The new administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is planning to offer Russia a five-year extension of a nuclear arms treaty that is set to expire February 5, U.S. officials said Thursday.Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan was set to make the offer to Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, on Thursday afternoon, one official said.National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at The Queen theater, Nov. 24, 2020, in Wilmington, Del.The move is likely to be welcomed by Moscow and American allies in Europe.NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday said the U.S. and Russia should extend the treaty and broaden it.”We should not end up in a situation with no limitation on nuclear warheads, and New START will expire within days,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.”An extension of the New START is not the end, it’s the beginning of our efforts to further strengthen arms control,” Stoltenberg said.The treaty was signed in 2010 by then-U.S. President Barack Obama and then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Under the pact, each country is limited to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads.Former U.S. President Donald Trump had attacked the deal, contending that it put the United States at a disadvantage.
…
Month: January 2021
Google Seals Content Payment Deal with French News Publishers
Google and a French publishers lobby said Thursday that they had agreed to a copyright framework for the U.S. tech giant to pay news publishers for content online, a first for Europe.The move paves the way for individual licensing agreements for French publications, some of which have seen revenues drop with the rise of the internet and declines in print circulation.The deal, which Google describes as a sustainable way to pay publishers, is likely to be closely watched by other platforms such as Facebook, a lawyer involved in the talks said.Facebook was not immediately reachable for comment.Alphabet-owned Google and the Alliance de la Presse D’information Générale (APIG) said in a statement that the framework included criteria such as the daily volume of publications, monthly internet traffic and “contribution to political and general information.”Google has so far only signed licensing agreements with a few publications in France, including national daily newspapers Le Monde and Le Figaro. These take into account the framework agreed with APIG, a Google spokesman said.Google News ShowcaseGoogle’s vehicle for paying news publishers, called Google News Showcase, is so far only available in Brazil and Germany.On Thursday, Reuters confirmed it had signed a deal with Google to be the first global news provider to Google News Showcase. Reuters is owned by news and information provider Thomson Reuters Corp.”Reuters is committed to developing new ways of providing access to trusted, high-quality and reliable global news coverage at a time when it’s never been more important,” Eric Danetz, Reuters global head of revenue, said in a statement.Google and APIG did not say how much money would be distributed to APIG’s members, who include most French national and local publishers. Details on how the remuneration would be calculated were not disclosed.The deal follows months of bargaining among Google, French publishers and news agencies over how to apply revamped EU copyright rules, which allow publishers to demand a fee from online platforms showing extracts of their news.Google, the world’s biggest search engine, initially fought against the idea of paying publishers for content, saying their websites benefited from the greater traffic it brought.
…
Daughter of Nigerian Immigrants Hopes to Lead by Example in Minnesota Legislature
As the United States marked the inauguration of Vice President Kamala Harris — the first woman, the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office — other lawmakers with foreign roots are breaking barriers across the country.Among them is Representative Esther Agbaje of Minnesota, who this month became the first Nigerian American to serve in the state House of Representatives.“There’s always going to be naysayers,” Minnesota state Rep. Esther Agbaje told VOA in an interview. ” … And I say, ‘Don’t listen to them. You know yourself.’ ” (Web screenshot via Skype)“There’s always going to be naysayers,” Agbaje, who represents portions of Minneapolis, told VOA in a recent interview. “There’s always going to be people that say, ‘Oh, you don’t have experience. Or, ‘You should wait your turn.’ And I say, ‘Don’t listen to them. You know yourself.’”Agbaje is among several lawmakers who are first- or second-generation Americans of African descent elected to hold office in the United States.In Washington, D.C., Representative Oye Owolewa, who has Nigerian roots, was sworn in as a shadow representative to the U.S. Congress, a position that advocates for D.C. statehood.In New York, state Senator Samra Brouk, whose parents are from Ethiopia, represents the state’s 55th Senate District.Oballa Oballa, a former refugee from Ethiopia, won a seat on the City Council of his adopted hometown of Austin, Minnesota. Representative Naquetta Ricks, originally from Liberia, was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives. Omar Fateh, the son of Somali immigrants, was elected to Minnesota’s state Senate.Esther Agbaje is pictured on the campaign trail as she competes for a seat in Minnesota’s state legislature. (Facebook)“I just saw that our society still doesn’t have a great answer for people who are struggling with maintaining their housing,” she said. “Everything is money-based, and if you don’t have enough money, you’re out on the street, which for something like housing, that really shouldn’t be the case, because I believe it’s a fundamental human right.”Agbaje decided last year to run for the Statehouse representing a diverse district in downtown Minneapolis. In the Democratic primary, she faced four-term incumbent and community activist Raymond Dehn. Some friends advised her to wait for a better time to run. She decided to run anyway.“I think as women we can no longer let men, in particular, dictate our timeline,” she said. “When you know that you’re ready for something or that you’re ready to step into something or ready to take that leap of faith, I say go ahead and do it.”The COVID-19 pandemic made campaigning difficult. She held socially distanced pop-up events, made phone calls, and sent out texts and emails. She said she tried to focus less on selling herself as a candidate and more on asking people, “How are you?” and “What do you need?”Her campaign organized drives to collect food and helped people sign up for resources such as unemployment benefits. On August 11, she defeated Dehn with 48% of the vote before easily winning the general election in November.Agbaje said she got a boost from the West African diaspora in the state.“Across the state of Minnesota, there is actually a pretty decent-sized population of West Africans,” she said. “And so, many of them were really excited about the campaign and jumped on board, and helped to volunteer and make phone calls, and helped us at many different stages of the campaign. So, I’m really grateful for that.”Agbaje hopes other young women will consider running for office, particularly those of African descent. She said they cannot wait for the perfect time and just need to take the plunge.“If you want to step up and lead for your community, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t,” she said. “So, I would say go for it, and enjoy the ride.”
