Biden to sign bill protecting same-sex and interracial marriage rights – live - The Guardian US

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US vigor officials denote fusion occurrence 'that could revolutionize the world'

The United States has taken “the archetypal tentative steps towards a cleanable vigor root that could revolutionize the world” done a palmy fusion experiment, announced Jill Hruby, the nether caput for atomic security.

The breakthrough came aft an experimentation that saw “192 high-energy lasers converge connected a people astir the size of a peppercorn, heating a capsule of deuterium and tritium to implicit 3 cardinal degrees Celsius and concisely simulating the conditions of a prima and achieving ignition.”

Speaking earlier, the White House subject chief, Arati Prabhakar, gave a one-sentence summary of what scientists astatine the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory successful California achieved: “They changeable a clump of lasers astatine a pellet of substance and much vigor was released from that fusion ignition than the vigor of the lasers.”

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Joe Biden volition soon motion the Respect for Marriage Act successful a ceremonial connected the White House’s chilly southbound lawn.

The Guardian’s David Smith is determination for the event, which has kicked disconnected with remarks from Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate bulk leader:

On White House southbound lawn. Senate bulk person Chuck Schumer: “President Biden is signing the Respect for Marriage Act into law!… It was idiosyncratic to us, to our staff, to our families.” pic.twitter.com/wRJlmKQ9ts

— David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) December 13, 2022

Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s departure from the Democratic enactment past week took immoderate of the upwind retired of the sails of Joe Biden’s allies, but their person successful Congress’s precocious enclosure isn’t looking for revenge – yet.

The Washington Post reports that the Democratic Senate person Chuck Schumer dodged a question astir whether he’d enactment lone a Democrat to service arsenic legislator from Arizona, alternatively reiterating that helium expects Sinema to proceed moving with the party:

Asked if helium volition enactment a Democrat successful the Arizona Senate race, Schumer says he’s focused connected finishing the lame duck. He says helium recovered retired astir Sinema’s enactment power the time earlier it was announced and that her staying connected committees keeps them functioning successful a 51-49 Senate. pic.twitter.com/qj1aFsiWfr

— Dylan Wells (@dylanewells) December 13, 2022

The question is important because, by leaving the Democratic party, Sinema has negated a superior situation she was apt to look successful 2024 if she ran for the party’s Senate information successful Arizona.

The legislator has irritated galore Democrats by objecting to the Biden administration’s priorities implicit the past 2 years, but present the enactment volition person to determine whether to tally a campaigner against her successful 2 years and hazard splitting their vote, oregon proceed pursuing her cooperation.

The White House has kicked disconnected its regular briefing with property caput Karine Jean-Pierre, who has been joined contiguous by a peculiar guest: Cyndi Lauper.

The popular fable is acceptable to execute astatine the 3:30 p.m. signing ceremonial for the Respect for Marriage Act, which volition support same-sex and interracial matrimony rights.

Here’s the country successful the White House briefing room, arsenic relayed by the Guardian’s David Smith:

At White House briefing. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre introduces vocalist Cyndi Lauper: “I cognize we person immoderate superior concern up of america contiguous but you know, sometimes girls conscionable privation to person fun.” pic.twitter.com/zAXXVsZBnb

— David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) December 13, 2022

January 6 committee to ballot connected referrals successful 19 December meeting

The January 6 committee volition connected 19 December ballot connected referring radical they judge broke the instrumentality to the justness department, Politico reports, citing committee seat Bennie Thompson.

Lawmakers haven’t yet named who they volition refer, but Donald Trump and erstwhile apical officials successful his administration, arsenic good arsenic successful Congress, could beryllium among their targets.

The referrals are among the committee’s outstanding concern earlier its mandate expires astatine the extremity of the year, which besides includes a study into the insurrection astatine the Capitol and Trump’s crippled to overturn the 2020 election.

Here are much details from Politico:

Chairman Bennie Thompson says the Jan. 6 prime committee is considering respective antithetic categories of referrals, including:

-Criminal
-Ethics
-Bar discipline
-Campaign finance

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 13, 2022

Thompson said immoderate referrals would see supporting grounds that would laic retired the committee’s lawsuit — which volition substance acold much to DOJ than the referral itself.

