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      Biden announces US will donate another 500m vaccine doses at Covid summit – live

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      Key events

      Show

      5.38pm EDT
      17:38

      Federal Reserve hints it will end pandemic stimulus programs

      5.00pm EDT
      17:00

      Today so far

      4.29pm EDT
      16:29

      Biden to consider ‘potential further executive actions’ after police reform talks fail

      1.53pm EDT
      13:53

      Police reform negotiations come to a formal close, Bass says

      12.54pm EDT
      12:54

      France to send ambassador back to US after Macron-Biden call

      12.03pm EDT
      12:03

      Today so far

      11.00am EDT
      11:00

      Biden to announce US will donate another 500m vaccine doses to other countries

      Live feed

      Show

      5.44pm EDT
      17:44

      Dominic Rushe

      The latest Fed statement also showed that more members of the Fed committee now believe that interest rates should rise in the near future. Nine of the 18 officials expect to raise interest rates by the end of 2022, up from seven officials in June when a majority said they thought rates would rise in 2023.
      US stock markets reacted favorably to the news, which suggests the economy is still recovering from the pandemic, albeit with uncertainties remaining. Investors have been spooked in recent days by news that troubled Chinese property developer Evergrande could default on its $300bn debts. The company’s woes could drag in investors worldwide, but on Tuesday the company said it would be able to meet some of its obligations.
      Powell said the situation “seems particular to China which has very high debt for an emerging market economy.
      “In terms of the implications for us, there is not a lot of direct United States exposure,” he said.

      5.38pm EDT
      17:38

      Federal Reserve hints it will end pandemic stimulus programs

      Dominic Rushe

      The Federal Reserve signaled on Wednesday that it may start cutting its enormous pandemic stimulus programs as soon as November and could raise interest rates next year.
      The US central bank left interest rates unchanged at near zero after its latest meeting. Rates were cut in March 2020 as the US economy reeled from the impact of the pandemic. But the Fed also indicated it may soon start pulling back on the $120bn in monthly asset purchases program that it started when the coronavirus hit the US.
      “If progress continues broadly as expected, the Committee judges that a moderation in the pace of asset purchases may soon be warranted,” the Fed’s post-meeting statement said.
      At a press conference Fed chair Jerome Powell said the jobs market was “very strong” and that while the central bank was trimming its forecasts for economic growth it still foresees “rapid growth” in the economy.
      Powell said the pandemic was still having an impact and that bottlenecks and shortages were driving price inflation but he expected that situation to ease as long as the coronavirus pandemic is contained. “The path of the economy still continues to depend on the course of the virus,” he said.
      Read more:

      5.17pm EDT
      17:17

      Florida’s surgeon general Joseph Ladapo has issued a new emergency rule that parents can decide whether or not their children should quarantine after being exposed to someone who tested positive for Covid-19.
      Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Lapado, who has been skeptical of research-backed public health measures like mask-wearing, lockdowns and vaccines to curb the spread of coronavirus, would be the state’s new surgeon general on Tuesday. The Republican governor has tried to ban schools from enforcing mask mandates.
      The new rule states that parents rather than school administrations, must be the ones to decide asymptomatic kids who have been exposed to the virus should quarantine.
      It was “important to respect the rights of parents”, Ladapo said.
      The new emergency rule will replace a previous rule requiring students to quarantine for four days after being exposed.

      Updated
      at 5.33pm EDT

      5.00pm EDT
      17:00

      Today so far

      That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
      Here’s where the day stands so far:

      Joe Biden announced the US will donate another 500 million Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses to other countries. The announcement means the Biden administration has now committed to sending more than 1.1 billion vaccine doses abroad. “Put another way, for every one shot we’ve administered to date in America, we have now committed to do three shots to the rest of the world,” Biden said at a virtual Covid summit today.
      Emmanuel Macron is sending the French ambassador to the US back to Washington, after he and Biden had a conversation today about France’s outrage over the Aukus defense deal. The French president also plans to meet with Biden in Europe next month.
      Bipartisan talks over a police reform bill have officially collapsed, after months of back-and-back between the negotiators. Democratic congresswoman Karen Bass blamed the failure on Republicans involved in the negotiations, saying in a statement, “Every time, more was demanded to the point that there would be no progress made in the bill that we were left discussing.” Biden said he would consider “potential further executive actions” to address police reform after the talks collapsed.
      House Democrats passed their spending bill to keep the government funded and suspend the debt ceiling until December. However, the legislation faces bleak prospects in the evenly divided Senate, where Republican leader Mitch McConnell has pledged to oppose any effort to raise the debt ceiling.
      The select committee investigating the Capitol insurrection is considering issuing a number of subpoenas to former Trump administration officials. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale are among those who are likely to get subpoenaed by the committee.

      Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

      4.44pm EDT
      16:44

      House speaker Nancy Pelosi said the chamber is “on schedule” to hold a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill on Monday.
      Asked whether the House will also be ready to vote on the reconciliation package by Monday, as progressive lawmakers have demanded, Pelosi did not give a concrete answer.

      Zak Hudak
      (@cbszak)
      “We’re on schedule, let’s put it that way,” Speaker Pelosi says of the bipartisan infrastructure deal slated to reach the floor next wk. She wouldn’t say when the reconciliation package would be considered but said, “We’re calm and everybody’s good.” pic.twitter.com/H6hZa8sigz

      September 22, 2021

      “We’re calm, and everybody’s good, and our work’s almost done,” Pelosi told reporters on Capitol Hill.
      The Democratic speaker met with Joe Biden at the White House this afternoon, as progressives threaten to block the infrastructure bill over their concerns about the reconciliation package.

      4.29pm EDT
      16:29

      Biden to consider ‘potential further executive actions’ after police reform talks fail

      Joe Biden said he will consider “potential further executive actions” to address police reform after the bipartisan team of congressional negotiators failed to reach a deal on a bill.
      “The murder of George Floyd is a stain on the soul of America,” the president said in a new statement addressing the collapse of the negotiations. “It spurred the nation to collectively demand justice, and we will be remembered for how we responded to the call.”
      Biden said he was “deeply grateful” to congresswoman Karen Bass and Senator Cory Booker for working to reach an agreement over the past several months.
      “Regrettably, Senate Republicans rejected enacting modest reforms, which even the previous president had supported, while refusing to take action on key issues that many in law enforcement were willing to address,” Biden said.
      The president noted he still hoped to sign police reform legislation, but he said he would soon explore additional steps to determine what executive action he may be able to take on the issue.
      “In the coming weeks, we will continue to work with Senator Booker, Congresswoman Bass, and other members of Congress who are serious about meaningful police reform,” Biden said.
      “The White House will continue to consult with the civil rights and law enforcement and civil rights communities, as well as victims’ families to define a path forward, including through potential further executive actions I can take to advance our efforts to live up to the American ideal of equal justice under law.”

      4.11pm EDT
      16:11

      The White House shared a photo from Joe Biden’s phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier today.
      “Today I spoke with President Emmanuel Macron of France, and reaffirmed the importance of French and European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region,” Biden said in a tweet that included the photo.
      “I look forward to a process of in-depth consultations and to meeting with him in October.”

      President Biden
      (@POTUS)
      Today I spoke with President Emmanuel Macron of France, and reaffirmed the importance of French and European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. I look forward to a process of in-depth consultations and to meeting with him in October. pic.twitter.com/MouVMCBgDR

      September 22, 2021

      Asked about the two leaders’ conversation during the White House press briefing, Jen Psaki said the call was “friendly” and lasted around 30 minutes.
      “It was one where we’re hopeful and the president is hopeful this is a step in returning to normal,” Psaki said of the phone call.
      Psaki did not explicitly say whether Biden apologized to Macron for failing to give him advance notice about the Aukus defense deal, instead telling reporters, “He acknowledged that there could have been greater consultation.”

      3.55pm EDT
      15:55

      Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who have represented the family of George Floyd, expressed “extreme disappointment” over the collapse of police reform talks in Congress.
      “In the last year and a half, we have witnessed hundreds of thousands of Americans urging lawmakers to bring desperately needed change to policing in this country so there can be greater accountability, transparency, and ultimately trust in policing,” the lawyers said in a statement.
      “We can not let this be a tragic, lost opportunity to regain trust between citizens and police.”
      Crump and Romanucci urged Senate Democrats to bring the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the House in March, to the floor “so Americans can see who is looking out for their communities’ best interests”.

      3.39pm EDT
      15:39

      In his own statement on the collapse of the police reform negotiations, Democratic Senator Cory Booker said the talks failed because there was “too wide a gulf with our negotiating partners”.
      “We made it clear from the beginning of our negotiations that a bill must ensure true accountability, transparency, and the policing standards necessary to bring an end to horrific incidents of violence Americans are routinely seeing — like the murder of George Floyd,” Booker said.
      “After months of exhausting every possible pathway to a bipartisan deal, it remains out of reach right now, even after working collaboratively with and securing the support of policing groups like the Fraternal Order of Police and International Association of Chiefs of Police for our proposals.”
      Echoing fellow Democratic negotiator Karen Bass, Booker said the time had come to “explore all other options to achieve meaningful and common sense policing reform”.
      “I will not stop fighting until we achieve change that keeps our communities and police officers safe,” Booker concluded.

