Biden, McCarthy meet face-to-face on debt crisis worries
President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have met for more than an hour at the White House, aiming to avert a national debt limit crisis. There was no quick progress on related federal spending action, but the Republican leader called it a “good first meeting.” It was their first since the GOP leader took power in the House. Biden has refused to engage in brinkmanship over lifting the nation’s debt limit, warning against throwing the economy into chaos. But McCarthy was eager to launch negotiations over slashing federal spending as part of a broader deal.
US winter storm causes 3rd day
of dangerous,
icy conditions
A deadly storm system is lashing a large swath of the southern U.S. with bands of sleet and snow for a third day. The storm grounded an additional 2,300 flights on Wednesday, including the majority to and from the Dallas area’s two major airports, which are major hubs for American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. It has also cut power to hundreds of thousands customers, forced school closures and made already treacherous driving conditions worse. Watches and warnings about wintry conditions have been issued for an area stretching West Texas’ border with Mexico through Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, and into western Tennessee and northern Mississippi. The slick conditions have been blamed for at least six traffic deaths in Texas.
FBI searches Biden’s vacation home; no classified documents
The FBI has searched President Joe Biden’s Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home as part of its investigation into potential high-level mishandling of classified records. Biden’s attorney says that agents didn’t find any classified documents during the Wednesday search, but did take some handwritten notes and other materials relating to Biden’s time as vice president for review. It’s the latest turn in an extraordinary series of searches of Biden’s and his predecessor’s properties. Unlike former President Donald Trump, Biden has been voluntarily allowing the Justice Department into his residences as a separate Trump criminal investigation continues.
Russia said eyeing Ukraine push; Kyiv targets graft
Ukrainian officials say Russia is mustering its military might in the country’s Luhansk region. Kyiv suspects the movements are preparation for an offensive in the eastern province as the anniversary of Moscow’s invasion approaches. The province’s governor said the Kremlin’s forces were expelling residents near Russian-held parts of the front line so they can’t provide information about troop deployments. Also Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government continued its crackdown on alleged corruption. A prominent lawmaker says the government dismissed several officials. Zelenskyy was elected in 2019 on an anti-corruption platform in a country long gripped by graft. The latest allegations come as Western allies are channeling billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine.
US opens embassy
in Solomon Islands
to counter China
The United States has opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands in its latest move to counter China’s push into the Pacific. The embassy is starting small, with a chargé d’affaires, a couple of State Department staff and a handful of local employees. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomon Islands for five years before closing it in 1993 as part of a global reduction in diplomatic posts after the end of the Cold War. But China’s assertive moves in the region have the U.S. seeking to increase its engagement in a number of ways.
Vessel strike blamed
for humpback whale’s
death in New York
Authorities say a humpback whale that washed ashore on a New York beach this week was likely killed by a vessel. Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say a necropsy will determine the exact cause of death for the whale. The male whale, who was named Luna, was more than 40 years old and had been tracked by marine biologists for decades. It was discovered Monday morning at Lido Beach West Town Park on Long Island. Officials say the whale was about 41 feet long and weighed 29,000 pounds.
US probes complaints
of parts flying off
of Ford Explorers
The U.S. government’s road safety agency is investigating complaints that windshield trim panels can fly off of Ford Explorers while they’re traveling at highway speeds. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 164 complaints about the trim pieces detaching on 2011 through 2019 Explorer SUVs. The probe covers about 1.86 million vehicles. The parts could hit the windshield of following vehicles or even a motorcycle rider, possibly causing loss of control and a crash, the agency said. The agency doesn’t have any reports of crashes or injuries.
By wire sources
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