US President Joe Biden said he will not lift the economic sanctions against Iran until he complies with the terms agreed to under the 2015 nuclear deal.

US President Joe Biden says 'no' to unilaterally lifting sanctions against Iran

As of Sunday morning the United States has administered 41,210,937 doses of COVID-19 vaccines and distributed 59,307,800 doses

Biden says challenging for U.S. to reach herd immunity by summer's end

The Biden administration said on Saturday it was immediately suspending&nbsp;Trump-era asylum agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, that restricted the ability of people to seek asylum at the southwest border, part of a broad effort to undo the&nbsp;immigration&nbsp;policies of President&nbsp;Donald Trump.

In a statement, State Department Secretary Antony Blinken said the United States had "suspended and initiated the process to terminate the Asylum Cooperative Agreements with the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras as the first concrete steps on the path to greater partnership and collaboration in the region laid out by President Biden."

The so-called "safe third country" agreements, inked in 2019 by the&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;administration and the Central American nations, force asylum seekers from the region to first seek refuge in those countries before applying in the United States.

Part of a controversial bid by&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;to crack down on illegal immigrants from Central America who make up a large part of migrants apprehended at the US-Mexico border, the policies were never implemented with El Salvador and Honduras, the State Department said on Saturday.

Transfers under the US-Guatemala agreement have been paused since mid-March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the statement added.

The moves announced Saturday came after Biden unveiled a host of measures last week aimed at revamping the US&nbsp;immigration system, including a task force to reunite families separated at the United States-Mexico border and another to increase an annual cap on refugees.

One of the orders called for Blinken to "promptly consider" whether to notify the governments of the three countries that the United States intended to suspend and terminate the safe third country deals. It also called on the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to determine whether to rescind a rule implementing the agreements.

The Biden administration said on Saturday it was immediately suspending Trump-era asylum agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, that restricted the ability of people to seek asylum at the southwest border, part of a broad effort to undo the immigration policies of President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration said on Saturday it was immediately suspending Trump-era asylum agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, that restricted the ability of people to seek asylum at the southwest border, part of a broad effort to undo the immigration policies of President Donald Trump. In a statement, State Department Secretary Antony Blinken said the United States had "suspended and initiated the process to terminate the Asylum Cooperative Agreements with the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras as the first concrete steps on the path to greater partnership and collaboration in the region laid out by President Biden." The so-called "safe third country" agreements, inked in 2019 by the Trump administration and the Central American nations, force asylum seekers from the region to first seek refuge in those countries before applying in the United States. Part of a controversial bid by Trump to crack down on illegal immigrants from Central America who make up a large part of migrants apprehended at the US-Mexico border, the policies were never implemented with El Salvador and Honduras, the State Department said on Saturday. Transfers under the US-Guatemala agreement have been paused since mid-March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the statement added. The moves announced Saturday came after Biden unveiled a host of measures last week aimed at revamping the US immigration system, including a task force to reunite families separated at the United States-Mexico border and another to increase an annual cap on refugees. One of the orders called for Blinken to "promptly consider" whether to notify the governments of the three countries that the United States intended to suspend and terminate the safe third country deals. It also called on the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to determine whether to rescind a rule implementing the agreements.

Biden withdraws Trump asylum deals with three Central American countries

Joe Biden, in his election campaign, made an impassioned case to undo every wrong his Republican predecessor had done, and won over America quite convincingly. And, now when he has successfully donned the hat of the US president, he has impeccably taken on the challenges.

So when China thought it had a chance, or Iran -- for that matter -- said it would only return to its nuclear commitments, when US lifts the sanctions, Biden surprised them.

Biden, on a CBS interview aired Sunday, said the US rivalry with China would most likely take the form of "extreme competition" rather than conflict between the two world powers.

He added he has not spoken with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping since he became US president.

"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 D, bone in his body," Biden said.

When asked about Iran's condition to resume nuclear commitments, Biden offered a clear reply: "No."

He said he won't lift sanctions against Tehran as long as the Islamic republic is not adhering to its nuclear deal commitments.&nbsp;

The journalist then asked if the Iranians would first have to stop enriching uranium, which drew an affirmative nod from Biden.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-wont-resume-nuclear-commitments-until-us-lifts-sanctions-361956">Also read |&nbsp;Iran says won't resume nuclear commitments until US lifts sanctions</a>

Former US president Donald Trump exited the nuclear accord between Iran and six powers in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Iran a year later suspended its compliance with most key nuclear commitments to the deal.

The Biden administration has expressed willingness to return to the deal, but insisted that Tehran first resume full compliance.

On January 4, Iran announced it has stepped up its uranium enrichment process to 20 per cent purity, far above the 3.67 per cent level permitted by the deal, but far below the amount required for an atomic bomb. 
&nbsp;

Joe Biden, in his election campaign, made an impassioned case to undo every wrong his Republican predecessor had done, and won over America quite convincingly. And, now when he has successfully donned the hat of the US president, he has impeccably taken on the challenges.

Joe Biden, in his election campaign, made an impassioned case to undo every wrong his Republican predecessor had done, and won over America quite convincingly. And, now when he has successfully donned the hat of the US president, he has impeccably taken on the challenges. So when China thought it had a chance, or Iran -- for that matter -- said it would only return to its nuclear commitments, when US lifts the sanctions, Biden surprised them. Biden, on a CBS interview aired Sunday, said the US rivalry with China would most likely take the form of "extreme competition" rather than conflict between the two world powers. He added he has not spoken with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping since he became US president. "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 D, bone in his body," Biden said. When asked about Iran's condition to resume nuclear commitments, Biden offered a clear reply: "No." He said he won't lift sanctions against Tehran as long as the Islamic republic is not adhering to its nuclear deal commitments. The journalist then asked if the Iranians would first have to stop enriching uranium, which drew an affirmative nod from Biden. Also read | Iran says won't resume nuclear commitments until US lifts sanctions Former US president Donald Trump exited the nuclear accord between Iran and six powers in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Iran a year later suspended its compliance with most key nuclear commitments to the deal. The Biden administration has expressed willingness to return to the deal, but insisted that Tehran first resume full compliance. On January 4, Iran announced it has stepped up its uranium enrichment process to 20 per cent purity, far above the 3.67 per cent level permitted by the deal, but far below the amount required for an atomic bomb.

Biden on fire: New US president takes on China, Iran

A veteran CIA analyst who had led President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a> in-person briefings in the opening days of the administration is no longer doing so, intelligence officials said Saturday.

The duties of the briefer typically included coordinating work across 18 intelligence agencies, in what is known as mission integration, and overseeing the assembly of the written intelligence document delivered to the White House each day. In a shift from previous administrations, the job of leading the in-person briefing will be distinct from the other responsibilities and divided among various people.

The veteran analyst, Morgan Muir, is still set to take over as director of mission integration, a top post in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, succeeding Beth Sanner, who was the lead briefer for President Donald Trump. As director of mission integration, Muir will put together what is known as the President’s Daily Brief, or PDB, from various reports from across the intelligence community, but he will no longer lead the in-person briefings.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-should-not-receive-intelligence-briefings-joe-biden-feels-361686" hreflang="en">Donald Trump should not receive intelligence briefings, Joe Biden feels</a>

In his new role, Muir will oversee the agency’s efforts to integrate the intelligence community’s activities “from collection to analysis, including the interagency PDB process,” said Amanda Schoch, the spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

The appointment of Muir as Biden’s briefer last month was unusual because it was his second tour in that job, the only time someone had returned to the post under a new administration. He had served as one of George W. Bush’s briefers midway through his presidency.

Former presidents, too, continue to receive briefings, though they are different from the classified one that a sitting president is given daily. Still, it is provided partly as a courtesy and partly for the instances in which a sitting president reaches out for advice. The team of CIA analysts who would brief a former president is not the same team who would brief a current president.

The question of whether <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump?page=1">Trump</a> should continue to get briefings has been raised in recent days. On Friday, Biden told CBS that there was “no need” for the former president to receive briefings, citing his “erratic” behavior. But a day later, the White House clarified those comments.

“The president was expressing his concern about former president Trump receiving access to sensitive intelligence,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in a statement, “but he also has deep trust in his own intelligence team to make a determination about how to provide intelligence information if at any point the former president Trump requests a briefing.”

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-us-presidents-intelligence-briefing-is-and-why-biden-wants-trump-out-of-loop-361778" hreflang="en">What US President's intelligence briefing is and why Biden wants Trump out of loop</a>

On Saturday night, the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment clarifying whether Trump had asked for briefings.

The New York Times earlier reported that Muir was set to become the lead briefer, but at the time intelligence officials said that the director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, was still determining the final format of the briefing sessions and that additional briefers would work with Biden. Officials also said at the time that there had been no final decision about whether to split briefing duties from the broader responsibilities of the director of mission integration.

Some officials in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have long pushed to delegate those tasks to different people.

But in recent days, Haines decided to bring in a series of expert briefers to lead the sessions in the Oval Office, Schoch said. Haines continues to participate in those meetings.

On Saturday, BuzzFeed News reported that in 2013, Muir, then a senior CIA analyst, led a delegation from the agency in tense talks with Senate Intelligence Committee staff members putting together what would become the report on the agency’s torture program. The article quoted Daniel J. Jones, one of the lead committee staff members at the time, saying that, in private talks with Senate aides, Muir had defended the value of the CIA’s torture program.

In a statement, Jones said that Muir had provided “verifiably false information” to the committee that year. The CIA later acknowledged that Muir’s statements were wrong, Jones said.

“One would hope that type of professional failure would be, at the very least, disqualifying for any future leadership positions,” Jones said.

The Senate report issued in 2014, a sweeping indictment of the CIA, outlined abuses and torture by the agency in interrogating terrorism suspects in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks and a pattern of misleading Congress and the White House about it.

While the report remains a sore point with many former senior agency officials, who disagree with its conclusions and characterization, a number of senators have expressed frustration that some top agency officials continue to question the report.

After the publication of the BuzzFeed article, two intelligence officials insisted the criticism of Muir’s interactions with the Senate committee had nothing to do with the decision to change how Biden was being briefed.

Schoch said Haines remained “confident in Morgan’s steady leadership.”

“Morgan Muir is a widely respected intelligence officer who has demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and professionalism throughout his career,” Schoch said.

A veteran CIA analyst who had led President Joe Biden’s in-person briefings in the opening days of the administration is no longer doing so, intelligence officials said Saturday.

