Biden's | Common News Update

Mar302021 by adminNo Comments

GOP governors ignore Biden’s latest plea on mask mandates

Health

President Joe Biden's pleas for states to stick with mask mandates to slow the spread of the coronavirus were being largely ignored Tuesday as several Republican governors stayed on track to drop the requirement in their states.Biden and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a day earlier that this is no time to relax safety measures.In a call with governors on Tuesday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky buttressed that message by citing "concerning” national trends: The seven-day average of 61,000 new COVID-19 cases per day is up 13%, and the seven-day average of deaths is up 6%.But Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison announced Tuesday that he is dropping the state’s mask mandate immediately, a day earlier than previously announced. He said on the governors’ call that re...

Feb272021 by adminNo Comments

Coronavirus: Biden’s $1.9tn Covid relief bill passes House vote

World

Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden's $ 1.9tn (£1.4tn) relief plan to help Americans during the Covid pandemic has been approved in the House of Representatives.The vote was along partisan lines. Two Democrats joined Republicans - who see it as too expensive - in opposing it.The bill must now go to the evenly-divided Senate, which has already blocked a key element - doubling the US minimum wage to $ 15 an hour.The package seeks to boost vaccinations and testing, and stabilise the economy.Biden's Covid stimulus plan: It costs $ 1.9tn but what's in it?Can Biden succeed in economic rescue mission?How the pandemic has changed the world economyThe cash would be extended as emergency financial aid to households, small businesses and state governments. Unemployment is close to 10%, with some 10 milli...

Feb192021 by adminNo Comments

Climate change: Biden’s first act sets tone for ambitious approach

Science

Getty ImagesMake no mistake, returning to the Paris climate agreement is not mere symbolism - it is an act cloaked in powerful, political significance. While re-joining the pact involves the simple signing of a letter and a 30-day wait, there could be no more profound signal of intention from this incoming administration.Coming back to Paris means the US will once again have to follow the rules.Those rules mean that sometime this year the US will need to improve on their previous commitment to cut carbon made in the French capital in 2015. This new target, possibly for 2030, and President Biden's commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, will be the guide rails for the US economy and society for decades to come.Coming back to Paris really means it is no longer "America First". It ...

Jan162021 by adminNo Comments

Biden’s stimulus proposal would boost these tax credits for families

Finance

US President-elect Joe Biden speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware on January 7, 2021, to announce key nominees for the Justice Department.Jim Watson | AFP | Getty ImagesPresident-elect Joe Biden's stimulus proposal includes a bevy of tax credits aimed at stabilizing the finances for American families.Biden's pandemic aid plan, which he unveiled Thursday night, calls for an expansion of key tax credits families currently receive to help contend with the cost of raising children.Those proposals are significant for low-income families, which have suffered the most amid the pandemic as the hospitality and retail industries have shed jobs over the course of 2020."In the world of people who care about low-income children, this is really big news," said Elaine Maag, principal resea...

Jan152021 by adminNo Comments

Biden’s call for $10,000 in student loan forgiveness not included in stimulus plan

Finance

President-elect Joe Biden puts on a mask after receiving his second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination at ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital on January 11, 2021 in Newark, Delaware.Alex Wong | Getty ImagesSenior officials of the incoming Biden administration say the president-elect still supports forgiving $ 10,000 in student debt per borrower although there's no mention of the loans being cancelled in his outline for a $ 1.9 trillion stimulus package unveiled on Thursday.There's also no reference to extending the payment pause and interest waiver for student loan borrowers that's expected to expire this month. An aide for the administration said last week that Biden would give borrowers more time before they have to resume their payments.The vast majority — or around 90% ...