‘You’ve got to be silly’: Biden hits back at Ukraine questions from Fox News reporter
President Joe Biden is preparing to order the release of up to one million barrels of oil per day from the strategic petroleum reserve in a bid to control prices that have spiked after the US and its allies imposed strict sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement could come as soon as Thursday, according to reports.
Mr Biden spoke with Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the situation in Ukraine. The call comes as Ukrainian and Russian negotiators discuss a de-escalation agreement that could see Russia draw down forces from the area near Kyiv.
Both the White House and the Pentagon have said that they believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed about progress in the war by his senior advisers.
Mr Biden also gave a speech on the state of the coronavirus pandemic, announcing the launch of a central website for resources, before receiving his second booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine.
Meanwhile, after contentious nomination hearings that saw Republican senators harangue her about critical race theory, Ketanji Brown Jackson has picked up a crucial supporter: Maine Senator Susan Collins, who has become the first Republican to announce she will vote to confirm her.
Watch: convicted congressman’s resignation read out in House chamber
Republican Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry recently resigned his seat after being found guilty of lying on numerous counts of lying about an illegal foreign campaign donation. Below is the moment his resignation was formally read out on the House floor.
Andrew Naughtie31 March 2022 11:06
ICYMI: White House spokeswoman on Trump and Putin
Speaking to the press at a briefing yesterday, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield
“So what I would say about is this,” she began. “What kind of American, let alone an ex-president, thinks that this is the right time to enter into a scheme with Vladimir Putin and brag about his connections to Vladimir Putin? There is only one, and it’s Donald Trump.”
Andrew Naughtie31 March 2022 10:32
Biden meets with parents of American detained in Russia
Joe Biden yesterday met with the parents of Trevor Reed, a 30-year-old American citizen and former marine who has been imprisoned in Russia since 2019. He was originally convicted and sentenced on charges of assaulting two Moscow police officers after a drunken party, charges that his parents and the US government claim were trumped up so Mr Reed could be used as a bargaining chip for a potential prisoner exchange.
He is now on his second hunger strike in six months, and according to his parents is possibly suffering from tuberculosis and a broken rib.
The White House’s summary of the meeting reads:
President Biden met today with Joey and Paula Reed, the parents of Trevor Reed, who is wrongfully detained in Russia. During their meeting, the President reiterated his commitment to continue to work to secure the release of Trevor, Paul Whelan, and other Americans wrongfully held in Russia and elsewhere, and to provide all possible assistance until they and others are free and returned home to their families who are advocating so passionately for their release. This is the President’s second interaction with the Reeds. On March 8, President Biden spoke to the Reeds by phone while he was in Texas.
The President’s national security team will remain in regular contact with the Reeds, the Whelan family, and other families of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. We are grateful for their partnership and feedback. We will continue to work to ensure we are communicating and sharing information in a way useful to these families.
Previously, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with the Reed family in a virtual group meeting and then privately in December. He expressed our commitment to bringing Trevor home. We understand the pain felt by all of Trevor’s families and friends enduring the nightmare of his absence, which we are committed to bringing to an end.
Mr Reed’s parents were also reportedly grateful for the meeting:
Read more below.
Andrew Naughtie31 March 2022 10:07
Watch: Joe Biden receives his second Covid booster shot
After his speech on the Covid-19 pandemic, during which he implored Congress to allocate more funds to the public health response, Joe Biden rolled up his sleeve to receive his second booster shot. The FDA recently approved the added measure for all over-50s and those considered clinically extremely vulnerable.
While being injected, Mr Biden was bombarded with questions about immigration and his call with Volodymyr Zelensky, among other things, but retained his cool.
Andrew Naughtie31 March 2022 09:35
Kyle Rittenhouse complains Joe Biden won’t answer the phone
Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenage gunman who was found not guilty on multiple charges after shooting two people dead at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020, has complained that Joe Biden is declining to talk to him.
Speaking to right-wing podcast host Jenna Ellis, Mr Rittenhouse said: “I reached out to Joe Biden several times – crickets, nothing,” Mr Rittenhouse told Ms Ellis. “He still hasn’t replied. So it just shows how much of a man he is to not sit down and talk.”
He has previously accused the president of defaming him via an ad that used an image of him holding his gun at the protest while warning of “white supremacy”. On Ms Ellis’s show, he referred to “all the false narratives that were put out, where people called me a white supremacist, a murderer and racist, and all those other lies”.
Read more below:
Andrew Naughtie31 March 2022 09:00
ICYMI: US to provide Ukraine government an additional $500m
The United States will provide Ukraine’s government with an additional $500m in “direct budgetary aid” to support its operations as Ukrainian forces continue to fight against Russia’s unprovoked invasion.
Read the full story here:
Maroosha Muzaffar31 March 2022 08:30
Joe Biden might invoke Defence Production Act this week for critical minerals
Joe Biden might invoke the Defence Production Act as soon as this week, CNN reported.
Mr Bidens’s move is aimed to help the domestic production of critical minerals needed to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles and long-term storage.
Quoting a source familiar with these developments, CNN said that doing so would add critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt and manganese to the list of items covered by the 1950 Defence Production Act.
The law gives the government more control during emergencies to direct industrial production.
Maroosha Muzaffar31 March 2022 08:00
Joe Biden meets parents of former US marine detained in Russia
Joe Biden met the parents of a former US marine who was imprisoned in Russia and promised to end the family’s “nightmare.”
Trever Reed is serving a nine-year prison sentence in Russia after he was convicted of assaulting police officers while drunk in 2019.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday: “President Biden met today with Joey and Paula Reed, the parents of Trevor Reed, who is wrongfully detained in Russia.”
She added: “During their meeting, the President reiterated his commitment to continue to work to secure the release of Trevor, Paul Whelan, and other Americans wrongfully held in Russia and elsewhere.
“We understand the pain felt by all of Trevor’s families and friends enduring the nightmare of his absence, which we are committed to bringing to an end.”
Mr Reed, meanwhile, is back on hunger strike for the second time and has been put back in solitary confinement.
Maroosha Muzaffar31 March 2022 07:15
Joe Biden warns US will not have enough Covid vaccines this fall
Joe Biden has warned that the US will not have enough Covid vaccines this fall to ensure free and easy access for all Americans if Congress fails to pass the $22.5bn in additional funding.
The US President said that the country has enough supply to ensure people eligible for fourth shots have access to them.
The CDC recommended an additional Pfizer or Moderna dose for people who are 50 years of age and above as well as those who have compromised immune systems.
Mr Biden received his fourth dose of Covid vaccine on live television on Wednesday.
Andrew Naughtie31 March 2022 06:45
Russian state TV host calls on Americans to re-elect Donald Trump
A Russian state TV host called on Americans to re-elect former president Donald Trump.
Evgeny Popov made the statement on the controlled broadcast over in Russia.
Mr Popov has been an avid supporter of the former president and frequently speaks out on his dislike of president Joe Biden.
He told viewers that it’s time for the Russian people to call on Americans to change “the regime in the US” before its term expires.
Watch the video here:
Russian state TV host Evgeny Popov calls on Americans to re-elect Trump
A Russian state TV host has called on Americans to re-elect the former president, Donald TrumpEvgeny Popov made the controversial statement on the controlled broadcast over in Russia.The TV personality has been an avid supporter of Trump, and frequently speaks out on his dislike of president Joe Biden.He told viewers that it’s time for the Russian people to call on Americans to change “the regime in the US” before its term expires.He added: “to again help our partner Trump to become President.”Click here to sign up to our free newsletters.
Maroosha Muzaffar31 March 2022 06:15