Biden news: President pledges aid for Covid-stricken India in call with PM Modi

Follow the latest in US politics as the Supreme Court takes on a case seeking to overturn gun laws

Watch live as White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds briefing

Joe Biden pledged additional pandemic supplies to India as the country faces a rapidly increasing number of new Covid cases. In a call with prime minister Narendra Modi, Biden committed to providing emergency assistance including oxygen-related supplies, vaccine materials, and therapeutics.

The Supreme Court has announced it will hear a major gun rights case on whether New Yorkers should be able to carry concealed handguns in public.

Under New York’s long-held handgun licensing law, handgun owners must be able to demonstrate “proper cause” to hold the firearms in order to obtain a license.

Those who want an unrestricted license to carry must demonstrate that they have a “special need” to protect themselves.

The challenge, which is backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) questions that, with gun rights advocates calling on the court to rule that residents have a constitutional right to carry their weapons outside their homes. If the justices vote in their favour, it could be the most significant ruling connected to the Second Amendment in years.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr has been mocked along with a number of other MAGA supporters after racing to defend his right to eat red meat in response to a viral story wrongly suggesting Mr Biden’s new climate plan “could limit” Americans’ burger consumption.

After the Daily Mail suggested that cutting back on red meat could be a way for the US to push towards the president’s goal of slashing greenhouse gas emissions, the story was quickly misinterpreted to suggest that Mr Biden would be enforcing such a plan.

Mr Trump Jr responded quickly to the perceived, but non-existent threat, tweeting: “I’m pretty sure I ate 4 pounds of red meat yesterday. That’s going to be a hard NO from me.”

• Trump Jr defends right to eat meat after viral story falsely claims Biden wants to take away hamburgers
• ‘We tried to stop it’: Trump officials reveal what really happened with bleach-gate on its year anniversary
• US announces aid to India to help fight devastating coronavirus surge
• Joe Biden’s Armenian genocide recognition offers healing but opens a Pandora’s box

Key Points

• US to send aid to India amid Covid surge
• Biden to announce new mask guidance: Report
• Biden could meet with Putin as early as June
• Turkey summons US ambassador over Biden’s ‘genocide’ statement
• Trump hosts Lauren Boebert’s family at Mar-a-Lago
• Trump Jr misguidedly defends right to eat red meat

[26 April 2021 13:30 · Chantal Da Silva]

Harris to UN members: We must prepare for next pandemic

Vice President Kamala Harris will tell United Nations members in a virtual address on Monday that now is the time to start planning the response to the next global pandemic.

Noting the US’s current efforts to stem the spread of coronavirus and vaccinate the country’s population, Ms Harris is expected to say: “At the same time that the world works to get through this pandemic, we also know that we must prepare for the next,” according to excerpts of the speech obtained by The Associated Press.

Ms Harris will also say that countries must innovate to pave a better path forward.

“We have been reminded that the status quo is not nearly good enough,” she will say. “And that innovation is indeed the path forward.”

The speech will be Ms Harris’s second to a UN body and will be co-hosted by UN permanent representatives of Argentina, Japan, Norway and South Africa.

Additional reporting from AP

[26 April 2021 13:50 · Chantal Da Silva]

CDC issues new guidance urging summer camps to enforce coronavirus measures

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance for summer camps stressing the importance of following coronavirus measures.

In guidance posted on Saturday, the CDC notes that vaccines are not yet authorised for children of all ages, but says that those who can get a jab should.

Aside from a few exceptions, the CDC says “all people in camp facilities should wear masks at all times,” though it notes that the face coverings do not need to be worn while eating, drinking or swimming.

“Youth and summer camps can play an important role in the lives of children, including supporting their social, emotional, and physical development,” the CDC states in an introduction to its guidance. “Camps provide opportunities for children to try new activities, develop relationship and social skills, and be physically active.”

However, it states that administrators operating camps will need to do their part to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and, in turn, protect “campers, their families, staff and communities”.

[26 April 2021 14:10 · Chantal Da Silva]

Airline bans Alaska state senator for violating mask rules

Alaska Airlines has banned an Alaska state senator from traveling on its flights, accusing her of refusing to comply with its face mask requirements.

“We have notified Senator Lora Reinbold that she is not permitted to fly with us for her continued refusal to comply with employee instruction regarding the current mask policy,” spokesman Tim Thompson told the Anchorage Daily News on Saturday.

He said the suspension was effective immediately.

