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| Joe Biden says Omicron Covid variant a ‘cause for concern, not panic’ – live | Joe Biden says Omicron Covid variant a ‘cause for concern, not panic’ – live |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| President vows to ‘fight and beat this new variant’ and says best protection is to get vaccinated and boosted – follow all the latest | President vows to ‘fight and beat this new variant’ and says best protection is to get vaccinated and boosted – follow all the latest |
| Pfizer is reportedly planning to request authorization for its Covid booster for 16 and 17-year-olds. | |
| The company and partner BioNTech are expected to ask the FDA to authorize its booster shot for the age group in the coming days, according to the Washington Post. All adults are currently eligible for the booster shot after the CDC strengthened its booster recommendation on Monday amid growing fears over the new Omicron variant. The variant has not yet been detected in the US, but the World Health Organization warns it poses a high global risk. | |
| “Given the current overall situation of the pandemic, FDA will evaluate any such EUA request in a very timely manner,” the agency told the Post. | |
| A Pfizer spokesperson said the company expects “to share updates on this soon”. | |
| Good afternoon. I’m Dani Anguiano and I’ll be taking over our live US politics coverage for the rest of the day. | Good afternoon. I’m Dani Anguiano and I’ll be taking over our live US politics coverage for the rest of the day. |
| The CDC announced Monday that all adults should get a Covid-19 booster shot, strengthening its previous recommendation amid growing concerns over the Omicron variant. The agency now recommends that everyone 18 and older get a booster shot within two months of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or within six months of receiving the Pfizer or Moderna shots. | The CDC announced Monday that all adults should get a Covid-19 booster shot, strengthening its previous recommendation amid growing concerns over the Omicron variant. The agency now recommends that everyone 18 and older get a booster shot within two months of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or within six months of receiving the Pfizer or Moderna shots. |
| The World Health Organization has said the Omicron variant carries a very high global risk of infection surges. Though significant questions remain, including whether the new variant is more transmissible. Joe Biden said on Monday that the variant is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic”, and urged Americans to get vaccinated and get booster shots. | The World Health Organization has said the Omicron variant carries a very high global risk of infection surges. Though significant questions remain, including whether the new variant is more transmissible. Joe Biden said on Monday that the variant is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic”, and urged Americans to get vaccinated and get booster shots. |
| “Do not wait,” he said. “Go get your booster if it’s time for you to do so. And if you are not vaccinated, now is the time to go get vaccinated and to bring your children to go get vaccinated.” | “Do not wait,” he said. “Go get your booster if it’s time for you to do so. And if you are not vaccinated, now is the time to go get vaccinated and to bring your children to go get vaccinated.” |
| Joe Biden postponed his remarks about the supply chain for tomorrow instead. | Joe Biden postponed his remarks about the supply chain for tomorrow instead. |
| Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar hung up on a phone call with far-right congresswoman Lauren Boebert. The phone call was to address Islamophobic comments that Boebert made about Omar - Omar wanted a public apology while Boebert also wanted an apology from Omar. | Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar hung up on a phone call with far-right congresswoman Lauren Boebert. The phone call was to address Islamophobic comments that Boebert made about Omar - Omar wanted a public apology while Boebert also wanted an apology from Omar. |
| The House select committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol announced on Monday that it will vote to recommend the criminal prosecution of top former Trump justice department official Jeffrey Clark, after he defied a subpoena seeking his cooperation with the inquiry. | The House select committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol announced on Monday that it will vote to recommend the criminal prosecution of top former Trump justice department official Jeffrey Clark, after he defied a subpoena seeking his cooperation with the inquiry. |
| Thejustice department is accusing Trump ally Steve Bannon, the Trump ally of charging his criminal contempt of Congress through the media. | Thejustice department is accusing Trump ally Steve Bannon, the Trump ally of charging his criminal contempt of Congress through the media. |
| So far-right congresswoman Lauren Boebert has posted on Instagram her version of the phone call with Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and the Islamophobic remarks she made about Omar for which she had to issue an apology. | So far-right congresswoman Lauren Boebert has posted on Instagram her version of the phone call with Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and the Islamophobic remarks she made about Omar for which she had to issue an apology. |
| Turns out, Boebert went into the phone call expecting Omar to apologize to her. | Turns out, Boebert went into the phone call expecting Omar to apologize to her. |
| In 1973, supreme court justices issued a landmark ruling in the case of Roe v Wade, effectively legalizing abortion across the US. | In 1973, supreme court justices issued a landmark ruling in the case of Roe v Wade, effectively legalizing abortion across the US. |
