Page 63 - Joe Biden

Arab states ready to recognise Israel in future deal, says Joe Biden

Biden has faced pressure from progressives and Muslim and Arab Americans who want the administration to do more to rein in Israel's military campaign in Gaza to root out Hamas

Baltimore bridge: Biden okays $60 mn aid, Guv warns of long road ahead

Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned Thursday of a "very long road ahead" to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved USD 60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse. Massive barges carrying cranes streamed toward the site to begin the challenging work of removing twisted metal and concrete as a first step toward reopening a key shipping route blocked by the wreckage of the span. Moore promised that "the best minds in the world" were working on plans to clear the debris, move the cargo ship that rammed into the bridge from the channel, recover the bodies of the four remaining workers presumed dead and investigate what went wrong. "Government is working hand in hand with industry to investigate the area, including the wreck, and remove the ship," said Moore, a Democrat, who said quick aid is needed to "lay the foundation for a rapid recovery". President Joe Biden has pledged the federal government would pay the

Working for release of Wall Street Journal reporter held in Russia: Biden

On the one-year anniversary of the Russian detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, President Joe Biden said the US is working every day to secure his release. Journalism is not a crime, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter risking his safety to shine the light of truth on Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine, Biden said in a statement on Friday. Gershkovich was arrested while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. The Federal Security Service, or FSB, alleges he was acting on US orders to collect state secrets but provided no evidence to support the accusation, which he, the Journal and the US government deny. Washington designated him as wrongfully detained. On Friday, there was a giant blank space on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, with an image at the top of the page of Gershkovich in the newspaper's signature pencil drawing and a headline that read: His Story Should be Here. A recent court hearing ..

Outpaced by Biden, Trump to rake in $33 million during Florida fundraiser

Former President Donald Trump's campaign is seeking to outraise President Joe Biden next week, aiming to take in USD 33 million to top a new single-event fundraising record set by Biden on Thursday with USD 25 million, said a person familiar with the Trump event who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning. Trump is inviting wealthy donors to Palm Beach, Florida, home to his Mar-a-Lago estate, for an April 6 fundraiser hosted by New York hedge fund billionaire John Paulson and listing as co-chairs other high-dollar donors such as Las Vegas-based businessman Robert Bigelow, casino mogul Steve Wynn and New York grocery billionaire John Catsimatidis. Guests are being asked to contribute USD 814,600 per person as a "chairman" contributor or USD 250,000 per person. Perks of attendance include a personalised copy of Trump's coffee table book with photographs from his administration. Assuming that Trump succeeds in raking in the jaw-dropping sum, the glitzy event offers

Republican states challenge Prez Biden's student loan repayment plan

A group of Republican-led states is suing the Biden administration to block a new student loan repayment plan that provides a faster path to cancellation and lower monthly payments for millions of borrowers. In a federal lawsuit filed Thursday, 11 states led by Kansas argue that Biden overstepped his authority in creating the SAVE Plan, which was made available to borrowers last year and has already cancelled loans for more than 150,000. It argues that the new plan is no different from Biden's first attempt at student loan cancellation, which the Supreme Court rejected last year. "Last time Defendants tried this the Supreme Court said that this action was illegal. Nothing since then has changed," according to the lawsuit. Biden announced the SAVE repayment plan in 2022, alongside a separate plan to cancel up to USD 20,000 in debt for more than 40 million Americans. The Supreme Court blocked the cancellation plan after Republican states sued, but the court didn't examine SAVE, which

Republicans invite Prez Biden to testify as impeachment inquiry stalls

House Republicans on Thursday invited President Joe Biden to testify before Congress as part of their impeachment inquiry into him and his family's business affairs. Rep James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter to the Democratic president, inviting him to sit for a public hearing to "explain, under oath", what involvement he had in the Biden family businesses. "In light of the yawning gap between your public statements and the evidence assembled by the Committee, as well as the White House's obstruction, it is in the best interest of the American people for you to answer questions from Members of Congress directly, and I hereby invite you to do so," the Kentucky Republican wrote. While it is highly unlikely that Biden would agree to appear before lawmakers in such a setting, Comer pointed to previous examples of presidents' testifying before Congress. "As you are aware, presidents before you have provided testimony to congressional committees, including ..

