Former President Donald Trump’s legal team mounted a combative defense Friday focused more on assailing Democrats for “hypocrisy” and “hatred” than justifying Trump’s own monthslong effort to overturn a democratic election that culminated in last month’s deadly assault on the Capitol.

After days of powerful video footage showing a mob of Trump supporters beating police officers, chasing lawmakers and threatening to kill the vice president and House speaker, Trump’s lawyers denied that he had incited what they called a “small group” that turned violent. Instead, they tried to turn the tables by calling out Democrats for their own language, which they deemed just as incendiary as Trump’s.

In so doing, the former president’s lawyers went after not just the House Democrats serving as managers, or prosecutors, in the Senate impeachment trial, but half of the jurors sitting in front of them in the chamber. A rat-a-tat montage of video clips played by the Trump team showed nearly every Democratic senator as well as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris using the word “fight” or the phrase “fight like hell” just as Trump did at a rally of supporters Jan. 6 just before the siege of the Capitol.

“Suddenly, the word ‘fight’ is off limits?” said Michael van der Veen, one of the lawyers hurriedly hired in recent days to defend Trump. “Spare us the hypocrisy and false indignation. It’s a term that’s used over and over and over again by politicians on both sides of the aisle. And, of course, the Democrat House managers know that the word ‘fight’ has been used figuratively in political speech forever.”

To emphasize the point, the Trump team played some of the same clips four or five times in less than three hours as some of the Democratic senators shook their heads and at least one of their Republican colleagues laughed appreciatively. The lawyers argued that the trial was “shameful” and “a deliberate attempt by the Democrat Party to smear, censor and cancel” an opponent and then rested their case without using even a quarter of the 16 hours allotted to the former president’s defense.

In the process, they tried to effectively narrow the prosecution’s “incitement of insurrection” case as if it centered only on their client’s use of that one phrase in that one speech instead of the relentless campaign that Trump waged since last summer to discredit an election he would eventually lose and galvanize his supporters to help him cling to power.

“They really didn’t address the facts of the case at all,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. and the lead impeachment manager. “There were a couple propaganda reels about Democratic politicians that would be excluded in any court in the land. They talk about the rules of evidence — all of that was totally irrelevant to the case before us.”

After the Trump team’s abbreviated and at times factually challenged defense, the senators posed their own questions, generally using their queries to score political points. The questions, a total of 28 submitted in writing and read by a clerk, suggested that most Republicans remained likely to vote to acquit Trump when the Senate reconvenes for final arguments at 10 a.m. Saturday, blocking the two-thirds supermajority required by the Constitution for conviction.

Some of the few Republicans thought to be open to conviction, including Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, grilled the lawyers about what Trump knew and when he knew it during the attack. The managers have argued that it was not just the president’s words and actions in advance of the attack that betrayed his oath, but his failure to act more assertively to stop his supporters after it started.

Responding to the senators, the defense lawyers pointed to mildly worded messages and a video that Trump posted on Twitter after the building was stormed calling on his supporters not to use violence while still endorsing their cause and telling them that he loved them. The managers repeated that Trump never made a strong, explicit call on the rioters to halt the attack, nor did he send help.

Romney and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., zeroed in on Trump’s failure to exhibit concern for his own vice president, Mike Pence, who was targeted for death by the former president’s supporters because he refused to try to block finalization of the election. Even after Pence was evacuated from the Senate chamber that day, Trump attacked him on Twitter, saying that “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.”

Van der Veen told the senators that “at no point was the president informed that the vice president was in any danger.” But in fact, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told reporters this week that he spoke by telephone with Trump during the attack and told him that Pence had been rushed out of the chamber. Officials have said that Trump never called Pence to check on his safety and did not speak with him for days.

Another new account emerged as the trial broke for the day, potentially adding to senators’ understanding of Trump’s state of mind just before they rendered a verdict. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., who voted to impeach last month, confirmed a report by CNN that when Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader, called Trump during the attack and pleaded with him to call off the riot, the president told him, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”

A spokesperson for McCarthy did not respond to a request for comment, but Herrera Beutler said he had relayed details of the conversation to her directly, and she issued a statement pleading with White House witnesses, potentially including Pence, to come forward and say what they knew.

The defense team struggled to avoid directly addressing what managers called Trump’s “big lie” that the election was stolen, which led his supporters to invade the Capitol to try to stop Congress from counting the Electoral College votes ratifying the result. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, challenged Trump’s lawyers to say whether they believe he actually won the election.

“My judgment?” Van der Veen replied derisively and then demanded: “Who asked that?”

“I did,” Sanders called out from his seat.

“My judgment’s irrelevant in this proceeding,” van der Veen said, prompting an eruption from Democratic senators. He repeated that “it’s irrelevant” to the question of whether Trump incited the riot.

Senate Democrats dismissed the defense’s efforts to equate Trump’s actions with Democratic speeches. “They’re trying to draw a dangerous and distorted equivalence,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters during a break in the trial. “I think it is plainly a distraction from Donald Trump inviting the mob to Washington.”

But for Republicans looking for reasons to acquit Trump, the defense was more than enough. “The president’s lawyers blew the House managers’ case out of the water,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

Even Murkowski, who called on Trump to resign after the Capitol siege, said the defense team was “more on their game” than during the trial’s opening day this week, although by day’s end, she indicated to a reporter she was agonizing over the decision.

“It’s been five weeks — less than five weeks — since an event that shook the very core, the very foundation, of our democracy,” she said. “And we’ve had a lot to process since then.”

During the question period, senators closely watched for clues about where their colleagues stood. Although most lawmakers still guessed that only a handful of Republicans would vote to convict, an additional group of Republicans, including Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, have said almost nothing to colleagues about the unfolding trial in private or during daily luncheons before it convenes, prompting speculation that they could be preparing to break from the party.

The managers need 17 Republicans to join all 50 Democrats to reach the two-thirds required for conviction. While Trump can no longer be removed from office because his term has ended, he could be barred from ever seeking public office again.

The former president had trouble recruiting a legal team to defend him. The lawyers who represented him last year during his first impeachment trial did not come back for this one, and the set of lawyers he initially hired for this proceeding backed out in disagreement over strategy.

Bruce Castor, the leader of this third set, was widely criticized for his preliminary presentation Tuesday, including reportedly by Trump, and his colleague David Schoen briefly quit Thursday night in a dispute over how to use videotape in their presentation.

Castor and Schoen were largely supplanted Friday by van der Veen, who has no long history with the president and in fact was reported to have once called Trump a “crook” with an expletive, a statement he has denied. Just last year, van der Veen represented a client suing Trump over moves that might limit mail-in voting and accused the president of making claims with “no evidence.”

But van der Veen on Friday offered the sort of aggressive performance that Trump prefers from his representatives as he accused the other side of “doctoring the evidence” with “manipulated video,” all to promote “a preposterous and monstrous lie” that the former president encouraged violence.

A personal injury lawyer whose Philadelphia law firm solicits slip-and-fall clients on the radio and whose website boasts of winning judgments stemming from auto accidents and one case “involving a dog bite,” van der Veen proceeded to lecture Raskin, who taught constitutional law at American University for more than 25 years, about the Constitution. The managers’ arguments, van der Veen said, were “less than I would expect from a first-year law student.”

He and his colleagues argued that the president was exercising his free-speech rights in his fiery address to a rally before supporters broke into the Capitol. The lawyers leaned heavily on Trump’s single use of the word “peacefully” as he urged backers to march to the Capitol while minimizing the 20 times he used the word “fight.”

“No thinking person could seriously believe that the president’s Jan. 6 speech on the Ellipse was in any way an incitement to violence or insurrection,” van der Veen said. “The suggestion is patently absurd on its face. Nothing in the text could ever be construed as encouraging, condoning or inciting unlawful activity of any kind.”

Sensitive to the charge that Trump endangered police officers, who were beaten and in one case killed during the assault, the lawyers played video clips in which he called himself a “law and order president” along with images of anti-racism protests that turned violent last summer.

They likewise showed video clips of Democrats objecting to Electoral College votes in past years when Republicans won, including Raskin in 2017 when Trump’s victory was sealed, comparing them to Trump’s criticism of the 2020 election. At the same time, those videos also showed Biden, then vice president, gaveling those protests out of order.

Stacey Plaskett, a Democratic delegate from the Virgin Islands and one of the managers, objected that many of the faces shown in the videos of Democratic politicians and street protesters were Black. “It was not lost on me so many of them were people of color and women, Black women,” she said. “Black women like myself who are sick and tired of being sick and tired for our children.”

The defense lawyers contended that Democrats were pursuing Trump out of personal and partisan animosity, using the word “hatred” 15 times during their formal presentation, and they cast the trial as an effort to suppress a political opponent and his supporters.

“It is about canceling 75 million Trump voters and criminalizing political viewpoints,” Castor said. “That’s what this trial is really about. It is the only existential issue before us. It asks for constitutional cancel culture to take over in the United States Senate. Are we going to allow canceling and banning and silencing to be sanctioned in this body?”

Former President Donald Trump’s legal team mounted a combative defense Friday focused more on assailing Democrats for “hypocrisy” and “hatred” than justifying Trump’s own monthslong effort to overturn a democratic election that culminated in last month’s deadly assault on the Capitol.

Former President Donald Trump’s legal team mounted a combative defense Friday focused more on assailing Democrats for “hypocrisy” and “hatred” than justifying Trump’s own monthslong effort to overturn a democratic election that culminated in last month’s deadly assault on the Capitol. After days of powerful video footage showing a mob of Trump supporters beating police officers, chasing lawmakers and threatening to kill the vice president and House speaker, Trump’s lawyers denied that he had incited what they called a “small group” that turned violent. Instead, they tried to turn the tables by calling out Democrats for their own language, which they deemed just as incendiary as Trump’s. In so doing, the former president’s lawyers went after not just the House Democrats serving as managers, or prosecutors, in the Senate impeachment trial, but half of the jurors sitting in front of them in the chamber. A rat-a-tat montage of video clips played by the Trump team showed nearly every Democratic senator as well as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris using the word “fight” or the phrase “fight like hell” just as Trump did at a rally of supporters Jan. 6 just before the siege of the Capitol. “Suddenly, the word ‘fight’ is off limits?” said Michael van der Veen, one of the lawyers hurriedly hired in recent days to defend Trump. “Spare us the hypocrisy and false indignation. It’s a term that’s used over and over and over again by politicians on both sides of the aisle. And, of course, the Democrat House managers know that the word ‘fight’ has been used figuratively in political speech forever.” To emphasize the point, the Trump team played some of the same clips four or five times in less than three hours as some of the Democratic senators shook their heads and at least one of their Republican colleagues laughed appreciatively. The lawyers argued that the trial was “shameful” and “a deliberate attempt by the Democrat Party to smear, censor and cancel” an opponent and then rested their case without using even a quarter of the 16 hours allotted to the former president’s defense. In the process, they tried to effectively narrow the prosecution’s “incitement of insurrection” case as if it centered only on their client’s use of that one phrase in that one speech instead of the relentless campaign that Trump waged since last summer to discredit an election he would eventually lose and galvanize his supporters to help him cling to power. “They really didn’t address the facts of the case at all,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. and the lead impeachment manager. “There were a couple propaganda reels about Democratic politicians that would be excluded in any court in the land. They talk about the rules of evidence — all of that was totally irrelevant to the case before us.” After the Trump team’s abbreviated and at times factually challenged defense, the senators posed their own questions, generally using their queries to score political points. The questions, a total of 28 submitted in writing and read by a clerk, suggested that most Republicans remained likely to vote to acquit Trump when the Senate reconvenes for final arguments at 10 a.m. Saturday, blocking the two-thirds supermajority required by the Constitution for conviction. Some of the few Republicans thought to be open to conviction, including Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, grilled the lawyers about what Trump knew and when he knew it during the attack. The managers have argued that it was not just the president’s words and actions in advance of the attack that betrayed his oath, but his failure to act more assertively to stop his supporters after it started. Responding to the senators, the defense lawyers pointed to mildly worded messages and a video that Trump posted on Twitter after the building was stormed calling on his supporters not to use violence while still endorsing their cause and telling them that he loved them. The managers repeated that Trump never made a strong, explicit call on the rioters to halt the attack, nor did he send help. Romney and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., zeroed in on Trump’s failure to exhibit concern for his own vice president, Mike Pence, who was targeted for death by the former president’s supporters because he refused to try to block finalization of the election. Even after Pence was evacuated from the Senate chamber that day, Trump attacked him on Twitter, saying that “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.” Van der Veen told the senators that “at no point was the president informed that the vice president was in any danger.” But in fact, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told reporters this week that he spoke by telephone with Trump during the attack and told him that Pence had been rushed out of the chamber. Officials have said that Trump never called Pence to check on his safety and did not speak with him for days. Another new account emerged as the trial broke for the day, potentially adding to senators’ understanding of Trump’s state of mind just before they rendered a verdict. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., who voted to impeach last month, confirmed a report by CNN that when Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader, called Trump during the attack and pleaded with him to call off the riot, the president told him, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.” A spokesperson for McCarthy did not respond to a request for comment, but Herrera Beutler said he had relayed details of the conversation to her directly, and she issued a statement pleading with White House witnesses, potentially including Pence, to come forward and say what they knew. The defense team struggled to avoid directly addressing what managers called Trump’s “big lie” that the election was stolen, which led his supporters to invade the Capitol to try to stop Congress from counting the Electoral College votes ratifying the result. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, challenged Trump’s lawyers to say whether they believe he actually won the election. “My judgment?” Van der Veen replied derisively and then demanded: “Who asked that?” “I did,” Sanders called out from his seat. “My judgment’s irrelevant in this proceeding,” van der Veen said, prompting an eruption from Democratic senators. He repeated that “it’s irrelevant” to the question of whether Trump incited the riot. Senate Democrats dismissed the defense’s efforts to equate Trump’s actions with Democratic speeches. “They’re trying to draw a dangerous and distorted equivalence,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters during a break in the trial. “I think it is plainly a distraction from Donald Trump inviting the mob to Washington.” But for Republicans looking for reasons to acquit Trump, the defense was more than enough. “The president’s lawyers blew the House managers’ case out of the water,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. Even Murkowski, who called on Trump to resign after the Capitol siege, said the defense team was “more on their game” than during the trial’s opening day this week, although by day’s end, she indicated to a reporter she was agonizing over the decision. “It’s been five weeks — less than five weeks — since an event that shook the very core, the very foundation, of our democracy,” she said. “And we’ve had a lot to process since then.” During the question period, senators closely watched for clues about where their colleagues stood. Although most lawmakers still guessed that only a handful of Republicans would vote to convict, an additional group of Republicans, including Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, have said almost nothing to colleagues about the unfolding trial in private or during daily luncheons before it convenes, prompting speculation that they could be preparing to break from the party. The managers need 17 Republicans to join all 50 Democrats to reach the two-thirds required for conviction. While Trump can no longer be removed from office because his term has ended, he could be barred from ever seeking public office again. The former president had trouble recruiting a legal team to defend him. The lawyers who represented him last year during his first impeachment trial did not come back for this one, and the set of lawyers he initially hired for this proceeding backed out in disagreement over strategy. Bruce Castor, the leader of this third set, was widely criticized for his preliminary presentation Tuesday, including reportedly by Trump, and his colleague David Schoen briefly quit Thursday night in a dispute over how to use videotape in their presentation. Castor and Schoen were largely supplanted Friday by van der Veen, who has no long history with the president and in fact was reported to have once called Trump a “crook” with an expletive, a statement he has denied. Just last year, van der Veen represented a client suing Trump over moves that might limit mail-in voting and accused the president of making claims with “no evidence.” But van der Veen on Friday offered the sort of aggressive performance that Trump prefers from his representatives as he accused the other side of “doctoring the evidence” with “manipulated video,” all to promote “a preposterous and monstrous lie” that the former president encouraged violence. A personal injury lawyer whose Philadelphia law firm solicits slip-and-fall clients on the radio and whose website boasts of winning judgments stemming from auto accidents and one case “involving a dog bite,” van der Veen proceeded to lecture Raskin, who taught constitutional law at American University for more than 25 years, about the Constitution. The managers’ arguments, van der Veen said, were “less than I would expect from a first-year law student.” He and his colleagues argued that the president was exercising his free-speech rights in his fiery address to a rally before supporters broke into the Capitol. The lawyers leaned heavily on Trump’s single use of the word “peacefully” as he urged backers to march to the Capitol while minimizing the 20 times he used the word “fight.” “No thinking person could seriously believe that the president’s Jan. 6 speech on the Ellipse was in any way an incitement to violence or insurrection,” van der Veen said. “The suggestion is patently absurd on its face. Nothing in the text could ever be construed as encouraging, condoning or inciting unlawful activity of any kind.” Sensitive to the charge that Trump endangered police officers, who were beaten and in one case killed during the assault, the lawyers played video clips in which he called himself a “law and order president” along with images of anti-racism protests that turned violent last summer. They likewise showed video clips of Democrats objecting to Electoral College votes in past years when Republicans won, including Raskin in 2017 when Trump’s victory was sealed, comparing them to Trump’s criticism of the 2020 election. At the same time, those videos also showed Biden, then vice president, gaveling those protests out of order. Stacey Plaskett, a Democratic delegate from the Virgin Islands and one of the managers, objected that many of the faces shown in the videos of Democratic politicians and street protesters were Black. “It was not lost on me so many of them were people of color and women, Black women,” she said. “Black women like myself who are sick and tired of being sick and tired for our children.” The defense lawyers contended that Democrats were pursuing Trump out of personal and partisan animosity, using the word “hatred” 15 times during their formal presentation, and they cast the trial as an effort to suppress a political opponent and his supporters. “It is about canceling 75 million Trump voters and criminalizing political viewpoints,” Castor said. “That’s what this trial is really about. It is the only existential issue before us. It asks for constitutional cancel culture to take over in the United States Senate. Are we going to allow canceling and banning and silencing to be sanctioned in this body?”

Trump’s lawyers deny he incited Capitol mob

Despite pressure from human rights groups, the US administration under President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>has appealed against the extradition verdict of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the British court.