…
UN: More Peacekeepers Needed in Central African Republic
The United Nations’ top diplomat in the Central African Republic said Thursday that significantly more peacekeepers are needed to quell election-related violence that has caused nearly 60,000 people to flee the country.“The current capacity of the [U.N.] mission will be tested even more at a time when, more than ever, it must protect civilians and ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance, which is severely impacted by acts of violence by the CPC,” Mankeur Ndiaye, head of the peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, told the U.N. Security Council.FILE – Mankeur Ndiaye, representative of the United Nations secretary-general and head of MINUSCA, speaks in Bangui on Feb. 6, 2020.The CPC (Coalition for Patriots for Change) is made up of armed groups allied with former CAR President François Bozizé. They initially sought to disrupt last month’s elections. Having failed at that, they are now trying to oust President Faustin Archange Touadera, whose reelection was confirmed Monday by the country’s Constitutional Court.“To this end, we need a strategy to manage the mandate, a substantial increase of uniformed components of the mission — namely the troops, the police and the prison service — must be strengthened in order to give us greater mobility,” Ndiaye said.The mission, known by its French acronym MINUSCA, has nearly 13,000 troops and police. Just before the December 27 elections, 300 troops were temporarily redeployed from the U.N.’s mission in neighboring South Sudan, as well as two military helicopters along with their crews.Ndiaye said Thursday that the deployment will need to be “prolonged for several months” and urged sending “as many people as possible” from the U.N. mission in South Sudan. That mission has more than 15,000 uniformed personnel, but they are stretched thin.The head of MINUSCA said his peacekeepers also need drones, attack helicopters and the ability to bolster the mission’s special forces.“We need an increase in our capacity in order to respond to this new threat, which is destabilizing the country even further,” he said.A U.N. diplomat speaking on the condition of anonymity told VOA that the Security Council and MINUSCA leaders are discussing a possible extension of the troops from South Sudan and bringing in additional battalions, potentially totaling “up to several thousand” more boots on the ground.FILE – Residents watch as a MINUSCA personnel carrier patrols the streets hours after CBC troops attacked Begoua, Central African Republic, Jan. 13, 2021.The surge in violence has been deadly for MINUSCA. Seven troops have been killed in CPC ambushes in less than four weeks.U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on all parties to stop the violence and engage in meaningful dialogue.The country has been under a U.N.-imposed arms embargo since 2013, intended to stop the flow of weapons to armed groups. The Security Council’s sanctions committee must approve all transfers of weapons or related materiel to the state security forces.CAR Foreign Minister Sylvie Valérie Baipo Temon urged the council to lift the arms embargo, saying that it impedes the government’s ability to defend its territory and protect its people, while the rebels simply violate it.“The FACA’s [Central African Armed Forces] shortages of equipment need to be remedied to rebalance the equation with the armed groups,” the foreign minister said. “Armed groups have mortars, anti-air guns, anti-personnel mines, rocket launchers, and the list goes on.”France’s envoy said lifting the embargo would depend on progress made in meeting objectives laid out by the council, starting with the management of arms and ammunition.“Under no circumstances should the embargo be an obstacle to the strengthening of the Central African armed forces, to which France gives its full support,” Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere said.
…
World Leaders Congratulate Biden, Praise Shared Policy Agenda
World leaders have congratulated Joe Biden following his inauguration Wednesday as the 46th U.S. president. Many allies also offered warm words for Kamala Harris as she became the first woman to serve as vice president.After four years of turbulent transatlantic relations, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered a warm welcome to Biden.“Once again after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House,” von der Leyen told lawmakers Thursday at the EU Parliament in Brussels. “This new dawn in America is the moment we’ve been waiting for so long. Europe is ready for a new start with our oldest and most trusted partner.”“From climate change to health, from digitalization to democracy, these are global challenges that need renewed and global cooperation, and the European Union and the United States must lead from the front and bring an alliance of like-minded powers with us,” von der Leyen said.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
FILE – Then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and his family members walk along the national road named after his late son, Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III, in the village of Sojevo, Kosovo, Aug. 17, 2016.Mayor Lutfi Haziri of the Kosovan town of Gjilan said people there remember the president’s son as “a volunteer in uniform in liberating Kosovo and a volunteer in building up rule of law institutions in the Republic of Kosovo.” “He has been closely linked to our fight to be free and equal, of course with the influence of his family,” Haziri said.Allies in the Asia-Pacific region welcomed the new U.S. administration. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison made special mention of Kamala Harris.“That is an historic moment, and one that I think, as a father of daughters, you can only celebrate. And I wish her all the best in her very important duties,” Morrison said. He added that Australia and the United States have much to work on together, “whether it is on climate, on energy, on international security and importantly, regional security here in the Indo-Pacific.”Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga echoed his Australian counterpart at a news conference Thursday.“I hope to closely cooperate with the new president to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” he told reporters.FILE – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga speaks during a press conference at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo, Jan. 13, 2021.That is a clear reference to the perceived threat from China in the Indo-Pacific region.US-China relationsBeijing on Thursday called for a reset in relations with Washington.”We hope that the new U.S. government will view China and our relations in an objective and rational manner, proceed from the well-being of the two peoples, work with China in the same direction to uphold the spirit of non-conflict and non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation. We hope it will focus on cooperation, manage disputes and strive to bring China-U.S. relations back to the track of healthy and stable development,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying said Thursday.China sanctioned former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and dozens of other Trump administration officials Wednesday in response to Pompeo’s labeling of Beijing’s treatment of Uighur Muslims as genocide. The Trump administration also sanctioned several Chinese officials over Beijing’s military activities in the South China Sea.FILE – This August 18, 2020, image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc. reportedly shows a Chinese submarine (center, bottom) entering an underground base on Hainan Island on the South China Sea.A spokesperson for Biden’s National Security Council said China’s decision to announce the sanctions on the day of Biden’s inauguration was “unproductive and cynical” and “an attempt to play to partisan divides.”When questioned Tuesday at his confirmation hearing by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Secretary of State-designate Antony Blinken, who is likely to take over from Pompeo, agreed with his predecessor that China was carrying out genocide against the Uighur population.China is at the top of Biden’s foreign policy challenges, analyst Norman said. “The incoming administration will also maintain a pretty tough China stance. It’s actually an area where I think we’ll have some bipartisan agreement on that approach. But again, one that is more engaged with allies in doing that,” she said.Iran, RussiaIranian leader Hassan Rouhani said this week the “ball was in Biden’s court” over the future of the 2015 nuclear deal, which the U.S. president has said he wants to rejoin if Tehran meets its commitments under the agreement to limit nuclear enrichment.Trump abandoned the deal in 2018. Iran has since increased its uranium enrichment to 20% and is installing new centrifuges, breaching the deal.Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. said Biden’s inauguration was a “new chapter” in relations with Washington. The Biden administration has demanded the release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was arrested and jailed on his return to Moscow Sunday after receiving medical treatment in Germany. Navalny survived a poisoning attempt last year and was flown to Berlin for treatment.There was no official response from Russian President Vladimir Putin about Biden’s inauguration.
