President Biden has stated that every American has a major role to play to ensure each of us combats this deadly virus. Most vaccination clinics are now walk-ins and appointments are not necessary anymore.

32 US states miss July 4 vaccination goal

Donald Trump’s former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, has urged for a cognitive test for US president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> to determine his mental health.<o:p></o:p>

"The far left and the mainstream media were demanding that be the new standard for anybody who's going to lead our country and be our Commander-in-Chief and our head of state," Jackson said in an interview at Fox News. "I'm just saying I agree with them at this point—we need to get it done."<o:p></o:p>

Jackson had appeared on the channel to discuss the President’s cognitive abilities after former US President Donald Trump has made repetitive claims that Biden was unfit to lead the country.<o:p></o:p>

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">ex-Trump aide</a> believes there is something ‘concerning’ happening with Biden which needs to be addressed on priority for the well-being of the President and the nation.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ex-white-house-physician-urges-cognitive-test-for-biden-395925">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ex-white-house-physician-urges-cognitive-test-for-biden-395925/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I think he's demonstrating every single day that there is something going on," Jackson said. "You don't need to be a physician to look at this behaviour and see there's something concerning happening."<o:p></o:p>

"You can go back – there's 40 years of tape of this man – he's always made gaffes and stuff but these are different, he's confused, he's disoriented," Jackson added. "He's just not ageing gracefully at this point."<o:p></o:p>

The cognitive test being talked about is Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). It is a 30-point test that helps evaluate memory impairment.

<o:p>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-mixes-up-syria-and-libya-at-g7-news-conference-391509">Biden mixes up Syria and Libya at G7 news conference</a></o:p>

Trump had taken the test in 2018 after critics had questioned his ability to run the country. Interestingly, Trump had managed to score a perfect score of 30 out of 30. <o:p></o:p>

Jackson appreciated Trump for taking the test in 2018 and said the former reality TV star has set a precedent which all future presidents should follow.<o:p></o:p>

Biden’s team has announced that the leader will be taking his presidential physical later this year, but whether MoCA will be a part of that evaluation is still unclear.<o:p></o:p>

"I'm just asking them when you do the physical exam include the cognitive assessment," Jackson said. "As far as I'm concerned the standard precedent has been set and they need to follow and do the same."<o:p></o:p>

Trump has not left this opportunity to belittle his opponent. He recently boasted about his perfect score and challenged Biden to achieve the same.<o:p></o:p>

"He will get the first two. There are 35 questions and the first two or three are pretty easy. They are the animals. This is a lion, a giraffe. When he gets to around 20, he's gonna have a little hard time. I think he's gonna have a hard time with the first few, actually," Trump was quoted saying.<o:p></o:p>

Donald Trump’s former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, has urged for a cognitive test for US president Joe Biden to determine his mental health. "The far left and the mainstream media were demanding that be the new standard for anybody who's going to lead our country and be our Commander-in-Chief and our head of state," Jackson said in an interview at Fox News.

Donald Trump’s former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, has urged for a cognitive test for US president Joe Biden to determine his mental health. "The far left and the mainstream media were demanding that be the new standard for anybody who's going to lead our country and be our Commander-in-Chief and our head of state," Jackson said in an interview at Fox News. "I'm just saying I agree with them at this point—we need to get it done." Jackson had appeared on the channel to discuss the President’s cognitive abilities after former US President Donald Trump has made repetitive claims that Biden was unfit to lead the country. The ex-Trump aide believes there is something ‘concerning’ happening with Biden which needs to be addressed on priority for the well-being of the President and the nation. WATCH | "I think he's demonstrating every single day that there is something going on," Jackson said. "You don't need to be a physician to look at this behaviour and see there's something concerning happening." "You can go back – there's 40 years of tape of this man – he's always made gaffes and stuff but these are different, he's confused, he's disoriented," Jackson added. "He's just not ageing gracefully at this point." The cognitive test being talked about is Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). It is a 30-point test that helps evaluate memory impairment. Also read | Biden mixes up Syria and Libya at G7 news conference Trump had taken the test in 2018 after critics had questioned his ability to run the country. Interestingly, Trump had managed to score a perfect score of 30 out of 30. Jackson appreciated Trump for taking the test in 2018 and said the former reality TV star has set a precedent which all future presidents should follow. Biden’s team has announced that the leader will be taking his presidential physical later this year, but whether MoCA will be a part of that evaluation is still unclear. "I'm just asking them when you do the physical exam include the cognitive assessment," Jackson said. "As far as I'm concerned the standard precedent has been set and they need to follow and do the same." Trump has not left this opportunity to belittle his opponent. He recently boasted about his perfect score and challenged Biden to achieve the same. "He will get the first two. There are 35 questions and the first two or three are pretty easy. They are the animals. This is a lion, a giraffe. When he gets to around 20, he's gonna have a little hard time. I think he's gonna have a hard time with the first few, actually," Trump was quoted saying.

'Something concerning': Ex-Trump doctor urges Biden to take cognitive test

The United States marked its 245th Independence day on July 4. Fireworks light up the sky above Washington DC. President Joe Biden threw a huge party to and hailed the country's effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

US celebrates 245th Independence day with fireworks and parades

President Joe Biden celebrated US Independence Day on Sunday with an upbeat assessment of a country he said is roaring back to post-pandemic life, even if COVID-19 has yet to be fully "vanquished."

Speaking before a festive crowd of 1,000 guests on the White House South Lawn, Biden drew a comparison between the declaration of independence from the British Empire in 1776 and today's rapid recovery from the coronavirus. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/could-your-face-mask-detect-covid-394963" hreflang="en">Could your face mask detect Covid?</a>

"Two hundred and forty five years ago, we declared our independence from a distant king. Today, we are closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus," he told the crowd of invited military members and essential workers.

"We've gained the upper hand against this virus," he said. But he added, "Don't get me wrong: COVID-19 has not been vanquished. We all know powerful variants have emerged, like the Delta variant."

Biden paid tribute to those who have lost their lives, with the staggering number of deaths in the United States now at more than 600,000. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-orders-investigation-into-ransomware-attack-that-targetted-1000-businesses-395642" hreflang="en">Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses</a>

But he struck an overwhelmingly optimistic note, suggesting that under his leadership the country -- bitterly and at times violently divided during the Donald Trump presidency -- was "coming back together."

"Over the last year, we have lived through some of our darkest days," Biden said. "We are about to see our brightest future."

Partying like pre-Covid

Large crowds packed the National Mall for a huge fireworks display in yet another sign that the United States is looking to its July 4th holiday as a moment to put the virus in the rear view mirror.

During last year's holiday, with the pandemic near its summer peak and towns across America reeling from anti-racism and anti-police protests, Washington and other big cities held only muted celebrations.

Despite the atmosphere of Sunday's victory party, the Biden administration says it is concerned about the large numbers of people who have still not got vaccinated.

The heavily promoted White House goal of getting seven in 10 adults their first shot by Independence Day has narrowly failed.

And when it comes to full vaccinations, only 46 percent of Americans have taken the two doses.

That lag comes as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread.

Public health officials are eying swaths of rural America where hospitals are starting to fill up again, especially in Utah, Missouri, Arkansas and Wyoming.

Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, told NBC unvaccinated people now account for 99.2 percent of COVID-19 deaths.

Summer agenda

The fireworks smoke will have barely cleared before Biden has to return to a complex political fight for the survival of his legislative agenda this summer.

Negotiations continue on a bipartisan infrastructure deal and fractious debate within his Democratic Party looms on a much broader spending package that has no support from Republicans.

The president visited a cherry farm in Michigan on Saturday to tout a positive June employment report hailed as a sign of America's economic resurgence.

In his speech on the South Lawn, Biden said the country was on the move again. "We're seeing record job creation and record economic growth -- the best in four decades and, I might add, the best in the world."

'American Dream'

The administration also sent cabinet secretaries and other officials to sports events, cookouts and festivals nationwide as part of its "America's Back Together" celebration.

And the White House -- at least outwardly -- continues to brim with confidence. Six in 10 respondents in a new poll by The Washington Post and ABC News give Biden positive ratings for his handling of the pandemic.

Images of a crowded South Lawn were echoed in scenes of celebration across the country, with New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and other cities all putting on their own shows.

On the west coast, San Diego was readying to stage one of the largest July 4 parties in the country, with fireworks discharged from four barges around the bay.

California Senator Alex Padilla called Independence Day "a reminder of the American dream."

"The best way to celebrate Independence Day is by taking a moment to acknowledge all the hard work that it took to get here," he said.

President Joe Biden celebrated US Independence Day on Sunday with an upbeat assessment of a country he said is roaring back to post-pandemic life, even if COVID-19 has yet to be fully "vanquished.