| In Roe, the court affirmed that access to safe and legal abortion was a constitutional right. The court ruled that states could not ban abortion before a fetus can survive outside the womb, roughly considered to be 24 weeks gestation (a full-term pregnancy is considered to be 39 weeks). | In Roe, the court affirmed that access to safe and legal abortion was a constitutional right. The court ruled that states could not ban abortion before a fetus can survive outside the womb, roughly considered to be 24 weeks gestation (a full-term pregnancy is considered to be 39 weeks). |
| Now, Roe faces a direct challenge. The supreme court justices has taken up the case of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Clinic, in which they will consider whether the state of Mississippi can ban nearly all abortion from 15 weeks. Abortion advocates believe the choice to take the case implies that at last four justices see it as a chance to reconsider the precedent set by Roe. | Now, Roe faces a direct challenge. The supreme court justices has taken up the case of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Clinic, in which they will consider whether the state of Mississippi can ban nearly all abortion from 15 weeks. Abortion advocates believe the choice to take the case implies that at last four justices see it as a chance to reconsider the precedent set by Roe. |
| Oral arguments in the case are set to be heard on 1 December, Wednesday, with a ruling expected in June next year. But already, pro-choice campaigners are warning of a future where abortion may no longer be legal in the majority of the US. | Oral arguments in the case are set to be heard on 1 December, Wednesday, with a ruling expected in June next year. But already, pro-choice campaigners are warning of a future where abortion may no longer be legal in the majority of the US. |
| Full story: | Full story: |
| Joe Biden was set to speak about the supply chain today, his second public remarks of the day. But at last minute, the White House postponed the event until tomorrow. | Joe Biden was set to speak about the supply chain today, his second public remarks of the day. But at last minute, the White House postponed the event until tomorrow. |
| Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar has issued a new statement regarding a phone call she had with far-right congresswoman Lauren Boebert regarding the Islamophobic remarks Boebert made about Omar. | Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar has issued a new statement regarding a phone call she had with far-right congresswoman Lauren Boebert regarding the Islamophobic remarks Boebert made about Omar. |
| “Instead of apologizing for her Islamophobic comments and fabricated lies, Representative Boebert refused to publicly acknowledge her hurtful and dangerous comments,” Omar said. “She instead doubled down on her rhetoric and I decided to end the unproductive call.” | “Instead of apologizing for her Islamophobic comments and fabricated lies, Representative Boebert refused to publicly acknowledge her hurtful and dangerous comments,” Omar said. “She instead doubled down on her rhetoric and I decided to end the unproductive call.” |
| In comments in her home district, Boebert referred to Omar as part of the “Jihad Squad” and described her as a suicide bomber. Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois called her “trash” for her remarks, but House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has been noticably silent on the matter. | In comments in her home district, Boebert referred to Omar as part of the “Jihad Squad” and described her as a suicide bomber. Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois called her “trash” for her remarks, but House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has been noticably silent on the matter. |
| Donald Trump’s “fact-free” approach to the presidency created unprecedented challenges for intelligence officials responsible for briefing him, according to a newly released account from the CIA. | Donald Trump’s “fact-free” approach to the presidency created unprecedented challenges for intelligence officials responsible for briefing him, according to a newly released account from the CIA. |
| The 45th president’s chaotic and freewheeling style, which included rarely reading anything put in front of him, resulted in the presidential daily briefing, or PDB – a crucial security update including information about potential threats to the US – being delivered more regularly to Vice-president Mike Pence instead, the report states. | The 45th president’s chaotic and freewheeling style, which included rarely reading anything put in front of him, resulted in the presidential daily briefing, or PDB – a crucial security update including information about potential threats to the US – being delivered more regularly to Vice-president Mike Pence instead, the report states. |
| By the middle of Trump’s term in office, his briefings were reduced to two weekly sessions of 45 minutes each. Briefings were discontinued altogether following the deadly insurrection of 6 January, which was sparked by Trump urging his supporters to march on the US Capitol in a failed attempt to overturn his defeat by Joe Biden. | By the middle of Trump’s term in office, his briefings were reduced to two weekly sessions of 45 minutes each. Briefings were discontinued altogether following the deadly insurrection of 6 January, which was sparked by Trump urging his supporters to march on the US Capitol in a failed attempt to overturn his defeat by Joe Biden. |