…
Jill Biden: The First First Lady to Hold Two Jobs
First lady Jill Biden took leave from her teaching job last year to assist with her husband’s campaign for president, but the longtime political spouse is not planning on giving up on her career. Biden became the first second lady to hold a paying job outside the White House while her husband was vice president. Now she intends to continue teaching writing at Northern Virginia Community College, just south of Washington, where she taught full time while her husband was vice president. “Many of my students don’t know that I have two jobs,” the first lady said. Jill Biden is very familiar with life in Washington, since her husband, newly inaugurated President Joe Biden, spent 36 years in the U.S. Senate and eight years as vice president under Barack Obama. FILE – Dr. Jill Biden, right, stands with first lady Michelle Obama, left, newly inaugurated President Barack Obama, second left, and Vice President Joe Biden, second right, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 21, 2013.Now, Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory has given Jill Biden the distinction of being the first presidential spouse to have earned a doctorate. Betty Boyd Caroli, who wrote the book First Ladies, told VOA that Biden is in a unique position. “I would expect her to be very active in suggesting specific reforms to the education system, but not everybody agrees,” Caroli said. “You know, many people would like the first lady who keeps her mouth shut and is seen only in the very best clothes. I’m not in that school. I really think it’s a powerful platform.” Biden, 69, was born in New Jersey and grew up in in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned her doctorate in education from the University of Delaware. Life with Joe Biden was complicated from the start. She was going through a divorce. He was grieving, raising two young sons alone after his wife and baby daughter had died in a car crash. Jill and Joe married, after Joe asked five times.”And the fifth time, I finally said to her, ’Jill, my Irish pride has gotten a hold of me. This is the last time I’m gonna ask you,’ Biden said on the “Rachael Ray Show.” “I said, ‘You don’t have to tell me when you will marry me, just if you’ll marry me.’ She said, ‘Yes.’ “ U.S. President Joe Biden, his wife, Jill, and members of their family walk to the White House during the Inauguration Day parade, in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021.Four years later, Jill gave birth to a daughter. Tragedy struck again in 2015 when Joe Biden’s 46-year-old son, Beau, died of brain cancer. “This is personal for me and my husband Joe,” she said.Jill Biden then added cancer initiatives to her list of causes. In June of last year, Jill Biden wrote a children’s book about her husband’s early years, his competitiveness, and his resilience after being mocked over his stutter.She displayed that protective streak during a campaign rally in March of last year, using her body on two occasions to block a protester from reaching her husband on a stage. Although they call the tiny mid-Atlantic state of Delaware their home, Jill Biden has followed her husband through his career as U.S. senator and then into the vice president’s mansion. Now she returns to Washington for at least four years in the White House.VOA’s Carolyn Presutti contributed to this report.
…
UN Calls Attention to Sexual Violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray Conflict
The United Nations is urging a “zero tolerance” policy for crimes of sexual violence in Ethiopia’s troubled Tigray region.According to a statement from Pramila Patten, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict, there has been a high number of reported rapes in the capital, Mekelle, as well as reports that some women are being forced by “military elements” to have sex in exchange for basic commodities.“It remains critical that humanitarian actors and independent human rights monitors be granted immediate, unconditional and sustained access to the entirety of the Tigray region, including IDP [internally displaced people] and refugee camps where new arrivals have allegedly reported cases of sexual violence,” Patten said in a statement.Recent news reports say the Ethiopian government has not responded to the allegations of rapes in Mekelle.According to the U.N., 59,000 Ethiopians have fled to Sudan, while some 5,000 Eritrean refugees are living in “dire” conditions in the area of Shire. The U.N. says 25 of the refugees are women and girls of reproductive age.“I call on all parties involved in the hostilities in the Tigray region to commit to a zero-tolerance policy for crimes of sexual violence, in line with their respective obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law,” Patten said.“I call on the government of Ethiopia to further exercise its due diligence obligations to protect all civilians from sexual and other violence, regardless of their ethnic origin and those displaced by conflict, and to promptly allow for an independent inquiry into all allegations of sexual and other forms of violence, to establish the facts and hold perpetrators accountable, provide redress to victims, and prevent further grave violations.”On November 4, the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched what it called a “law enforcement operation” against “rogue” leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the region’s ruling party, after TPLF fighters attacked a federal military base. TPLF leaders called the federal government’s response a war against the people of Tigray.The conflict erupted weeks after Tigray held regional elections in defiance of the federal government. Despite the government saying that fighting in Tigray is over, many refugees say it is not safe enough to return home.
…
Biden to Keep Wray as FBI Director
President Joe Biden has asked Christopher Wray to stay on as FBI director and he has confidence in the job Wray is doing, the White House said Thursday.Appointed by former Republican President Donald Trump, Wray was a frequent target of Trump’s anger over the FBI director’s refusal to back false claims of voter fraud in the November 3 election.Federal Bureau of Investigation directors are appointed for 10 years and Wray has six years left in his term.White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed on Twitter that Biden “intends to keep FBI Director Wray on in his role and he has confidence in the job he is doing.” Psaki said she caused an “unintentional ripple” on Wednesday when she said she had not spoken to the president about Wray.Biden’s decision to retain Wray as FBI chief was welcomed by Adam Schiff, the Democrat who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and a critic of Trump’s handling of intelligence issues.”Christopher Wray became FBI director at a moment of tremendous turmoil for the bureau and the country, and he has served with great professionalism and integrity. I am glad to see that President Biden intends to keep Director Wray in his position,” Schiff said.Schiff said he looked forward to working with Wray on analyzes of “intelligence and security failures that led to the January 6 assault on the Capitol, and the need to dramatically expand the focus and resources devoted to the threat of domestic terrorism.”Wray told a House committee last September that Russia was interfering in the 2020 U.S. presidential elections by spreading misinformation aimed at Biden.Wray also told the panel the FBI was conducting multiple investigations into violent domestic extremists and that the largest “chunk” of investigations involved white supremacist groups.Regarding China, Wray said the FBI is opening a new counterintelligence investigation related to China “every 10 hours.”CNBC first reported the decision to keep Wray.
…
European Central Bank Says COVID Stimulus Policies to Stay in Place
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Thursday the bank will keep its COVID-19-related economic stimulus package in place as the 19-nation Eurozone economy continues facing economic threats from the pandemic. Speaking in Berlin, Lagarde said that while newly approved vaccines and vaccination programs in Europe are a plus, the surges of COVID-19 cases throughout the continent have prompted new lockdowns and restrictions that affect the service economy of most nations. “The pandemic continues to pose serious risks to public health and to the euro area and global economies,” she said. FILE – European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, wearing a face mask, attends the 16th Congress of Regions (Congres des Regions) in Saint-Ouen, north of Paris, Oct. 19, 2020.Last year, the ECB implemented an emergency COVID-19 stimulus package that includes government and corporate bond purchases designed to pump money into member nations’ economies, keeping interest rates low and giving businesses access to cheap loans. The companies have used such loans to pay furloughed workers during the pandemic. In December, the bank added $607 billion to the plan, bringing the value of the program to $2.2 trillion, and extended it to March 2022. Lagarde said given the recent surge in infections and the resulting economic restrictions put in place throughout Europe, the bank is prepared to offer even more economic support. Much like the Federal Reserve does in the United States, the ECB is the chief monetary authority for countries that use the euro, setting interest rates and supervising banks. So far, 19 of the 27 EU countries have adopted the euro as their main currency.
