Tag: Joe Biden

  • A new President

    Today, all eyes were on Joe Biden being sworn in as the 46th US President. #InaugurationDay was trending at No. 1 on Twitter in Pakistan.

    Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first female, first Black and first South Asian VP.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated President Biden in a tweet:

    “I congratulate President @JoeBiden on his inauguration. Look forward to working with @POTUS in building a stronger Pak-US partnership through trade & economic engagement, countering climate change, improving public health, combating corruption & promoting peace in region & beyond.”

    Biden took the oath of office from US Chief Justice John Roberts. He said that “democracy has prevailed” and it was a day of “history and hope”. Biden said his whole soul is in “putting America back together again”.

    It was interesting to see that former US President Donald Trump did not attend the inauguration ceremony.

    Here are some tweets that sum up the inauguration.

    https://twitter.com/thejessiewoo/status/1351939282076901376?s=21

  • Facing crush of crises, Biden to take helm as president today

    Democrat Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, assuming the helm of a country beset by deep political divides and battered by a raging coronavirus pandemic.

    Biden, 78, will become the oldest US president in history at a scaled-back ceremony in Washington that has been largely stripped of its usual pomp and circumstance, due to both the coronavirus pandemic as well as security concerns following the Jan. 6 assault on the US Capitol by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.

    With only a small number of attendees present, the Democrat will take the oath of office before US Chief Justice John Roberts just after noon (1700 GMT), placing his hand on an heirloom Bible that has been in the Biden family for more than a century.

    His running mate, Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, will become the first Black person, first woman and first South Asian to serve as vice president after she is sworn in by US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s first Latina member.

    The ceremony will unfold in front of a heavily fortified Capitol, where a mob of Trump supporters stormed the building two weeks ago, enraged by his false claims that November’s election was stolen with millions of fraudulent votes. The violence prompted the Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives to impeach Trump last week for an unprecedented second time.

    Thousands of National Guard troops were called into the city after the siege, which left five people dead and briefly forced lawmakers into hiding. Instead of a throng of supporters, the National Mall will be covered by nearly 200,000 flags and 56 pillars of light meant to represent people from US states and territories.

    Biden, who has vowed to “restore the soul of America,” will call for American unity at a time of crisis in his inaugural address, according to advisers.

    In an early sign of his plan to reach across the political aisle, Biden has invited top congressional leaders, including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, to join him at church on Wednesday morning.

    In a break with more than a century and a half of political tradition, Trump plans to depart the White House ahead of the inauguration, declining to meet with his successor and affirm the peaceful transfer of power.

    Vice President Mike Pence, former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and both McCarthy and McConnell are all expected to attend Biden’s inauguration ceremony.

    Trump, who has grown increasingly isolated in the waning days of his tenure, has still not formally conceded the Nov. 3 election. He will hold a sendoff event at Joint Air Force Base Andrews in the morning, although top Republicans, including Pence, are not expected to attend.

    TRUMP PARDONS 140 PEOPLE ON LAST DAY:

    President Donald Trump pardoned former chief strategist Steve Bannon as part of a flurry of clemency action in the final hours of his White House term that benefited more than 140 people, including rap performers, ex-members of Congress and other allies of him and his family.

    The last-minute clemency, announced Wednesday morning, follows separate waves of pardons over the past month for Trump associates convicted in the FBI’s Russia investigation as well as for the father of his son-in-law.

    Besides Bannon, other pardon recipients included Elliott Broidy, a Republican fundraiser who pleaded guilty last fall in a scheme to lobby the Trump administration to drop an investigation into the looting of a Malaysian wealth fund, and Ken Kurson, a friend of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner who was charged last October with cyberstalking during a heated divorce.

    Among them were rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, both convicted in Florida on weapons charges.

    Other pardon recipients include former Rep. Rick Renzi, an Arizona Republican who served three years for corruption, money laundering and other charges, and former Rep. Duke Cunningham of California, who was convicted of accepting $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors. Cunningham, who was released from prison in 2013, received a conditional pardon.

    Trump also commuted the prison sentence of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who has served about seven years behind bars for a racketeering and bribery scheme.