      3.20pm EDT
      15:20

      Jen Psaki said Joe Biden was “disappointed” that the bipartisan negotiations over the police reform bill collapsed without a deal today.
      “Unfortunately, Republicans rejected reforms that even the previous president had supported and refused to engage on key issues that many in law enforcement were willing to address,” Psaki said.
      The press secretary noted Biden was “greatly appreciative” for congresswoman Karen Bass and senator Cory Booker’s efforts in the negotiations.
      Psaki said Biden would be meeting with members of Congress, law enforcement groups and civil rights advocates in the weeks to come to discuss a path forward, “including potential executive actions” that he can take on police reform.

      3.03pm EDT
      15:03

      Jen Psaki said the White House is “certainly” concerned about the possibility of the government shutting down next week if a funding bill is not approved.
      “Until a [continuing resolution] has passed that funds the government, we’ll certainly have a concern,” the White House press secretary said. “But our goal and our focus is on preventing that from happening.”
      Noting that the House has already passed a bill to fund the government and suspend the debt ceiling until December, the press secretary expressed hope of the situation being resolved soon.
      However, the House-passed bill faces dim prospects in the evenly divided Senate, where Republican leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to block any effort to raise the debt ceiling.

      2.48pm EDT
      14:48

      Jen Psaki was asked about Joe Biden’s meetings today with members of Congress to discuss the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the $3.5tn reconciliation package.
      One reporter pressed Psaki on whether this marks a “make or break” moment for the two bills, which encompass much of the president’s economic agenda.
      The press secretary declined to characterize the meetings in that way, instead saying, “This is an important moment. We are in a pivotal period in our negotiations and discussions.”

      2.32pm EDT
      14:32

      One reporter asked Jen Psaki whether Joe Biden apologized to Emmanuel Macron for how the Aukus deal was announced.
      “He acknowledged that there could have been greater consultation,” the White House press secretary said. “There was agreement that we wanted to move forward in our relationship.”

      Asked if Biden held national security adviser Jake Sullivan responsible for the dust-up with France, Psaki replied, “He holds himself responsible.”

      Updated
      at 4.38pm EDT More

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      The Guardian view on Biden’s UN speech: cooperation not competition | Editorial

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      OpinionJoe BidenThe Guardian view on Biden’s UN speech: cooperation not competitionEditorialThe US president is right to say he does not want a cold war with China Wed 22 Sep 2021 14.10 EDTLast modified on Wed 22 Sep 2021 14.45 EDT“We’re not seeking – say it again, we are not seeking – a new cold war or a world divided into rigid blocs,” President Joe Biden told the United Nations general assembly on Tuesday. That is a relief. Washington’s undeclared opponent is, as almost all observers agree, Beijing. In his address, however, Mr Biden made it clear he is determined to ensure that the rise of China will not mean the decline of the US.The US president said he was willing to “work together with our democratic partners” on breakthroughs in technology which can be “used to lift people up … and advance human freedom – not to suppress dissent or target minority communities”. This is admirable rhetoric, though some sceptics may spy the promotion of US national interests under the guise of a foreign policy that favours democracies. There are also dangers in an overly hawkish prosecution of this approach. Pushing Ukraine’s membership in Nato as a pro-democracy step may bring about a Russian military response. Taiwan’s democracy has to be defended without Washington being pulled into a confrontation with Beijing. The challenges of this era, such as the climate emergency, also require international cooperation to deliver global public goods and prevent beggar-thy-neighbour policies.The problem is twofold. First, Mr Biden seems to see US rivalry with China as a zero-sum game, where one country’s gain is another country’s loss. Second, China’s president, Xi Jinping, has the same view of the US. This has the potential for competition between the two powers to spiral out of control. Mr Biden talks of carefully managing relationships so that they do not tip “from responsible competition to conflict”. His policy is a world away from the cold war strategy of “containment”. But the risks are real. Cooperation is needed to balance competition in world affairs, otherwise nationalism will become even more of a driving force in international affairs.That might explain why Mr Biden had no time for a US-UK trade deal, which would only feed Boris Johnson’s delusions. Brexiters may seek solace in the argument that Mr Biden is anti-free trade, but that neglects his support for a new US-Mexico-Canada deal that included worker and environmental protections. Claiming Britain could sign up to this free trade pact is gathering Brexit crumbs from the US table.New forms of cooperation and coordination are needed in the international arena. Britain’s search for a trade pact that could replace the EU’s market may prove fruitless, but that the country is looking for one underlines what it has lost. Mr Biden, whose formative political years were spent with Kremlin officials on arms control, knows that multilateralism requires working with nations irrespective of their system of government. There can be no reduction in nuclear weapons without deals with autocrats.Mr Biden withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan crystallised two questions: what is the future of US alliances, and what should be done about China? The time for foreign policy crusades is over but the fight goes on against poverty, the pandemic and global heating. With a majority of American voters now favouring diplomacy over military intervention, the US president ought to embrace collective action rather than go-it-alone policies.TopicsJoe BidenOpinionUnited NationsUS politicsChinaBiden administrationBrexitTrade policyeditorialsReuse this content More

