US Domestic News Roundup: Biden to address budget cuts, government shutdown in Thursday speech; U.S. caver rescued in Turkey "blessed to be alive", but vows to keep caving and more

Casting aside the hopes and appeals of colleagues, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, the 76-year-old Utah Republican said on Wednesday he would retire as a one-term senator when his term ends in early 2025, rather than seek another six years among a dwindling number of Republican moderates in Congress. Detroit Three strike deadline nears as sides remain far apart U.S. automakers and union negotiators offered little hope a deal would be reached on Thursday to avoid a midnight walkoff that would be the United Auto Workers' first-ever simultaneous strike against the Detroit Three carmakers.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Biden to address budget cuts, government shutdown in Thursday speech

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday will address the impact of federal budget cuts and a looming government shutdown on the American people, in what aides described as a major economic speech, with less than three weeks before funding for the government runs out. The Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate are due to be in session for about 12 days before funding expires on Sept. 30.

U.S. caver rescued in Turkey "blessed to be alive", but vows to keep caving

An American caver rescued after being trapped underground in southern Turkey for 11 days said on Thursday he was blessed to be alive after suffering a gastrointestinal bleed while 1,040 metres deep - but that he would go on exploring caves. Mark Dickey, 40, was rescued early on Tuesday after being trapped in the Morca cave in Mersin province's Taurus Mountains. He was transferred to Mersin City Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.

Senior US Senate Republican Thune says stop-gap bill will be needed to avoid shutdown

Republicans in the U.S. Congress will have to agree on a short-term funding measure soon if they are to avoid a government shutdown and meet their own goal of passing 12 separate appropriations bills, the No. 2 Senate Republican said on Wednesday. That will be particularly challenging as some hard-line House Republicans are vowing to withhold votes for a stopgap, known as a "continuing resolution," without which the government could shutdown beginning in October.

Auto union chief Shawn Fain quotes Malcolm X, shines on Facebook as takes on Detroit Three

With just over 30 hours to go before a strike deadline he set, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain on Wednesday rolled out the latest, unprecedented twist in his unorthodox campaign to win a historic contract for nearly 150,000 workers at the Detroit Three automakers. For the first time in the UAW's history, the union could order members at all three of Detroit's automakers -- General Motors, Ford and Stellantis NV -- to walk off the job starting after their contracts expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, Fain said in a Facebook video address Wednesday evening.

Hollywood's janitors swept out of jobs by dual strikes

Yolanda Cendejas was let go from her job as a studio janitor on May 5, days after Hollywood writers went on strike, leaving the Los Angeles resident without income and the health insurance she needs to cover treatment for her diabetes. She was forced to return to her native Mexico in July to have a non-malignant tumor removed.

US judge rules against Biden DACA regulation for 'Dreamer' immigrants

A U.S. judge on Wednesday ruled against a program offering deportation relief and work permits to immigrants brought to the country illegally as children, known as "Dreamers," despite an attempt by President Joe Biden's administration to bolster the program's standing with a new regulation. The decision by Texas-based U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen deals a fresh setback to the program, called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and its 579,000 enrollees and other immigrants who might have hoped to be approved.

In San Francisco Bay, ecologists work to protect sevengill sharks

Meghan Holst studies the broadnose sevengill shark, so she was naturally concerned when record-setting rain this year altered the shark's nursery grounds in San Francisco Bay. But the species appears to have withstood the challenge, based on initial observations from a recent outing on the water by Holst, a 31-year-old doctoral student in conservation ecology at the University of California, Davis.

Mitt Romney to retire from US Senate after wild ride through Republican politics

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney will not seek reelection in 2024, capping a roller-coaster ride through Republican politics from the height of his party's 2012 presidential nomination to the depths of tribal warfare in the age of Donald Trump. Casting aside the hopes and appeals of colleagues, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, the 76-year-old Utah Republican said on Wednesday he would retire as a one-term senator when his term ends in early 2025, rather than seek another six years among a dwindling number of Republican moderates in Congress.

Detroit Three strike deadline nears as sides remain far apart

U.S. automakers and union negotiators offered little hope a deal would be reached on Thursday to avoid a midnight walkoff that would be the United Auto Workers' first-ever simultaneous strike against the Detroit Three carmakers. The UAW on Wednesday outlined plans for a series of strikes targeting individual, undisclosed U.S. auto plants if agreements are not reached by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday (0359 GMT on Friday), rather than a full walkout.

CEOs from Alphabet, Walmart, Pfizer meet White House officials on refugees

Chief executives from a wide array of U.S. companies will meet White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients on Thursday to discuss refugee resettlement and sponsorship programs, a White House official said. The CEOs will include Alphabet's Sundar Pichai, Walmart's Doug McMillon, Pfizer's Albert Bourla, HP's Enrique Lores and others. They are part of a council of leaders affiliated with Welcome.US, a group dedicated to helping support refugees in the United States.