| The House select committee investigating the Capitol attack announced on Monday that it will vote to recommend the criminal prosecution of top former Trump justice department official Jeffrey Clark, after he defied a subpoena seeking his cooperation with the inquiry. | The House select committee investigating the Capitol attack announced on Monday that it will vote to recommend the criminal prosecution of top former Trump justice department official Jeffrey Clark, after he defied a subpoena seeking his cooperation with the inquiry. |
| The move to pursue contempt of Congress charges against Clark reflects the select committee’s aggressive approach to warn recalcitrant witnesses against attempting to derail their investigation as Trump tried during his administration. | The move to pursue contempt of Congress charges against Clark reflects the select committee’s aggressive approach to warn recalcitrant witnesses against attempting to derail their investigation as Trump tried during his administration. |
| Members on the select committee will convene on Wednesday evening to vote on the contempt report – which is expected to be unanimous, according to a source familiar with the matter – and send it to a vote before the full House of Representatives. | Members on the select committee will convene on Wednesday evening to vote on the contempt report – which is expected to be unanimous, according to a source familiar with the matter – and send it to a vote before the full House of Representatives. |
| The former Florida congresswoman Carrie Meek, who died on Sunday, has been remembered as a trailblazer, a descendent of enslaved people who became one of the first Black Floridians elected to Congress since Reconstruction. | The former Florida congresswoman Carrie Meek, who died on Sunday, has been remembered as a trailblazer, a descendent of enslaved people who became one of the first Black Floridians elected to Congress since Reconstruction. |
| The late congressman John Lewis had another way of describing her. | The late congressman John Lewis had another way of describing her. |
| “We see showboats and we see tugboats. She’s a tugboat. I never want to be on the side of issues against her,” Lewis said of Meek in 1999. | “We see showboats and we see tugboats. She’s a tugboat. I never want to be on the side of issues against her,” Lewis said of Meek in 1999. |
| On Monday, politicians and public figures including Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, recalled a pioneering career, many noting Meek’s devotion to working-class families in her Miami district as well as her powerful oratory, in an outpouring of support after her death at 95 after a long illness. | On Monday, politicians and public figures including Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, recalled a pioneering career, many noting Meek’s devotion to working-class families in her Miami district as well as her powerful oratory, in an outpouring of support after her death at 95 after a long illness. |
| The US Department of Justice has accused Steve Bannon, the Trump ally and adviser charged with criminal contempt of Congress, of trying to try his own case through the media. | The US Department of Justice has accused Steve Bannon, the Trump ally and adviser charged with criminal contempt of Congress, of trying to try his own case through the media. |
| Bannon pleaded not guilty to the rare charge, which carries jail time and a fine and which arises from his refusal to co-operate with the House select committee investigating the deadly attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, by Trump supporters seeking to overturn the presidential election. | Bannon pleaded not guilty to the rare charge, which carries jail time and a fine and which arises from his refusal to co-operate with the House select committee investigating the deadly attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, by Trump supporters seeking to overturn the presidential election. |
| On Sunday, the DoJ filed a response to Bannon’s request for all records in the case to be made public. | On Sunday, the DoJ filed a response to Bannon’s request for all records in the case to be made public. |
| Assistant US attorney Amanda Vaughn wrote: “The defense’s misleading claims, failure to confer, unexplained wholesale opposition, and extrajudicial statements make clear the defense’s real purpose: to abuse criminal discovery to try this case in the media rather than in court.” | Assistant US attorney Amanda Vaughn wrote: “The defense’s misleading claims, failure to confer, unexplained wholesale opposition, and extrajudicial statements make clear the defense’s real purpose: to abuse criminal discovery to try this case in the media rather than in court.” |
| Bannon’s request, last Wednesday, came with a statement to the Washington Post. | Bannon’s request, last Wednesday, came with a statement to the Washington Post. |
| “Members of the public should make their own independent judgment as to whether the US Department of Justice is committed to a just result based upon all the facts,” the statement said. “In the opposition filed today, Mr Bannon asked the judge to follow the normal process and allow unfettered access to and use of the documents.” | “Members of the public should make their own independent judgment as to whether the US Department of Justice is committed to a just result based upon all the facts,” the statement said. “In the opposition filed today, Mr Bannon asked the judge to follow the normal process and allow unfettered access to and use of the documents.” |
| Vaughan made clear prosecutors have been aware of Bannon’s tactics from the start, writing with reference to his appearance in court earlier in November: “Upon release from custody, the defendant and his counsel gathered the press outside of the courthouse and made a five-minute statement about the pending charges. | Vaughan made clear prosecutors have been aware of Bannon’s tactics from the start, writing with reference to his appearance in court earlier in November: “Upon release from custody, the defendant and his counsel gathered the press outside of the courthouse and made a five-minute statement about the pending charges. |
