Death toll in US tornadoes rises as Biden approves state of emergency in Kentucky

The death toll in the devastating tornadoes that have been tearing through the United States from Friday, has gone past the 100 mark, with dozen others not accounted for.

The tornadoes which have been described as the deadliest natural disasters to hit the United States in recent years, tore through at least six states with as many as a hundred feared to have lost their lives in Kentucky alone.

According to Kentucky Governor, Andy Beshear, ‘confirmed fatalities’ has continued to rise after workers became trapped when a roof collapsed at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois.

In a statement on Sunday morning, Beshear said “north of 70” people had been killed in the path of a tornado stretching at least 200 miles, adding that the number of deaths was expected to increase towards 100.

It has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history. Some areas have been hit in ways that are hard to put into words,” the Governor said, while declaring a state of emergency in the state.

On his part, President Joe Biden, in an address on Sunday, declared a federal emergency in Kentucky after what he termed as ‘one of the largest tornado outbreaks in our history’

“It’s a tragedy,” the president said during brief remarks.

Buhari, Biden, others attend opening session of UNGA76 in New York

President Muhammadu Buhari and his United States counterpart, Joe Biden; were among the world leaders that attended the opening of the General Debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday in New York.

The President was accompanied to the opening session by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, and Head of Chancery of the Permanent Mission, Muyiwa Onifade.

At least 80 heads of state attended the General Debate in person in New York while others spoke through pre-recorded videos.

Buhari will present Nigeria’s statement to the General Assembly on Friday.

The Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, was the first world leader to present his address to the 76th session as is tradition followed by Biden, whose country houses the UN.

Biden is a disaster, I will have no choice but to rescue America in 2024 -Trump

Former United States President Donald Trump, has described his successor, Joe Biden, as a “total disaster” and “an incompetent leader”.

He said he (Trump) would have no choice but to run for presidency in 2024 to save the country from collapse.

Trump, in an interview with Fox News aired on Monday, said the country is “getting to a point where we really have no choice” but for him to run for president again.

Asked about his plans for a potential White House bid in 2024, Trump said:

“I don’t think we’re going to have a choice. It is disgraceful.”

Trump went on to bill the Biden administration’s withdrawal of U.S. military assets from Afghanistan as the “greatest embarrassment in the history of our country.”

“When you look at Afghanistan and what happened, and the death for no reason, just for no reason,” Trump said, adding that military “parents – they want to speak with me – they don’t want to speak with Biden.”

“They’re just devastated. It is getting to a point where we really have no choice,” he added.

Trump went on to slam President Biden as “an incompetent person as the leader of our country” and called his administration “divisive.”

“They keep telling everyone how they want to get together, to be inclusive – they’re not inclusive. They are very, very dividing and divisive.”

Biden vows to block Iran’s access to nuclear weapons

US President Joe Biden, has vowed that his country will block Iran’s access to acquiring nuclear weapons.

Biden made the promise while conveying his unwavering support for Israel’s security and also committed to deepening the cooperation between the two countries during a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin.

During their meeting at the White House on Monday, the two leaders discussed extensively on “the many challenges facing the region, including the threat posed by Iran,” according to an official release.

The statement added that Biden emphasized that under his administration, Iran will never get a nuclear weapon.

He also assured President Rivlin that the US remains determined to counter Iran’s malign activity and support for terrorist proxies, which have destabilizing consequences for the region,” the statement said.

The US President also assured Rivlin that opportunities to enhance peace and stability in the Middle East region would be pursued with great vigour, expressing his strong support for the normalization of relations between Israel and other countries in the Arab and Muslim world.

Other topics of discussion between Biden and Rivlin included the recent developments in Gaza and the West Bank; to support greater economic opportunities for the Palestinian people; the importance of enhancing efforts to strengthen moderate voices; and promoting the cause of coexistence while weakening extremists who advocate for hatred and violence.

Bring U.S. soldiers to help tackle Nigeria’s insecurity – Buhari begs Biden

Nigeria’s President ,Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the United States to reconsider relocating US Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Stuttgart, Germany, to Africa, nearer the Theatre of Operation, admonishing the international community to support the West African nation and the sub-region in tackling growing security challenges to avoid spillovers.

A statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina said Buhari spoke on Tuesday, in a virtual meeting with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.

The president said AFRICOM, which partners with countries to counter transnational threats, should be relocated to Africa to strengthen ongoing efforts to check the security situation, with likely effect on other nations.

The statement read; “The security challenges in Nigeria remain of great concern to us and impacted more negatively, by existing complex negative pressures in the Sahel, Central and West Africa, as well as the Lake Chad Region.

Compounded as the situation remains, Nigeria and her security forces remain resolutely committed to containing them and addressing their root causes. The support of important and strategic partners like United States cannot be overstated as the consequences of insecurity will affect all nations hence the imperative for concerted cooperation and collaboration of all nations to overcome these challenges.

“In this connection, and considering the growing security challenges in West and Central Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Lake Chad region and the Sahel, weighing heavily on Africa, it underscores the need for the United States to consider re-locating AFRICOM Headquarters from Stuttgart, Germany to Africa and near the Theatre of Operation’’.