A veteran CIA analyst who had led President Joe Biden’s in-person briefings in the opening days of the administration is no longer doing so, intelligence officials said Saturday. The duties of the briefer typically included coordinating work across 18 intelligence agencies, in what is known as mission integration, and overseeing the assembly of the written intelligence document delivered to the White House each day. In a shift from previous administrations, the job of leading the in-person briefing will be distinct from the other responsibilities and divided among various people. The veteran analyst, Morgan Muir, is still set to take over as director of mission integration, a top post in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, succeeding Beth Sanner, who was the lead briefer for President Donald Trump. As director of mission integration, Muir will put together what is known as the President’s Daily Brief, or PDB, from various reports from across the intelligence community, but he will no longer lead the in-person briefings. Also read| Donald Trump should not receive intelligence briefings, Joe Biden feels In his new role, Muir will oversee the agency’s efforts to integrate the intelligence community’s activities “from collection to analysis, including the interagency PDB process,” said Amanda Schoch, the spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The appointment of Muir as Biden’s briefer last month was unusual because it was his second tour in that job, the only time someone had returned to the post under a new administration. He had served as one of George W. Bush’s briefers midway through his presidency. Former presidents, too, continue to receive briefings, though they are different from the classified one that a sitting president is given daily. Still, it is provided partly as a courtesy and partly for the instances in which a sitting president reaches out for advice. The team of CIA analysts who would brief a former president is not the same team who would brief a current president. The question of whether Trump should continue to get briefings has been raised in recent days. On Friday, Biden told CBS that there was “no need” for the former president to receive briefings, citing his “erratic” behavior. But a day later, the White House clarified those comments. “The president was expressing his concern about former president Trump receiving access to sensitive intelligence,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in a statement, “but he also has deep trust in his own intelligence team to make a determination about how to provide intelligence information if at any point the former president Trump requests a briefing.” Also read| What US President's intelligence briefing is and why Biden wants Trump out of loop On Saturday night, the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment clarifying whether Trump had asked for briefings. The New York Times earlier reported that Muir was set to become the lead briefer, but at the time intelligence officials said that the director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, was still determining the final format of the briefing sessions and that additional briefers would work with Biden. Officials also said at the time that there had been no final decision about whether to split briefing duties from the broader responsibilities of the director of mission integration. Some officials in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have long pushed to delegate those tasks to different people. But in recent days, Haines decided to bring in a series of expert briefers to lead the sessions in the Oval Office, Schoch said. Haines continues to participate in those meetings. On Saturday, BuzzFeed News reported that in 2013, Muir, then a senior CIA analyst, led a delegation from the agency in tense talks with Senate Intelligence Committee staff members putting together what would become the report on the agency’s torture program. The article quoted Daniel J. Jones, one of the lead committee staff members at the time, saying that, in private talks with Senate aides, Muir had defended the value of the CIA’s torture program. In a statement, Jones said that Muir had provided “verifiably false information” to the committee that year. The CIA later acknowledged that Muir’s statements were wrong, Jones said. “One would hope that type of professional failure would be, at the very least, disqualifying for any future leadership positions,” Jones said. The Senate report issued in 2014, a sweeping indictment of the CIA, outlined abuses and torture by the agency in interrogating terrorism suspects in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks and a pattern of misleading Congress and the White House about it. While the report remains a sore point with many former senior agency officials, who disagree with its conclusions and characterization, a number of senators have expressed frustration that some top agency officials continue to question the report. After the publication of the BuzzFeed article, two intelligence officials insisted the criticism of Muir’s interactions with the Senate committee had nothing to do with the decision to change how Biden was being briefed. Schoch said Haines remained “confident in Morgan’s steady leadership.” “Morgan Muir is a widely respected intelligence officer who has demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and professionalism throughout his career,” Schoch said.

Rotating group of analysts to provide Biden security briefs

In just a few weeks, lawsuits and legal threats from a pair of obscure election technology companies have achieved what years of advertising boycotts, public pressure campaigns and liberal outrage could not: curbing the flow of misinformation in right-wing media.

Fox Business canceled its highest-rated show, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” Friday after its host was sued as part of a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit. On Tuesday, the pro-Trump cable channel Newsmax cut off a guest’s rant about rigged voting machines. Fox News, which seldom bows to critics, has run fact-checking segments to debunk its own anchors’ false claims about electoral fraud.

This is not the typical playbook for right-wing media, which prides itself on pugilism and delights in ignoring the liberals who have long complained about its content. But conservative outlets have rarely faced this level of direct assault on their economic lifeblood.

Smartmatic, a voter technology firm swept up in conspiracies spread by former President Donald Trump and his allies, filed its defamation suit against Rupert Murdoch’s Fox empire Thursday, citing Dobbs and two other Fox anchors, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro, for harming its business and reputation.

Dominion Voting Systems, another company that Trump has accused of rigging votes, filed defamation suits last month against two of the former president’s lawyers, Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, on similar grounds. Both firms have signaled that more lawsuits may be imminent.

Litigation represents a new front in the war against misinformation, a scourge that has reshaped U.S. politics, deprived citizens of common facts and paved the way for the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Fox News, for instance, paid millions last year to settle a claim from the family of a murdered Democratic National Committee staff member falsely accused by Fox hosts of leaking emails to WikiLeaks.

But the use of defamation suits has also raised uneasy questions about how to police a news media that counts on First Amendment protections — even as some conservative outlets advanced Trump’s lies and eroded public faith in the democratic process.

“If you had asked me 15 years, five years ago, whether I would ever have gotten involved in a defamation case, I would have told you no,” said Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer who is representing Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, and writer E. Jean Carroll in defamation suits against the former president.

Like other prominent liberals in her profession, Kaplan had long considered defamation suits a way for the wealthy and powerful to try to silence their critics. Last year, Trump’s campaign sued multiple news organizations for coverage that the president deemed unfavorable or unfair. Technology billionaire Peter Thiel bankrolled Hulk Hogan’s suit against gossip blog Gawker that ultimately bankrupted the business.

“What’s changed,” Kaplan said, “and we’ve all seen it happen before our eyes, is the fact that so many people out there, including people in positions of authority, are just willing to say anything, regardless of whether it has any relationship to the truth or not.”

Some First Amendment lawyers say that an axiom — the best antidote to bad speech is more speech — may no longer apply in a media landscape where misinformation can flood public discourse via countless channels, from cable news to the Facebook pages of family and friends.

“This shouldn’t be the way to govern speech in our country,” Kaplan said. “It’s not an efficient or productive way to promote truth-telling or quality journalistic standards through litigating in court. But I think it’s gotten to the point where the problem is so bad right now, there’s virtually no other way to do it.”

Trump’s rise is an inextricable part of this shift. His popularity boosted the profits and power of the right-wing commentators and media outlets that defended him. In November, when Trump cast doubt on the outcome of the presidential election despite no credible evidence, it made commercial and editorial sense for his media allies to follow his lead.

Newsmax anchor Greg Kelly refused to accept Joe Biden as president-elect and was rewarded with a surge in ratings. Fox News was more cautious — the network declared Biden the next president on Nov. 7 — but some Fox stars, including Dobbs, Bartiromo and Pirro, offered significant airtime to his lawyers, Giuliani and Powell, and others who pushed the outlandish election fraud narrative.

In one example cited in the 276-page complaint filed by Smartmatic, Dobbs’ program broadcast a false claim by Powell that Hugo Chávez, the former president of Venezuela, had been involved in creating the company’s technology and installed software so that votes could be switched undetected. (Chávez, who died in 2013, did not have anything to do with Smartmatic.)

Smartmatic also cited an episode of “Lou Dobbs Tonight” in which Giuliani falsely described the election as “stolen” and claimed that hundreds of thousands of “unlawful ballots” had been found. Dobbs described the election as the end to “a 4 1/2-year-long effort to overthrow the president of the United States” and raised the specter of outside interference.

“It has the feeling of a cover-up in certain places, you know — putting the servers in foreign countries, private companies,” Dobbs said.

Fox has promised to fight the litigation. “We are proud of our 2020 election coverage and will vigorously defend this meritless lawsuit in court,” the network said in a statement the day before it canceled Dobbs’ show.

Executives in conservative media argue that the Smartmatic lawsuit raises uncomfortable questions about how news organizations should present public figures: Powell was a conspiracist, but she was also the president’s lawyer. Should a media outlet be allowed to broadcast her claims?

“There’s a new standard created out of this that is very dangerous for all the cable channels,” Christopher Ruddy, the owner of Newsmax and a Trump confidant, said in an interview Saturday. “You have to fact-check everything public figures say, and you could be held libelous for what they say.” Ruddy contends that Newsmax presented a fair view of the claims about election fraud and voting technology companies.

Newsmax personnel, though, were made aware of the potential damage stemming from claims that appeared on their shows. In an extraordinary on-air moment Tuesday, Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder and a staunch Trump ally, began attacking Dominion — and was promptly cut off by a Newsmax anchor, Bob Sellers, who read a formal statement that Newsmax had accepted the election results “as legal and final.”

Fox executives revealed their own concerns in December after Smartmatic sent a letter signaling that litigation was imminent. Fox News and Fox Business ran an unusually stilted segment in which an election expert, Edward Perez, debunked conspiracy theories about voter fraud that had recently been aired on the networks. The segment ran on three programs — those hosted by Dobbs, Bartiromo and Pirro. (Newsmax, which also received a letter from Smartmatic, aired its own clarifications.)

This fear of liability has rippled into smaller corners of the right-wing media sphere. Giuliani, who hosts a show on New York radio station WABC, was caught by surprise Thursday when his employer aired a disclaimer during his show that distanced itself and its advertisers from Giuliani’s views.

“They got to warn you about me?” Giuliani asked his listeners, sounding incredulous. “Putting that on without telling me — not the right thing to do. Not the right thing to do at all.”

Yochai Benkler, a professor at Harvard Law School who studies disinformation and radicalization in U.S. politics, said that the president’s lies about the election had pushed pro-Trump outlets beyond the relatively lax standards applied to on-air commentators.

“The competitive dynamic in the right-wing outrage industry has forced them all over the rails,” Benkler said. “This is the first set of lawsuits that’s actually going to force them to internalize the cost of the damages they’re inflicting on democracy.”

Benkler called the Smartmatic suit “a useful corrective” — “it’s a tap on the brakes” — but he also urged restraint. “We have to be very cautious in our celebration of these lawsuits because the history of defamation is certainly one in which people in power try to slap down critics,” he said.

Martin Garbus, a veteran First Amendment lawyer, said he was personally repelled by the lies about the election propagated by Trump and his allies, but he also called the Smartmatic suit “very complicated.”

