bipartisan deal was essential, but that Republican demands for spending cuts must be rethought. He is seeking to speak to US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the hope that a compromise can be made, though McCarthy said the White House was “moving backward in negotiations,” and that some cuts were essential to stabilising the country’s finances. The Fiscal Times reports that a US default could plunge the world back into recession.
The Kremlin has targeted several prominent enemies of former US President Donald Trump as part of its latest sanctions list. The move is thought to be an attempt to woo Trump, who has expressed fondness for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has refused to commit to supporting Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Among the 500 names singled out by Moscow is Michael Byrd, the Capitol Police officer who shot pro-Trump protester Ashli Babbitt during the January 6 insurrection. Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s secretary of state, who defied Trump’s request to “find” votes to help him win the 2020 race, is also on the list, as is New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who has targeted Trump and his business in court action. The Kremlin stated that its targets included those “directly involved in the persecution of dissidents in the wake of the so-called storming of the Capitol”.
Lawyer Timothy Parlatore has quit Donald Trump’s legal team and criticised a fellow member of the former US president's team for trying to block him and prevent them from defending Trump. Specifically, Parlatore said that Boris Epshteyn had been hindering efforts to put together a defence strategy ahead of an investigation led by Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed by the US Justice Department, and also interfering with document searches. Trump has been the focus of several state and federal investigations into issues including his handling of classified documents since leaving office last year.
US Republicans and Democrats are still struggling to reach an agreement on a 2024 budget year cap as time runs out to raise the debt ceiling. Republicans have insisted that spending next year should be no higher than current levels, while Democrats have refused to accept deeper cuts proposed by their political counterparts. A budget deal would pave the way for a separate vote on raising the debt ceiling, in order to allow the government to pay bills that have already been incurred, but the parties remain split over work requirements and cutting parts of the Internal Revenue Service to achieve a deal. White House officials have warned that hard-right Republicans are unlikely to endorse any compromise reached.
Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) has launched a $3.78bn defamation lawsuit against the Washington Post over an article from May 2022 in which the media company accused TMTG of securities fraud. The article’s headline insinuated “that TMTG was involved in shady business dealings,” according to the TMTG-owned Truth Social. Launched in October 2021, Truth Social is an alternative to Facebook and Twitter but has already been subject to a number of financial investigations. This is the latest of a string of defamation-related cases brought by former President Donald Trump.
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, was booed by students during his commencement speech at Boston University in the midst of an ongoing writers' strike over pay disputes. A Japanese gelato named Byakuya, which sells for JPY880,000 ($6,380), has been declared the world's most expensive ice cream by Guinness World Records. Comedian Nigel Ng, known as Uncle Roger, had his Weibo account suspended after he made jokes about China and its surveillance, including Beijing's claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. President Joe Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet to discuss how to avert a catastrophic US default. Golfer Michael Block hit a hole in one during this weekend's PGA Championship.
Federal prosecutors overseeing the investigation into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents have subpoenaed information about the former president’s business dealings in foreign countries since he took office. The subpoena, which was sent to the Trump Organization, sought details on the company's real estate licensing and development dealings in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, France, Oman, Turkey, China, and the United Arab Emirates. The demand for records related to Trump's foreign ventures since 2017 suggests that prosecutors are exploring whether there is any connection between the former president’s deal-making abroad and the classified documents he removed from the White House and has not returned.
US President Joe Biden has sounded positive about the prospects of Congress finding an agreement in time to avoid a default on America’s sovereign debt that would have catastrophic consequences. A meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy showed that Biden was “optimistic” about devising a bipartisan agreement, following an acknowledgment that the prospect of a debt default was on both sides’ minds. McGovern said a decision over spending cuts would have to be made since there are just ten days left before a default, and the House’s proposal for spending cuts would provide the “framework” for any deal.
The question of who would replace US Senator Dianne Feinstein if she steps down from her role has raised issues with California Governor Gavin Newsom. Concerns about Feinstein’s fitness for the job have been raised, despite calls from her party to resign, as health concerns continue to be disclosed. Potential replacements from obscure to famous, including Oprah Winfrey, have been floated around California circles, but in 2021 Newsom promised to appoint an African-American woman should Feinstein’s seat become available, which may limit his options. Meanwhile, a separate campaign will be underway to fill the seat when the senator’s term ends in January 2025. Newsom has said he has been inundated with suggestions for how to fill a possible vacancy and was sensitive to criticism that voters should be picking their elected officials, hinting that he might choose a caretaker to hold the spot if one becomes available.