The President said Nigeria will enhance collaborations in all forms, with friends and strategic partners, to work together for greater security for all, which remain the most significant condition for overcoming the existential challenges.

Buhari congratulated Blinken on his appointment by President Joe Biden, and commended the United States for the decision to repeal the immigration restriction known as the “Muslim ban’’, re-joining the World Health Organization (WHO) and Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Nigeria attaches great importance to its relations with the United States. Let me in this connection express appreciation to President Joe Biden for his welcome and reaching decision to repeal the Immigration restriction known as the ‘Muslim ban’ on travel and visas for citizens predominantly from Muslim Nations and African Countries, including Nigeria.

“I also wish to congratulate the United States for re-joining the World Health Organization (WHO) and Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The leadership of the United States in these two organizations is crucial for international community.

“This action is a demonstration of the United States commitment in championing and supporting international organizations with the aim to build a better world for all,’’ he added.

President Buhari noted that Nigeria remains resolute in her commitment to supporting global efforts as enshrined in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which seeks to limit global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the President, the convening of the Climate Change Summit last week by President Biden was a strong indication of the renewed interest of the United States to the Paris Agreement.

I would like to extend our goodwill message to President Joe Biden and his Administration. May I also thank you for initiating this meeting, which I am confident, given your background and current position, you will use to promote the existing bilateral relations between our two countries,’’ the President said.

The Secretary of State said he was pleased to make Nigeria part of his “first virtual visit to Africa,” noting that Nigeria and the United States of America, share a lot in bilateral issues.

He added that he would be delighted to build on the foundation that was laid between the two countries over 60 years ago, disclosing that areas of discussion with Nigeria would include “how to build our economies back after the COVID-19 pandemic, security for vulnerable communities, and climate issues.”

Biden raises minimum wage to $15/N5,700 per hour (N4.2m monthly)

United States President, Joe Biden, has raised the minimum wage of those working on federal contracts to $15 per hour which is equivalent to N5,700 at the official exchange rate of N379 per dollar.

This means that each worker would be able to go home with $10,950 monthly (N4.2 million).

This comes amid debates in Nigeria over the N30,000 minimum wage per month for workers which is equivalent to $66.

Biden took to his official Twitter account on Tuesday, to inform all workers in America of the development.

He wrote; “I believe no one should work full time and still live in poverty. That’s why today, I raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour for people working on federal contracts.”

Meanwhile, recall that in 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded an executive bill to the National Assembly for amendment of the National Minimum Wage Act after prolonged and heated negotiations between the workers, employers and the government.

Buhari signed the passed bill into law in April 2019, raising the minimum wage from N18,000 to N30,000.

Some states have, however, been unable to pay the new wage.

Biden threatens to re-impose sanctions on Myanmar after apparent military coup

The newly elected President of the United States of America, Joe Biden has threatened to re-impose tough sanctions on Myanmar after its leader Aung San Suu Kyi, 75, President Win Myint and some other members of the National League of Democracy were arrested by security forces in an apparent coup.

Biden who condemned the military’s takeover from the civilian-led government on Monday, called for a concerted international response to push the generals into relinquishing power.

He also described the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and some other party members as “a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the disrespect of the rule of law”.

“The international community should come together in one voice to press the Burmese military to immediately relinquish the power they have seized, release the activists and officials they have detained,” Biden said in a statement.

“The United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy. The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action,” he said.

Biden warned the US was “taking note of those who stand with the people of Burma in this difficult hour.”

Speaking from detention yesterday Aung San Suu Kyi said that the military was trying to re-impose dictatorship.

“I urge people not to accept this, to respond and wholeheartedly to protest against the coup by the military,” a statement released in her name said.

Biden Set To Repeal Trump’s Ban On Transgender People Joining Military.

The plan marks the latest effort by the Biden administration to roll back many of Trump’s policies.

The United States President, Joe Biden, will repeal Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people enlisting in the US military.

The plan marks the latest effort by the Biden administration to roll back many of Trump’s policies.

According to a Reuters report, a source said the ban will be lifted on Monday. 

Trump had announced the ban in July 2017, reversing a landmark decision by his predecessor, Barack Obama, which allowed transgender people to serve openly and receive medical care to transition genders.

He, however, allowed transgender military personnel to keep serving while new recruits were kept out.

According to US Department of Defense data, there are about 1.3 million active personnel serving in the U.S. military, but no official figures on the number of trans members are available.

Showing his support, the newly confirmed Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, said at his confirmation hearing, 

“If you’re fit and you’re qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve and you can expect that I will support that throughout.”

Biden sacks heads of govt media agencies appointed by Trump

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, has sacked the heads of US media organizations appointed by former President Donald Trump.

Those affected in the mass sack on Saturday, include the acting chief of the US Agency for Global Media, and the directors of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, The Independent reports.

Before now, Biden had also forced Trump’s pick to run the USAGM to resign within hours of resuming office, a move political analysts say was meant to start on a new footing without having any of Trump’s appointees around him.

The latest changes come just a day after the director of Voice of America and his deputy were removed and the chief of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting stood down.

The now former head of the USAGM, Michael Pack, had been accused by Democrats of trying to turn the networks into pro-Trump propaganda outfits.