A brief filed late on Thursday declared that the US intends to pursue a trial against Assange espionage and hacking-related charges over the leak of hundreds of thousands of US military and diplomatic documents from 2009.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-judge-refuses-us-extradition-plea-of-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-354594/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Yes, we filed an appeal and we are continuing to pursue extradition," Justice Department spokesman Marc Raimondi told news agency AFP.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/pamela-anderson-pleads-to-donald-trump-to-pardon-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-before-he-leaves-office-357715">Pamela Anderson pleads to Donald Trump to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange before he leaves office</a>

The US had until Friday to move against the ruling in the UK court that said Assange suffered mental health issues that increases the risk of suicide if he were extradited to the US for&nbsp;trial.&nbsp;

After the verdict, former president Donald Trump's administration decided to move against it.&nbsp;

However, before Thursday the stance of Biden was not clear as the case is of media freedom and the right to free speech.&nbsp;

After WikiLeaks started publishing the secret documents in 2009, then-President Barack Obama, under whom Biden was the vice president, decided to not pursue the case.&nbsp;

But, Trump, whose election campaign in 2016 was boosted by WikiLeaks publishing Russian-stolen materials hurting his rival Hillary Clinton, the Justice Department built a&nbsp; national security case against Assange.

Despite pressure from human rights groups, the US administration under President Joe Biden has appealed against the extradition verdict of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the British court.

Despite pressure from human rights groups, the US administration under President Joe Biden has appealed against the extradition verdict of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the British court. A brief filed late on Thursday declared that the US intends to pursue a trial against Assange espionage and hacking-related charges over the leak of hundreds of thousands of US military and diplomatic documents from 2009. Watch | "Yes, we filed an appeal and we are continuing to pursue extradition," Justice Department spokesman Marc Raimondi told news agency AFP. Also read | Pamela Anderson pleads to Donald Trump to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange before he leaves office The US had until Friday to move against the ruling in the UK court that said Assange suffered mental health issues that increases the risk of suicide if he were extradited to the US for trial. After the verdict, former president Donald Trump's administration decided to move against it. However, before Thursday the stance of Biden was not clear as the case is of media freedom and the right to free speech. After WikiLeaks started publishing the secret documents in 2009, then-President Barack Obama, under whom Biden was the vice president, decided to not pursue the case. But, Trump, whose election campaign in 2016 was boosted by WikiLeaks publishing Russian-stolen materials hurting his rival Hillary Clinton, the Justice Department built a national security case against Assange.

Biden administration appeals against Assange extradition verdict

US&nbsp;President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> on Thursday said the coronavirus vaccination program he inherited from Donald Trump was in “much worse shape” than he had expected, while urging patience and also announcing the government has bought 200 million more doses.

“We’re not going to have everything fixed for a while, but we’re going to fix it,” Biden said in remarks at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

With demand for the vaccine far outstripping supply, Americans are struggling to get appointments for their inoculations, leaving Biden with an acute problem less than a month after taking over from Trump.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-aims-to-close-down-guantanamo-prison-white-house-spokeswoman-363280">Joe Biden aims to close down Guantanamo prison: White House spokeswoman</a>

Biden said Trump, who spent his last two months in office in a futile effort to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election that he lost, did not order enough vaccine and did not do enough to get people lined up to get vaccinated.

He said the vaccine program he inherited was in “much worse shape” than he had anticipated and that his transition team had been misled about the vaccine supply.

“While scientists did their job in discovering vaccines in record time, my predecessor - I’ll be very blunt about it - did not do his job in getting ready for the massive challenge of vaccinating hundreds of millions,” Biden said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-begins-dismantling-trumps-remain-in-mexico-asylum-policy-363197" hreflang="en">Biden begins dismantling Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' asylum policy</a>

Brian Morgenstern, a former White House official involved with the coronavirus effort, said the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed program had prepared plans well in advance, aided by many career officials still serving in government.

“That is why the new Administration’s goals were being surpassed before they even came into office. Enough with the lies, excuses &amp; political pot shots. Time to lead,” he said.

Trump had expressed pride in the speed of the vaccine development on his watch.

Biden said the U.S. coronavirus death toll is likely to reach 500,000 next month. He urged Americans to wear masks to prevent the spread.

“We’ve now purchased enough vaccine to vaccinate all Americans,” Biden said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-football-was-at-danger-during-capitol-riots-footage-reveals-363277" hreflang="en">US 'football' was at danger during Capitol riots, footage reveals</a>

He said the U.S. government has signed contracts for 100 million doses of the Moderna vaccine and 100 million more from Pfizer to help reach the target.

“We appreciate the confidence that the U.S. government has demonstrated in our COVID-19 Vaccine,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a press release.

Pfizer spokeswoman Sharon Castillo confirmed that it and BioNTech had reached a deal with the U.S. government.

“We will deliver 100 million doses by the end of March, a total of 200 million doses by the end of May, and the full 300 million doses by the end of July,” she said.

The new vaccine orders, in addition to 400 million doses previously contracted, would allow the United States to vaccinate a total of 300 million people by July 31 using doses from the two vaccines authorized.

That would be enough to vaccinate most people in the 330 million population who want it, given that the two vaccines are not authorized for children and that many people have said they don’t want shots.

In addition, Johnson &amp; Johnson’s vaccine candidate is likely to be authorized later this month, and the company expects to supply 100 million doses of its single-shot vaccine to the United States by the middle of the year.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday said the coronavirus vaccination program he inherited from Donald Trump was in “much worse shape” than he had expected, while urging patience and also announcing the government has bought 200 million more doses.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday said the coronavirus vaccination program he inherited from Donald Trump was in “much worse shape” than he had expected, while urging patience and also announcing the government has bought 200 million more doses. “We’re not going to have everything fixed for a while, but we’re going to fix it,” Biden said in remarks at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. With demand for the vaccine far outstripping supply, Americans are struggling to get appointments for their inoculations, leaving Biden with an acute problem less than a month after taking over from Trump. Also read| Joe Biden aims to close down Guantanamo prison: White House spokeswoman Biden said Trump, who spent his last two months in office in a futile effort to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election that he lost, did not order enough vaccine and did not do enough to get people lined up to get vaccinated. He said the vaccine program he inherited was in “much worse shape” than he had anticipated and that his transition team had been misled about the vaccine supply. “While scientists did their job in discovering vaccines in record time, my predecessor - I’ll be very blunt about it - did not do his job in getting ready for the massive challenge of vaccinating hundreds of millions,” Biden said. Also read| Biden begins dismantling Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' asylum policy Brian Morgenstern, a former White House official involved with the coronavirus effort, said the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed program had prepared plans well in advance, aided by many career officials still serving in government. “That is why the new Administration’s goals were being surpassed before they even came into office. Enough with the lies, excuses & political pot shots. Time to lead,” he said. Trump had expressed pride in the speed of the vaccine development on his watch. Biden said the U.S. coronavirus death toll is likely to reach 500,000 next month. He urged Americans to wear masks to prevent the spread. “We’ve now purchased enough vaccine to vaccinate all Americans,” Biden said. Also read| US 'football' was at danger during Capitol riots, footage reveals He said the U.S. government has signed contracts for 100 million doses of the Moderna vaccine and 100 million more from Pfizer to help reach the target. “We appreciate the confidence that the U.S. government has demonstrated in our COVID-19 Vaccine,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a press release. Pfizer spokeswoman Sharon Castillo confirmed that it and BioNTech had reached a deal with the U.S. government. “We will deliver 100 million doses by the end of March, a total of 200 million doses by the end of May, and the full 300 million doses by the end of July,” she said. The new vaccine orders, in addition to 400 million doses previously contracted, would allow the United States to vaccinate a total of 300 million people by July 31 using doses from the two vaccines authorized. That would be enough to vaccinate most people in the 330 million population who want it, given that the two vaccines are not authorized for children and that many people have said they don’t want shots. In addition, Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine candidate is likely to be authorized later this month, and the company expects to supply 100 million doses of its single-shot vaccine to the United States by the middle of the year.

Biden says Trump 'did not do his job' on coronavirus vaccination program, urges patience

The newly-elected US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> aims to permanently close down the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison during his term, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/the-white-house">White House</a> assured on Friday.

"That certainly is our goal and our intention," said the White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki when asked if President Biden is planning to shut down a Cuba prison.

She assured that Biden was working in cooperation with the National Security Council in order to "assess the current state of play that the Biden administration has — well, we've inherited from the previous administration."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-football-was-at-danger-during-capitol-riots-footage-reveals-363277" hreflang="en">US 'football' was at danger during Capitol riots, footage reveals</a>

This has come as a welcome change from the previous administration where the former President, Donald Trump, had willingly wanted to keep the Guantanamo prisons open to "fill it with bad guys".

Biden's assurance has come years after his first stint in the White House when Barack Obama was serving as the US President. The Obama administration had promised to release some detainees from the infamous prison but had failed to fulfil it as the administration could not succeed in working out a compromise with the Congress. The promises were made by the Obama administration with Biden as the Vice President.

Now, with Biden in the driving seat of the White House, he is hoping to fulfil that broken promise and probably shut down the prison, that is infamous for its inhumane treatment of the prisoners.

Th prison houses nearly 40 prisoners, as of now, who are considered to be too dangerous to be released, but their legal proceedings are ongoing, although delayed.

The newly-elected US President Joe Biden aims to permanently close down the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison during his term, the White House assured on Friday. "That certainly is our goal and our intention," said the White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki when asked if President Biden is planning to shut down a Cuba prison.

The newly-elected US President Joe Biden aims to permanently close down the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison during his term, the White House assured on Friday. "That certainly is our goal and our intention," said the White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki when asked if President Biden is planning to shut down a Cuba prison. She assured that Biden was working in cooperation with the National Security Council in order to "assess the current state of play that the Biden administration has — well, we've inherited from the previous administration." Also read| US 'football' was at danger during Capitol riots, footage reveals This has come as a welcome change from the previous administration where the former President, Donald Trump, had willingly wanted to keep the Guantanamo prisons open to "fill it with bad guys". Biden's assurance has come years after his first stint in the White House when Barack Obama was serving as the US President. The Obama administration had promised to release some detainees from the infamous prison but had failed to fulfil it as the administration could not succeed in working out a compromise with the Congress. The promises were made by the Obama administration with Biden as the Vice President. Now, with Biden in the driving seat of the White House, he is hoping to fulfil that broken promise and probably shut down the prison, that is infamous for its inhumane treatment of the prisoners. Th prison houses nearly 40 prisoners, as of now, who are considered to be too dangerous to be released, but their legal proceedings are ongoing, although delayed.

Joe Biden aims to close down Guantanamo prison: White House spokeswoman

The advocates of former US President Donald Trump on Friday blasted the case against him as political vengeance and part of a yearlong Democratic “witch hunt.”

The lawyer opened his impeachment defense by strenuously denying he played any role in inciting the deadly riot at the US Capitol.

One of former President Donald Trump’s attorneys, Michael van der Veen, opened his impeachment defense by warning the Senate about “the precedent this case will set.”

"The article of impeachment now before the Senate is an unjust and blatantly unconstitutional act of political vengeance," attorney Michael van der Veen said.

"Like every other politically motivated witch hunt the left has engaged in over the past four years, this impeachment is completely divorced from the facts, the evidence and the interests of the American people," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/convict-trump-as-he-is-overwhelmingly-guilty-prosecutors-urge-us-senate-over-capitol-attack-363025">Also read |&nbsp;Convict Trump as he is overwhelmingly guilty: Prosecutors urge US Senate over Capitol attack</a>

"The Senate should promptly and decisively vote to reject it."

Democratic impeachment managers rested their case Thursday after two days of often emotional presentations anchored by shocking video footage of a January 6 invasion of Congress by Trump's supporters.

But in a sign that they want to get to a Senate vote as quickly as possible, Trump's lawyers say they will use as little as three or four hours to state their own case, when under the rules they are allowed up to 16 hours spread across two days.

The impeachment team argues that Trump deliberately stoked national tension after losing re-election to Joe Biden on November 3 with a campaign of lies claiming there had been mass voter fraud.

On January 6 he staged a fiery rally near the White House, calling on the crowd to march on Congress, which was in the process of certifying Biden's victory.

The mob then charged the Capitol building. Five people, including a police officer and a woman shot during the unrest, died as a result of the mayhem.

Impeachment managers say Trump, who has never expressed remorse for his encouragement of the violent crowd, is so dangerous he should be barred from holding office again.

But the former president's lawyers are arguing that his speech was rhetorical and that he cannot be held responsible for the mob.

They also argue that the trial itself is unconstitutional because Trump is now out of office, although the Senate rejected this claim earlier this week.

It would take a two-thirds majority to convict, meaning 17 Republicans would need to join the Senate's 50 Democrats.

This is highly unlikely.

However, if even a handful of Republicans vote to convict, it would be a historic mark against Trump, fueling civil war within his party over whether to pursue his populist, divisive vision or return to more moderate values.

"I'm just anxious to see what my Republican friends do, if they stand up," Biden said earlier at the White House.

One prominent Republican voice and potential future presidential candidate, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, told Politico it's time to renounce Trump, saying: "We can't let that ever happen again."

(With inputs from agencies)

The advocates of former US President Donald Trump on Friday blasted the case against him as political vengeance and part of a yearlong Democratic “witch hunt.” The lawyer opened his impeachment defense by strenuously denying he played any role in inciting the deadly riot at the US Capitol.

The advocates of former US President Donald Trump on Friday blasted the case against him as political vengeance and part of a yearlong Democratic “witch hunt.” The lawyer opened his impeachment defense by strenuously denying he played any role in inciting the deadly riot at the US Capitol. One of former President Donald Trump’s attorneys, Michael van der Veen, opened his impeachment defense by warning the Senate about “the precedent this case will set.” "The article of impeachment now before the Senate is an unjust and blatantly unconstitutional act of political vengeance," attorney Michael van der Veen said. "Like every other politically motivated witch hunt the left has engaged in over the past four years, this impeachment is completely divorced from the facts, the evidence and the interests of the American people," he said. Also read | Convict Trump as he is overwhelmingly guilty: Prosecutors urge US Senate over Capitol attack "The Senate should promptly and decisively vote to reject it." Democratic impeachment managers rested their case Thursday after two days of often emotional presentations anchored by shocking video footage of a January 6 invasion of Congress by Trump's supporters. But in a sign that they want to get to a Senate vote as quickly as possible, Trump's lawyers say they will use as little as three or four hours to state their own case, when under the rules they are allowed up to 16 hours spread across two days. The impeachment team argues that Trump deliberately stoked national tension after losing re-election to Joe Biden on November 3 with a campaign of lies claiming there had been mass voter fraud. On January 6 he staged a fiery rally near the White House, calling on the crowd to march on Congress, which was in the process of certifying Biden's victory. The mob then charged the Capitol building. Five people, including a police officer and a woman shot during the unrest, died as a result of the mayhem. Impeachment managers say Trump, who has never expressed remorse for his encouragement of the violent crowd, is so dangerous he should be barred from holding office again. But the former president's lawyers are arguing that his speech was rhetorical and that he cannot be held responsible for the mob. They also argue that the trial itself is unconstitutional because Trump is now out of office, although the Senate rejected this claim earlier this week. It would take a two-thirds majority to convict, meaning 17 Republicans would need to join the Senate's 50 Democrats. This is highly unlikely. However, if even a handful of Republicans vote to convict, it would be a historic mark against Trump, fueling civil war within his party over whether to pursue his populist, divisive vision or return to more moderate values. "I'm just anxious to see what my Republican friends do, if they stand up," Biden said earlier at the White House. One prominent Republican voice and potential future presidential candidate, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, told Politico it's time to renounce Trump, saying: "We can't let that ever happen again." (With inputs from agencies)

Trump impeachment trial: Defense denounces trial as 'act of political vengeance'

Donald Trump's second impeachment trial will likely conclude on Saturday, but a conviction -- on whether the former US president incited his supporters to attack the Capitol on January 6 in a last-ditch effort to stay in power after his November election defeat -- does not seem to be a possibility.

Trump is the first US president to be impeached twice and the first to face trial after leaving office. If convicted, the Senate could then vote to bar him from running for office again.

Conviction is seen as unlikely, however, as at least 17 Republicans in the 100-seat chamber would have to join all 50 Democrats to find the former president guilty.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/for-the-defense-twisted-facts-and-other-staples-of-the-trump-playbook-363364">Also read |&nbsp;For the defense: Twisted facts and other staples of the Trump playbook</a>

And so far, only six Republicans voted with Democrats to move forward with the trial, rejecting an argument made by other Republican Senators that the Constitution does not allow Congress to impeach a president who has already left office.

The Senate is due to convene at 10 am (1500 GMT), and a final vote could come in the afternoon.

It's believed that Trump urged his followers to march to the Capitol and "get wild" in an effort to prevent lawmakers from certifying his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential election. Five people died in the chaos.

Trump's lawyers gave conflicting answers on Friday when asked if Trump knew Pence was in danger when he issued his tweet. Several Republican senators said they still had questions about Trump's role.

House Democrats, on their part, have argued that Trump set the stage for violence through repeated -- and baseless -- claims that the election results were fraudulent. They say he summoned the mob to Washington, gave the crowd its marching orders and did nothing to stop the violence as it played out on television.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-says-trump-did-not-do-his-job-on-coronavirus-vaccination-program-urges-patience-363295">Also read |&nbsp;Biden says Trump 'did not do his job' on coronavirus vaccination program, urges patience</a>

Trump refused to testify in the trial. His first impeachment trial, which stemmed from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden, ended in an acquittal a year ago in what was then a Republican-controlled Senate.

(with inputs)

Donald Trump's second impeachment trial will likely conclude on Saturday, but a conviction -- on whether the former US president incited his supporters to attack the Capitol on January 6 in a last-ditch effort to stay in power after his November election defeat -- does not seem to be a possibility.