…
On First Full Day, Biden Takes Aggressive Steps to Ramp Up COVID Fight – Watch LIVE
New U.S. President Joe Biden is moving aggressively Thursday to ramp up the national government’s fight to curb the coronavirus pandemic by signing 10 orders to increase production of vaccines and medical equipment, while attempting to safely reopen schools and businesses. Biden is moving to markedly increase coronavirus testing and, at the same time, trying to open 100 federally supported community vaccination centers around the country within the next month. Sixteen million Americans have been inoculated so far, fewer than the 20 million health officials in the administration of former President Donald Trump had promised to have vaccinated by the end of December. Watch: President Biden makes a statement about COVID-19 efforts The White House said Biden’s orders, buttressed by his request to Congress for $1.9 trillion in new coronavirus relief aid, “will help keep workers safe and healthy, get more Americans back to work, and ultimately reduce the spread of the virus.” The pandemic has already killed more than 406,000 Americans and infected 24.4 million, with both figures higher than in any other country, according to Johns Hopkins University. “We need to ask average Americans to do their part,” said Jeff Zients, the White House official directing the national coronavirus response. “Defeating the virus requires a coordinated nationwide effort.” Biden officials say a lack of cooperation from the Trump administration during the transition hindered their ability to understand their predecessors’ plans for vaccine distribution. However outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar defended his agency’s work on the transition earlier this month, saying it had held more than 300 meetings with President-Elect Biden’s transition team since late November. State governments, meanwhile, have complained they are not getting enough doses even as the national government has expanded the categories of people eligible for the shots. “We are entering what may well be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus,” Biden said in his inauguration address, before pausing for a moment of silence in memory of those who have died from COVID-19. FILE – This undated file photo provided by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows CDC’s laboratory test kit for the new coronavirus.CDC Initiative
The White House said that starting next month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will launch a federal program to make vaccines available to local pharmacies. Currently, most shots have been administered at local government centers or given to the elderly at nursing homes. The Biden effort to have the national government take greater command of the fight against the virus marks a distinct change from Trump’s decision to cede control to governors in the country’s 50 states. That led to widely varying decisions on school and business closings and restrictions and whether to require people to wear face masks. The White House said Biden would order the U.S. Education and Health and Human Services departments to “provide guidance on safe reopening and operating for schools, childcare providers, and institutions of higher education.” It said “science will be paramount” in decision-making and that federal agencies will collect data about the closing and reopening of schools so that officials can better understand the impact on families with low-incomes, students of color, English-language learners, students with disabilities and others. FILE – United Airlines agent helps a customer check-in for his flight at O’Hare International Airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Chicago, Illinois.Mask mandates for travelers
To protect travelers, Biden plans to require mask-wearing in airports, on certain types of public transportation, including many trains, airplanes, maritime vessels, and intercity buses. On Wednesday, after assuming power, he also ordered mandatory face mask wearing on U.S. government property. Under one of the Thursday orders, international travelers headed to the U.S. will be required to produce proof of a negative COVID-19 test and to comply with U.S. regulations on self-isolation and self-quarantine upon arrival. Biden’s new orders, on his first full day in office, come after he told the World Health Organization hours after his inauguration that he would reverse Trump’s withdrawal from the agency. “America’s withdrawal from the world stage and retreat from the World Health Organization has impeded progress on the global COVID-19 response and left the United States and the world more vulnerable to future pandemics,” the White House said.
…
Stakes High as Kremlin Critic Navalny Returns to Russia
The arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has triggered international outrage and growing calls for his release. Navalny was detained Sunday upon his return to Russia nearly five months after he was nearly poisoned to death by a military-grade nerve agent. Charles Maynes reports the opposition figure has gone from fighting for his life to fighting for his freedom.Videographer: Ricardo Marquina, Producer Henry Hernandez
…
Burkina Faso’s National Reconciliation No Easy Path
Burkina Faso’s reelected President Roch Kabore has appointed a minister for national reconciliation as part of a vow to end the country’s ethnic and political conflicts that are fueling terrorism. However, resolving deep-rooted tensions over land and power between the ruling ethnic Mossi and the ethnic Fulani, who are often labeled as terrorists, will not be easy. The Fulani are semi-nomadic herders living across Africa’s Sahel region — including Burkina Faso’s north, where Islamist terrorists gained a foothold in the last decade. Daouda Dialo heads the Burkinabe rights group Collective Against Impunity and the Stigmatization of Communities. He says the country is in a situation today where some people think they are more Burkinabe than others. Dialo adds they go about killing their neighbors with impunity. The U.S. State Department last year issued a report implicating the government in abuses, including extrajudicial killings and violence against ethnic minorities. FILE – A Fulani herder watches his cows near Ouangolodougou, northern Ivory Coast close to the Burkina Faso and Mali borders, June 24, 2020.Due to recruiting among the disgruntled, rights groups say the Fulani are often labeled as terrorists and subject to abuse or even execution. In September, three Fulani teenagers say a government trained militia targeted them while they were on their way to school. One 16-year-old, who for security reasons does not wish to use his name, says the armed men stopped their school bus. He says only Fulanis were told to get off the bus. They were whipped with a motorcycle brake cable, he says, and questioned about fellow Fulanis, who the militia said were killing people. He says the men accused them of reporting information to terrorists about planned military assaults. The teenager showed a reporter a 25-centimeter scar across his back that he says was from the beating. Requests for comment from Burkina Faso’s military police on the allegations of abuse went unanswered. Rights groups say the discrimination helps terrorists recruit more fighters, even though the Fulani are suffering the brunt of Islamist attacks. FILE – Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kabore addresses supporters during a celebration at his party’s headquarters in Ouagadougou, Nov. 26, 2020.Burkina Faso’s President Roch Kabore, at his December inauguration for a second term, vowed to focus on national reconciliation. He says over the past five years, Burkina Faso has been the target of armed terrorist groups whose actions have undermined development efforts, social cohesion and the lives of citizens. But half of Burkina Faso’s population come from its largest ethnic group, the Mossi — farmers who for centuries have held most of the land wealth and, therefore, political power. Kabore is Mossi, as are 18 out of his 25 newly appointed Cabinet ministers, while only three are Fulani. Kobore appointed the country’s first minister for national reconciliation, Zephirin Diabre, this month. FILE – Burkina Faso presidential candidate from the UPC party Zephirin Diabre, center, casts his ballot during elections in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Nov. 29, 2015.Diabre, who is an ethnic Bissa and came third in November’s presidential race, admits access to land wealth is a growing problem. “The issue of land is now becoming a sort of bomb. In many parts of the country, communities are facing others and fighting for it,” he said.Diabre says ethnic discrimination is also fueling the tensions. “If, for instance, in an area, it happens that those who are terrorists, most of them speak Fulani, there’s a tendency for people to say it’s the Fulani who are the issue. We need to educate them.” Kabore’s ruling People’s Movement for Progress party is expected to introduce a roadmap to reconciliation at the end of this month.
