The Ukrainian invasion contributes to the chaos of global supply chains

And if the conflict continues, it could threaten the harvest of summer wheat, which flows into bread, pasta and packaged food for a huge number of people, especially in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Food prices have already skyrocketed due to disruptions in the global supply chain, increasing the risk of social unrest in poorer countries.

On Tuesday, global shipping giant Maersk announced it would temporarily suspend all shipments to and from Russia by ocean, air and rail, except for food and medicine. Ocean Network Express, Hapag-Lloyd and MSC, the world’s other major ocean carriers, have announced similar shutdowns.

Russia accounts for about a fifth of the world’s natural gas trade, and Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of wheat, barley, corn and fertilizers.

“The war is just making the global commodity situation worse,” said Christopher F. Graham, a White and Williams partner.

Jennifer McCaune, head of global economics at Capital Economics, said the global economy seems relatively isolated from the conflict. But she said the shortage of materials such as palladium and xenon used in semiconductors and cars could increase the current difficulties for these industries. The shortage of semiconductors has stopped production in car factories and other facilities, causing prices to rise and weighing on sales.

“This could add to the shortage we are already seeing, exacerbate this shortage and ultimately cause further damage to global growth,” she said.

International companies are also trying to comply with the broad financial sanctions and export controls imposed by Europe, the United States and a number of other countries that have restricted the flow of goods and money into and out of Russia.

The Ukrainian invasion contributes to the chaos of global supply chains Read More »

The cultural reaction against Russia is intensifying due to the invasion

ROME (AP) – The cultural reaction against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensified on Tuesday after the Cannes Film Festival said it would not welcome Russian delegations this year, and the Venice Film Festival announced free screenings of a film about the 2014 conflict in Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region.

Reports from Europe’s two leading film festivals came after other high-profile art protests, including Hollywood’s decision to withdraw films scheduled for release in Russia. and the decision of the Munich Philharmonic to dismiss the chief conductor Valeri Gergiev. The orchestra, joined by other orchestras and festivals linked to Gergiev, cited his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and refused to reject the invasion.

Scheduled for May, Cannes is the most global of film festivals and its international flagship pavilion village hosts more than 80 countries around the world each year.

In a statement, festival organizers said the ban on any official Russian delegation or Kremlin-linked individuals would remain “unless the assault war ends in conditions that will satisfy the Ukrainian people.”

The festival did not rule out the acceptance of films from Russia. In recent years, Cannes has shown films by directors such as Kirill Serebrennikov, although the director failed to attend.. Serebrennikov is under a three-year travel ban after being accused of embezzlement by the Russian government in a case protested by the Russian artistic community in Europe.

Hollywood continued to withdraw its films from Russian cinemas. After Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. and Sony have announced they will stop distributing movies in Russia, including Warner’s long-awaited Batman, Paramount Pictures said on Tuesday. This includes upcoming releases such as “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” and “The Lost City”.

Meanwhile, the Venice Film Festival said it was organizing free screenings of “Reflection” about the conflict in Ukraine’s eastern Donbass in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Screenings are scheduled for next week in Rome, Milan and Venice.

The film, which was presented at a competition in Venice last year, tells the story of a Ukrainian surgeon who was captured by Russia during the Donbass conflict in eastern Ukraine. In 2014, Russia threw its weight behind a riot in the predominantly Russian-speaking region of eastern Ukraine known as Donbass, where Russian-backed rebels seized government buildings and proclaimed the creation of “people’s republics.”

“Reflection” shows the horrors of war, as well as the surgeon’s efforts to restore his relationship after his release.

Directed by Ukrainian director Valentin Vasyanovich, whose 2019 film Atlantis is also set in eastern Ukraine and deals with similar issues of war and trauma. “Atlantis” won the award for best film in the experimental section Orizzonti at the Venice Film Festival 2019, Ukraine’s advertising was Ukraine’s nominee for the Oscars.

Earlier this week, the Venice Biennale’s art exhibition, part of the annual film festival, announced that the curator and artists of the Russian pavilion had resigned in protest of the war in Ukraine.

Last week, the European Broadcasting Union announced that Russia would not be eligible to participate in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.which will take place in Turin in May.

The winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest was Ukrainian singer Jamala, who won with a song about the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. On Tuesday, it became clear that she had fled Ukraine to Turkey with her two children.

A Crimean Tatar, Jamala told reporters in Istanbul that she never imagined that she would eventually share the same fate as her grandmother, who she said “only had 15 minutes to pack” during the 1944 forced deportations.

The singer said she left Kyiv for Ternopil, in western Ukraine, where she thought her family would be safe, but decided to move to Romania when she woke up to the sound of explosions there as well. Her husband, like all men between the ages of 18 and 60, remained in Ukraine.

