Biden, McCarthy reach debt ceiling deal to avoid default

Top leaders in both parties reached a long-sought deal on Saturday to avoid an unprecedented government default, announcing an agreement on a plan to lift the debt ceiling immediately and apply new caps on federal spending in the name of curbing deficits, according to sources familiar.To get there, negotiators had to iron out their differences on a small but crucial list of outstanding issues that had dogged the talks in recent days, including spending levels, new work requirements for social be