“Will lawsuits like this also be used in the future to attack groups whose politics I might be more sympathetic with?” he asked.

Garbus, who made his reputation in part by defending the speech rights of neo-Nazis and other hate groups, said that the growth of online sources for news and disinformation had made him question whether he might take on such cases today. He offered an example of a local neo-Nazi march.

Before social media, “it wouldn’t have made much of an echo,” Garbus said. “Now, if they say it, it’s all over the media, and somebody in Australia could blow up a mosque based on what somebody in New York says. It seems to me you have to reconsider the consequence of things.”

In just a few weeks, lawsuits and legal threats from a pair of obscure election technology companies have achieved what years of advertising boycotts, public pressure campaigns and liberal outrage could not: curbing the flow of misinformation in right-wing media.

In just a few weeks, lawsuits and legal threats from a pair of obscure election technology companies have achieved what years of advertising boycotts, public pressure campaigns and liberal outrage could not: curbing the flow of misinformation in right-wing media. Fox Business canceled its highest-rated show, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” Friday after its host was sued as part of a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit. On Tuesday, the pro-Trump cable channel Newsmax cut off a guest’s rant about rigged voting machines. Fox News, which seldom bows to critics, has run fact-checking segments to debunk its own anchors’ false claims about electoral fraud. This is not the typical playbook for right-wing media, which prides itself on pugilism and delights in ignoring the liberals who have long complained about its content. But conservative outlets have rarely faced this level of direct assault on their economic lifeblood. Smartmatic, a voter technology firm swept up in conspiracies spread by former President Donald Trump and his allies, filed its defamation suit against Rupert Murdoch’s Fox empire Thursday, citing Dobbs and two other Fox anchors, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro, for harming its business and reputation. Dominion Voting Systems, another company that Trump has accused of rigging votes, filed defamation suits last month against two of the former president’s lawyers, Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, on similar grounds. Both firms have signaled that more lawsuits may be imminent. Litigation represents a new front in the war against misinformation, a scourge that has reshaped U.S. politics, deprived citizens of common facts and paved the way for the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Fox News, for instance, paid millions last year to settle a claim from the family of a murdered Democratic National Committee staff member falsely accused by Fox hosts of leaking emails to WikiLeaks. But the use of defamation suits has also raised uneasy questions about how to police a news media that counts on First Amendment protections — even as some conservative outlets advanced Trump’s lies and eroded public faith in the democratic process. “If you had asked me 15 years, five years ago, whether I would ever have gotten involved in a defamation case, I would have told you no,” said Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer who is representing Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, and writer E. Jean Carroll in defamation suits against the former president. Like other prominent liberals in her profession, Kaplan had long considered defamation suits a way for the wealthy and powerful to try to silence their critics. Last year, Trump’s campaign sued multiple news organizations for coverage that the president deemed unfavorable or unfair. Technology billionaire Peter Thiel bankrolled Hulk Hogan’s suit against gossip blog Gawker that ultimately bankrupted the business. “What’s changed,” Kaplan said, “and we’ve all seen it happen before our eyes, is the fact that so many people out there, including people in positions of authority, are just willing to say anything, regardless of whether it has any relationship to the truth or not.” Some First Amendment lawyers say that an axiom — the best antidote to bad speech is more speech — may no longer apply in a media landscape where misinformation can flood public discourse via countless channels, from cable news to the Facebook pages of family and friends. “This shouldn’t be the way to govern speech in our country,” Kaplan said. “It’s not an efficient or productive way to promote truth-telling or quality journalistic standards through litigating in court. But I think it’s gotten to the point where the problem is so bad right now, there’s virtually no other way to do it.” Trump’s rise is an inextricable part of this shift. His popularity boosted the profits and power of the right-wing commentators and media outlets that defended him. In November, when Trump cast doubt on the outcome of the presidential election despite no credible evidence, it made commercial and editorial sense for his media allies to follow his lead. Newsmax anchor Greg Kelly refused to accept Joe Biden as president-elect and was rewarded with a surge in ratings. Fox News was more cautious — the network declared Biden the next president on Nov. 7 — but some Fox stars, including Dobbs, Bartiromo and Pirro, offered significant airtime to his lawyers, Giuliani and Powell, and others who pushed the outlandish election fraud narrative. In one example cited in the 276-page complaint filed by Smartmatic, Dobbs’ program broadcast a false claim by Powell that Hugo Chávez, the former president of Venezuela, had been involved in creating the company’s technology and installed software so that votes could be switched undetected. (Chávez, who died in 2013, did not have anything to do with Smartmatic.) Smartmatic also cited an episode of “Lou Dobbs Tonight” in which Giuliani falsely described the election as “stolen” and claimed that hundreds of thousands of “unlawful ballots” had been found. Dobbs described the election as the end to “a 4 1/2-year-long effort to overthrow the president of the United States” and raised the specter of outside interference. “It has the feeling of a cover-up in certain places, you know — putting the servers in foreign countries, private companies,” Dobbs said. Fox has promised to fight the litigation. “We are proud of our 2020 election coverage and will vigorously defend this meritless lawsuit in court,” the network said in a statement the day before it canceled Dobbs’ show. Executives in conservative media argue that the Smartmatic lawsuit raises uncomfortable questions about how news organizations should present public figures: Powell was a conspiracist, but she was also the president’s lawyer. Should a media outlet be allowed to broadcast her claims? “There’s a new standard created out of this that is very dangerous for all the cable channels,” Christopher Ruddy, the owner of Newsmax and a Trump confidant, said in an interview Saturday. “You have to fact-check everything public figures say, and you could be held libelous for what they say.” Ruddy contends that Newsmax presented a fair view of the claims about election fraud and voting technology companies. Newsmax personnel, though, were made aware of the potential damage stemming from claims that appeared on their shows. In an extraordinary on-air moment Tuesday, Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder and a staunch Trump ally, began attacking Dominion — and was promptly cut off by a Newsmax anchor, Bob Sellers, who read a formal statement that Newsmax had accepted the election results “as legal and final.” Fox executives revealed their own concerns in December after Smartmatic sent a letter signaling that litigation was imminent. Fox News and Fox Business ran an unusually stilted segment in which an election expert, Edward Perez, debunked conspiracy theories about voter fraud that had recently been aired on the networks. The segment ran on three programs — those hosted by Dobbs, Bartiromo and Pirro. (Newsmax, which also received a letter from Smartmatic, aired its own clarifications.) This fear of liability has rippled into smaller corners of the right-wing media sphere. Giuliani, who hosts a show on New York radio station WABC, was caught by surprise Thursday when his employer aired a disclaimer during his show that distanced itself and its advertisers from Giuliani’s views. “They got to warn you about me?” Giuliani asked his listeners, sounding incredulous. “Putting that on without telling me — not the right thing to do. Not the right thing to do at all.” Yochai Benkler, a professor at Harvard Law School who studies disinformation and radicalization in U.S. politics, said that the president’s lies about the election had pushed pro-Trump outlets beyond the relatively lax standards applied to on-air commentators. “The competitive dynamic in the right-wing outrage industry has forced them all over the rails,” Benkler said. “This is the first set of lawsuits that’s actually going to force them to internalize the cost of the damages they’re inflicting on democracy.” Benkler called the Smartmatic suit “a useful corrective” — “it’s a tap on the brakes” — but he also urged restraint. “We have to be very cautious in our celebration of these lawsuits because the history of defamation is certainly one in which people in power try to slap down critics,” he said. Martin Garbus, a veteran First Amendment lawyer, said he was personally repelled by the lies about the election propagated by Trump and his allies, but he also called the Smartmatic suit “very complicated.” “Will lawsuits like this also be used in the future to attack groups whose politics I might be more sympathetic with?” he asked. Garbus, who made his reputation in part by defending the speech rights of neo-Nazis and other hate groups, said that the growth of online sources for news and disinformation had made him question whether he might take on such cases today. He offered an example of a local neo-Nazi march. Before social media, “it wouldn’t have made much of an echo,” Garbus said. “Now, if they say it, it’s all over the media, and somebody in Australia could blow up a mosque based on what somebody in New York says. It seems to me you have to reconsider the consequence of things.”

Lawsuits take the lead in fight against disinformation

US President Joe Biden is reviving the practice of directly talking to the public in a weekly address. The President released video of a phone conversation that he had with a woman who was laid off due to COVID-19.

WION Fineprint: Biden revives practice of addressing the public weekly

Iran's foreign ministry said Saturday the US decision to end military support to a Saudi-led military coalition can help fix 'past mistakes', but falls short of a solution to Yemen's six-year war.

Regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran are on opposing sides of Yemen's conflict, with the former backing an internationally recognised government and the latter supporting the Huthi rebels.

"Stopping support ... for the Saudi coalition, if not a political manoeuvre, could be a step towards correcting past mistakes," state media quoted ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/yemen-houthis-say-end-of-terror-designation-a-step-towards-peace-361870" hreflang="en">Yemen Houthis say end of terror designation a 'step towards peace'</a>

But he added: "This alone won't solve&nbsp;Yemen's problem, and the air, sea and land blockade that killed thousands of people in the country due to a lack of food and medicine must be lifted, and the military attacks of the aggressor states led by Saudi Arabia must be ended".

US President Joe Biden had announced on Thursday that Washington was terminating all offensive support for Saudi Arabia in the war, including related arms sales to Riyadh, in stark contrast to former President Donald Trump's line.

Biden said on Thursday the more than six-year war, widely seen as a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, "has to end." He also named veteran US&nbsp;diplomat Timothy Lenderking as the US&nbsp;special envoy for&nbsp;Yemen&nbsp;in a bid to step up American diplomacy to try to end the war.

Iran's foreign ministry said Saturday the US decision to end military support to a Saudi-led military coalition can help fix 'past mistakes', but falls short of a solution to Yemen's six-year war.

Iran's foreign ministry said Saturday the US decision to end military support to a Saudi-led military coalition can help fix 'past mistakes', but falls short of a solution to Yemen's six-year war. Regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran are on opposing sides of Yemen's conflict, with the former backing an internationally recognised government and the latter supporting the Huthi rebels. "Stopping support ... for the Saudi coalition, if not a political manoeuvre, could be a step towards correcting past mistakes," state media quoted ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying. Also read: Yemen Houthis say end of terror designation a 'step towards peace' But he added: "This alone won't solve Yemen's problem, and the air, sea and land blockade that killed thousands of people in the country due to a lack of food and medicine must be lifted, and the military attacks of the aggressor states led by Saudi Arabia must be ended". US President Joe Biden had announced on Thursday that Washington was terminating all offensive support for Saudi Arabia in the war, including related arms sales to Riyadh, in stark contrast to former President Donald Trump's line. Biden said on Thursday the more than six-year war, widely seen as a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, "has to end." He also named veteran US diplomat Timothy Lenderking as the US special envoy for Yemen in a bid to step up American diplomacy to try to end the war.