___

Coyle reports from New York; Susan Fraser of Istanbul contributed.

___

Follow all the AP stories about the Russian invasion of Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.

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Cincinnati Bengals is committed to supporting QB Joe Burrow “in the best way we can”, including O-line assistance

INDIANAPOLIS – As Cincinnati becomes a destination for free agents, the franchise remains committed to the support of star quarterback Joe Barrow, according to Bengals players director Duke Tobin.

This may include stepping up the team’s offensive line after the Bengals surrendered 74 sacks in 2021.

“He’s the real deal,” Tobin told Burrow, speaking Tuesday at the NFL Scout Factory. “Our job, as I said when we elected him, is to support him in the best way we can. This league is for quarterbacks. And when you have one, you have to support him in the best way you can. “

Tobin was reluctant to point to the offensive line as Bengal’s off-season priority after Burrow was sacked 19 times in four games after the season, including seven times in the loss of the Super Bowl LVI to the Los Angeles Rams.

In fact, Tobin opened his press conference at the Indiana Convention Center, praising the unit for helping Burroughs and Bengals play a productive attack and winning the first AFC championship in 33 years.

But although the unit was not warned on Tuesday, Tobin said the team would look for ways to improve – which could include potential trading for an initial offensive line player.

“Sometimes there are winners,” Tobin said. “But we don’t deny the opportunity to think about things. Trade is one of those things.”

Tobin mentioned the deal during the pre-season preparations for 2021, which sent the former first round pick Billy Price to the New York Giants for a defensive match with BJ Hill. Price was the Giants’ starting point, while Hill produced 5.5 bags for Cincinnati.

Bengals coach Zack Taylor, who recently received an extension of his contract until the 2026 season, admitted the talk of blocking the team’s pass after what happened in the postseason.

“I know what the story is,” Taylor said. “I see. We don’t want our quarterback to be fired or hit like him. At the same time, the other side is that these guys did a lot of great things for us.”

Tobin said Bengals would have several resources to improve the list. The Bengals will have eight draft picks and $ 47.7 million in salary ceiling space, according to the list management system.

Cincinnati is ranked 30th in the regular season victory pass, according to a study by ESPN Stats & Information. The Bengals are still optimistic that some of their young players, such as second-round pick Jackson Karman, could make a key contribution.

But that won’t stop Cincinnati from taking action to secure Burrow’s support, as the Bengals seek to repeat themselves as AFC champions.

“You don’t just run 1,000 yards and have two receivers per 1,000 yards, and the quarterback had the year he had and you could win all the games you played if the line didn’t do a really good job,” Taylor said. “That doesn’t mean we won’t appreciate our whole team. You can always get better. That will be in the next few weeks.”

Cincinnati Bengals is committed to supporting QB Joe Burrow “in the best way we can”, including O-line assistance Read More »

Business is booming … for doomsday bunkers! Texas-based company says sales have risen “1000%”

Better safe than sorry!

Texas-based doomsday bunker company has seen a huge jump in sales since then Russia declared war and invaded Ukraine last week.

The owner of Rising S Bunkers, which sells survival shelters ranging from a “mini bunker” for $ 39,500 to an “aristocratic” bunker for $ 8.35 million that seats up to 44 people, said sales “increased astronomically in the last few days “.

That’s what general manager Gary Lynch said The sun that demand has increased by 1,000 percent since Thursday. “I usually sell between two and six shelters a month – and winter is usually a quiet time for us.”

Lynch sold five on its own on Thursday, the first day of the invasion, and resorted to buying more supplies from a hardware store to keep up with rapidly growing demand.

“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing and we’re sending so many quotes,” he told the sun. The Texas-based company has received inquiries from around the world, including Italy, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Japan and Canada, as well as the United States. “Interest is not just isolated from the United States, it’s everywhere,” he said.

Lynch also said much of the interest in the doomsday bunkers came from customers who feared that Russia would expand its invasion to other countries outside Ukraine, which could spark a new world war.

The Texas-based Doomsday Bunker Company saw a huge jump in sales after Russia declared war and invaded Ukraine last week and has products that include daycare and laundry.

The Texas-based Doomsday Bunker Company saw a huge jump in sales after Russia declared war and invaded Ukraine last week and has products that include daycare and laundry.

It can also include different styles and settings.  General Manager Gary Lynch sold five units on his own on Thursday, the first day of the invasion, and resorted to buying more supplies from a hardware store to keep up with rapidly growing worldwide demand.

