Joe Biden fell three times attempting to board Air Force One on his way to Atlanta. The 78-year-old, America’s oldest president, recovered to give a salute at the top of the stairs before boarding ahead of meetings with Asian American community leaders in the wake of the massage parlour massacre.
Democrats announced a resolution into Congress to remove Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who returned to Twitter after the company banned her personal account “in error”.
The White House, meanwhile, has confirmed that five of its staff have lost their jobs after admitting to having previously used cannabis, US press secretary Jen Psaki has confirmed.
This comes as the Biden administration refused Vladimir Putin’s demand to hold a public debate with President Biden with the US president saying he is “quite busy” and therefore able to debate live with Mr Putin.
This follows Joe Biden calling the Russian leader a “killer” in an interview with ABC News.
Meanwhile the first talks between China and the US, since President Biden took office have begun, with diplomats clashing over a range of issues.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited the US’ “deep concerns with actions by China,” saying that they “threaten the rules based order that maintains global stability.”
China accused the US of suppressing other countries with its “military force and financial hegemony,” with the two sides agreeing on very little.
In the US, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the first person of South Asian descent to hold national office, will visit Atlanta. This visit comes just days since a gunman shot dead eight people in the US state.
Twitter says suspension of Marjorie Taylor Greene was an ‘error’
MTG has regained access to her personal Twitter account after being suspended for what the company calls an error in its automated review process.
“We use a combination of technology and human review to enforce the Twitter Rules across the service. In This case, our automated systems took enforcement action on the account referenced in error,” the company said in a statement.
“This action has been reversed, and access to the account has been reinstated.”
Via NBC News reporter Brandy Zadronzy.
Justin Vallejo19 March 2021 17:23
Cuomo accuser says governor had dartboard with New York City mayor’s face on it
One of the women who accused Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment says the governor had a dartboard with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s face on it at the executive mansion.
Former aide Lindsey Boylan recalled the detail in an interview published by The New Yorker on Thursday in which she described her experiences of the workplace environment as “toxic”.
Ms Boylan said she saw the dartboard while attending a pool party at the governor’s mansion, telling journalist Ronan Farrow: “I couldn’t believe how brazen that was.”
The governor of New York state and the mayor of New York City have been longtime political rivals, representing different factions within the Democratic Party.
Oliver O’Connell reports.
Justin Vallejo19 March 2021 17:10
Biden ‘doing fine’ after triple tumble
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told White House pool reporters the president was “doing fine” after the fall.
“It was very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself. He is doing 100 per cent,” she told reporters. “He’s doing fine. He’s preparing for the trip just fine.”
Justin Vallejo19 March 2021 17:10
BREAKING: Derek Chauvin trial won’t be moved or delayed after $27m settlement
The trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd, will not be moved to a new venue or delayed, a judge decided on Friday, overruling arguments from Mr Chauvin’s lawyers that a recently announced $27 million settlement with Mr Floyd’s family and massive amounts of pre-trial publicity could skew the case.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill’s Friday ruling also will allow limited evidence from one of Mr Floyd’s previous arrests to be discussed at trial.
The Independent’s Josh Marcus is following the developing story.
Justin Vallejo19 March 2021 16:45
Joe Biden falls three times stumbling up stairs of Air Force One
Septuagenarian Joe Biden fell three times attempting to board Air Force One on his way to Atlanta.
The 78-year-old, America’s oldest president, recovered to give a salute at the top of the stairs before departing to meet with Asian American community leaders in the wake of the massage parlour massacre.
Eleanor Sly19 March 2021 16:13
Biden and Harris head to Georgia in wake of mass shooting amid fears of anti-Asian violence
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Georgia on Thursday for a multifaceted trip, meeting with Democratic leaders in the state who helped flip it blue in the 2020 elections, as well as with CDC officials to discuss their efforts on the coronavirus pandemic.
The pre-scheduled trip also comes just after a white gunman opened fire at multiple spas near the metro-area of Atlanta earlier this week, killing eight people, six of whom were Asian-American women.
Eleanor Sly19 March 2021 16:01
Jimmy Gomez introduces resolution to remove Taylor-Greene from Congress
Eleanor Sly19 March 2021 15:52
Democrat Jimmy Gomez introduces resolution to kick Marjorie Taylor Greene out of Congress
Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez announced a resolution into Congress to remove Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
“I take no joy in introducing this resolution, but any member who incites political violence and threatens our lives must be expelled,” he said.
Graig Graziosi explains more here:
Eleanor Sly19 March 2021 15:49
US issues new school Covid-19 guidance
The United States government has updated its Covid-19 guidance in schools, narrowing the acceptable distance between school students who are wearing masks. The suggested distance that students should leave between them will drop from six feet to three feet.
This new recommendation will potentially make it easier for more schools to reopen, some of which have struggled to do so under previous recommendations.
The recommendation comes from the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and offers hope to the Biden administration’s goal of reopening learning, in-person, for millions of school students.
Although schools have continued to teach students throughout the pandemic, many schools have been forced to do this remotely due to fears that students returning to schools could spark further outbreaks.
The guidance applies to students from kindergarten through high school and in areas with low, moderate, and substantial community transmission of coronavirus. Students in middle school and high school where there are high levels of Covid-19 should remain six feet apart.
The CDC added that students should keep on maintaining six feet of distance when interacting with teachers and school staff as well as when eating.
The Biden administration has also told states they should try to inoculate teachers and childcare workers and have set a goal of getting all of them vaccinated by the end of March.
Eleanor Sly19 March 2021 15:33
Biden nominates former Florida senator as NASA Administrator
The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden intends to nominate former Senator for Florida, Bill Nelson, to serve as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator.
A statement from the White House explained: “Nelson chaired the Space Subcommittee in the US House of Representatives for 6 years and in the Senate was the Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Space and Science Subcommittee and Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Most every piece of space and science law has had his imprint, including passing the landmark NASA bill of 2010 along with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. That law set NASA on its present dual course of both government and commercial missions. In 1986 he flew on the 24th flight of the Space Shuttle. The mission on Columbia, orbited the earth 98 times during six days.”
They added: “Nelson conducted 12 medical experiments including the first American stress test in space and a cancer research experiment sponsored by university researchers. In the Senate he was known as the go-to senator for our nation’s space program. He now serves on the NASA Advisory Council.”
Eleanor Sly19 March 2021 15:17