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 13, 2022

MORE: Chairman Thompson says the prime committee volition person what is apt to beryllium its last gathering (to ballot connected its study and referrals) astatine 1 p.m. connected *Dec. 19*

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 13, 2022

Also happening successful Washington this week: the White House is hosting the leaders of 49 African countries arsenic it looks to bolster its lasting connected the continent, with an oculus towards countering Russia and China, Jason Burke reports:

Dozens of African leaders person assembled successful Washington to be a large acme aimed astatine rebooting US relations connected the continent which person languished successful caller years.

The US-Africa summit, the archetypal since 2014, volition beryllium the biggest planetary gathering successful Washington since the pandemic and the astir important committedness by a US medication to boosting its power successful the portion for astir a decade.

The acme comes amid the sharpest large powerfulness rivalry for galore decades, worsening information problems and acute economical problems successful Africa.

All 3 challenges are sometimes blamed connected the US, which has been pushed connected to the antiaircraft successful galore areas by determined and often unconventional strategies adopted by strategical rivals specified arsenic Russia and China.

In all, 49 leaders and heads of states person been invited to the summit, and the impermanent database underlines the trouble faced by President Joe Biden and caput of authorities Antony Blinken successful balancing values with pressing demands of powerfulness politics.

House committee requests reappraisal of Trump retention portion astatine Mar-a-Lago - report

Joanna Walters

Joanna Walters

Carolyn Maloney, seat of the oversight committee successful the House has written to the National Archives asking for a reappraisal of what’s been discovered astatine a retention portion astatine Donald Trump’s Florida residence, the Washington Post is reporting this hour.

The House committee wants to cognize if determination are immoderate different statesmanlike records stashed determination successful summation to those precocious disclosed. As the Post notes, the missive “follows a study from The Washington Post that astatine slightest 2 items marked classified were recovered by an extracurricular squad hired by Trump to hunt a retention unit, on with astatine slightest 2 of his properties, aft his ineligible squad was pressed by a national justice to attest that it had afloat complied with a May expansive assemblage subpoena to crook implicit each materials bearing classified markings.

Former President Donald Trump announcing he’s moving  for president   for the 3rd  time, astatine  Mar-a-Lago past  month.
Former President Donald Trump announcing he’s moving for president for the 3rd time, astatine Mar-a-Lago past month. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP

Today’s missive has been obtained by the Post and notes that Maloney raises concerns with Debra Steidel Wall, acting archivist astatine the National Archive successful Washington, and says that Trump’s retention portion astatine his Mar-a-Lago property successful Palm Beach “and different properties” mightiness “contain statesmanlike records that were not the absorption of the hunt and truthful person not been turned implicit to the national government.”

The committee notes that this latest question is abstracted from the Department of Justice “ongoing transgression investigation” into Trump’s actions, which is being overseen recently-appointed peculiar counsel Jack Smith.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (with mic) joins the New York politician  Kathy Hochul astatine  an predetermination  rally successful  the metropolis  past  month.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (with mic) joins the New York politician Kathy Hochul astatine an predetermination rally successful the metropolis past month. Photograph: Steve Sanchez/Pacific Press/REX/Shutterstock

Joanna Walters

Joanna Walters

Energy caput Jennifer Granholm has been a spark of excitement connected Twitter contiguous arsenic she fronted the government’s announcement of a “major technological breakthrough” with a US lab’s palmy fusion reaction.

She called the technological beforehand “game-changing, world-improving, lives-saving past unfolding successful existent time”.

This is game-changing, world-improving, lives-saving past unfolding successful existent time.

Absolutely astonishing.

My deepest congratulations and gratitude to the researchers and unit astatine @ENERGY's @Livermore_Lab for this unthinkable feat. https://t.co/RqAIsZWmVL

— Secretary Jennifer Granholm (@SecGranholm) December 13, 2022

Then, hinting astatine immoderate different authorities priorities successful play today, she added the announcement of the atomic fusion breakthrough to a time successful which Joe Biden volition sign into law the Respect for Marriage Act passed successful the House past week aft making it done the US Senate. It codifies the close to same-sex matrimony and interracial marriages successful the US successful legislation. Her tweet besides highlighted different bully developments, successful economical news.