It can also include different styles and settings. General Manager Gary Lynch sold five units on his own on Thursday, the first day of the invasion, and resorted to buying more supplies from a hardware store to keep up with rapidly growing worldwide demand.

The hoppers can be customized to suit all types of aesthetics

The hoppers can be customized to suit all types of aesthetics

The bunkers should not be made of ordinary steel and may have comfortable furniture and painted walls.

The bunkers should not be made of ordinary steel and may have comfortable furniture and painted walls.

Many bunkers come with bunk beds to accommodate the maximum number of people

Many bunkers come with bunk beds to accommodate the maximum number of people

Some bunkers are equipped with luxury and have different sized pools

Some bunkers are equipped with luxury and have different sized pools

More expensive bunkers can also be equipped with a theater

More expensive bunkers can also be equipped with a theater

The bunkers can have benches and armored doors for all needs

The bunkers can have benches and armored doors for all needs

Lynch said their fears were justified, saying: “Just look at what’s happening. [Vladimir Putin] threatens nuclear war, saying it would be something the world has never seen.

“The world saw Hiroshima. And if what they are threatening is worse than that, then we must all be worried, “he told the Sun.

This is not the first time the company has seen an increase in demand for their all-steel underground bunkers, assault facilities and bomb shelters, as the threat of nuclear war has increased in previous years, but Lynch said the situation in Ukraine was unprecedented and fears large.

“Don’t make fun of or criticize people who have legitimate fears,” Lynch said. “They want nothing more than to protect their loved ones in terrible, terrible times. The only way to prepare for failure is to not prepare.

The company’s bunkers are buried 11 feet underground and can be equipped with food growing rooms, fitness centers, elevators, swimming pools, saunas, theaters, shooting ranges, bowling allies, laundries and more.

According to Sun, customers range from professional athletes to celebrities, politicians and technology companies.

Rising S Bunkers has also sent security shelters in Ukraine to the national military since 2019. The shelters can be easily removed, according to the website.

The cheapest model is

The cheapest model is a $ 39,500 “mini bunker” that includes double bunk beds, a shower and a composting toilet.

The $ 85,500 model features four bunk beds and a double bed, as well as a combined TV / DVD and food storage

The $ 85,500 model features four bunk beds and a double bed, as well as a combined TV / DVD and food storage

This 288,000 bunker has two double beds and two kings, as well as closets, a composting toilet and a painted interior.

This 288,000 bunker has two double beds and two kings, as well as closets, a composting toilet and a painted interior.

A $ 1 million bunker called the Fortress, it can hold up to 42 bunk beds and 15 double beds and has 15 single bedrooms.

A $ 1 million bunker called the Fortress, it can hold up to 42 bunk beds and 15 double beds and has 15 single bedrooms.

The most expensive bunker, Rising S Bunkers, retails for $ 8.35 million and can accommodate up to 44 people and features a gym, swimming pool, bowling alley, laundry room and more.

The most expensive bunker, Rising S Bunkers, retails for $ 8.35 million and can accommodate up to 44 people and features a gym, swimming pool, bowling alley, laundry room and more.

“Since the end of 2019, a contract has been signed with Rising S Company to create a number of quick-open shelters that can be built, then removed and relocated quickly,” the website said. “These shelters not only protect Ukrainian forces from Russian-led attacks by Putin, but can also help when positioning and strength are needed quickly and effectively.”

New explosions rocked Kyiv tonight after Russia was declared “barbaric” for bombing a TV tower near the Babin Yar Holocaust Memorial in Kyiv on the site of one of the largest single massacres of Jews during the Holocaust.

Several of the city’s neighborhoods are currently under attack, according to local reports. The Kyiv Independent reported at 11:29 a.m. local time that Russian bombs had struck Vishnevoe, a city outside the capital.

In addition, the Rusanovka, Kurenivka and Boyarka neighborhoods – as well as the area near Kyiv International Airport – are said to be under attack. Rusanovka in particular is very central.

A powerful explosion was also reported in Bila Tserkva, a city in the Kiev region, when a duel depot was attacked, according to UNIAN.

The locations of the reported attacks suggest that Russian forces are approaching tonight from various parts of the capital, especially from the west. They come as a 40-mile-long Russian military convoy inches closer to Kyiv.

The bunkers are buried 11 feet underground to protect maximum safety

The bunkers are buried 11 feet underground to protect maximum safety

The bunkers are also made of steel and can be shipped anywhere in the world

The bunkers are also made of steel and can be shipped anywhere in the world

According to a British correspondent in the city, new explosions were heard around 10.50 local time. “Sounds of loud explosions in #Kiev right now,” tweeted journalist Sarah Firth.