Iran says US ending Saudi support does not solve Yemen war

The United States intends to revoke terrorist designation of Houthis in Yemen. The decision is being taken due to humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Houthis in Yemen were declared as terrorists in a last-minute decision taken by former US President Donald Trump's administration. The latest decision by the US has come almost immediately after US President Joe Biden said that US was ending support to Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen.

“Our action is due entirely to the humanitarian consequences of this last-minute designation from the prior administration, which the United Nations and humanitarian organizations have since made clear would accelerate the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” the official said. The official was quoted by Reuters.

The United Nations describes Yemen as the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of its people in need.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blacklisted the Houthis on Jan. 19 - a day before Biden took office.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/donald-trump-writes-who-cares-as-he-resigns-from-screen-actors-guild-after-facing-expulsion-notice-361529">Donald Trump writes 'who cares' as he resigns from Screen Actors Guild after facing expulsion notice</a>

The Trump administration exempted aid groups, the United Nations, the Red Cross and the export of agricultural commodities, medicine and medical devices from its designation. But U.N. officials and relief groups said the carve-outs were not enough and called for the decision to be revoked.

The crisis in Yemen is largely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran

The official quoted by Reuters said that though the terrorist designation of Houthis was being removed, the decision did not mean that US does not oppose their “reprehensible conduct.”

(With Reuters inputs)

The United States intends to revoke terrorist designation of Houthis in Yemen. The decision is being taken due to humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Houthis in Yemen were declared as terrorists in a last-minute decision taken by former US President Donald Trump's administration.

The United States intends to revoke terrorist designation of Houthis in Yemen. The decision is being taken due to humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Houthis in Yemen were declared as terrorists in a last-minute decision taken by former US President Donald Trump's administration. The latest decision by the US has come almost immediately after US President Joe Biden said that US was ending support to Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen. “Our action is due entirely to the humanitarian consequences of this last-minute designation from the prior administration, which the United Nations and humanitarian organizations have since made clear would accelerate the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” the official said. The official was quoted by Reuters. The United Nations describes Yemen as the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of its people in need. Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blacklisted the Houthis on Jan. 19 - a day before Biden took office. Also Read | Donald Trump writes 'who cares' as he resigns from Screen Actors Guild after facing expulsion notice The Trump administration exempted aid groups, the United Nations, the Red Cross and the export of agricultural commodities, medicine and medical devices from its designation. But U.N. officials and relief groups said the carve-outs were not enough and called for the decision to be revoked. The crisis in Yemen is largely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran The official quoted by Reuters said that though the terrorist designation of Houthis was being removed, the decision did not mean that US does not oppose their “reprehensible conduct.” (With Reuters inputs)

Yemen: US to revoke terrorist designation of Houthis

Iran`s foreign minister urged Washington to act fast to return to the nuclear accord, pointing out that legislation passed by parliament forces the government to harden its nuclear stance if U.S. sanctions are not eased by Feb. 21.

Mohammad Javad Zarif also referred to elections in Iran in June. If a hardline president is elected, this could further jeopardize the deal.

“Time is running out for the Americans, both because of the parliament bill and the election atmosphere that will follow the Iranian New Year,” Zarif said in an interview with Hamshahri newspaper published on Saturday. Iran’s new year begins on March 21.

The parliament, dominated by hardliners, passed the legislation in December that set a two-month deadline for an easing of sanctions.

Biden’s administration is exploring ways to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with major world powers but that was abandoned in 2018 by former President Donald Trump, who restored sanctions.

Iran retaliated by breaching the terms of the accord in a step-by-step response. Last month, it resumed enriching uranium to 20% - a level it achieved before the accord. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden has said that if Tehran returned to strict compliance with the pact, Washington would follow suit and use that as a springboard to a broader agreement that might restrict Iran`s missile development and regional activities.

Tehran has insisted that Washington ease sanctions before it resumes nuclear compliance, and ruled out negotiations on wider security issues.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Iran on Friday in a virtual meeting with his British, French and German counterparts as the group weighed how to revive the deal.

“The more America procrastinates, the more it will lose … it will appear that Mr. Biden’s administration doesn’t want to rid itself of Trump’s failed legacy,” Zarif said in the interview.

“We don’t need to return to the negotiating table. It’s America that has to find the ticket to come to the table,” he added.

On Monday, Zarif hinted at a way to resolve the impasse over which side moves first, by saying the steps could be synchronized.

YEMEN STANCE

Separately, Iran`s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that a new U.S. stand on the Yemen war could be a helpful step, after President Joe Biden said this week Washington was ending its support for a Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen.

"Stopping support ... for the Saudi coalition, if not a political manoeuvre, could be a step towards correcting past mistakes," state media quoted ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying.

But he added, "This alone won`t solve Yemen`s problem, and the air, sea and land blockade that killed thousands of people in the country due to a lack of food and medicine must be lifted, and the military attacks of the aggressor states led by Saudi Arabia must be ended".

Biden said on Thursday that the more than six-year war, widely seen as a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, "has to end." He also named veteran U.S. diplomat Timothy Lenderking as the U.S. special envoy for Yemen in a bid to step up American diplomacy to try to end the war.

Iran`s foreign minister urged Washington to act fast to return to the nuclear accord, pointing out that legislation passed by parliament forces the government to harden its nuclear stance if U.

Iran`s foreign minister urged Washington to act fast to return to the nuclear accord, pointing out that legislation passed by parliament forces the government to harden its nuclear stance if U.S. sanctions are not eased by Feb. 21. Mohammad Javad Zarif also referred to elections in Iran in June. If a hardline president is elected, this could further jeopardize the deal. “Time is running out for the Americans, both because of the parliament bill and the election atmosphere that will follow the Iranian New Year,” Zarif said in an interview with Hamshahri newspaper published on Saturday. Iran’s new year begins on March 21. The parliament, dominated by hardliners, passed the legislation in December that set a two-month deadline for an easing of sanctions. Biden’s administration is exploring ways to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with major world powers but that was abandoned in 2018 by former President Donald Trump, who restored sanctions. Iran retaliated by breaching the terms of the accord in a step-by-step response. Last month, it resumed enriching uranium to 20% - a level it achieved before the accord. Biden has said that if Tehran returned to strict compliance with the pact, Washington would follow suit and use that as a springboard to a broader agreement that might restrict Iran`s missile development and regional activities. Tehran has insisted that Washington ease sanctions before it resumes nuclear compliance, and ruled out negotiations on wider security issues. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Iran on Friday in a virtual meeting with his British, French and German counterparts as the group weighed how to revive the deal. “The more America procrastinates, the more it will lose … it will appear that Mr. Biden’s administration doesn’t want to rid itself of Trump’s failed legacy,” Zarif said in the interview. “We don’t need to return to the negotiating table. It’s America that has to find the ticket to come to the table,” he added. On Monday, Zarif hinted at a way to resolve the impasse over which side moves first, by saying the steps could be synchronized. YEMEN STANCE Separately, Iran`s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that a new U.S. stand on the Yemen war could be a helpful step, after President Joe Biden said this week Washington was ending its support for a Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen. "Stopping support ... for the Saudi coalition, if not a political manoeuvre, could be a step towards correcting past mistakes," state media quoted ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying. But he added, "This alone won`t solve Yemen`s problem, and the air, sea and land blockade that killed thousands of people in the country due to a lack of food and medicine must be lifted, and the military attacks of the aggressor states led by Saudi Arabia must be ended". Biden said on Thursday that the more than six-year war, widely seen as a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, "has to end." He also named veteran U.S. diplomat Timothy Lenderking as the U.S. special envoy for Yemen in a bid to step up American diplomacy to try to end the war.

Iran top diplomat urges Biden to return to nuclear deal

In his first diplomatic address as President Joe Biden mentioned Myanmar, Yemen, China, Russia & Saudi Arabia, but there was no mention of India.

Gravitas: Biden doesn't mention India in diplomatic address

President Joe Biden has served in elected office for almost four decades. He has interacted with nine presidents. He is accustomed to staff waiting on him, traveling by motorcade, and knew his way around the Oval Office and the mazelike layout of the West Wing from eight years as vice president.

“It feels like I am going home,” he said on Inauguration Day as he approached the White House along the parade route.

But not all of the accouterments of power are old hat for the country’s oldest president. When he flies on Air Force One Friday afternoon to go home to Wilmington, Delaware, for the weekend, it will be his first flight aboard the presidential jet in more than two decades, according to more than a half-dozen administration officials and former Biden aides.

As President Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden was prohibited from flying on the Boeing VC-25 that is known as Air Force One. For security reasons, the vice president and the president never fly together. Air Force Two, a Boeing 757, is a smaller, much more cramped and much more modest plane.

Despite his decades in public office, the only trip aboard Air Force One that anyone in the White House or Biden’s circle can recall him taking was in the summer of 2000. Back then, Biden traveled to Colombia as part of a delegation with President Bill Clinton, helping unveil an emergency aid program to fight the narcotics trade and prop up the country’s democracy.

That means that Jill Biden, the first lady, who accompanied Obama to a community college in Michigan aboard Air Force One in 2015, has been on board more recently than her husband. (At the time, she said she spent her time on the flight grading papers.)

Biden rode on Air Force One on Friday afternoon, but not the one that has so delighted his predecessors. He jogged up the stairs of the Boeing 757-200, which is a smaller, narrow-body jet used for smaller airports like the one Biden was bound for in Wilmington.

“It’s a great plane,” Biden told reporters traveling with him. “It’s the same plane that we had as vice president, only it’s much nicer.”

“When that 747 lands, it’s a sight to behold,” said John Podesta, a former White House chief of staff to Clinton. “When the president walks down those steps, you feel the power of that. He will feel the power of that. It’s a little different from the 757.”

Even President Donald Trump, who liked to brag about his own Trump-branded plane, was impressed.

“This is a very special plane,” he told reporters after taking them to his front cabin for a rare peek en route to Philadelphia. He had been in office for only six days when he showed off a navy blue Air Force One jacket. His press secretary at the time, Sean Spicer, described him as “in awe of the splendor of this plane.”

In 2018, Trump bragged that the plane, equipped to act as a mobile White House, had “about 20 televisions.” Still, he had plans for a makeover for the plane, plans that never came to fruition and that the Biden administration has made clear could not be lower on its list of priorities.