All of those fired by the acting CEO of USAGM, Kelu Chao, were appointed by Pack in December after he claimed that its newsrooms were filled with anti-Trump journalists.

It is unclear if the firings of Victoria Coates of MEBN, Stephen Yates of RFA and Ted Lipien of RFE, will be subject to legal challenges but Chao was quoted as saying in a memo to staff before the sackings:

“We have a lot of work ahead of us: reaffirm the firewall, the highest standards of professionalism, and the sacred editorial independence and journalistic integrity; and ensure the safety and security of our journalists.”

Biden official withdraws last-minute Trump LGBT memo.

President Biden’s administration on Friday revoked a last-minute memo issued by former President Trump’s Justice Department that sought to limit the scope of a landmark Supreme Court decision on workplace discrimination against the LGBTQ community. 

Greg Friel, the acting head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, on Friday issued a memo revoking a Trump administration directive in response to the Supreme Court’s June 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. The justices ruled in a 6-3 decision that the country’s laws on sex discrimination in the workplace also apply to discrimination against LGBTQ individuals. 

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump Justice Department’s 23-page memo dated Sunday said the court’s ruling should not extend to areas where gender-based policies on bathrooms and sports teams are relevant. The memo also indicated that employers could cite religious beliefs as justification for discrimination against LGBTQ employees. 

However, Friday’s move, first reported by Politico, revoked the Trump administration’s memo, with Friel arguing that the directive conflicted with a Wednesday executive order from Biden that committed the federal government to preventing any type of discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. 

“I have determined that this memorandum is inconsistent in many respects with the E.O.,” Friel wrote in his Friday directive to civil rights division colleagues, according to Politico. “I plan to confer with Department leadership about issuing revised guidance that comports with the policy set forth in the E.O. As part of that process, we will seek the input of Division subject matter experts.”

Biden’s executive order, one of several actions taken on his first day in office, calls on federal government agencies to review current policies against sex discrimination to make sure they prohibit discrimination toward members of the LGBTQ community. 

“Every person should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, no matter who they are or whom they love,” the order states. “Adults should be able to earn a living and pursue a vocation knowing that they will not be fired, demoted, or mistreated because of whom they go home to or because how they dress does not conform to sex-based stereotypes.” 

“All persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation,” the order adds.

Sunday’s memo from former acting Assistant Attorney General John Daukas, released publicly one day before Trump left office, sided with Justice Samuel Alito’s dissent in the Bostock case. 

“We must hesitate to apply the reasoning of Bostock to different texts, adopted at different times, in different contexts,” Daukas wrote. 

“Unlike racial discrimination, the Supreme Court has never held that a religious employer’s decision not to hire homosexual or transgender persons ‘violates deeply and widely accepted views of elementary justice’ or that the government has a ‘compelling’ interest in the eradication of such conduct,” the memo added, according to the Journal.

US Congresswoman, Greene, files articles of impeachment against Joe Biden

United States Republican congresswoman and one of former President Donald Trump’s strongest supporters, Marjorie Taylor Greene, has filed articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden on Thursday, a day after he was sworn in to office.

According to Independent UK, Greene who is alleged to have ties with QAnon and has been known for promoting conspiracy theories, took to her Twitter account to announce her action against Biden.

Greene whose social media platform accounts were banned for 12 hours after tweeting alleged election fraud claims in Georgia, her home state, wrote:

“I’ve just filed articles of impeachment on President Joe Biden; we will see how this goes,” she wrote.

In another series of tweet, she posted:

“Yesterday’s inauguration looked like a one party military state takeover with 30K troops.

“People were told not to go and flags were planted to show the fake support.

“Biden calls for unity after the Dem party has attacked & continues to attack anyone that disagrees with them.

“I’ll be introducing Articles of Impeachment against President-elect @JoeBiden due to his abuses of power as Vice President. Americans can’t have a President who has threatened foreign governments to remove government officials.

“Democrats’ impeachment of President Trump today has now set the standard that they should be removed for their support of violence against the American people.

“President Joe Biden is unfit to hold the office of the presidency. His pattern of abuse of power as President Obama’s vice president is lengthy and disturbing.”

Earlier on inauguration day, Greene had attacked Biden’s celebration on Twitter, referring to the new president as “a clueless Grandpa.”

Greene’s impeachment moves on Biden comes less than a month into her first term in Congress, but according to a political analyst in the US, the “stunt is destined for quick failure as the Democrats now control the House and Senate, in addition to the White House.”

The congresswoman filed the articles over claims of corruption against Biden and his family in Ukraine, Russia and China, claims Biden has rubbished severally, saying any decision he made while in office as the Vice President were based on his son, Hunter Biden’s overseas business interests.
“President Biden residing in the White House is a threat to national security and he must be immediately impeached.

“Joe Biden abused the power of the office of the vice president, enabling bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors, by allowing his son to influence the domestic policy of a foreign nation and accept various benefits, including financial compensation, from foreign nationals in exchange for certain favors.

“During his father’s vice presidency, Hunter Biden built many business relationships with foreign nationals and received millions of dollars from foreign sources, seemingly in exchange for access to his father.