Donald Trump's second impeachment trial will likely conclude on Saturday, but a conviction -- on whether the former US president incited his supporters to attack the Capitol on January 6 in a last-ditch effort to stay in power after his November election defeat -- does not seem to be a possibility. Trump is the first US president to be impeached twice and the first to face trial after leaving office. If convicted, the Senate could then vote to bar him from running for office again. Conviction is seen as unlikely, however, as at least 17 Republicans in the 100-seat chamber would have to join all 50 Democrats to find the former president guilty. Also read | For the defense: Twisted facts and other staples of the Trump playbook And so far, only six Republicans voted with Democrats to move forward with the trial, rejecting an argument made by other Republican Senators that the Constitution does not allow Congress to impeach a president who has already left office. The Senate is due to convene at 10 am (1500 GMT), and a final vote could come in the afternoon. It's believed that Trump urged his followers to march to the Capitol and "get wild" in an effort to prevent lawmakers from certifying his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential election. Five people died in the chaos. Trump's lawyers gave conflicting answers on Friday when asked if Trump knew Pence was in danger when he issued his tweet. Several Republican senators said they still had questions about Trump's role. House Democrats, on their part, have argued that Trump set the stage for violence through repeated -- and baseless -- claims that the election results were fraudulent. They say he summoned the mob to Washington, gave the crowd its marching orders and did nothing to stop the violence as it played out on television. Also read | Biden says Trump 'did not do his job' on coronavirus vaccination program, urges patience Trump refused to testify in the trial. His first impeachment trial, which stemmed from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden, ended in an acquittal a year ago in what was then a Republican-controlled Senate. (with inputs)

Trump impeachment trial may wrap up on Saturday, but with no conviction

US president Joe Biden has slammed Donald Trump's for preparing for mass vaccination effort. Biden said his transition team is led to believe that there is much more vaccine available than what was the actual truth.

US president Joe Biden slams Donald Trump's Pandemic response

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was sicker with COVID-19 in October than publicly acknowledged at the time, with extremely depressed blood oxygen levels at one point and a lung problem associated with pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, according to four people familiar with his condition.

His prognosis became so worrisome before he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that officials believed he would need to be put on a ventilator, two of the people familiar with his condition said.

The people familiar with Trump’s health said he was found to have lung infiltrates, which occur when the lungs are inflamed and contain substances such as fluid or bacteria. Their presence, especially when a patient is exhibiting other symptoms, can be a sign of an acute case of the disease. They can be easily spotted on an X-ray or scan, when parts of the lungs appear opaque, or white.

Trump’s blood oxygen level alone was cause for extreme concern, dipping into the 80s, according to the people familiar with his evaluation. The disease is considered severe when the blood oxygen level falls to the low 90s.

It has been previously reported that Trump had trouble breathing and a fever on Oct. 2, the day he was taken to the hospital, and the types of treatment he received indicated that his condition was serious. But the new details about his condition and about the effort inside the White House to get him special access to an unapproved drug to fight the virus help to flesh out one of the most dire episodes of Trump’s presidency.

The new revelations about Trump’s struggle with the virus also underscore the limited and sometimes misleading nature of the information disclosed at the time about his condition.

The former president resisted being taken from the White House to Walter Reed, relenting when aides told him that he could walk out on his own, or risk waiting until the U.S. Secret Service was forced to carry him out if he got sicker, two people familiar with the events said.

While Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed, his medical team sought to downplay the severity of the situation, saying that he was on an upswing. At 74 and overweight, he was at risk for severe disease, and was prescribed an aggressive course of treatments. He left the hospital after three days in which he at one point staged a brief ride in his armored sport utility vehicle to wave at the crowd of supporters outside the building.

A person close to the former president denied that he had been seriously ill, echoing comments Trump himself made after he was sick.

There are still unanswered questions about whether Trump was already sick with COVID-19 when he participated in a presidential debate on Sept. 29, just two days before the public announcement that he had been diagnosed with the disease and three days before his deteriorating condition forced him to go to Walter Reed.

Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, repeatedly downplayed concerns about Trump’s condition during his illness. At one briefing, Conley said Trump was receiving X-ray and CT scans. But when asked about whether there was evidence of pneumonia or damage to the tissue, he would only say there were “expected findings, but nothing of any major clinical concern.”

Conley also told reporters that while Trump’s oxygen level had dropped to 93%, it had never dropped to the “low 80s.”

Trump had trouble breathing at the White House. He was twice given oxygen before being taken to Walter Reed, as Conley acknowledged after it was reported by The New York Times.

While still at the White House, Trump received a drug developed by biotechnology firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The antibody mixture — not widely available at the time — helps people infected with the virus fight it off.

After Trump was hospitalized, he began a regimen for a steroid, dexamethasone, which is usually recommended only for COVID-19 patients who have severe or critical forms of the disease, often those who need mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen.

And he received a five-day course of the antiviral drug remdesivir. Medical experts at the time believed that his medication course was a clear signal of significant lung issues related to his lungs.

In news conferences outside the hospital that weekend, Conley offered data that made it appear his patient was recovering quickly. He noted that Trump had fared well on a spirometry test, which measures lung capacity. “He’s maxing it out,” Conley said. “He’s doing great.”

Medical experts say a spirometry test is virtually meaningless with COVID-19 patients.

When Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, tried to surreptitiously tell reporters that the situation was more dire, Trump erupted in anger, according to people who spoke with him.

On Sunday, Oct. 4, Conley acknowledged that he had given a rosy version of Trump’s condition.

“I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude that the team, the president, his course of illness has had,” he said. “I didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction, and in doing so, you know, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true.”

Trump’s medical team said that on that Friday, he had a “high fever” and that his oxygen level dropped, requiring him to be administered oxygen. Trump’s oxygen level dropped again on Saturday.

Trump appeared to still be struggling with the disease when he returned to the White House, where he stationed himself on a balcony in a choreographed scene, tearing his mask off and saluting his helicopter. Doctors at the time noted how Trump used his neck muscles to help him breathe in those moments, a classic sign that someone’s lungs are not taking in enough oxygen.

On the night of his diagnosis, Oct. 1, White House officials scrambled to get the Regeneron antibody drug — not at that point authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment — to Trump.

A top lawyer in the White House Counsel’s Office, Patrick Philbin, called Dr. Stephen Hahn, the FDA commissioner at the time, to discuss how the agency could approve the drug’s use for two senior administration officials he did not want to identify, according to one person who heard about the call.

Philbin was exploring how the president could quickly get access to the drug through normal FDA procedures. Regeneron had already signed off on the use of the doses, Philbin told Hahn.

Hahn and other FDA officials, including Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the top federal drug regulator, worked to clear the drug through a standard process known as an emergency investigational new drug application, often used for very ill patients who agree to take an experimental drug still being tested in clinical trials. The agency reviews the medical histories of those patients to identify whether there might be severe risks to take a treatment.

Regeneron shipped a package of doses that included extras, “in case of any administration issues,” a company spokeswoman said.

The extras were never returned. Conley at one point told associates they had been sitting in a refrigerator in the White House’s medical office.

Only in the days following the application’s approval did White House officials acknowledge that the doses were for Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, who also tested positive for COVID-19 but turned down the drug, which is infused intravenously for about an hour. The person close to the former president also denied that Melania Trump had turned down the drug.

Around that time, as other people close to Donald Trump started getting sick, his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, offered to facilitate getting the Regeneron treatment for them, two people with knowledge of the discussions said. An aide to Kushner disputed that he had made such an offer at that time.

In the weeks after his hospitalization, Trump was convinced that the Regeneron treatment had saved his life, telling aides, “I’m proof it works.”

That line became a running joke among top health officials, who would ask each other whether anyone was going to break it to Trump that he was in fact a failed clinical trial result for Regeneron, since the aim is to prevent people from being hospitalized after receiving it, one former senior administration official said.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was sicker with COVID-19 in October than publicly acknowledged at the time, with extremely depressed blood oxygen levels at one point and a lung problem associated with pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, according to four people familiar with his condition.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was sicker with COVID-19 in October than publicly acknowledged at the time, with extremely depressed blood oxygen levels at one point and a lung problem associated with pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, according to four people familiar with his condition. His prognosis became so worrisome before he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that officials believed he would need to be put on a ventilator, two of the people familiar with his condition said. The people familiar with Trump’s health said he was found to have lung infiltrates, which occur when the lungs are inflamed and contain substances such as fluid or bacteria. Their presence, especially when a patient is exhibiting other symptoms, can be a sign of an acute case of the disease. They can be easily spotted on an X-ray or scan, when parts of the lungs appear opaque, or white. Trump’s blood oxygen level alone was cause for extreme concern, dipping into the 80s, according to the people familiar with his evaluation. The disease is considered severe when the blood oxygen level falls to the low 90s. It has been previously reported that Trump had trouble breathing and a fever on Oct. 2, the day he was taken to the hospital, and the types of treatment he received indicated that his condition was serious. But the new details about his condition and about the effort inside the White House to get him special access to an unapproved drug to fight the virus help to flesh out one of the most dire episodes of Trump’s presidency. The new revelations about Trump’s struggle with the virus also underscore the limited and sometimes misleading nature of the information disclosed at the time about his condition. The former president resisted being taken from the White House to Walter Reed, relenting when aides told him that he could walk out on his own, or risk waiting until the U.S. Secret Service was forced to carry him out if he got sicker, two people familiar with the events said. While Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed, his medical team sought to downplay the severity of the situation, saying that he was on an upswing. At 74 and overweight, he was at risk for severe disease, and was prescribed an aggressive course of treatments. He left the hospital after three days in which he at one point staged a brief ride in his armored sport utility vehicle to wave at the crowd of supporters outside the building. A person close to the former president denied that he had been seriously ill, echoing comments Trump himself made after he was sick. There are still unanswered questions about whether Trump was already sick with COVID-19 when he participated in a presidential debate on Sept. 29, just two days before the public announcement that he had been diagnosed with the disease and three days before his deteriorating condition forced him to go to Walter Reed. Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, repeatedly downplayed concerns about Trump’s condition during his illness. At one briefing, Conley said Trump was receiving X-ray and CT scans. But when asked about whether there was evidence of pneumonia or damage to the tissue, he would only say there were “expected findings, but nothing of any major clinical concern.” Conley also told reporters that while Trump’s oxygen level had dropped to 93%, it had never dropped to the “low 80s.” Trump had trouble breathing at the White House. He was twice given oxygen before being taken to Walter Reed, as Conley acknowledged after it was reported by The New York Times. While still at the White House, Trump received a drug developed by biotechnology firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The antibody mixture — not widely available at the time — helps people infected with the virus fight it off. After Trump was hospitalized, he began a regimen for a steroid, dexamethasone, which is usually recommended only for COVID-19 patients who have severe or critical forms of the disease, often those who need mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen. And he received a five-day course of the antiviral drug remdesivir. Medical experts at the time believed that his medication course was a clear signal of significant lung issues related to his lungs. In news conferences outside the hospital that weekend, Conley offered data that made it appear his patient was recovering quickly. He noted that Trump had fared well on a spirometry test, which measures lung capacity. “He’s maxing it out,” Conley said. “He’s doing great.” Medical experts say a spirometry test is virtually meaningless with COVID-19 patients. When Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, tried to surreptitiously tell reporters that the situation was more dire, Trump erupted in anger, according to people who spoke with him. On Sunday, Oct. 4, Conley acknowledged that he had given a rosy version of Trump’s condition. “I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude that the team, the president, his course of illness has had,” he said. “I didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction, and in doing so, you know, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true.” Trump’s medical team said that on that Friday, he had a “high fever” and that his oxygen level dropped, requiring him to be administered oxygen. Trump’s oxygen level dropped again on Saturday. Trump appeared to still be struggling with the disease when he returned to the White House, where he stationed himself on a balcony in a choreographed scene, tearing his mask off and saluting his helicopter. Doctors at the time noted how Trump used his neck muscles to help him breathe in those moments, a classic sign that someone’s lungs are not taking in enough oxygen. On the night of his diagnosis, Oct. 1, White House officials scrambled to get the Regeneron antibody drug — not at that point authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment — to Trump. A top lawyer in the White House Counsel’s Office, Patrick Philbin, called Dr. Stephen Hahn, the FDA commissioner at the time, to discuss how the agency could approve the drug’s use for two senior administration officials he did not want to identify, according to one person who heard about the call. Philbin was exploring how the president could quickly get access to the drug through normal FDA procedures. Regeneron had already signed off on the use of the doses, Philbin told Hahn. Hahn and other FDA officials, including Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the top federal drug regulator, worked to clear the drug through a standard process known as an emergency investigational new drug application, often used for very ill patients who agree to take an experimental drug still being tested in clinical trials. The agency reviews the medical histories of those patients to identify whether there might be severe risks to take a treatment. Regeneron shipped a package of doses that included extras, “in case of any administration issues,” a company spokeswoman said. The extras were never returned. Conley at one point told associates they had been sitting in a refrigerator in the White House’s medical office. Only in the days following the application’s approval did White House officials acknowledge that the doses were for Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, who also tested positive for COVID-19 but turned down the drug, which is infused intravenously for about an hour. The person close to the former president also denied that Melania Trump had turned down the drug. Around that time, as other people close to Donald Trump started getting sick, his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, offered to facilitate getting the Regeneron treatment for them, two people with knowledge of the discussions said. An aide to Kushner disputed that he had made such an offer at that time. In the weeks after his hospitalization, Trump was convinced that the Regeneron treatment had saved his life, telling aides, “I’m proof it works.” That line became a running joke among top health officials, who would ask each other whether anyone was going to break it to Trump that he was in fact a failed clinical trial result for Regeneron, since the aim is to prevent people from being hospitalized after receiving it, one former senior administration official said.

Trump was sicker than acknowledged with Covid-19

Asylum seekers forced to remain in Mexico while their cases are being resolved in the United States will begin to be admitted into the US as of next week, President Joe Biden's administration announced Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden instructed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) earlier this month to take action to end the controversial "Remain in Mexico" program put in place by his predecessor Donald Trump.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It saw tens of thousands of non-Mexican asylum seekers -- mostly from Central America -- sent back over the border pending the outcome of their asylum applications, creating a humanitarian crisis in the area, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

"Beginning on February 19, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin phase one of a program to restore safe and orderly processing at the southwest border," the agency announced in a statement.

It said there are approximately 25,000 active cases still. Candidates will be tested first for the coronavirus, a senior DHS official who asked not to be identified told reporters.

At least 70,000 people were returned to Mexico under the agreement from January 2019, when the program began to be implemented, through December 2020, according to the NGO American Immigration Council.

US authorities emphasized that they are working closely with the Mexican government and with international organizations and NGOs at the border.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DHS chief Alejandro Mayorkas, who is the first Latino and the first immigrant to head the department, stressed that Washington is committed to "rebuilding a safe, orderly and humane immigration system."&nbsp;&nbsp;

"This latest action is another step in our commitment to reform immigration policies that do not align with our nation's values," Mayorkas said in a statement.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The program was part of Trump's hardline plan to fight illegal immigration, one of the hallmarks of his administration and which included efforts to build a border wall and the policy which separated children from thousands of migrant families.

After Biden took office on January 20, his administration announced that it would reverse the most controversial measures and created a task force to reunite families that remain separated, a policy his administration has termed a "national shame." &nbsp;&nbsp;

On the day Biden was inaugurated, the DHS announced the suspension of new registrations in the "Remain in Mexico" program and asked all those enrolled to stay where they are while waiting to be informed about their cases.&nbsp;

Washington said Friday that those waiting "should not approach the border until instructed to do so."&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Asylum seekers forced to remain in Mexico while their cases are being resolved in the United States will begin to be admitted into the US as of next week, President Joe Biden's administration announced Friday.

Asylum seekers forced to remain in Mexico while their cases are being resolved in the United States will begin to be admitted into the US as of next week, President Joe Biden's administration announced Friday. Biden instructed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) earlier this month to take action to end the controversial "Remain in Mexico" program put in place by his predecessor Donald Trump. It saw tens of thousands of non-Mexican asylum seekers -- mostly from Central America -- sent back over the border pending the outcome of their asylum applications, creating a humanitarian crisis in the area, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. "Beginning on February 19, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin phase one of a program to restore safe and orderly processing at the southwest border," the agency announced in a statement. It said there are approximately 25,000 active cases still. Candidates will be tested first for the coronavirus, a senior DHS official who asked not to be identified told reporters. At least 70,000 people were returned to Mexico under the agreement from January 2019, when the program began to be implemented, through December 2020, according to the NGO American Immigration Council. US authorities emphasized that they are working closely with the Mexican government and with international organizations and NGOs at the border. DHS chief Alejandro Mayorkas, who is the first Latino and the first immigrant to head the department, stressed that Washington is committed to "rebuilding a safe, orderly and humane immigration system." "This latest action is another step in our commitment to reform immigration policies that do not align with our nation's values," Mayorkas said in a statement. The program was part of Trump's hardline plan to fight illegal immigration, one of the hallmarks of his administration and which included efforts to build a border wall and the policy which separated children from thousands of migrant families. After Biden took office on January 20, his administration announced that it would reverse the most controversial measures and created a task force to reunite families that remain separated, a policy his administration has termed a "national shame." On the day Biden was inaugurated, the DHS announced the suspension of new registrations in the "Remain in Mexico" program and asked all those enrolled to stay where they are while waiting to be informed about their cases. Washington said Friday that those waiting "should not approach the border until instructed to do so."

Biden begins dismantling Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' asylum policy

Donald Trump's impeachment trial will continue on Friday with defence lawyers making their case on Friday why the former president is not guilty of inciting last month's deadly riot at the US Capitol.

The Senate is, meanwhile, racing toward a final vote in his impeachment trial as soon as Saturday.

The defence team is expected to take "three to four hours" on Friday to lay out its arguments against convicting Trump for inciting the January 6 riot, which sent lawmakers scrambling for safety and resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer.

Democratic prosecutors on Thursday wrapped up two days of arguments for Trump's conviction, saying the Republican knew what would happen when he exhorted supporters to march on the Capitol and that he should be held accountable. Congress had gathered that very day to certify Democrat Joe Biden's election win.

In their arguments, the Democratic prosecutors provided numerous examples of Trump's actions prior to the rampage to illustrate what he intended when he told supporters to go to the Capitol and "fight like hell" as lawmakers convened for the election certification.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-trial-on-thursday-to-focus-on-toll-of-capitol-riots-362931">Also read |&nbsp;Trump impeachment trial on Thursday to focus on toll of Capitol riots</a>

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives charged Trump on January 13 with inciting the insurrection, but Democrats are unlikely to gain a Senate conviction and bar Trump from running for office again.

Conviction requires a two-thirds majority in the 100-member Senate, which means at least 17 Republicans would have to defy Trump despite his continued popularity among Republican voters.

Trump falsely claimed his November 3 election loss was the result of widespread fraud.

Trump is the first US president to be impeached twice and the first to face trial after leaving office. His first impeachment trial, which stemmed from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden, ended in an acquittal a year ago in what was then a Republican-controlled Senate.