Obama appeared equally captivated by his new ride when he took his first flight in the third week of his presidency, traveling a short distance to Williamsburg, Virginia, to a retreat for House Democrats.

“What do you think of this spiffy ride here? It’s not bad,” Obama said to reporters sitting in the back of the plane. Like Trump, he also made a show of his crew jacket, which ha

Clinton took his first flight 22 days after taking office in 1993. He flew to Detroit for a nationally broadcast town hall event to lay the groundwork for the economic policies he was set to unveil, while his staff made jokes about how relieved he was to give up his rickety campaign plane, nicknamed “Air Elvis.”

President George W. Bush’s first trip aboard Air Force One after moving into the White House came less than a month into his presidency, when he visited military families and troops at Fort Stewart, in Georgia, part of a slate of trips intended to promote his national security policies.

White House officials would not say when Biden would take his first domestic trip but said that a typical presidential travel schedule was on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Certainly, his preference would be to get on a plane and fly around the country, but that’s not the step we’re planning currently,” the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said during a briefing last month.

Other senior administration officials insisted that Biden was not grounded and would travel domestically soon, pointing to the fact that he safely made two trips to Georgia during the transition to campaign for Democratic Senate candidates.

Presidential travel is expensive and time-consuming, but it is also essential to the job, former White House officials said.

“It’s critical for people to feel the presence and be aware of the fact that the president took the time to come to the place where they are,” Podesta said. “One of the things that underlies the deep divisions in the country is people feeling like, ‘You forgot about me.’ Showing up changes that dynamic.”

Podesta said it would be critical for Biden to travel after addressing a joint session of Congress this month, even if it meant taking on some health risks. “He’s going to lay down a lot of ideas of what needs to get built, and he’s got to go to some places where those things will get built,” he said.

But given the pandemic and the politically fragile moment the country is in, Michael Beschloss, the presidential historian, said that staying in Washington more often may work better for Biden.

“After John Kennedy’s assassination, the country was so agitated that the new president, Lyndon Johnson, made a commitment not to travel abroad for a period of time,” he said. “Although for different reasons, Biden’s staying close to the White House has reminded me of that. I believe that right now, seeing Biden in the State Dining Room, announcing how he’s dealing with one supreme problem after another, is more reassuring than it would be to see him on the road, in the middle of a pandemic, trying to find a crowd to speak to.”

Biden, however, may not agree once he has been on the plane.

President Joe Biden has served in elected office for almost four decades. He has interacted with nine presidents. He is accustomed to staff waiting on him, traveling by motorcade, and knew his way around the Oval Office and the mazelike layout of the West Wing from eight years as vice president.

President Joe Biden has served in elected office for almost four decades. He has interacted with nine presidents. He is accustomed to staff waiting on him, traveling by motorcade, and knew his way around the Oval Office and the mazelike layout of the West Wing from eight years as vice president. “It feels like I am going home,” he said on Inauguration Day as he approached the White House along the parade route. But not all of the accouterments of power are old hat for the country’s oldest president. When he flies on Air Force One Friday afternoon to go home to Wilmington, Delaware, for the weekend, it will be his first flight aboard the presidential jet in more than two decades, according to more than a half-dozen administration officials and former Biden aides. As President Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden was prohibited from flying on the Boeing VC-25 that is known as Air Force One. For security reasons, the vice president and the president never fly together. Air Force Two, a Boeing 757, is a smaller, much more cramped and much more modest plane. Despite his decades in public office, the only trip aboard Air Force One that anyone in the White House or Biden’s circle can recall him taking was in the summer of 2000. Back then, Biden traveled to Colombia as part of a delegation with President Bill Clinton, helping unveil an emergency aid program to fight the narcotics trade and prop up the country’s democracy. That means that Jill Biden, the first lady, who accompanied Obama to a community college in Michigan aboard Air Force One in 2015, has been on board more recently than her husband. (At the time, she said she spent her time on the flight grading papers.) Biden rode on Air Force One on Friday afternoon, but not the one that has so delighted his predecessors. He jogged up the stairs of the Boeing 757-200, which is a smaller, narrow-body jet used for smaller airports like the one Biden was bound for in Wilmington. “It’s a great plane,” Biden told reporters traveling with him. “It’s the same plane that we had as vice president, only it’s much nicer.” “When that 747 lands, it’s a sight to behold,” said John Podesta, a former White House chief of staff to Clinton. “When the president walks down those steps, you feel the power of that. He will feel the power of that. It’s a little different from the 757.” Even President Donald Trump, who liked to brag about his own Trump-branded plane, was impressed. “This is a very special plane,” he told reporters after taking them to his front cabin for a rare peek en route to Philadelphia. He had been in office for only six days when he showed off a navy blue Air Force One jacket. His press secretary at the time, Sean Spicer, described him as “in awe of the splendor of this plane.” In 2018, Trump bragged that the plane, equipped to act as a mobile White House, had “about 20 televisions.” Still, he had plans for a makeover for the plane, plans that never came to fruition and that the Biden administration has made clear could not be lower on its list of priorities. Obama appeared equally captivated by his new ride when he took his first flight in the third week of his presidency, traveling a short distance to Williamsburg, Virginia, to a retreat for House Democrats. “What do you think of this spiffy ride here? It’s not bad,” Obama said to reporters sitting in the back of the plane. Like Trump, he also made a show of his crew jacket, which ha Clinton took his first flight 22 days after taking office in 1993. He flew to Detroit for a nationally broadcast town hall event to lay the groundwork for the economic policies he was set to unveil, while his staff made jokes about how relieved he was to give up his rickety campaign plane, nicknamed “Air Elvis.” President George W. Bush’s first trip aboard Air Force One after moving into the White House came less than a month into his presidency, when he visited military families and troops at Fort Stewart, in Georgia, part of a slate of trips intended to promote his national security policies. White House officials would not say when Biden would take his first domestic trip but said that a typical presidential travel schedule was on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Certainly, his preference would be to get on a plane and fly around the country, but that’s not the step we’re planning currently,” the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said during a briefing last month. Other senior administration officials insisted that Biden was not grounded and would travel domestically soon, pointing to the fact that he safely made two trips to Georgia during the transition to campaign for Democratic Senate candidates. Presidential travel is expensive and time-consuming, but it is also essential to the job, former White House officials said. “It’s critical for people to feel the presence and be aware of the fact that the president took the time to come to the place where they are,” Podesta said. “One of the things that underlies the deep divisions in the country is people feeling like, ‘You forgot about me.’ Showing up changes that dynamic.” Podesta said it would be critical for Biden to travel after addressing a joint session of Congress this month, even if it meant taking on some health risks. “He’s going to lay down a lot of ideas of what needs to get built, and he’s got to go to some places where those things will get built,” he said. But given the pandemic and the politically fragile moment the country is in, Michael Beschloss, the presidential historian, said that staying in Washington more often may work better for Biden. “After John Kennedy’s assassination, the country was so agitated that the new president, Lyndon Johnson, made a commitment not to travel abroad for a period of time,” he said. “Although for different reasons, Biden’s staying close to the White House has reminded me of that. I believe that right now, seeing Biden in the State Dining Room, announcing how he’s dealing with one supreme problem after another, is more reassuring than it would be to see him on the road, in the middle of a pandemic, trying to find a crowd to speak to.” Biden, however, may not agree once he has been on the plane.

After years in government, Biden has a new perk: Air Force One

US senate endorses President Joe Biden's 1.9 trillion stimulus package. After a 15-hour voting session stretch overnight, Vice president Kamala Harris cast her first tie-breaking vote. They opted for the budget bill with 50-51 votes at the dawn.

US senate endorses President Joe Biden's 1.9 trillion stimulus package

US President Joe Biden promised a new era after the scattershot foreign policy of his predecessor, Donald Trump, declaring “America is back” on the global stage in his first diplomatic address as president.

Biden’s speech on Thursday was a full-throated attempt to vanquish doubts, and convince Americans of the value of a forceful international approach.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-biden-doesnt-mention-india-in-diplomatic-address-361675/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In his speech, Biden signalled aggressive approaches to China and Russia, urged Myanmar’s military leaders to halt their coup, and declared an end to US support for a Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen.

"America is back. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the centre of our foreign policy. As i said in my inaugural address, we will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterday's challenges, but today's and tomorrow's," he said.

But what about India? A long time ally of the US, a member of the Quad, and one of America's most important partners.

The new vice-president -- Kamala Harris -- is a&nbsp;half-Indian herself. There are atleast 20 Indian-Americans in Biden's White House team.

But the new US president made no mention of India. Not once.

Historically, Democrats have been friendlier with India -- from John F Kennedy to Barack Obama. And all American presidents have tried to improve ties with India.

India also sits at the centre of the strategic architecture, and the US envisions for the Indo-Pacific region. New Delhi is Washington's biggest Asian partner.

Their interests coincide as far as Chinese aggression is concerned.

So Joe Biden's omission of India from his diplomatic address may or may not have been intentional. But it certainly raises questions.

US President Joe Biden promised a new era after the scattershot foreign policy of his predecessor, Donald Trump, declaring “America is back” on the global stage in his first diplomatic address as president.

US President Joe Biden promised a new era after the scattershot foreign policy of his predecessor, Donald Trump, declaring “America is back” on the global stage in his first diplomatic address as president. Biden’s speech on Thursday was a full-throated attempt to vanquish doubts, and convince Americans of the value of a forceful international approach. In his speech, Biden signalled aggressive approaches to China and Russia, urged Myanmar’s military leaders to halt their coup, and declared an end to US support for a Saudi Arabia-led military campaign in Yemen. "America is back. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the centre of our foreign policy. As i said in my inaugural address, we will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterday's challenges, but today's and tomorrow's," he said. But what about India? A long time ally of the US, a member of the Quad, and one of America's most important partners. The new vice-president -- Kamala Harris -- is a half-Indian herself. There are atleast 20 Indian-Americans in Biden's White House team. But the new US president made no mention of India. Not once. Historically, Democrats have been friendlier with India -- from John F Kennedy to Barack Obama. And all American presidents have tried to improve ties with India. India also sits at the centre of the strategic architecture, and the US envisions for the Indo-Pacific region. New Delhi is Washington's biggest Asian partner. Their interests coincide as far as Chinese aggression is concerned. So Joe Biden's omission of India from his diplomatic address may or may not have been intentional. But it certainly raises questions.

Biden doesn't mention India in first diplomatic speech

A day before the recently-elected US President Joe Biden is scheduled to take his first flight aboard the Air Force One, an intruder gained access to the Joint Base Andrews where the aircraft is parked.