[26 April 2021 14:46 · Chantal Da Silva]

Biden to announce new CDC mask guidance Tuesday: Report

President Joe Biden is slated to announce an update to guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the need to wear masks outdoors, CNN has reported.

Citing three people familiar with the expected announcement, the broadcaster said Mr Biden is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday on whether vaccinated people will need to wear face coverings outdoors going forward.

The final language of the decision is still unclear, the sources told the broadcaster.

Mr Biden’s announcement would come ahead of his first address to Congress the following day.

[26 April 2021 15:23 · Chantal Da Silva]

Turkish protesters rally against Biden’s Armenian ‘genocide’ declaration

A small group of Turkish protesters has gathered outside the US consulate in Istanbul on Monday to express their opposition to President Joe Biden’s decision to brand the mass killing of Armenians a “genocide”.

Mr Biden became the first US president to declare the killings under the Ottoman Empire a genocide, sparking outrage in Turkey.

Photos captured by Getty photographers show a number of protestors rallying outside the embassy holding up banners and chanting slogans.

“Genocide is a lie, it’s an American plan,” protesters said, according to The Associated Press.

They also demanded an end to the US military’s use of the Incirlik airbase In southern Turkey, with the slogan, “American soldiers, get out of Turkey!” also being called out.

People protest outside the U.S Embassy on 26 April 26, 2021 in Istanbul, Turkey over US President Joe Biden’s decision to declare the past mass killings of Armenians a ‘genocide’. (Getty Images)

[26 April 2021 15:37 · Chantal Da Silva]

Supreme Court to hear major New York gun rights case

The Supreme Court is slated to hear a major gun rights case on whether New Yorkers should be able to carry concealed handguns in public.

Under New York’s handgun licensing law, people carrying handguns are expected to be able to demonstrate “proper cause” to hold the firearms in order to obtain a license.

The challenge, which is backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) questions that, asking the court to declare that residents have a constitutional right to carry weapons outside their homes.

The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it would hear the case, which comes amid high tensions in the ongoing national debate over gun control.

[26 April 2021 16:20 · Chantal Da Silva]

Supreme Court turns away case over California LGBT rights policy

The Supreme Court has turned away a challenge by GOP-governed Texas to a law enacted by California, which is Democrat-led, blocking state-funded travel to states believed to be hostile towards LGBT rights.

The 2016 rule was enacted in California in response to laws in some states allowing businesses to turn away LGBT customers, citing protection of religious liberty.

Texas pursued legal action after the Golden State added it to its list of hostile states.

The Trump administration had previously urged the Supreme Court to take up the case, accusing California of having violated “constitutional principles that are designed to bind the states together in a single union.”

At least two conservative justices, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, were willing to hear the case, according to Reuters.

[26 April 2021 16:47 · Justin Vallejo]

Watch: Larry Kudlow claims Biden will insist on ‘plant-based beer’

“Speaking of stupid,” said Larry Kudlow, setting himself up. “America has to, get this, America has to stop eating meat, stop eating poultry and fish, seafood, eggs, dairy, and animal-based fats. OK, got that? No burgers on July Fourth. No steaks on the barbie. ... So get ready. You can throw back a plant-based beer with your grilled Brussels sprouts and wave your American flag.”

The apparent gaffe came during a weekend of claims that Joe Biden is going to force Americans to give up red meat as part of his plan to tackle the climate crisis.

Oliver O’Connell has the full story.

[26 April 2021 17:15 · Justin Vallejo]

What is the difference between a State of the Union and joint address?

When Joe Biden speaks in front of both houses of Congress on Wednesday, it will be the first time he does so as US President.

The speech on his “vision for addressing the challenges and opportunities of this historic moment” will not be an official State of the Union address, although the two speeches are almost identical, in accordance with tradition for US presidents.

That is scheduled for the years following a president’s inauguration, because in theory, a president is unable to speak about the “State of the Union” after a few weeks of being in office.

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia breaks down the differences and similarities.

[26 April 2021 17:45 · Justin Vallejo]

State of the Union 2021: How to watch Biden’s first big speech to Congress

Joe Biden will deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress later this week, in what will be his first “State of the Union” as US President on the eve of his 100th day in office.

The address, which is typically delivered by the president in February, a month after they are inaugurated, has been pushed back to April this year due to complications with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Although the speech is not formally known as the State of Union Address in a president’s first year in charge, due to them generally only being in the role for a few weeks at the time of the session, it is still often referred to as that because it is identical in format.

James Crump reports.