Elsewhere, at least three people were killed and 10 houses destroyed in an air strike in the city of Zhytomyr – about 85 miles west of Kyiv – at 10:16 p.m., according to Ukraine’s emergency services. More may have been trapped in the rubble, state emergency services said in a tweet.

Earlier, explosions erupted around the 1,300-foot television tower in the capital, built near the gorge, where nearly 34,000 Jews were killed by SS troops in two days in 1941 during Adolf Hitler’s campaign against the Soviet Union.

At least two major explosions were seen near the foot of the tower, about three miles from downtown Kyiv, at about 5:30 p.m. The first rocket hit the TV tower, but the second hit the memorial.

At least five people were killed in the latest attack, which came hours after Russia told Ukrainian civilians to evacuate because it was on the verge of bombing “strategic” targets. The footage of the immediate aftermath of the explosions shows bodies on the streets below.

It was not immediately clear whether the tower was the target of the strikes or whether they were aimed at nearby buildings. The tower remained upright, but several state broadcasts stopped.

Smoke rises around Kyiv's main TV tower after several explosions near its base on Tuesday afternoon

Smoke rises around Kyiv’s main TV tower after several explosions near its base on Tuesday afternoon

Smoke is seen rising from Kyiv's main TV tower after being hit by Russian bombs Tuesday afternoon.

Smoke is seen rising from Kyiv’s main TV tower after being hit by Russian bombs Tuesday afternoon.

Business is booming … for doomsday bunkers! Texas-based company says sales have risen “1000%” Read More »

The Biden administration plans to release a new coronavirus strategy on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the White House will unveil President Biden’s new coronavirus response strategy, a voluminous document designed to bring the nation into what some are calling the “new normal” even as another deadly option looms.

White House officials declined to discuss the details of the new strategy, but a person familiar with the plan said it would be made public on Wednesday. It is expected to address a wide range of issues, including the development of new vaccines and therapeutics, and how to keep schools and businesses open even if the pandemic worsens.

The idea of ​​the strategy is to get the country out of the crisis and, in Mr. Biden’s words, to a point where the virus no longer disrupts daily life and Americans learn to live with it.

Last week, as top federal health officials discussed the new strategy, they were evaluating a 136-page plan prepared by outside experts whose recommendations include better air filtration systems in public buildings, billions of dollars in research and major upgrades to the national health care system. Officials also met with the authors of the plan.

The experts’ plan, titled “Achieving and Maintaining the Next Normal: A Roadmap for Living With Covid,” suggests there will be fewer deaths from Covid-19 in 2022 than in 2021. The administration has already adopted one of its recommendations, issuing new guidelines for wearing masks and other social distancing measures.

Mr. Biden has walked a fine line in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, one of the biggest challenges of his presidency.

With cases declining and the 2022 midterm elections approaching, he said in his address to Congress on Tuesday evening: “We have reached a new moment in the fight against Covid.”

But the president reminded Americans that the virus is unpredictable and that they must remain vigilant, while he promised to remain vigilant, preparing for the possibility of future options.

“Thanks to the progress we have made over the past year, Covid-19 no longer needs to control our lives,” Mr. Biden said. “Tonight I say that we will never accept life with Covid-19, we will continue to fight the virus like other diseases.”

The United States averages about 66,000 new cases of coronavirus each day, according to the New York Times database. This is far less than the average daily workload of about 800,000 people in January, at the peak of the winter surge caused by the highly infectious Omicron variant. But that’s still more than five times the daily load last June, before the Delta variant caused a summer surge.

The Biden administration plans to release a new coronavirus strategy on Wednesday. Read More »

Russia’s 22 richest billionaires lose $ 83 billion on paper this year

RussiaRussia’s richest people have lost $ 83 billion since the beginning of this year, with most of the losses since their country invaded Ukraine six days ago.

Joe Bidenin his address on the state of the union on tuesday night, he warned businessmen in the country that their financial situation would only get worse.

“Tonight I am telling Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who have taken billions of dollars out of this violent regime: no more,” Biden said. – I mean.

“The US Department of Justice is assembling a special working group to monitor the crimes of Russian oligarchs.”

He said they would “find and seize their yachts, their apartments.”

Twenty-two Russians are currently participating Bloomberg’s list of billionaireswhich ranks the 500 richest people in the world.

The biggest losses were Vagit Alekperov, the 71-year-old president of Lukoil, the publicly traded producer of about 2 percent of world oil production.