  • Bilawal not invited to Biden’s oath-taking ceremony, says PPP

    The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has denied the news that chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari have been invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony of US President-elect Joe Biden on Jan 20.

    The denial came a day after a media outlet reported that the PPP chairperson would be attending the inauguration ceremony of the US president-elect and leave for the US on January 18 on a four-day visit. It was being reported that the PPP chief would also meet the US senators.

    The report was also denied by PPP senior leader Farhatullah Babar, saying there was no truth to the reports of Bilawal going to the US.

    There were little chances of Bilawal attending the ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will only be attended by 1,000 people and most of the celebrations will be held online.

    Joe Biden, the Demoracts nominee, was elected as the president in November by defeating incumbent president Donald Trump. Trump had refused to accept the result and contest it in various courts — most of the pleas were dismissed by the judges.

    His refusal to accept the result and provocative speeches also resulted in an assault on The Capitol by the far-right supporters last week. These people stormed the building to stop the certification of Biden.

    The police and the National Guard managed to evacuate the building after four hours and imposed a curfew. Subsequently, Trump asked his supporters to remain calm and announced that he would support the peaceful transition of power. 

    Immediately after the certification, the White House released a statement from Trump in which he pledged an “orderly transition” on Jan. 20 when Biden will be sworn into office. Since then, the US president has attracted permanent bans on Twitter and Facebook for inciting violence.

  • Bilawal to attend Joe Biden’s inauguration next week

     Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has decided to attend the inauguration ceremony of US President-elect Joe Biden on January 18 (Monday) after an invite by the incoming US administration.

    The PPP chairman will leave for Washington on a four-day visit. His agenda includes meetings with the US senators among other officials, according to a report in ARY News.

    Joe Biden, the Demoracts nominee, was elected as the president in November by defeating incumbent president Donald Trump. Trump had refused to accept the result and contest it in various courts — most of the pleas were dismissed by the judges.

    His refusal to accept the result and provocative speeches also resulted in an assault on The Capitol by the far-right supporters last week. These people stormed the building to stop the certification of Biden.

    The police and the National Guard managed to evacuate the building after four hours and imposed a curfew. Subsequently, Trump asked his supporters to remain calm and announced that he would support the peaceful transition of power. 

    Immediately after the certification, the White House released a statement from Trump in which he pledged an “orderly transition” on Jan. 20 when Biden will be sworn into office.

    Since then, the US president has attracted permanent bans on Twitter and Facebook for inciting violence.

  • ‘Coup attempt’: Four dead after Trump supporters storm US Capitol

    ‘Coup attempt’: Four dead after Trump supporters storm US Capitol

    At least four people were killed and scores were arrested after supporters of outgoing US President Donald Trump breached the Capitol last night to stop the electoral vote count that would certify the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.

    The protestors pushed through barriers and occupied the building for hours, where lawmakers had gathered to certify that Joe Biden had won the election. Lawmakers were evacuated from the building by the police following the chaos that, reports say, was a result of a speech by Trump calling the election stolen.

    In hours-long episode of violence, there were clashes between the protesters and the police officers and the police were called “traitors” as well. A BBC report described the scene at the Capitol as Trump loyalists waving placards with “show us the ballots” inscribed on them. “All we want is for the Capitol police to stand down, and surrender the building to us,” it quoted a Trump supporter.

    Rioters were seen marching through the building chanting “We want Trump” and one was photographed in the Senate president’s chair, as per a BBC report. Reports said there was an armed confrontation at the doors of the House of Representatives.

    CBS News reported that one woman was shot and killed by police after breaching the Capitol and attempting to enter the House chamber. “Three others died as a result of medical emergencies,” it quoted the Metropolitan Police Department.

    In order to quell the unrest, the US authorities had called in troops from neighbouring states, Maryland and Virginia in addition to the National Guard. However, it took them hours to secure the Capitol. The US media reported 52 arrests: four related to weapons charges after the recovery of six firearms.

    “Two pipe bombs, one near the Republican National Committee and one near the Democratic National Committee, were also recovered, along with a cooler filled with Molotov cocktails,” the media outlet reported.

