President Biden continues to test positive due to a “rebound” effect from his antiviral treatment for COVID-19 but he feels well as he starts the week, his doctor said Monday.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor said the president will remain in strict isolation at the White House after his antigen test returned positive.
“He will continue to conduct the business of the American people from the executive residence,” Dr. O’Connor said in a daily memo.
Mr. Biden tested positive for the virus on Saturday after having tested negative four times last week following a course of Paxlovid pills, a boomerang effect seen in other people who have taken the antiviral drug from Pfizer.
Dr. O’Connor said Mr. Biden’s symptoms haven’t returned.
The president is being tested frequently to measure his status and is in isolation at the residence in case he remains infectious, given the number of Secret Service agents, aides and staff on campus.
Experts say Paxlovid rebound impacts a small percentage of recipients, although Dr. Anthony Fauci also experienced it this year.
Researchers say it might have something to do with how the drug is metabolized in certain individuals and whether it reaches enough infected cells to stop all viral replication.
Others say the drug was tested against previous variants and not the one dominant now, so it’s possible a longer course of treatment is needed.
However, experts say the drug appears to be staving off severe disease as it did in clinical trials.
The U.S. and Indonesia are holding joint military exercises amid rising tensions with China in response to Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Australia, Japan and Singapore will join the U.S. and Indonesia for Garuda Shield 2022, scheduled to run Aug. 1-14, according to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Officials said about 2,000 U.S. troops and an equal number from Indonesia are taking part in the exercises, which will focus on areas such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, along with combatting conventional and unconventional threats in the region.
In addition to staff-level command post exercises focusing on U.N. peacekeeping operations, company-sized units will hold joint maneuvers to practice warfighting skills.
“I’m proud to see how Garuda Shield has grown since last year — expanding this summer to a joint, multinational exercise that includes all of our service components,” Gen. Charles Flynn, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, said in a statement. “It’s a symbol of the U.S.-Indonesia bond and the growing relationship between land forces in this consequential region.”
Canada, France, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the United Kingdom are expected to join Garuda Shield 2022 as observer nations, officials said.
CAIRO (AP) — A fuel tanker truck caught fire and exploded Monday in central Libya, killing at least five people and injuring 50 others, authorities said.
The incident took place in the central town of Bent Bayya, according to the Health Ministry in the capital of Tripoli.
The ministry did not say how many were killed, but Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush said on Twitter that the incident left at least five dead.
The state-run Libyan News agency said the tanker truck overturned before catching fire and exploding. It said residents in the area rushed to collect leaked gasoline despite warnings. The agency put the death tally at seven, citing an unnamed security officials.
The state-run medical center in the nearby city of Sabha received at least 50 injured people, Halima al-Mahri, a spokeswoman for the center. She urged authorities to help evacuate the injured to the capital of Tripoli for treatment.
The center posted footage, including graphic images, of people at an emergency ward receiving treatment for their burn injuries.
It was not immediately clear what caused the tanker to overturn and explode. Fathi Bashagha, one of Libya’s rival prime ministers, said he ordered an investigation into the incident.
Do economic or military pressure have greater impact in encouraging Putin to de-escalate – or is diplomacy the only route?
With Russia launching its offensive into Ukraine on 24 February, we are about to enter the fifth month of the war – with no end in sight. The conflict has taken a heavy toll on both countries, with thousands of casualties and the displacement of millions of Ukrainians. The Ukrainians have borne the brunt, but the Russians have also suffered significant losses: as much as 4% of its military manpower, according to some estimates. The two sides appear locked in a stalemate as neither side has been able to achieve a decisive victory, and the fighting continues. What are the options for bringing this destruction to an end?
Sanctions
The west’s first and most common response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. The United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on individuals, state-owned banks and oil companies. The measures have even targeted Putin, his family members, and top Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On 3 June, the EU joined the United States in imposing an additional package of economic sanctions that included a ban on importing Russian oil into the EU and cutting off more Russian banks from the international payment system SWIFT.