Vagit Alekperov, Lukoil's president, has lost 68 percent of his wealth a year as Russia's economy collapses

Vagit Alekperov, Lukoil’s president, has lost 68 percent of his wealth a year as Russia’s economy collapses

Alekperov met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in October 2016

Alekperov met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in October 2016

Born in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Alekperov followed his father into the oil industry and in 1990 became the youngest deputy energy minister in Soviet history.

Alekperov, who co-owns Spartak Moscow, now costs $ 7.19 billion, according to Bloomberg, down 68 percent year-on-year.

He is not currently subject to sanctions, but since January 2018 he has been on the Ministry of Finance’s list of wealthy Russian businessmen who he says are close to the Kremlin.

On Tuesday night, Alekperov’s 70-meter superyacht, the Galactica Super Nova – which features a six-meter glass-bottomed swimming pool and waterfall – sailed from Europe, leaving Barcelona for Montenegro.

Another elite, 68-year-old metal tycoon Alisher Usmanov, was sanctioned by the European Union on Monday and also moved his 512-foot superyacht Ona outside Europe as the ship headed for the Maldives, CNBC reported.

Russia’s richest man, Vladimir Potanin, president of Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of high-quality nickel, has lost $ 6 billion so far this year.

Vladimir Potanin, Russia's richest man, was seen in March 2005 with Putin.  Potanin has lost $ 6 billion so far this year

Vladimir Potanin, Russia’s richest man, was seen in March 2005 with Putin. Potanin has lost $ 6 billion so far this year

Potanin will play chess in December 2021 against Russian chess grandmaster Yan Nepomnyashchi

Potanin will play chess in December 2021 against Russian chess grandmaster Yan Nepomnyashchi

The 61-year-old man, who is known to be close to Putin, also faces what is expected to be one of the most expensive divorces in the world: his ex-wife Natalia Potanina is seeking 50 percent of the value of his share in the company, worth $ 7 billion in December, for their last court hearing in London.

Bloomberg currently estimates his fortune at $ 24.3 billion – a 21% decline on an annual basis.

Gennady Timchenko, one of the first to be sanctioned by the United Kingdom, lost almost half of his net worth this year to $ 10.6 billion.

The 69-year-old electrical engineer, who spends much of his time in Switzerland, has assets in the energy, transport, infrastructure, financial services and consumer sectors.

He was the head of Russia’s Continental Hockey League and regularly participated in Putin’s “Night Hockey League” – described by Radio Free Europe as “highly advertised games among elite members in which Putin tends to score the most goals.” .

Gennady Timchenko, 69, was sanctioned by the United Kingdom on Monday, making him the first to face British punishment since the start of the current conflict in Ukraine.

Gennady Timchenko, 69, was sanctioned by the United Kingdom on Monday, making him the first to face British punishment since the start of the current conflict in Ukraine.

Gennady Timchenko was seen in December 2018 playing hockey - his favorite sport - on Red Square

Gennady Timchenko was seen in December 2018 playing hockey – his favorite sport – on Red Square

Since 2014, Timchenko’s assets have been frozen by the US Treasury Department as part of a package of sanctions imposed after Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian territory in Crimea.

Among the most famous Russians who have suffered huge losses is Roman Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea football club.

Abramovich, 55, has a net worth of about $ 13 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, after amassing his wealth from dividends and sales of privatized assets acquired by the former Soviet Union.

He has lost $ 4 billion so far this year, and on Saturday said he was stepping down from the club’s management and putting it in “management”.

On Tuesday, British MP Chris Bryant said Abramovich was “horrified” by sanctions from the British government over the Russian invasion of Ukraine and was selling his property in London.

Roman Abramovich, 55, has spoken out against the war in Ukraine.  He put his Chelsea football club in

Roman Abramovich, 55, has spoken out against the war in Ukraine. He put his Chelsea football club in “management” amid criticism of his property

Abramovich, Putin and Alekperov met in July 2016 in Sochi

Abramovich, Putin and Alekperov met in July 2016 in Sochi

Abramovich was seen on February 22 in Abu Dhabi celebrating the World Cup

Abramovich was seen on February 22 in Abu Dhabi celebrating the World Cup

He spoke out against the war, and his spokesman said he was trying to mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine.

“I can confirm that the Ukrainian side has contacted Roman Abramovich for support in reaching a peaceful solution and that he has been trying to help ever since,” the spokesman said.

Abramovich vehemently challenged reports suggesting he was linked to Putin or that he had done something to deserve sanctions against him.

Russia’s assets fell free on Tuesday, with Russia’s largest lender, Sberbank, falling to 21 cents a dollar from just under $ 9 before the invasion.

The rolls weakened by more than $ 100 against trade in Moscow and hit a record low of 117 in other markets on Tuesday, threatening the living standards of ordinary Russians as the country is hit by harsh Western sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine.

