Biden cancels trip to Italy, meant as final foreign visit of presidency, as fires rage in California
Washington (AP): President Joe Biden on Wednesday cancelled the final overseas trip of his presidency just hours before he was set to depart for Rome and the Vatican, choosing to remain in Washington to monitor the response to devastating fires raging in California.
Biden was scheduled to leave Thursday afternoon, after eulogizing former President Jimmy Carter at a memorial service in Washington, for the three-day trip to meet with Pope Francis and Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The trip was meant as a coda to the second Catholic US president's time in the White House and a final opportunity to showcase the strength of American alliances before he leaves office on Jan. 20.
The announcement of the trip's cancellation comes just hours after Biden departed Los Angeles after meeting his first great-grandchild, who was born Wednesday at an area hospital. He received a briefing from local fire officials before returning to Washington, as smoke and ash from blazes raging in the area clouded the daytime sky.
“After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire and emergency personnel fighting the historic fires raging in the area and approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Actor Kishore Kumar appointed Ambassador for 16th Bangalore International Film Festival
Bengaluru, Jan 9: Actor Kishore Kumar G of 'Kantara' fame has been appointed as the ambassador for the 16th Bangalore International Film Festival (BIFFes) on Thursday.
The Karnataka government issued an order regarding this, according to an official communication from the office of the Chief Minister.
The 16th edition of the festival will be held in Bengaluru from March 1 to 8.
The press release further stated that actor Kishore Kumar, who has gained public recognition for his roles in Hindi and South Indian languages, has been appointed as the ambassador to promote the film festival."
The film festival is also internationally recognised by the Belgium-based Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films (FIAPF), said the release.
CM Siddaramaiah, who is also the chairman of the organising committee for the film festival, recently held a meeting and announced the festival dates.
16ನೇ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಅಂತಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರೋತ್ಸವದ ರಾಯಭಾರಿಯಾಗಿ ನೇಮಕಗೊಂಡಿರುವ ಖ್ಯಾತ ನಟ ಕಿಶೋರ್ ಕುಮಾರ್. ಜಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅಭಿನಂದನೆಗಳು.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 9, 2025
"ಸರ್ವ ಜನಾಂಗದ ಶಾಂತಿಯ ತೋಟ" ಎಂಬ ಘೋಷವಾಕ್ಯದಡಿ ಈ ಬಾರಿಯ ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರೋತ್ಸವವನ್ನು ಆಯೋಜಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದು, ಈ ಸಾಲುಗಳಿಗೆ ಬದ್ಧವಾಗಿರುವ ಕಿಶೋರ್ ಅವರ ಮುಂದಾಳತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರೋತ್ಸವ… pic.twitter.com/XRr4heFq8l