Senators on Wednesday were shown searing security footage the pro-Trump mob stalking the Capitol hallways chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" and searching for Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On Thursday, they have planned to illustrate the "terrible toll" of the riot and Trump's "role in assembling, inciting and inflaming the insurrectionists," a House aide said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/convict-trump-as-he-is-overwhelmingly-guilty-prosecutors-urge-us-senate-over-capitol-attack-363025">Also read |&nbsp;Convict Trump as he is overwhelmingly guilty: Prosecutors urge US Senate over Capitol attack</a>

House managers said Trump had planted the seeds for the riot by encouraging violence and making false claims the election was stolen long before January 6. They also said he did little to stop the violence as it spiralled out of control, despite pleas from many Republicans to ask his supporters to stop.

On Tuesday, the Senate voted largely along party lines to move ahead with the impeachment trial even though Trump's term ended on January 20. Six of 50 Republican senators broke with their caucus to side with Democrats.

(with inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump's impeachment trial will continue on Friday with defence lawyers making their case on Friday why the former president is not guilty of inciting last month's deadly riot at the US Capitol.

Donald Trump's impeachment trial will continue on Friday with defence lawyers making their case on Friday why the former president is not guilty of inciting last month's deadly riot at the US Capitol. The Senate is, meanwhile, racing toward a final vote in his impeachment trial as soon as Saturday. The defence team is expected to take "three to four hours" on Friday to lay out its arguments against convicting Trump for inciting the January 6 riot, which sent lawmakers scrambling for safety and resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer. Democratic prosecutors on Thursday wrapped up two days of arguments for Trump's conviction, saying the Republican knew what would happen when he exhorted supporters to march on the Capitol and that he should be held accountable. Congress had gathered that very day to certify Democrat Joe Biden's election win. In their arguments, the Democratic prosecutors provided numerous examples of Trump's actions prior to the rampage to illustrate what he intended when he told supporters to go to the Capitol and "fight like hell" as lawmakers convened for the election certification. Also read | Trump impeachment trial on Thursday to focus on toll of Capitol riots The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives charged Trump on January 13 with inciting the insurrection, but Democrats are unlikely to gain a Senate conviction and bar Trump from running for office again. Conviction requires a two-thirds majority in the 100-member Senate, which means at least 17 Republicans would have to defy Trump despite his continued popularity among Republican voters. Trump falsely claimed his November 3 election loss was the result of widespread fraud. Trump is the first US president to be impeached twice and the first to face trial after leaving office. His first impeachment trial, which stemmed from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden, ended in an acquittal a year ago in what was then a Republican-controlled Senate. Senators on Wednesday were shown searing security footage the pro-Trump mob stalking the Capitol hallways chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" and searching for Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On Thursday, they have planned to illustrate the "terrible toll" of the riot and Trump's "role in assembling, inciting and inflaming the insurrectionists," a House aide said. Also read | Convict Trump as he is overwhelmingly guilty: Prosecutors urge US Senate over Capitol attack House managers said Trump had planted the seeds for the riot by encouraging violence and making false claims the election was stolen long before January 6. They also said he did little to stop the violence as it spiralled out of control, despite pleas from many Republicans to ask his supporters to stop. On Tuesday, the Senate voted largely along party lines to move ahead with the impeachment trial even though Trump's term ended on January 20. Six of 50 Republican senators broke with their caucus to side with Democrats. (with inputs from agencies)

Trump's defence to make the case for his acquittal on inciting Capitol riot

As it reaches out to allies rattled by four years of erratic U.S. diplomacy, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Biden administration </a>wants to enlist Congress in advancing foreign policies that will withstand the whims of any single president.

An early test lies in the fate of what is known as the Mexico City policy.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-modi-biden-phone-call-362523/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Enacted in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, the policy bans U.S. taxpayer funds for health providers overseas that, as part of their medical care for women, offer abortion services. It has been rescinded by every Democratic president since, only to be put back into place by every Republican.

Even when the ban is rescinded — as President Joe Biden did Jan. 28 — the money cannot be used to pay for abortions.

Instead, and by law, it is used to pay for other health care for women and girls in some of the world’s poorest nations, allowing providers to cover abortion costs with other resources. But whenever the ban is restored, humanitarian groups that are backed by the United Nations and the U.S. Agency for International Development must scramble for other support to cover health care costs.

The constant churn has thrown medical budgets into disarray and forced the shuttering of some clinics.

Crucially, it also has reinforced the notion among some foreign allies of America as an unreliable partner on global needs.

Charles Michel, the European Council president, said Wednesday that he hoped the Biden administration will work more closely with international partners on a range of issues, in contrast with what he described as a “difference with the last years.”

“We want more fairness, more predictability; we want more stability,” Michel told an Atlantic Council forum.

Under President Donald Trump, the Mexico City policy was not only enforced but expanded, denying aid to additional groups that also provide HIV medicine and tuberculosis treatment. That served as further injury to the insult of American retrenchment from global alliances under Trump’s watch, on everything from military conflicts to diplomatic accords, which the Biden administration now wants to reverse.

Last month, on his first full day in office, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the Biden administration would turn to Congress to help cement a host of major foreign policy decisions to provide continuity from president to president.

“It is hard to have a sustainable foreign policy absent the informed consent of the American people,” Blinken told reporters Jan. 27. “The place that, in our system, that informed consent is vitally important, is with Congress.”

Biden lifted the Mexico City policy a day later, releasing access to hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to health clinics that had been denied the funding, and pleasing diplomats around the world.

“Norway is looking forward to work closely with the USA again in the global effort” to protect the reproductive health of women and girls, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said on Twitter.

“Looking forward to strengthening ties with Biden/Harris administration on sexual and reproductive health and rights,” echoed Flemming Moller Mortensen, Denmark’s minister for development cooperation.

Experts said members of Congress who oppose the Mexico City policy — mostly Democrats and abortion rights activists — have a narrow but rare opportunity to abolish it.

The Democratic House previously approved a measure to block the policy, also known by critics as the global gag rule, but it was stalled under Republicans in the Senate.

This month, Democrats reclaimed control of the Senate for the first time since 2015 by the slimmest of margins, with a 50-50 split and Vice President Kamala Harris able to break tie votes.

However, at least two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, also support legislation to permanently end the Mexico City policy, meaning “there might be a newer window to make something happen,” said Jen Kates, the director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

“I think everyone will agree, whatever side they’re on, on the issue, is that the ping ponging is a very challenging way to have this policy operate,” Kates said, discussing the work of non-governmental organizations. “It provides no stability or predictability for NGOs, and it’s disruptive.”

Opponents of abortion rights also want to see the matter become settled law, but in a way that enshrines the Mexico City policy to immediately prevent Biden and future presidents from supporting abortion providers abroad.

Last month, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, revived a plan he had introduced in previous congressional terms to make the funding ban permanent. In a Feb. 3 speech on the Senate floor, he said it was necessary to prevent the policy from being “rescinded and reinstated again and again between changing administrations.”

“The lives of babies and the dignity of women are not political footballs,” Lee said. “Women and unborn children everywhere have immeasurable dignity and worth, regardless of where they are from. And they ought to be entitled to the right to life and protection from harm — regardless of who is in office.”

His remarks drew an exasperated response from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who reminded officials that overseas health providers can use U.S. funds only for other medical needs — not to pay for abortion services, including counseling.

So far, she said, 47 senators have committed to a proposal that would rescind the funding ban for good. Other Democrats are expected to join the effort.

“We need a renewed commitment to comprehensive family planning,” Shaheen said, one that “would ensure that care is not limited, based on the president in the White House.”

Kates noted that whatever Congress approves as law when it is controlled by Democrats could, in theory, be reversed when Republicans again take over.

“This is contested space,” she said.

But she also predicted that Shaheen’s legislation, if enacted, would have “more of a protective frame around it” because it would change a 60-year-old law that governs how the United States provides foreign assistance, as opposed to amending a spending bill that is debated every year.

No other country in the world withholds health care support from U.N. programs over opposition to abortions.

In 2016, before Trump cut the funds, the United States provided $69 million to the U.N. Population Fund, the world body’s leading provider of family-planning services. With the money restored, the agency projects it could provide family planning and health care to 4.2 million women and girls within one year, potentially preventing 1.4 million unintended pregnancies and 640,000 transmissions of sexually transmitted diseases.

Natalia Kanem, the U.N. agency’s executive director, described a mix of joy and relief among member nations upon hearing this month that the United States would restore funding to foreign providers. In an interview, she was careful not to discuss the internal political debate over whether Congress should put the seesawing U.S. policy to rest.

But she said the coronavirus pandemic and poverty and strife in some of the world’s most unstable countries underscored that “we don’t just need to get back to where we were four years ago, or 20 years ago.”

Given the unpredictability of international support that has led to dwindling health services for women and girls, American officials should pursue “something with ambition, rather than just tinkering around the edges,” Kanem said.

“Funding stable partnerships saves lives,” she said.

 
&nbsp;

As it reaches out to allies rattled by four years of erratic U.S. diplomacy, the Biden administration wants to enlist Congress in advancing foreign policies that will withstand the whims of any single president.

As it reaches out to allies rattled by four years of erratic U.S. diplomacy, the Biden administration wants to enlist Congress in advancing foreign policies that will withstand the whims of any single president. An early test lies in the fate of what is known as the Mexico City policy. Watch | Enacted in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, the policy bans U.S. taxpayer funds for health providers overseas that, as part of their medical care for women, offer abortion services. It has been rescinded by every Democratic president since, only to be put back into place by every Republican. Even when the ban is rescinded — as President Joe Biden did Jan. 28 — the money cannot be used to pay for abortions. Instead, and by law, it is used to pay for other health care for women and girls in some of the world’s poorest nations, allowing providers to cover abortion costs with other resources. But whenever the ban is restored, humanitarian groups that are backed by the United Nations and the U.S. Agency for International Development must scramble for other support to cover health care costs. The constant churn has thrown medical budgets into disarray and forced the shuttering of some clinics. Crucially, it also has reinforced the notion among some foreign allies of America as an unreliable partner on global needs. Charles Michel, the European Council president, said Wednesday that he hoped the Biden administration will work more closely with international partners on a range of issues, in contrast with what he described as a “difference with the last years.” “We want more fairness, more predictability; we want more stability,” Michel told an Atlantic Council forum. Under President Donald Trump, the Mexico City policy was not only enforced but expanded, denying aid to additional groups that also provide HIV medicine and tuberculosis treatment. That served as further injury to the insult of American retrenchment from global alliances under Trump’s watch, on everything from military conflicts to diplomatic accords, which the Biden administration now wants to reverse. Last month, on his first full day in office, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the Biden administration would turn to Congress to help cement a host of major foreign policy decisions to provide continuity from president to president. “It is hard to have a sustainable foreign policy absent the informed consent of the American people,” Blinken told reporters Jan. 27. “The place that, in our system, that informed consent is vitally important, is with Congress.” Biden lifted the Mexico City policy a day later, releasing access to hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to health clinics that had been denied the funding, and pleasing diplomats around the world. “Norway is looking forward to work closely with the USA again in the global effort” to protect the reproductive health of women and girls, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said on Twitter. “Looking forward to strengthening ties with Biden/Harris administration on sexual and reproductive health and rights,” echoed Flemming Moller Mortensen, Denmark’s minister for development cooperation. Experts said members of Congress who oppose the Mexico City policy — mostly Democrats and abortion rights activists — have a narrow but rare opportunity to abolish it. The Democratic House previously approved a measure to block the policy, also known by critics as the global gag rule, but it was stalled under Republicans in the Senate. This month, Democrats reclaimed control of the Senate for the first time since 2015 by the slimmest of margins, with a 50-50 split and Vice President Kamala Harris able to break tie votes. However, at least two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, also support legislation to permanently end the Mexico City policy, meaning “there might be a newer window to make something happen,” said Jen Kates, the director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. “I think everyone will agree, whatever side they’re on, on the issue, is that the ping ponging is a very challenging way to have this policy operate,” Kates said, discussing the work of non-governmental organizations. “It provides no stability or predictability for NGOs, and it’s disruptive.” Opponents of abortion rights also want to see the matter become settled law, but in a way that enshrines the Mexico City policy to immediately prevent Biden and future presidents from supporting abortion providers abroad. Last month, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, revived a plan he had introduced in previous congressional terms to make the funding ban permanent. In a Feb. 3 speech on the Senate floor, he said it was necessary to prevent the policy from being “rescinded and reinstated again and again between changing administrations.” “The lives of babies and the dignity of women are not political footballs,” Lee said. “Women and unborn children everywhere have immeasurable dignity and worth, regardless of where they are from. And they ought to be entitled to the right to life and protection from harm — regardless of who is in office.” His remarks drew an exasperated response from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who reminded officials that overseas health providers can use U.S. funds only for other medical needs — not to pay for abortion services, including counseling. So far, she said, 47 senators have committed to a proposal that would rescind the funding ban for good. Other Democrats are expected to join the effort. “We need a renewed commitment to comprehensive family planning,” Shaheen said, one that “would ensure that care is not limited, based on the president in the White House.” Kates noted that whatever Congress approves as law when it is controlled by Democrats could, in theory, be reversed when Republicans again take over. “This is contested space,” she said. But she also predicted that Shaheen’s legislation, if enacted, would have “more of a protective frame around it” because it would change a 60-year-old law that governs how the United States provides foreign assistance, as opposed to amending a spending bill that is debated every year. No other country in the world withholds health care support from U.N. programs over opposition to abortions. In 2016, before Trump cut the funds, the United States provided $69 million to the U.N. Population Fund, the world body’s leading provider of family-planning services. With the money restored, the agency projects it could provide family planning and health care to 4.2 million women and girls within one year, potentially preventing 1.4 million unintended pregnancies and 640,000 transmissions of sexually transmitted diseases. Natalia Kanem, the U.N. agency’s executive director, described a mix of joy and relief among member nations upon hearing this month that the United States would restore funding to foreign providers. In an interview, she was careful not to discuss the internal political debate over whether Congress should put the seesawing U.S. policy to rest. But she said the coronavirus pandemic and poverty and strife in some of the world’s most unstable countries underscored that “we don’t just need to get back to where we were four years ago, or 20 years ago.” Given the unpredictability of international support that has led to dwindling health services for women and girls, American officials should pursue “something with ambition, rather than just tinkering around the edges,” Kanem said. “Funding stable partnerships saves lives,” she said.

Biden wants more stable diplomacy. An abortion fight is a test.

As US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>makes his intentions clear to China in a phone call to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the message from commander-in-chief is; "get moving," else China will eat their "lunch".&nbsp;

"They're going to, if we don't get moving, they are going to eat our lunch," the US president told reporters, as quoted by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-announces-formation-of-a-pentagon-task-force-to-review-china-strategy-362774/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In his first phone call to Jinping on Wednesday, Biden pressed him on Xinjiang, Hong Kong human rights issues and other trade-related matters.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-says-phone-call-with-china-president-xi-jinping-lasted-two-hours-363001">Biden says phone call with China President Xi Jinping lasted two hours</a>

He "underscored his fundamental concerns about Beijing's coercive and unfair economic practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan," the White House said after the talks.

The two leaders also talked about the coronavirus pandemic, weapons proliferation and climate change, according to the WH.&nbsp;

Biden in the call said that his priorities are to protect the security, prosperity, health and the way of life of American people and to preserve "a free and open Indo-Pacific."&nbsp;

The remarks on Indo-Pacific came as several countries have raised objections on China's expansionist approach in the region.&nbsp;

"President Biden committed to pursuing practical, results-oriented engagements when it advances the interests of the American people and those of our allies," the WH added.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

As US President Joe Biden makes his intentions clear to China in a phone call to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the message from commander-in-chief is; "get moving," else China will eat their "lunch".

As US President Joe Biden makes his intentions clear to China in a phone call to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the message from commander-in-chief is; "get moving," else China will eat their "lunch". "They're going to, if we don't get moving, they are going to eat our lunch," the US president told reporters, as quoted by news agency Reuters. Watch | In his first phone call to Jinping on Wednesday, Biden pressed him on Xinjiang, Hong Kong human rights issues and other trade-related matters. Also read | Biden says phone call with China President Xi Jinping lasted two hours He "underscored his fundamental concerns about Beijing's coercive and unfair economic practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan," the White House said after the talks. The two leaders also talked about the coronavirus pandemic, weapons proliferation and climate change, according to the WH. Biden in the call said that his priorities are to protect the security, prosperity, health and the way of life of American people and to preserve "a free and open Indo-Pacific." The remarks on Indo-Pacific came as several countries have raised objections on China's expansionist approach in the region. "President Biden committed to pursuing practical, results-oriented engagements when it advances the interests of the American people and those of our allies," the WH added.

If US won't 'get moving,' China will 'eat our lunch': Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden has said that the administration will be imposing sanctions that prevent Myanmar's Military Generals from gaining access to US-based assets.

US freezes $1 Million worth assets after military coup in Myanmar

In the final months of the Trump administration, senior Justice Department officials repeatedly sought to block federal prosecutors in Manhattan from taking a crucial step in their investigation into Rudy Giuliani’s dealings in Ukraine, delaying a search warrant for some of Giuliani’s electronic records, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The actions by political appointees at the Justice Department in Washington effectively slowed the investigation as it was gaining momentum last year.

In the final months of 2020, the prosecutors were still delving into whether Giuliani had illegally lobbied the Trump administration on behalf of Ukrainian officials and oligarchs who had helped him look for dirt in 2019 on Joe Biden, then a leading Democratic candidate, the people said.

Giuliani has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer, Robert J. Costello, declined Wednesday to comment “on media speculation.”

Unflinchingly loyal to former President Donald Trump, Giuliani has been a central figure in both of the former president’s impeachments, first working on Trump’s behalf in Ukraine and then spearheading a drive to overturn the election results that culminated in the Jan. 6 rally shortly before Trump supporters violently stormed the Capitol.

Last summer, prosecutors and FBI agents in Manhattan were preparing to seek the search warrant for Giuliani’s records related to his efforts in Ukraine, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

But first, the investigators in Manhattan had to notify Justice Department officials in Washington, who must be consulted about search warrants involving lawyers because of concerns that prosecutors might inadvertently obtain confidential communications with clients. The warrant involving Giuliani was particularly sensitive because of his most prominent client — Trump.

While career Justice Department officials in Washington largely supported the search warrant, senior officials raised concerns that the warrant would be issued too close to the election, the people with knowledge of the matter said.

In the 60 days before an election, the Justice Department generally tries to avoid taking aggressive investigative actions that could affect the outcome of the vote if the actions were to become public.