Putin issued a decree banning the export of cash in foreign currency worth more than $ 10,000 on March 2nd.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also said the country would temporarily suspend foreign investors from selling Russian assets to ensure they make an informed decision, but gave no details.

Moscow’s move to impose capital controls means billions of dollars in securities held by foreigners in Russia are at risk of falling into a trap.

In a matter of weeks, Russia has turned from a lucrative bet on rising oil prices into an uninvestable market, with a central bank hampered by sanctions, major banks excluded from the global SWIFT payment system and capital controls stifled cash flows.

SWIFT said on Tuesday that it is waiting to see which banks want to be excluded from its financial communications system as sanctions are imposed.

Visa and Mastercard have blocked many Russian financial institutions from their networks.

Russia’s 22 richest billionaires lose $ 83 billion on paper this year Read More »

Biden highlights unity in foreign policy crisis

WASHINGTON. President Biden’s challenge on Tuesday night was to rally Americans around his confrontation with the brutal Russian leader who destroyed more than three decades of the post-Cold War world without raising fears that renewed superpower conflict would come at an unacceptable cost.

As scenes of devastation erupted before the world in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv, Mr. Biden argued that maintaining freedom in Eastern Europe was worth paying a price — one he thought he could limit. And he celebrated his success in organizing Western allies to impose really painful sanctions on the Russian economy as punishment for invading Ukraine and in hopes of weakening President Vladimir Putin’s grip on his country.

He argued that Mr. Putin’s aggression actually strengthened the Atlantic alliance that the Russian leader intended to splinter. And he argued that even if Mr. Putin prevails in Ukraine, Russia will emerge from this “deliberate and unprovoked” war “weaker and the rest of the world stronger.”

Yet Mr. Biden has left unanswered, at least for now, some of the toughest questions about where America will go next — and how it will ultimately emerge from Mr. Putin’s audacious attempts to destroy the world order. largely created in Washington.

What happens if the combination of destabilizing the Russian currency, denying it access to Western technology, and freezing the assets of its oligarchs and their families does not force Mr. Putin to back down? And what if, after ending Ukraine, the Russian leader continues to act, determined to reassert the sphere of influence that the last leaders of the Soviet Union had abandoned, in what Mr. Putin believed was disastrous?

For the first time since satellites picked up Russian troops on the border with Ukraine last fall, Mr. Biden openly admitted that he was not sure where Mr. Putin would stop.

So he has drawn a line along the borders of an enlarged NATO, a map that Mr. Putin insists must be rolled up. “Our forces are heading to Europe not to fight in Ukraine, but to protect our NATO allies,” he said, “in case Putin decides to continue moving west.”

The last line was the most sinister. Biden and his aides have often argued in recent months about whether the Russian leader’s ambitions extend far beyond Ukraine.

They look at electronic maps on screens in the White House Operations Room and wonder if the Russian leader, in his nearly 70s, thinks this is his last moment to tie together a conquered Ukraine, a captive Belarus, a dependent Kazakhstan, and maybe even a vulnerable Moldova has turned into a semblance of the former glory of the Soviet Union.

Eastern Europe was not the battlefield that Mr. Biden had in mind when he floated the idea last year that the battle of “autocracy versus democracy” would be the defining principle of his administration’s foreign policy.

At the time, he thought more about China than Russia, more about stimulating 21st-century American competitiveness than containing a Russia burdened by 20th-century discontent. When Mr. Biden first spoke of the “battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies,” he was focused on the long game of rebuilding the US semiconductor manufacturing base, getting ahead of China’s advanced military and demonstrating that the dirty business of self-determination can still outperform the top-down power.

Russia was considered a destroyer, but most likely it could be kept in a box.

It is now clear that Mr. Putin’s containment could be the deciding factor in his next three years as president, jeopardizing the long-drawn-out “pivot to Asia” long discussed in American foreign policy circles but never fully implemented.

Updated

March 1, 2022 11:19 pm ET

Mr. Biden spoke Tuesday night as someone who decided history left him no other choice.

Mr. Biden is one of the few remaining architects of the post-Soviet order still in power in Washington, and for him NATO’s borders are more than lines on a map. They are living testament to what happens when free people can choose their allies.

To Mr. Putin, of course, that same card looks like an invading boa constrictor, a string of nations lured by the West into a plot to crush Russia until it stops breathing. He has opposed the plan since 2007. And when he took action — invading Georgia in 2008 and annexing Crimea in 2014 — he met with no opposition from the West. It took the United States and its allies a long time to organize the sanctions, and they did little when they were imposed.