…
Romania Activist Urges People to Do Something Good Every Day
A gentle hero to many in Romania, Valeriu Nicolae says that, at heart, he is more like former NBA star Michael Jordan — highly competitive and eager to improve in what he does best. In Nicolae’s case that is helping others.The Romanian rights activist has earned praise for his tireless campaign to improve the lives of the Balkan country’s poorest and least privileged residents, particularly children.This is a daunting task in the country of 19 million where hundreds of thousands of children lack basics and are unable to attend school. Romania is a member of the European Union but bad management and widespread corruption have stalled economic and social progress.Nicolae told The Associated Press that for society to change, individuals should, too. He also thinks it should become mandatory for politicians to help someone before they take public office.Valeriu Nicolae carries a box containing basic food, hygiene and medicinal products in Nucsoara, Romania, Jan. 9, 2021.”It should be the basics: do good things for others!” he said. “Even a tiny bit of good for someone around you, and no bad at all.”Since starting in 2007, Nicolae’s humanitarian organization Casa Buna, or Good House, has taken upon itself to support and supervise 315 children. The group provides aid and backing for the children and their families, including clothes, computers or books — but on condition they do not drop out of school.Nicolae is a strong advocate of education to keep children off the streets and prevent them from straying later in life into alcohol or drugs. His work has gained further importance during the coronavirus pandemic that has increased social isolation and made life even harder for the poorest around the world.On a frosty and snowy day this month, Nicolae’s team visited villages at the foot of the Carpathian mountains, some 200 kilometers (120 miles) northwest of Bucharest, to deliver aid such as flour, sugar or hygiene products to people enduring the cold winter weather.Many holding children, the residents of Nucsoara came out of their homes to greet Nicolae. Most of the houses in the village are unfinished, and families live cramped in small rooms. Among the necessities Nicolae brought along were toothbrushes, and he showed some of the children how to use them properly.”There is nothing better than seeing you’ve changed the life of a child for the better,” he said. “I don’t think there are many people more rewarded by what they do than me.”Himself coming from a poor background among Romania’s Roma, or Gypsy, community, Nicolae said he also was motivated by the help he received as a child which he said pushed him forward later in life. Throughout the Balkans, Roma minorities routinely face discrimination and remain among the poorest and most neglected communities.Painfully aware of the anti-Roma sentiments that are widespread in his country, but also of global racism, Nicolae was among the initiators of the Respect anti-racist campaign during the soccer 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He has won international awards in recognition for his children’s education bid.”I was successful in helping many children and adults. I am stubborn and don’t do things just for one day,” he said. “I also failed thousands of times but that has placed me in a position to succeed (the next time). I never failed in the same way twice.”A rare failure was Nicolae’s bid as an independent candidate in Romania’s December parliamentary election, when he fell just 17 votes short of a winning a seat after being denied a recount. Nicolae had hoped to press for education reforms to enable access to basic schooling, and also for better management of public money.”I want to be a better person, a little better every year if possible,” he said. Jokingly, he added: “I don’t want to be a saint, because saints tend to have a tragic end.”
…
Biden Administration Criticizes China Sanctions on Former Trump Officials
The Biden administration has criticized China’s decision to impose sanctions on Trump administration officials Wednesday just minutes after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was among the 28 people who China’s Foreign Ministry said “planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves, which have gravely interfered in China’s internal affairs, undermined China’s interests, offended the Chinese people and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations.”Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying denounced Pompeo as a “clown” Thursday during a briefing with reporters Thursday in Beijing. US Allies Welcome Biden Plan to Confront China Collectively Members of Inter-Parliamentary Alliance say a “community of democracies” can boost economic leverage and counter Beijing’s “bullying” China also placed sanctions on former president Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien, and O’Brien’s predecessor, John Bolton.The ministry said the sanctioned individuals and their immediate family members “are prohibited from entering the mainland of China, Hong Kong and Macao.” It also said they and entities associated with them are banned from conducting business with China.Emily Horne, spokeswoman for President Biden’s National Security Council, criticized the sanctions as an “unproductive and cynical move” in a statement issued to Reuters. Horne said Biden “looks forward to working with leaders in both parties to position America to out-compete China.”Chinese-U.S. relations deteriorated sharply after Trump enacted tariffs against Chinese products sold in the U.S. shortly after entering the White House.
…
Biden Administration Criticizes Chinese Sanctions on Former Trump Officials
The Biden administration has criticized China’s decision to impose sanctions on Trump administration officials Wednesday just minutes after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was among the 28 people who China’s Foreign Ministry said “planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves, which have gravely interfered in China’s internal affairs, undermined China’s interests, offended the Chinese people and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations.”Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying denounced Pompeo as a “clown” Thursday during a briefing with reporters Thursday in Beijing. US Allies Welcome Biden Plan to Confront China Collectively Members of Inter-Parliamentary Alliance say a “community of democracies” can boost economic leverage and counter Beijing’s “bullying” China also placed sanctions on former president Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien, and O’Brien’s predecessor, John Bolton.The ministry said the sanctioned individuals and their immediate family members “are prohibited from entering the mainland of China, Hong Kong and Macao.” It also said they and entities associated with them are banned from conducting business with China.Emily Horne, spokeswoman for President Biden’s National Security Council, criticized the sanctions as an “unproductive and cynical move” in a statement issued to Reuters. Horne said Biden “looks forward to working with leaders in both parties to position America to out-compete China.”Chinese-U.S. relations deteriorated sharply after Trump enacted tariffs against Chinese products sold in the U.S. shortly after entering the White House.