Highlights: RBI to halt facility to exchange Rs 2,000 notes on April 1

Latest news updates: Catch all the news updates from around the world here

WSJ reporter Gershkovich marks year in Russian prison as jail time extended

For Evan Gershkovich, the dozen appearances in Moscow's courts over the past year have fallen into a pattern. Guards take the American journalist from the notorious Lefortovo Prison in a van for the short drive to the courthouse. He's led in handcuffs to a defendants' cage in front of a judge for yet another hearing about his pre-trial detention on espionage charges. The proceedings are always closed. His appeals are always rejected, and his time behind bars is always extended. Then it's back to Lefortovo. Gershkovich was arrested a year ago Friday while on a reporting trip for The Wall Street Journal to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. The Federal Security Service, or FSB, alleges he was acting on US orders to collect state secrets but provided no evidence to support the accusation, which he, the Journal and the US government deny. Washington designated him as wrongfully detained. The periodic court hearings give Gershkovich's family, friends and US officials a glimpse o

Trump to attend wake of slain NYPD officer as he attacks Prez Biden

Donald Trump will attend Thursday's wake of a New York City police officer gunned down in the line of duty, as presumptive Republican presidential nominee has made crime a focus of his third White House campaign and accused President Joe Biden of lacking toughness. The visitation for Officer Jonathan Diller, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Monday, will be held in suburban Massapequa. Police said 31-year-old Diller was shot below his bulletproof vest while approaching an illegally parked car in Queens. Diller, who was married and had a one-year-old son, was rushed to a hospital where he died. Trump's visit comes as Biden will also be in New York for a previously scheduled fundraiser with Democratic ex-presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Shortly after the former president's campaign announced he would attend the wake, a Republican Party account on social media posted headlines contrasting Trump's planned visit with Biden's fundraiser. Trump has deplored crime in .

House Speaker Mike Johnson committed to advancing assistance to Ukraine

For over a month, House Speaker Mike Johnson has sat on a funding package that would send desperately needed ammunition and weaponry to Ukraine, mulling how best to gain a grasp of what is expected to be a difficult lift in the House. The Republican speaker has indicated he will attempt to push for approval of tens of billions in wartime funding for Ukraine, as well as Israel, once the House returns in April. Yet it will be perhaps his most difficult task since he took the speaker's gavel late last year. We'll turn our attention to it and we won't delay on that, the Louisiana representative said of the Ukraine package at a news conference last week. Still, Johnson has waited to act at a time when Russia is renewing its missile attacks on Kyiv. In Ukraine's eastern regions, soldiers are running low on ammunition as they attempt to hold off a surge of Russian soldiers to the frontlines. European leaders and analysts are warning that the conflict could grow into a much larger clash tha

Hunter Biden's attorneys push California judge to toss out tax charges

Attorneys for Hunter Biden asked a judge Wednesday to toss out the tax case accusing him of a four-year scheme to avoid paying USD 1.4 million in taxes while living an extravagant lifestyle. President Joe Biden's son has pleaded not guilty to the nine felony and misdemeanour tax offences. His attorneys argued the prosecution is politically motivated, was tainted by leaks from IRS agents who claimed publicly the case was mishandled and includes some allegations from before he moved to California. Prosecutors framed the claims as far-fetched during the three-hour hearing. Prosecutor Leo Wise scoffed at the idea that the case was tainted by the IRS agents "who I couldn't have picked out of a lineup". Defence attorney Abbe Lowell, on the other hand, maintained the case was hopelessly contaminated by partisan politics, calling it "the least ordinary prosecution a person could imagine". US District Judge Mark C Scarsi appeared to be sceptical, telling Lowell the hard evidence for some of

Kansas may limit economic activity with China, other 'countries of concern'

