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Obama jokingly calls Biden 'vice president' on return to White House
In a barnstorming speech to North America’s Building Trades Unions conference, President Joe Biden touted new sanctions against Russia and, without naming him, mocked Rep Matt Gaetz over his cross-examination of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
The president received standing ovations for his remarks on the economy, jobs, and unions, also taking a jab at Amazon’s stance on workplace organising, and his predecessor over taxes (he also went unnamed). Mr Biden rounded out his speech by announcing a $20bn investment in public transit — the largest in US history.
Earlier, Republicans and conservative commentators were condemned for circulating misleadingly edited clips that purport to show the president being humiliatingly ignored in favour of Barack Obama at a White House event yesterday.
Mr Obama was making his first public speech at the executive mansion since he left office — a celebration of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. Mr Biden announced changes to the healthcare programme that could see as many as 200,000 uninsured Americans become eligible for coverage.
Asked about advice for Democrats worried about the midterm elections this year, Mr Obama says that they have a story to tell, they “just got to tell it”.
Recommended Biden hits back at Matt Gaetz over Ukraine questions: ‘What the hell do you think we’ve done?’ ‘Amazon, here we come’: Biden promotes union push in remarks to trade union conference Biden jokingly refers to Trump as ‘the last guy’ who didn’t show up to inauguration ‘That’s an interesting and scary question’: Psaki asked whether Russia could encourage domestic terrorists in US
Key Points Biden hits back at Matt Gaetz over Ukraine questions Obama tells Democrats how to win midterms during White House return Biden calls for ‘brutal’ Putin to face war crimes trial Biden has privately said Trump should be prosecuted: Report GOP prepares to target Hunter Biden with congressional investigations
Show latest update 1649314260 GOP probe of Hunter Biden's business turns to president's brother
While Republicans are signalling an interest in litigating Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, a key Senate Republican said newly obtained banking records raise similar concerns about the president’s first brother James Biden.
“We have people with the Biden name, dealing with Chinese business people that have a relationship to the Communist Party,” Senator Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, told CBS News’ Catherine Herridge.
“I think James Biden was very much a part of this.”
According to bank records released by Republican senators this week, James Biden’s company, the Lion Hall Group, received payments from a Chinese-financed consulting group in 2018, before his brother announced his bid for presidency.
Mr Grassley said it was in the same year that James Biden and the president’s son Hunter, received monthly retainers totaling $165,000 — $100,000 to Hunter and $65,000 to James.
“These records we got are the first records that have ever been made public on this issue. Nobody else has them,” Mr Grassley said.
(EPA)
Sravasti Dasgupta 7 April 2022 07:51
1649313113 US Senate to take up bills to end normal trade ties with Russia
The Senate will take up legislation on Thursday to end normal trade relations with Russia and to ban oil imports from the country.
The measure paves the way for president Joe Biden to enact higher tariffs on certain Russian imports.
The bill banning import of Russian oil would codify restrictions Mr Biden has already put in place through executive action.
In a statement, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said Russian president Vladimir Putin needs to be held accountable for what he referred to as war crimes against Ukraine, reported the Associated Press.
(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Sravasti Dasgupta 7 April 2022 07:31
1649311552 Biden signs US Postal Service financial reform bill
US president Joe Biden signed a legislation on Wednesday to provide the US Postal Service (USPS) with about $50bn in financial relief over a decade, paving the way for future reforms.
USPS has reported net losses of more than $90bn since 2007.
In February, it booked a quarterly net loss of $1.5bn.
The bill enacts some measures proposed by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in a March 2021 reform plan.
The plain aimed to eliminate $160bn in predicted losses over the next decade.
“The Postal Service is central to our economy and central to rural America,” Mr Biden said at a White House ceremony.
(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Sravasti Dasgupta 7 April 2022 07:05
1649309009 Pentagon training Ukrainian soldiers to use armed drones
The Pentagon is training Ukrainian soldiers to use armed drone weapons against Russian soldiers.
While defense secretary Lloyd J Austin III announced the training for the first time in House testimony on Tuesday, Pentagon officials offered more details on Wednesday about the training, reported The New York Times.
The Pentagon announced last month it was sending 100 Switchblade drones to Ukraine as part of an $800m military aid package to Ukraine.
The move to instruct the Ukrainians was decided by the Pentagon after a dozen Ukrainian soldiers arrived in the country on an educational assignment that was scheduled long before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
“We took the opportunity, having them still in the country, to give them a couple of days’ worth of training on the Switchblade,” John F Kirby, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said on Wednesday.
Mr Kirby said the Ukrainians don’t typically use this weapon, but he noted that it is easy to learn.