…
Merkel Sees Broader Scope for Agreement with Biden
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she sees more opportunity for agreement with new U.S. President Joe Biden than the previous administration, but she also continues to believe Germany and Europe cannot rely on U.S assistance as much as in the past.Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Merkel said just by looking at the executive orders Biden signed Wednesday after being sworn in, she can see “there is just a broader space for agreement with Biden.” European, Other World Leaders Welcome Joe BidenThere were words of welcome Wednesday from across the world for Joe Biden as he was sworn in as America’s 46th presidentShe cited Biden’s decision to remain in the World Health Organization, rejoining the Paris climate agreement and his views on migration as areas where the U.S. and Germany can work together. But she added she is fully aware she cannot expect full political agreement with a new U.S. president on everything. Merkel, who had, at best, a strained relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump, said she came to the realization during his term that Germany and Europe cannot rely so much on the United States diplomatically and militarily. She said Thursday she still feels that way. She added, “But the good news is: We in Germany are ready and so is the European Union. But overall, cooperation is once again based on common conviction.”
…
Thailand Charges Opposition Figure with Defaming King
Billionaire Thai pro-democracy champion Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit on Wednesday evening defended his questioning of a vaccine company owned by the king after he was hit Wednesday with a wave of charges for royal defamation.Earlier Wednesday, the government had filed multiple charges alleging that Thanathorn had breached the kingdom’s draconian royal defamation law by criticizing the country’s vaccine strategy in a Facebook Live video.The charges came as Thailand’s establishment tries to extinguish rampant criticism of the monarchy and the lèse-majesté law shielding it.The move is the latest in dozens of cases brought in recent weeks by the royalist establishment struggling to quash an anti-government movement that has roused unprecedented public criticism of the monarchy’s wealth and political influence with calls for the palace to be put under the constitution.Thanathorn’s latest legal troubles came after a court Tuesday jailed Anchan Preelert, a former civil servant, for more than 43 years for sharing audio clips seen as defamatory to the monarchy. The sentence is the longest recorded under the lèse-majesté law, which is aimed at shielding the monarchy from criticism, and is widely seen as a warning to the mainly young protesters who massed on Thailand’s streets for much of last year to end their brazen attacks on the monarchy.Thanathorn was banned from politics by Thai courts and his Future Foward party disbanded, less than a year after the party came from nowhere to garner 6 million votes — mainly among millennials — in a 2019 election.Under Wednesday’s 10 charges, which carry up to 15 years per conviction of “defaming, threatening or insulting” key royals, including King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Thanathorn could face more than a century in jail.In a rare move the charges were filed with police — the first step toward a formal charge — directly by the government after Thanathorn held a Facebook Live seminar on the potential for a conflict of interest in the award of a contract to develop a homegrown vaccine to Siam Bioscience, in which the immensely wealthy Vajiralongkorn is the only shareholder.In his Facebook Live session Monday, Thanathorn asked whether a royalist government headed by ex-army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha could be counted on to hold the company accountable in the event of problems with “unfair distribution, side effects, or other unexpected outcomes,” given who its shareholder is.The questioning of the monarchy in the potentially lucrative vaccine market brought a swift response from the government.“Thanathorn distorted facts and caused misunderstanding among people,” Suporn Atthawong, a minister in the prime minister’s office, told reporters on Wednesday after filing Section 112 charges with police.“He violated the monarchy, which upset Thai people who love and protect the monarchy,” he added.A day earlier Prayuth, an ex-army chief who led a 2014 coup endorsed by the palace, had warned legal charges were coming.“Everything he [Thanatorn] said was misinformation, no facts at all. I will have anyone who disseminates misinformation prosecuted,” he said.Thanathorn hit back late Wednesday.“The more you try to discredit me or harass me with charges, the more it make you look suspicious. Why does the state have to go these lengths to defend a private company?” he said in a Facebook post.In his latest Facebook post, Wednesday night, he said, “I was just being curious about how the government is handling the vaccine, but I got charged for it.”Warning for protesters seenExperts say the courts are getting tough on sentences for 112 — as the law is more commonly known — as a warning to the youth protesters, to seed fear and stub out flashmobs attacking the 112 law as well as the palace it protects.Authorities “are using lèse-majesté prosecutions as their last resort … in response to the youth-led democracy uprising that seeks to curb the king’s powers and keep him within the bounds of constitutional rule,” said Sunai Phasuk of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division.The legal noose is tightening around critics of the monarchy, by some estimates the world’s richest, as Thailand’s top institution reasserts its power after months of being put off balance by the protesters’ angry, satirical attacks — which include speeches, banners and online memes.Their rallies, which at their peak drew tens of thousands, were drifting toward violent confrontation with royalists before they were suspended while Thailand battles a resurgence of the COVID-19 virus.But protesters have turned to guerrilla tactics during the lull, hanging banners from exclusive shopping malls and daubing their discontent with the 112 law which is being pointed at them on walls.Attapon Buapat, a key protest leader, told VOA that the latest show of legal force by the state will not “deter” the movement.He also said it would not deter him personally, although he faces multiple Section 112 charges, adding, “We should not fear to fight for what we believe.”