“The financial transactions which Hunter engaged in illustrates serious counterintelligence and extortion concerns relating to Hunter Biden and his family.”

A Senate investigation by Republicans last year found no evidence of corruption against Biden and no evidence that his son’s work for Burisma, an oil company, influenced US foreign policy.

Greene was among the 139 representatives and eight senators who opposed Electoral College results from Arizona and Pennsylvania confirming Biden’s win over Trump, alleging that there was massive voter fraud in her home state that resulted in Biden’s close win in Georgia, but that her win was totally legitimate and that her vote count was accurate.

Republican officials who oversaw the election in Georgia have repeatedly debunked Greene’s claims as being false.

Her GOP colleagues have denounced Greene and others in their conspiracy theories wing of the party.

World leaders congratulate Biden on becoming president.

World leaders congratulated President Biden shortly after his inauguration on Wednesday, with allied nations and bodies expressing hope for continued cooperation with the new administration.

“Congratulations President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on your historic inauguration,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who enjoyed a close relationship with former President Trump.

“President Biden, you and I have had a warm personal friendship going back many decades,” he added. “I look forward to working with you to strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance, to continue expanding peace between Israel and the Arab world and to confront common challenges, chief among them, the threat posed by Iran.” 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who also found an ally in Trump, tweeted that “America’s leadership is vital on the issues that matter to us all, from climate change to COVID, and I look forward to working with President Biden.” 

“The India-US partnership is based on shared values. We have a substantial and multifaceted bilateral agenda, growing economic engagement and vibrant people to people linkages. Committed to working with President @JoeBiden to take the India-US partnership to even greater heights,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, another Trump ally.

The laudatory messages come after the Trump administration strengthened some of America’s closest international relationships and roiled others.

Other world leaders who saw their relationship with the U.S. falter during the Trump administration said they look forward to working with the Biden White House on an array of issues. 

“Canada and the United States enjoy one of the most unique relationships in the world, built on a shared commitment to democratic values, common interests, and strong economic and security ties. Our two countries are more than neighbours – we are close friends, partners, and allies,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who faced a wave of tariffs from the Trump administration.

“We will continue this partnership as we fight the global COVID-19 pandemic and support a sustainable economic recovery that will build back better for everyone. We will also work together to advance climate action and clean economic growth, promote inclusion and diversity, and create good middle class jobs and opportunities for our people while contributing to democracy, peace, and security at home and around the world,” Trudeau added.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, meanwhile, said that the “bond between North America and Europe is the bedrock of our security, and a strong NATO is good for both North America and Europe.”

“For more than seventy years, our transatlantic Alliance has guaranteed freedom, peace, and security for our people. U.S. leadership remains essential as we work together to protect our democracies, our values and the rules-based international order,” Stoltenberg said.

Trump made no secret of his antagonism toward the alliance. The former president also repeatedly chastised members for not paying more for the alliance’s defense, threatening to pull out of NATO should countries not increase their spending.

Biden during his inauguration speech echoed promises he made on the campaign trail of bolstering the U.S.’s international alliances. On his first day in office, the new president is expected to sign a wave of executive orders, including ending Trump’s controversial travel ban and reentering the U.S. in the Paris climate accords.

“America has been tested. And we’ve come out stronger for it,” Biden said Wednesday. “We will repair our alliances and engagement with the world once again, not to meet yesterday’s challenges, but today’s and tomorrow’s challenges, not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example, strong and trusted partner for peace progress and security.”

What President Biden Will Do On First Day In Office.

In a statement on Wednesday, he said he would sign 15 orders after he is sworn in.

Mr Joe Biden, set to be sworn in as the 46th President of the US, has set out a flurry of executive orders.

In a statement on Wednesday, he said he would sign 15 orders after he is sworn in. They will reverse Mr Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate accord;

Revoke the presidential permit granted to the Keystone XL Pipeline, which is opposed by environmentalists and Native American groups;

Revoke Trump policies on immigration enforcement and the emergency declaration that helped fund the construction of a Mexican border wall;

Bring about a mask and distancing mandate for federal employees and in federal buildings, and a new White House office on coronavirus;

End a travel ban on visitors from some, mainly Muslim nations;

Other orders will cover race and gender equality, along with climate issues.

Mr Biden’s vice-president, Kamala Harris, will swear in three new Democratic senators on Wednesday, leaving the upper chamber of Congress evenly split between the two main parties. This will allow the vice-president to act as a tie-breaker in key votes.

According to the BBC, Mr Biden’s legislative ambitions could be tempered by the slender majorities he holds in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Inauguration Day 2021: Schedule of events as US move from Trump to Biden

President-elect, Joe Biden will be sworn in on Wednesday as the 46th president of the United States alongside Kamala Harris who will be sworn in as the country’s first female vice-president.

The inauguration theme, “America United,” according to the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) “reflects the beginning of a new national journey that restores the soul of America, brings the country together, and creates a path to a brighter future.”

However, due to COVID-19 restrictions and security concerns over the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol building, the inauguration will be much different from those held in past years with it being mostly virtual, while the crowd will be kept to a bare minimum as 20,000 National Guard troops have been deployed around Washington, D.C.