(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Sravasti Dasgupta 7 April 2022 06:23
1649307031 Road rage shootings soared during pandemic, gun control group says
One person was shot on the road in the US every 17 hours in 2021, according to new tally of road rage violence by gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.
The group said a total of 131 people were killed and 391 wounded by gunfire for a total of 522 road rage casualties in 2021 in its report released this week, reported Reuters.
In comparison, in 2016, 73 people died and 166 were wounded.
The number of shootings for 2021 works out to one person shot in a road rage confrontation every 17 hours, more than twice the rate of one person every 37 hours in 2016.
The group added that the significant jump may be linked to stresses caused by the pandemic.
“From 2016 to 2019, roughly one-third of road rage incidents involving a gun resulted in injury or death. By 2021, nearly two-thirds did,” Everytown said.
Sravasti Dasgupta 7 April 2022 05:50
1649305800 Biden to Gaetz: ‘What the hell do you think we’ve done?’
President Joe Biden had some sharp words for Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, after the Republican tore into US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, during a hearing in Congress and criticised the US response to the Ukraine crisis.
The president recounted the story a day later, addressing a national union conference on Wednesday.
Josh Marcus reports.
Biden hits back at Matt Gaetz over Ukraine: ‘What the hell do you think we’ve done?’ Florida congressman sharply criticised Biden Ukraine policy day before
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 05:30
1649303849 US calls for Russia's expulsion from G20
President Joe Biden’s officials will not participate in some G20 meetings if Russia is present, the US has said, as it called for the expulsion of Moscow from the group of 20 major economies.
In a statement on Wednesday, US treasury secretary Janet Yellen said: “President Biden’s made it clear, and I certainly agree with him, that it cannot be business as usual for Russia in any of the financial institutions.
“He’s asked that Russia be removed from the G20, and I’ve made clear to my colleagues in Indonesia that we will not be participating in a number of meetings if the Russians are there.”
Ms Yellen was speaking at a US House Financial Services Committee hearing which had raised questions about the G20’s future in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A Treasury spokesperson later said that Ms Yellen was referring to a meeting on 20 April of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, as well as associated deputies’ meetings.
US President Joe Biden addresses a press conference at the end of the G20 of World Leaders Summit on October 31, 2021
(AFP via Getty Images)
Sravasti Dasgupta 7 April 2022 04:57
1649303120 ICYMI: Biden jokingly refers to Trump as ‘the last guy’
President Joe Biden has taken a jab at his predecessor in the White House, whom he referred to as “the last guy” during a speech in Washington DC.
Speaking to a conference of the North America Building Trades Unions on Wednesday, Mr Biden called the Trump administration’s $2 trillion tax cut “just so outrageous”.
“The last guy, what was his name? Anyway the last guy,” Mr Biden continued.
“I forgot. He never showed up the inauguration.”
Bevan Hurley has the story.
Biden jokingly refers to Trump as ‘the last guy’ who didn’t show up to inauguration Biden’s dig at Trump drew a loud cheer from the Building Trade Union audience
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 04:45
1649300420 ‘Amazon, here we come’
Following Amazon workers’ successful union election in New York, marking the first-ever US union within the tech and retail giant, President Joe Biden underscored worker protections “to make sure the choice to join a union belongs to workers alone.”
“By the way: Amazon, here we come,” he said in remarks to North America’s Building Trades Unions Legislative Conference on 6 April.
The room burst into cheers, as he then urged members of Congress to pass the Pro Act, a stalled measure that would expand labour protections related to employees’ rights to organise and collectively bargain in the workplace.
Alex Woodward reports.
‘Amazon, here we come’: Biden promotes union push in remarks to union conference President rallies organised labour with message to retail giant after historic union campaign in New York
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 04:00
1649297720 ICYMI: Biden vows to ‘ratchet up the pain’ on Russia
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday vowed to “rachet up the pain” for Russian president Vladimir Putin with a new package of penalties meant to “dramatically escalate” the “financial shock” that has been levied against Moscow since Mr Putin ordered an unprovoked invasion of in February.
According to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the latest actions against Mr Putin and his government, Mr Biden will sign an executive order which will add Mr Putin’s two adult daughters — Maria and Katerina — as well as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s wife and children and members of Russia’s security council to the list of officials who’ve faced personal sanctions as a result of the invasion.
He will also levy “full blocking sanctions” on Sberbank — Russia’s largest financial institution — and the largest private bank in Russia, Alfa Bank, and impose a ban on any new US investment in Russia.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Biden vows to ‘ratchet up the pain’ on Russia as US imposes new sanctions A senior Biden administration official says the combined weight of US and EU sanctions has sent Russia into ‘economic and financial and technological isolation’
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 03:15
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