…
Biden to Discuss Coronavirus Response Efforts
U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are putting a large focus of their first full day in office on the federal government’s response to the coronavirus.Biden is scheduled to speak Thursday about the administration’s plans and to sign executive orders and other actions related to combating COVID-19.Both Biden and Harris are then due to be briefed by their coronavirus team, including information about the current state of vaccination programs being carried out throughout the country.Biden set a goal of boosting vaccinations at the start of his term to amass 100 million doses given in the first 100 days.Vaccinations in the United States began in mid-December with a focus on frontline health care workers and those living in long-term care facilities. As of Wednesday morning, 16.5 million doses had been administered, according to data from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention. The two vaccines given emergency approval in the United States each require a two-shot regimen.Biden and his wife, Jill, along with Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are starting Thursday by participating in a virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service hosted by the Washington National Cathedral.Biden was sworn in Wednesday as the 46th U.S. president and called on Americans to unite in support of each other in what he called “a winter of peril and significant possibilities.”At 78, Biden became the country’s oldest leader after serving 36 years as a U.S. senator and eight as vice president. He took the presidential oath of office on the steps of the Capitol on a chilly, wind-swept day.Shortly before, Harris, a former senator from California, was sworn in as vice president, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the country’s history. She is of Black and Indian heritage.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 12 MB480p | 17 MB540p | 23 MB720p | 48 MB1080p | 92 MBOriginal | 104 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioIn his inaugural address, Biden promised to be the president of all Americans, not just those who voted for him in his November election victory over former President Donald Trump.Trump became the first president in 152 years to skip his successor’s inauguration and instead left Washington before the ceremony to head to his Florida mansion as his term ended.“To all those who did not support us, let me say this: Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart. If you still disagree, so be it. That’s democracy,” Biden said.But he said, “We must end this uncivil war” pitting Americans against each other.“We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbors,” he said. “We can treat each other with dignity and respect. We can join forces, stop the shouting, and lower the temperature.”He also pledged to be honest with the country as it faces a soaring number of coronavirus infections, a death toll that has topped 400,000 and a battered economy that has brought financial pain to millions of Americans.Biden promised “to defend the truth and defeat the lies.” He did not mention Trump in his address or the former president’s baseless contention that rampant fraud cost him another four-year term in the White House.“The will of the people has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded,” Biden said. “We’ve learned again that democracy is precious, and democracy is fragile. At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”“This is America’s day,” he said. “This is democracy’s day. A day in history and hope, of renewal and resolve.”Hours after his inauguration, Biden, who served eight years as vice president under former President Barack Obama, signed a number of executive orders and other presidential actions.Among them were reengaging with the World Health Organization, rejoining the Paris climate agreement, reversing Trump’s ban on entry to the United States from several primarily Muslim countries, launching a government effort to advance racial equity in the United States, boosting protections for people who entered the country illegally as minors and challenging Americans to do “their patriotic duty” by wearing masks to combat the spread of the coronavirus.Arriving at the Oval Office Wednesday afternoon, Biden said that Trump had left him a “very generous letter.” Biden refused to give more details, indicating that the letter was “private.”Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 10 MB480p | 15 MB540p | 20 MB720p | 47 MB1080p | 85 MBOriginal | 93 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioLater in the afternoon, press secretary Jen Psaki held the administration’s first press briefing, emphasizing that the administration respected a free press and was committed to being transparent.In response to a question on how Biden planned to restore the U.S. reputation globally, Psaki said “his priority is first rebuilding our partnerships and alliances around the world.”The morning’s swearing-in ceremonies were witnessed by three former presidents — Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton — and former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.Normally, U.S. presidential inaugurations draw thousands of well-wishers, but not this time. Access to the National Mall in front of the Capitol was sharply restricted both for security reasons and the fear that letting people jam together would add to the soaring number of coronavirus infections in the United States. Instead of people on the Mall, thousands of red, white and blue American flags whipped in the wind.The usual throng of Washington dignitaries witnessing a presidential inauguration was sharply limited in the seats behind Biden and Harris. Chairs for some of the invited guests were widely spaced in line with coronavirus restrictions recommended by health authorities, and those attending all wore face masks.The ceremony was conducted amid extraordinary security, with tall metal fencing topped by razor wire surrounding the inauguration site after intelligence reports warned that Trump supporters angered by the congressionally certified outcome of the ex-president’s defeat could attempt to disrupt the ceremony.But the day’s events at the Capitol were peaceful.The inauguration took place two weeks to the day after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol.A week ago, the House of Representatives impeached Trump for inciting insurrection by urging thousands of his supporters at a Jan. 6 rally to walk to the Capitol to confront lawmakers. Even though his term has ended, Trump is facing a Senate impeachment trial in the coming days.The Bidens and Harris and her husband began Wednesday attending a church service at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington. At Biden’s invitation, they were joined by a bipartisan group of congressional leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.By the time the service started, Trump had left the White House. Outgoing Vice President Mike Pence skipped the Trump sendoff but attended Biden’s inauguration with his wife Karen and exchanged pleasantries with Harris and Emhoff.After the inauguration ceremony, Biden and Harris headed to Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington, to take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Bush, Clinton and Obama also participated.Wednesday evening, which is typically filled with extravagant balls on Inauguration Day, instead featured a television special called Celebrating America with musical performances from John Legend, Katy Perry, the Foo Fighters and Justin Timberlake.Biden addressed the event as well, telling Americans, “I will give my all to you.”“This is a great nation,” he said. “We’re a good people. And to overcome the challenges in front of us requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy, unity. It requires us to come together in common love that defines us as Americans, opportunity, liberty, dignity and respect, and to unite against common foes, hate, violence, disease and hopelessness. America’s story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us, on we the people.”
…
Efforts to Rescue Trapped Workers in Chinese Mine Intensifies
Rescue crews in China are drilling new shafts to reach the 21 surviving miners who have now been trapped for 11 days after an explosion.Rescuers have been in contact with 11 of the workers who are trapped in a section of a gold mine on the outskirts of Yantai, a major gold-producing region in northeast Shandong province, and have managed to send down food, medicine and other supplies.Twenty-two miners were initially trapped in the Jan. 10 blast. Chinese state media said Wednesday that one of the miners has died of injuries sustained in the disaster.Chinese media reports rescue teams lost precious time as it took more than a day for the accident to be reported.
…
Zimbabwe Foreign Minister Dies of COVID-19
Zimbabwe is mourning the death of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo.The government said the country’s top diplomat died Wednesday after contracting COVID-19.Moyo gained international notoriety as an army general, becoming the spokesperson of the 2017 coup that ousted longtime President Robert Mugabe, who was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa.Moyo is the third cabinet minister to succumb to COVID-19 in the past six months.Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Ellen Gwaradzimba died last week, and Agriculture Minister Perrance Shiri died of the disease in July.The 61-year-old Moyo was reportedly getting weekly treatment for a kidney ailment at the time of his death.COVID-19 infections and deaths are on the rise in Zimbabwe, with more than 16,000 new infections and 505 deaths in the past month, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
…
Climate, Coronavirus, Border Wall Among Targets of Biden Orders
U.S. President Joe Biden signed a series of executive orders and other actions Wednesday aiming to address the coronavirus crisis and to reverse a number of policy changes enacted under former President Donald Trump.“There’s no time to start like today,” Biden told reporters at the signing event hours after he was inaugurated.Among the orders, Biden ended a travel ban on some Muslim-majority countries, called for federal agencies to prioritize racial equity, halted wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border, revoked approval for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, reversed a Trump order to exclude noncitizens from the U.S. census, and enhanced anti-discrimination protections based on gender identity or sexual orientation.Biden also signed letters declaring U.S. intent to join the Paris Climate Accord and retracting Trump’s declaration that the country would withdraw from the World Health Organization.Regarding the coronavirus, Biden extended a federal eviction moratorium, mandated wearing masks in federal buildings and created a new office to coordinate the national response to the virus that has killed more than 400,000 people in the United States.Administration aides said Biden would be taking dozens more actions in the next 10 days.