    TRUMP BLOCKED ON TWITTER:

    Meanwhile, Trump has been blocked on Twitter and Facebook for 12 and 24 hours for instigating violence as he called upon his supporters to go home while still calling the election “stolen”. “I know your pain, I know you’re hurt,” he said. “You have to go home now, we have to have peace… we don’t want anybody hurt.”

    Visuals from inside the Chamber show that the protesters and the police are engaged in a standoff.

    President-elect Joe Biden, however, said the demonstration “borders on sedition and it must end now”. “At this hour our democracy is under unprecedented assault,” he reacted to the news of the assault on the Capitol. While another lawmaker said it was a ‘coup’ attempt.

  • Joe Biden receives COVID-19 vaccine on live television

    Joe Biden receives COVID-19 vaccine on live television

    US President-elect Joe Biden received a COVID-19 vaccine live on television to enhance Americans’ confidence in the jabs.

    The 78-year-old incoming president got the Pfizer vaccine at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. His wife Jill got the shot earlier, the presidential transition team said.

    Biden told Americans “there s nothing to worry about” when they get vaccinated and that in the meantime, they should follow all the SOPs  and “listen to the experts.”

    https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1341120867938545665?s=20

    He and the future first lady were the latest high-profile political figures who publicly joined the first wave of vaccinations that is expected to stop the current pandemic.

    Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband will be vaccinated next week.

    Previously Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) also shared her experience of getting vaccinated on social media.

    Meanwhile, the serving vice president, Mike Pence, and his wife got vaccinations last week. Trump, however, has yet to take part in the drive.

  • IN PICTURES: India celebrates Kamala Harris’ win

    IN PICTURES: India celebrates Kamala Harris’ win

    Kamala Harris has made history as the first female, first black, and first Asian-American US vice-president-elect, and Indians are overjoyed.

    According to reports, people at Kamala’s ancestral village in southern India, celebrated her victory by bursting crackers, distributing sweets, and offering prayers of gratitude. People hailed her achievement as historic and a “proud moment” for the country.

    Some Indians also celebrated by laying rangoli designs in front of their houses.

    After the victory, Kamala’s sister Maya Harris, said that their mother, Shyamala Gopalan, “would have been beyond proud today.”

    Harris also paid tribute to her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, an Indian immigrant, in her victory speech.

    Harris’ uncle, academic Balachandran Gopalan, said his late sister would have been proud of her daughter and that the family would converge in Washington from across the United States and from India, Canada and Mexico to witness her historic inauguration.

    “Her mother would have been very happy. She would have asked Kamala to continue what she’s doing,” the 79-year-old academic told AFP as a huge media contingent crowded outside his home.

    “Can you think of any other country where a first-generation immigrant would go to the highest office… It’s a lot of firsts. And at a major time in US history. And that she’s there as VP means a lot.”

    Gopalan added that he had further hopes for his trailblazing niece – including a presidential run.

    Kamala Harris was born on October 20 in 1964, in California. Her late mother Shyamala Gopalan migrated to the US from Tamil Nadu at the age of 19 to study at the University of California, while her father, Donald J Harris, moved to the US from Jamaica.

    Harris has often spoken about how her Indian grandfather, who was among millions of people who joined India’s independence movement, has shaped her values and helped inspire her ideals of justice.

    Meanwhile, several Bollywood celebrities including Sonam Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut also expressed their joy over Harris’ win.

  • Biden is in the house

    Democratic challenger Joe Biden has won an extremely close US election battle against outgoing president Donald Trump. The election results were finally called on Saturday. Biden will become the 46th US president and leaders around the world have started sending congratulatory messages to the president-elect. Kamala Harris, the vice president-elect, has made history. She will be the first woman, the first black person and the first person of South Asian descent to become VP. Yesterday, she said, “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.”

    This US election was different in many ways. From an election held during a pandemic to one of the most polarised election in recent history, it was indeed a nail-biter. The two rivals were neck and neck in a few key battleground states before the final results were announced. According to NBC News, at least 159.8 million Americans voted. The number of votes has been the highest in US presidential election in history while the voter turnout has been the highest in over a century.

