
Yellen: U.S. default would be economic and financial "catastrophe"
CBSN
Political brinkmanship over raising the U.S. debt ceiling risks "serious economic costs" even without the "catastrophe" of a default, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Thursday at Group of Seven finance talks in Japan.
Hours earlier, former president Donald Trump urged Republican legislators to trigger the first-ever U.S. debt default by refusing to lift the limit if Democrats don't agree to spending cuts.
President Biden has threatened to call off his upcoming trip to Asia, including in-person attendance at next weekend's G-7 summit, if the deepening standoff isn't resolved soon.

Johannesburg — President Trump doubled down Friday on his offer to grant U.S. citizenship to White Afrikaner farmers in South Africa, accusing their government of treating them "terribly." Mr. Trump said the U.S. would offer them "safety" and that they would be given a "rapid pathway to citizenship."

Toronto — Canada's Liberal Party has chosen veteran central bank leader Mark Carney as its new leader, meaning he will quickly replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the country's top office. The transition, and Trudeau's political downfall, comes amid the chaotic trade war with Canada's closest ally launched by President Trump.

The death toll from two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad and revenge killings that followed has risen to more than 1,000, a war monitoring group said Saturday, making it one of the deadliest acts of violence since Syria's conflict began 14 years ago.

International Women's Day protests demand equal rights and an end to discrimination, sexual violence
Women across the world will call for equal pay, reproductive rights, education, justice and decision-making jobs during demonstrations marking International Women's Day on Saturday.