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President Joe Biden signalled a tougher US stance on Russia Tuesday in his first phone call with President Vladimir Putin, raising concerns over human rights and "aggression" against Ukraine, but welcoming cooperation on a new nuclear weapons accord.
The call was initiated by the White House to discuss progress on extending the New START deal, which limits the two powers to a maximum of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads each and expires February 5. An agreement now appears to be close.
<p>But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden also raised a raft of worries about the Russian authorities' treatment of opposition members, including the "poisoning of Alexei Navalny."</p><p>The opposition leader and anti-corruption crusader nearly died last year from a poisoning he says he has proved was carried out by the security services, something Putin denies. Navalny is currently imprisoned in Moscow and over the weekend, police made mass arrests of people demonstrating in his support across the country.</p><p>Showing Moscow and Washington are still able to cooperate separately on nuclear issues, the White House said Biden and Putin had agreed to "work urgently" to wrap up negotiations on a fresh five-year period for the New START treaty ahead of its expiry.</p><p>The Kremlin said that in their call Putin and Biden "expressed satisfaction" over talks and the Russian leader later submitted a bill to parliament on the five-year extension.</p><p>In Washington, a State Department official who asked not to be identified said the two sides had "reached agreement... to proceed quickly to conclude such an agreement by February 5th."</p><p>The moves raised hopes for more stability between the world's two most heavily armed nations, drawing a line under the uncertainty that entered under Donald Trump, whom Biden replaced just last week.</p><p>The Trump administration had offered a one-year extension ahead of the February deadline but discussions broke down over US insistence on tougher verification that Russia had frozen its nuclear arsenal.</p><p>- Human rights -</p><p>However, Biden also diverged strongly with Trump on his approach to Russia's human rights record and Ukraine.</p><p>Trump went to great lengths while in power to avoid raising complaints about human rights abuses in Russia or criticizing Moscow's support for separatists in Ukraine and occupation of Crimea. Biden confronted Putin on both issues.</p><p>He brought up "our strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty in the face of Russia's ongoing aggression," Psaki said.</p><p>She also enumerated a long sequence of other "matters of concern" causing friction in Washington.</p><p>These included the unprecedented mass hacking of US computers that has been widely blamed on Russia, interference in the 2020 presidential election and reports that Moscow offered bounties for the killing of US soldiers in Afghanistan.</p><p>In addition to raising Navalny's case, Biden flagged the "treatment of peaceful protesters by Russian security forces."</p><p>Psaki said Biden's "intention was also to make clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of our national interests in response to malign actions by Russia."</p><p>The Kremlin made no mention of these complaints in its readout of the call, saying instead that Putin urged "normalization of relations."</p><p>This would "meet the interests of both countries," the Kremlin said in a statement, describing the two countries as having "special responsibility for maintaining security and stability in the world."</p><p>© 2021 AFP</p>
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Former President Donald Trump announced last year that he was buying 100 million vaccinations from Pfizer and 100 million vaccinations from Moderna. At the time, it prompted questions from reporters who knew that the American population is over 330 million people and two shots are needed for the virus.
The predicament left incoming President Joe Biden to admit to Americans that there weren't enough vaccinations purchased. In an announcement to the press on Tuesday, Biden said that he would purchase at least 200 million more doses as soon as they're available. His goal, he said is to have the full amount needed by this summer.
<p>In Dec. 2020, it was revealed that Trump <a href="https://www.rawstory.com/2020/12/trump-administration-declined-to-buy-extra-pfizer-vaccines-when-offered-more-doses-report/" target="_blank">was offered more vaccines by Pfizer</a> and Moderna and refused them. </p><p>It's still unknown why the former White House refused to buy enough vaccines for all Americans. </p><p>See Biden's press conference below: </p><p><br/></p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7e8f0f8a372db55dead76a6acafb3fa4" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hMNUgeVGQ8o?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">WATCH: Biden delivers remarks on U.S. coronavirus efforts</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMNUgeVGQ8o" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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As planet cooks, one of the world's coldest towns bids to host 2032 summer Olympics
January 26, 2021
With temperatures across the globe—and particularly in the Arctic—rising thanks to lackluster efforts to address the human-caused climate crisis, one of the coldest towns on Earth is throwing its hat in the ring to host the 2032 Summer Olympics.