The time truthful far

The vigor section made public their occurrence successful creating a fusion absorption that produced much vigor than was enactment in, though any applicable exertion of the breakthrough could beryllium decades away. More immediately, inflation whitethorn yet beryllium declining successful the United States, which was invited quality for Joe Biden, who volition aboriginal this day enactment his signature connected a measure to support same-sex and interracial matrimony rights.

Here’s what other has happened contiguous truthful far:

  • Samuel Bankman-Fried is not testifying earlier Congress, due to the fact that helium was arrested successful the Bahamas yesterday. Instead, the recently appointed CEO of FTX, the collapsed cryptocurrency speech Bankman-Fried founded, is being grilled by lawmakers alone.

  • Reforms to the Electoral Count Act intended to halt different January 6 whitethorn extremity up being included successful year-end spending authorities Congress is negotiating.

  • It’s official: rightwing lawmaker Lauren Boebert has been re-elected, aft winning her unexpectedly adjacent House race.

Meanwhile successful Congress, lawmakers are moving done a heap of authorities that some parties would similar to get passed earlier the twelvemonth ends and the caller Congress begins.

Of peculiar value to the waning Democratic bulk is simply a measurement to betterment the Electoral Count Act and halt the benignant of ineligible crippled attempted connected January 6, and a White House petition for tens of billions of dollars much successful assistance to Ukraine.

Politico reports that Democratic Senate bulk person Chuck Schumer says some could beryllium included successful a monolithic authorities backing measure the 2 parties are inching towards an statement on:

Schumer says the omnibus is apt to see Electoral Count Act betterment and Ukraine aid. Most he's leaned connected ECA -- sounds similar it's astir apt happening

— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) December 13, 2022

"I expect an omnibus volition incorporate priorities some siders privation to spot passed into law, including much backing for Ukraine and the Electoral Count Act ... it volition beryllium large to get that done"

— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) December 13, 2022

Now that they’ve made the quality public, the Department of Energy has released a little video showing however their palmy fusion experimentation worked.

You tin ticker it below:

BREAKING NEWS: This is an announcement that has been decades successful the making.
 
On December 5, 2022 a squad from DOE's @Livermore_Lab made past by achieving fusion ignition.
 
This breakthrough volition alteration the aboriginal of cleanable powerfulness and America’s nationalist defence forever. pic.twitter.com/hFHWbmCNQJ

— U.S. Department of Energy (@ENERGY) December 13, 2022

Biden: US 'headed successful close direction' arsenic ostentation falls

Joe Biden spoke astatine  the White House astir  his administration's efforts to tackle inflation.
Joe Biden spoke astatine the White House astir his administration's efforts to tackle inflation. Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AP

Joe Biden cheered government information released today that showed ostentation declining by a greater magnitude than expected successful November, calling it impervious that his economical policies were delivering Americans alleviation from the terms summation question battering the economy.

“In a satellite wherever ostentation is rising astatine treble digits successful galore large economies astir the world, ostentation is coming down successful America,” Biden said successful a code astatine the White House. “Make nary mistake: prices are inactive excessively high. We person a batch much enactment to do, but things are getting better, headed successful the close direction.”

In particular, helium pointed to the diminution successful state prices past month, which fell 2%, portion noting that nutrient terms increases slowed, albeit precise slightly. All told, prices roseate 7.1% past period compared to November 2021, and conscionable 0.1% compared to October. That was their smallest year-on-year summation since December of past year, but nevertheless a precocious complaint and good supra the Federal Reserve’s 2% yearly ostentation target.

“It’s going to instrumentality clip to get ostentation backmost to mean levels, arsenic we marque the modulation to a much unchangeable and dependable growth,” Biden said. “We could spot setbacks on the way, arsenic well. We shouldn’t instrumentality thing for granted. What is wide is my economical program is moving and we’re conscionable getting started.”

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