Biden to tout successful passing of infrastructure law after voting rights defeat – live

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Even as Democrats filed into their caucus meeting with Biden about changing Senate rules to reform federal elections, a response to GOP-backed state laws designed to restrict ballot access, a good portion of them were unaware they had already lost. Just minutes before the group’s meeting with Biden, [Kyrsten Sinema] slammed the door on weakening … Read more

Biden blames Trump’s ‘web of lies’ for US Capitol attack in first anniversary speech – live

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The Associated Press has collected a sampling of what some of the insurrectionists who stormed the US Capitol in the 6 January attack are saying as they face prison time or are pleading guilty. Some, like Robert Palmer of Florida, directly blame Donald Trump for misleading them, while others remain defiant. “I have realized that … Read more

Biden: ‘I’ve never seen anything like the unrelenting assault on the right to vote’ – live

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In December 1961, James E. Clyburn was a 21-year-old at South Carolina State University who had completed all his credits and was set to graduate. However, because the school at the time allowed only one commencement ceremony a year — usually in the spring — Clyburn received his diploma in the mail instead of marching … Read more

Biden warns of a ‘winter of severe illness and death’ for those not vaccinated against Covid- live

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The US postmaster appointed under Trump is still raising alarm – but can he be stopped? Jake Bittle reports: Joe Biden this month took another step toward the removal of the controversial postmaster general Louis DeJoy, even as the Trump-era appointee continues to make his mark on the embattled postal service, rolling out new plans … Read more

Joe Biden to visit Kentucky after tornadoes kill at least 74 people – live

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A press briefing is now underway by the White House Covid-19 response team and related public health officials. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, said that cases of the Omicron variant of Covid have now been reported in 36 US states – and 75 countries around the world. Rochelle Walensky … Read more

Biden says saving democracy is ‘the challenge of our time’ as he hosts summit of 100 countries – live

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Americans face unprecedented barriers to having their voices heard in the upcoming 2022 and 2024 elections, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said on Wednesday. In a panel at the Reuters Next conference, Griswold warned of multiple dangers to democracy in the United States, including bills designed to suppress voting, death threats against election officials … Read more

Capitol attack committee: ‘no choice’ but to advance contempt proceedings for Meadows – live

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The United States and Mexico last week agreed to relaunch the controversial scheme known as Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) that obliges asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for U.S. immigration hearings, in keeping with a federal court order. Mexico made the restart conditional on Washington meeting certain criteria, including offering vaccines to asylum seekers. The … Read more

Biden holds virtual summit with Putin amid fears of Ukraine invasion – live

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Biden goes into Tuesday’s virtual summit with Vladimir Putin, after days of close consultation with European allies on a joint response to an invasion of Ukraine, armed with a wide range of punitive measures at his disposal. There would be increased military support for Kyiv and a bolstering of Nato’s eastern flank, but the primary … Read more

Congress braces for another battle over US debt ceiling – live

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3.30pm GMT15:30 David Perdue’s announcement that he will challenge sitting Governor Brian Kemp for the Republican nomination comes less than a week after Democrat Stacey Abrams launched her own gubernatorial campaign. Abrams’ campaign sets up a potential rematch against Kemp, depending on whether he can best Perdue. Kemp narrowly defeated Abrams in the 2018 gubernatorial … Read more

US government shutdown averted after vaccine mandate standoff – live

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We will now shift to cover the coronavirus task force briefing, where public health officials are giving an update on the omicron variant. The CDC director, Dr Rochelle Walensky, begins by reminding Americans that while much of the coverage is focused on the Omicron variant, nearly all new cases in the United States were caused … Read more