But these vigorous measures have so far failed to stop the Russian offensive or change Putin’s behaviour. Experts say their impacts will likely be felt more in the long term as they make it harder for Russia to borrow money, invest, and do business internationally. In the short term, however, they are not likely to have a significant impact on the conflict. “I do worry a little bit that if there’s no immediate economic impact on Russia, it may give Putin the idea that the pain of sanctions is less than he anticipates and gives him some incentive to keep pushing the envelope,” said Brian O’Toole, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Diplomacy
With the most recent calls from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy for diplomacy as “the only way” to end the conflict, this option appears to be gaining traction. But efforts to date to broker a peace deal have not yielded results as yet. In March, Turkey tried to mediate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as it hosted a meeting between Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, but the talks failed to produce any breakthroughs.
Days later, Putin laid out six conditions for resolving the conflict, which were swiftly rejected by Ukraine since doing so would effectively result in its dissolution as a sovereign nation. These conditions included it not joining Nato; the recognition of Crimea as part of Russia; granting independence to the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics; demilitarizing Ukraine and surrendering any weapons that constitute a threat to Russia; and making Russian the second official language of Ukraine.
While US President Joe Biden has not talked to Putin since the war in Ukraine started, EU leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Olaf Scholz, have been in regular communication with the Russian leader to de-escalate the conflict. Their last phone conversation occurred late last month when the EU leaders urged Putin to begin a “direct dialogue” with Zelenskiy to resolve the conflict.
Arming Ukraine
Proponents of this solution argue that the only way to stop the Russian offensive is to provide Ukraine with the military aid it needs to defend itself. While no amount of military assistance may be able to fully match Russia’s military might, making the war more costly for Russia could help deter further aggression and bring Putin to the negotiating table.
“The Ukrainians have to go into negotiations with the upper hand at a position of strength,” said Stephen M Twitty, former Deputy Commander of the United States European Command, in a recent webinar hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Twitty noted that while Russia was initially struggling to make progress in the conflict, things appear to be shifting in its favour as it has focused on the eastern part of the country.
Last month, Biden signed a $40 billion package that will provide Ukraine with military and non-military assistance. That is greater than one-fourth of Ukraine’s GDP and more than what Ukraine has spent on its military over the past decade. While half of the funding is supposed to go toward military aid, the US has so far provided just over $4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The list of equipment the US has sent to Ukraine includes, most notably, more than 1,400 stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 90 155mm Howitzers, 5,500 Javelin anti-tank missiles, 14,000 other anti-armour systems, hundreds of switchable and tactical drones, and millions of rounds of ammunition. But Ukraine says it needs a lot more than that: 1,000 howitzers, 500 tanks, among other heavy weapons, and 1,000 drones.
While there is overwhelming western support for arming Ukraine, some argue that doing so could only escalate the conflict and put the lives of more Ukrainian soldiers and broader international security at risk. “There’s a hot war going on with a nuclear-powered Russia, and I feel quite uncomfortable with the talk of victory, with the talk of a long-term weakening of Putin,” said Charles A Kupchan, a former White House advisor in the CFR webinar.
“I see as a strategic priority and a measure of strategic prudence the need to end a hot war and begin the diplomacy. I would keep the pressure on. I would keep the sanctions on. I would not say, yes, Russia, you can have this, but I do think that the hot war aspect of this is more dangerous than many people perceive, not just because of escalation but because of the blowback effects,” Kupchan added.
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About Olivium
Olivium is an independent platform focusing on the theme of peace, a major concern at a time when geopolitical forces are radically in flux and the world is confronted with systemic-level challenges. In our journalism and research, we aim at addressing any issue (whether it be political, economic, environmental, societal, social, or cultural) that threatens to put peace at stake internationally; our main focus is on the Middle East and Europe, two neighbouring regions currently grappling with rising instability. Olivium is a site of collaboration between analysts, researchers, and journalists, but also members of the public willing to collaborate, share their thoughts and findings, and build a serious alternative to mainstream media.