The PIC has installed a public art display called “Field of Flags,” at the National Mall to represent the people unable to travel to the city for the ceremonies.

Here is a schedule of what has been planned for the inauguration:

8:00 a.m.: Outgoing President Donald Trump has planned a sendoff at an airfield at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where he is expected to make remarks, then board Air Force One for the last time as he heads to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: The livestream event “Our White House: An Inaugural Celebration for Young Americans” will be hosted by actress Keke Palmer.

The event will act as an explainer for young Americans before and during the ceremony. It will feature incoming first lady Jill Biden and historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Erica Armstrong Dunbar.

The event will also include a trivia portion with questions produced by the Library of Congress and a segment on presidential pets produced by Nickelodeon.

11:00 a.m.: The inauguration ceremony begins.

12:00 p.m.: Biden and Harris will be sworn in at the US Capitol building. US Supreme Court Chief, Justice John Roberts, will administer the oath of office to Biden.

Then, US Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, will swear in Harris.

Biden will deliver his inaugural address. He is expected to discuss the pandemic and the unification of the nation.

Other participants will include:

Invocation: Father Leo J. O’Donovan, a Jesuit priest and spiritual mentor to Biden.

Pledge of Allegiance: Capt. Andrea Hall, the City of South Fulton, Ga. fire captain.

National Anthem: Lady Gaga

Poetry Reading: Amanda Gorman, the first Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles and the country’s first National Youth Poet Laureate.

Musical Performances: Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks

Benediction: Rev. Dr. Silvester Beaman, the Pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Del.

12:30 p.m.: Biden, Harris and their spouses, Dr. Jill Biden and Douglas Emhoff who will be addressed as Second Gentleman, will participate in a Pass in Review with every branch of the military.

Afterward, all four will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

3:15 p.m.: The two couples will receive a presidential escort to the White House, accompanied by the military and the drumlines from Biden and Harris’s alma maters.

The televised event, “Parade Across America,” will be hosted by Tony Goldwyn and will feature performances by Earth, Wind and Fire, TikTok star Nathan Apodaca, and comedian Jon Stewart.

8:30 p.m.: Another televised event, “Celebrating America” hosted by Tom Hanks, will include appearances from Biden, Harris, Kerry Washington, and Eva Longoria. Featured performances by Ant Clemons, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato, and Justin Timberlake are planned.

Conservative caucus opposes waiver for Biden’s Pentagon pick.

A bloc of House conservatives is opposing a waiver that would allow President-elect Joe Biden’s Defense secretary nominee to bypass a law barring recently retired generals from holding the civilian job.

In a memo its members and staff released Thursday, the Republican Study Committee, which counts most GOP lawmakers as members, argued granting a waiver for retired Gen. Lloyd Austin so soon after Congress granted one to President Trump’s first Defense secretary, James Mattis, would set a “new dangerous precedent.”

“Furthermore, regardless of the ‘waiver,’ Gen. Austin is not the right person for the job of secretary of Defense,” the memo added. “He lacks civilian experience, has no experience in countering China, and has a track record of failures as the [Central Command] head in Syria and Iraq and in the war on ISIS. For all of these reasons, conservatives should not vote to grant a ‘waiver’ for Gen. Austin.”

Under a 1947 law meant to ensure civilian control of the military, Defense secretaries must be retired from the military for at least seven years before they can take the job. Austin retired in mid-2016.

But Congress can approve a waiver to the law to allow someone within the cooling off period to lead the Pentagon and has done so twice: first for George Marshall in 1950 and then for Mattis in 2017.

In 2017, just one House Republican voted against Mattis’s waiver.

But after Biden named Austin as his pick for Defense secretary, some Republicans said they regret supporting a waiver for Mattis, including current Republican Study Committee (RSC) Chairman Jim Banks (R-Ind.).

“Based on the lessons learned after the House made the unprecedented move of granting a waiver four years ago, the Republican Study Committee will oppose granting General Austin a waiver,” the caucus said in a statement Thursday.

The RSC’s position is not binding on its members, and Republican opposition alone would not sink Austin’s waiver in the House.

But with Democrats holding a slim majority in the House, Republicans opposing Austin en mass would leave little room for error in uniting Democrats around the pick.

Some Democrats have expressed a wariness to granting Austin waiver, but few have explicitly said they would vote against it. Most House Democrats opposed Mattis’s waiver after Trump would not let him testify before the House Armed Services Committee prior to the vote.

But some Democrats who voted against Mattis have said they will support Austin’s waiver, including House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.).

In addition to not wanting to stymy Biden’s agenda by blocking his nominees, Democrats are concerned about blocking someone who would be the nation’s first Black secretary of Defense.

The House Armed Services Committee is expected to hold a hearing Jan. 21 for Austin to testify about the waiver.

The Senate Armed Committee heard expert testimony on the waiver this past Tuesday and is scheduled to hold Austin’s confirmation hearing this coming Tuesday.

President Donald Trump Has Been Refused Entry Into Scotland Until Joe Biden Is Sworn-In.

Yesterday, both President Donald Trump and Joe Biden were in Georgia to rally behind their two chosen candidates respectively for their Senatorial contests. But as it is known President Trump actually had another motive besides the electioneering campaign.