Biden is scheduled to depart from the Joint Base Andrews to his home state, Delaware, on Friday, which will be his first flight aboard the Air Force One as the President of the US.

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However, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) confirmed that an intruder gained access to the base on Thursday.

"An unauthorized individual gained access to Joint Base Andrews. The incident is under investigation," a spokesperson said in a statement. "The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is lead on this investigation. Any requests for information related to the incident can be referred to OSI."

It is not yet, however, clear whether the intruder messed up any aircraft parked at the facility or not.&nbsp;

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The Joint Base Andrews also houses the 89th Airlift Wing which is used to escort the President, Vice President, Cabinet members and other senior elected members of the US while they are on their official air travel.

While the extent of damage is not yet clear, no change was announced in Biden's plans. It is also not clear if the intruder has been arrested or not.

The security of the President and other elected members has been a concerning issue since the Capitol riots that took place on January 06 by Trump supporters.

A day before the recently-elected US President Joe Biden is scheduled to take his first flight aboard the Air Force One, an intruder gained access to the Joint Base Andrews where the aircraft is parked.

A day before the recently-elected US President Joe Biden is scheduled to take his first flight aboard the Air Force One, an intruder gained access to the Joint Base Andrews where the aircraft is parked. Biden is scheduled to depart from the Joint Base Andrews to his home state, Delaware, on Friday, which will be his first flight aboard the Air Force One as the President of the US. Also read| Man falls asleep, wakes up to find out AirPod is inside his body However, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) confirmed that an intruder gained access to the base on Thursday. "An unauthorized individual gained access to Joint Base Andrews. The incident is under investigation," a spokesperson said in a statement. "The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is lead on this investigation. Any requests for information related to the incident can be referred to OSI." It is not yet, however, clear whether the intruder messed up any aircraft parked at the facility or not. Also read| After 53 years, wallet lost in Antarctica reaches 91-year-old owner The Joint Base Andrews also houses the 89th Airlift Wing which is used to escort the President, Vice President, Cabinet members and other senior elected members of the US while they are on their official air travel. While the extent of damage is not yet clear, no change was announced in Biden's plans. It is also not clear if the intruder has been arrested or not. The security of the President and other elected members has been a concerning issue since the Capitol riots that took place on January 06 by Trump supporters.

Intruder gains access to Air Force One parking base, before Biden's first flight

Any US President has a huge burden&nbsp;on his shoulders given US involvement in maintaining security in many corners of the world. The person at the helm of the most powerful country on the planet has a great responsibility as smallest of his decisions can have huge consequences in the real world. Internal security in the US is also a prime concern of a US President.

To help in the decision making, US intelligence agencies filter the essential information and prepare what is called Presidential Daily Brief.

What is President's Daily Brief?

President's Daily Brief (PDB) is essentially high-level analysis of national security issues, that is, a round-up of threats USA faces from within and outside the country. The inputs for the PDB are taken from US intelligence agencies including the CIA. Changes are also made to the PDB based on preferences of a particular president.

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It has been customary for president-elect and vice-president-elect to read PDB&nbsp;of the current president during the transition period. Joe Biden read former US President George Bush's PDB after 2008 US Presidential election results. Presidents may share their PDB with vice-presidents while in office. Joe Biden has had that access while serving as vice-president during Barack Obama's presidency. And as he prepared to take the office in the run-up to his inauguration, he had access to Donald Trump's PDB.

Do former US Presidents get intelligence briefings?

Former US Presidents traditionally get intelligence briefings even after they leave office. This provision is made both, as a courtesy and as a way to keep former presidents abreast of security updates should they be asked for advice by the incumbent president.

Former US Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama are given regular intelligence briefings.

Incumbent US president may often informally call upon his predecessors to know their take on a particular issue. The briefings to the former presidents help them to be ready for such a scenario.

Why is Biden opposing briefings to Trump?

For starters, Trump is famous for disliking the intelligence briefs. He has been reluctant to sit for the briefings even when he was president.

On top of that, he is widely perceived to be one who is likely to use the top-secret information for gains other than merely political.

US President Joe Biden told CBS News that Trump's behaviour worried him.

“I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden has been quoted as saying.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-should-not-receive-intelligence-briefings-joe-biden-feels-361686">Donald Trump should not receive intelligence briefings, Joe Biden feels</a>

Biden is not the only one to have such reservations.

Susan Gordon,&nbsp;a career CIA officer who was deputy director of national intelligence till 2019 feels iffy about continued intel briefings to Trump.

In January, Gordon wrote in Washington Post&nbsp;saying that Trump's&nbsp;business deals made him beholden to foreign investors and lenders. She said that Trump may be unusually vulnerable because of those who have ill intent.

Joe Biden has expressed his fears on Friday (February 6) that Trump "might slip and say something"

Any US President has a huge burden on his shoulders given US involvement in maintaining security in many corners of the world. The person at the helm of the most powerful country on the planet has a great responsibility as smallest of his decisions can have huge consequences in the real world.

Any US President has a huge burden on his shoulders given US involvement in maintaining security in many corners of the world. The person at the helm of the most powerful country on the planet has a great responsibility as smallest of his decisions can have huge consequences in the real world. Internal security in the US is also a prime concern of a US President. To help in the decision making, US intelligence agencies filter the essential information and prepare what is called Presidential Daily Brief. What is President's Daily Brief? President's Daily Brief (PDB) is essentially high-level analysis of national security issues, that is, a round-up of threats USA faces from within and outside the country. The inputs for the PDB are taken from US intelligence agencies including the CIA. Changes are also made to the PDB based on preferences of a particular president. × It has been customary for president-elect and vice-president-elect to read PDB of the current president during the transition period. Joe Biden read former US President George Bush's PDB after 2008 US Presidential election results. Presidents may share their PDB with vice-presidents while in office. Joe Biden has had that access while serving as vice-president during Barack Obama's presidency. And as he prepared to take the office in the run-up to his inauguration, he had access to Donald Trump's PDB. Do former US Presidents get intelligence briefings? Former US Presidents traditionally get intelligence briefings even after they leave office. This provision is made both, as a courtesy and as a way to keep former presidents abreast of security updates should they be asked for advice by the incumbent president. Former US Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama are given regular intelligence briefings. Incumbent US president may often informally call upon his predecessors to know their take on a particular issue. The briefings to the former presidents help them to be ready for such a scenario. Why is Biden opposing briefings to Trump? For starters, Trump is famous for disliking the intelligence briefs. He has been reluctant to sit for the briefings even when he was president. On top of that, he is widely perceived to be one who is likely to use the top-secret information for gains other than merely political. US President Joe Biden told CBS News that Trump's behaviour worried him. “I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden has been quoted as saying. Also Read | Donald Trump should not receive intelligence briefings, Joe Biden feels Biden is not the only one to have such reservations. Susan Gordon, a career CIA officer who was deputy director of national intelligence till 2019 feels iffy about continued intel briefings to Trump. In January, Gordon wrote in Washington Post saying that Trump's business deals made him beholden to foreign investors and lenders. She said that Trump may be unusually vulnerable because of those who have ill intent. Joe Biden has expressed his fears on Friday (February 6) that Trump "might slip and say something"

What US President's intelligence briefing is and why Biden wants Trump out of loop

US President Joe Biden said on Friday (local time) that former US President Donald Trump should not receive classified intelligence briefings. He was being interviewed in a show on CBS. It is traditional in the US that former presidents can request and get presented&nbsp;intelligence briefings by US agencies. However, Biden said that Trump should not be given these briefings owing to his "erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection."

"I just think that there is no need for him to have the -- the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?" Biden was quoted as saying.

When asked what was his concern about Trump getting the intelligence briefings, Biden said that he would "rather not speculate out loud"

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-revoke-terrorist-designation-of-houthis-in-yemen-361678">US to revoke terrorist designation of Houthis in Yemen</a>

Donald Trump is facing his second impeachment trial this week in US Senate. He has been charged with inciting violence at the Capitol Hill on January 6.

Trump spent the months after the election fighting the results in court and making baseless allegations of widespread fraud. He did not attend Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration with other former U.S. presidents, flying instead to Florida where he has set up his post-presidential office.

(With Reuters inputs)

US President Joe Biden said on Friday (local time) that former US President Donald Trump should not receive classified intelligence briefings. He was being interviewed in a show on CBS.

US President Joe Biden said on Friday (local time) that former US President Donald Trump should not receive classified intelligence briefings. He was being interviewed in a show on CBS. It is traditional in the US that former presidents can request and get presented intelligence briefings by US agencies. However, Biden said that Trump should not be given these briefings owing to his "erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection." "I just think that there is no need for him to have the -- the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?" Biden was quoted as saying. When asked what was his concern about Trump getting the intelligence briefings, Biden said that he would "rather not speculate out loud" Also Read | US to revoke terrorist designation of Houthis in Yemen Donald Trump is facing his second impeachment trial this week in US Senate. He has been charged with inciting violence at the Capitol Hill on January 6. Trump spent the months after the election fighting the results in court and making baseless allegations of widespread fraud. He did not attend Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration with other former U.S. presidents, flying instead to Florida where he has set up his post-presidential office. (With Reuters inputs)

Donald Trump should not receive intelligence briefings, Joe Biden feels

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>on Thursday confronted China and Russia over authoritarianism and human rights abuses among other issues as he voiced out his foreign policy approach.&nbsp;

"American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival the United States and the determination of Russia to damage and disrupt our democracy. We must meet the new moment ... accelerating global challenges from the pandemic to the climate crisis to nuclear proliferation," the US president said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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After four years that saw comparatively a softer approach by Washington towards Kremlin, Biden also said days of US to Russia "rolling over" are gone.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/humanitarian-catastrophe-biden-pulls-us-out-of-yemen-war-stops-saudi-support-361436">'Humanitarian catastrophe': Biden pulls US out of Yemen war, stops Saudi support</a>

"I made it clear to President Putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyberattacks, poisoning its citizens, are over," Biden said.&nbsp;

China whose aggressive actions are ringing an alarm and has emerged as one of biggest challenges across the world was also mentioned by Biden in his speech where he said that the Asian giant will be "confronted".&nbsp;

"We'll confront China's economic abuses, counter its aggressive, coercive action to push back on China's attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance. But we're ready to work with Beijing when it's in America's interest to do so," the US president said. &nbsp;

US President Joe Biden on Thursday confronted China and Russia over authoritarianism and human rights abuses among other issues as he voiced out his foreign policy approach.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday confronted China and Russia over authoritarianism and human rights abuses among other issues as he voiced out his foreign policy approach. "American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival the United States and the determination of Russia to damage and disrupt our democracy. We must meet the new moment ... accelerating global challenges from the pandemic to the climate crisis to nuclear proliferation," the US president said. Watch | After four years that saw comparatively a softer approach by Washington towards Kremlin, Biden also said days of US to Russia "rolling over" are gone. Also read | 'Humanitarian catastrophe': Biden pulls US out of Yemen war, stops Saudi support "I made it clear to President Putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyberattacks, poisoning its citizens, are over," Biden said. China whose aggressive actions are ringing an alarm and has emerged as one of biggest challenges across the world was also mentioned by Biden in his speech where he said that the Asian giant will be "confronted". "We'll confront China's economic abuses, counter its aggressive, coercive action to push back on China's attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance. But we're ready to work with Beijing when it's in America's interest to do so," the US president said.