Only a handful of clerics in Nigeria are perhaps more influential and vocal as Johnson Suleman, a televangelist, and fiery Apostle. Sometimes unassuming, other times brash but always assertive and assured.
Although he is a protege of a famous and influential Bishop, the late Benson Idahosa, Suleman’s rise to influence has been somewhat meteoric. He soon began to be courted by the high and mighty within Nigeria. He granted access to politicians and movie stars. All seemed to go well with him and the ministry he founded, Omega Fire Ministries. If he wasn’t broadcasting from his own TV station, Celebration TV, he was flying the world hosting large Christian meetings that often filled up stadiums, spreading the Christian message, a message of liberation as he calls it. It is easy to see why many flock to see the self-styled preacher in packed-out venues across the globe. He is famous for his prophetic abilities. Soon after he starts preaching, or sometimes even before, he calls people out by name and one by one reveals intimate secrets -often problems they are facing – and offers divine guidance.
Things would begin to take a different turn for the Nigerian cleric around 2016 when Suleman started to become more vocal on matters of national security and the unchecked rise of Islamic terrorism in Nigeria. The West African country went to the polls in 2015. Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s current and 15th president ran in the 2015 presidential election as a candidate of the All Progressives Congress party. His platform was built around his image as a staunch anti-corruption fighter and his incorruptible and honest reputation. He had contested and lost three previous elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011 respectively. In the buildup to the 2011 elections, Buhari famously gave support to the enforcement of Sharia law in Nigeria’s northern states, which had previously caused him political difficulties among Christian voters in the country’s south. Many believed Buhari was going to Islamize Nigeria, although this did not seem possible as Nigeria has always been staunchly divided on religious and ethnic grounds.
During President Buhari’s first term, unemployment was at an all-time high of 23%, and millions of Nigerians entered poverty. Buhari soon began to lose his supporters due to his perceived un-energetic personality and contemplative decision-making. Nigeria’s insecurity problems worsened, with many feeling President Buhari was soft on terror, after all, he was in favor of sharia law, which these terrorist groups also wanted.
The President did not like being criticized for the poor state of the economy and insecurity. When he was criticized, he often ricocheted the blame to the previous administration before him. In October 2016, the president’s wife, Aisha Buhari, in an interview with BBC Hausa criticized her husband, President Buhari on how he was leading the country – or for lack of leadership, saying her husband did not know most of the cabinet appointees in his government.
Aisha Buhari even warned that she might not back her husband in the 2019 election if the President decided to run for a second term unless he made changes in his cabinet.
In response to his wife’s criticism, President Buhari responded by saying his wife belonged in his kitchen and that she did not have any right to question his leadership.
He said, “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.”
It was the last time Aisha Buhari criticized her husband. In fact, anyone who did, faced serious consequences. Only a handful of elected government officials in the opposition remained vocal and the country’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were sent after them.
Back to Johnson Suleman, the vocal televangelist. Angered by the increasing attacks on Christians across the country, some of whom were his members or supporters, the cleric called for Christians to be armed in self-defense as it was apparent that the government was willfully ignoring the menace of marauding Fulani herdsmen across the country. Suleman’s comments were hotly debated, but beyond that, he became a marked man although this was not the first time that the feisty preacher had made remarks that did not sit well with the Buhari-led government and certain other Northern Nigerian leaders.
The first coordinated attack on Johnson Suleman was when bandits were sent to his residence in Nigeria. “They froze [miraculously] upon landing in my compound,” he said. After interrogating the bandits, his security detail handed them over to the authority. This was the genesis, to speak in Christian parlance, of Suleman’s woes -a grand scheme to blackmail and discredit his person. Prior to this, a name search on Google returned zero negative press about the preacher, convener of “Ministers without blemish.” Johnson Suleman was a Christian minister without blemish until he criticized the affairs of the country and the lackadaisical posture of President Buhari, who had thrown critics, including journalists, into prison.