The grudging President also wants his two candidates to win the Senatorial election so that he might later use them against swearing-in Joe Biden on the 20th of this month.

Also in furtherance of his efforts at not having Joe Biden sworn-in on the aforementioned day, he has reportedly made plans to jet-o ff to Scotland for a Gulf course. In addition to the reports from the official Twitter handle of Independent news platform the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has swiftly refused his entry there.

Warding him off, according to @Independent , the Scottish Madame, however hinted that now is not the right time to play gulf as they are presently preparing for a new lockdown measure in Scotland.

See the original Twitter posts below:

Well, I think this is simply a polite way to allow him entry into Scotland; hence they are not in support of what he is been up to.

Biden becomes first Democratic presidential candidate to win the southern US state in almost three decades.

Georgia has confirmed Democratic President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the Nov 3 election in the state after completing a hand audit of ballots on Thursday, November 19, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said.

The audit, launched after unofficial results showed Biden leading Republican President Donald Trump by about 14,000 out of more than 5 million votes cast, ended with Biden winning by 12,284, according to data from Raffensperger’s office.

“Georgia’s historic first statewide audit reaffirmed that the state’s new secure paper ballot voting system accurately counted and reported results,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, said in a statement.

“This is a credit to the hard work of our county and local elections officials who moved quickly to undertake and complete such a momentous task in a short period of time.”

The confirmation makes Biden the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the southern US state in almost three decades, since Bill Clinton in 1992. 

The Biden campaign’s communications director for Georgia, Jaclyn Rothenberg, said in a statement Thursday evening that the recount outcome, “simply reaffirmed what we already knew: Georgia voters selected Joe Biden to be their next president.”

“We are grateful to the election officials, volunteers and workers for working overtime and under unprecedented circumstances to complete this recount, as the utmost form of public service,” she said.

Raffensperger, a Republican, is expected to formally certify Biden’s victory today, November 20th, despite pressure from Trump, who has claimed without evidence that there were widespread irregularities and fraud in states that he lost to Biden, including Georgia.

READ PROFESSOR FALOLA’S THOUGHTS ON THE JUST CONCLUDED US ELECTION

Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish: Donald Trump and the End of a Thrashy Presidency, By Toyin Falola


Now the elections are over, and all speculations have been put to sleep. Let us do what humans are wont to: look back at how we dodged a bullet by not getting hit twice by the same absurdity called Donald Trump. Donald Trump is the worst joke democracy ever told, and by some demonstration of that famous resilient American spirit, the men and women of the United States of America, of every race and creed listened, and let us hope we heard it well.

America had made some progress in its role as the world’s shinning beacon of hope and democracy, and except for some infrequent cloudy days, it was still looked upon to intervene in world issues as a voice of reason. One of such bright days of American democracy, a lot of people will agree, was the inauguration of the first African American, in the person of Barack Obama as President of the USA. This occasion was not only going to be a sign that America had just successfully shown the world how effective democracy is as a socio-political model of societal organization, but also that its electorate had matured enough in proving that racism cannot deny them the possibilities inherent in common sense. Obama represented possibilities for America, but all these was soon to seem like the heady days of youth, all thanks to the political space-drop that were the last four years with Donald Trump piloting the affairs of the United States.

Like a bad movie playing out but with a little uncertainty, Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed billionaire real-estate tycoon, and television star dispelled all uncertainties by originating a very disturbing bit of news for an average American, “demonic” Russia might have influenced their elections and contributed in installing Trump. After investigations that led to the sacking of James Comey as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director, there were some internal political shuffling that resulted in an ambiguous verdict that ‘exonerated’ Donald Trump, and American democracy lived yet another day. But a long and precarious journey filled with presidential scares was to follow. On this phase of the journey, our self-acclaimed protagonist decides to open up migrant detention facilities where undocumented and overstayed guests were locked-up, separated from their kids who were shut in metal cages while the parents awaited their immigration status verdict leaving the media awash with scenes from a Hollywood holocaust video. This grew into attempts to build a wall round most of its southern border and have Mexico pay for it; issuing visa bans to mostly countries with sizeable Muslim populations; engaging China in trade wars; befriending North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un; and ordering missile strikes on Syria in search of ISSIL. And as if in a shock induced trance, the rest of the world watched the staggering giant lumber on in fear of enemies both real and mostly imagined.

Things seemed to take an even worse turn when four officers of the Minneapolis, the Minnesota Police Department wrestled down and choked the life out of an African American in broad day light. His name, George Floyd, would resonate around the world calling attention to that ever patient, in-house American enemy that has kept it divided, and always finds ways to embarrass and almost tear it up from within. Racism which has been in America from the very day it was christened, was yet again stirring up disruptive protests and looting that threatened to collapse law and order in the union. The President rose to the occasion in his usual brash, entitled white male manner to declare the protesters enemy of the state, and deploying the national guard. But as things deteriorated, and even in the White House members of staff were either being summarily fired or resigning with amusing frequency, the die-hard Trump supporters still pointed to economic indications to chant “this is the best American economy in a long while” with the unemployment rate 3.5%. But, 2020 was to come bearing its own Donald Trump lessons.