The Manhattan prosecutors noted to officials in Washington that they initially raised the idea in the summer, before the 60-day cutoff, the people said. And after the election, the prosecutors tried again.

But even then, political appointees in Trump’s Justice Department, including officials in the deputy attorney general’s office at the time, did not approve, noting Trump was still contesting the election results in several states — a legal effort being led by Giuliani, the people said.

The opposition rankled both the Manhattan prosecutors and some career officials in Washington, who questioned whether senior officials were treating all politically sensitive investigations equally after the election. While Manhattan prosecutors still faced opposition to examining Giuliani’s records, federal prosecutors in Delaware were allowed to issue subpoenas for a tax investigation into Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.

And while the political appointees were skeptical that there was enough evidence to charge Giuliani, the career officials involved felt there was sufficient reason to believe that the search would turn up evidence of a crime, the legal standard to obtain a warrant.

Ultimately, senior officials in Washington proposed delaying a decision on the subpoena until the Biden administration took over. It is unclear whether the prosecutors have obtained a warrant since Biden was sworn in.

The episode was not the only time Trump’s Justice Department had tried to intervene in a politically sensitive investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, one of the most independent prosecutor’s offices in the country. In June, Trump fired the head of the office, Geoffrey S. Berman, who oversaw a number of investigations into Trump’s allies, including Stephen Bannon.

CNN first reported Wednesday that the potential search warrant was met with resistance from Justice Department officials in Washington who questioned the strength of the evidence against Giuliani. In December, NBC News reported that the Manhattan prosecutors had discussed making a legal request for Giuliani’s electronic communications.

The investigation into Giuliani has centered on his dealings with the Ukrainian officials and oligarchs who claimed to have damaging information about Biden’s son, Hunter, who was on the board of an Ukrainian energy company, the people said.

As part of that focus, federal prosecutors in Manhattan scrutinized Giuliani’s ties to Dmitry Firtash, a Ukrainian oligarch who is under indictment in the United States, according to documents and people with knowledge of the matter.

Hoping to avoid extradition to the United States, Firtash hired two lawyers close to Giuliani to argue his case at the highest levels of the Justice Department, while Giuliani sought Firtash’s help in gathering negative information on the Bidens, these people said.

It is unclear whether the investigation will result in any charges against Giuliani, the onetime mayor of New York City and former U.S. attorney in charge of the same office that is now examining his conduct.

Although Giuliani has not been accused of wrongdoing, he remains vulnerable to federal scrutiny because Trump left office last month without granting him a pardon, despite months of speculation that Giuliani might receive preemptive clemency.

Before Trump issued a wave of pardons on his last day in office, Giuliani said on his radio show that he did not need a pardon. “I don’t commit crimes,” he said.

In the final weeks of the Trump administration, Giuliani discussed with associates whether he should seek a pardon before ultimately opting not to do so, two people with direct knowledge of the discussions said.

The White House Counsel’s Office had cautioned against preemptively pardoning Giuliani, one of the people said, because doing so might raise questions about whether he needed clemency for his involvement in the Jan. 6 rally, the focus of Trump’s current impeachment trial. It is unclear whether the federal prosecutors in Washington investigating the riot are also examining Giuliani’s speech at the rally.

In Manhattan, the federal investigation into Giuliani grew out of a case against two Soviet-born men, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who aided his mission in Ukraine.

Even before his work for Trump, Giuliani had business in Ukraine, including a 2017 contract to help the town of Kharkiv improve its emergency services and bolster its image as a destination for investment. The deal was arranged by Pavel Fuks, a wealthy Ukrainian-Russian developer who said that Giuliani was hired to lobby for the town, a claim that Giuliani denies.

The Manhattan prosecutors have examined Giuliani’s dealings with Fuks, the people briefed on the matter said.

The Manhattan prosecutors also interviewed at least one witness who testified before Congress during Trump’s impeachment proceedings as part of the examination of Giuliani’s potential business dealings in Ukraine and his role in pressing the Trump administration to oust the U.S. ambassador in Kyiv.

While pressuring Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political rivals, Giuliani became fixated on removing the ambassador, whom he saw as an obstacle to those efforts. At the urging of Giuliani and other Republicans, Trump ultimately removed the ambassador, Marie L. Yovanovitch, a decision that was at the heart of the first impeachment trial.

Giuliani has said he acted as Trump’s lawyer, but the federal prosecutors in Manhattan have explored whether he was also working covertly for Ukrainian officials or oligarchs who wanted the ambassador gone for their own reasons, according to people briefed on the matter.

Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, it is a federal crime to try to influence or lobby the U.S. government at the request or direction of a foreign official without disclosing it to the Justice Department.

Yuriy Lutsenko, one of the officials who pressed Giuliani and his associates to fight for the ambassador’s removal, aided their Ukrainian dirt-digging mission. And at the same time, Giuliani pursued hundreds of thousands of dollars in business from Lutsenko, a potential deal that drew the scrutiny of the prosecutors and the FBI. Giuliani has said he turned down the deal.

In the final months of the Trump administration, senior Justice Department officials repeatedly sought to block federal prosecutors in Manhattan from taking a crucial step in their investigation into Rudy Giuliani’s dealings in Ukraine, delaying a search warrant for some of Giuliani’s electronic records, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

In the final months of the Trump administration, senior Justice Department officials repeatedly sought to block federal prosecutors in Manhattan from taking a crucial step in their investigation into Rudy Giuliani’s dealings in Ukraine, delaying a search warrant for some of Giuliani’s electronic records, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The actions by political appointees at the Justice Department in Washington effectively slowed the investigation as it was gaining momentum last year. In the final months of 2020, the prosecutors were still delving into whether Giuliani had illegally lobbied the Trump administration on behalf of Ukrainian officials and oligarchs who had helped him look for dirt in 2019 on Joe Biden, then a leading Democratic candidate, the people said. Giuliani has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer, Robert J. Costello, declined Wednesday to comment “on media speculation.” Unflinchingly loyal to former President Donald Trump, Giuliani has been a central figure in both of the former president’s impeachments, first working on Trump’s behalf in Ukraine and then spearheading a drive to overturn the election results that culminated in the Jan. 6 rally shortly before Trump supporters violently stormed the Capitol. Last summer, prosecutors and FBI agents in Manhattan were preparing to seek the search warrant for Giuliani’s records related to his efforts in Ukraine, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation. But first, the investigators in Manhattan had to notify Justice Department officials in Washington, who must be consulted about search warrants involving lawyers because of concerns that prosecutors might inadvertently obtain confidential communications with clients. The warrant involving Giuliani was particularly sensitive because of his most prominent client — Trump. While career Justice Department officials in Washington largely supported the search warrant, senior officials raised concerns that the warrant would be issued too close to the election, the people with knowledge of the matter said. In the 60 days before an election, the Justice Department generally tries to avoid taking aggressive investigative actions that could affect the outcome of the vote if the actions were to become public. The Manhattan prosecutors noted to officials in Washington that they initially raised the idea in the summer, before the 60-day cutoff, the people said. And after the election, the prosecutors tried again. But even then, political appointees in Trump’s Justice Department, including officials in the deputy attorney general’s office at the time, did not approve, noting Trump was still contesting the election results in several states — a legal effort being led by Giuliani, the people said. The opposition rankled both the Manhattan prosecutors and some career officials in Washington, who questioned whether senior officials were treating all politically sensitive investigations equally after the election. While Manhattan prosecutors still faced opposition to examining Giuliani’s records, federal prosecutors in Delaware were allowed to issue subpoenas for a tax investigation into Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. And while the political appointees were skeptical that there was enough evidence to charge Giuliani, the career officials involved felt there was sufficient reason to believe that the search would turn up evidence of a crime, the legal standard to obtain a warrant. Ultimately, senior officials in Washington proposed delaying a decision on the subpoena until the Biden administration took over. It is unclear whether the prosecutors have obtained a warrant since Biden was sworn in. The episode was not the only time Trump’s Justice Department had tried to intervene in a politically sensitive investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, one of the most independent prosecutor’s offices in the country. In June, Trump fired the head of the office, Geoffrey S. Berman, who oversaw a number of investigations into Trump’s allies, including Stephen Bannon. CNN first reported Wednesday that the potential search warrant was met with resistance from Justice Department officials in Washington who questioned the strength of the evidence against Giuliani. In December, NBC News reported that the Manhattan prosecutors had discussed making a legal request for Giuliani’s electronic communications. The investigation into Giuliani has centered on his dealings with the Ukrainian officials and oligarchs who claimed to have damaging information about Biden’s son, Hunter, who was on the board of an Ukrainian energy company, the people said. As part of that focus, federal prosecutors in Manhattan scrutinized Giuliani’s ties to Dmitry Firtash, a Ukrainian oligarch who is under indictment in the United States, according to documents and people with knowledge of the matter. Hoping to avoid extradition to the United States, Firtash hired two lawyers close to Giuliani to argue his case at the highest levels of the Justice Department, while Giuliani sought Firtash’s help in gathering negative information on the Bidens, these people said. It is unclear whether the investigation will result in any charges against Giuliani, the onetime mayor of New York City and former U.S. attorney in charge of the same office that is now examining his conduct. Although Giuliani has not been accused of wrongdoing, he remains vulnerable to federal scrutiny because Trump left office last month without granting him a pardon, despite months of speculation that Giuliani might receive preemptive clemency. Before Trump issued a wave of pardons on his last day in office, Giuliani said on his radio show that he did not need a pardon. “I don’t commit crimes,” he said. In the final weeks of the Trump administration, Giuliani discussed with associates whether he should seek a pardon before ultimately opting not to do so, two people with direct knowledge of the discussions said. The White House Counsel’s Office had cautioned against preemptively pardoning Giuliani, one of the people said, because doing so might raise questions about whether he needed clemency for his involvement in the Jan. 6 rally, the focus of Trump’s current impeachment trial. It is unclear whether the federal prosecutors in Washington investigating the riot are also examining Giuliani’s speech at the rally. In Manhattan, the federal investigation into Giuliani grew out of a case against two Soviet-born men, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who aided his mission in Ukraine. Even before his work for Trump, Giuliani had business in Ukraine, including a 2017 contract to help the town of Kharkiv improve its emergency services and bolster its image as a destination for investment. The deal was arranged by Pavel Fuks, a wealthy Ukrainian-Russian developer who said that Giuliani was hired to lobby for the town, a claim that Giuliani denies. The Manhattan prosecutors have examined Giuliani’s dealings with Fuks, the people briefed on the matter said. The Manhattan prosecutors also interviewed at least one witness who testified before Congress during Trump’s impeachment proceedings as part of the examination of Giuliani’s potential business dealings in Ukraine and his role in pressing the Trump administration to oust the U.S. ambassador in Kyiv. While pressuring Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political rivals, Giuliani became fixated on removing the ambassador, whom he saw as an obstacle to those efforts. At the urging of Giuliani and other Republicans, Trump ultimately removed the ambassador, Marie L. Yovanovitch, a decision that was at the heart of the first impeachment trial. Giuliani has said he acted as Trump’s lawyer, but the federal prosecutors in Manhattan have explored whether he was also working covertly for Ukrainian officials or oligarchs who wanted the ambassador gone for their own reasons, according to people briefed on the matter. Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, it is a federal crime to try to influence or lobby the U.S. government at the request or direction of a foreign official without disclosing it to the Justice Department. Yuriy Lutsenko, one of the officials who pressed Giuliani and his associates to fight for the ambassador’s removal, aided their Ukrainian dirt-digging mission. And at the same time, Giuliani pursued hundreds of thousands of dollars in business from Lutsenko, a potential deal that drew the scrutiny of the prosecutors and the FBI. Giuliani has said he turned down the deal.

Trump Justice Department sought to block search of Giuliani records

Kyaw Tint Swe close aide to ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained on Thursday, said a party official. Myanmar is witnessing fresh wave of arrests following the military coup on February 1. Kyi Toe, an information committee member of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), said Kyaw Tint Swe and four other people linked to the previous government had been taken from their homes overnight, and the top leadership of the former electoral commission had all been arrested.

NLD had won the November 2020 election by a landslide. Military claims that there was widespread fraud in the elections. Myanmar's electoral commission had rejected those claims.

Protesters gathered across the country for a sixth straight day on Thursday.

Hundreds of workers lined a road in the capital Naypyitaw in support of the civil disobedience movement, chanting anti-junta slogans and carrying placards supporting Suu Kyi.

In line with the creative ethos of recent demonstrations where some protesters have worn ball gowns and fancy dress, rallies in Yangon included men and boys dressed in short skirts. "We don't take off our skirt until we get democracy back," one sign read.

US Sanctions

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved an executive order for sanctions on those who were responsible for the coup in Myanmar. He has demanded that Myanmar's generals give up power and civilian leaders be freed.

Washington would identify the first round of targets this week and was taking steps to prevent the generals in Myanmar, also known as Burma, having access to $1 billion in Myanmar government funds held in the United States.

"We're also going to impose strong exports controls. We're freezing U.S. assets that benefit the Burmese government while maintaining our support for health care, civil society groups, and other areas that benefit the people of Burma directly," Biden said at the White House.

Washington is likely to target coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and other top generals who are already under U.S. sanctions imposed in 2019 over abuses against Rohingya Muslims and other minorities.

(With Reuters inputs)

Kyaw Tint Swe close aide to ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained on Thursday, said a party official. Myanmar is witnessing fresh wave of arrests following the military coup on February 1.

Kyaw Tint Swe close aide to ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained on Thursday, said a party official. Myanmar is witnessing fresh wave of arrests following the military coup on February 1. Kyi Toe, an information committee member of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), said Kyaw Tint Swe and four other people linked to the previous government had been taken from their homes overnight, and the top leadership of the former electoral commission had all been arrested. NLD had won the November 2020 election by a landslide. Military claims that there was widespread fraud in the elections. Myanmar's electoral commission had rejected those claims. Protesters gathered across the country for a sixth straight day on Thursday. Hundreds of workers lined a road in the capital Naypyitaw in support of the civil disobedience movement, chanting anti-junta slogans and carrying placards supporting Suu Kyi. In line with the creative ethos of recent demonstrations where some protesters have worn ball gowns and fancy dress, rallies in Yangon included men and boys dressed in short skirts. "We don't take off our skirt until we get democracy back," one sign read. US Sanctions US President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved an executive order for sanctions on those who were responsible for the coup in Myanmar. He has demanded that Myanmar's generals give up power and civilian leaders be freed. Washington would identify the first round of targets this week and was taking steps to prevent the generals in Myanmar, also known as Burma, having access to $1 billion in Myanmar government funds held in the United States. "We're also going to impose strong exports controls. We're freezing U.S. assets that benefit the Burmese government while maintaining our support for health care, civil society groups, and other areas that benefit the people of Burma directly," Biden said at the White House. Washington is likely to target coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and other top generals who are already under U.S. sanctions imposed in 2019 over abuses against Rohingya Muslims and other minorities. (With Reuters inputs)

Myanmar: Suu Kyi close aide detained, fresh wave of arrests

US President Joe Biden has said his first phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping since taking office lasted two hours.

"Last night, I was in the phone for two straight hours with Xi Jinping," Biden told reporters on Thursday.

This is being seen as an unusually long interaction for a US president with his Chinese counterparts, with whom even face-to-face meetings rarely stretch beyond an hour.

Biden warned afterwards that if the United States doesn't&nbsp;"get moving" on China policy, "they're going to eat our lunch."

The new American president said he challenged Xi on human rights, trade and regional muscle-flexing during the call, which aimed at setting the tone for the US-China relationship.

Beijing has tested US ties since Xi came to power, and under former president Donald Trump found itself on the receiving end of trade tariffs as relations frayed. Biden -- who met Xi during his time as vice president under Barack Obama -- hence, is under pressure&nbsp;to maintain Trump's stance.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-first-phone-call-to-president-xi-biden-asserts-importance-of-indo-pacific-xinjiang-human-rights-abuses-362769">Also read |&nbsp;In first phone call to President Xi, Biden asserts importance of Indo-Pacific; Xinjiang human rights abuses</a>

Earlier on Wednesday, the White House said Biden "underscored his fundamental concerns about Beijing's coercive and unfair economic practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan," during the call.&nbsp;

The two leaders also spoke about the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and weapons proliferation, the White House added.

"I told him I will work with China when it benefits the American people," Biden tweeted after the call.

China's state broadcaster CCTV said that the two "had an in-depth exchange of views on the bilateral relationship and major international and regional issues", the BBC reported.

Xi also warned Biden that bad relations would be a disaster for both countries, Chinese media reported.

US President Joe Biden has said his first phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping since taking office lasted two hours. "Last night, I was in the phone for two straight hours with Xi Jinping," Biden told reporters on Thursday.

US President Joe Biden has said his first phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping since taking office lasted two hours. "Last night, I was in the phone for two straight hours with Xi Jinping," Biden told reporters on Thursday. This is being seen as an unusually long interaction for a US president with his Chinese counterparts, with whom even face-to-face meetings rarely stretch beyond an hour. Biden warned afterwards that if the United States doesn't "get moving" on China policy, "they're going to eat our lunch." The new American president said he challenged Xi on human rights, trade and regional muscle-flexing during the call, which aimed at setting the tone for the US-China relationship. Beijing has tested US ties since Xi came to power, and under former president Donald Trump found itself on the receiving end of trade tariffs as relations frayed. Biden -- who met Xi during his time as vice president under Barack Obama -- hence, is under pressure to maintain Trump's stance. Also read | In first phone call to President Xi, Biden asserts importance of Indo-Pacific; Xinjiang human rights abuses Earlier on Wednesday, the White House said Biden "underscored his fundamental concerns about Beijing's coercive and unfair economic practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan," during the call. The two leaders also spoke about the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and weapons proliferation, the White House added. "I told him I will work with China when it benefits the American people," Biden tweeted after the call. China's state broadcaster CCTV said that the two "had an in-depth exchange of views on the bilateral relationship and major international and regional issues", the BBC reported. Xi also warned Biden that bad relations would be a disaster for both countries, Chinese media reported.

Biden says phone call with China President Xi Jinping lasted two hours

Joe Biden, President of the United States, has announced the formation of a Pentagon task force to review the country's China strategy. Biden, accompanied by VP Harris, visited the Pentagon for the first time since becoming President.