When Johnson Suleman traveled for a well-publicized Christian event in the Southwestern Nigerian State of Ekiti, armed officials of the Nigerian Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the hotel where Suleman was lodging.
Suleman made a distress call to the governor of Etiki State who swung to swift action, foiling the plot of the DSS. After this abduction attempt failed, the DSS resorted to extending an invitation to Suleman.
Although Johnson Suleman was rescued from being abducted by the DSS, the cleric’s woes were just beginning. Enter Stephanie Otobo, a Canada-based Nigerian who accused Suleman of being in an illicit relationship with her. This allegation was long drawn and took many twists and turns. Johnson Suleman denied her allegations but they were not enough to clear his sullied name even after his accuser’s mother tendered an apology. Miss Otobo’s friends claimed that the aspiring singer had a track record of blackmailing people back in Canada.
Unrelenting, Stephanie Otobo went on to release bombshell “evidence,” photos of her engaging in sexual calls with Suleman. This bombshell revelation quickly rocked the Nigerian internet but it didn’t take long for experts to expose the photographs as badly photoshopped content to give credence to Otobo’s allegations. When the waters later settled, Otobo later appeared at Suleman’s church to apologize for her involvement in a scheme to discredit him. According to her, some “very strong and powerful politicians and pastors” deceived her. Her confession was a little too late, perhaps.
Since Otobo first came out, over a dozen other ladies, most of them actresses, have also come out with similar accusations. Some claimed they were involved in threesomes with Suleman but some of the parties who were indicted in these supposed acts staunchly dismissed the accusations as baseless. In a country like Nigeria with a fractured legal system, mere accusations outweigh any evidence, especially on the hallowed courts of social media. When I began researching the Johnson Suleman story, one thing was very clear to me – up until 2016, he had not been involved in any scandal. It seems to me then that it behooves his accusers and their supporters to not only provide evidence for their accusations but also explain why it follows a very coordinated and rehearsed pattern. Whatever anyone thinks of Johnson Suleman, he is paying a price for speaking out against his government which is hellbent on tarnishing his image.
ANKARA, Turkey — The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain set off from the port of Odesa on Monday under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that is expected to release large stores of Ukrainian crops to foreign markets and ease a growing hunger crisis.
The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni left Odesa for Lebanon, Turkey’s defense ministry said. A statement from the United Nations said the Razoni was carrying over 26,000 tons of corn.
Data from the Razoni’s Automatic Identification System, a safety tracker for ships at sea, showed the vessel slowly coming out from its berth at Odesa port Monday morning alongside a tug boat.
Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted a video of the long cargo ship sounding its horn as its headed out to sea.
“The first grain ship since Russian aggression has left port,” Kubrakov said on Twitter. “Thanks to the support of all our partner countries and the U.N. we were able to full implement the Agreement signed in Istanbul. It’s important for us to be one of the guarantors of food security.”
The ship is expected to reach Istanbul on Tuesday, where it will be inspected, before being allowed to proceed, the ministry said.
The corn will then head to Lebanon, a tiny Mideast nation in the grips of what the World Bank has described as one of the world’s worst financial crises in more than 150 years. A 2020 explosion at its main port in Beirut shattered its capital city and destroyed grain silos there, a part of which collapsed following a weekslong fire just Sunday.
As the Razoni moved toward the open water of the Black Sea, it changed its destination from Istanbul to Tripoli, Lebanon.
The Turkish ministry statement said other ships would also depart Ukraine’s ports through the safe corridors in line with deals signed in Istanbul on July 22, but did not provide further details.
Russia and Ukraine signed separate agreements with Turkey and the U.N. clearing the way for Ukraine – one of the world’s key breadbaskets – to export 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural goods that have been stuck in Black Sea ports because of Russia’s invasion.
The deals also allow Russia to exports grain and fertilizers.
Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry said that 16 more ships, all blocked since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, were waiting their turn in the ports of Odesa.