Republican legislators in Kansas advanced proposals Wednesday aimed at preventing individuals and companies from China and other US adversaries from owning farmland or business property, limiting state investments in foreign companies and restricting the use of foreign-made drones. Some GOP conservatives, including state Attorney General Kris Kobach, want the state to enact even tougher restrictions, even as Democratic critics suggest the measures are fuelled by xenophobia. Kansas already limits corporate ownership of agricultural land, and more than 20 other states restrict foreign land ownership, according to the National Agricultural Law Center. Supporters of such measures argue that they protect military installations and US citizens from spying and other national security risks. The Republican-controlled Kansas House approved three bills addressing activities by individuals and companies from "countries of concern" -- China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela -- and groups .

Biden admin to lend $1.5 bn to restart Michigan nuclear power plant

The federal government will provide a USD 1.5 billion loan to restart a nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan, officials announced on Wednesday. Holtec International acquired the 800-megawatt Palisades plant in 2022 with plans to dismantle it. But now the emphasis is on restarting it by late 2025, following support from the state of Michigan and the Biden administration. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said it would be the first nuclear power plant to be reopened in the US. It still faces hurdles, including inspections, testing and the blessing of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, known as the NRC. Nuclear power is our single largest source of carbon-free electricity, directly supporting 100,000 jobs across the country and hundreds of thousands more indirectly, said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, a former Michigan governor. The Palisades plant is along Lake Michigan, a two-hour drive from Chicago. A Michigan utility, CMS Energy, owned it from 1971 until the plant was sold to

US polls: Biden, Harris argue Democrats will preserve access to health care

President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris on Tuesday promoted their healthcare agenda in the battleground state of North Carolina, arguing that Democrats like themselves would preserve access to care while Republicans would reverse gains made over the past decade and a half. Fourteen years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, the White House still sees health care as a winning issue during a campaign in which Biden has sometimes found himself on the defensive when it comes to immigration or the economy. Republicans have opposed Biden's signature initiatives to lower medical costs, and they've seized opportunities to restrict abortion rights after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. "It's sick. Now they want to quote, his words, terminate the ACA, as my predecessor says," Biden said, referring to Republican former President Donald Trump. "If that were ever to happen, we'd also terminate a lot of lives as well. But we're not going to

Rescue ops underway, ship traffic in Baltimore port suspended, says Biden

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday morning after it was struck by a large ship

China set to challenge US electric vehicle plans at WTO, says report

China said it was contesting 'discriminatory subsidies' under the US Inflation Reduction Act that it said resulted in the exclusion of goods from China and other WTO countries

US election: Texas man runs for President as 'Literally Anybody Else'

A US citizen from Texas, formerly called Dustin Ebey, has legally changed his name to "Literally Anybody Else" in hopes to take on presidential frontrunners Joe Biden and Donald Trump

Trump's social media firm starts trading on Nasdaq with a mcap of $6.8 bn

As Donald Trump's social media company begins trading publicly Tuesday, would-be investors might ask themselves if the stock is too pricey and potentially too volatile. Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. was acquired Monday by a blank-check company called Digital World Acquisition Corp. Trump Media, which runs the social media platform Truth Social, now takes Digital World's place on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Trump Media debuts with a stock price near USD 50 and a market value of about USD 6.8 billion. Many of Digital World's investors were small-time investors either trying to support Trump or aiming to cash in on the mania, instead of big institutional and professional investors. Those shareholders helped the stock more than double this year in anticipation of the merger going through. They're betting on a company that has yet to turn a profit. Trump Media lost USD 49 million in the first nine months of last year, when it brought in just USD 3.4 million in revenue and had to .

Donald Trump to face jurors in April before facing US voters in November

One of Trump's fundraising groups spent $5.5 million on legal fees in February, draining money from his efforts to win the election

Republican donors sought to help fund Trump bond in civil fraud case

Prez Trump needs to pay a bond in a New York civil case in which he was found liable for fraudulently inflating his net worth by billions of dollars to secure better loans and insurance terms