US President announces formation of a Pentagon task force to review China strategy

Amid growing pressure domestically and internationally pressure against the military coup in Myanmar and the detention of country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi, US President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Myanmar's military rulers. In a big development, the US president also spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a phone call for the first time since coming to power.&nbsp;

Click on headlines to read more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-biden-announces-sanctions-against-myanmar-amid-anti-military-protests-362756">President Biden announces sanctions against Myanmar amid anti-military protests</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/11/182208-suu.jpg?itok=QFm1uofm" />

As demonstrators continued their demand to free Aung San Suu Kyi, US President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Myanmar's military rulers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-first-phone-call-to-president-xi-biden-asserts-importance-of-indo-pacific-xinjiang-human-rights-abuses-362769">In first phone call to President Xi, Biden asserts importance of Indo-Pacific, Xinjiang human rights abuses</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/11/182220-xi111.jpg?itok=3eZzQe5O" />

US President Joe Biden spoke with &nbsp;President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, the White House said on the occasion of Lunar New Year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-assures-canadas-trudeau-of-covid-vaccine-supplies-362760">PM Modi assures Canada's Trudeau of COVID vaccine supplies</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/11/182217-modi-trudeau.JPG?itok=T_HSEoD7" />

During a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, PM Narendra Modi assured him of coronavirus vaccine supplies. India has already sent vaccines to around 20 countries. It has got requests from developing as well as developed nations.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-announces-pentagon-task-force-to-tackle-china-362758">Biden announces Pentagon task force to tackle China</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/07/181686-joe-biden.jpg?itok=eDy93kl6" />

US President Joe Biden has announced the formation of a Pentagon task force to review the country's China strategy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chinas-army-claims-both-sides-start-withdrawal-along-pangong-lake-no-comment-from-india-362709">China’s army claims both sides start withdrawal along Pangong Lake; no comment from India</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/10/182169-untitled-design-9.jpg?itok=GGMfLPEA" />

The Chinese Defence spokesman on Wednesday said that frontline troops of India and China at the southern and northern banks of the Pangong Lake at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh have started disengagement.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-in-senate-democrats-show-unseen-videos-of-attack-on-the-capitol-hill-362757/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

 
&nbsp;

Amid growing pressure domestically and internationally pressure against the military coup in Myanmar and the detention of country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi, US President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Myanmar's military rulers.

Amid growing pressure domestically and internationally pressure against the military coup in Myanmar and the detention of country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi, US President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Myanmar's military rulers. In a big development, the US president also spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a phone call for the first time since coming to power. Click on headlines to read more President Biden announces sanctions against Myanmar amid anti-military protests As demonstrators continued their demand to free Aung San Suu Kyi, US President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Myanmar's military rulers. In first phone call to President Xi, Biden asserts importance of Indo-Pacific, Xinjiang human rights abuses US President Joe Biden spoke with President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, the White House said on the occasion of Lunar New Year. PM Modi assures Canada's Trudeau of COVID vaccine supplies During a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, PM Narendra Modi assured him of coronavirus vaccine supplies. India has already sent vaccines to around 20 countries. It has got requests from developing as well as developed nations. Biden announces Pentagon task force to tackle China US President Joe Biden has announced the formation of a Pentagon task force to review the country's China strategy. China’s army claims both sides start withdrawal along Pangong Lake; no comment from India The Chinese Defence spokesman on Wednesday said that frontline troops of India and China at the southern and northern banks of the Pangong Lake at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh have started disengagement. Watch |

Morning news brief: Sanctions against Myanmar, Biden-Xinping talks, and more

President Joe Biden's administration has asked a US federal court to pause proceedings aimed at banning TikTok to allow for a fresh review of the national security threat from the popular Chinese-owned video app.&nbsp;

The filing in a federal appeals court said the new administration had begun a review and would not for the moment press for a ban of the mobile app as sought by former president Donald Trump.&nbsp;

The filing said the Commerce Department 'plans to conduct an evaluation of the underlying record justifying those prohibitions' sought by the previous administration of Donald Trump, which claimed TikTok posed a national security threat because of its links to the Chinese government.&nbsp;

After the new review, the administration 'will then be better positioned to determine whether the national security threat' from TikTok.&nbsp;

"The Department of Commerce remains committed to a robust defense of national security as well as ensuring the viability of our economy and preserving individual rights and data privacy," the filing said.&nbsp;

The Trump administration move to ban downloads of TikTok and its presence on online networks had been stalled amid legal challenges.&nbsp;

In a related development, the Wall Street Journal reported the Biden administration has also put on hold a plan to force the sale of TikTok to American investors.&nbsp;

The Journal, citing unnamed sources, said the Biden White House had indefinitely shelved the plan to require the sale of TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, to US tech giant Oracle with Walmart as a partner.&nbsp;

The Journal said the new administration is in the midst of a review of data security and ways to prevent the information TikTok collects on American users from being accessed by the Chinese government, but that there would be no imminent move to force the sale.

President Joe Biden's administration has asked a US federal court to pause proceedings aimed at banning TikTok to allow for a fresh review of the national security threat from the popular Chinese-owned video app.

President Joe Biden's administration has asked a US federal court to pause proceedings aimed at banning TikTok to allow for a fresh review of the national security threat from the popular Chinese-owned video app. The filing in a federal appeals court said the new administration had begun a review and would not for the moment press for a ban of the mobile app as sought by former president Donald Trump. The filing said the Commerce Department 'plans to conduct an evaluation of the underlying record justifying those prohibitions' sought by the previous administration of Donald Trump, which claimed TikTok posed a national security threat because of its links to the Chinese government. After the new review, the administration 'will then be better positioned to determine whether the national security threat' from TikTok. "The Department of Commerce remains committed to a robust defense of national security as well as ensuring the viability of our economy and preserving individual rights and data privacy," the filing said. The Trump administration move to ban downloads of TikTok and its presence on online networks had been stalled amid legal challenges. In a related development, the Wall Street Journal reported the Biden administration has also put on hold a plan to force the sale of TikTok to American investors. The Journal, citing unnamed sources, said the Biden White House had indefinitely shelved the plan to require the sale of TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, to US tech giant Oracle with Walmart as a partner. The Journal said the new administration is in the midst of a review of data security and ways to prevent the information TikTok collects on American users from being accessed by the Chinese government, but that there would be no imminent move to force the sale.

Biden team asks court to pause move to ban TikTok as US reviews security

PM Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with U.S President Joe Biden on Monday. What transpired during the call? What promises were made? What message does it send?

Gravitas: The Modi-Biden phone call

Kathleen Hicks has been confirmed by the US Senate on Monday (local time) as Deputy Defence Secretary. Hicks has become the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate to the post. &nbsp;

In a voice vote, senators confirmed Kathleen Hicks, giving US President Joe Biden his second Senate-confirmed Defence Department official about a week after her confirmation hearing, according to The Hill. &nbsp;

Hicks, who led President Joe Biden's transition team at the Pentagon, was a deputy undersecretary of defence under the Obama administration. Before her nomination, she led the international security programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.&nbsp;

Hicks's nomination garnered attention both because of the history-making aspect and because Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to empower Pentagon civilians, such as her to assuage senators concerned about him being a recently retired general, The Hill reported.&nbsp;

Austin previously has served on the board of Raytheon Technologies and agreed to recuse himself from decisions concerning the company, decisions involving the firm will fall to Hicks. During her confirmation hearing, Hicks said she supports nuclear modernisation and nuclear triad. She added that her involvement as deputy secretary will be on programmatic decisions and made clear she would defer to Austin and Biden on questions of US nuclear policy.&nbsp;

Hicks also left the door open to defence budget cuts, saying that while the country 'can afford the defence that it needs to have,' she thinks there are ways to trim the budget without sacrificing national security, The Hill reported.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has projected relatively flat budgets for the next few years because of external pressures, such as ballooning US debt, but progressive Democrats are expected to push for at least a 10 per cent budget cut.&nbsp;

When she is sworn in, Hicks will be the department's first Senate-confirmed female deputy Defence secretary, though Christine Fox served as acting deputy Defence secretary for six months in the Obama administration.&nbsp;

Kathleen Hicks has been confirmed by the US Senate on Monday (local time) as Deputy Defence Secretary. Hicks has become the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate to the post.

Kathleen Hicks has been confirmed by the US Senate on Monday (local time) as Deputy Defence Secretary. Hicks has become the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate to the post. In a voice vote, senators confirmed Kathleen Hicks, giving US President Joe Biden his second Senate-confirmed Defence Department official about a week after her confirmation hearing, according to The Hill. Hicks, who led President Joe Biden's transition team at the Pentagon, was a deputy undersecretary of defence under the Obama administration. Before her nomination, she led the international security programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Hicks's nomination garnered attention both because of the history-making aspect and because Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to empower Pentagon civilians, such as her to assuage senators concerned about him being a recently retired general, The Hill reported. Austin previously has served on the board of Raytheon Technologies and agreed to recuse himself from decisions concerning the company, decisions involving the firm will fall to Hicks. During her confirmation hearing, Hicks said she supports nuclear modernisation and nuclear triad. She added that her involvement as deputy secretary will be on programmatic decisions and made clear she would defer to Austin and Biden on questions of US nuclear policy. Hicks also left the door open to defence budget cuts, saying that while the country 'can afford the defence that it needs to have,' she thinks there are ways to trim the budget without sacrificing national security, The Hill reported. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has projected relatively flat budgets for the next few years because of external pressures, such as ballooning US debt, but progressive Democrats are expected to push for at least a 10 per cent budget cut. When she is sworn in, Hicks will be the department's first Senate-confirmed female deputy Defence secretary, though Christine Fox served as acting deputy Defence secretary for six months in the Obama administration.

Senate confirms Biden's pick Kathleen Hicks as Deputy Defence secy

Bret Stephens: Good morning, Gail. Let’s not start with impeachment trial No. 2, if only because I’d rather not have to think about you-know-who from the start.

Over the weekend I read The Times’ distressing account of a new migrant crisis brewing at the border. Thousands of families on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border are betting that laxer rules coming from the Biden administration will make it easier for them to get to the United States and remain here. And tougher rules by the Mexican government make it more difficult for the U.S. to deport them back to Mexico. Throw in fears about further spread of the coronavirus, and it has the makings of the administration’s first self-made crisis.

You know that I’m a big supporter of comprehensive immigration reform. But President [Joe] Biden’s promise to take a more compassionate approach to migrants just seems primed to generate another humanitarian disaster, not to mention a political gift to the Trumpian right. Your thoughts?

Gail Collins: Bret, I’m in need of a little cheer. We’re not even halfway through pandemic February. Can’t we block out the border crisis and talk about … the Super Bowl? Really, times like these are why they invented sports.

Bret: The Super Bowl left me too depressed for words. Let’s stick to happier topics, like the border crisis.

Gail: OK then. The border situation is a mess. It’s been a mess for ages. [Barack] Obama struggled with it. [Donald] Trump built his presidential candidacy around that Great Wall theory. Wall never got finished, and he made everything worse.

Bret: Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve grown more sympathetic to the idea of a wall as part of an overall solution.

Gail: My lips are sealed. The answer is going to have to be a combination of a more efficient method of handling the cases of border applicants for admission, reforming enforcement so the American side isn’t stuffed with people who hate the immigrants. And then we’ve got the Dreamers …

Bret: Immediate citizenship for the Dreamers. A long but straightforward path to citizenship for those who are here already and have broken no laws besides being undocumented. A humane and generous policy with respect to political refugees. Well-regulated ports of entry. Strict enforcement of the law. The overall immigration solution seems pretty clear to me.

Gail: So far, not much argument here. Go on.

Bret: The problem is politics. As with Newton’s third law of motion, every progressive action will have an equal and opposite Trumpian reaction. Which is why Biden needs to seize the middle ground here.

Gail: All I was hoping for in early Biden was a pledge to tackle the problem and an infusion of new officials who had an attitude that was both sympathetic and realistic. We’ve gotten that. Much, much more to come.

Bret: Well, it’s definitely nicer to have arguments over policy than to worry together about the death of liberal democracy.

Gail: Sure, although by summertime we may have ground through so many policy arguments we’ll be wistfully recalling the time when all we had to do was yowl about Trump in total sync.

Bret: Speaking of policy, even Larry Summers is worried that Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus is, as they used to say about New York City rents, too damn high. It probably won’t surprise you that I agree with him. Do you see no risk in such a giant bill?

Gail: Summers sort of makes his reputation off disagreeing with liberal policy in a way that causes people to say, “Even Larry Summers …”

Bret: Noted. And largely off topic: Last month I took my filthy rental car through a carwash in Santa Fe, New Mexico, thus disproving Summers’ Law that “in the history of the world, no one has ever washed a rental car.” Sorry, go on.

Gail: But about the Biden plan. We’re in one of those economic holes that needs a big, big jolt to get things running well again. And the final program is very likely to be stripped of some of the big things you objected to, like the $15 minimum wage.

Bret: Best New York Times editorial headline ever: “The Right Minimum Wage: $0.00.” Oh how I miss the 1980s.

Gail: And it appears that the Biden administration is open to capping the income level for receiving COVID relief.

Bret: It’s an improvement that relief may now be capped at $2,800 for couples making less than $100,000 a year (or $1,400 for individuals making less than $50,000). But I’d rather we spend more money on the neediest rather than sending relief to the middle class.

Gail: Still, we’re close to an agreement, and I’d think you’d be waving flags like all the poor football fans stuck alone in their living rooms Sunday night.

Bret: Hey, every day that I see a picture of the Oval Office and Donald Trump isn’t in it is a good day. Speaking of which, what do you make of the votes on Marjorie Taylor Greene and Liz Cheney? I’m guessing this might have been the first time the words “Yay, Cheney” crossed your mind.

Gail: True, so true. But hey, it’s a new generation. Yay, Cheney. Hope she continues to ignore the Republican House leaders’ request that she apologize for voting to impeach Trump.

Interesting how little anybody’s been talking about Trump’s trial this week, including us. Maybe the Super Bowl got in the way, but I’m thinking the country is maybe just Done With Trump. Now there’s a good slogan for a T-shirt.

Bret: You’re looking too much on the bright side, Gail. The simple fact is that Trump is very likely to get away with inciting an insurrection against Congress and American democracy, thanks to the complicity of spineless and unprincipled Republicans. And to go back to your earlier point for a second, is there anything more disgusting than Kevin McCarthy asking Cheney to apologize for her vote to impeach?

Gail: I presume Cheney will survive this, one way or another. But what about Greene? Now that the Crazy Congresswoman has been stripped of her committees, I guess she’s free to wander around the country giving speeches, holding rallies. And what I’m wondering is whether, at some point, she’ll be joined by Trump, who has got to be itching to get back into the whipping-up-10,000-people business.

Bret: The establishment conservative view is that last week was a big win for the GOP: They beat back the Trumpy challenge to Cheney’s position in the House leadership, while getting Greene to renounce her craziest conspiracy theories. And there’s some polling that suggests that Republican support for a Trump 2024 run is on the wane.

But Greene hasn’t been chastened. She’s been emboldened. And Cheney has been censured by the Wyoming GOP and is likely to face a primary challenge, as is every other Republican who’s tried to show independence from Trump. One of them is Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who released a video saying that “politics isn’t about the weird worship of one dude.” Good for him, but this sets the party up for a big civil war in the next few years. That’s good news for Democrats, provided the administration doesn’t stumble or give conservatives gifts like another border crisis.

In the meantime, and if you don’t mind me asking, have you gotten your shot?

Gail: Yeah, moving toward vaccination No. 2. How about you?

Bret: That’s great! Moderna or Pfizer?

Gail: Pfizer. As we’ve noted, this is definitely the big conversation of the moment. Or at least the Super Bowl of current events.

Bret: As for me, I just checked the state’s guidelines, and it looks like I’ll be eligible sometime in the summer. That’s as it should be, since I’m not in any of the obvious risk categories (although maybe someone should classify my political views as a medical disorder requiring priority care).

Gail: Only in Manhattan.

Bret: What bothers me is that my mom will only be getting her first shot next week, when she should have gotten it last month. And I still don’t understand why. Why the complicated categories? First responders first, then everyone born before 1960, preferably in drive-thru facilities. The rollout here feels like it was conceived by Rube Goldberg and drawn by M.C. Escher.

Gail: I appreciate that you’re right, yet we’re kinda in a place where who-gets-first is secondary to how-we-get-this-stopped.

About 1.3 million people are getting a dose every day now, with more on some days, so let’s see how it goes and then revisit this conversation. Meanwhile, here’s a totally unrelated question for you. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren say Joe Biden should forgive most of the college student debt. What’s your thought?

Bret: I know this will shock you, but I’m totally opposed. As our colleague David Leonhardt noted a while back, it’s basically a giant giveaway to the upper middle class. What I’m really in favor of is getting more young people to explore alternatives to four-year colleges.

Gail: We can do both, but go on …

Bret: We should invest heavily in community colleges, encourage schools to move toward three-year B.A. programs, invest in national-service programs in the spirit of the Civilian Conservation Corps or the National Guard, urge private companies to create more apprenticeship programs, tell our kids to take a gap year or two, and get away from the idea that a college degree is a prerequisite for a good job or a “serious” career.

Gail: All good ideas, but there’s a long, long way to go before most kids have a really clear idea of what the non-college options are. So I wouldn’t want to take it out on all the kids who went into hock at the encouragement of both academia and the government. The Trump administration supported some terrible for-profit colleges that really robbed students with the promises of preparing them for lucrative careers.

Bret: The smartest person I know never went to college, and the dumbest are often the most credentialed.

OK, there’s my rant of the week. Let me know when you get that second shot so we can get together for an evening of wine, cheese and gossip.

Bret Stephens: Good morning, Gail. Let’s not start with impeachment trial No. 2, if only because I’d rather not have to think about you-know-who from the start. Over the weekend I read The Times’ distressing account of a new migrant crisis brewing at the border.

