When Republicans in Congress refused to raise the debt ceiling in 2011, the government risked a catastrophic default and suffered a devastating credit downgrade. Lessons learned from the debt ceiling standoff more than a decade ago are rippling through Washington, as the White House and Congress brace for another fiscal showdown one that appears headed toward a very similar outcome. 

Capitol Hill

Debt ceiling discussions mirror 2011 crisis

This morning, President Biden is preparing to meet with Democratic leaders at the White House today. This meeting comes as a president faces, new questions about his handling of classified documents and whether he will compromise with Republicans on the debt ceiling through rational, response, definitely begin is live in Washington DC which expect from today's meeting good morning. Stephanie Alex. Good morning. Little white house says, they have a long agenda for today's meeting but also said that it's an opportunity for Democratic leaders to sit down with the president and Head of the State of the Union Address, which is set for February. 7th. We are certainly expecting the debt limit. The debt ceiling to be a very high item on the to-do list for today's meeting. No white, the white house. And Democrats have repeatedly said that you're risking the country to smoking on its loans is absolutely not an option. In the debt limit shouldn't be held hostage to try to get other sorts of spending cuts in negotiation Senate Majority Leader. Chuck Schumer just yesterday on the senate floor with calling on House. Republicans said if they want spending cuz they need to be specific with what cuts they want to spend, what they want to see what program do. They want to see those budgets shrink in order to potentially raise the debt limit? So we could see and Democrats Congressional, Democrats and President Biden, talk about the strategy, talk about how they're going to approach to these conversations with House Republicans that are going to need to happen at some time. Over the next few months. We do also know that President Biden is cleaning a separate meeting with house Speaker, Kevin McCarthy and McCarthy. At the room, he will attend to that meeting. He wants to talk about a responsible government spending. So the debt ceiling something that the White House and Congressional leaders are going to have to deal with it. Figure out some kind of path forward. The President Biden has also been cleared, he wants to see if I could escape from this Congress. He wants to make sure that that continued something you saw a good amount of in the last one. So we have some really big agenda items at this Congress is going to need to deal with Government funding. Of course, something it comes up every year the farm bill, a big piece of legislation, it's going to require both parties to work together. We also could see the new house committee looking at competitiveness with China's. That could be a bright spot for bipartisanship in this Congress. Is that that's something that President Biden is expected to discuss with Democratic leaders today. How they see themselves working and moving forward with the Republican count In order to pass legislation that supports productivity, American people, the White House Press Secretary Grillo a said the today's meeting with me is just the first in a series of meetings part of the president getting ready to work with the new Congress. But its course, it's also worth noting. There's a new Democratic party that is part of congressional leadership with Hakeem Jeffries as House Majority Leader. Now, taking over the role for Nancy Pelosi as leading out there. Thank you.

Another earthquake has struck Turkey and Syria hours causing more buildings to collapse as rescue crews searched through the rubble. The death toll has risen to 2,600 with at least 11,000 more injured. Across the hardest hit regions, many buildings have collapsed with frantic search efforts underway to rescue people trapped inside. World leaders have pledged humanitarian assistance.

Malatya

Second, powerful quake hits Turkey

Health workers in Britain began their biggest ever strike on Monday, as tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers walked out in an escalating pay dispute, putting further strain on the state-run National Health Service (NHS). 

London

Nurses, ambulance workers go on strike in UK

Tens of thousands of travellers commuted between mainland China and Hong Kong on Monday (February 6), authorities said, marking the first time in three years that all border checkpoints were reopened fully without health crisis restrictions.

Hong Kong International Airport

COVID Latest

China-Hong Kong border reopens fully

Countries around the world mobilised rapidly to send aid and rescue workers on Monday after a massive earthquake killed more than 2,300 people in Turkey and Syria. The pledges of assistance came from countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, as well as North America. 

World mobilizes aid for Turkey, Syrian quake victims

Ukraine's military has said its preparing for mass Russian bombardments across the country any day now as Moscow's invasion nears the one-year mark.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy says Russia is preparing for mass attack

The EU and G7 countries have also expanded the existing price cap on Russian crude oil to include all refined products.

Brussels

Russian Sanctions

Russian oil ban comes into effect

A major earthquake of magnitude 7.9 has struck central Turkey and northwest Syria, killing scores of people and injuring hundreds as buildings collapsed. Emerging from the devastation are stories of survival. Rescue workers saved an injured child from the rubble of collapsed buildings in Syria's Azaz.

A'zaz

Hundreds killed in Turkey, Syria earthquake

Firefighters battled dozens of raging wildfires in Chile on Sunday (February 5), seeking to gain control of one of the country's worst natural disasters in years as the death toll rose to at least 24 with nearly 1,000 more injured.

Bio Bio

Climate Crisis

Chile calls for international help as fires rage

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he expects a major Russian offensive in the coming weeks. In his nightly address, Zelenskyy said Moscow is increasing pressure on several fronts, ahead of the first anniversary of the war on February 24th. The battle for control of the eastern city of Bakhmut has been intensifying, with Russia deploying more troops.

Bakhmut

Ukraine to fight for Bakhmut ‘as long as it can’

U.S. President Joe Biden is coming under fire for waiting days to shoot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon. Officials say waiting was necessary to keep Americans safe, but opponents say it showed weakness amid rising tensions with China.

Washington

Biden criticized for waiting to shoot down balloon

The extreme cold snap in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada may be over, but thousands are still dealing with the aftermath of frigid temperatures and high winds that downed power lines and burst pipes.

