More negotiations on debt ceiling, a new pact with Papua New Guinea: Top 5 US stories today

Here are 5 key headlines from the United States today:

1. 01

   Debt ceiling discussions: Biden, McCarthy to meet today

   The White House and House Republicans wrapped up another round of debt ceiling talks Sunday as Washington races to strike a budget compromise along with a deal to raise the nation's borrowing limit and avert an economy-wrecking federal default. President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke by phone Sunday while the president was returning home on Air Force One after the Group of Seven summit in Japan.

   Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., walks in the Capitol Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 21, 2023. (AP)

   Upbeat, McCarthy, R-California, told reporters at the Capitol that the call was “productive" and that the on-again, off-again negotiations between his staff and White House representatives are focused on spending cuts. Biden and McCarthy are set to meet for a pivotal meeting Monday at the White House. (AP)

2. 02

   US criticises Israeli order on West Bank settler outpost

   The Biden administration rebuked Israel over an order that allows Jewish settlers to establish a permanent presence in a West Bank outpost that Washington has warned Jerusalem it should avoid legitimising.

   The chief of the Israeli military's Central Command signed an order on Thursday that allows Israelis to enter the Homesh outpost area, paving the way for a formal settlement to be built there, the Times of Israel reported. The State Department has repeatedly called on Israel to refrain from any moves that escalate tensions with Palestinians, like formalising settler outposts, and specifically warned it over Homesh.

   "We are deeply troubled by the Israeli government's order that allows its citizens to establish a permanent presence in the Homesh outpost in the northern West Bank, which according to Israeli law was illegally built on private Palestinian land," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Sunday. (Reuters)

3. 03

   US signs new security pact with Papua New Guinea amid competition with China

   The United States signed a new security pact with Papua New Guinea today as it continues to compete with China for influence in the Pacific.

   Papua New Guinea's location just north of Australia makes it strategically significant. It was the site of fierce battles during World War II, and with a population of nearly 10 million people, it's the most populous Pacific Island nation.

   #PNGNews US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, Arrives in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.#FIPIC2023 #PapuaNewGuinea #PNG #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #USA #LoopPNG #LoopNews pic.twitter.com/Reet1pnKxr

   — Loop PNG (@looppng) May 22, 2023

   At a breakfast meeting on Monday, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said his country faced significant security challenges, from skirmishes within the country to illegal fishing boats that lit up the night like skyscrapers. “We have our internal security as well as our sovereignty security issues,” Marape said. “We're stepping up on that front to make sure our borders are secure.” But the agreement sparked student protests in the second-largest city, Lae. And many in the Pacific are concerned about the increasing militarisation of the region.  (AP)

4. 04

   Zelenskyy has promised Ukraine won't use F-16 planes to go into Russia, says Biden

   US President Joe Biden on Sunday said he had received a "flat assurance" from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he would not use Western-provided F-16 fighter jets to go into Russian territory.

   Biden told reporters in Hiroshima, Japan, at the conclusion of a meeting of world leaders that F-16 warplanes could be used "wherever Russian troops are within Ukraine and the area". He said it was "highly unlikely" the planes would be used in any Ukrainian offensive in the coming weeks, but that Ukrainian troops could need such weapons to defend themselves against Russian forces beyond their current reach. (Reuters)

5. 05

   3 killed, 2 injured in shooting at Kansas City bar shooting

   Three people were killed and two others wounded — including one critically — in a shooting at a Kansas City bar early Sunday, police said.

   3 dead, 2 injured in Kansas City nightclub shooting.https://t.co/R5k2IMIzpC pic.twitter.com/Q8JuazAjHw

   — KHON2 News (@KHONnews) May 22, 2023

   Multiple officers responded to the shooting at Klymax Lounge that was reported just before the bar’s 1.30 am closing time. They found multiple victims and immediately began providing medical aid, Kansas City police said in an email.

   Police said two of the victims died at the scene — one was found inside the bar and the other was outside the building in Kansas City, Missouri. A third victim died at the hospital. (Read more)