Joe Biden Administration
US plans to end COVID emergency declarations in May
The COVID-19 national emergency and PHE were declared by the Trump Administration in 2020. They are currently set to expire on March 1 and April 11, respectively. The Biden Administration's plan is to extend the emergency declarations to May 11, and then end both emergencies on that date, according to a statement of the White House, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Biden says Covid-19 cases rising across US
The remarks, which Biden posted on Twitter, came as American families are getting together for the holidays, Xinhua news agency reported. The White House is resuming a program to send Covid-19 testing kits to households that request them ahead of a potential winter surge. A senior official of the Biden administration told reporters on Wednesday that "we're seeing Covid cases rising in parts of the country following Thanksgiving."
Joe Biden meets top Congressional lawmakers on lame-duck session
In the House of Representatives, the lame-duck session marks Democrats' final opportunity to act on their legislative priorities before Republicans take control of the lower chamber with a narrow majority in January 2023. But the December work period will also be filled with standard bills that Congress must take up, which will take up floor time.
US Senate advances same-sex marriage bill
Senators on Wednesday voted 62-37 to advance the measure, with a dozen Republicans joining with all Democrats in the chamber to support it, Xinhua news agency reported. They are expected to vote again on Thursday to invoke cloture, potentially setting up a final vote by the end of the week. The Respect for Marriage Act was introduced this summer after a conservative Supreme Court justice signaled rulings on marriage equality and contraception should be reconsidered.
Joe Biden sends letter to Yoon expressing willingness for talks on IRA
US President Joe Biden also said in the letter the previous day that he is well aware of Yoon's concerns about the IRA, the official told reporters. The IRA gives tax credits only to electric vehicles assembled in North America, raising concerns it will act as a significant trade barrier for Korean carmakers, Yonhap news agency reported.
President Biden admin issues final rule on protections for 'Dreamers'
The rule, set to go into effect October 31, codifies into federal regulation the 2012 programme that shields more than 600,000 undocumented immigrants from deportation and allows them to work legally in the US, reports dpa news agency. For the past 10 years, the programme has been governed by a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memorandum. "Today, we are taking another step to do everything in our power to preserve and fortify DACA, an extraordinary program that has transformed the lives of so many Dreamers," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement late Wednesday.
Biden authorises largest weapons assistance to Ukraine
According to a statement by the US Department of Defence, the package -- the 18th tranche of presidential drawdown since August 2021 -- included additional munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 75,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition, 20 120 mm mortar systems and 20,000 rounds of 120 mm mortar ammunition, as well as munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), Xinhua news agency reported.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit mired in controversy
The Trump-era spy chief claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping is capitalising on President Biden's "weakness" as Beijing and its media mouthpieces are threatening of dire consequences if Pelosi visits Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, the Washington Examiner reported. "It's been mismanaged by the Biden administration," Ratcliffe said, responding in the affirmative to a question by Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo.
China could declare a no-fly zone over Taiwan ahead of visit by Speaker Nancy Pelosi
China could also respond by flying fighter jets further into Taiwan's self-declared air defence zone, which could trigger a response from Taiwan and the US, the official added. They did not detail what a possible response would entail, CNN reported.
US cites India's strategic importance for Quad and I2U2
India's "longstanding" ties in West Asia and with Israel was cited as reason for the Biden administration involving India in the I2U2, which will hold its first-ever summit in a four-way virtual meeting later Wednesday with Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid joining from Israel, where the American leader is for the next few days on his first trip to the region.
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