UNITED KINDOM
G7 ‘united’ over Ukraine
The G7 is absolutely united in its concerns over Russia’s military buildup, and the consequences for Moscow of any invasion of Ukraine, a senior US Department of State official said on Saturday. The official described talks among G7 foreign ministers in the UK as “intense,” and said there was still a diplomatic path to de-escalate tensions with Russia. “If they choose not to pursue that path, there will be massive consequences and severe costs in response, and the G7 is absolutely united in that,” she said.
UNITED STATES
Navarro warned to testify
Former Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy director Peter Navarro was warned that he would be considered in “willful noncompliance” with a congressional subpoena if he fails to testify on Wednesday to a House of Representatives panel investigating the administration of former president Donald Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Representative James Clyburn, the committee’s chairman, did not specify possible consequences in a letter to Navarro on Saturday. Navarro told the panel in a letter dated Tuesday he would not testify due to “a direct order from former President Donald Trump.” Navarro said that he was referring to Trump’s statement on Nov. 20 in which he said: “I’m telling Peter Navarro to protect executive privilege and not let these unhinged Democrats discredit our great accomplishments.”
UNITED STATES
Harris calls Honduras’ Castro
Vice President Kamala Harris congratulated Xiomara Castro on her victory as Honduras’ first female president in a telephone call on Friday, and discussed ways to deepen ties with the Central American country, the White House said. Harris and Castro discussed their shared interest in tackling the root causes of migration, including by increasing economic opportunity, combating corruption, addressing security threats, and improving access to health and education, it said in a statement. “They committed to working together and deepening the partnership between the United States and Honduras,” it added, giving no details.
UNITED STATES
Two Shepards in space
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company blasted its third private crew into space on Saturday and brought it back safely, this time including the daughter of the first US astronaut. The spacecraft blasted off over West Texas for an approximately 11-minute trip to just beyond the internationally recognized boundary of space, 100km high. Laura Shepard-Churchley, whose father Alan Shepard became the first American to travel to space in 1961, flew as a guest of Blue Origin. The company’s suborbital rocket is named New Shepard in honor of the pioneering astronaut. “It’s kind of fun for me to say an original Shepard will fly on the New Shepard,” Shepard-Churchley said in a video before the flight.
UNITED STATES
Biden on ‘Tonight Show’
President Joe Biden on Friday used his first late-night television talk show appearance as US president to highlight his infrastructure bill — and laugh off his flagging approval ratings. Biden’s appearance on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was the first by a sitting president since former president Barack Obama. Asked by host Jimmy Fallon if he pays attention to approval ratings, Biden said: “Well, not anymore. I’m joking. I was paying attention when it was in the mid-60s, but when it’s in the mid-40s I don’t pay attention.”
FRAYED: Strains between the US-European ties have ruptured allies’ trust in Washington, but with time, that could be rebuilt, the Michigan governor said China is providing crucial support for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and could end the war with a phone call, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said. “China could call [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and end this war tomorrow and cut off his dual-purpose technologies that they’re selling,” Whitaker said during a Friday panel at the Munich Security Conference. “China could stop buying Russian oil and gas.” “You know, this war is being completely enabled by China,” the US envoy added. Beijing and Moscow have forged an even tighter partnership since the start of the war, and Russia relies on China for critical parts
Heavy rain and strong winds yesterday disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand’s North Island, while snapping power links to tens of thousands. Domestic media reported a few flights had resumed operating by afternoon from the airport in Wellington, the capital, although cancelations were still widespread after airport authorities said most morning flights were disrupted. Air New Zealand said it hoped to resume services when conditions ease later yesterday, after it paused operations at Wellington, Napier and Palmerston North airports. Online images showed flooded semi-rural neighborhoods, inundated homes, trees fallen on vehicles and collapsed
Two sitting Philippine senators have been identified as “coperpetrators” in former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), documents released by prosecutors showed. Philippine senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are among eight current and former officials named in a document dated Feb. 13 and posted to the court’s Web site. ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs.” “Duterte and his coperpetrators shared a common plan or agreement to ‘neutralize’ alleged criminals in the Philippines
In a softly lit Shanghai bar, graduate student Helen Zhao stretched out both wrists to have her pulse taken — the first step to ordering the house special, a bespoke “health” cocktail based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). “TCM bars” have popped up in several cities across China, epitomizing what the country’s stressed-out, time-poor youth refer to as “punk wellness,” or “wrecking yourself while saving yourself.” At Shanghai’s Niang Qing, a TCM doctor in a white coat diagnoses customers’ physical conditions based on the pulse readings, before a mixologist crafts custom drinks incorporating the herbs and roots prescribed for their ailments.
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