Kubrakov said the shipments would also help Ukraine’s war-shattered economy.
“Unlocking ports will provide at least $1 billion in foreign exchange revenue to the economy and an opportunity for the agricultural sector to plan for next year,” Kubrakov said.
The United Nations welcomed the development, saying in a statement that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes it will be just the first of many commercial ships carry Ukrainian grain abroad and “bring much-needed stability and relief to global food security especially in the most fragile humanitarian contexts.”
The resumption of the grain shipments came as fighting raged elsewhere in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s presidential office said that at least three civilians were killed and another 16 wounded by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region over the past 24 hours.
Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko repeated a strong call for all residents to evacuate. He particularly emphasized the need to evacuate about 52,000 children still left in the region.
In Kharkiv, two people were wounded by a Russian strike in the morning. One was wounded while waiting for a bus at a stop, and another was hurt when a Russian shell exploded near an apartment building.
The southern city of Mykolaiv also faced repeated shelling, which triggered fires near a medical facility, destroying a shipment of humanitarian aid containing medicines and food.
Analysts warned that the continuing fighting could threaten the grain deal, making clients nervous.
“The danger remains: The Odesa region has faced constant shelling and only regular supplies could prove the viability of the agreements signed,” said Volodymyr Sidenko, an expert with the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center think-tank.
“The departure of the first vessel doesn’t solve the food crisis, it’s just the first step that could also be the last if Russia decides to continue attacks in the south.”
Just like gold and some other gems, soul diamonds have a certain variation in value. However, Goldmark Oakham‘s soul diamond has always stood firm in the market, attracted many investors’ eyes and even, diamonds are not on the release list that investors feel more interested in. In this article, we will talk about the price increase of soul diamonds and the benefits of investing in us.
Dubbed the “soul of precious stones”, diamonds possess a brilliant appearance and are loved by many royals, diamonds also have many meanings, as a symbol of power, luxury, romance, and is a treasure that attracts positive energy and supports the owner… Perhaps it is because of that soul diamonds have a high value and increase over time.
1. The cost of miniaturizing the “earth” is getting more and more expensive.
There is an undeniable fact that Science and Technology is developing day by day. According to statistics, there are only 6 places in the world that have enough technology to manufacture and perform “miniaturizing the green planet” to shorten the time of diamond formation.
This also explains why gem companies and technology companies are willing to invest hundreds of billions dollars to set up giant manufacturers containing dozens of green earths outside the suburbs to “grow” diamonds.
It is known that the operating cost of the manufactures is very expensive, the construction stage is also strictly inspected. At the Goldmark Oakham factory, the privilege of each “miniature earth” is dedicated to creating the most valuable and unique soul diamond.
2. Requires a high degree of finishing
Not every craftsman can sharpen a diamond, and not every skilled craftsman can sharpen a soul diamond.
Why? You can find hundreds and thousands of diamonds in the wild, but you can only have 1 soul diamond. If the artisan makes a mistake, it is mandatory to repeat the process of simulating nature, and this process is 2.5 times more expensive than natural exploitation. The polishing and shaping of the soul diamond takes a lot of effort, time, and money, and because of this, its price is increasing day by day.
3. Rare materials and massive investments
Most factories need a large amount of capital to invest in the process of simulating nature. They often spend more than billions of dollars to purchase advanced simulators, laser cutters, and senior engineers to operate. Besides, retailers also need a large amount of money to reserve their own machines, in case of commercial shortage. Each step of the soul diamond business requires a large amount of capital. Another class point is that there is no bank that accepts loans for diamond business.
In addition, the activities of collecting rare materials such as ivory, tiger fangs, or even parts of Hollywood superstar DNA, make soul diamonds skyrocket in price in the gray market.
Predict the future value of soul diamond
In the future, the price of soul diamonds will not stop increasing, although it will not increase as fast as crypto, but the growth rate is stable, only increasing, not decreasing deeply. This makes investors feel more secure about their investment.
