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Biden Approval Rating Drops to 39% Lower Than Any President
The approval rating of President Joe Biden has dropped to its lowest point in his presidency, barely two weeks before the midterm elections that will shape the rest of his term.
According to a recent two-day national poll, only 39% of Americans approve of Biden’s job performance, a percentage point lower than a week ago.
Biden’s unpopularity contributes to the belief that Republicans will retake control of the United States House of Representatives and potentially the Senate on November 8. Republicans would be able to derail Biden’s legislative program if they controlled even one chamber of Congress.
Biden’s administration, which began in January 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has been distinguished by the economic wounds of the worldwide health catastrophe, particularly soaring inflation. In May and June of this year, his approval rating dropped to 36%.
In this week’s Reuters/Ipsos poll, one-third of respondents named the economy the country’s largest problem, far outnumbering the one-tenth who named crime. Only one in every twenty people predicted the demise of national abortion rights.
The poll, conducted online in English across the United States, received responses from 1,005 respondents, including 447 Democrats and 369 Republicans. It has a credibility interval of four percentage points, a measure of precision.
According to administration insiders, the White House has reduced its early confidence about the midterm elections and is now concerned that Democrats may lose control of both chambers of Congress.
Recent surveys show Democrats who once had comfortable leads in some Senate seats on the verge of losing, while Senate races that were considered toss-ups between the two parties are now leaning Republican as high inflation lingers.
According to polling analysts such as FiveThirtyEight, the House of Representatives, which Biden and other allies and advisers anticipated Democrats would win earlier this year, is firmly swinging for Republicans.
Republicans are anticipated to obstruct legislation on family leave, abortion, police, and other Biden issues while seeking new laws to limit immigration and spending, using the debt ceiling as leverage.
Republicans are also expected to initiate probes into Democratic funding and the president’s son Hunter’s business activities and personal life. Some politicians have stated their intention to impeach Biden, his cabinet officials, or Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to one individual familiar with White House thinking, the Democrats’ odds of retaining control of the Senate were 50-50.
Biden projected in May that Democrats would gain seats in both the House and the Senate, but he admitted this week that the contest has tightened.
“It’s been back and forth with them ahead, us ahead, them ahead,” Biden said, adding that polls were “all over the place” and that he expected them to swing back in favour of Democrats before the November 8 elections.
While unrealistic, the White House has maintained a public message of hope.
“The president and his advisers believe we have a strong chance of retaining both chambers and are focused on doing everything they can to capitalize on how much Republicans are playing into our hands – including by saying their top priority is to worsen inflation with a tax giveaway to the wealthy,” one Biden adviser told Reuters.
Former and current aides say the White House is bracing for any potential obstruction or investigations.
“The White House is clear about what Republican dominance could look like,” said Eric Schultz, a Democratic strategist close to the White House. “It’s not hard to guess where Republicans will go with this if they get the gavel.”
The White House engaged white-collar defence lawyer Richard Sauber as special counsel earlier this year to prepare for any probes, but additional appointments and staff shifts are on hold until the election results are known, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Because of internal Republican Party divides, those politicians may struggle to decide what to focus on, according to this source.
The persistence of inflation concerns among key voting groups, as well as difficulty combating Republicans’ message across several campaigns that Democrats’ support for criminal justice and policing reform means they are soft on crime, are driving the recent rethink, according to administration officials.
Democrats interpreted legislative victories in June and an August referendum in Kansas rejecting efforts to repeal abortion rights from the state constitution as voters rejecting Republican policy agendas.
However, earlier this month, a higher-than-expected inflation statistic shattered some optimism, and numerous polls show that inflation remains voters’ top issue.
Officials from the White House and Democratic strategists Reuters spoke with those who acknowledged the broad move away from midterm optimism but were not ready to give up.
They point out that historically, midterm elections benefit the party, not in power, and close races in the House and Senate might flip for Democrats on a tiny number of votes.
“For months now, we’ve been talking about the economy, inflation, abortion, our legislative victories, and how that will help Americans,” said one White House official, dismissing the notion that Democrats were overly optimistic about the impact of the Supreme Court’s repeal of abortion rights on Democratic candidates.
“There has been an increase in the number of women registering to vote in several battleground states, and we believe it is critical to bring these newly motivated people to the polls in November,” the source added.
Abortion is playing a “major role” in at least a half-dozen close Senate elections, according to a second White House official. “It’s also influencing swing districts for House contests in the center-right.”