President Joe Biden celebrated US Independence Day on Sunday with an upbeat assessment of a country he said is roaring back to post-pandemic life, even if COVID-19 has yet to be fully "vanquished." Speaking before a festive crowd of 1,000 guests on the White House South Lawn, Biden drew a comparison between the declaration of independence from the British Empire in 1776 and today's rapid recovery from the coronavirus. Also read | Could your face mask detect Covid? "Two hundred and forty five years ago, we declared our independence from a distant king. Today, we are closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus," he told the crowd of invited military members and essential workers. "We've gained the upper hand against this virus," he said. But he added, "Don't get me wrong: COVID-19 has not been vanquished. We all know powerful variants have emerged, like the Delta variant." Biden paid tribute to those who have lost their lives, with the staggering number of deaths in the United States now at more than 600,000. Also read | Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses But he struck an overwhelmingly optimistic note, suggesting that under his leadership the country -- bitterly and at times violently divided during the Donald Trump presidency -- was "coming back together." "Over the last year, we have lived through some of our darkest days," Biden said. "We are about to see our brightest future." Partying like pre-Covid Large crowds packed the National Mall for a huge fireworks display in yet another sign that the United States is looking to its July 4th holiday as a moment to put the virus in the rear view mirror. During last year's holiday, with the pandemic near its summer peak and towns across America reeling from anti-racism and anti-police protests, Washington and other big cities held only muted celebrations. Despite the atmosphere of Sunday's victory party, the Biden administration says it is concerned about the large numbers of people who have still not got vaccinated. The heavily promoted White House goal of getting seven in 10 adults their first shot by Independence Day has narrowly failed. And when it comes to full vaccinations, only 46 percent of Americans have taken the two doses. That lag comes as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread. Public health officials are eying swaths of rural America where hospitals are starting to fill up again, especially in Utah, Missouri, Arkansas and Wyoming. Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, told NBC unvaccinated people now account for 99.2 percent of COVID-19 deaths. Summer agenda The fireworks smoke will have barely cleared before Biden has to return to a complex political fight for the survival of his legislative agenda this summer. Negotiations continue on a bipartisan infrastructure deal and fractious debate within his Democratic Party looms on a much broader spending package that has no support from Republicans. The president visited a cherry farm in Michigan on Saturday to tout a positive June employment report hailed as a sign of America's economic resurgence. In his speech on the South Lawn, Biden said the country was on the move again. "We're seeing record job creation and record economic growth -- the best in four decades and, I might add, the best in the world." 'American Dream' The administration also sent cabinet secretaries and other officials to sports events, cookouts and festivals nationwide as part of its "America's Back Together" celebration. And the White House -- at least outwardly -- continues to brim with confidence. Six in 10 respondents in a new poll by The Washington Post and ABC News give Biden positive ratings for his handling of the pandemic. Images of a crowded South Lawn were echoed in scenes of celebration across the country, with New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and other cities all putting on their own shows. On the west coast, San Diego was readying to stage one of the largest July 4 parties in the country, with fireworks discharged from four barges around the bay. California Senator Alex Padilla called Independence Day "a reminder of the American dream." "The best way to celebrate Independence Day is by taking a moment to acknowledge all the hard work that it took to get here," he said.

Don't get me wrong, COVID-19 has not been vanquished: US President Joe Biden 

Former White House physician has urged President Joe Biden to take a cognitive mental ability test again. Ronny Jackson has written a letter to Biden asking him to evaluate his mental ability and make the results public.

Ex-White House Physician urges cognitive test for Biden

As the US is set to miss its target of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccinating</a> at least 70 per cent of the adult population by the Fourth of July, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> has expressed concern about the Delta variant of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> in the country.

The US observed an increase of at least 10 per cent in coronavirus cases and experts have revealed that the reason behind this increase in cases is the latest Delta variant which is highly contagious, especially in the areas where vaccination rates are low.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-orders-investigation-into-ransomware-attack-that-targetted-1000-businesses-395642" hreflang="en">Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses</a>

Although Biden claimed that COVID-19 is ‘on the run’, he said he fears more lives will be lost if people do not get vaccinated as soon as possible.

"I am concerned that people who have not gotten vaccinated have the capacity to catch the variant and spread the variant to other people who haven’t been vaccinated," Biden said. "I'm not concerned there’s going to be a major outbreak … another epidemic nationwide. But I am concerned lives will be lost."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/could-your-face-mask-detect-covid-394963" hreflang="en">Could your face mask detect Covid?</a>

Claiming that almost 25 per cent of the new coronavirus cases are linked to the Delta variant, he urged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 while explaining that areas with low vaccination rates have become new hotspots for infections

As the US is set to miss its target of vaccinating at least 70 per cent of the adult population by the Fourth of July, Joe Biden has expressed concern about the Delta variant of coronavirus in the country.

As the US is set to miss its target of vaccinating at least 70 per cent of the adult population by the Fourth of July, Joe Biden has expressed concern about the Delta variant of coronavirus in the country. The US observed an increase of at least 10 per cent in coronavirus cases and experts have revealed that the reason behind this increase in cases is the latest Delta variant which is highly contagious, especially in the areas where vaccination rates are low. Also read | Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses Although Biden claimed that COVID-19 is ‘on the run’, he said he fears more lives will be lost if people do not get vaccinated as soon as possible. "I am concerned that people who have not gotten vaccinated have the capacity to catch the variant and spread the variant to other people who haven’t been vaccinated," Biden said. "I'm not concerned there’s going to be a major outbreak … another epidemic nationwide. But I am concerned lives will be lost." Also read | Could your face mask detect Covid? Claiming that almost 25 per cent of the new coronavirus cases are linked to the Delta variant, he urged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 while explaining that areas with low vaccination rates have become new hotspots for infections

'COVID-19 on run but Delta variant is of concern': Joe Biden urges people to get vaccinated

A ransomware attack had left thousands of businesses exposed in the US yesterday and the US President Joe Biden has now launched an investigation into this massive hit.

Ransomware Attack: US President Joe Biden orders probe

The former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> held a rally in Sarasota, Florida where he once again questioned the results of US election 2020.

Trump once again questioned the authority and capability of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden?page=1">Joe Bide</a>n to run the country. "I got far more votes than any other sitting President of our country, be it Obama, or anybody," Trump roared in the crowd. "I don't know if it's Joe Biden? Does anybody know who it is (running our country)?"

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/place-of-hate-donald-trumps-team-launches-twitter-like-social-media-platform-gettr-395473" hreflang="en">'Place of hate': Donald Trump's team launches Twitter-like social media platform GETTR</a>

The appearance came at a time when the Trump Organization and its Chief Financial Officer, Allen Weisselberg, have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges with regard to tax fraud.

However, once again, without any proof, Trump has accused the prosecutors of being politically motivated in their investigations. "The Republican party should not allow this to happen. It’s a radical left disgrace to our country, and nobody should stand for it – not even Democrats. Republicans must fight back. This will rip our country apart!," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-orders-investigation-into-ransomware-attack-that-targetted-1000-businesses-395642" hreflang="en">Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses</a>

His campaign rally coincided with the Fourth of July weekend and was supposed to feature fireworks as part of the Independence Day celebrations.

While there are no elections scheduled in the US in the next year, Trump is gearing for his re-run in 2024 and claims that "it’s not that I want to. The country needs it. We have to take care of this country. It isn’t fun, fighting constantly, fighting always," he said in an interview in local media channel, Fox News.

The former US President Donald Trump held a rally in Sarasota, Florida where he once again questioned the results of US election 2020. Trump once again questioned the authority and capability of Joe Biden to run the country.

The former US President Donald Trump held a rally in Sarasota, Florida where he once again questioned the results of US election 2020. Trump once again questioned the authority and capability of Joe Biden to run the country. "I got far more votes than any other sitting President of our country, be it Obama, or anybody," Trump roared in the crowd. "I don't know if it's Joe Biden? Does anybody know who it is (running our country)?" Also read | 'Place of hate': Donald Trump's team launches Twitter-like social media platform GETTR The appearance came at a time when the Trump Organization and its Chief Financial Officer, Allen Weisselberg, have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges with regard to tax fraud. However, once again, without any proof, Trump has accused the prosecutors of being politically motivated in their investigations. "The Republican party should not allow this to happen. It’s a radical left disgrace to our country, and nobody should stand for it – not even Democrats. Republicans must fight back. This will rip our country apart!," he said. Also read | Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses His campaign rally coincided with the Fourth of July weekend and was supposed to feature fireworks as part of the Independence Day celebrations. While there are no elections scheduled in the US in the next year, Trump is gearing for his re-run in 2024 and claims that "it’s not that I want to. The country needs it. We have to take care of this country. It isn’t fun, fighting constantly, fighting always," he said in an interview in local media channel, Fox News.

Donald Trump holds rally in Florida; questions Biden's presidency

A ransomware attack had left thousands of businesses exposed in the US yesterday and the US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> has now launched an investigation into this massive hit.

On Friday, nearly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/cyberattack-targets-200-businesses-before-independence-day-weekend-395457">200 businesses were urged to shut down servers to avoid a ransomware attack</a> after a computing network management tool by Kaseya came under a cyberattack. Initially, the hit was analysed to have affected only 200 businesses but as the day progressed, experts realised that nearly 1,000 businesses had been targeted.

This attack targeted Kaseya, an IT and security management services provider for small and media size businesses.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ransomware-attack-hits-at-least-200-us-companies-395580">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ransomware-attack-hits-at-least-200-us-companies-395580/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are in the process of investigating the root cause of the incident with an abundance of caution but we recommend that you immediately shutdown your VSA server until you receive further notice from us," Kaseya’s Reddit message read. "It's critical that you do this immediately because one of the first things the attacker does is shutoff administrative access to the VSA."

While Kaseya analysed the threat to have been limited to "a very small percentage of our customers" who use its VSA software and are "currently estimated at fewer than 40 worldwide", a cybersecurity firm Huntress Labs found out that the attack could have targetted 1,000 businesses.

Considering the growing number of cyberattacks in the country, Joe Biden has ordered a full investigation into the matter and has instructed the experts to thoroughly check if the attack was Russia-originated.

"The initial thinking was it was not the Russian government, but we're not sure yet," Biden said as he ordered a full investigation into the matter. "I'll know better tomorrow, and if it is either with the knowledge of and/or a consequence of Russia, then I told Putin we will respond."

A ransomware attack had left thousands of businesses exposed in the US yesterday and the US President Joe Biden has now launched an investigation into this massive hit. On Friday, nearly 200 businesses were urged to shut down servers to avoid a ransomware attack after a computing network management tool by Kaseya came under a cyberattack. Initially, the hit was analysed to have affected only 200 businesses but as the day progressed, experts realised that nearly 1,000 businesses had been targeted. This attack targeted Kaseya, an IT and security management services provider for small and media size businesses. WATCH | "We are in the process of investigating the root cause of the incident with an abundance of caution but we recommend that you immediately shutdown your VSA server until you receive further notice from us," Kaseya’s Reddit message read. "It's critical that you do this immediately because one of the first things the attacker does is shutoff administrative access to the VSA." While Kaseya analysed the threat to have been limited to "a very small percentage of our customers" who use its VSA software and are "currently estimated at fewer than 40 worldwide", a cybersecurity firm Huntress Labs found out that the attack could have targetted 1,000 businesses. Considering the growing number of cyberattacks in the country, Joe Biden has ordered a full investigation into the matter and has instructed the experts to thoroughly check if the attack was Russia-originated. "The initial thinking was it was not the Russian government, but we're not sure yet," Biden said as he ordered a full investigation into the matter. "I'll know better tomorrow, and if it is either with the knowledge of and/or a consequence of Russia, then I told Putin we will respond."

Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses

President Joe Biden’s plan to celebrate “independence from the virus” on the Fourth of July is running into an unpleasant reality: Less than half the country is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the highly contagious delta variant is threatening new outbreaks.

The president and first lady Jill Biden have invited 1,000 military personnel and essential workers to an Independence Day bash on the South Lawn of the White House. Biden and his advisers, eager to claim credit for the virus’s retreat in the United States, are talking about a “summer of joy and freedom.”

The president will visit Traverse City, Michigan, on Saturday as part of what the White House calls the “America’s Back Together” celebration. Jill Biden will also take to the road, as will Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband, Doug Emhoff, and various Cabinet officials who will attend festivals, parades and cookouts around the nation.

But public health experts fear that scenes of cross-country celebrations — including a White House party with a liberation theme — will send the wrong message when wide swaths of the population remain vulnerable and true independence from the worst public health crisis in a century may be a long way off.

“We’re still in the middle of this marathon,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University. Despite considerable progress in decreasing the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States over the past few months, he said, it remains too early to “unfurl the ‘mission accomplished’ banner.”

Suggesting that the country is moving past the pandemic is a delicate task for Biden and his fellow Democrats, who must balance caution with bolstering the economy and getting national morale back on track.

The Democratic National Committee this week released an upbeat ad titled “America’s Coming Back.” Its spokesperson wrote on Twitter that the “America’s Back” mobile — a bus with the president’s image on it — would be traveling the country and offering free Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, a gourmet brand favored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The blowback was swift. “Need to rename this the ‘USS Tone Deaf McCovid Mobile,’” a Twitter user wrote.

Several family members of COVID-19 victims said it was difficult to hear Biden suggest that the nation was returning to normal while they were still grieving.

“There’s no return to normalcy for us,” said Sabila Khan, 42, of Jersey City, New Jersey, who created a Facebook support group after her father died of COVID-19. “It’s very nerve-racking when the government is encouraging you to just move beyond it. We lost our loved ones. We are never moving past this.”

White House officials said Biden was hardly declaring victory or “mission accomplished,” but simply wanted to take stock of the gains the United States had made against the virus since he took office. To combat the spread of the delta variant, the administration is sending “COVID-19 surge response teams” to communities at risk, Jeffrey Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, told reporters Thursday.

“The Fourth of July is a moment for us to step back and celebrate our progress,” Zients said. “There’s a lot more work to do.”

The United States has made significant progress against the pandemic since Biden took office Jan. 20, warning of a “dark winter” ahead. Daily reports of new cases are holding steady at about 12,000, the lowest since testing became widely available, according to a New York Times database — down from about 200,000 on Inauguration Day.

For the first time since March 2020, the country is averaging fewer than 300 newly reported deaths a day, a decline of about 20% over the past two weeks. Hospitalizations are also dropping.

But the advances have been uneven, with a large portion of U.S. cases emerging in a handful of hot spots, particularly where vaccination rates are low. Las Vegas, rural Utah, rural Arkansas, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Missouri Ozarks are among the places with upticks. And because the national trend lines are flat, experts do not know precisely which way they will go.

“If you looked a couple of weeks ago, most of those projections were trending downwards; it looked like we were sailing into summer,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, a public health researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. “Those projections now have flatlined. We’re not necessarily seeing an indication yet that things are going to surge in parts of the country, but we aren’t sure what’s going to happen.”

A number of governors are planning to lift their public health emergency orders in the coming weeks; Maryland and Virginia lifted their orders Thursday, bringing an end to mask mandates and other restrictions.

But the national emergency declared by former President Donald Trump remains in effect through late July, and the White House has told governors that Biden plans to extend it, officials said.

The vaccination campaign, meanwhile, is plodding along, with about 1 million shots administered each day. Biden had hoped to have 70% of adults at least partly vaccinated by July 4, but the White House conceded last month that it would not meet that goal.

The truer measure of protection, experts say, is whether people are fully vaccinated; only 46% of Americans fall into that category. With children under 12 still ineligible for the vaccine, it will be some time before a vast majority of the United States is fully vaccinated. Public health officials are particularly worried about outbreaks once school resumes in the fall.

In an era when vaccination has become a subject of fierce political debate, White House officials are not requiring guests at the July 4 party to be vaccinated. But they will be asked to present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of the event, and the White House has advised those who are unvaccinated that they “should wear a mask,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said this week.

Meyers, of the University of Texas, said the requirements were “very sensible” and a show of responsible behavior. “Testing, face masks, vaccinations: Those are our tickets to freedom from this threat,” she said.

But the absence of a vaccination requirement for White House party guests is also evidence of the challenges ahead, said Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“There is so much toxic politics around COVID that it’s constraining sensible action,” he said. “Obviously it makes sense to require proof of vaccination in various settings, but that has become a political lightning rod.”

Frieden and other experts said they feared that if the delta variant continues to circulate, it will mutate in a way that leaves even the vaccinated vulnerable. That already seems to be happening elsewhere in the world; even countries like South Korea and Israel, where the virus seemed to be in check, have new clusters of disease.

“Compared to many other countries, we are in a much more secure situation,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins University. But, she added, “I really do worry that as America enjoys its freedoms, we forget about the rest of the world, and that could come back to bite us.”

When Biden announced his July 4 vaccination goal in early May, he said meeting it would demonstrate that the United States had taken “a serious step toward a return to normal.” For many people, that seems to be the case. The president said then that Americans would be able to gather in backyards for small Independence Day barbecues; his gathering of 1,000 guests is partly aimed at showing the country that his administration has exceeded expectations even if vaccinations have stalled.

While Biden has repeatedly spoken of “independence from the virus,” Arthur L. Caplan, director of NYU Langone Medical Center’s medical ethics division, said the president should be careful about the language he uses.

“Before I went out and had my fireworks and sipped piña coladas on the White House veranda, I would say, ‘I’ve got to make clear, as president, we have major challenges unresolved,’” Caplan said. “I would say, ‘We’re doing well at halftime.’”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s top medical adviser for the pandemic, said there was nothing contradictory about the administration’s message.

“You can still celebrate at the same time as you get your message very, very clear,” he said, adding that the White House message remains the same: “If you are vaccinated, you have a high degree of protection. If you are not, you should wear a mask and you should think very seriously about getting vaccinated.”

President Joe Biden’s plan to celebrate “independence from the virus” on the Fourth of July is running into an unpleasant reality: Less than half the country is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the highly contagious delta variant is threatening new outbreaks.

President Joe Biden’s plan to celebrate “independence from the virus” on the Fourth of July is running into an unpleasant reality: Less than half the country is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the highly contagious delta variant is threatening new outbreaks. The president and first lady Jill Biden have invited 1,000 military personnel and essential workers to an Independence Day bash on the South Lawn of the White House. Biden and his advisers, eager to claim credit for the virus’s retreat in the United States, are talking about a “summer of joy and freedom.” The president will visit Traverse City, Michigan, on Saturday as part of what the White House calls the “America’s Back Together” celebration. Jill Biden will also take to the road, as will Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband, Doug Emhoff, and various Cabinet officials who will attend festivals, parades and cookouts around the nation. But public health experts fear that scenes of cross-country celebrations — including a White House party with a liberation theme — will send the wrong message when wide swaths of the population remain vulnerable and true independence from the worst public health crisis in a century may be a long way off. “We’re still in the middle of this marathon,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University. Despite considerable progress in decreasing the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States over the past few months, he said, it remains too early to “unfurl the ‘mission accomplished’ banner.” Suggesting that the country is moving past the pandemic is a delicate task for Biden and his fellow Democrats, who must balance caution with bolstering the economy and getting national morale back on track. The Democratic National Committee this week released an upbeat ad titled “America’s Coming Back.” Its spokesperson wrote on Twitter that the “America’s Back” mobile — a bus with the president’s image on it — would be traveling the country and offering free Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, a gourmet brand favored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The blowback was swift. “Need to rename this the ‘USS Tone Deaf McCovid Mobile,’” a Twitter user wrote. Several family members of COVID-19 victims said it was difficult to hear Biden suggest that the nation was returning to normal while they were still grieving. “There’s no return to normalcy for us,” said Sabila Khan, 42, of Jersey City, New Jersey, who created a Facebook support group after her father died of COVID-19. “It’s very nerve-racking when the government is encouraging you to just move beyond it. We lost our loved ones. We are never moving past this.” White House officials said Biden was hardly declaring victory or “mission accomplished,” but simply wanted to take stock of the gains the United States had made against the virus since he took office. To combat the spread of the delta variant, the administration is sending “COVID-19 surge response teams” to communities at risk, Jeffrey Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, told reporters Thursday. “The Fourth of July is a moment for us to step back and celebrate our progress,” Zients said. “There’s a lot more work to do.” The United States has made significant progress against the pandemic since Biden took office Jan. 20, warning of a “dark winter” ahead. Daily reports of new cases are holding steady at about 12,000, the lowest since testing became widely available, according to a New York Times database — down from about 200,000 on Inauguration Day. For the first time since March 2020, the country is averaging fewer than 300 newly reported deaths a day, a decline of about 20% over the past two weeks. Hospitalizations are also dropping. But the advances have been uneven, with a large portion of U.S. cases emerging in a handful of hot spots, particularly where vaccination rates are low. Las Vegas, rural Utah, rural Arkansas, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Missouri Ozarks are among the places with upticks. And because the national trend lines are flat, experts do not know precisely which way they will go. “If you looked a couple of weeks ago, most of those projections were trending downwards; it looked like we were sailing into summer,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, a public health researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. “Those projections now have flatlined. We’re not necessarily seeing an indication yet that things are going to surge in parts of the country, but we aren’t sure what’s going to happen.” A number of governors are planning to lift their public health emergency orders in the coming weeks; Maryland and Virginia lifted their orders Thursday, bringing an end to mask mandates and other restrictions. But the national emergency declared by former President Donald Trump remains in effect through late July, and the White House has told governors that Biden plans to extend it, officials said. The vaccination campaign, meanwhile, is plodding along, with about 1 million shots administered each day. Biden had hoped to have 70% of adults at least partly vaccinated by July 4, but the White House conceded last month that it would not meet that goal. The truer measure of protection, experts say, is whether people are fully vaccinated; only 46% of Americans fall into that category. With children under 12 still ineligible for the vaccine, it will be some time before a vast majority of the United States is fully vaccinated. Public health officials are particularly worried about outbreaks once school resumes in the fall. In an era when vaccination has become a subject of fierce political debate, White House officials are not requiring guests at the July 4 party to be vaccinated. But they will be asked to present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of the event, and the White House has advised those who are unvaccinated that they “should wear a mask,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said this week. Meyers, of the University of Texas, said the requirements were “very sensible” and a show of responsible behavior. “Testing, face masks, vaccinations: Those are our tickets to freedom from this threat,” she said. But the absence of a vaccination requirement for White House party guests is also evidence of the challenges ahead, said Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “There is so much toxic politics around COVID that it’s constraining sensible action,” he said. “Obviously it makes sense to require proof of vaccination in various settings, but that has become a political lightning rod.” Frieden and other experts said they feared that if the delta variant continues to circulate, it will mutate in a way that leaves even the vaccinated vulnerable. That already seems to be happening elsewhere in the world; even countries like South Korea and Israel, where the virus seemed to be in check, have new clusters of disease. “Compared to many other countries, we are in a much more secure situation,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins University. But, she added, “I really do worry that as America enjoys its freedoms, we forget about the rest of the world, and that could come back to bite us.” When Biden announced his July 4 vaccination goal in early May, he said meeting it would demonstrate that the United States had taken “a serious step toward a return to normal.” For many people, that seems to be the case. The president said then that Americans would be able to gather in backyards for small Independence Day barbecues; his gathering of 1,000 guests is partly aimed at showing the country that his administration has exceeded expectations even if vaccinations have stalled. While Biden has repeatedly spoken of “independence from the virus,” Arthur L. Caplan, director of NYU Langone Medical Center’s medical ethics division, said the president should be careful about the language he uses. “Before I went out and had my fireworks and sipped piña coladas on the White House veranda, I would say, ‘I’ve got to make clear, as president, we have major challenges unresolved,’” Caplan said. “I would say, ‘We’re doing well at halftime.’” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s top medical adviser for the pandemic, said there was nothing contradictory about the administration’s message. “You can still celebrate at the same time as you get your message very, very clear,” he said, adding that the White House message remains the same: “If you are vaccinated, you have a high degree of protection. If you are not, you should wear a mask and you should think very seriously about getting vaccinated.”