Benefits for diamond investors
Investing in diamonds, especially soul diamonds is not a speculative activity, but a method to protect your assets from devaluation: this explains why it is a medium to long term investment.
Private auctions of special soul diamonds, which make up 40-55% of auction items at Hill Auctions News, run into tens of millions of dollars because of their love and rarity.
Soul diamonds are a safe investment with a relatively stable value that is constantly increasing.
Their prices are set to increase with the development of the science and technology industry. As humanity continues to develop, the price of soul diamonds does not stop.
They are both tangible and intangible assets
In fact, soul diamonds are marketed in “physical” form and the feng shui element is in the gem.
Owners will definitely be protected against all risks related to economic and political crises. It also brings a lot of luck and happiness with positive energy.
Soul Diamond is the property of sovereign ownership
They represent the largest value that occupies the smallest space. They are extremely easy to store and carry and thanks to a Certificate of Free Circulation, while an equal amount of gold requires more storage space and weight.
And soul diamond is a second home with continuously growing value, “abundant” gray market.
Not subject to tax
Diamonds are generally not subject to value added tax nor legal inheritance tax.
And allows investors and individual heirs to remain anonymous.
Diamonds are listed internationally and their value can be verified at any time through international listings (Rapaport Diamond Report) and specialized press (e.g. Italian newspaper “Il Sole 24”) ore” and “Milano Finanza”).
Soul Diamonds are an ethical investment
The price increase of soul diamonds is completely natural for the market. Soul diamonds meet the criteria of “non-conflict”, “legal and authorized”, and fully comply with UN resolutions.
This article has helped everyone know about the increase in the price of soul diamonds and the benefits for investors. Hope everyone will gain more knowledge about investing in soul diamonds, and learn some more information about them.
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s powerful army chief has contacted Washington, seeking U.S. help in securing an early release of a crucial $1.7 billion installment from the International Monetary Fund to his country, struggling with a deepening economic crisis, Pakistani officials said Saturday.
According to several government officials, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa discussed the issue with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, appealing on Washington to use its influence with the IMF to help Pakistan.
The appeal was a rare reaching out by the army chief. Pakistan’s relations with the United States have been troubled in recent years, mainly over the issue of neighboring Afghanistan, now run by the Taliban.
The relations remained especially tense under former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April. However, Pakistan’s military, which has directly ruled the country for more than half of its 75-year history, has closely worked with the U.S. and was an official ally in the war on terror against al-Qaida.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed Friday that Bajwa and Sherman had talked.
“I understand (the) conversation has taken place, but at this stage, I am not in direct knowledge of the content of this discussion,” said ministry spokesman Asim Iftikhar.
The officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday said the discussion focused on the IMF loan. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
Pakistan and the IMF originally signed the bailout accord in 2019. But the release of a $1.7 billion tranche has been on hold since earlier this year, when the IMF expressed concern about Pakistan’s compliance with the deal’s terms under Khan.
Khan’s successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and his government reached a preliminary agreement with the IMF earlier this month to revive the bailout package. That agreement was subject to approval from the fund’s board of directors.
Pakistan had hoped for a quick revival of the bailout, but the IMF has so far not released the much-needed installment, which may have prompted Bajwa’s call to Washington. It remained unclear what U.S. officials could do to speed up the process of the bailout.
There was no immediate comment from Washington on the phone call.
Bajwa also spoke by phone with the head of U.S Central Command in the Mideast, Gen. Michael Kurilla, on Friday, according to a military statement. It quoted Kurilla as saying he appreciates the role Pakistan plays in the region’s stability and expressing hopes for further improvement in cooperation with Pakistan.
Pakistan desperately needs the IMF loan. Earlier in July, the fund said it would raise the value of the bailout from $6 billion to $7 billion, if approved by its executive board, usually considered a formality.
Sharif has repeatedly blamed the former prime minister’s government, alleging that Khan – a former cricket star turned Islamist politician – had deliberately violated IMF’s conditions in order to remain popular among followers at home.
