In our news wrap Saturday, Biden heads into his last day of the G7 summit in Japan as debt limit talks stall in Congress, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrived in Hiroshima to gather support from world leaders ahead of a planned counteroffensive to reclaim Russian-occupied territory, and WNBA star Brittney Griner played in her first regular-season game since she was freed from Russian captivity.
News Wrap: Debt ceiling standoff looms as Biden attends G7 talks
Nation
May 20, 2023 05:45 PM EDT
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John Yang:
Good evening. I'm John Yang. President Biden is headed into the last day of the G7 Summit in Japan while keeping an eye on the potential for economic disaster at home if he can't make a deal with Congress on raising the debt limit.
Last night, White House and House Republican negotiators met for more than an hour in the Capitol with no apparent signs of progress. The president's due back at the White House late Sunday from his abbreviated trip. In Japan today, Mr. Biden said he's not worried after Friday's pause and restart of the talks.
Joe Biden, U.S. President:
What happens is the carriers go back to the principals and say, this is what we're thinking about. And then people put down new claims. I still believe we'll be able to avoid a default and we'll get something decent done.
John Yang:
The US. Treasury could run out of cash and need to borrow to meet its debts as early as June 1st. That's the day that $47 billion in Medicare benefits are due to be paid.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also at the G7 Summit gathering support from world leaders ahead of anticipated counteroffensive to take back Russian controlled territory. Today, Zelenskyy met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi face to face for the first time. Modi has so far refused to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Tomorrow, he's scheduled to meet with President Biden.
In Los Angeles. Last night, WNBA star Brittney Griner played in her first regular season game since she was freed from a Russian prison. Vice President Kamala Harris attended the game and spoke to Griner and her Phoenix Mercury teammates before the opening tip off.
Kamala Harris, U.S. Vice President:
All that you did in supporting Brittney because I know that was rough and that was so difficult for you. A team is a team. That's family.
John Yang:
The team was greeted with a standing ovation when they took the court. Griner was the top scorer in the Mercury's loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. She ended the night with 18 points, six rebounds and four blocks.
Still to come on "PBS News Weekend", medicine's use of artificial intelligence and native communities fight rising sea levels.
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