"Our intention here is clear: we want to keep Salla as it is, and our winters cold and full of snow."
—Salla Mayor Erkki Parkkinen
<p>
Salla is located in Finland's Lapland region and <a href="https://www.visitsalla.fi/en/" target="_blank">touts</a> the tagline, "in the middle of nowhere." The average temperature is <a href="https://en.climate-data.org/europe/finland/salla/salla-9790/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">below freezing</a> and the area boasts a ski resort, reindeer park, Arctic Circle safaris, and even a snow and ice hotel.
</p><p>
With support from Fridays for Future—the youth-led movement launched by Swedish teenager <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/25/enough-blah-blah-blah-global-elites-greta-thunberg-declares-digital-davos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Greta Thunberg</a>—Salla announced its Olympic bid to build awareness about "the consequences of global warming and the need for urgent action."
</p><p>
"Our intention here is clear: we want to keep Salla as it is, and our winters cold and full of snow," said Salla Mayor Erkki Parkkinen. "So, there was this crazy idea: to host the Summer Games in one of the coldest towns on the planet."
</p><p>
"If we stand back and do nothing, letting global warming prevail," Parkkinen warned, "we will lose our identity, and the town we love—as well as many others around the world—will cease to exist as we know it."
</p><p>
The campaign, detailed at <a href="https://www.savesalla.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.savesalla.com</a>, includes a short video.
</p><p>
WATCH:
</p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sSZSrjmmSIo" width="560"></iframe><p>"Despite the obviousness of the global warming, the ideology of climate change denial is gaining traction all over the world and increasing every year," the campaign website says. "So, we've created this bid to raise attention about the climate emergency. Salla is changing. The whole planet is changing. Not in a good way."</p><p>As <em>Common Dreams</em> has reported, while <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/13/dire-assessment-scientists-warn-humanity-denial-looming-collapse-civilization-we" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">projections</a> for the entire planet are dire if policymakers don't urgently <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/09/25/un-climate-report-oceans-frozen-regions-warns-unprecedented-transitions-all-aspects" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">work to</a> "effect unprecedented transitions in all aspects of society, including energy, land and ecosystems, urban and infrastructure as well as industry," the Arctic is <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/11/deep-trouble-arctic-and-beyond-noaa-climate-report-warns-feedback-loop-may-already" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">particularly at risk</a>.</p><p>"We have only one planet to live in and an immense responsibility to future generations. We can all make a difference. What we cannot do under any circumstances is deny the problem and omit ourselves. The risks will be severe and unavoidable," said Joe Hobbs, a Fridays For Future activist and operations director for Climate Cardinals. "Global warming does not have to be a self-fulfilling prophecy and everyone can make a significant and decisive contribution to stop this process."</p><p>"Global warming does not have to be a self-fulfilling prophecy and everyone can make a significant and decisive contribution to stop this process."<br/>—Joe Hobbs, Fridays For Future</p><p>Hobbs joined Parkkinen and multiple experts for a <a href="https://videos.netshow.me/v/2R3fyFdLMN8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">press conference</a> about the campaign on Tuesday.</p><p>The event came a day after a new study that showed ice loss worldwide is increasing at a record rate. Lead author Thomas Slater of Leeds' Centre for Polar Observation and Modeling <a href="https://phys.org/news/2021-01-global-ice-loss.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said</a> that "although every region we studied lost ice, losses from the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have accelerated the most."</p><p>"The ice sheets are now following the worst-case climate warming scenarios set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," Slater added. "Sea-level rise on this scale will have very serious impacts on coastal communities this century."</p><p>Also on Monday, Thunberg <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/25/enough-blah-blah-blah-global-elites-greta-thunberg-declares-digital-davos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">delivered</a> an address to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting—held digitally rather than in Davos, Switzerland this year because of the raging coronavirus pandemic. She told political and business leaders that "when it comes to facing the climate emergency, the world is still in a state of complete denial."</p><p>"Safeguarding the future living conditions and preserving life on Earth as we know it is voluntary. The choice is yours to make," the 18-year-old Swede said. "But I can assure you this: You can't negotiate with physics. And your children and grandchildren will hold you accountable for the choices that you make."</p>
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