International

Biden holds intensive talks with Democrats on saving his agenda

AFP

President Joe Biden held intensive talks with competing factions of his Democratic party Tuesday in an attempt to save his agenda in Congress before time runs out.

After weeks of stalemate between the leftist and more conservative wings of the party over the cost and scope of his plans to expand the social safety net, Biden is ramping up the pace.

“Today he is spending virtually, literally every minute of his day meeting with members of Congress and I think that’s a reflection of how urgent he feels,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

“Our effort is on continuing to make progress,” she said. “We’re getting close to the final stages here. We’re working to getting agreement.”

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Biden met with two key Democratic senators — Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema — whose opposition to the $3.5 trillion price tag on his social spending bill amounts to a veto, given that Democrats need unanimity to get anything through the evenly split Senate.

He was also meeting with groups of left-leaning and moderate Democratic lawmakers in two separate meetings. On Wednesday, he will give a speech to promote his plans in Scranton, the blue collar Pennsylvania city where he spent part of his childhood.

Manchin has said he will only agree to $1.5 trillion for the social spending bill, which Biden says would address fundamental inequalities through expansion of free education and child care.

Worried about the fate of that bill, a powerful leftist faction in the House of Representatives has responded by blocking passage of a separate $1.2 trillion bill for improving US infrastructure that most Democrats and also a significant number of Republicans want to see passed.

While the two sides are publicly still at loggerheads, threatening to leave the bulk of Biden’s domestic agenda in ruins, Psaki was optimistic.

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“Our goal is to make progress and based on the morning meetings and our expectation of the afternoon meetings, we expect they will do exactly that,” she said.

“We’ve had months to consider, debate, litigate,” she said. “It will come time soon to move forward and deliver for the American people.”

International

Bill Gates to testify before Congress over Epstein connections

Bill Gates is set to testify on June 10 before a congressional committee in United States investigating links connected to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Tuesday.

The Microsoft co-founder is among several high-profile figures named in documents released by the Department of Justice, which detail alleged close associations, questionable financial dealings, and private photographs involving Epstein.

According to a spokesperson cited by Politico, Gates “welcomes” the opportunity to appear before the committee. The representative emphasized that Gates “never attended or participated in any illegal activities with Epstein” and is prepared to answer questions to support the investigation.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

In late February, Gates told members of his foundation’s board that his association with Epstein was a “huge mistake.” He has consistently denied any involvement in the financier’s criminal activities. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors.

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“I did nothing illegal. I saw nothing illegal,” Gates said, according to a recording obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

Gates acknowledged that his relationship with Epstein began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

A draft email written by Epstein and released by the Department of Justice referenced alleged extramarital relationships involving Gates. The message, which was apparently never sent, claimed that Epstein had helped “Bill” obtain medication related to encounters with Russian women.

Gates admitted to having had two extramarital affairs but denied any involvement with Epstein’s victims.

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International

Former Trump allies call for removal, cite 25th Amendment amid Iran threats

Former allies of U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for his removal from office, arguing he is unfit to continue in the role following recent threats to “wipe out an entire civilization,” made just hours before the deadline of his ultimatum to Iran.

One of the most prominent voices was former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who invoked the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as a mechanism to remove the president from power.

“25th Amendment! Not a single bomb has fallen on the U.S. We cannot annihilate an entire civilization. This is evil and insanity,” Greene wrote on social media platform X.

Greene, once a leading figure within Trump’s political movement during his first term, broke with the president last November over disagreements on foreign policy and his handling of controversial cases.

Another former supporter, controversial commentator Alex Jones, also raised the possibility of applying the constitutional provision during his show, in a conversation with attorney Robert Barnes.

Barnes explained that invoking the 25th Amendment requires the support of two-thirds of Congress, making it a more complex process than impeachment.

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Section 4 of the amendment, ratified in 1967, establishes that the vice president, together with a majority of the cabinet, can declare the president unable to perform the duties of the office, a decision that must then be confirmed by both chambers of Congress.

The statements come amid rising international tensions and increasing domestic political pressure on the president.

International

Trump pauses strikes on Iran, extends ultimatum by two weeks

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced a temporary suspension of attacks against Iran for a period of two weeks, extending the ultimatum he had imposed on Tehran just hours before its deadline.

According to the president, the measure is conditional on Iran allowing the “full, immediate, and secure” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated that the decision would involve a reciprocal ceasefire between both parties.

The announcement was made through a message on his social media platform, where he emphasized that the pause in military actions is intended to create space for de-escalation in the region.

He also noted that the decision followed a conversation with the prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, who requested a two-week extension of the ultimatum.

The move comes amid heightened global tensions, marked by escalating threats and concerns over the potential impact of the conflict on key international energy trade routes.