Is Biden declaring ‘independence from the virus’ too soon?

As the US troops handed over Afghanistan's Bagram airbase to Afghan forces, US President Joe Biden on Friday said there were no immediate plans for complete troop withdrawal from the country. "No. We're on, we're on track exactly as to where we expect to be," the US president said.

Troops drawdown in Afghanistan is on track, says US President Joe Biden

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> on Friday endorsed removing the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases in the armed forces from the military chain of command.

The recommendation was one of the chief proposals made by an independent commission set up by Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to look into the handling of sexual assault in the military.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/for-second-consecutive-year-sexual-assault-cases-increase-in-us-military-296096">For second consecutive year, sexual assault cases increase in US military</a>

Austin said he would work with Congress to amend military justice laws and remove the prosecution of cases of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse from the military chain of command.

Dedicated offices in each military department would be created to handle the prosecution of such cases, the defence secretary said.

Currently, commanders are responsible for the investigation and prosecution of crimes allegedly committed by their subordinates, a system critics say often presents conflicts of interest and other issues.

The proposed changes were an "overdue step in the right direction", Biden said.

"We need concrete actions that fundamentally change the way we handle military sexual assault and that make it clear that these crimes will not be minimized or dismissed," he said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-defence-chief-favours-reforms-on-how-military-prosecutes-sex-crimes-393251">US defence chief favours reforms on how military prosecutes sex crimes</a>

"I look forward to working with Congress to implement these necessary reforms and promote a work environment that is free from sexual assault and harassment for every one of our brave service members."

More than a dozen commanders and unit leaders were sacked in December after a series of murders and sex crimes at a major US military base.

Among the victims was Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old army soldier who was murdered by a fellow soldier after being sexually harassed and telling her family she did not trust the military command to follow up on her complaint.

According to the Defense Department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, there were 7,816 sexual assault complaints in the armed forces in 2020, a slight fall from the record 7,825 of 2019.

US President Joe Biden on Friday endorsed removing the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases in the armed forces from the military chain of command.

US President Joe Biden on Friday endorsed removing the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases in the armed forces from the military chain of command. The recommendation was one of the chief proposals made by an independent commission set up by Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to look into the handling of sexual assault in the military. Also read | For second consecutive year, sexual assault cases increase in US military Austin said he would work with Congress to amend military justice laws and remove the prosecution of cases of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse from the military chain of command. Dedicated offices in each military department would be created to handle the prosecution of such cases, the defence secretary said. Currently, commanders are responsible for the investigation and prosecution of crimes allegedly committed by their subordinates, a system critics say often presents conflicts of interest and other issues. The proposed changes were an "overdue step in the right direction", Biden said. "We need concrete actions that fundamentally change the way we handle military sexual assault and that make it clear that these crimes will not be minimized or dismissed," he said in a statement. Also read | US defence chief favours reforms on how military prosecutes sex crimes "I look forward to working with Congress to implement these necessary reforms and promote a work environment that is free from sexual assault and harassment for every one of our brave service members." More than a dozen commanders and unit leaders were sacked in December after a series of murders and sex crimes at a major US military base. Among the victims was Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old army soldier who was murdered by a fellow soldier after being sexually harassed and telling her family she did not trust the military command to follow up on her complaint. According to the Defense Department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, there were 7,816 sexual assault complaints in the armed forces in 2020, a slight fall from the record 7,825 of 2019.

Biden backs removing assault prosecution from US military chain of command

The president, along with home-state Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, met with families of the victims for about three hours.

Joe Biden visits site of Condo building collapse

The United States has added Turkey and&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;to a list of countries that are implicated in the use of child soldiers over the past year.

It is the first time a&nbsp;NATO ally for the first time in such the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) <a href="https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TIP_Report_Final_20210701.pdf">list</a>, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington. The&nbsp;designation could lead to strict sanctions on military assistance and listed countries’ participation in peacekeeping programmes.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-quits-treaty-to-prevent-violence-against-women-395134" hreflang="en">Turkey quits treaty to prevent violence against women</a>

The US&nbsp;State Department determined in its 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) that&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;was providing "tangible support" to the Sultan Murad division in Syria, a faction of Syrian opposition that Ankara has long, supported and a group that Washington said recruited and used child soldiers.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Afghans continued to both voluntarily return and be deported from Iran and Pakistan, and traffickers abroad reportedly forced some Afghans into labor prior to their return or deportation.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/prime-minister-imran-khan-says-pakistan-under-pressure-from-west-394841/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In a briefing call with reporters, a senior State Department official also made a reference to the use of child soldiers in Libya, saying Washington was hoping to work with Ankara on the issue to address it.

"With respect to&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;in particular...this is the first time a NATO member has been listed in the child soldier prevention act list," the State Department official said. "As a respected regional leader and member of NATO,&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;has the opportunity to address this issue -- the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Syria and Libya," she said.

Turkey&nbsp;has carried out three cross-border operations in Syria against the so-called Islamic State, as well as US-backed Kurdish militia and has frequently used factions of armed Syrian fighters on top of its own forces.

Some of these groups have been accused by human rights groups and the United Nations of indiscriminately attacking civilians and carrying out kidnappings and lootings. The United Nations had asked Ankara to rein in these Syrian rebels while&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;rejected the allegations, calling them 'baseless'.

Turkey, through proxies and its own armed forces, has also been involved in the Libyan conflict. Ankara's support has helped the Tripoli-based government reverse a 14-month assault from eastern forces backed by Egypt and Russia.

Governments placed on this list are subject to restrictions, according to the State Department report, on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment, absent a presidential waiver.

It was not immediately clear whether any restrictions would automatically apply to&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and the move raised questions whether it could derail Ankara's ongoing negotiations with Washington on&nbsp;Turkey's bid to run Afghanistan's Kabul airport once US&nbsp;completes its pullout of its troops.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said the two things won't likely be linked. "When it comes to trafficking in persons, I would not want to link the report today with the constructive discussions we're engaging in with&nbsp;Turkey, in the context of Afghanistan or any other area of shared interest," he said in a briefing.

Turkey&nbsp;has offered to guard and run Hamid Karzai airport after NATO's withdrawal and has been holding talks with the United States on logistic and financial support for the mission.

The mission could be a potential area of cooperation between Ankara and its allies amid strained ties, as the security of the airport is crucial for the operation of diplomatic missions out of Afghanistan after the withdrawal.

To carry out this task, Ankara has sought various financial and operational support, and President Joe Biden, in a meeting last month with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had said that US&nbsp;support would be forthcoming, Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan had said.

Price described&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;as a "very constructive and very helpful partner" when it comes to Afghanistan and added that Washington could have more to say on the implications.

"As you know there is a potential for waivers that would come down from the president but that will happen, if it does, in the coming months," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has added Turkey and Pakistan to a list of countries that are implicated in the use of child soldiers over the past year. It is the first time a NATO ally for the first time in such the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington.