Early in the year 2020, coinciding with American election year, the world was greeted with news of a Sci-Fi sounding acronym COVID-19, a virus allegedly spreading from China to the rest of the world. With the scale, and restriction (to animals) of a prior virus also “made in China,” most people assumed it was just another regular new-year scare, until cases of mortality (amongst humans!) started to spring up rapidly around the globe and everything was shut down. A couple of months—of indoor restrictions and some thousands of American deaths–down the line, there were growing rumours that Donald Trump was made aware of the virus, earlier enough for most of the now over 230,000 American deaths, which he (Trump) responded to with attacks on the World Health Organization (WHO) whom he alleged was colluding with China to spread fake news. This was followed with numerous other conspiracy posts on twitter, Trump’s conduit for spreading rumour, unfounded conspiracy theories, and poorly veiled public attacks on anyone who dared speak critically of himself or his administration’s behaviour. He totally discredited the world acclaimed immunologist and foremost authority on communicable diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who seemed to be the only one around him telling the truth about the danger of COVID-19. In the end, his behaviour in “combating” the virus; flaunting preventive measures, prescribing bizarre “medications” and claiming immunity after having been treated for the virus.

Then the elections came and Trump the showman donning on his “Make America Great Again” cap embarks on another round of salesmanship. But this time, with over 12.6 million out-of-job people at an unemployment rate of 7.9%, a case against public healthcare subsidy (‘‘Obamacare’’) in court, and a fellow septuagenarian, Joe Biden were going to give him a run for his money. In the subsequent election debates, Trump who was to field questions on the last four years of his turbulent presidency turned the event into a Trump-only affair, interrupting and turning the event into an incoherent affair. The world waited in tense anticipation while voting commence, waiting to see if Donald Trump could pull another 2016 and have the electoral college come to his rescue like it did with Hilary Clinton.

In the meantime, democratic candidate Joe Biden, an experienced public official with six elections to the Senate and eight years as Obama’s Vice President was armed with a mixed-raced, female Vice-presidential candidate in Kamala Harris and together they stood to expose the Trump farce for what it was, a dangerous game with a shallow, self-indulgent poser in charge of powerful tools for good and destruction. They stood alongside the American people to say: no to abuse of power and office; no to the demeaning of the American image; no to forces of division and hate; and most importantly, no to another four years brink walking with Donald Trump. And now that the verdict is finally out, that Trump’s mostly conservative republican crowd could not save him from the truth of his actions, America can continue building; fix its image, and the damages done to its internal social as well as international relations.

Also, at this time when the United States has successfully terminated its contract with bad rubbish, the circumstances that brought Donald Trump to power should be a lesson; if we let down our guard, right in front of our very noses, we shall end up with one error that can send us and everything we worked for and believe, into oblivion. That is how close we came. Some might argue that Trump was exactly what the world needed in these periods, but they never could have been farther from the truth. Donald Trump represented the end of effective round table diplomacy and a misguided notion that America’s status as the ‘‘sole superpower’’ meant that it was not answerable to the rest of the world. In fact, Trump took pleasure in associating these other parts of the world with debasing titles like ‘‘shit-hole’’ among instances of verbal diarrhoea. One person who also seemed to appreciate the fact of Trump’s unsuitability was his predecessor Barack Obama, who came out to warn voters about what the brash acts of egomania and a reputation for telling lies could mean to the name of the American people.


Another four years with characteristic madness in the White House could only be imagined. Definitely, not his winning would be bad for America going forward, but the 99% of Trump gloating about it throughout his second term and rubbing it not only on Democrats’ face but also Americans would have been very bad to stand. Even more, a second term would have been an endorsement of his uncouth rhetoric, a seal of approval for his racism, global discrimination, international terrorism, and other tomfoolery unbecoming of a POTUS. Indeed, there is something to merry about in 2020, the exit of madness, and restoration of a bit of sanity!

Toyin Falola is the University Distinguished Teaching Professor and Humanities Chair at The University of Texas at Austin, USA.

Presidential debate 2020: Trump and Biden final debate FACT-CHECKED

President Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden have faced off in their second and final presidential debate of the election campaign.

They traded arguments and accusations on everything from the coronavirus pandemic, to the economy and even the “caging” of children of migrants crossing the border from Mexico. Reality Check has unpicked some of the claims.

The verdict of the claim are presented:

Trump: “We’ve rounded the corner [on coronavirus] – it’s going away”

Verdict: Coronavirus is not going away – cases and hospital admissions are rising and deaths remain high.

The White House’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has disputed the president’s assertion that the US is turning a corner, calling the latest statistics “disturbing”.

Around 60,000 new coronavirus cases a day are being reported across the US, up from around 50,000 a day at the start of October, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

Hospital admissions have also increased by more than 30% since the start of October.

Confirmed deaths have remained at around 800 a day through October.

A graph showing the number of daily coronavirus cases and deaths in the US
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Biden: “The coronavirus spikes are in red states”

Verdict: That’s not right. Coronavirus cases are rising in both Republican (red) and Democratic (blue) states.

The Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden implied that the rise in infections was centred on Republican run states.

Covid-19 cases are rising in more than 40 US states and these include both Republican and Democratic controlled states.