| “See ‘Misdemeanor from Hell’: Watch Bannon Speak Out After He’s Released, CNN, 15 November 2021”. | “See ‘Misdemeanor from Hell’: Watch Bannon Speak Out After He’s Released, CNN, 15 November 2021”. |
| Vaughan also wrote that Bannon had “indicated he intends to publicly disseminate [court] materials for an improper purpose: to make extrajudicial arguments about the merits of the case pending against him and the validity of the government’s decision to seek an indictment. | Vaughan also wrote that Bannon had “indicated he intends to publicly disseminate [court] materials for an improper purpose: to make extrajudicial arguments about the merits of the case pending against him and the validity of the government’s decision to seek an indictment. |
| “Contrary to what the defendant told the Washington Post, allowing unfettered public access to discovery materials, regardless of their use or relevance to public judicial proceedings, is not the ‘normal process’. It is the opposite of normal.” | “Contrary to what the defendant told the Washington Post, allowing unfettered public access to discovery materials, regardless of their use or relevance to public judicial proceedings, is not the ‘normal process’. It is the opposite of normal.” |
| Here’s more on the 6 January committee and what might be coming this week: | Here’s more on the 6 January committee and what might be coming this week: |
| Joe Biden addressed Americans about the omicron variant of Covid-19, calling it a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic”. | Joe Biden addressed Americans about the omicron variant of Covid-19, calling it a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic”. |
| Both Biden and White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended the travel ban issued against eight southern African countries - but not against the number of other countries in Europe and beyond where scientists have detected the variant. “It’s much more wider spread” in southern Africa, Psaki said. | Both Biden and White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended the travel ban issued against eight southern African countries - but not against the number of other countries in Europe and beyond where scientists have detected the variant. “It’s much more wider spread” in southern Africa, Psaki said. |
| Congress is expected to be busy this week with the debt limit, with the House of Representatives set to introduce a stopgap funding bill to extend government funding beyond the current deadline – Friday 3 December – through mid- to late January, with 21 January and 28 January the dates up for discussion. | Congress is expected to be busy this week with the debt limit, with the House of Representatives set to introduce a stopgap funding bill to extend government funding beyond the current deadline – Friday 3 December – through mid- to late January, with 21 January and 28 January the dates up for discussion. |
| Democrat congressman Tom Suozzi has just announced that he will be running for governor of New York, making him the 18th Democrat in Congress to not seek reelection in 2022 - very much putting the Democrats’ narrow majority at risk. | Democrat congressman Tom Suozzi has just announced that he will be running for governor of New York, making him the 18th Democrat in Congress to not seek reelection in 2022 - very much putting the Democrats’ narrow majority at risk. |
| Today a federal court issued an injunction pausing the vaccine mandate for most healthcare workers. | Today a federal court issued an injunction pausing the vaccine mandate for most healthcare workers. |
| White House press secretary Jen Psaki had a response: | White House press secretary Jen Psaki had a response: |
| “We’re obviously going to abide by the law and fight any efforts in court or otherwise to prevent local authorities, officials, leaders in the health care industries and other industries from protecting their workforces,” she said. | “We’re obviously going to abide by the law and fight any efforts in court or otherwise to prevent local authorities, officials, leaders in the health care industries and other industries from protecting their workforces,” she said. |
| Psaki noted that private, individual companies can put in place requirements in order to protect their workforce and that is something a number of companies have done across the company. “We continue to encourage leaders to take steps to protect their workforces,” Psaki said. | Psaki noted that private, individual companies can put in place requirements in order to protect their workforce and that is something a number of companies have done across the company. “We continue to encourage leaders to take steps to protect their workforces,” Psaki said. |
| White House press secretary Jen Psaki addressed the travel ban that Joe Biden issued against eight southern African countries - the omicron variant of Covid-19 was first detected in that region. | White House press secretary Jen Psaki addressed the travel ban that Joe Biden issued against eight southern African countries - the omicron variant of Covid-19 was first detected in that region. |
| “The objective here is not to punish, but to protect the American people,” Psaki said. “As you just heard the president say, this is not going to prevent - this is going to delay and that delay is going to help us have the necessary time to do the research by our health and medical teams to get more people vaccinated and more people boosted. He is always going to air on the side of protecting the American people.” | “The objective here is not to punish, but to protect the American people,” Psaki said. “As you just heard the president say, this is not going to prevent - this is going to delay and that delay is going to help us have the necessary time to do the research by our health and medical teams to get more people vaccinated and more people boosted. He is always going to air on the side of protecting the American people.” |
