Biden news live: US government weighing release of oil from strategic reserve to
‘You’ve got to be silly’: Biden hits back at Ukraine questions from Fox News reporter
President Joe Biden is preparing to order the release of up to one million barrels of oil per day from the strategic petroleum reserve in a bid to control prices that have spiked after the US and its allies imposed strict sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement could come as soon as Thursday, according to reports.
Mr Biden spoke with Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the situation in Ukraine. The call comes as Ukrainian and Russian negotiators discuss a de-escalation agreement that could see Russia draw down forces from the area near Kyiv.
Both the White House and the Pentagon have said that they believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed about progress in the war by his senior advisers.
Mr Biden also gave a speech on the state of the coronavirus pandemic, announcing the launch of a central website for resources, before receiving his second booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine.
Meanwhile, after contentious nomination hearings that saw Republican senators harangue her about critical race theory, Ketanji Brown Jackson has picked up a crucial supporter: Maine Senator Susan Collins, who has become the first Republican to announce she will vote to confirm her.
Joe Biden might invoke Defence Production Act this week for critical minerals
Joe Biden might invoke the Defence Production Act as soon as this week, CNN reported.
Mr Bidens’s move is aimed to help the domestic production of critical minerals needed to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles and long-term storage.
Quoting a source familiar with these developments, CNN said that doing so would add critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt and manganese to the list of items covered by the 1950 Defence Production Act.
The law gives the government more control during emergencies to direct industrial production.
Maroosha Muzaffar31 March 2022 08:00
Joe Biden meets parents of former US marine detained in Russia
Joe Biden met the parents of a former US marine who was imprisoned in Russia and promised to end the family’s “nightmare.”
Trever Reed is serving a nine-year prison sentence in Russia after he was convicted of assaulting police officers while drunk in 2019.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday: “President Biden met today with Joey and Paula Reed, the parents of Trevor Reed, who is wrongfully detained in Russia.”
She added: “During their meeting, the President reiterated his commitment to continue to work to secure the release of Trevor, Paul Whelan, and other Americans wrongfully held in Russia and elsewhere.
“We understand the pain felt by all of Trevor’s families and friends enduring the nightmare of his absence, which we are committed to bringing to an end.”
Mr Reed, meanwhile, is back on hunger strike for the second time and has been put back in solitary confinement.
Maroosha Muzaffar31 March 2022 07:15
Joe Biden warns US will not enough Covid vaccines this fall
Joe Biden has warned that the US will not have enough Covid vaccines this fall to…
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