Days of US 'rolling over' gone: Biden warns China, Russia in first diplomatic speech

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden said Friday he has to "act fast" to push a huge new economic relief package through Congress, even without Republican support, because many Americans are near the "breaking point."

"I see enormous pain in this country, a lot of folks out of work, a lot of folks going hungry," Biden said in a White House speech.

"I believe the American people are looking right now to their government for help... so I'm going to act. I'm going to act fast."

Biden said he wanted bipartisan support for the $1.9 trillion package, which will finance the struggling national coronavirus vaccine rollout and provide economic aid for Americans, including $1,400 in stimulus checks.

But the Democratic leader said his main priority was rescuing a country where many are "reaching the breaking point."

"I would like to be doing it with the support of Republicans... but they are just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go."

"We can reduce suffering in this country," Biden said. "I truly believe real help is on the way." 
&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden said Friday he has to "act fast" to push a huge new economic relief package through Congress, even without Republican support, because many Americans are near the "breaking point.

US President Joe Biden said Friday he has to "act fast" to push a huge new economic relief package through Congress, even without Republican support, because many Americans are near the "breaking point." "I see enormous pain in this country, a lot of folks out of work, a lot of folks going hungry," Biden said in a White House speech. "I believe the American people are looking right now to their government for help... so I'm going to act. I'm going to act fast." Biden said he wanted bipartisan support for the $1.9 trillion package, which will finance the struggling national coronavirus vaccine rollout and provide economic aid for Americans, including $1,400 in stimulus checks. But the Democratic leader said his main priority was rescuing a country where many are "reaching the breaking point." "I would like to be doing it with the support of Republicans... but they are just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go." "We can reduce suffering in this country," Biden said. "I truly believe real help is on the way."

Biden says will 'act fast' on Covid relief, Americans near 'breaking point'

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday promised a new era after the scattershot foreign policy of his predecessor, Donald Trump, declaring "America is back" on the global stage in his first diplomatic address as president.

Joe Biden touts muscular foreign policy in first diplomatic speech

The Senate has passed a budget resolution on Friday which has lent a step forward for the much-awaited $1.09 trillion coronavirus relief bill in the US.

After a marathon of votes on various amendments, the Democrats passed the budget resolution with a vote of 51-50 with the newly-elected US Vice President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/kamala-harris"> Kamala Harris</a> casting her first tiebreaking vote.

The party voted in favour of the resolution, being brought in by the US President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden"> Joe Biden</a>, after contemplating various amendments and divides that can be brought in for structuring the next relief package. The voting was done after almost 15 hours of discussions.

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Adopted, 51-50: S.Con.Res.5, Sanders Budget Resolution, as amended, with <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> voting in the affirmative.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1357638729255518208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"I am so thankful that our caucus stayed together in unity," said the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schummer. "We had no choice given the problems facing America and the desire to move forward. And we have moved forward."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-vows-to-repair-alliances-through-diplomacy-361573">Also watch|</a>

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He also added that this was a "bipartisan activity" as the Senate considered and adopted several amendments suggested by senators from both the parties.

This win has come after Joe Biden has said he hopes the Republican Party will also lend its support in the next aid package.

The Senate has passed a budget resolution on Friday which has lent a step forward for the much-awaited $1.09 trillion coronavirus relief bill in the US. After a marathon of votes on various amendments, the Democrats passed the budget resolution with a vote of 51-50 with the newly-elected US Vice President Kamala Harris casting her first tiebreaking vote.

The Senate has passed a budget resolution on Friday which has lent a step forward for the much-awaited $1.09 trillion coronavirus relief bill in the US. After a marathon of votes on various amendments, the Democrats passed the budget resolution with a vote of 51-50 with the newly-elected US Vice President Kamala Harris casting her first tiebreaking vote. The party voted in favour of the resolution, being brought in by the US President Joe Biden, after contemplating various amendments and divides that can be brought in for structuring the next relief package. The voting was done after almost 15 hours of discussions. Adopted, 51-50: S.Con.Res.5, Sanders Budget Resolution, as amended, with @VP voting in the affirmative. — Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) February 5, 2021 × "I am so thankful that our caucus stayed together in unity," said the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schummer. "We had no choice given the problems facing America and the desire to move forward. And we have moved forward." Also watch| He also added that this was a "bipartisan activity" as the Senate considered and adopted several amendments suggested by senators from both the parties. This win has come after Joe Biden has said he hopes the Republican Party will also lend its support in the next aid package.

Senate approves budget bill for Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief aid; Harris casts tiebreaking vote

Yemen's warring factions declared their readiness to act after US President Joe Biden called for renewed efforts to end their conflict, but experts said on Friday that a real solution appears out of reach.&nbsp;

The grinding six-year war in Yemen has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, triggering what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian disaster.&nbsp;

In his first major foreign policy speech since replacing Donald Trump last month, Biden appointed an envoy to push for peace and said the US would end all support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen.&nbsp;

"This war has to end," Biden said.&nbsp;

"To underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arm sales."&nbsp;

Yemen's internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, welcomed his remarks and stressed the "importance of supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis".&nbsp;

It hailed Timothy Lenderking's appointment as US envoy, describing it as "another important step" taken by the US to "end the war caused by the Iran-backed Huthis".&nbsp;

The Huthi rebels, who control much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, said they supported the approach of the new US administration.&nbsp;

"The real proof to achieve peace in Yemen is an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade," Huthi spokesman Mohamed Abdel Salam in a tweet.&nbsp;

"Yemen's missiles are for the defence of Yemen and stopping them comes when an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade are totally achieved," he added.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia reacted by reasserting its commitment to a political solution in Yemen.&nbsp;

The kingdom also welcomed Biden's "commitment to cooperate with the kingdom to defend its sovereignty and counter threats against it," according to the official Saudi Press Agency.&nbsp;

But like the Yemeni government, it did not address Biden's decision to end military support to the war in Yemen.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Yemen's warring factions declared their readiness to act after US President Joe Biden called for renewed efforts to end their conflict, but experts said on Friday that a real solution appears out of reach.

Yemen's warring factions declared their readiness to act after US President Joe Biden called for renewed efforts to end their conflict, but experts said on Friday that a real solution appears out of reach. The grinding six-year war in Yemen has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, triggering what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian disaster. In his first major foreign policy speech since replacing Donald Trump last month, Biden appointed an envoy to push for peace and said the US would end all support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. "This war has to end," Biden said. "To underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arm sales." Yemen's internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, welcomed his remarks and stressed the "importance of supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis". It hailed Timothy Lenderking's appointment as US envoy, describing it as "another important step" taken by the US to "end the war caused by the Iran-backed Huthis". The Huthi rebels, who control much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, said they supported the approach of the new US administration. "The real proof to achieve peace in Yemen is an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade," Huthi spokesman Mohamed Abdel Salam in a tweet. "Yemen's missiles are for the defence of Yemen and stopping them comes when an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade are totally achieved," he added. Saudi Arabia reacted by reasserting its commitment to a political solution in Yemen. The kingdom also welcomed Biden's "commitment to cooperate with the kingdom to defend its sovereignty and counter threats against it," according to the official Saudi Press Agency. But like the Yemeni government, it did not address Biden's decision to end military support to the war in Yemen.

Warring factions welcome Biden peace push in Yemen

Biden also devoted part of his speech to unusually direct criticism of the authorities' treatment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Days of U.S' 'rolling over' gone: Biden warns China, Russia in first diplomatic speech

He said the US would continue to provide defensive support to Saudi Arabia against missile and drone attacks from Iranian-backed forces.

Joe Biden announces end to U.S. support for Saudi-led offensive in Yemen

COVAX is a global initiative co-led by the World Health Organization, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

Will U.S. provide more funds for vaccination drive?

President Joe Biden vowed to repair alliances through diplomacy and restore Washington’s leadership position on the global stage.

U.S. President Joe Biden vows to repair alliances through diplomacy

The Kremlin has slammed US President Joe Biden's "very aggressive rhetoric" after he said Washington's relationship with Moscow would change and demanded opposition politician Alexei Navalny's release.&nbsp;

"This is very aggressive and unconstructive rhetoric," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We've already said that we will not heed patronising statements of this sort. We will not do it."

He said Russia would not tolerate any US ultimatums, adding the Kremlin hoped however that there could still be useful dialogue between the two countries when their interests coincided.

Biden on Thursday promised a new era of US foreign policy in his first diplomatic address as president and said he had told Russia President Vladimir Putin that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of what he called Moscow's aggressive actions were over.

In toughly worded remarks pivoting from his predecessor Donald Trump's muted approach to Moscow, Biden warned of "advancing authoritarianism" in China and Russia.

The speech at the State Department thrust Russia back onto the front burner of the US diplomatic agenda after four years during which Trump largely pushed the worsening relationship with Moscow to the side and consistently refused to criticise Putin.

Biden said that in his first phone call with the Russian leader since taking office on January 20 he "made it clear" to Putin that the relationship was changing.

"We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interest and our people," the Democrat said, highlighting a massive cyber attack and election interference blamed on Moscow.

"The days of the United States rolling over... are over," he said.

Biden also devoted part of his speech to unusually direct criticism of the authorities' treatment of Navalny.

"Mr Navalny, like all Russian citizens, is entitled to his rights under the Russian constitution. He's been targeted for exposing corruption. He should be released immediately and without condition," he said.

(with inputs from agencies)

The Kremlin has slammed US President Joe Biden's "very aggressive rhetoric" after he said Washington's relationship with Moscow would change and demanded opposition politician Alexei Navalny's release.