The United States has added Turkey and Pakistan to a list of countries that are implicated in the use of child soldiers over the past year. It is the first time a NATO ally for the first time in such the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington. The designation could lead to strict sanctions on military assistance and listed countries’ participation in peacekeeping programmes. Also read| Turkey quits treaty to prevent violence against women The US State Department determined in its 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) that Turkey was providing "tangible support" to the Sultan Murad division in Syria, a faction of Syrian opposition that Ankara has long, supported and a group that Washington said recruited and used child soldiers. Meanwhile, Afghans continued to both voluntarily return and be deported from Iran and Pakistan, and traffickers abroad reportedly forced some Afghans into labor prior to their return or deportation. In a briefing call with reporters, a senior State Department official also made a reference to the use of child soldiers in Libya, saying Washington was hoping to work with Ankara on the issue to address it. "With respect to Turkey in particular...this is the first time a NATO member has been listed in the child soldier prevention act list," the State Department official said. "As a respected regional leader and member of NATO, Turkey has the opportunity to address this issue -- the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Syria and Libya," she said. Turkey has carried out three cross-border operations in Syria against the so-called Islamic State, as well as US-backed Kurdish militia and has frequently used factions of armed Syrian fighters on top of its own forces. Some of these groups have been accused by human rights groups and the United Nations of indiscriminately attacking civilians and carrying out kidnappings and lootings. The United Nations had asked Ankara to rein in these Syrian rebels while Turkey rejected the allegations, calling them 'baseless'. Turkey, through proxies and its own armed forces, has also been involved in the Libyan conflict. Ankara's support has helped the Tripoli-based government reverse a 14-month assault from eastern forces backed by Egypt and Russia. Governments placed on this list are subject to restrictions, according to the State Department report, on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment, absent a presidential waiver. It was not immediately clear whether any restrictions would automatically apply to Turkey and the move raised questions whether it could derail Ankara's ongoing negotiations with Washington on Turkey's bid to run Afghanistan's Kabul airport once US completes its pullout of its troops. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the two things won't likely be linked. "When it comes to trafficking in persons, I would not want to link the report today with the constructive discussions we're engaging in with Turkey, in the context of Afghanistan or any other area of shared interest," he said in a briefing. Turkey has offered to guard and run Hamid Karzai airport after NATO's withdrawal and has been holding talks with the United States on logistic and financial support for the mission. The mission could be a potential area of cooperation between Ankara and its allies amid strained ties, as the security of the airport is crucial for the operation of diplomatic missions out of Afghanistan after the withdrawal. To carry out this task, Ankara has sought various financial and operational support, and President Joe Biden, in a meeting last month with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had said that US support would be forthcoming, Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan had said. Price described Turkey as a "very constructive and very helpful partner" when it comes to Afghanistan and added that Washington could have more to say on the implications. "As you know there is a potential for waivers that would come down from the president but that will happen, if it does, in the coming months," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

US adds Pakistan, Turkey to list of countries implicated in use of child soldiers

The Taliban Friday said they "welcome and support" the exit of all US and NATO forces from Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base, a sign of an imminent final withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.

"Their full withdrawal (from Afghanistan) will pave the way for Afghans to decide about their future between themselves," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistans-survival-security-unity-in-danger-warns-abdullah-abdullah-395265/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

American troops pulled out of their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday&nbsp;under an agreement with the Taliban allowing for the withdrawal of all US&nbsp;forces from the country after a two-decade war.

The US&nbsp;military has coordinated its air war and logistical support for its Afghan mission from the&nbsp;Bagram&nbsp;air base, about 60 km (40 miles) north of Kabul, and the withdrawal of the forces symbolises the end of the US&nbsp;military involvement in the country.

The base is being handed over to the Afghan government as its armed forces face a surging war with the Taliban and questions swirl about their prospects.

For decades Bagram Air Base, north of the Afghan capital, served as both the linchpin for foreign armies fighting insurgents and as a symbol of the brutalities unleashed by years of civil war.

Just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Kabul, the base is vital to the security of the capital while also providing strategic cover to much of the country's rugged north.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The sprawling airfield was first built by the Americans for its Afghan ally during the Cold War in the 1950s as a bulwark against the Soviet Union in the north.&nbsp;

Since its construction, a rotating cast of characters has exchanged control of the base, during decades of conflict that have roiled Afghanistan.

It served as the staging ground for the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan following the Red Army's invasion in 1979, and Moscow vastly expanded it.

Following the Soviet withdrawal nearly a decade later, the base went from being controlled by the Moscow-backed government to being occupied by the shaky mujahideen administration during the civil war.&nbsp;

It was reported that at one point the Taliban controlled one end of the three-kilometre (two-mile) runway, and the opposition Northern Alliance the other.

Bagram ultimately fell into the Taliban's hands after the hardline jihadist group overran large swathes of the country in the mid-1990s.

Following the September 11 attacks and the US invasion of Afghanistan, the Americans took control of the base.

Washington's long war against the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies was largely maintained with airstrikes and resupply missions stemming from the airfield.&nbsp;

The past two decades have brought numerous US presidential visits, while the base was also home to a prison that stoked controversy over the treatment of Afghan detainees by foreign forces.

During its heyday, the mini-city was visited by hundreds of thousands of service members and contractors.

It boasted swimming pools, cinemas and spas,&nbsp;and even a boardwalk featuring fast-food outlets such as Burger King and Pizza Hut.

In recent months, Bagram has come under rocket barrages claimed by the jihadist Islamic State, sparking new fears that militants are already eyeing the base for future attacks.

Following months of consultations, US President Joe Biden in April announced he would end the country's longest war and bring home its remaining troops ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

To this day, the sides of the road from Kabul to Bagram remain littered with the rusting hulks of old Soviet tanks, a searing reminder of the more than four decades of conflict that has left much of Afghanistan in tatters.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Taliban Friday said they "welcome and support" the exit of all US and NATO forces from Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base, a sign of an imminent final withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.

The Taliban Friday said they "welcome and support" the exit of all US and NATO forces from Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base, a sign of an imminent final withdrawal of foreign troops from the country. "Their full withdrawal (from Afghanistan) will pave the way for Afghans to decide about their future between themselves," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. American troops pulled out of their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday under an agreement with the Taliban allowing for the withdrawal of all US forces from the country after a two-decade war. The US military has coordinated its air war and logistical support for its Afghan mission from the Bagram air base, about 60 km (40 miles) north of Kabul, and the withdrawal of the forces symbolises the end of the US military involvement in the country. The base is being handed over to the Afghan government as its armed forces face a surging war with the Taliban and questions swirl about their prospects. For decades Bagram Air Base, north of the Afghan capital, served as both the linchpin for foreign armies fighting insurgents and as a symbol of the brutalities unleashed by years of civil war. Just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Kabul, the base is vital to the security of the capital while also providing strategic cover to much of the country's rugged north. The sprawling airfield was first built by the Americans for its Afghan ally during the Cold War in the 1950s as a bulwark against the Soviet Union in the north. Since its construction, a rotating cast of characters has exchanged control of the base, during decades of conflict that have roiled Afghanistan. It served as the staging ground for the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan following the Red Army's invasion in 1979, and Moscow vastly expanded it. Following the Soviet withdrawal nearly a decade later, the base went from being controlled by the Moscow-backed government to being occupied by the shaky mujahideen administration during the civil war. It was reported that at one point the Taliban controlled one end of the three-kilometre (two-mile) runway, and the opposition Northern Alliance the other. Bagram ultimately fell into the Taliban's hands after the hardline jihadist group overran large swathes of the country in the mid-1990s. Following the September 11 attacks and the US invasion of Afghanistan, the Americans took control of the base. Washington's long war against the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies was largely maintained with airstrikes and resupply missions stemming from the airfield. The past two decades have brought numerous US presidential visits, while the base was also home to a prison that stoked controversy over the treatment of Afghan detainees by foreign forces. During its heyday, the mini-city was visited by hundreds of thousands of service members and contractors. It boasted swimming pools, cinemas and spas, and even a boardwalk featuring fast-food outlets such as Burger King and Pizza Hut. In recent months, Bagram has come under rocket barrages claimed by the jihadist Islamic State, sparking new fears that militants are already eyeing the base for future attacks. Following months of consultations, US President Joe Biden in April announced he would end the country's longest war and bring home its remaining troops ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. To this day, the sides of the road from Kabul to Bagram remain littered with the rusting hulks of old Soviet tanks, a searing reminder of the more than four decades of conflict that has left much of Afghanistan in tatters. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban 'welcome and support' exit of foreign forces from Bagram

Former US President Donald Trump visited the US-Mexico border on Wednesday, where he unleashed a wave of attacks on President Joe Biden and denounce an immigration crisis.

Former US President Trump visits the US-Mexico border, pushes anti-immigrant rhetoric

Gun in hand, 55-year-old Dost Mohammad Salangi recites poetry as he leads a small group of men to a look-out post high in the rugged hills of Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

Heavily bearded and wearing a traditional circular pakol hat to keep off the sun, he has a warning for the Islamist militant Taliban movement, which has increased attacks on Afghan forces and claimed more territory as foreign troops withdraw.

"If they impose war on us, oppress us and encroach on women and people's property, even our seven-year-old children will be armed and will stand against them," he told Reuters.

Salangi is one of hundreds of former "mujahideen" fighters and civilians who have felt compelled to take up arms to help the army repel a growing Taliban insurgency.

The group's ascendancy on the ground comes as the last US-led international forces prepare to leave after two decades of fighting that ended with no clear victory for either side.

"We have to protect our country ... now there is no choice as the foreign forces abandon us," said Farid Mohammed, a young student who joined a local anti-Taliban leader from Parwan.

He was speaking as the German military concluded the withdrawal of the second largest contingent of foreign troops after the United States with around 150,000 soldiers deployed over the past two decades, many of them serving more than one tour in the country.

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden and NATO said in mid-April they would pull out the roughly 10,000 foreign troops still in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;by September&nbsp;11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York that prompted the mission.

The United Nations envoy for&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;said this week the Taliban had taken more than 50 of 370 districts and was positioned to control provincial capitals as the country looked increasingly unstable as foreign military support ended.

Armed mainly with old assault rifles, pistols and grenade launchers, men like Salangi and Mohammed have joined local shopkeepers and traders as part of a loosely-formed Public Uprising Force trying to reclaim some of those areas.

Ajmal Omar Shinwari, a spokesman for the Afghan defence and security forces, said Afghans keen to take up arms against the Taliban were being absorbed intro the structure of territorial army forces.

But some political analysts warn of the growing risk of a return to civil war as more groups took up arms.

Faced with rising violence, President Ashraf Ghani visited Washington in June to meet Biden, who pledged U.S. support to&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;but said Afghans must decide their own future.

