3 PM ET: Presidential debates, Slovakia PM assassination attempt, child care costs & more

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Head to Netsuite.com slash briefing now for their one-of-a-kind flexible financing program.

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From CNN, I'm Afoma DK, with the five things you need to know for Wednesday, May 15th.

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President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are gearing up to go head-to-head on the debate stage again.

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They agreed to two presidential debates, one from CNN in June and another hosted by ABC in September. Quentin Falk's Biden's deputy campaign manager touched on the president's strategy going into the first showdown.

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He's going to lead. I mean, he's going to show Americans what leadership looks like. And he will do that in aid, partly because Donald Trump will be on the stage. And when his mic is unmuted and he's able to talk and represent his values, American voters will see just how extreme he is.

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Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt he would accept any moderator and said,

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I wonder whether or not he shows up because, you know, he also challenged me to golf. So I'm a very good golfer. He can't hit a ball 50 yards. He said, I'll give him three aside. But he knows he'll never play. This is sort of like that, I think. But I hope not, because I really think he has to debate. He might as well get it over with.

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The debates are taking place outside the traditional fall schedule, organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates. Neither political rival plans to participate in the Commission's debates, but the Commission said its sights are still ready to go. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., accused Biden and Trump of, quote, colluding to keep him off the debate stage.In accusation, the Biden campaign dismissed. Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fitzso, was in a life-threatening condition in the hospital as of this afternoon. After being shot multiple times in what was deemed as an assassination attempt, local media reported the suspected gunman was among a small crowd of people, waiting to greet the Prime Minister after a meeting. The suspected gunman was detained by police.CNN's Zane Asher describes Fidsot's position in Slovakian politics.

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Just to talk about Fitso more broadly to our international audience, he is a very divisive figure, of course. He's somebody who is a Putin ally. He's somebody who's an ally of Victor Orbán. He has a very clear anti-immigrant policy. He is a populist. He's been a clear and present figure in Slovakian politics for a very, very long time.

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Slovakia's president says the attack on FITSO is also a quote, attack on democracy.

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The Gulf Coast could be in for a, quote, nightmare scenario.

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That's what the weather prediction center says, as another round of heavy rain could lead to dangerous flooding for parts of the south later this week. The WPC says eastern Texas through Louisiana into western Mississippi is on alert for flash flooding tomorrow, with the storm system shifting east on Friday, from the Texas-Louisiana border to Florida and Georgia. It's been one of the wettest years to date on record across the Gulf Coast. Some southeast cities have seen more than a half foot of rainabove what's typical for the first several months of the year. A judge has denied bond for the driver of a truck involved in a fatal crash Tuesday in Florida. Authority said the 2001 Ford Ranger traveled toward the center line along Highway 40 and struck a bus carrying more than 50 farm workers. Eight people were killed and at least 40 injured. The driver of the Ford Ranger 41-year-old Brian McLean Howard faces eight charges of DUI manslaughter. CNN has reached out for comment to the public defender's office.Howard's next court date is set for June 18. Coming up, the hefty price of being a parent.

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This episode is brought to you by Visit Williamsburg. In Williamsburg, Virginia, there's never

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too much of a good thing, whether you're a foodie, a golfer, a history buff,

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a shopaholic, an outdoor enthusiast, or a thrill seeker. You'll find what you came for here, and more. So ask yourself, what is it you want? Discover Williamsburg and plan your trip at visitw Williamsburg.com. Hey, welcome back.

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Feeling the sting of high rent lately, wait till you hear about child care. Placing two kids at a child care center costs at least 25% more than the average rents in every U.S. state. That's according to Child Care Aware of America's latest annual report, which came out today. The report found that child care continues to be a major financial burden for many parents. But it's stabilized somewhat since the COVID-19 pandemic, which upended the industry when many, The report found that childcare continues to be a major financial burden for many parents. But it's stabilized somewhat since the COVID-19 pandemic,which upended the industry when many providers had to shut down or go to great lanes to retain their workers and provide safe environments. That's a wrap. I'll be back at 6 p.m. Eastern. Over 37,000 companies have already made the move to NetSuite.

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Back by popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks. Head to NetSuite.com slash briefing. NetSuite.com slash briefing.