Mr. Biden was part of those decisions, especially on Crimea. But on Tuesday evening, he seemed to admit that the weak response only emboldened the strong Russian leader. “Throughout our history, we have learned this lesson: when dictators don’t pay the price for their aggression, they cause even more chaos,” Mr. Biden said. The cost to America and the world “continues to rise,” he added.

But Mr. Biden’s description of the problem is of little help in figuring out how this war will end.

Clearly, Mr. Putin has no intention of going back to the old days of negotiating arms control treaties and rules for military exercises, as suggested by the US. Instead, he is testing whether he can bring about more lasting change by force rather than negotiation, and do so in weeks rather than years.

Russian-Ukrainian war: what you need to know

Card 1 of 4

Russian convoy. Satellite images show a Russian military convoy stretching for 40 miles on a highway north of Kyiv, next to burning houses and buildings. Experts fear that the column could be used to encircle and cut off the capital, or for a full-scale assault.

migratory wave. According to the UN refugee agency, at least 660,000 people, mostly women and children, have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries. This is the most intense wave of European migration since at least the 1990s.

For his part, Mr. Biden has not offered the Russian leader, at least publicly, any compromises of the kind that marked the division of Europe after World War II. And Mr. Putin showed no interest in them, believing that, having gone this far, he could do better by continuing his brutal tactics than by diplomacy.

It’s no surprise that Mr. Biden, both creator and vocal supporter of the Western alliance, sees Mr. Putin’s push to tear it apart as a desperate attempt to turn back the clock.

But he also knows that there is no guarantee that Mr. Putin, emboldened by the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and convinced of his ability to resist any sanctions placed on him, will fail.

“No one can say unequivocally what kind of world will rise from the ashes in Ukraine,” Richard Fontaine, executive director of the Center for a New American Security and Republican foreign policy strategist, wrote on Tuesday.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was also unaware of this when he testified before Congress in 1941, when Hitler was only six months away from the bombardment and siege of Kyiv in his offensive against the Soviet Union.

“The parallels between then and now are striking,” presidential historian Michael Beschloss said Tuesday, noting that democracy at the time was “threatened inside and outside of America,” in part referring to the isolationist “America First” policy. a movement that today has echoes in the pro-Trump wing of the Republican Party.

Roosevelt was ready for the moment, defined America’s “four freedoms” and drafted the Lend-Lease Act to help Britain contain Nazi Germany. But America did not enter the war until she was forced to, at the end of 1941.

In 2022, Mr. Biden’s challenge is to prevent history from repeating itself. But he acknowledged that it would be some time before the full implications of Russia’s decision to go to war would be felt.

“This is a real test,” he said. “It takes time. So let’s continue to draw inspiration from the iron will of the Ukrainian people.”

Biden highlights unity in foreign policy crisis Read More »

“The answer is to FINANCE the police”: Biden hits Squad and gets a standing ovation from the Republican Party

President Joe Biden went directly to the progressives’ calls to “pay the police” during their speeches on the state of the union on Tuesday, earning applause from Republicans and sour looks from the progressive detachment.

He followed suit, urging Congress to take more arms control measures to “save lives.”

“We all have to agree: the answer is not to de-finance the police. The answer is to FINANCE the police with the necessary resources and training to protect our communities, “he said.

The House of Commons erupted in bipartisan applause, including a standing ovation from senior Republicans such as House Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Whip Steve Scaliz.

Biden then highlighted his administration’s efforts to provide resources for both hiring new police officers and equipping them with body cameras and other measures that ensure greater accountability.

The president also acknowledged that a wave of violent crime has swept cities in the United States, taking some time to remember the two young New York City police officers who were killed when they answered a call for domestic violence earlier this year.

“I recently visited the New York Police Department days after the funeral of Officer Wilbert Mora and his partner, Officer Jason Rivera. They answered a 9-1-1 call when a man shot them and killed them with a stolen gun. Officer Mora was 27 years old. Officer Rivera was 22, “Biden said.

“Both Dominican Americans who grew up on the same streets who later chose to patrol as police officers. I spoke to their families and told them that we are forever indebted to their self-sacrifice and will continue their mission to restore the trust and security that every community deserves.

“I have been working on these issues for a long time. I know what works: investing in crime prevention and community policing, cops who can handle the pace, who know the neighborhood and who can restore trust and security. So let’s not abandon our streets or choose between safety and equality.

Republicans applauded Biden when he vowed to fund police during his speech

Republicans applauded Biden when he vowed to fund police during his speech

“Let’s unite to protect our communities, restore trust and hold law enforcement accountable. That is why the Ministry of Justice requires body cameras, suffocation bans and restricted banning orders for its employees.