North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin have seen the most coronavirus cases per capita over the last week, according to New York Times.

The Dakotas are run by Republican governors, but Montana and Wisconsin both have Democratic governors – although all of these states voted for President Trump in 2016.

Mr Biden also pointed to spikes in Republican states in the Midwest – but the midwestern state of Illinois, which voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and has a Democratic governor, is also experiencing a spike in coronavirus cases.

Map of the US showing the number of cases in US states
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Trump: “2.2 million people, modelled out, were expected to die”

Verdict: This is misleading.

The figure is mentioned in a study published by Imperial College London in March in the case of an “unmitigated epidemic”.

But the study describes 2.2 million deaths from Covid-19 in the US not as the “expected” number, but instead what would occur “in the (unlikely) absence of any control measures or spontaneous changes in individual behaviour”.

So far, there have been more than 223,000 Covid-19 deaths in the US.

Donald Trump debates Joe Biden
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Trump: “I have a plan to help people with pre-existing conditions”

Verdict: President Trump may have a plan to do this but he hasn’t shared it with the American people.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed under President Obama, made it illegal to deny healthcare coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions.

The Trump administration wants to repeal it and now seeks to dismantle the law in the Supreme Court.

The president has repeatedly said he would replace the act with something better and protect people with pre-existing conditions, but his plan to do this is yet to be published.

In September, President Trump signed an executive order which said: “access to health insurance despite underlying health conditions should be maintained”.

But there is no detail about how this will be done or funded.

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Biden: “We commuted over 1,000 people’s sentences…the federal prison system was reduced by 38,000 people under our administration”

Verdict: He’s right about the number of commutations during the Obama administration, but not about the federal prison reduction.

About 1,700 inmates had their sentence commuted (or changed to a less severe one) by President Obama and a further 212 received a pardon.

But in 2016, the last year Mr Obama and Mr Biden were in office, there were 16,500 fewer inmates in the federal prison system compared to 2009.

Joe Biden debates Donald Trump
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Trump: “I’ve got the Nato countries to put up an extra $130 billion going to $420 billion a year, that’s to guard against Russia”

Verdict: This implies these figures are annual increases – that’s not correct.

President Trump said he’d been tough on Russia and insisted he’d boosted defence spending by Nato members.

Since 2016, European countries and Canada have increased investment in their defence budgets by $130 billion. But this has been over a number of years rather than every year.

According to a Nato report: “By the end of 2020, European Allies and Canada will have spent an extra 130 billion US dollars on defence since 2016. This figure is due to rise to 400 billion by the end of 2024”.

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Biden: “He [Trump] has caused the deficit with China to go up, not down”

Verdict: That’s not quite right.

After rising in 2017 the trade deficit with China – the gap between imports and exports – fell sharply after 2018, following tariffs imposed by Washington on Chinese goods.

It stood at about $308bn in 2019, slightly less than the $310bn in 2016.

According to data from the US Census Bureau, the first six months of 2020 saw a $130bn deficit in both goods and services with China – that’s $34 billion less than the first half of 2019 and nearly $53 billion less than in the first half of 2018.

Joe Biden debates Donald Trump
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Trump: “They did it, we changed the policy…They built the cages”

Verdict: This needs context. It’s true that some migrant children were detained in sites with chain fences under President Obama, but the law said they couldn’t be held for more than 72 hours.

There were heated exchanges over the controversial policy of the Trump administration that led to the separation of children from their parents at the US border.

Mr Trump said it was the Obama administration that built “the cages” used to hold them.

When Barack Obama and Joe Biden were in office, facilities with chain link fencing were built to house the high numbers of unaccompanied children who crossed into the US from Mexico, before they were transferred elsewhere.

Jeh Johnson, the head of Homeland Security during the Obama administration referenced this issue in 2019: “Very clearly, chain link, barriers, partitions, fences, cages, whatever you want to call them, were not invented on January 20, 2017, OK.” (This is the date of President Trump’s inauguration).

But he said their detention was meant to be temporary, noting that under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, children could only be held in those facilities for 72 hours before being transferred to the health authorities.

Temporary detention holding centre in McAllen, Texas in 2014
The two candidates sparred over the facilities for detaining migrants under President Obama
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Trump: “We have the cleanest air, the cleanest water”

Verdict: He is right about clean air but not about water.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the US currently has the cleanest air on record.

Over the past few decades, air quality – a measure of six major pollutants – has improved significantly in the US.

On water, however, the US is ranked 26th in the world on sanitation and drinking water, according to Yale University.

On this ranking, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the UK have the cleanest water.

A woman walks through a sunny forest
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Biden: “I have never said I oppose fracking”

Verdict: He has had to clarify previous statements on fracking, although his policy is to oppose new sites on federal lands.

President Trump repeated his claim that Joe Biden wants to ban fracking – the controversial process of drilling below ground and using high-pressure water to force out gas.

In March 2020, during a Democratic debate, Mr Biden said “No more — no new fracking.”

He later clarified it: “I said I would not do any new leases on federal lands.”

Mr Biden’s campaign site says the Democrats would protect “America’s natural treasures by… banning new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters.” But they are not opposed to fracking in general