| Though the omicron variant has since been detected the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, France and Canada. Psaki said the reason why the ban applied to southern Africa rather than these other countries is because there were thousands of omicron cases in southern Africa while only a few cases in the other countries. . | Though the omicron variant has since been detected the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, France and Canada. Psaki said the reason why the ban applied to southern Africa rather than these other countries is because there were thousands of omicron cases in southern Africa while only a few cases in the other countries. . |
| The new omicron variant is at the forefront of today’s White House press briefing. Again, there have been no reported cases on US soil yet. But White House press secretary Jen Psaki said today the administration’s top health officials are “working around the clock” to be prepared and the Centers for Disease Control is meeting today with state labs and state health associations to make sure everybody is ready on a federal, state and local level. | The new omicron variant is at the forefront of today’s White House press briefing. Again, there have been no reported cases on US soil yet. But White House press secretary Jen Psaki said today the administration’s top health officials are “working around the clock” to be prepared and the Centers for Disease Control is meeting today with state labs and state health associations to make sure everybody is ready on a federal, state and local level. |
| “What the president was trying to convey is that there are several layers of work to be done right now,” Psaki said. | “What the president was trying to convey is that there are several layers of work to be done right now,” Psaki said. |
| White House press secretary Jen Psaki has taken the podium for the White House press briefing, prepping the press corps for the president’s round table meeting for Cyber Monday with the chief executives of several companies to discuss issues with the supply chain, which he will be speaking about later today. | White House press secretary Jen Psaki has taken the podium for the White House press briefing, prepping the press corps for the president’s round table meeting for Cyber Monday with the chief executives of several companies to discuss issues with the supply chain, which he will be speaking about later today. |
| Joe Biden was immediately asked about the travel ban he issued, which he said was because “there were a significant number of cases”. | Joe Biden was immediately asked about the travel ban he issued, which he said was because “there were a significant number of cases”. |
| “We needed time to get people the opportunity to get the vaccination now before it moved around the world,” he said. | “We needed time to get people the opportunity to get the vaccination now before it moved around the world,” he said. |
| Biden. said he doesn’t anticipate any more travel restrictions. Dr Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, took to the podium to explain the stringent requirements already in place for those traveling internationally to the US - travellers must both be vaccinated and be tested before entering. | Biden. said he doesn’t anticipate any more travel restrictions. Dr Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, took to the podium to explain the stringent requirements already in place for those traveling internationally to the US - travellers must both be vaccinated and be tested before entering. |
| Biden said he does not anticipate the need for any future lockdowns. “If people are vaccinated and wear their masks, there won’t be a need for a lockdown,” he said. | Biden said he does not anticipate the need for any future lockdowns. “If people are vaccinated and wear their masks, there won’t be a need for a lockdown,” he said. |
| “In the event, hopefully unlikely, that updated vaccinations or boosters are needed to respond to this new variant, we will accelerate their development and deployment with every available tool. | “In the event, hopefully unlikely, that updated vaccinations or boosters are needed to respond to this new variant, we will accelerate their development and deployment with every available tool. |
| “We do not yet believe that additional measures will be needed. But so that we are prepared if needed, my team is already working with officials at Pfizer and Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to develop contingency plans for vaccines and boosters if needed. I will also direct the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control) to use the fastest process possible without cutting any corners for safekeeping to get vaccines approved and on the market as soon as possible if needed. | “We do not yet believe that additional measures will be needed. But so that we are prepared if needed, my team is already working with officials at Pfizer and Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to develop contingency plans for vaccines and boosters if needed. I will also direct the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control) to use the fastest process possible without cutting any corners for safekeeping to get vaccines approved and on the market as soon as possible if needed. |
| “I’m sparing no effort. I’m removing all road blocks to keep the American people safe.” | “I’m sparing no effort. I’m removing all road blocks to keep the American people safe.” |