Related video: Biden orders 200m extra Covid vaccine doses in bid to vaccinate 300m Americans by end of summer
Joe Biden has held his first call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, pressing his fellow president on the poisoning and arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin’s apparent involvement in a cyberattack last year that compromised the files of multiple US federal agencies and the Russian military’s alleged bounty scheme against US troops in Afghanistan.
The new US president is eager to set a new tone in relations with Russia, its Cold War adversary throughout the second half of the 20th century, after his predecessor, Donald Trump, routinely gave Mr Putin the benefit of the doubt.
Republican senators lost a vote in the upper chamber on Tuesday seeking to block Mr Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial as “unconstitutional”, given that he is no longer in office, but the vote appeared to confirm Rand Paul’s contention that the matter is “dead on arrival”, with insufficient GOP support to convict the 45th president for inciting insurrection at the US Capitol earlier this month.
Kamala Harris receives second dose of Covid vaccine
The veep and second gentleman Doug Emhoff each received a second dose of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday.
Harris sat for her shot at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and urged “everyone to take the vaccine when it is your turn.”
“It is really pretty painless, and it will save your life,” she said.
Moments after receiving the jab, she reflected on her “full circle” moment: returning to the same facility where her mother, a breast cancer researcher, had worked.
Joe Sommerlad27 January 2021 10:35
Anthony Blinken confirmed as secretary of state as Janet Yellen sworn in
Biden’s nominee for US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has been confirmed by the Senate, after a bipartisan confirmation vote with a final tally of 78-22.
Lawmakers, including some Republicans, have said that they want Biden’s national security team in place as soon as possible.
Avril Haines and Lloyd Austin have already been confirmed as director of national intelligence and secretary of defence respectively.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee moved the nomination forward to the Senate floor after Blinken received strong bipartisan support, with the committee voting 15-3 to proceed with his confirmation.
Meanwhile, new treasury secretary Janet Yellen took her oath of office on Tuesday, sworn in by vice president Kamala Harris, as the Biden cabinet continues to take shape.
Joe Sommerlad27 January 2021 10:15
Biden orders 200m extra Covid vaccine doses
The Biden administration has purchased an additional 200m coronavirus vaccine doses from Moderna and Pfizer in an effort to vaccinate 300m Americans by the end of summer.
“This is enough vaccine to fully vaccinate 300m Americans by the end of the summer, beginning of the fall,” President Biden said on Tuesday when making the announcement.
The federal government has already received a commitment of 400m doses between Pfizer and Moderna. The additional purchase from the two companies, which the country will receive by the summer, would bring the federal government’s total stockpile to 600m doses. Since each vaccine requires two doses, that means 300m Americans could potentially access the jab in the summer months.
“The end goal is to beat Covid-19, and the way we do that is to get more people vaccinated,” Biden said. “Which means we have to be ready after we hit the goal of 100m shots in 100 days.”
“By the end of the summer, I hope that you have too much vaccine left over, that you have too much equipment left over… I hope that becomes the problem,” he added.
Danielle Zoellner has more.
Joe Sommerlad27 January 2021 09:55
Veteran Democrat due to preside over Senate trial hospitalised
There was drama after yesterday’s vote as Democratic senator Patrick Leahy, the US Senate’s senior-most member and president pro tempore, was taken to a hospital “out of an abundance of caution” after he began feeling ill.
The 80-year-old, set to preside over the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, was “not feeling well” at his office at the US Capitol on Tuesday, according to a statement.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Attending Physician recommended that he be taken to a local hospital for observation, where is now, and where he is being evaluated,” it read.
He has since returned home.
The senator is third in the presidential line of succession behind vice president Kamala Harris and House speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Alex Woodward has this report.
Joe Sommerlad27 January 2021 09:35
Republicans lose vote to stop Trump impeachment
Republican senators lost a vote in the upper chamber on Tuesday seeking to block Mr Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial as “unconstitutional”, given that he is no longer in office, but the ballot appeared to confirm Rand Paul’s contention that the matter is “dead on arrival”, with insufficient GOP support to convict the 45th president for inciting insurrection at the US Capitol earlier this month.
The vote to table the measure passed by 55-45, with just five Republican senators – Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey – among those breaking GOP ranks.
The bickering is unlikely to stop there.
Alex Woodward has this one.
Joe Sommerlad27 January 2021 09:15
Biden confronts Putin over Navalny
Joe Biden has held his first call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, pressing his fellow president on the poisoning and arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin’s apparent involvement in a cyberattack last year that compromised the files of multiple US federal agencies and the Russian military’s alleged bounty scheme against US troops in Afghanistan.
The new US president is eager to set a new tone in relations with Russia, its Cold War adversary throughout the second half of the 20th century, after his predecessor, Donald Trump, routinely gave Mr Putin the benefit of the doubt.
Griffin Connolly has this report.
Joe Sommerlad27 January 2021 08:55
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of the Joe Biden administration.
Joe Sommerlad27 January 2021 08:46
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