US President Joe Biden has resumed the tradition of speaking at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner after a six-year presidential hiatus.
He is the first leader to speak at the event, where the president faces friendly mocking in front of an audience of journalists, since 2016.
It was cancelled for two years due to the pandemic and was boycotted by Donald Trump when he was in office.
Comedian and The Daily Show host Trevor Noah headlined the event.
Celebrities joined renowned journalists and high-ranking US officials for the gala – an American press tradition dating back to 1921.
Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson, Drew Barrymore and Chris Tucker were among the celebrity guests.
Mr Biden addressed the fact that he is the first president to attend the event since 2016 with a barb aimed at Donald Trump.
“This is the first time a president has attended this dinner in six years. It’s understandable, we had a horrible plague followed by two years of Covid,” he said.
When he took to the stage later, Noah added: “It’s actually nice to, once again, have a president who is not afraid to come to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and hear jokes about himself.”
The president also faced his share of roasts.
Noah told Mr Biden: “Ever since you’ve come into office, things are really looking up. Gas is up, rent is up, food is up. Everything.”
“President Biden’s lack of a filter does get him into hot water sometimes,” he added. Last month he caused a huge international incident saying that Vladimir Putin should be removed from power.
“It was very, very upsetting to Russia. Until someone explained to them that none of the stuff Biden wants actually gets done.”
Covid-19 cases in Washington have risen in recent weeks, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Organisers have required that guests be tested for the virus, and some top officials, including infectious disease expert Dr Antony Fauci, 81, dropped out.
The president skipped the dinner portion of the evening and attended only the speakers program.
In recent weeks, Mr Biden has mostly not worn a mask at crowded White House events. However, those occasions had lower attendance than Saturday’s dinner, which was expected to seat about 2,600 people.
He poked fun at Fox News hosts in attendance – many of whom have shared scepticism of vaccines on air – by pointing out they had to prove their vaccination status in order to attend.
He could also not resist a jab at Russian President Vladimir Putin in his closing remarks, before handing over to host Trevor Noah.
“Trevor, the really good news is, now you get to roast the president of the United States. And unlike in Moscow, you won’t go to jail.”
Bank Morgan Stanley to cut 1,600 jobs
Bank Morgan Stanley is cutting about 1,600 jobs or roughly 2% of its global workforce, joining other big banks in making reductions as the economy slows. The news comes after chief executive James Gorman warned that the bank would see "modest" job losses. He cast the...
Civil groups file request for EU and US sanctions on corrupt Lebanese leaders
A Swiss foundation and a Lebanese NGO on Monday sought to pressure western countries into imposing sanctions on Lebanese leaders by filing legal petitions at the US Treasury and two European Union bodies, three years into the small Mediterranean country's worst-ever...
Over half of Lebanon’s GDP comes from remittances, report says
Of those households, 32 per cent reported that without remittances, they could not cover expenses. Forty-one per cent told the Mercy Corps, a humanitarian NGO, that they could not cover most basic needs without financial help from abroad. Households receive...
Cuyahoga County approves $5 million innovation fund with Cleveland Foundation to stop overdose deaths, as guided by forthcoming advisory committee
Cuyahoga County Council on Tuesday voted to turn over $5 million to the Cleveland Foundation to fund innovative solutions to the county’s opioid epidemic. What those new strategies will be or how much money they receive will largely be up to a 9-member advisory...
Ohio couple, both 100 years old and married 79 years, die just hours apart
A Butler County man and woman who spent most of their lives together, married for 79 years, ended up dying just hours apart last week. Frances June and William "Hubert" Malicote both were 100 years old when they died, according to their obituaries. Hubert Malicote...
Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022; jackpot $354 million
Winning numbers were selected in the Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, Mega Millions drawing for a jackpot estimated at $354 million. The numbers are 15-16-19-28-47 Mega Ball 13 Megaplier 3x. The Wednesday, Dec. 7 Classic Lotto jackpot is $2.3 million and the Powerball jackpot...
Cleveland City Council approves 13 Community Police Commission nominees
Ohio’s deer gun season brings above-average numbers for hunters
Nearly 72,000 deer were harvested during the most recent deer gun season in Ohio, more than 3,500 above the average during the past three years. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife says hunters checked 71,932 white-tailed deer at the...
Powerball winning numbers for Monday, Dec. 5, 2022; jackpot $89 million
The Powerball lottery selected winning numbers in its drawing on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, for a jackpot estimated at $89 million. The numbers are 35-45-47-54-55 Powerball 14 Power Play 2x. The Classic Lotto numbers are 3-13-15-17-33-49 Kicker 955356. The jackpot is $2.3...
Submit your event
We will be happy to share your events. Please email us the details and pictures at publish@profilenewsohio.com
Address
P.O. Box: 311001 Independance, Ohio, 44131
Call Us
+1 (216) 269 3272
Email Us
Publish@profilenewsohio.com