Debt ceiling deal: What’s in, what’s out of the bill to avert US default
WASHINGTON (AP) — The details of the deal between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are out. The 99-page bill produced from their agreement Sunday would avoid a federal default while limiting government spending. But the two leaders still have to persuade Congress to pass the bill. Both sides can point to some victories in the package. It includes provisions to fund medical care for veterans, change work requirements for some recipients of government aid and streamline environmental reviews for energy projects. But some conservatives are concerned that the compromise doesn’t cut future deficits enough. And Democrats have been worried about proposed changes to work requirements in programs such as food stamps.
‘He’s home’: Missing 73 years, Medal of Honor recipient’s remains return to Georgia
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — An American soldier awarded the Medal of Honor after he went missing in battle during the Korean War was buried on Memorial Day near his hometown in Georgia. A wounded Army Pfc. Luther Herschel Story was last seen on Sept. 1, 1950, when he stayed behind to cover his infantry unit’s retreat. Story posthumously received the Medal of Honor, but his fate was unknown until the U.S. military matched DNA from Story’s relatives to a set of unidentified bones in April. He was buried Monday afternoon at the Andersonville National Cemetery near his hometown of Americus. Story’s niece, Judy Wade, says she’s glad that he’s finally come home.
Biden on Memorial Day lauds generations of fallen US troops who ‘dared all and gave all’
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says in a Memorial Day address Americans “must never forget” the price paid by troops who “dared all and gave all” to protect their democracy. As is customary on Memorial Day, Biden laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. Biden has taken pride that his administration has overseen a time of relative peace for the U.S. military after two decades of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s been nearly 21 months since the Democratic president ended the United States’ longest war, in Afghanistan. Biden and the first lady plan to spend the rest of the holiday at their home near Wilmington, Delaware.
As rising oceans threaten NYC, study documents another risk: The city is sinking
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City is sinking under the weight of its skyscrapers, homes, pavement and humanity itself. New research published this month says the city is sinking at an average rate of 1 to 2 millimeters a year. The study sought to estimate how much that process is being hurried along by the weight of its roughly 1 million buildings. The research team calculated that all those structures add up to about 1.7 trillion tons of concrete, metal and glass — about the mass of 4,700 Empire State buildings. While the process is slow, the study’s lead researcher says parts of the city will eventually be under water.
Russia issues arrest warrant for Lindsey Graham over Ukraine comments
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Interior Ministry has issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the fighting in Ukraine. Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Zelenskyy’s office later released an edited video of the encounter in which Graham notes that “the Russians are dying” and describes the U.S. military assistance to the country as “the best money we’ve ever spent.” Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation. But the short video by Ukraine’s presidential office put them next to each other. It caused outrage in Russia. The Russian Interior Ministry issued the arrest warrant on Monday.
Exclusive secrets of the National Spelling Bee: Picking the words to identify a champion
OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The word list for the Scripps National Spelling Bee is crafted by a panel of 21 people, including five former Scripps champions. Those who submit words for use in the bee are given assignments throughout the year to come up with a certain number of words at a certain level of difficulty. Then the panel meets to debate the words and toss out the ones that are unfair or pose unresolvable problems. Even as spellers have improved with the help of comprehensive study guides and private coaching, panelists are confident they can continue to come up with words difficult enough to identify a champion.
Police fire tear gas and protestors burn vehicles near home of Senegal’s main opposition leader
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Police fired tear gas and demonstrators burned cars on Monday near the home of Senegal’s main opposition leader, as tensions rise in the capital days before a court verdict is expected. Sonko is being tried for rape and death threats against a woman working at a massage parlor, and could face up to 10 years in prison. If convicted, he would would be barred from running in next year’s presidential elections. Sonko and his supporters maintain his legal troubles are part of an effort by President Macky Sall’s government to derail his candidacy. The clashes came a day after police stopped Sonko’s “freedom caravan”, traveling from his hometown of Ziguinchor, to the capital, Dakar and forced him into his home.
No fatalities reported in Iowa as officials plan to demolish partially collapsed building
Officials in Iowa are making plans to demolish a six-story apartment building a day after it partially collapsed, injuring at least one person and displacing countless residents and businesses. No fatalities were reported in the Sunday evening collapse in downtown Davenport, Iowa. City officials said Monday that the property owner has been served an order for demolition of the building. Residents weren’t allowed back inside to gather their belongings due to the unstable conditions. Demolition is expected to begin Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, firefighters and other first responders are being credited with saving lives — at great risk to their own personal safety — when they entered the unstable building Sunday.
Japan PM’s son to resign after public outrage over private party at official residence
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says his son is resigning as his policy secretary to take responsibility for using the prime minister’s official residence for a private party at which the merrymaking was exposed in magazine photos that triggered public outrage. Shotaro Kishida, his father’s secretary for political affairs, invited a group of people including relatives for a year-end party in December. Kishida reprimanded his son, but failed to quell criticism from opposition lawmakers and the public that pushed down his support ratings. The appointment of his son, seen as a step in grooming him as his heir, had been criticized as nepotism.
Pay per wave: Native Hawaiians divided over artificial surf lagoon in the birthplace of surfing
EWA BEACH, Hawaii (AP) — A prominent Hawaiian waterman wants to build another Hawaii wave pool facility using the latest technology to simulate the ideal conditions top-notch surfers need to stay competitive. But some people, including fellow Hawaiians, want to stop the project. They say another wave pool is a waste of water and pointless in Hawaii, the birthplace of surfing where a good break is often just minutes away. A lawsuit filed in state environmental court by a group of Hawaiians and residents near the proposed site not far from a popular surfing beach alleges the project will cause damage to nearshore limu, or seaweed, and desecrate iwi kupuna, or ancient Hawaiian remains.