He also highlighted the $ 350 billion allocated to state and local governments in his U.S. bailout plan to hire more police and invest in proven strategies such as ending violence in the community.

Biden then addressed the gathering directly when he called on them to adopt a series of measures aimed at reducing gun violence in the United States.

“I urge Congress to adopt proven measures to reduce gun violence. Pass universal background checks. Why should someone on the list of terrorists be able to buy a weapon? the president poses. “Prohibit weapons of attack and high-capacity magazines.”

He briefly went beyond the script, adding, “Do you think the deer wears a Kevlar vest?”

“Abolish the shield of responsibility that makes gun manufacturers the only industry in America that cannot be prosecuted,” Biden continued.

“These laws do not violate the Second Amendment. They save lives.

Meanwhile, while Biden was discussing measures to better equip officers, Progressive Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan was seen with a grim face down.

Tlaib aims to give a progressive response to the state of the Union after the president speaks.

54835663 10567299 image a 23 1646192860780 Biden opened his first state of the Union on Tuesday night, saying President Vladimir Putin was

Biden opened his first state of the Union on Tuesday night, saying President Vladimir Putin was “more isolated than ever” and told Russian oligarchs that “we are following you” as Moscow continues its attack on Kyiv. Pictured behind the president are Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Biden also said in a statement that the United States would close its airspace to all Russian flights and aircraft.

Biden also said in a statement that the United States would close its airspace to all Russian flights and aircraft.

A wave of violent crime has engulfed the country’s largest cities in the past year, while Democrats from the Blue Fortresses continue to call for the release of police.

Crimes in San Francisco such as theft and rape increased in the week leading up to February 27, compared to the same period last year. Total crime has increased by 0.5 percent over the same period.

In New York, total major crime rose nearly 40 percent in January from the same time last year, according to the NYPD. The Big Apple reported 9,566 such incidents last month, nearly double the 6,905 major crimes in early 2021.

Major thefts increased by 58.1% during this period. Shootings across the city increased by nearly a third.

The city has also recently been hit by a number of homeless attacks, especially within its metro system – where many of them lived during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Los Angeles, California, the total number of violent crimes, including robberies, increased by 3.5 percent during that period, although homicides fell by nearly 17 percent, according to statistics reported by Fox 11 LA.

A recent Politico / Morning Consult survey found that 75 percent of Americans blame “police misfunds” for “increasing violent crime in the United States.”

Mora was shut down a week ago.  As an organ donor, the 27-year-old helped save five lives at the time of his death. Wilbert Mora joined the New York Police in 2018

Mora (left and right) was shut down a week ago. As an organ donor, the 27-year-old helped save five lives at the time of his death.

The attack is the latest in a series of stabbing and robberies in the last week on the New York subway, which serves more than 3 million people every day.

The attack is the latest in a series of stabbing and robberies in the last week on the New York subway, which serves more than 3 million people every day.

Crimes in San Francisco such as theft and rape rose this year in the week leading up to Feb. 27, according to the latest SFPD figures, compared to last year.  Total crime increased by 0.5% over the same period

Crimes in San Francisco such as theft and rape rose this year in the week leading up to Feb. 27, according to the latest SFPD figures, compared to last year. Total crime increased by 0.5% over the same period

Nearly half – 49 per cent – said police seizures were the “main reason” for the rise in crime, while 26 per cent called it a “minor reason”.

Only a quarter said that was not the reason at all.

Earlier on Tuesday, a White House official highlighted Biden’s commitment to reducing violent crime.

in a preview of the president’s speech, focusing on his five-part strategy to combat gun violence.

The plan, launched last June, includes halting the flow of firearms used to commit violence, investing more in interventions against community violence, expanding employment and other opportunities for young adults and teenagers, and breaking the cycle of re-violence. a crime of providing more support to former Americans.

He also called for more support for local law enforcement, including “federal tools and resources to tackle violent crime and force more cops into battle,” a White House official said.

During a speech Tuesday night, Biden also voiced US support for Ukraine, as it has been attacked by Russia, by announcing that the country would close its airspace to Russian aircraft.

The suspect was arrested at 33rd St.  in New York.  Biden confessed to violent crimes in US cities when he took a moment during the State of the Union to highlight two NYPD officers killed

The suspect was arrested at 33rd St. in New York. Biden confessed to violent crimes in US cities when he took a moment during the State of the Union to highlight two NYPD officers killed

Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood was confused after a 71-year-old man was shot and killed this year

Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood was confused after a 71-year-old man was shot and killed this year

“The answer is to FINANCE the police”: Biden hits Squad and gets a standing ovation from the Republican Party Read More »