    Trump’s term has made politics extremely divisive in the US where racism is on the rise. Due to Trump’s policy on climate change, the US became the first nation in the world to formally withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. Trump also gravely mishandled the COVID-19 situation in the US. More than 200,000 people died due to coronavirus before the presidential election.

    On the day of the election when millions of ballots were left to count, Trump decided to claim victory. In the same breath, he suggested “major fraud on the nation” without offering any evidence and said he would take the election results to the US Supreme Court. Trump has been crying rigging, an all too familiar word in our part of the world, even before the election. Trump’s campaign filed lawsuits in some states as Trump has also been crying foul on Twitter, where most of his tweets are being flagged by the social network. Biden, on the other hand, was conciliatory in a speech after the election where he called for healing and unity in the wake of the brutal election. “We are not enemies… to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as enemies… we are campaigning as Democrats, but I will govern as an American president.”

    We hope that with the end of the four tumultuous years of Trump’s presidency, while the Democrats heal their own country, they do not end up hurting the rest of the world. For all his faults, Trump was not seen as a war-president. We hope that the US will not restart its interventionist policies under Biden.

  • Pakistanis win the US elections with memes and jokes

    Pakistanis win the US elections with memes and jokes

    Barring the fact that a change in the White House may require a shift of policy in Islamabad and Pakistan will have to rethink its diplomatic ties with the US, Pakistanis are making the most of the US Elections 2020 with what they do best – making memes.

    As US citizens and Presidential candidates wait with bated breaths for the results, Pakistanis have been sharing memes and jokes on social media. From Trump asking ‘Vote ko izzat dou‘ to Biden saying ‘Mein Inko Rulaun Ga‘, Pakistani Twitter is lit with memes that are bound to tickle your funny bones.

    Check out some of the funniest memes below:

    https://twitter.com/thepakimon/status/1324199320351084545?s=20
    https://twitter.com/SuspendedBila/status/1324003390502948865?s=20
    https://twitter.com/SuspendedBila/status/1324258087755255809?s=20

    Read more – ‘Relax, it happens,’ former senator of ‘grape’ fame tells Donald Trump

    Some netizens got creative with photoshop.

    Which meme is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.

  • ‘Relax, it happens,’ former senator of ‘grape’ fame tells Donald Trump

    ‘Relax, it happens,’ former senator of ‘grape’ fame tells Donald Trump

    Former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senator Sehar Kamran of “grape” meme videos fame has made headlines for telling United States (US) President Donald Trump to relax as the latter raises concerns over his looming loss in the race to White House.

    By the time this report was filed, Democratic challenger Joe Biden, according to Associated Press’ (AP) data, had secured 264 electoral votes against Trump’s 214. For a majority, 270 electoral votes are needed.

    With Trump taking to Twitter to launch a tirade against his opponent and cast doubts over the electoral process while adding to his laid groundwork for refusing to concede a loss now expected, the former parliamentarian from Pakistan has told him to relax.

    “Relax, it happens,” she wrote in response to a tweet by the incumbent American president.

    The former senator from Pakistan had earlier also tweeted to wish Trump’s rival Biden good luck.

    ‘GRAPE’:

    In September, Sehar responded to the viral clips doing the rounds on social media where some schoolchildren were seen telling what they would do for their country at an Independence Day event.

    The clips had gone viral on TikTok and not just in Pakistan. Sehar was seen encouraging the children in the clips and adding clarity to their statements — all in the spirit of patriotism.

    Speaking to NayaDaur, Sehar had said that the clips are from Pakistan International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia of which she was the principal ten years ago.

    “Everyone has the right to express their affection for the country and this is what my students at Pakistan International School Jeddah and I were doing in the video clip,” she said.

    One particular clip in which a child says that he would get into the army and “destroy India” had turned into memes and Sehar’s reaction to the student’s comment, “strong army, wow!”, had also taken the internet by storm.

    While a lot of people had also criticised her for “teaching the kids to promote hate”, another reaction of hers, “great”, had broken the internet as “grape”.