Bret Stephens: Good morning, Gail. Let’s not start with impeachment trial No. 2, if only because I’d rather not have to think about you-know-who from the start. Over the weekend I read The Times’ distressing account of a new migrant crisis brewing at the border. Thousands of families on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border are betting that laxer rules coming from the Biden administration will make it easier for them to get to the United States and remain here. And tougher rules by the Mexican government make it more difficult for the U.S. to deport them back to Mexico. Throw in fears about further spread of the coronavirus, and it has the makings of the administration’s first self-made crisis. You know that I’m a big supporter of comprehensive immigration reform. But President [Joe] Biden’s promise to take a more compassionate approach to migrants just seems primed to generate another humanitarian disaster, not to mention a political gift to the Trumpian right. Your thoughts? Gail Collins: Bret, I’m in need of a little cheer. We’re not even halfway through pandemic February. Can’t we block out the border crisis and talk about … the Super Bowl? Really, times like these are why they invented sports. Bret: The Super Bowl left me too depressed for words. Let’s stick to happier topics, like the border crisis. Gail: OK then. The border situation is a mess. It’s been a mess for ages. [Barack] Obama struggled with it. [Donald] Trump built his presidential candidacy around that Great Wall theory. Wall never got finished, and he made everything worse. Bret: Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve grown more sympathetic to the idea of a wall as part of an overall solution. Gail: My lips are sealed. The answer is going to have to be a combination of a more efficient method of handling the cases of border applicants for admission, reforming enforcement so the American side isn’t stuffed with people who hate the immigrants. And then we’ve got the Dreamers … Bret: Immediate citizenship for the Dreamers. A long but straightforward path to citizenship for those who are here already and have broken no laws besides being undocumented. A humane and generous policy with respect to political refugees. Well-regulated ports of entry. Strict enforcement of the law. The overall immigration solution seems pretty clear to me. Gail: So far, not much argument here. Go on. Bret: The problem is politics. As with Newton’s third law of motion, every progressive action will have an equal and opposite Trumpian reaction. Which is why Biden needs to seize the middle ground here. Gail: All I was hoping for in early Biden was a pledge to tackle the problem and an infusion of new officials who had an attitude that was both sympathetic and realistic. We’ve gotten that. Much, much more to come. Bret: Well, it’s definitely nicer to have arguments over policy than to worry together about the death of liberal democracy. Gail: Sure, although by summertime we may have ground through so many policy arguments we’ll be wistfully recalling the time when all we had to do was yowl about Trump in total sync. Bret: Speaking of policy, even Larry Summers is worried that Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus is, as they used to say about New York City rents, too damn high. It probably won’t surprise you that I agree with him. Do you see no risk in such a giant bill? Gail: Summers sort of makes his reputation off disagreeing with liberal policy in a way that causes people to say, “Even Larry Summers …” Bret: Noted. And largely off topic: Last month I took my filthy rental car through a carwash in Santa Fe, New Mexico, thus disproving Summers’ Law that “in the history of the world, no one has ever washed a rental car.” Sorry, go on. Gail: But about the Biden plan. We’re in one of those economic holes that needs a big, big jolt to get things running well again. And the final program is very likely to be stripped of some of the big things you objected to, like the $15 minimum wage. Bret: Best New York Times editorial headline ever: “The Right Minimum Wage: $0.00.” Oh how I miss the 1980s. Gail: And it appears that the Biden administration is open to capping the income level for receiving COVID relief. Bret: It’s an improvement that relief may now be capped at $2,800 for couples making less than $100,000 a year (or $1,400 for individuals making less than $50,000). But I’d rather we spend more money on the neediest rather than sending relief to the middle class. Gail: Still, we’re close to an agreement, and I’d think you’d be waving flags like all the poor football fans stuck alone in their living rooms Sunday night. Bret: Hey, every day that I see a picture of the Oval Office and Donald Trump isn’t in it is a good day. Speaking of which, what do you make of the votes on Marjorie Taylor Greene and Liz Cheney? I’m guessing this might have been the first time the words “Yay, Cheney” crossed your mind. Gail: True, so true. But hey, it’s a new generation. Yay, Cheney. Hope she continues to ignore the Republican House leaders’ request that she apologize for voting to impeach Trump. Interesting how little anybody’s been talking about Trump’s trial this week, including us. Maybe the Super Bowl got in the way, but I’m thinking the country is maybe just Done With Trump. Now there’s a good slogan for a T-shirt. Bret: You’re looking too much on the bright side, Gail. The simple fact is that Trump is very likely to get away with inciting an insurrection against Congress and American democracy, thanks to the complicity of spineless and unprincipled Republicans. And to go back to your earlier point for a second, is there anything more disgusting than Kevin McCarthy asking Cheney to apologize for her vote to impeach? Gail: I presume Cheney will survive this, one way or another. But what about Greene? Now that the Crazy Congresswoman has been stripped of her committees, I guess she’s free to wander around the country giving speeches, holding rallies. And what I’m wondering is whether, at some point, she’ll be joined by Trump, who has got to be itching to get back into the whipping-up-10,000-people business. Bret: The establishment conservative view is that last week was a big win for the GOP: They beat back the Trumpy challenge to Cheney’s position in the House leadership, while getting Greene to renounce her craziest conspiracy theories. And there’s some polling that suggests that Republican support for a Trump 2024 run is on the wane. But Greene hasn’t been chastened. She’s been emboldened. And Cheney has been censured by the Wyoming GOP and is likely to face a primary challenge, as is every other Republican who’s tried to show independence from Trump. One of them is Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who released a video saying that “politics isn’t about the weird worship of one dude.” Good for him, but this sets the party up for a big civil war in the next few years. That’s good news for Democrats, provided the administration doesn’t stumble or give conservatives gifts like another border crisis. In the meantime, and if you don’t mind me asking, have you gotten your shot? Gail: Yeah, moving toward vaccination No. 2. How about you? Bret: That’s great! Moderna or Pfizer? Gail: Pfizer. As we’ve noted, this is definitely the big conversation of the moment. Or at least the Super Bowl of current events. Bret: As for me, I just checked the state’s guidelines, and it looks like I’ll be eligible sometime in the summer. That’s as it should be, since I’m not in any of the obvious risk categories (although maybe someone should classify my political views as a medical disorder requiring priority care). Gail: Only in Manhattan. Bret: What bothers me is that my mom will only be getting her first shot next week, when she should have gotten it last month. And I still don’t understand why. Why the complicated categories? First responders first, then everyone born before 1960, preferably in drive-thru facilities. The rollout here feels like it was conceived by Rube Goldberg and drawn by M.C. Escher. Gail: I appreciate that you’re right, yet we’re kinda in a place where who-gets-first is secondary to how-we-get-this-stopped. About 1.3 million people are getting a dose every day now, with more on some days, so let’s see how it goes and then revisit this conversation. Meanwhile, here’s a totally unrelated question for you. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren say Joe Biden should forgive most of the college student debt. What’s your thought? Bret: I know this will shock you, but I’m totally opposed. As our colleague David Leonhardt noted a while back, it’s basically a giant giveaway to the upper middle class. What I’m really in favor of is getting more young people to explore alternatives to four-year colleges. Gail: We can do both, but go on … Bret: We should invest heavily in community colleges, encourage schools to move toward three-year B.A. programs, invest in national-service programs in the spirit of the Civilian Conservation Corps or the National Guard, urge private companies to create more apprenticeship programs, tell our kids to take a gap year or two, and get away from the idea that a college degree is a prerequisite for a good job or a “serious” career. Gail: All good ideas, but there’s a long, long way to go before most kids have a really clear idea of what the non-college options are. So I wouldn’t want to take it out on all the kids who went into hock at the encouragement of both academia and the government. The Trump administration supported some terrible for-profit colleges that really robbed students with the promises of preparing them for lucrative careers. Bret: The smartest person I know never went to college, and the dumbest are often the most credentialed. OK, there’s my rant of the week. Let me know when you get that second shot so we can get together for an evening of wine, cheese and gossip.

Opinion: What if they held an impeachment trial and nobody came?

Hollywood celebrities have come together to urge the United States President Joe Biden to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline after a court recently ruled that the former president Donald Trump’s administration had broken the law when it pushed forward with the construction of the same during his tenure.&nbsp;

The letter dates February 8 and is signed by all the whos-who of Hollywood including<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/leonardo-dicaprio"> Leonardo Di Caprio</a>, Cher, Robert Downey Jr., Joaquin Phoenix, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and the list goes on.&nbsp;

On the day of his inauguration, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> issued an executive order that revoked the permit for the long-disputed Keystone XL oil pipeline. He had then said, “The world must be put on a sustainable climate pathway to protect Americans and the domestic economy from harmful climate impacts, and to create well-paying union jobs as part of the climate solution. Leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit in place would not be consistent with my administration’s economic and climate imperatives.”

The letter recaps the battle over the Dakota Access Pipeline and details how, over the previous four years, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Yankton Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux Tribe have fought to keep it from being completed.

The pipeline carries oil from North Dakota underground through South Dakota and Iowa, ending in Patoka, Illinois, and has long been protested by activists, including celebrities like Shailene Woodley, who was once arrested during such an event.

“We urge you to remedy this historic injustice and direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to immediately shut down the illegal Dakota Access Pipeline while the Environmental Impact Statement process is conducted, consistent with the D.C. District Court’s decision and order,” reads the letter. “Additionally, the U.S. Army Corps must ensure a robust environmental review with significant tribal consultation, tribal consent, and a thorough risk analysis. With your leadership, we have a momentous opportunity to protect our water and respect our environmental laws and the rights of Indigenous people. This is our moment.”

Hollywood celebrities have come together to urge the United States President Joe Biden to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline after a court recently ruled that the former president Donald Trump’s administration had broken the law when it pushed forward with the construction of the same during his tenure.

Hollywood celebrities have come together to urge the United States President Joe Biden to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline after a court recently ruled that the former president Donald Trump’s administration had broken the law when it pushed forward with the construction of the same during his tenure. The letter dates February 8 and is signed by all the whos-who of Hollywood including Leonardo Di Caprio, Cher, Robert Downey Jr., Joaquin Phoenix, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and the list goes on. On the day of his inauguration, Joe Biden issued an executive order that revoked the permit for the long-disputed Keystone XL oil pipeline. He had then said, “The world must be put on a sustainable climate pathway to protect Americans and the domestic economy from harmful climate impacts, and to create well-paying union jobs as part of the climate solution. Leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit in place would not be consistent with my administration’s economic and climate imperatives.” The letter recaps the battle over the Dakota Access Pipeline and details how, over the previous four years, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Yankton Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux Tribe have fought to keep it from being completed. The pipeline carries oil from North Dakota underground through South Dakota and Iowa, ending in Patoka, Illinois, and has long been protested by activists, including celebrities like Shailene Woodley, who was once arrested during such an event. “We urge you to remedy this historic injustice and direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to immediately shut down the illegal Dakota Access Pipeline while the Environmental Impact Statement process is conducted, consistent with the D.C. District Court’s decision and order,” reads the letter. “Additionally, the U.S. Army Corps must ensure a robust environmental review with significant tribal consultation, tribal consent, and a thorough risk analysis. With your leadership, we have a momentous opportunity to protect our water and respect our environmental laws and the rights of Indigenous people. This is our moment.”

Dakota pipeline issue: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo & other celebs write to Joe Biden

The world likes Joe Biden, but it is losing faith in America. These are the findings of a poll conducted in 12 countries in December 2020 — Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey and the United States.

Respondents in these countries say they support Joe Biden, but they don't trust America's ability to deliver. Another poll was conducted in Europe and they found that Biden's popularity or acceptability is undermined by pessimism against the US. Europeans believe the US Political system is broken and the world cannot rely on Washington to protect allies.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-has-the-post-american-era-arrived-362276/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Recent decisions offer some clues into Biden's thinking and they also offer insights into the problems Biden is not thinking about such as Afghanistan — no clear statement on America's longest-ever war.

Biden wants to remain tough on China. Recently, the US President gave his first interview.

He described the Chinese president Xi Jinping as "He's very bright. He's very tough. He doesn't have — and I don't mean it as a criticism, just the reality — he doesn't have a democratic, small bone in his body. But he is the question is, I've said to him all along, that we need to not have a conflict. But there's going to be extreme competition. And I'm not going to do it the way that he knows."

Two takeaways from that statement are that America isn't looking for a conflict with China but it does fear "extreme competition". Second, America wants to stop China from forcing its authoritarianism on the world. The question is how do you do that with a country like China without a conflict?

America's new secretary of state, Antony Blinken has said something similar. He had his first call with his counterpart in China and it wasn't pleasant. Blinken was quite straightforward. He told China that the US will hold Beijing accountable for its abuses in the international system and for its efforts to threaten stability in the Indo-pacific. During the call, Blinken said the US wants to raise issues of human rights in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.

Blinken pressed China to condemn the military coup in Myanmar. Obviously, China won't take all of this lying down. So, it blamed America for the breakdown in their relationship and asking it to "strictly" follow the one-China policy on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet.

Not surprisingly, China refused to recognise the indo-pacific as well. The Chinese statement uses the phrase "Asia pacific" instead.

Where does team Biden stand on India?

The American president didn't mention India in his speech last week but the Biden administration has dropped some hints mostly on the quad — the quadrilateral alliance of India, the US, Japan and Australia. Reports say the US Has proposed a quad summit — an online meeting with the leaders of Australia, Japan and India.

America's national security adviser Jack Sullivan issued a statement last week, saying the quad is "Fundamental, a foundation upon which to build substantial American policy in the indo-pacific region". New Delhi has something to look forward to here, but it must also prepare for scrutiny especially on the issue of the farmer protests.

What about Iran?

President Biden has sent a clear message to Tehran that the sanctions won't be lifted. It will have to first comply with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal and stop the enrichment of uranium. So, for now, Biden is keeping the Trump-era sanctions on Iran.

Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei has rejected Biden's demand. "If they want Iran to return to its JCPOA commitments, America must completely lift sanctions, and not just in words or on paper," he said. "They must be lifted in action, and then we will verify and see if they have been properly lifted, and then return to these JCPOA commitments. This is the Islamic republic's definite policy." After that, he tweeted "The post-U.S. era has started"

This is a clear message to Washington that Khamenei wants the US to come to the table first.

West Asia remains a quagmire for America and Biden's first steps on Saudi Arabia won't make his job any easier.

Last week Biden put Saudi Arabia on notice. He declared the war in Yemen a “humanitarian and strategic catastrophe” and withdrew America's support to the Saudi-led coalition, meaning America will no longer support the Saudi offensive in Yemen, an end to the military aid, curbs on weapons supplies.

Reports say America could cut off supplies of munitions and spare parts to Saudi Arabia, stop maintaining the aircraft of the Saudi Air Force and limit sharing military advice. The US has also moved to de-list the Houthi rebels in Yemen as a terrorist organisation. Saudi Arabia has led a military intervention against the Houthis since 2015.

This is quite a shake-up after Trump's very successful peace deals between the Arabs and the Israelis.

The world likes Joe Biden, but it is losing faith in America. These are the findings of a poll conducted in 12 countries in December 2020 — Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey and the United States.

The world likes Joe Biden, but it is losing faith in America. These are the findings of a poll conducted in 12 countries in December 2020 — Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey and the United States. Respondents in these countries say they support Joe Biden, but they don't trust America's ability to deliver. Another poll was conducted in Europe and they found that Biden's popularity or acceptability is undermined by pessimism against the US. Europeans believe the US Political system is broken and the world cannot rely on Washington to protect allies. Recent decisions offer some clues into Biden's thinking and they also offer insights into the problems Biden is not thinking about such as Afghanistan — no clear statement on America's longest-ever war. Biden wants to remain tough on China. Recently, the US President gave his first interview. He described the Chinese president Xi Jinping as "He's very bright. He's very tough. He doesn't have — and I don't mean it as a criticism, just the reality — he doesn't have a democratic, small bone in his body. But he is the question is, I've said to him all along, that we need to not have a conflict. But there's going to be extreme competition. And I'm not going to do it the way that he knows." Two takeaways from that statement are that America isn't looking for a conflict with China but it does fear "extreme competition". Second, America wants to stop China from forcing its authoritarianism on the world. The question is how do you do that with a country like China without a conflict? America's new secretary of state, Antony Blinken has said something similar. He had his first call with his counterpart in China and it wasn't pleasant. Blinken was quite straightforward. He told China that the US will hold Beijing accountable for its abuses in the international system and for its efforts to threaten stability in the Indo-pacific. During the call, Blinken said the US wants to raise issues of human rights in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. Blinken pressed China to condemn the military coup in Myanmar. Obviously, China won't take all of this lying down. So, it blamed America for the breakdown in their relationship and asking it to "strictly" follow the one-China policy on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. Not surprisingly, China refused to recognise the indo-pacific as well. The Chinese statement uses the phrase "Asia pacific" instead. Where does team Biden stand on India? The American president didn't mention India in his speech last week but the Biden administration has dropped some hints mostly on the quad — the quadrilateral alliance of India, the US, Japan and Australia. Reports say the US Has proposed a quad summit — an online meeting with the leaders of Australia, Japan and India. America's national security adviser Jack Sullivan issued a statement last week, saying the quad is "Fundamental, a foundation upon which to build substantial American policy in the indo-pacific region". New Delhi has something to look forward to here, but it must also prepare for scrutiny especially on the issue of the farmer protests. What about Iran? President Biden has sent a clear message to Tehran that the sanctions won't be lifted. It will have to first comply with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal and stop the enrichment of uranium. So, for now, Biden is keeping the Trump-era sanctions on Iran. Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei has rejected Biden's demand. "If they want Iran to return to its JCPOA commitments, America must completely lift sanctions, and not just in words or on paper," he said. "They must be lifted in action, and then we will verify and see if they have been properly lifted, and then return to these JCPOA commitments. This is the Islamic republic's definite policy." After that, he tweeted "The post-U.S. era has started" This is a clear message to Washington that Khamenei wants the US to come to the table first. West Asia remains a quagmire for America and Biden's first steps on Saudi Arabia won't make his job any easier. Last week Biden put Saudi Arabia on notice. He declared the war in Yemen a “humanitarian and strategic catastrophe” and withdrew America's support to the Saudi-led coalition, meaning America will no longer support the Saudi offensive in Yemen, an end to the military aid, curbs on weapons supplies. Reports say America could cut off supplies of munitions and spare parts to Saudi Arabia, stop maintaining the aircraft of the Saudi Air Force and limit sharing military advice. The US has also moved to de-list the Houthi rebels in Yemen as a terrorist organisation. Saudi Arabia has led a military intervention against the Houthis since 2015. This is quite a shake-up after Trump's very successful peace deals between the Arabs and the Israelis.

As Joe Biden takes over the US, does the world trust him?

For decades the US-dominated the world politically, diplomatically, economically, culturally and scientifically. America's influence was unmatched in every way possible...

