- Bagnaia eyeing summit on home ground in 100th MotoGP
- 'Something was wrong', defendant in French mass rape tells court
- Hezbollah chief admits 'unprecedented' blow in device blasts
- Sales of US existing homes slip slightly in August
- Fear, panic haunt Lebanese after devices explode
- Labuschagne sparks Australia fightback in England ODI opener
- S.Africa's HIV research power couple says fight goes on
- Why is Israel focusing on border with Lebanon?
- Mpox vaccines administered in Rwanda, first in Africa
- US Fed rate cut is 'very positive sign' for economy: Yellen
- Unknown Mozart string trio discovered in Germany
- 'Are we five-year-olds?' F1 drivers won't mind their language
- Brazil judge orders X to reimpose block or face hefty fine
- Munich to rename stadium street after Beckenbauer
- Champions Italy to face Argentina in Davis Cup Final 8
- The winding, fitful path to weight loss drug Ozempic
- Italians defeat American Magic to reach Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Norris has 'nothing to lose' as he hunts Verstappen in Singapore
- Kyiv 'outraged' at Swiss showing of Russian war film
- French city renames Abbe Pierre square after abuse claims
- Footballer charged after huge cannabis seizure at UK airport
- Vatican recognises Medjugorje shrine, but not Virgin's messages
- Israel bombs Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon after wave of deadly blasts
- Bank of England freezes rate after jumbo US cut
- Playing Nadal is 'kind of a nightmare', says Alcaraz
- Portugal tackles last of deadly northern forest fires
- Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
- Departing NATO chief warns US against 'isolationism'
- Coming winter 'sternest test yet' for Ukraine energy grid
- Evacuations as tail of Storm Boris floods northeast Italy
- Lebanon's Hezbollah reeling after second wave of deadly blasts
- Taiwan recognises same-sex marriages between Chinese, Taiwanese
- Stock markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Gabon's ousted leader Bongo says renouncing politics for good
- Lebanon device blasts: what we know about deadly attacks
- Equity markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Late Harrods owner Al-Fayed accused of rape: BBC
- Hong Kong man sentenced 14 months for wearing 'seditious' T-shirt
- Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts
- Equity markets, yen rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Meta and Spotify blast EU decisions on AI
- Hasan takes three as Bangladesh rattle India in first Test
- Two killed during police operation in New Caledonia
- Flood-hit region leaders to meet in Poland to discuss EU aid
- Sri Lanka to vote in first poll since economic collapse
- Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage
- AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn
- All Blacks primed for 'hell' of a Wallabies clash
- Japan firm says no longer makes radio reportedly used in Lebanon blasts
- Zoom fatigue? Try some nature in your background: study
Biden starts second year with charm offensive -- and bad polls
The White House launched a charm offensive, complete with a Tom Hanks video, to mark Joe Biden's first year as president Thursday, but dire new polls and a major congressional setback told another story.
Biden, who was sworn in to replace Donald Trump at noon last January 20, marked the day by meeting with top cabinet members in charge of rolling out his signature infrastructure spending plan, a $1.2 trillion splurge he got passed in November with rare bipartisan support.
"Our nation has never fully made this kind of investment," Biden said, celebrating one of his biggest wins of last year -- and a project that should keep delivering good news as bridges, roads and other large public works roll out.
The previous evening, the 79-year-old Democrat held an epic press conference lasting an hour and 52 minutes, longer even than the famously rambling events Trump used to stage.
Defending himself on his handling of the Covid pandemic and roaring inflation, Biden said he'd got "a lot done" in the face of unprecedented difficulties for a president.
"He was having a good time," Press Secretary Jen Psaki said of his marathon performance.
Despite the cheerful messaging, Biden begins his second year as president facing a slew of bad news, including failure in the Senate late Wednesday of his cherished push for election law reforms -- something he has said is needed to safeguard US democracy from Trump supporters' attempts at fixing the vote.
The polls also seem to be getting only worse. According to new NBC and AP-NORC polls, 54 percent and 56 percent of Americans respectively disapprove of Biden's performance.
The numbers point ominously to what most analysts expect to be a heavy defeat for Democratic legislators in November midterm elections, leading to Republicans taking control of Congress.
Asked about his sliding popularity, which is now in the area that Trump consistently inhabited, Biden told the press conference Wednesday: "I don't believe the polls."
- Tom Hanks reassures America -
Biden likes to laugh off doomsayers, telling them to share his trademark sunny outlook.
And his aides and allies did their best to spread the mood Thursday.
In a two minute video, Hollywood legend Hanks recounted in his gravelly voice how the country's economy is bouncing back from the pandemic. The video featured clips of ordinary people, like a UPS delivery driver declaring "the fear is gone."
"We are strong, we are courageous, we are resilient, we are America -- the land of the brave," Hanks said in the video, which ended with Biden pronouncing: "I've never been more optimistic about America's future."
Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on CBS, ABC and NBC networks, while Chief of Staff Ron Klain spoke on MSNBC. A slew of cabinet secretaries gave interviews to media more off the beaten track, including women's magazines and rural outlets, the White House said.
Psaki went one step further, making a relatively rare appearance on Fox News, whose major stars outside of the news operation include conspiracy theory spreading, right-wing host Tucker Carlson.
As for the second year, the White House seems to hope it can change gears, partly by getting Biden beyond the Washington bubble, meeting voters and spending more time with legislators in relaxed settings.
At his press conference, Biden said his top goal was to "get out" and "connect with people."
Psaki said "he absolutely loves talking to people who agree with him, people that don't agree with him."
"You'll see him out on the road more," she said. "You'll see him probably bring members of Congress with him on Air Force One, as he's done recently, and he's really enjoyed the opportunity to be able to have those free ranging conversations with them."
As Biden began his second year, he joked about the experience of the first 12 months, telling Vice President Kamala Harris in a late-evening meeting of Democratic allies: "Sometimes it seems longer, doesn't it Kamala?"
B.Shevchenko--BTB