The Kremlin has slammed US President Joe Biden's "very aggressive rhetoric" after he said Washington's relationship with Moscow would change and demanded opposition politician Alexei Navalny's release. "This is very aggressive and unconstructive rhetoric," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We've already said that we will not heed patronising statements of this sort. We will not do it." He said Russia would not tolerate any US ultimatums, adding the Kremlin hoped however that there could still be useful dialogue between the two countries when their interests coincided. Biden on Thursday promised a new era of US foreign policy in his first diplomatic address as president and said he had told Russia President Vladimir Putin that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of what he called Moscow's aggressive actions were over. In toughly worded remarks pivoting from his predecessor Donald Trump's muted approach to Moscow, Biden warned of "advancing authoritarianism" in China and Russia. The speech at the State Department thrust Russia back onto the front burner of the US diplomatic agenda after four years during which Trump largely pushed the worsening relationship with Moscow to the side and consistently refused to criticise Putin. Biden said that in his first phone call with the Russian leader since taking office on January 20 he "made it clear" to Putin that the relationship was changing. "We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interest and our people," the Democrat said, highlighting a massive cyber attack and election interference blamed on Moscow. "The days of the United States rolling over... are over," he said. Biden also devoted part of his speech to unusually direct criticism of the authorities' treatment of Navalny. "Mr Navalny, like all Russian citizens, is entitled to his rights under the Russian constitution. He's been targeted for exposing corruption. He should be released immediately and without condition," he said. (with inputs from agencies)

Kremlin slams Biden's 'very aggressive rhetoric'

US President Joe Biden has said that Myanmar's military must relinquish power and that it should release all the lawmakers and activists that it has detained.

US President Joe Biden calls on Myanmar's military to relinquish power

The USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is heading for the Indo-Pacific Command area, "ensuring our national security and conflict in a very important region of the world", the Pentagon has reported.

US moves the USS Nimitz from Middle East to Indo-Pacific

U.S. President Joe Biden made a late-night visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to pay his respects to Brian Sicknick, the Capitol police officer killed when supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol last month.

In a solemn ceremony, the cremated remains of Sicknick, who died of his injuries the day after the Jan. 6 attack, arrived on Tuesday night to lay in honor in the Capitol Rotunda until midday Wednesday.

Biden and his wife, Jill, stood before the remains with their hands over their hearts in silent tribute to Sicknick.

Democratic and Republican leaders of the U.S. Congress filed into the Rotunda for the ceremony. One by one, Sicknick`s fellow Capitol Police officers approached the receptacle containing the remains and saluted. U.S. lawmakers will take their turn on Wednesday morning.

Sicknick was a casualty of the storming of the Capitol by hundreds of Trump supporters after a fiery speech in which the then-president urged them to “fight” his election loss to Biden. Four others died in the violence.

The incident led to Trump’s second impeachment and next week he will face trial in the Senate on a charge of inciting insurrection. Trump’s lawyers argued on Tuesday that lawmakers cannot legally impeach a former president and he once again stoked claims of voter fraud.

Since the 19th century, the caskets of about three dozen distinguished Americans have been honored at the Capitol. Twelve have been former presidents, who along with other government officials, judges and military leaders are said to “lie in state.”

In the Jan. 6 violence, Sicknick was pepper-sprayed and hit in the head, according to his father. An ambulance crew resuscitated him twice as he was rushed to a nearby hospital. He died Jan. 7 and no charges have been brought in the case.

Sicknick, who had served in the New Jersey Air National Guard, joined the Capitol Police in 2008.

The category of “laying in honor” was created after two Capitol Police officers were fatally wounded in 1998 by a gunman who ran to the offices of then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay.

Sicknick, who died at 42, is the fifth American to lay in honor at the rotunda. The other two were civil rights leader Rosa parks in 2005 and the Reverend Billy Graham in 2018.

Members of Congress will be able to view Sicknick on Wednesday morning. There will be a congressional tribute on Wednesday before a ceremonial departure.

U.S. President Joe Biden made a late-night visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to pay his respects to Brian Sicknick, the Capitol police officer killed when supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.

U.S. President Joe Biden made a late-night visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to pay his respects to Brian Sicknick, the Capitol police officer killed when supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol last month. In a solemn ceremony, the cremated remains of Sicknick, who died of his injuries the day after the Jan. 6 attack, arrived on Tuesday night to lay in honor in the Capitol Rotunda until midday Wednesday. Biden and his wife, Jill, stood before the remains with their hands over their hearts in silent tribute to Sicknick. Democratic and Republican leaders of the U.S. Congress filed into the Rotunda for the ceremony. One by one, Sicknick`s fellow Capitol Police officers approached the receptacle containing the remains and saluted. U.S. lawmakers will take their turn on Wednesday morning. Sicknick was a casualty of the storming of the Capitol by hundreds of Trump supporters after a fiery speech in which the then-president urged them to “fight” his election loss to Biden. Four others died in the violence. The incident led to Trump’s second impeachment and next week he will face trial in the Senate on a charge of inciting insurrection. Trump’s lawyers argued on Tuesday that lawmakers cannot legally impeach a former president and he once again stoked claims of voter fraud. Since the 19th century, the caskets of about three dozen distinguished Americans have been honored at the Capitol. Twelve have been former presidents, who along with other government officials, judges and military leaders are said to “lie in state.” In the Jan. 6 violence, Sicknick was pepper-sprayed and hit in the head, according to his father. An ambulance crew resuscitated him twice as he was rushed to a nearby hospital. He died Jan. 7 and no charges have been brought in the case. Sicknick, who had served in the New Jersey Air National Guard, joined the Capitol Police in 2008. The category of “laying in honor” was created after two Capitol Police officers were fatally wounded in 1998 by a gunman who ran to the offices of then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay. Sicknick, who died at 42, is the fifth American to lay in honor at the rotunda. The other two were civil rights leader Rosa parks in 2005 and the Reverend Billy Graham in 2018. Members of Congress will be able to view Sicknick on Wednesday morning. There will be a congressional tribute on Wednesday before a ceremonial departure.

In visit to Capitol, Biden honours police officer killed in Jan 6 assault

President Joe Biden told congressional Democrats on Wednesday he would not back down on including $1,400 checks for struggling Americans in his COVID-19 relief plan but would consider tighter limits on who gets them, lawmakers and aides said.

Biden held a conference call with House of Representatives Democrats and talked with Democratic senators at the White House as the party prepared to use a procedural maneuver to push Biden`s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package through without Republican votes if necessary.

"We did have a conversation about the direct payments and how those might be modified in a way to ensure they`re targeted," Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Biden`s home state of Delaware, said as he left the White House Wednesday morning.

"But President Biden was clear with us and with our caucus yesterday, he`s not going to forget the middle class, he`s not going to walk back from a real commitment."

Biden has made addressing the heavy human and economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 447,000 Americans and thrown millions out of work, a key focus of the early weeks of his administration.

The president told House Democrats in a conference call that he does not want to begin his presidency with a broken promise on delivering relief, said a House Democratic aide.

Biden`s proposal mirrors income requirements in previous COVID-19 bills that would provide payments to individuals making up to $75,000, and couples $150,000, a year.

When White House Press Secretary Jen Paski on Tuesday was asked to draw some lines on where Biden stood on the stimulus checks, she offered an example of a couple, a nurse and a teacher, making $120,000 and said under the Biden plan, they would get a stimulus check, but not under a plan by Republican senators.

Congressional Democrats on Tuesday took their first steps to fast-track the massive aid package, voting in both chambers to open debate on a spending resolution that would give them a legislative tool called "reconciliation" to pass the relief without Republican support.

Biden met a group of 10 moderate Republican senators on Monday and had said he wanted to garner bipartisan support for his plan, which includes more money for vaccines and additional unemployment benefits.

But Republicans overall have balked at the price tag and pointed to the $4 trillion in COVID-19 aid passed last year.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Democrats` strategy does not preclude bipartisan cooperation, but vowed a sweeping measure that includes assistance for the unemployed, businesses, housing, schools, state and local governments and vaccine distribution.

But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell criticized the Democrats` decision to press ahead with a framework that allows the eventual COVID-19 relief bill to pass with a simple majority, calling it a "partisan jam".

"The new president talks a lot about unity, but his White House staff and congressional leadership are working with a different playbook," McConnell said on the Senate floor.

President Joe Biden told congressional Democrats on Wednesday he would not back down on including $1,400 checks for struggling Americans in his COVID-19 relief plan but would consider tighter limits on who gets them, lawmakers and aides said.

President Joe Biden told congressional Democrats on Wednesday he would not back down on including $1,400 checks for struggling Americans in his COVID-19 relief plan but would consider tighter limits on who gets them, lawmakers and aides said. Biden held a conference call with House of Representatives Democrats and talked with Democratic senators at the White House as the party prepared to use a procedural maneuver to push Biden`s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package through without Republican votes if necessary. "We did have a conversation about the direct payments and how those might be modified in a way to ensure they`re targeted," Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Biden`s home state of Delaware, said as he left the White House Wednesday morning. "But President Biden was clear with us and with our caucus yesterday, he`s not going to forget the middle class, he`s not going to walk back from a real commitment." Biden has made addressing the heavy human and economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 447,000 Americans and thrown millions out of work, a key focus of the early weeks of his administration. The president told House Democrats in a conference call that he does not want to begin his presidency with a broken promise on delivering relief, said a House Democratic aide. Biden`s proposal mirrors income requirements in previous COVID-19 bills that would provide payments to individuals making up to $75,000, and couples $150,000, a year. When White House Press Secretary Jen Paski on Tuesday was asked to draw some lines on where Biden stood on the stimulus checks, she offered an example of a couple, a nurse and a teacher, making $120,000 and said under the Biden plan, they would get a stimulus check, but not under a plan by Republican senators. Congressional Democrats on Tuesday took their first steps to fast-track the massive aid package, voting in both chambers to open debate on a spending resolution that would give them a legislative tool called "reconciliation" to pass the relief without Republican support. Biden met a group of 10 moderate Republican senators on Monday and had said he wanted to garner bipartisan support for his plan, which includes more money for vaccines and additional unemployment benefits. But Republicans overall have balked at the price tag and pointed to the $4 trillion in COVID-19 aid passed last year. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Democrats` strategy does not preclude bipartisan cooperation, but vowed a sweeping measure that includes assistance for the unemployed, businesses, housing, schools, state and local governments and vaccine distribution. But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell criticized the Democrats` decision to press ahead with a framework that allows the eventual COVID-19 relief bill to pass with a simple majority, calling it a "partisan jam". "The new president talks a lot about unity, but his White House staff and congressional leadership are working with a different playbook," McConnell said on the Senate floor.

Biden tells congressional Democrats would consider limits on who gets COVID-19 checks

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