Inflation numbers and Republican rhetoric on crime have weakened Biden’s warning about the Republican Party’s hardline “MAGA” wing, which has threatened to restrict abortion rights and other popular liberties, like contraception.
While some studies suggest that Republican-led states have the same or greater murder rates than Democratic-led ones, a recent Ipsos poll found that Americans prefer Republicans over Democrats when addressing crime issues.
According to Democratic strategists in battleground areas, the White House has failed to translate a string of legislative victories on climate, infrastructure, and extended social programs into greater favorability ratings for Biden.
According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the president frequently spoke about student debt relief, the economy, infrastructure, and abortion in the midterm elections. “You have seen the President almost every day in front of the American people, talking exactly about what is at stake,” she remarked.
Some Democrats have expressed a desire for Biden to travel more frequently, demonstrating how these policies have affected local voters. However, candidates in certain critical races have chosen to campaign without Biden, prompting the White House to dramatically reduce their planned presence in competitive areas across the country in the weeks running up to the election, according to an official.
In recent weeks, Biden has increased his travel itinerary, alternating between political engagements and those focused on specific legislative accomplishments.
A mid-October West Coast swing contained no stops in Nevada or Arizona, which are home to two critical Senate contests, while former President Barack Obama will begin a campaign swing this week.
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Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
(VOR News) – The European Union’s medical regulator has granted approval to Wegovy, a blockbuster weight loss treatment manufactured by Novo Nordisk, in order to expand its application to include the reduction of major heart events in overweight or obese adults.
In order to expand the scope of the medication’s applicability, this authorisation was granted. The purpose of obtaining this approval was to broaden the medicine’s application.
The Danish pharmaceutical company announced on Thursday that the European Medical Agency has formulated a “positive opinion” regarding the label’s expansion.
The agency made this determination after conducting a comprehensive examination of the results of a SELECT study that was subjected to rigorous monitoring. Other applications of the substance are facilitated by this conclusion.
The SELECT experiment, which was financed by Novo Nordisk and published in August 2023.
Wegovy and Ozempic contain semaglutide as the active ingredient.
Reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by twenty percent when compared to a placebo. The researchers arrived at this conclusion. This realisation was the outcome of the researchers’ investigation.
The notion that the European Medicines Agency label for Wegovy should be amended is a significant step forward for patients who are coping with cardiovascular disease and obesity, according to Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president and director of development at Novo Nordisk.
The company’s statement, which was disclosed, indicated that the recommendation to update the label is a substantial advancement.
It is evident that Wegovy has the potential to save lives by reducing the likelihood of significant adverse cardiovascular events, as evidenced by the findings of the SELECT research. An additional benefit of participating in this exercise is that it helps individuals effectively manage their weight, which is a benefit in and of itself.
The company also stated that the label update incorporates data from the SELECT trial, which showed a 15% reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes and a 19% reduction in the risk of death from any cause when compared to situations in which a placebo was used in conjunction with the product.
The SELECT trial was conducted in the United States, according to the company. Furthermore, the organisation disclosed that the SELECT investigation was conducted in the United States of America.
It is anticipated that the label amendment will be implemented within the next month, as per the statement issued by Novo Nordisk.
Wegovy has also been approved for use in the United States.
Similarly, the UK medical regulator has taken similar actions. The United Kingdom on Tuesday granted its clearance for the use of Wegovy to reduce the risk of significant cardiac difficulties or strokes in adults who are overweight or obese, such as heart attacks or strokes.
The Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America granted sanction for the medicine to be used in specific applications during the month of March.
This resulted in a rise in the number of distinct applications for the highly popular treatment, which coincides with the sector’s increasing level of competition.
On Thursday, Roche, a global pharmaceutical company with its headquarters in Switzerland, announced that its Wegovy competitor weight reduction tablets will be incorporated into a collection of pharmaceuticals designed to mitigate the adverse effects of obesity.
The pharmaceutical collection will encompass a diverse selection of weight loss medications.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Schinecker, conveyed his satisfaction with the exceptional early-stage trial results of the two potential weight-reduction pharmaceuticals that the company is currently developing. In addition, he asserted that these medications demonstrated the “best in disease potential.”
In making this assertion, Schinecker was alluding to the fact that the medications exhibited the “best in disease potential.” He also stated that they will be a part of a more comprehensive portfolio that is intended to set the Swiss company apart from its competitors in the growing obesity therapy market.
This adds insult to injury. This strategy will be implemented in order to distinguish the Swiss company from other businesses in the market.
SOURCE: CNBC
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