It was called the most powerful nation since imperial Rome, one that was stronger than any likely combination of other nations, the world's tallest buildings were in America. The world's biggest factories were American and so was the biggest movie industry, the best health-care system, and the best law and order. Cut to 2021 and America's share in the global pie is much smaller, the playing field has levelled, the tallest buildings are in Dubai, the biggest factories are Chinese and the biggest movie industry is Indian.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-can-biden-reclaim-americas-place-in-the-world-362274/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

America's health-care system is in a sorry state as India is vaccinating the world. There's a breakdown of law and order. America is grappling with political unrest and racial divide. The US now looks similar to the countries it once tried to liberate and it is no longer in a position to impose its views, interests and values on the world.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-joe-biden-takes-over-the-us-does-the-world-trust-him-362269">As Joe Biden takes over the US, does the world trust him?</a>

The US President, Joe Biden, said, "America is back. America is back". That may not be completely true as the world order has changed since the Democrats were last in power. There are too many challenges at home for the Biden administration to take a lead on global issues.

America remains the worst-hit nation due to COVID-19 with 27 million cases and counting, and over 460,000 deaths and counting. Schools are yet to reopen in many states. Vaccines are not reaching the minority communities even as the UK variant is spreading rapidly.

A new study says the mutated virus is doubling every 10 days and could become America's dominant strain by March potentially driving up the number of cases and causing more deaths.&nbsp;

American politics is beyond the point of repair. The Republicans are rallying behind Trump, dismissing the impeachment as a waste of time. The Democrats have not wavered, they won't rest until Trump is convicted. This ceaseless political war is hampering legislation. The Republicans say their freedoms are being taken away.

"We have Nancy Pelosi leading the democrats in congress to do whatever they want. They don't care what Republicans have to say. They don't care about what our districts and our voters have to say. They only care about pushing their socialist agenda through. They only care about taking away our freedoms. That's not right," said Republican US Representative from Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Americans have become deeply distrustful of one another as they disagree with each other's beliefs, policies and plans. In a poll conducted by the Associated Press, 85 per cent of registered voters described Americans as being deeply divided in their values and only 15 per cent said that democracy was working.

In yet another poll conducted by CBS News in January this year, 54 per cent said that the biggest threat to America wasn't economic collapse, natural disasters or foreign interference, but America's own citizens. This difference in ideologies reflects in the racial divide.

Joe Biden is promising to make America diverse again, but it will take time to undo the impact of Donald Trump's presidency.

According to Kaiser health news analysis, the vaccination rates among black Americans are significantly lower than that of white Americans. In Indiana, 85.8 per cent of the vaccinated population is white and only 4 per cent are blacks. In Tennessee, 68.15 per cent are whites, 6.7 per cent are blacks and in Florida 63.7 per cent are whites and only 4.9 per cent are blacks.

Researches blame limited access and mistreatment of the black community in health-care for this disparity.

While Biden claims "America is back", that may not be true, nd the country is in fact in a state of decline. Joe Biden will have to clean the mess in his own backyard first before he embarks on his self-righteous promise of making the world better.

For decades the US-dominated the world politically, diplomatically, economically, culturally and scientifically. America's influence was unmatched in every way possible.

For decades the US-dominated the world politically, diplomatically, economically, culturally and scientifically. America's influence was unmatched in every way possible... It was called the most powerful nation since imperial Rome, one that was stronger than any likely combination of other nations, the world's tallest buildings were in America. The world's biggest factories were American and so was the biggest movie industry, the best health-care system, and the best law and order. Cut to 2021 and America's share in the global pie is much smaller, the playing field has levelled, the tallest buildings are in Dubai, the biggest factories are Chinese and the biggest movie industry is Indian. America's health-care system is in a sorry state as India is vaccinating the world. There's a breakdown of law and order. America is grappling with political unrest and racial divide. The US now looks similar to the countries it once tried to liberate and it is no longer in a position to impose its views, interests and values on the world. Also read| As Joe Biden takes over the US, does the world trust him? The US President, Joe Biden, said, "America is back. America is back". That may not be completely true as the world order has changed since the Democrats were last in power. There are too many challenges at home for the Biden administration to take a lead on global issues. America remains the worst-hit nation due to COVID-19 with 27 million cases and counting, and over 460,000 deaths and counting. Schools are yet to reopen in many states. Vaccines are not reaching the minority communities even as the UK variant is spreading rapidly. A new study says the mutated virus is doubling every 10 days and could become America's dominant strain by March potentially driving up the number of cases and causing more deaths. American politics is beyond the point of repair. The Republicans are rallying behind Trump, dismissing the impeachment as a waste of time. The Democrats have not wavered, they won't rest until Trump is convicted. This ceaseless political war is hampering legislation. The Republicans say their freedoms are being taken away. "We have Nancy Pelosi leading the democrats in congress to do whatever they want. They don't care what Republicans have to say. They don't care about what our districts and our voters have to say. They only care about pushing their socialist agenda through. They only care about taking away our freedoms. That's not right," said Republican US Representative from Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene. Americans have become deeply distrustful of one another as they disagree with each other's beliefs, policies and plans. In a poll conducted by the Associated Press, 85 per cent of registered voters described Americans as being deeply divided in their values and only 15 per cent said that democracy was working. In yet another poll conducted by CBS News in January this year, 54 per cent said that the biggest threat to America wasn't economic collapse, natural disasters or foreign interference, but America's own citizens. This difference in ideologies reflects in the racial divide. Joe Biden is promising to make America diverse again, but it will take time to undo the impact of Donald Trump's presidency. According to Kaiser health news analysis, the vaccination rates among black Americans are significantly lower than that of white Americans. In Indiana, 85.8 per cent of the vaccinated population is white and only 4 per cent are blacks. In Tennessee, 68.15 per cent are whites, 6.7 per cent are blacks and in Florida 63.7 per cent are whites and only 4.9 per cent are blacks. Researches blame limited access and mistreatment of the black community in health-care for this disparity. While Biden claims "America is back", that may not be true, nd the country is in fact in a state of decline. Joe Biden will have to clean the mess in his own backyard first before he embarks on his self-righteous promise of making the world better.

Joe Biden's 'America is back' falls short of real action

Ever since Joe Biden came to power, it has become fashionable for some to claim that the Indian government will face some pushback on its internal affairs. However, America is not in a position to do any such thing.

Being a seasoned politician, Joe Biden knows better than offending India. The Indian diaspora in the US has become quite affluent and influential. Indian-Americans funded Biden's campaign and now at least 20 Indian-Americans are part of the White House team.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-bidens-america-is-back-falls-short-of-real-action-362271" hreflang="en">Joe Biden's 'America is back' falls short of real action</a>

Also, the geopolitical realities have changed since the Obama era. Today, India is a leading global force and enjoys strong bipartisan support across the world. India sits at the high table of the United Nations Security Council. In fact, just three days back, India played a key role in shaping the UNSC statement on Myanmar.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-can-america-dictate-terms-to-india-362286/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In addition to this, India's vaccine diplomacy spreads as far as Latin America as New Delhi is supplying vaccines to countries such as Brazil and Mexico.&nbsp;

There's a congruence of interests on the diplomatic front as India and America are on the same page when it comes to Taiwan and China. India is America's strategic counter to Chinese aggression. The quad countries are already arranging a meeting of their leaders with an eye on China. India is the only quad member that shares a land border with China and operates outside of the US Security-led alliances.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-joe-biden-takes-over-the-us-does-the-world-trust-him-362269">As Joe Biden takes over the US, does the world trust him?</a>

America would think twice before interfering in India's internal affairs just as India has steered clear of interfering in America's. However, there's no guarantee that Joe Biden will be as tough on China as Donald Trump. It could be mere political compulsion, given the kind of narrative Trump had built in the last four years.

Considering, Biden is a seasoned politician, he is likely to seek more avenues of cooperation than actively stoke more conflicts with China — something Biden suggested in his first diplomatic address.

"We'll confront China's economic abuses, counter its aggressive course of action to push back on China's attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance. But we are ready to work with Beijing when it's in America's interest to do so," Biden said. "We are ready to work with Beijing when it's in America's interest to do so."

this shows that Biden won't deal with China as Trump did. In his back pocket, he has a longstanding relationship with Xi Jinping. In a recent interview, he noted that he had spent more time with Xi than most world leaders. He said, "I had 24 to 25 hours of private meetings with him when I was Vice President. Traveled 17,000 miles with him. I know him pretty well".

India's relationship with America hinges strongly on how Joe Biden deals with China.&nbsp;

Russia

Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a law aimed at pushing back Russian influence. Under this act, the US has sanctioned Turkey for buying the S-400 missile defence system from Russia. Remember, India too has ordered the S-400 systems from Russia. In fact, India is Russia's largest defence customer.

The Trump administration limited itself to 'expressing displeasure', but the question is whether Joe Biden will do the same or will he use CAATSA against India — a major potential defence buyer and a clear strategic partner. There's no guarantee, although he cannot really afford to irk India with sanctions.

So the bottom line is that the current geopolitical chessboard is complex and India has strategically positioned itself in this game. The Biden administration will have to find a way to work with India, the odd statements to appease Biden's domestic vote bank, notwithstanding.

Ever since Joe Biden came to power, it has become fashionable for some to claim that the Indian government will face some pushback on its internal affairs. However, America is not in a position to do any such thing.

Ever since Joe Biden came to power, it has become fashionable for some to claim that the Indian government will face some pushback on its internal affairs. However, America is not in a position to do any such thing. Being a seasoned politician, Joe Biden knows better than offending India. The Indian diaspora in the US has become quite affluent and influential. Indian-Americans funded Biden's campaign and now at least 20 Indian-Americans are part of the White House team. Also read| Joe Biden's 'America is back' falls short of real action Also, the geopolitical realities have changed since the Obama era. Today, India is a leading global force and enjoys strong bipartisan support across the world. India sits at the high table of the United Nations Security Council. In fact, just three days back, India played a key role in shaping the UNSC statement on Myanmar. In addition to this, India's vaccine diplomacy spreads as far as Latin America as New Delhi is supplying vaccines to countries such as Brazil and Mexico. There's a congruence of interests on the diplomatic front as India and America are on the same page when it comes to Taiwan and China. India is America's strategic counter to Chinese aggression. The quad countries are already arranging a meeting of their leaders with an eye on China. India is the only quad member that shares a land border with China and operates outside of the US Security-led alliances. Also read| As Joe Biden takes over the US, does the world trust him? America would think twice before interfering in India's internal affairs just as India has steered clear of interfering in America's. However, there's no guarantee that Joe Biden will be as tough on China as Donald Trump. It could be mere political compulsion, given the kind of narrative Trump had built in the last four years. Considering, Biden is a seasoned politician, he is likely to seek more avenues of cooperation than actively stoke more conflicts with China — something Biden suggested in his first diplomatic address. "We'll confront China's economic abuses, counter its aggressive course of action to push back on China's attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance. But we are ready to work with Beijing when it's in America's interest to do so," Biden said. "We are ready to work with Beijing when it's in America's interest to do so." this shows that Biden won't deal with China as Trump did. In his back pocket, he has a longstanding relationship with Xi Jinping. In a recent interview, he noted that he had spent more time with Xi than most world leaders. He said, "I had 24 to 25 hours of private meetings with him when I was Vice President. Traveled 17,000 miles with him. I know him pretty well". India's relationship with America hinges strongly on how Joe Biden deals with China. Russia Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a law aimed at pushing back Russian influence. Under this act, the US has sanctioned Turkey for buying the S-400 missile defence system from Russia. Remember, India too has ordered the S-400 systems from Russia. In fact, India is Russia's largest defence customer. The Trump administration limited itself to 'expressing displeasure', but the question is whether Joe Biden will do the same or will he use CAATSA against India — a major potential defence buyer and a clear strategic partner. There's no guarantee, although he cannot really afford to irk India with sanctions. So the bottom line is that the current geopolitical chessboard is complex and India has strategically positioned itself in this game. The Biden administration will have to find a way to work with India, the odd statements to appease Biden's domestic vote bank, notwithstanding.

With Biden's dreams for America, will the US-India ties change?

For decades America dominated the world, but today America's share in the global pie is much smaller. Is the U.S. in any position to impose its views & interests on the world?

Gravitas: Has the post-American era arrived?

A survey found that Joe Biden is popular across much of the world. But international trust in the US is low. Recent moves on China, India, Iran & Saudi Arabia offer clues to what Biden could do to restore trust in American leadership.

Gravitas: Can Biden reclaim America's place in the world?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President Joe Biden discussed an open& free Indo-pacific, COVID-19 pandemic, climate change on a phone call. This was the first conversation between the two leaders after Biden's inauguration,

Modi & Biden discuss Indo-pacific, Quad & COVID on a phone call

Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi</a> and the newly-elected US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> spoke to each other on Monday. This is the first conversation between the two leaders&nbsp;since Biden took charge as the US President last month.

In a tweet, Modi said he conveyed "best wishes for his success" and "discussed regional issues and our shared priorities", with a focus on "co-operation against climate change".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-bidens-dreams-for-america-will-the-us-india-ties-change-362282" hreflang="en">With Biden's dreams for America, will the US-India ties change?</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> and conveyed my best wishes for his success. We discussed regional issues and our shared priorities. We also agreed to further our co-operation against climate change.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1358831326602817537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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He also said that both sides are "committed to a rules-based international order" and are looking&nbsp;"forward to consolidating our strategic partnership" to "further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-along-with-the-world-awaits-who-probe-report-on-origin-of-coronavirus-362275" hreflang="en">Joe Biden, along with the world, awaits WHO probe report on origin of coronavirus</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> and I are committed to a rules-based international order. We look forward to consolidating our strategic partnership to further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1358831328263741441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In November, after the US election results, both sides had spoken to each other and discussed cooperation on the coronavirus&nbsp;pandemic, its economic impact, and Indo-Pacific. The Defence, External Affairs/secretary of state counterparts and National Security Advisors of both countries have already spoken to each other.&nbsp;

Biden has been a supporter of close New Delhi-Washington ties, in his capacity as a senator and the Vice President. In August 2001, Joe Biden had written a letter to the then-President George W. Bush calling on the new administration to drop US sanctions against India and during his tenure as the Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he worked towards the US Senate’s approval of US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement in 2008.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the newly-elected US President Joe Biden spoke to each other on Monday. This is the first conversation between the two leaders since Biden took charge as the US President last month.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the newly-elected US President Joe Biden spoke to each other on Monday. This is the first conversation between the two leaders since Biden took charge as the US President last month. In a tweet, Modi said he conveyed "best wishes for his success" and "discussed regional issues and our shared priorities", with a focus on "co-operation against climate change". Also read| With Biden's dreams for America, will the US-India ties change? Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden and conveyed my best wishes for his success. We discussed regional issues and our shared priorities. We also agreed to further our co-operation against climate change. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2021 × He also said that both sides are "committed to a rules-based international order" and are looking "forward to consolidating our strategic partnership" to "further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond." Also read| Joe Biden, along with the world, awaits WHO probe report on origin of coronavirus President @JoeBiden and I are committed to a rules-based international order. We look forward to consolidating our strategic partnership to further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. @POTUS — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2021 × In November, after the US election results, both sides had spoken to each other and discussed cooperation on the coronavirus pandemic, its economic impact, and Indo-Pacific. The Defence, External Affairs/secretary of state counterparts and National Security Advisors of both countries have already spoken to each other. Biden has been a supporter of close New Delhi-Washington ties, in his capacity as a senator and the Vice President. In August 2001, Joe Biden had written a letter to the then-President George W. Bush calling on the new administration to drop US sanctions against India and during his tenure as the Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he worked towards the US Senate’s approval of US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement in 2008.

Modi speaks to Biden for first time since US inaugural ceremony

A team of investigators led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that visited Wuhan in the search for clues about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to leave China on Wednesday (February 10).

But before that, it is expected to hold a press conference to silence its critics.

Even before the investigation began, this team has been at the receiving end of global criticism -- especially when the world found out how China has been dictating the terms for the probe.

And how the investigators were depending on data shared by Chinese authorities.

A week ago, new US President Joe Biden also expressed doubts over the probe. And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Beijing hasn't been forthcoming.

The Biden administration has declared it will not accept the investigation report on face value, and will evaluate the facts with allies.

The WHO has taken strong offence to America's stand.

Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO health emergencies programme, said, "Many people externally are making references to the fact that they won't accept the report when it comes out or the report is already not a report they will accept or that there's other intelligence available that may show different findings."

"If you have the answers, if you think you have some answers, please let us know. We have had this here before, at this very press conference, people making allusions to intelligence that was available that had the answers - that was never provided."

That message was for the US -- a demand to share any contradictory proof -- even when the WHO team is itself not confident of finding any answers anytime soon.

Microbiologist and infectious disease expert Dominic Dwyer is also in Wuhan. He is a member of the WHO probe team.

Dwyer believes it could take years before the world gets any answers about the origins of the virus.

"So, you know, there's short term things, which is reviewing really what we know right now and bringing all that data together, and then there's going to be a series of sort of longer term projects, as I said this could take some years."

What can we say? Only time will tell.

A team of investigators led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that visited Wuhan in the search for clues about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to leave China on Wednesday (February 10).

A team of investigators led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that visited Wuhan in the search for clues about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to leave China on Wednesday (February 10). But before that, it is expected to hold a press conference to silence its critics. Even before the investigation began, this team has been at the receiving end of global criticism -- especially when the world found out how China has been dictating the terms for the probe. And how the investigators were depending on data shared by Chinese authorities. A week ago, new US President Joe Biden also expressed doubts over the probe. And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Beijing hasn't been forthcoming. The Biden administration has declared it will not accept the investigation report on face value, and will evaluate the facts with allies. The WHO has taken strong offence to America's stand. Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO health emergencies programme, said, "Many people externally are making references to the fact that they won't accept the report when it comes out or the report is already not a report they will accept or that there's other intelligence available that may show different findings." "If you have the answers, if you think you have some answers, please let us know. We have had this here before, at this very press conference, people making allusions to intelligence that was available that had the answers - that was never provided." That message was for the US -- a demand to share any contradictory proof -- even when the WHO team is itself not confident of finding any answers anytime soon. Microbiologist and infectious disease expert Dominic Dwyer is also in Wuhan. He is a member of the WHO probe team. Dwyer believes it could take years before the world gets any answers about the origins of the virus. "So, you know, there's short term things, which is reviewing really what we know right now and bringing all that data together, and then there's going to be a series of sort of longer term projects, as I said this could take some years." What can we say? Only time will tell.

Joe Biden, along with the world, awaits WHO probe report on origin of coronavirus

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