Analysts say the revival of the IMF bailout will help Pakistan and encourage other international financial institutions to engage with the South Asian country.
Sharif’s government has also been in contact with Washington over reviving the IMF bailout. Since his ouster, Khan has repeatedly alleged that his government was toppled under a U.S. plot, a charge Washington denies.
Since Khan’s ouster, Pakistan’s currency has plummeted to an all-time low amid uncertainty about IMF assistance. The rupee slid a record low of about 240 against the dollar last weekend. Previously, the dollar sold for 225 rupees.
The steady decline in this Islamic nation’s currency has spread panic among its business community. Rising food prices and inflation has made Sharif’s government, now in its four month in office, highly unpopular.
He tested positive Saturday after testing negative earlier in the week, the White House said.
Mr. Biden, 79, who emerged from five days of self-quarantine after testing negative for the virus on Tuesday evening, “has experienced no reemergence of symptoms and continues to feel quite well,” the president’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, said in a memorandum announcing the new positive test.
“This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time, but we will obviously continue close observation,” Dr. O’Connor wrote.
Mr. Biden will “reinstate strict isolation procedures” given his positive test, despite experiencing no symptoms, Dr. O’Connor said.
The president’s positive antigen test late Saturday morning follows four back-to-back negative tests beginning Tuesday evening.
Dr. O’Connor said Saturday’s test results represent “‘rebound positivity,’” which he said can occur in “a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid.”
Mr. Biden, who is fully vaccinated and twice boosted, first tested positive on a rapid antigen test more than one week ago. The result was confirmed by a more sensitive PCR test
He said on Wednesday after emerging from isolation that his symptoms remained mild and that his recovery was quick.
“It’s a real statement on where we are in the fight against COVID-19,” Mr. Biden said at a Rose Garden event to celebrate his beating the disease. “COVID isn’t gone, but even with cases climbing in this country, COVID deaths are down nearly 90% [from] when I took office.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said Republicans must defend children against being exposed to underage transitioning, which she referred to as a form of “child abuse.”
The Georgia Republican railed against normalizing youth sex changes, calling on her party to take a tough stand against them.
“Republicans are worth nothing. The party does not deserve the support if we cannot fight on this one issue and that is to protect children from this disgusting, evil agenda that is going to destroy them,” Mrs. Greene told Dan Ball of One America News Network.
Mr. Ball also showed a clip of a Los Angeles-area pediatrician saying adolescents were capable of making “reasonable and logical decisions” and if a female wanted to get breasts later in life after removing them, they had that option.
The congresswoman referred to that concept as “child abuse” that must be fought.
Republicans have become increasingly vocal against transgender issues, including speaking out against transgender women playing with cisgender women in sports. Several red states passed laws restricting such participation.
House Republicans have also been setting up an anti-trans agenda ahead of potentially taking back the lower chamber in November.
Among the bills introduced include legislation to block federal funding to colleges where transgender women can play on women’s sports teams, as well as a bill that would let transgender people sue doctors who helped them transition as minors.
Another federal bill targets schools that disobey state laws that restrict promoting educational materials that are “harmful” to minors.
Rep. Jim Banks, Indiana Republican who chairs the Republican Study Committee, said he wants to make this issue a priority in the majority.
“I hope these are legislative initiatives that we can pass when we get the majority back,” Mr. Banks told Reuters.
Democrats, meanwhile, have painted the GOP as bigoted and transphobic, asserting their support for transgender people and youth.
“Transgender rights are human rights … we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring every transgender and non-binary person is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. We will never stop fighting to achieve true equality,” the Democrats’ official Twitter handle tweeted on this year’s Trans Day of Visibility.
Democrats, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House, have prioritized advancing a more inclusive LGBT agenda, including protections for transgender and nonbinary people.
President Biden recently unveiled sweeping changes to the Title IX law that would enhance protections for transgender people.
A federal judge, however, temporarily blocked Mr. Biden’s measure, saying it could infringe on state’s rights.