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      Biden’s UN speech will try to convince member states that ‘America is back’

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      Biden administrationBiden’s UN speech will try to convince member states that ‘America is back’But president will contend with skepticism in wake of Aukus, disagreements over Israel and the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal Julian Borger in WashingtonMon 20 Sep 2021 16.25 EDTFirst published on Mon 20 Sep 2021 15.13 EDTJoe Biden will make his first speech to the United Nations as president on Tuesday, seeking to “close the chapter on 20 years of war” and begin an era of intensive diplomacy.Biden will however have to contend with hostility from China, an open rift with France and widespread scepticism among UN member states over his commitment to multilateralism following disagreements over Israel, a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, and a nuclear submarine deal that took adversaries and allies by surprise.The White House sees the speech to the UN general assembly as a chance to reclaim the global initiative and convince UN member states that “America is back”, as Biden promised when he took office.It will be followed by a week of bilateral meetings, a US-hosted Covid summit on Wednesday aimed at drumming up more funding for global vaccine distribution, a meeting of leaders of the Pacific-oriented Quad group– India, Australia and Japan – on Wednesday, and a UN security council meeting on climate insecurity on Thursday.“It’s an important, consequential week for President Biden and his leadership on the world stage,” a senior administration official said.Tuesday’s speech, the official added, will “center on the proposition that we are closing the chapter on 20 years of war, and opening a chapter of intensive diplomacy, by rallying allies and partners and institutions to deal with the major challenges of our time.”However, Biden is arriving in New York just days after the disclosure of a new security agreement between Australia, the UK and US, which will involve helping Australia build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.The announcement of the Aukus deal has deepened tensions with China, which portrayed it as a hostile act, and with France, which had a contract to supply Australia with French vessels and which was blindsided by Aukus.In his speech, Biden will say he wants to avoid a new cold war with the world divided into blocks.“He believes in vigorous, intensive, principled competition that does not tip over into conflict,” a senior US official said.However, at the start of UN general assembly’s summit week, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, expressed concern that US-Chinese rivalry was stopping progress on urgent global issues.Guterres told CNN that the efforts of US climate envoy John Kerry to reach a compromise with China have “largely failed because the Chinese have said … we cannot have cooperation on climate or anything else”.“I believe that we need to avoid a new cold war, because the old cold war was more easy to manage. It was clear. Now things are more complex,” the secretary general said.Biden starts the week with the added burden of a serious fracture in western cohesion. France is still furious at being taken by surprise by the Aukus agreement and warning there will be further diplomatic fallout.On Monday, Biden was trying to set up a phone call with French president Emmanuel Macron, and US secretary of state, Tony Blinken, was seeking a meeting with his counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in New York, but the French were being elusive.The state department said the schedules of Blinken and Le Drian were “dynamic”. A French official said no bilateral meeting was planned.Richard Gowan, the UN director for the International Crisis Group, said that the Aukus row “will fit in with a narrative that has emerged around Biden that he talks a good multilateral game, but when it comes to the crunch on a lot of issues he is still a bit of an America First-er.”In May, the US blocked the UN security council from making a statement calling for an end to Israeli-Palestinian violence, while Israel was conducting a bombing campaign aimed at Hamas in Gaza, with heavy civilian casualties.Sherine Tadros, the head of the New York office of Amnesty International, said that Biden will benefit from the comparison with Donald Trump, who was openly hostile to the UN, and delivered bellicose speeches from the lectern.“The bar is low,” Tadros said. “There is no doubt there is reengagement … But when you look at Afghanistan, when you look at the Gaza war, the UN was circumvented by the Biden administration and treated as a Plan B.”In normal times, Biden would have found it easier to smooth over cracks by schmoozing with fellow leaders, but Covid-19 and New York City rules for preventing its spread have made that difficult.He is due to hold only one bilateral meeting in New York on Tuesday, with Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, before returning to Washington, where he will meet Britain’s Boris Johnson.TopicsBiden administrationJoe BidenUnited NationsAukusUS politicsnewsReuse this content More