Obama jokingly called Biden “vice president” on his return to the White House
In a tumultuous speech at a conference of construction unions in North America, President Joe Biden pointed to new sanctions against Russia and, without naming him, mocked Representative Matt Goetz over his cross-examination of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The president received a standing ovation for his remarks on the economy, jobs and trade unions, and also touched on Amazon’s position on the organization of the workplace and its predecessor on taxes (he also remained unnamed). Mr Biden concluded by announcing a $ 20 billion investment in public transport, the largest in US history.
Earlier, Republicans and conservative commentators were convicted of distributing misleadingly edited videos claiming to show that the president was humiliatingly ignored in favor of Barack Obama at a White House event yesterday.
Mr. Obama was giving his first public speech at the executive mansion after leaving office, a celebration of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Mr Biden has announced changes to the health program that could get up to 200,000 uninsured Americans eligible for coverage.
Asked for advice on Democrats worried about this year’s midterm elections, Mr Obama said they had a story to tell, they “just have to tell it”.
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The United States warns of an impending nuclear test in North Korea
North Korea recently tested what looked like an intercontinental ballistic missile, and the Biden administration warned that the isolated dictatorship could plan another “provocative action” next week – possibly a full-fledged nuclear test.
According to US Special Envoy for North Korea Sung Kim, the United States and its allies “are ready to do whatever they can.”
In addition to the war in Ukraine, which saw Vladimir Putin ordering Russia’s nuclear forces to increase their readiness, the Biden administration is also involved in intensive talks to bail out an anti-proliferation deal with Iran after a hard-won 2015 deal. to limit its nuclear enrichment program was rejected by Donald Trump.
Maroosha Muzaffar has a story.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 12:06
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Hunter Biden is increasingly in the public eye of Republicans as the midterm elections approach
Joe Biden’s son Hunter has long been at the center of allegations that he used his name and relationship with his father to secure lucrative business deals, as well as allegations of tax misconduct over his dealings with foreign companies.
And as federal investigations into his case are gaining increasing attention, Republicans in the House of Representatives have made it clear that if they win a majority in November – as is widely expected – the younger Mr Biden will be immediately under investigation. from Congress.
“The House Ombudsman’s oversight committee will be everywhere in Hunter Biden,” said Congressman James Comer in an interview with Politico. “We will focus on Hunter Biden not for political reasons, but because we believe he is a threat to national security.
John Bowden has the story.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 11:36
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What if the Senate can’t pass a bill to ease Covid?
The White House has struggled with Congress to pass a new bill to billions of dollars to help recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, but as things stand, the Senate – which will soon pause – is fighting for the administration’s plan to repeal the measure. of Trump to control immigration at the southern border.
If the package fails, numerous programs could be at stake, including the purchase of Covid therapists, vaccines and booster vaccines, and the White House warned that without new investment money, uninsured people could be left struggling to access. tests.
Eric Garcia has this analysis.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 10:46
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The White House is fighting TikTok
A TikTok account created to improve Joe Biden’s profile with younger voters started slowly, with only 118 fans following @buildingbacktogether on the platform, despite the glaring advantage of name recognition.
Here is the first video of the account, a montage of legislative achievements, inexplicably the soundtrack of ABBA’s 1979 hit “Gimme! Give me! Give me! (Man after midnight).
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 10:27
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Ketanji Brown Jackson is approaching confirmation
Today will see the full Senate vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson in the Supreme Court, making her the first black woman to sit on the highest bench in the United States. It is expected to be confirmed with the support of only three Republicans: Susan Collins, Lisa Markowski and Mitt Romney, all of whom have been harshly condemned by the right-wing media for supporting her.
In fact, much of the rest of the party has gone through the confirmation process, accusing it of being soft on child abusers and insisting on explaining what the woman is.
Here, Andrew Feinberg goes through the more unfounded questions she was asked by the Judicial Commission.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 10:03
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Jen Psaki on Russian-inspired US domestic terrorism
Yesterday, The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg asked White House spokesman Jen Psaki if Russia could use the affinity attracted by some far-right groups and white leaders in the United States to inspire domestic terrorism in retaliation for sanctions.
The recent history of extremist groups belonging to their Russian counterparts is really vivid. The Southern Legal Center for Poverty has described how neo-Nazi and “identical” figures in the United States have been linked to Russian ultranationalists such as the philosopher Alexander Dugin, who has been described as “Putin’s brain,” over the past few years.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 09:43
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Pentagon spokesman: “Brutality is a tactic used by Russians”
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby last night gave an interview about Russia’s use of cluster bombs and other weapons against civilians in Ukraine, where Joe Biden recently insisted that Vladimir Putin’s military was committing war crimes.
“They are indiscriminate in the way they attack,” he said. “They don’t care how many civilians they kill or how many people they force to flee.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 09:24
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Elizabeth Warren urges Biden to cancel student debt
After Joe Biden announced the sixth extension of the end of the student loan freeze imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, progressive Democrats have stepped up calls for the president to take unilateral action and repeal it altogether – something he says he should it was done through the actions of the Congress, although the idea is extremely unlikely to reach the legislature, given the guerrilla policy.
Here is Elizabeth Warren on MSNBC yesterday, who explains what the repeal can achieve.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 08:44
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Merrick Garland warns the oligarchs
Merrick Garland’s press conference yesterday, which discussed further sanctions against Russian oligarchs and tycoons, was, to put it mildly, strongly worded, especially by the moderate standards of the Attorney General.
“Last month, I said we would not leave a stone unturned in our efforts to investigate, arrest and prosecute those whose criminal activities allow Russia to continue its unjust war in Ukraine,” he said. “This is a promise we keep …
“Our message to those who continue to allow the Russian regime through their criminal behavior is this,” Mr Garland said, raising his voice. “It doesn’t matter how far you sail your yacht. It doesn’t matter how well you cover your assets. It doesn’t matter how cleverly you write your malware or hide your online activity. The Ministry of Justice will use every tool available to find you, destroy your conspiracies and hold you accountable.
The United States recently enlisted the help of Spanish police to confiscate a yacht belonging to billionaire and Putin aide Victor Vekselberg.
Andrew Naughtie7 April 2022 08:24
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The GOP’s investigation into Hunter Biden’s business turned to the president’s brother
As Republicans signal their interest in suing Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, a key Senate Republican said the newly obtained bank notes raise similar concerns about President James Biden’s first brother.
“We have people named Biden working with Chinese businessmen who have ties to the Communist Party,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican in the Judiciary Committee, told CBS News’s Catherine Herridge.
“I think James Biden was a big part of it.
According to bank records released by Republican senators this week, James Biden’s company, the Lion Hall Group, received payments from a China-funded consulting group in 2018 before his brother announced his candidacy for president.
Mr Grassley said that in the same year, James Biden and President Hunter’s son received $ 165,000 a month – $ 100,000 for Hunter and $ 65,000 for James.
“These records that we received are the first records that have ever been published on this issue. No one else has them, “said Mr Grassley.
(EPA)
Sravasti Dasgupta April 7, 2022 07:51
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