Jill Biden cancels B-52s’ performance at White House dinner amid Israel-Hamas war

The First Lady, Jill Biden, announced on Tuesday that the B-52s, the US pop band famous for their song Love Shack, will not perform at the White House state dinner for the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, on Wednesday.

She said the decision was made because of the “sorrow and pain” caused by the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has killed more than 5,000 people in Gaza.

“While we had initially planned for the legendary B-52s to perform their iconic dance and party music, we are now in a time when so many are facing sorrow and pain, and we have decided to make adjustments to the entertainment portion of the evening,” she told reporters.

The band, which is named after a US bomber plane but is more known for their beehive hairstyles, will still attend the dinner as guests. Instead of their music, presidential military bands will play “instrumental music”.

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The First Lady made the announcement during a preview of the dinner, which will feature a guest chef, dishes such as sarsaparilla-braised short ribs, and design elements inspired by both US and Australian cultures.

Albanese arrived at the White House on Tuesday for a formal state visit, where he is expected to discuss issues such as China, Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas war with the US president, Joe Biden.

Albanese also used the trip to announce a $2bn boost in government credit for projects related to critical minerals, which are essential for products such as electric car batteries, wind turbines, and smartphones.

“My government is committed to transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower and harnessing the critical minerals we have at home is crucial to achieving this,” he said after the first meeting of the Australia-US taskforce on critical minerals.

The gathering was jointly led by Australia's Minister of Resources, Madeleine King, and the United States Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, with participation from business representatives from both countries.

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Australian businesses that invest in critical minerals projects may be eligible to receive financing or loans from the Export Finance Australia (EFA) agency, which manages the critical minerals facility.

Critical minerals encompass "rare-earth elements," primarily sourced from China.

According to US statistics, China accounts for about 63% of the world’s rare earth production, while Australia is the leading global producer and exporter of lithium.

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