Talks to try and find a political settlement in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;have stalled, although the head of the Afghan peace council has said they should not be abandoned despite the surge in Taliban attacks.

Gun in hand, 55-year-old Dost Mohammad Salangi recites poetry as he leads a small group of men to a look-out post high in the rugged hills of Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

Gun in hand, 55-year-old Dost Mohammad Salangi recites poetry as he leads a small group of men to a look-out post high in the rugged hills of Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul. Heavily bearded and wearing a traditional circular pakol hat to keep off the sun, he has a warning for the Islamist militant Taliban movement, which has increased attacks on Afghan forces and claimed more territory as foreign troops withdraw. "If they impose war on us, oppress us and encroach on women and people's property, even our seven-year-old children will be armed and will stand against them," he told Reuters. Salangi is one of hundreds of former "mujahideen" fighters and civilians who have felt compelled to take up arms to help the army repel a growing Taliban insurgency. The group's ascendancy on the ground comes as the last US-led international forces prepare to leave after two decades of fighting that ended with no clear victory for either side. "We have to protect our country ... now there is no choice as the foreign forces abandon us," said Farid Mohammed, a young student who joined a local anti-Taliban leader from Parwan. He was speaking as the German military concluded the withdrawal of the second largest contingent of foreign troops after the United States with around 150,000 soldiers deployed over the past two decades, many of them serving more than one tour in the country. US President Joe Biden and NATO said in mid-April they would pull out the roughly 10,000 foreign troops still in Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York that prompted the mission. The United Nations envoy for Afghanistan said this week the Taliban had taken more than 50 of 370 districts and was positioned to control provincial capitals as the country looked increasingly unstable as foreign military support ended. Armed mainly with old assault rifles, pistols and grenade launchers, men like Salangi and Mohammed have joined local shopkeepers and traders as part of a loosely-formed Public Uprising Force trying to reclaim some of those areas. Ajmal Omar Shinwari, a spokesman for the Afghan defence and security forces, said Afghans keen to take up arms against the Taliban were being absorbed intro the structure of territorial army forces. But some political analysts warn of the growing risk of a return to civil war as more groups took up arms. Faced with rising violence, President Ashraf Ghani visited Washington in June to meet Biden, who pledged U.S. support to Afghanistan but said Afghans must decide their own future. Talks to try and find a political settlement in Afghanistan have stalled, although the head of the Afghan peace council has said they should not be abandoned despite the surge in Taliban attacks.

Afghan civilians take up arms as US-led forces leave

Global views about China have remained broadly negative and confidence in its leader Xi Jinping near historic lows as per a&nbsp;survey of 17 advanced economies released on Wednesday.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;the image of the United States has rebounded since President Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump.

The survey by the US-based Pew Research Center found China scored higher marks for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic than the United States, however, while ratings on this for both had improved substantially since last year.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-blames-the-world-for-eating-disorders-394784/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Overall, unfavorable views of China had remained at or near historic highs, largely unchanged since last year, a summary of the survey said.

Last year, Pew found few had confidence that either Xi or Trump would "do the right thing" in world affairs, although in Western Europe more had confidence in the Chinese leader.

This year, confidence in Xi remained at or near historic lows, while "in contrast, views of Biden are much more positive than they were of Trump." The summary said that in all places, "a majority say they have confidence in Biden to do what is right in world affairs."

"Views of Xi continue to be widely negative," it said. "In all but one of the 17 publics surveyed, majorities say they have little or no confidence in him."

In Australia, France, Sweden and Canada, half or more said they had no confidence in Xi at all, it said.

The economies surveyed were Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United States.

Pew found that with the exception of Singapore and New Zealand, more than half of those surveyed in each place said it was more important to have strong economic ties with the United States than with China.

In many advanced economies though, assessments of China's handling of the pandemic had "improved precipitously" and a median of 49% said it had done a good job, compared with 37% who rated the U.S. response positively.

Europeans approved of China's response much more than those in the Asia-Pacific, while in both regions, few thought China respected the personal freedoms of its people, the survey found.

Across the Asia-Pacific, however, opinions were mixed as to whether it was more important to try to promote human rights in China, even if this harmed economic ties, or whether economic relations should be prioritized.

Majorities in New Zealand, Australia, and Japan and a plurality in Taiwan prioritized human rights, while majorities in South Korea and Singapore prioritized economic relations.

In the Asia-Pacific, majorities in all but Singapore said they had little or no confidence in Xi's handling of world affairs, with the most - 86 percent - expressing that view in Japan. In Singapore, 70 percent expressed confidence in Xi.

Pew said the non-US&nbsp;data came from 16,254 adults polled between March 12 and May 26. That from the United States came from 2,596 adults surveyed from February&nbsp;1-7.

(With inputs from agencies)

Global views about China have remained broadly negative and confidence in its leader Xi Jinping near historic lows as per a survey of 17 advanced economies released on Wednesday.

Global views about China have remained broadly negative and confidence in its leader Xi Jinping near historic lows as per a survey of 17 advanced economies released on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the image of the United States has rebounded since President Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump. The survey by the US-based Pew Research Center found China scored higher marks for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic than the United States, however, while ratings on this for both had improved substantially since last year. Overall, unfavorable views of China had remained at or near historic highs, largely unchanged since last year, a summary of the survey said. Last year, Pew found few had confidence that either Xi or Trump would "do the right thing" in world affairs, although in Western Europe more had confidence in the Chinese leader. This year, confidence in Xi remained at or near historic lows, while "in contrast, views of Biden are much more positive than they were of Trump." The summary said that in all places, "a majority say they have confidence in Biden to do what is right in world affairs." "Views of Xi continue to be widely negative," it said. "In all but one of the 17 publics surveyed, majorities say they have little or no confidence in him." In Australia, France, Sweden and Canada, half or more said they had no confidence in Xi at all, it said. The economies surveyed were Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United States. Pew found that with the exception of Singapore and New Zealand, more than half of those surveyed in each place said it was more important to have strong economic ties with the United States than with China. In many advanced economies though, assessments of China's handling of the pandemic had "improved precipitously" and a median of 49% said it had done a good job, compared with 37% who rated the U.S. response positively. Europeans approved of China's response much more than those in the Asia-Pacific, while in both regions, few thought China respected the personal freedoms of its people, the survey found. Across the Asia-Pacific, however, opinions were mixed as to whether it was more important to try to promote human rights in China, even if this harmed economic ties, or whether economic relations should be prioritized. Majorities in New Zealand, Australia, and Japan and a plurality in Taiwan prioritized human rights, while majorities in South Korea and Singapore prioritized economic relations. In the Asia-Pacific, majorities in all but Singapore said they had little or no confidence in Xi's handling of world affairs, with the most - 86 percent - expressing that view in Japan. In Singapore, 70 percent expressed confidence in Xi. Pew said the non-US data came from 16,254 adults polled between March 12 and May 26. That from the United States came from 2,596 adults surveyed from February 1-7. (With inputs from agencies)

New survey reveals ratings of Chinese leader Xi Jinping near historic lows

US President Joe Biden has assured outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin that his country will not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Watch this report to know more.

US President Joe Biden hosts Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at White House

Pope Francis on Monday held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The discussion came in the wake of a decision by American Catholic bishops that could lead them to deny communion to President Joe Biden.

It was not clear if the topic came up during the talks.

Blinken held 40 minutes of private talks with the Pope at the Vatican. Earlier Blinken also had a separate meeting with Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican`s foreign minister.

The visit follows a conference at which US Roman Catholic bishops voted to draft a statement on Communion that may admonish Catholic politicians, including Biden, who support a woman`s right to abortion despite opposing the practice personally.

The bishops decided to move forward with the document, mostly disregarding a Vatican warning that it would be highly divisive.

The topic did not appear in statements by State Department spokesperson Ned Price and the Vatican and, when asked specifically at a news conference afterwards, Blinken would not be drawn.

He said the meeting with the pope was "extremely warm and very wide ranging" but he did not answer directly, saying that domestic politics was not part of his job.

Price said that Blinken in his talks with Parolin and Gallagher discussed various topics including human rights and religious freedom in China.

Price said Blinken also discussed China with the pope, as well as refugees, climate change, Lebanon, Syria and Ethiopia.

Since the Vatican and Beijing signed an agreement in 2018 on the naming of bishops in China, critics of the deal have appealed to the Vatican to speak out more about religious freedom in Hong Kong and mainland China.

NATO took a tough line on China at Biden`s debut summit earlier this month.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that the atmosphere was cordial and that it gave the pope a chance "to express his affection for and attention to, the people of the United States of America".

The Vatican and the Biden administration agree on the dangers of climate change, which was a main point of contention with the White House while Donald Trump was president.

Trump was dismissive of the problem as he dismantled climate policies and regulations on fossil fuels.

The pope criticised Trump`s withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 Paris accord to limit global warming. The Vatican welcomed Biden`s return to the accord.

Blinken gave the pope a gold and silver sculpture of a dove holding an olive branch and pope gave him copies of several of his writings, including the landmark 2015 encyclical "Laudado Si" on the protection of the environment.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pope Francis on Monday held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The discussion came in the wake of a decision by American Catholic bishops that could lead them to deny communion to President Joe Biden.