Halifax

Clean-up begins after extreme cold snap

Pervez Musharraf, who led Pakistan during the turbulent years of the U.S.-led War on Terror, has died at the age of 79. While he oversaw a period of economic growth, he left a complicated legacy both in Pakistan and beyond.

Dubai

Musharraf, Pakistan's President dies in exile

Footage shows fire engulfing Melbourne’s Bright Moon Buddhist Society Temple on Sunday evening. More than 80 firefighters battled the blaze into the night as the fire quickly spread throughout the building. It's not yet known if anyone was inside when the fire started. Roads in the surrounding area are closed as investigations into the cause of the fire are underway.

Springvale South

Blaze burns down Melbourne temple

The new pricing falls under the new Twitter Blue for Business service. Within the next few months, only paying Twitter customers will have verified status. Twitter has stacked on $12.5 billion in debt, and this move hopes to increase subscription revenue to meet Musk's obligations. 

San Francisco

Companies to pay extra for verified Twitter accounts

A powerful arctic blast has hit parts of the United States and Canada, with fierce winds pushing temperatures down into the negative double digits. The lowest temperature ever recorded in North America, a wind chill of -104F was felt at Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Authorities have issued a health advisory amid the extreme cold weather.

Boston

'Generational' Arctic blast hits U.S, Canada

A village on the Ohio, Pennsylvania border has been evacuated and a state of emergency declared after a train carrying 'hazardous materials' derailed, sparking a large fire. About 50 cars derailed in East Palestine late Friday, with the rail operator confirming many were carrying dangerous goods. A plume of toxic smoke is blowing away from the site with fears for the health of nearby communities.

East Palestine

Giant fire after 'hazardous' train derailment

The U.S military has shot down a Chinese balloon, which it says was a surveillance craft, off the coast of South Carolina. China strongly condemned the military strike, saying the was used for meteorological and other scientific purposes, and had strayed into U.S. airspace "completely accidentally". Beijing saying it now reserved the right to use similar force against U.S vessels.

Surfside Beach

China: Spy balloon downing an 'overreaction'

Ukraine expects a possible major Russian offensive this month, but Kyiv has the reserves to hold back Moscow's forces even though the latest Western military supplies will not all arrive in time, Ukraine's defense minister said on Sunday.

Kramatorsk

Kyiv warns of major new Russian offensive

At least 23 people have died in hundreds of forest fires in Chile. Nearly a thousand people have been injured as a blistering heatwave is complicating efforts to control the blazes. The fires are raging across the central-southern regions of Araucanía, Biobio and Nuble. The government has extended emergency orders.

Ñuble

Chile wildfires spread as death toll rises

Onlookers have filmed the moment U.S fighter jets shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina. Pentagon officials confirming they 'successfully took down' the airship, after the Federal Aviation Authority ordered a temporary flight restriction to clear nearby airspace. Officials say they'll now attempt to recover elements of the vessel from the water.

Video captures moment spy balloon destroyed

The United Arab Emirates helped negotiate a prisoner swap on Saturday which saw dozens of troops from either side return home. Some 'special category' detainees were also exchanged.

Zaporizhzhia

Mass prisoner swap between Russia, Ukraine

People in the northern Pakistani city of Peshawar have been protesting to demand authorities take action to prevent attacks by armed groups. More than 100 people were killed in the city when a suicide bomber targeted a mosque on Monday.

Peshawar

Pakistan mosque attack victims demand justice

Anti-government protests in Peru are affecting the country's tourism industry.
The most visited site, Machu Picchu, has been closed since demonstrations spread in the area.

Cusco

Protesters destroy access to Machu Picchu

A jury in the United States has found Tesla billionaire Elon Musk did not defraud investors with tweets he sent in 2018. The not-guilty verdict was reached after less than two hours of deliberation following a three-week trial. 

Elon Musk found not guilty over Tesla tweets

Beijing is calling for calm as a giant Chinese balloon continues to float over the United States. China says it is a civilian weather balloon and its location is an accident. But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the balloon's presence is "an irresponsible act," and has postponed a planned visit to Beijing.

Blinken postpones China visit over balloon incident

The polar vortex hitting central and eastern Canada has sent temperatures to life-threatening lows. In Toronto, there aren't enough shelter beds to keep everyone off the streets at night but workers and volunteers say they won't turn anyone away.

Campbellton

Polar vortex sweeps across Canada, U.S

Andrei Medvedev fled across frozen fields in Ukraine to escape the Russian mercenary group he signed up to fight for - the secretive Wagner group. The 26-year-old says he regrets going to fight in the war and is now prepared to give evidence about the war crimes he witnessed, including brutal executions on Russia's own soldiers.

Oslo

Wagner defector becomes key witness

Pentagon officials said they have 'neutralized' surveillance carried out by a Chinese spy balloon floating over the continental U.S., and the balloon poses no threat to Americans. It comes as U.S authorities confirm reports a second Chinese balloon has been spotted flying over Latin America.

Billings

Second Chinese spy balloon spotted

The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have threatened to boycott the Paris Games in 2024 if Russian athletes are allowed to compete. This follows the International Olympic Committee's decision to allow Russian or Belarusians to participate as neutral athletes.

Vilnius

Baltic states threaten to boycott Olympics

Pope Francis joined the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland in South Sudan on Friday in a joint campaign to promote peace.