- Joe Biden heads to inauguration in city scarred by last days of Trump
- Inauguration day: a guide to what to expect as Biden assumes office
- Trump fails to mention Biden in farewell address
- US Covid death toll passes 400,000 amid grim forecast over winter
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9.10am GMT
Yesterday the US recorded 168,058 new coronavirus cases, and 2,550 further deaths. According to Johns Hopkins university figures the US has now recorded a total of 24,233,738 cases and 401,443 deaths.
The Covid Tracking Project records that 123,820 were hospitalized with Covid in the US. CNN reported overnight that the Trump administration has left the incoming Biden administration with ‘confusing’ Covid-19 vaccine numbers and the states in limbo.
States across the country say they’re running low on coronavirus vaccine supply, with many officials insisting the vaccine delivery numbers reported by the Trump administration don’t align with what they are seeing on the ground.
A source close to the Biden transition team said there is enormous concern among the incoming administration about the accuracy of the numbers that have been released by the federal government. It was only within the last few days that the transition team was given access to Tiberius, the system that shows states how many doses are available to them and allows states to determine delivery locations.
Related: US coronavirus death toll passes 400,000 amid grim forecast over winter
9.00am GMT
Joe Biden must overcome a pandemic, rebuild an economy, tackle racist insurrectionists and the ex-president who incited them, and reassert American leadership across a distrustful world. Somehow he must do all that while also confirming his senior officials in a Senate with no working majority.
So far the Biden team shows no sign of limiting its ambition in terms of what it hopes Congress will take up – and what it will push through executive action – in its first days and weeks in power. In addition to signing a flurry of executive orders, rejoining the Paris climate accords and restarting the Iran nuclear deal, Biden will also propose sweeping immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for the undocumented.
Related: Biden prepares ambitious agenda even as he cleans up Trump’s mess | Analysis
Continue reading…Joe Biden heads to inauguration in city scarred by last days of TrumpInauguration day: a guide to what to expect as Biden assumes officeTrump fails to mention Biden in farewell addressUS Covid death toll passes 400,000 amid grim forecast over winterSign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email 9.10am GMTYesterday the US recorded 168,058 new coronavirus cases, and 2,550 further deaths. According to Johns Hopkins university figures the US has now recorded a total of 24,233,738 cases and 401,443 deaths.The Covid Tracking Project records that 123,820 were hospitalized with Covid in the US. CNN reported overnight that the Trump administration has left the incoming Biden administration with ‘confusing’ Covid-19 vaccine numbers and the states in limbo.States across the country say they’re running low on coronavirus vaccine supply, with many officials insisting the vaccine delivery numbers reported by the Trump administration don’t align with what they are seeing on the ground.A source close to the Biden transition team said there is enormous concern among the incoming administration about the accuracy of the numbers that have been released by the federal government. It was only within the last few days that the transition team was given access to Tiberius, the system that shows states how many doses are available to them and allows states to determine delivery locations. Related: US coronavirus death toll passes 400,000 amid grim forecast over winter 9.00am GMTJoe Biden must overcome a pandemic, rebuild an economy, tackle racist insurrectionists and the ex-president who incited them, and reassert American leadership across a distrustful world. Somehow he must do all that while also confirming his senior officials in a Senate with no working majority.So far the Biden team shows no sign of limiting its ambition in terms of what it hopes Congress will take up – and what it will push through executive action – in its first days and weeks in power. In addition to signing a flurry of executive orders, rejoining the Paris climate accords and restarting the Iran nuclear deal, Biden will also propose sweeping immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for the undocumented. Related: Biden prepares ambitious agenda even as he cleans up Trump’s mess | Analysis Continue reading…