Pope Francis on Monday held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The discussion came in the wake of a decision by American Catholic bishops that could lead them to deny communion to President Joe Biden. It was not clear if the topic came up during the talks. Blinken held 40 minutes of private talks with the Pope at the Vatican. Earlier Blinken also had a separate meeting with Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican`s foreign minister. The visit follows a conference at which US Roman Catholic bishops voted to draft a statement on Communion that may admonish Catholic politicians, including Biden, who support a woman`s right to abortion despite opposing the practice personally. The bishops decided to move forward with the document, mostly disregarding a Vatican warning that it would be highly divisive. The topic did not appear in statements by State Department spokesperson Ned Price and the Vatican and, when asked specifically at a news conference afterwards, Blinken would not be drawn. He said the meeting with the pope was "extremely warm and very wide ranging" but he did not answer directly, saying that domestic politics was not part of his job. Price said that Blinken in his talks with Parolin and Gallagher discussed various topics including human rights and religious freedom in China. Price said Blinken also discussed China with the pope, as well as refugees, climate change, Lebanon, Syria and Ethiopia. Since the Vatican and Beijing signed an agreement in 2018 on the naming of bishops in China, critics of the deal have appealed to the Vatican to speak out more about religious freedom in Hong Kong and mainland China. NATO took a tough line on China at Biden`s debut summit earlier this month. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that the atmosphere was cordial and that it gave the pope a chance "to express his affection for and attention to, the people of the United States of America". The Vatican and the Biden administration agree on the dangers of climate change, which was a main point of contention with the White House while Donald Trump was president. Trump was dismissive of the problem as he dismantled climate policies and regulations on fossil fuels. The pope criticised Trump`s withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 Paris accord to limit global warming. The Vatican welcomed Biden`s return to the accord. Blinken gave the pope a gold and silver sculpture of a dove holding an olive branch and pope gave him copies of several of his writings, including the landmark 2015 encyclical "Laudado Si" on the protection of the environment. (With inputs from agencies)

Blinken meets Pope, speculations on discussion over US bishops' vote

US president Joe Biden met his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani at the white house on Friday to demonstrate a continuing US commitment to Afghanistan. Watch this report to know more.

Our support for Afghanistan is not ending: Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his former political foe, Abdullah Abdullah, at the White House where he called on Afghans to decide the future of their country as the last US troops pack up after 20 years of war and government forces struggle to repel Taliban advances.

Afghan leaders meet US President at White House, Biden assures support

Baltic states have rejected a proposal by France and Germany to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Is Europe breaking ranks with the U.S and charting its own policy on Russia? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Merkel & Macron seek summit with Putin

Biden: Afghans are going to have to decide their future

Ashraf Ghani meet US President Joe Biden at White House

US president Joe Biden met his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani at the white house on Friday to demonstrate a continuing u.s commitment to Afghanistan. Watch this report to know more.

US President Joe Biden calls on Afghans to 'decide their future' as withdrawal nears end

Vice President Kamala&nbsp;Harris&nbsp;visited a border patrol facility near the US-Mexico border on Friday, aiming to counter claims from Republicans she has been slow to visit the region as part of her role addressing the root causes of immigration.

The trip&nbsp;comes a few days before Donald Trump visits the border, on June 30, in a bid to contrast his tough stance on immigration with successor Biden's more humane approach.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-vice-president-to-visit-us-mexico-border-under-immigration-scrutiny-393931/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The vice president's trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this year was about the root causes, and this border visit is about the effects," her spokesperson Symone Sanders, told reporters on Thursday. "Both trips will inform the administration's root causes strategy."

Harris&nbsp;was accompanied in El Paso by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Dick Durbin and Democratic Representative from Texas Veronica Escobar, who called the El Paso area the new "Ellis Island," a reference to the famed area in New York Harbor that processed millions of immigrants as they entered the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants, many fleeing poverty and violence in Central America, have attempted to cross into the United States in recent months, prompting scathing criticism from Republicans that President Joe Biden's more humane approach to immigration was provoking rather than preventing a crisis.

Those numbers were boosted by a coronavirus pandemic-related ban on seeking asylum, which encouraged repeated attempts to cross the border because getting caught carried no legal consequences.

Biden tasked&nbsp;Harris&nbsp;earlier this year with overseeing efforts to address what the administration describes as root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

The vice president traveled to Guatemala and Mexico in early June to address the issue, but caught flak from critics for comments that appeared to downplay the border crisis.&nbsp;

She was also criticized for not stopping at the border for a firsthand look at the situation during her international mission.

Harris&nbsp;continues to address the root causes of illegal immigration "and work in coordination to get the situation under control," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

"This trip to the border on Friday will be a part of this effort."

Harris advisers have been careful to emphasize that her main focus related to immigration is addressing the root causes of migration.

She has been seeking economic and humanitarian solutions to improve conditions for residents of Central and North American countries who flee to the US. Her aides framed her trip to the border as part of an effort to better understand how to solve the problem.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited a border patrol facility near the US-Mexico border on Friday, aiming to counter claims from Republicans she has been slow to visit the region as part of her role addressing the root causes of immigration.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited a border patrol facility near the US-Mexico border on Friday, aiming to counter claims from Republicans she has been slow to visit the region as part of her role addressing the root causes of immigration. The trip comes a few days before Donald Trump visits the border, on June 30, in a bid to contrast his tough stance on immigration with successor Biden's more humane approach. "The vice president's trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this year was about the root causes, and this border visit is about the effects," her spokesperson Symone Sanders, told reporters on Thursday. "Both trips will inform the administration's root causes strategy." Harris was accompanied in El Paso by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Dick Durbin and Democratic Representative from Texas Veronica Escobar, who called the El Paso area the new "Ellis Island," a reference to the famed area in New York Harbor that processed millions of immigrants as they entered the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Hundreds of thousands of migrants, many fleeing poverty and violence in Central America, have attempted to cross into the United States in recent months, prompting scathing criticism from Republicans that President Joe Biden's more humane approach to immigration was provoking rather than preventing a crisis. Those numbers were boosted by a coronavirus pandemic-related ban on seeking asylum, which encouraged repeated attempts to cross the border because getting caught carried no legal consequences. Biden tasked Harris earlier this year with overseeing efforts to address what the administration describes as root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The vice president traveled to Guatemala and Mexico in early June to address the issue, but caught flak from critics for comments that appeared to downplay the border crisis. She was also criticized for not stopping at the border for a firsthand look at the situation during her international mission. Harris continues to address the root causes of illegal immigration "and work in coordination to get the situation under control," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. "This trip to the border on Friday will be a part of this effort." Harris advisers have been careful to emphasize that her main focus related to immigration is addressing the root causes of migration. She has been seeking economic and humanitarian solutions to improve conditions for residents of Central and North American countries who flee to the US. Her aides framed her trip to the border as part of an effort to better understand how to solve the problem.

US Vice President Kamala Harris visits US-Mexico border after facing criticism for absence

President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure agreement contains all of the contradictions and promises of the Biden brand. It is a deal that dramatically curbs Democrats’ policy goals in the pursuit of bipartisanship, but also opens a portal to what could be the most ambitious expansion of government into the economy in decades.

It is an attempt for the president to have it both ways — compromising with Republicans in pursuit of a bold and progressive agenda — just as he promised Democratic voters he would during the 2020 primary campaign. He has negotiated a deal that satisfies moderates, while promising liberals that the agreement will not become law unless his party’s moderates also supply votes for a far more expensive companion plan.

At its core, it is a risk. Biden’s two-track strategy could easily collapse before any infrastructure bills get to his desk, leaving him empty-handed on his top domestic priority.

But White House officials also believe it was the only route for the president to secure trillions of dollars in new spending to fight climate change, increase worker pay, expand education and carry out scores of other initiatives — and that Biden is now better positioned than ever to achieve that goal.

Biden aspires to go down in history as a transformational president akin to Franklin D. Roosevelt or Lyndon B. Johnson, on the wings of a wholesale re-imagining of the federal role in the economy. He wants to guarantee four additional years of public education for students across the country, to speed a transition to low-emission energy, to provide paid leave for workers, to send ongoing checks to families in an effort to halve child poverty and to strengthen care for children, older Americans and the disabled to help ease the strain on working women. He would pile new taxes on high earners and the rich, reversing decades of attempts to stimulate the economy from the top down.

But Biden does not enjoy the large congressional majorities that Johnson and Roosevelt had. That hinders his ability to push sweeping legislation with only the backing of his party. It also emboldens his natural craving as a decadeslong member of the Senate to reach across the aisle and seek compromise.

Former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president, tried to walk a similar tightrope. Obama had campaigned on uniting the country, and he attempted to build large bipartisan coalitions to expand health care and jolt the economy out of the recession that followed the 2008 financial crisis. He ended up with bills that disappointed many progressives and failed to attract much support from Republicans.

Biden’s majorities are significantly thinner than Obama’s, and the left flank of his party in Congress is larger, louder and more liberal. Senate centrists like Joe Manchin of West Virginia have pushed him toward compromise for months. Progressives in both chambers have pushed the president to go even further than he has proposed to reduce carbon emissions, fight poverty and expand access to health care.

Early in his term, Biden sided with the progressives, pressuring centrists to quickly fall in line behind a $1.9 trillion economic aid bill for the coronavirus pandemic. This time, he indulged the moderates first and foremost.

His agreement with Senate centrists, including at least five Republicans, includes just under $600 billion in new federal spending, focused on physical infrastructure like highways and broadband. In the pursuit of enough Republican votes to clear a Senate filibuster, the deal excludes all the president’s proposals to more heavily tax corporations and the rich, much of his push to curb climate change and all his proposed investments in the “human infrastructure” of education, paid leave and child and elder care.

“Neither side got everything they wanted in this deal, and that’s what it means to compromise,” Biden told reporters in the East Room. “And it reflects something important: It reflects consensus. The heart of democracy requires consensus.”

That consensus represents a small slice of Biden’s $4 trillion economic agenda, and liberals were quick to call it insufficient. That is why Biden also said Thursday that he would not sign the bipartisan agreement unless it was accompanied by a second bill, probably passed with only Democratic votes and funded by some tax increases on corporations and high earners, that would spend heavily on the parts of his agenda that were cut out of the deal at the insistence of Republicans.

“If this is the only thing that comes to me, I’m not signing it,” Biden said, just moments after extolling the virtues of consensus. “It’s in tandem.”

Congressional leaders echoed him. “All parties understand, we won’t get enough votes to pass either unless we have enough votes to pass both,” Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, said on the Senate floor. “The bottom line is both tracks need to make progress concurrently.”

Top Republicans were quick to denounce the two-step. “That’s not the way to show you’re serious about getting a bipartisan outcome,” Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, said Thursday. “So I hope our colleagues can recover and get their good-faith efforts back on track.”

White House officials, though, say the president made clear to Republicans throughout the negotiations that he was pursuing both a bipartisan deal and a second bill to pass only with Democratic votes through a process known as budget reconciliation. They do not expect Republicans to walk away from the agreement struck this week.

