Biden news: Angry Secret Service agents accused White House of covering up dog Major’s bite attacks

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President Joe Biden speaks at POET Bioprocessing in Menlo, Iowa, Tuesday, 12 April 2022 (Associated Press)

US will provide Ukraine with “new capabilities”, including artillery systems and rounds, armoured personnel carriers, and helicopters as part of a $800m defence assistance package meant to help Ukraine fend off intensified Russian attacks in the Donbas region, president Joe Biden has said.

In a statement, Mr Biden said he informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the forthcoming arms shipments during a Wednesday videoconference between the two leaders.

Mr Biden said: “The Ukrainian military has used the weapons we are providing to devastating effect. As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself,” Mr Biden said.

Meanwhile, Mr Biden has described the actions of Vladimir Putin’s army in Ukraine as “genocide” for the first time. In remarks in Iowa concerning gas prices, the president said: “Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank — none of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide a half a world away.”

Key Points

• Biden says Putin trying to ‘wipe out’ Ukraine with acts of ‘genocide’
• Biden authorises ‘new capabilities’ for Ukrainian forces
• Biden’s approval rating hits its lowest with 33 per cent in new poll

[14 April 2022 06:10 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Biden authorises ‘new capabilities’ for Ukrainian forces

President Joe Biden informed Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky that the US will provide Ukrainian defence forces with “new capabilities” including artillery systems and rounds, armoured personnel carriers, and helicopters as part of an $800m defence assistance package meant to help Kyiv.

“This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine,” the president said.

Read the full story here:

[14 April 2022 06:30 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Biden says Putin trying to ‘wipe out’ Ukraine with acts of ‘genocide’

Joe Biden has said that Russia’s war in Ukraine amounts to “genocide” as he accused Vladimir Putin of trying to “wipe out the idea of even being a Ukrainian”.

The US president added that “more evidence” is coming out about all the “horrible things” Russian forces are doing across the nation.

He said: “I called it genocide because it has become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of being able to be Ukrainian. We’re only going to learn more and more about the devastation.”

[14 April 2022 07:15 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

US considering sending high-level official to meet Zelensky in Kyiv, report claims

President Joe Biden is considering sending a high-level official to Ukraine to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy, two officials told Politico.

On Wednesday, the report however said that the US administration has made no final decision yet about who to send to Kyiv.

But it suggested that it could be President Joe Biden himself, vice president Kamala Harris, secretary of state Antony Blinken or defence secretary Lloyd Austin.

[14 April 2022 08:00 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Republicans claim moving VA medical personnel to border 'deeply troubling’

More than 50 House Republicans are pressing the Customs and Border Protection over the possibility that it might use Veterans Affairs medical personnel at the border.

In a letter addressed to Homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Republicans said that any consideration of moving VA medical personnel to the border would be “deeply troubling.”

“On March 29, 2022, a CBP report indicated a surge of border crossings was imminent due to the rescinding of this authority. The report presents a dire situation that may result in as many as 18,000 possible encounters per day. If this number proves accurate, this could result in over 540,000 encounters in a single month,” the GOP letter, led by Rep. Jody Hice said.

“Currently, CBP does not have the facilities or manpower to handle the anticipated massive surge.”

[14 April 2022 09:00 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Saudi television show mocks Biden’s forgetfulness

A skit broadcast on a state-run Saudi television channel has gone viral for mocking US president Joe Biden and vice president Kamala Harris.

The video shows Mr Biden forgetting names of countries and dozing off while the character of Ms Harris tries to correct him.

[14 April 2022 09:45 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Why does it matter if US calls Ukraine invasion a genocide

President Joe Biden accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to “wipe out the idea of even being a Ukrainian” and called it a “genocide.”

Read why it matters:

[14 April 2022 10:30 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Biden ‘absolutely right’ to accuse Russia of genocide, says Trudeau

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has welcomed US president Joe Biden’s words accusing Russia of committing a “genocide” in Ukraine.

Read the full story here:

[14 April 2022 14:33 · David Taintor]

Angry Secret Service agents accused White House of covering up dog Major’s bite attacks

Secret Service agents are reportedly angry over the White House’s handling of dog bites from first canine Major.

The New York Post reports: “Secret Service leaders also sought to keep attack details out of official paperwork — at one point rejecting an agent’s “excessively detailed” account to avoid upsetting the first family — after Major bit agents on eight consecutive days.”