Some Republicans remain hopeful that Biden will ultimately end up signing only the bipartisan deal into law, and that Democrats will be unable to find consensus on the details of the spending and tax provisions in a partisan bill. That is the bet many business lobbyists have made in urging Republicans to engage in talks in hopes of warding off the business tax increases that would most likely be included in a more expensive infrastructure plan that Democrats would do on their own.

If Republicans were to scuttle the deal, accusing Democrats of bad faith, Biden would be left to shoehorn his entire agenda into a partisan bill. The odds would rise of centrists and progressives failing to find agreement. Biden’s brand of bipartisanship could take a hit in the eyes of voters.

But now that a deal has been announced, administration officials say, the reverse could be true. Republican defections could anger the Democratic centrists, making them more amenable to a partisan bill. Even Republicans’ immediate endorsement of the bipartisan framework, which includes tax increases on polluting companies and more money for the IRS, could shift the policy conversation in Washington in Democrats’ direction.

In other words, Biden has now achieved the appearance of bipartisanship, whether it ultimately endures or not. And that appearance, by itself, could give him the political fuel he needs to push a far more aggressive plan into law.

It is not a typical political calculation. But it is a distinctly Biden one.

President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure agreement contains all of the contradictions and promises of the Biden brand. It is a deal that dramatically curbs Democrats’ policy goals in the pursuit of bipartisanship, but also opens a portal to what could be the most ambitious expansion of government into the economy in decades.

President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure agreement contains all of the contradictions and promises of the Biden brand. It is a deal that dramatically curbs Democrats’ policy goals in the pursuit of bipartisanship, but also opens a portal to what could be the most ambitious expansion of government into the economy in decades. It is an attempt for the president to have it both ways — compromising with Republicans in pursuit of a bold and progressive agenda — just as he promised Democratic voters he would during the 2020 primary campaign. He has negotiated a deal that satisfies moderates, while promising liberals that the agreement will not become law unless his party’s moderates also supply votes for a far more expensive companion plan. At its core, it is a risk. Biden’s two-track strategy could easily collapse before any infrastructure bills get to his desk, leaving him empty-handed on his top domestic priority. But White House officials also believe it was the only route for the president to secure trillions of dollars in new spending to fight climate change, increase worker pay, expand education and carry out scores of other initiatives — and that Biden is now better positioned than ever to achieve that goal. Biden aspires to go down in history as a transformational president akin to Franklin D. Roosevelt or Lyndon B. Johnson, on the wings of a wholesale re-imagining of the federal role in the economy. He wants to guarantee four additional years of public education for students across the country, to speed a transition to low-emission energy, to provide paid leave for workers, to send ongoing checks to families in an effort to halve child poverty and to strengthen care for children, older Americans and the disabled to help ease the strain on working women. He would pile new taxes on high earners and the rich, reversing decades of attempts to stimulate the economy from the top down. But Biden does not enjoy the large congressional majorities that Johnson and Roosevelt had. That hinders his ability to push sweeping legislation with only the backing of his party. It also emboldens his natural craving as a decadeslong member of the Senate to reach across the aisle and seek compromise. Former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president, tried to walk a similar tightrope. Obama had campaigned on uniting the country, and he attempted to build large bipartisan coalitions to expand health care and jolt the economy out of the recession that followed the 2008 financial crisis. He ended up with bills that disappointed many progressives and failed to attract much support from Republicans. Biden’s majorities are significantly thinner than Obama’s, and the left flank of his party in Congress is larger, louder and more liberal. Senate centrists like Joe Manchin of West Virginia have pushed him toward compromise for months. Progressives in both chambers have pushed the president to go even further than he has proposed to reduce carbon emissions, fight poverty and expand access to health care. Early in his term, Biden sided with the progressives, pressuring centrists to quickly fall in line behind a $1.9 trillion economic aid bill for the coronavirus pandemic. This time, he indulged the moderates first and foremost. His agreement with Senate centrists, including at least five Republicans, includes just under $600 billion in new federal spending, focused on physical infrastructure like highways and broadband. In the pursuit of enough Republican votes to clear a Senate filibuster, the deal excludes all the president’s proposals to more heavily tax corporations and the rich, much of his push to curb climate change and all his proposed investments in the “human infrastructure” of education, paid leave and child and elder care. “Neither side got everything they wanted in this deal, and that’s what it means to compromise,” Biden told reporters in the East Room. “And it reflects something important: It reflects consensus. The heart of democracy requires consensus.” That consensus represents a small slice of Biden’s $4 trillion economic agenda, and liberals were quick to call it insufficient. That is why Biden also said Thursday that he would not sign the bipartisan agreement unless it was accompanied by a second bill, probably passed with only Democratic votes and funded by some tax increases on corporations and high earners, that would spend heavily on the parts of his agenda that were cut out of the deal at the insistence of Republicans. “If this is the only thing that comes to me, I’m not signing it,” Biden said, just moments after extolling the virtues of consensus. “It’s in tandem.” Congressional leaders echoed him. “All parties understand, we won’t get enough votes to pass either unless we have enough votes to pass both,” Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, said on the Senate floor. “The bottom line is both tracks need to make progress concurrently.” Top Republicans were quick to denounce the two-step. “That’s not the way to show you’re serious about getting a bipartisan outcome,” Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, said Thursday. “So I hope our colleagues can recover and get their good-faith efforts back on track.” White House officials, though, say the president made clear to Republicans throughout the negotiations that he was pursuing both a bipartisan deal and a second bill to pass only with Democratic votes through a process known as budget reconciliation. They do not expect Republicans to walk away from the agreement struck this week. Some Republicans remain hopeful that Biden will ultimately end up signing only the bipartisan deal into law, and that Democrats will be unable to find consensus on the details of the spending and tax provisions in a partisan bill. That is the bet many business lobbyists have made in urging Republicans to engage in talks in hopes of warding off the business tax increases that would most likely be included in a more expensive infrastructure plan that Democrats would do on their own. If Republicans were to scuttle the deal, accusing Democrats of bad faith, Biden would be left to shoehorn his entire agenda into a partisan bill. The odds would rise of centrists and progressives failing to find agreement. Biden’s brand of bipartisanship could take a hit in the eyes of voters. But now that a deal has been announced, administration officials say, the reverse could be true. Republican defections could anger the Democratic centrists, making them more amenable to a partisan bill. Even Republicans’ immediate endorsement of the bipartisan framework, which includes tax increases on polluting companies and more money for the IRS, could shift the policy conversation in Washington in Democrats’ direction. In other words, Biden has now achieved the appearance of bipartisanship, whether it ultimately endures or not. And that appearance, by itself, could give him the political fuel he needs to push a far more aggressive plan into law. It is not a typical political calculation. But it is a distinctly Biden one.

On infrastructure, Biden tests the limits of having it both ways

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani met US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ahead of meeting President Joe Biden. Biden’s first meeting as president with Ghani will focus on Washington’s support for Afghanistan after troops withdrawal.

Afghan President Ghani met US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani arrived in USA on Friday. He is accompanied by Abdullah Abdullah who leads the High Council for National Reconciliation. Ghani is slated to meet US President Joe Biden. The meet comes even as the US is in process of withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan. Ghani said that he respects the 'strategic decision' taken by the US and that it was a 'great pleasure' to be in the US

"It's a great pleasure to be here. The decision of President Biden has been a 'Strategic Decision'. We respect that decision. It's dealing with the new chapter of our friendship, our strategic relationship and our people-to-people relationship and government to government relationship that we are focused. Our discussions have been productive and we look very much forward to the culminating decision in meeting with the president today," said Ghani.

Violence in Afghanistan is on the rise ever since the announcement and commencement of US withdrawal. Taliban has been reported to be in control of dozens of districts.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/talibans-actions-inconsistent-with-establishing-peace-in-afghanistan-blinken-393956">Taliban's actions 'inconsistent' with establishing peace in Afghanistan: Blinken</a>

Taliban recently captured the border crossing between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The northern city of Kunduz is expecting an encirclement and siege by the Taliban.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that actions of Taliban were<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/talibans-actions-inconsistent-with-establishing-peace-in-afghanistan-blinken-393956"> 'inconsistent' with aim of establishing peace</a> in Afghanistan.

"We`re looking very carefully at the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and were also looking very hard whether the Taliban is at all serious about peaceful resolution of the conflict," Blinken told a news conference in Paris.

"Actions that try to take the country by force, of course, are totally inconsistent with finding a peaceful resolution," Blinken added.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani arrived in USA on Friday. He is accompanied by Abdullah Abdullah who leads the High Council for National Reconciliation. Ghani is slated to meet US President Joe Biden.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani arrived in USA on Friday. He is accompanied by Abdullah Abdullah who leads the High Council for National Reconciliation. Ghani is slated to meet US President Joe Biden. The meet comes even as the US is in process of withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan. Ghani said that he respects the 'strategic decision' taken by the US and that it was a 'great pleasure' to be in the US "It's a great pleasure to be here. The decision of President Biden has been a 'Strategic Decision'. We respect that decision. It's dealing with the new chapter of our friendship, our strategic relationship and our people-to-people relationship and government to government relationship that we are focused. Our discussions have been productive and we look very much forward to the culminating decision in meeting with the president today," said Ghani. Violence in Afghanistan is on the rise ever since the announcement and commencement of US withdrawal. Taliban has been reported to be in control of dozens of districts. Also Read | Taliban's actions 'inconsistent' with establishing peace in Afghanistan: Blinken Taliban recently captured the border crossing between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The northern city of Kunduz is expecting an encirclement and siege by the Taliban. On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that actions of Taliban were 'inconsistent' with aim of establishing peace in Afghanistan. "We`re looking very carefully at the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and were also looking very hard whether the Taliban is at all serious about peaceful resolution of the conflict," Blinken told a news conference in Paris. "Actions that try to take the country by force, of course, are totally inconsistent with finding a peaceful resolution," Blinken added.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani reaches US, to meet Biden soon 

US intelligence has said that the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul will fall to the resurgent Taliban group within six months of the departure of US and international troops, ahead of a White House meeting between President Joe Biden and top Afghan leaders Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah.

US Intel: Kabul could fall in 6 months after troops pullout | WION VOA Co-Production

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