…
For US Troops, COVID-19 Vaccine Voluntary For Now
The U.S. military has so far kept its coronavirus numbers relatively low, thanks in part to strict discipline and the ability to easily enforce social distancing rules. However, as the Pentagon rolls out COVID-19 vaccines at its bases around the world, it is dealing with the challenge of how to convince service members to voluntarily take the vaccine.Pentagon leaders say they will not require their personnel to take the vaccine until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives its full approval of the drug. So far, the FDA has only given emergency authorization that allowed for the initial distribution of the vaccine. It could be up to two years before the full approval comes, military officials have told VOA.That provides an unusual obstacle for the U.S. military, which has been able to effectively combat the virus with more forceful tools not available to civilian authorities, including the ability to strictly control access to the base and what activities are allowed there, and to punish those who break the rules.“This [vaccine effort] is an interesting situation in that it is voluntary,” Col. Doug Lougee, the lead medical officer for U.S. Forces Korea, which began vaccines last month, told VOA.”Here in the military, especially the Army, we’re not used to telling people to volunteer or asking them to volunteer for things like this,” he said.Severe measuresSince the start of the pandemic, the U.S. military in South Korea has not been afraid to impose severe restrictions to “kill the virus,” the catchphrase often used by Gen. Robert Abrams, the top U.S. general in South Korea. U.S. bases in Korea have for months been in various stages of lockdown, depending on the severity of the pandemic in the rest of South Korea.The effort has mostly succeeded. According to a count by the Yonhap news agency, 636 people associated with U.S. forces in the country have tested positive for the virus, a relatively low number considering the tens of thousands of people affiliated with U.S. bases in South Korea. The vast majority of those infections have been of new arrivals from other countries, including the United States. They have been subject to an immediate 14-day quarantine.Overall, there have only been 15 deaths among the approximately 126,000 U.S. military personnel who have tested positive for the coronavirus worldwide, according to Pentagon statistics, although the toll increases to 210 if affiliated individuals, such as civilian personnel, contractors, and dependents are included. That is a much lower fatality rate than occurs among civilians.Overcoming vaccine fearsThe military began vaccinations for its personnel last month, although it has not said how many service members have received the shots. According to a COVID-19 vaccine tracker on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, the Defense Department has distributed 499,400 doses and administered 256,867 of them, although it’s not clear how many of those doses went to non-service members, including civilian employees and contractors.There was some initial skepticism at U.S. bases in South Korea about the vaccine, which was developed much more quickly than many expected, Col. Lee Peters, U.S. forces spokesperson said.“When we initially did our screening to get an idea of who wants and doesn’t want it, there was a pretty good number of people who said, hey I don’t want it,” Peters said.To allay those concerns, the military rolled out educational campaigns to combat disinformation about the vaccine. To set an example, senior leaders were among the first to get the shots. Since then, there have been very few people expressing concerns about the vaccine, Peters said.“I think we’re hitting about the right tone, with not ceding the battlefield to the conspiracy theorists, getting the information out there, but on the other hand not being overbearing or strong-arming people,” said Lougee.For security reasons, military officials in Korea would not say how many personnel have received the vaccine, although frontline health workers and people in other critical positions were first in line.Eventually, the vaccine will be available to all base-affiliated individuals, officials say. Based on past vaccine approval timelines, though, Peters said it could be 18 to 24 months before the FDA gives the full approval necessary to make the vaccine mandatory.Restrictions continueMeanwhile, U.S. bases will likely continue severe social distancing restrictions, especially during local flare-ups of the virus.In a reminder of the virus’s resiliency, military officials this month imposed a shelter-in-place order on two of the largest bases, following a cluster of infections.“We’ve got to really knock back the virus to really low levels before we can start considering stopping some of the other things,” said Lougee. “This [vaccine] is just another tool to keep it under control.”
…
Former Vice President Joe Biden Sworn in as America’s 46th President
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden became the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, taking the oath of office on the steps of a heavily locked-down U.S. Capitol just two weeks after pro-Trump protesters breached the seat of congressional power. As VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports, former president Donald Trump’s refusal to participate in the ceremony as well as restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus made it an inauguration unlike any other in American history.
Producers: Katherine Gypson and Jesse Oni
…
Biden Plans to Forgive Some Federal Student Loans
President Joe Biden plans to make sweeping changes for students who borrow loans from the federal government, which could result in major relief for many younger Americans.As of 2019, about one-third of Americans younger than 30 held student loan debt, according to the Pew Research Center. The average debt load was $29,200 in 2018, according to The Institute for College Access and Success. Those with student loans are more likely to report struggling financially, according to Pew.According to Federal Student Aid, an office of the Department of Education, the outstanding student loan debt is over $1.5 trillion, held by 42.9 million people. The government limits federal borrowing by undergrads to $31,000 for students who receive contributions from their parents, and $57,500 for students who are independent, according to the Brookings Institution.“Those who owe more than that almost always have borrowed for graduate school,” Brookings explained.It’s important to quantify student debt, Brookings said. Most undergrads finish college with little or modest debt. About 30% of undergrads leave school with no debt, and about 25% with less than $20,000, it reported.“Despite horror stories about college grads with six-figure debt loads, only 6% of borrowers owe more than $100,000 — and they owe about one-third of all the student debt,” Brookings wrote in January 2020.The Biden planUnder Biden’s plan, individuals making $25,000 or less per year would not have to make loan payments, and interest would not accrue on these loans.His plan does not say if the $25,000 income is based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a U.S. government application through which students apply for and receive federal loans. FAFSA loans are determined by the college attended and are calculated using the income of the student and their contributing parents. It is unclear if parents who claim and receive tax deductions for their dependents will lose that deduction.Biden’s plan does not address the Direct PLUS loan that allows parents to take out loans to help undergraduate students pay for higher education.As his website states, those who make over this cap will “pay 5% of their discretionary income (income minus taxes and essential spending like housing and food) over $25,00 toward their loans.” Individuals with both new or existing loans would automatically be enrolled in this income-based program.After 20 years, those “who have responsibly made payments through the program will be 100% forgiven,” the site said. It is not explained what “responsible” means in this instance.For public servants, Biden wants to create a program that “offers $10,000 of undergraduate or graduate student debt relief for every year of national or community service, up to five years,” according to his website. Those who work in schools, nonprofit settings and government will automatically be enrolled in this program.A November 2020 survey from the Data for Progress asked 1,087 likely voters about this plan. Out of those who identified as Democrats, 44% strongly supported the idea; 26% of Republicans strongly opposed.Included in Biden’s plan is fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program by passing the What You Can Do For Your Country Act of 2019, spearheaded by Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Kirsten Gillibrand, that would “ensure millions of teachers, social workers, members of the military, first responders, nurses, public defenders, and many other public service professionals will qualify for the loan forgiveness they have earned.”Biden will extend emergency relief implemented in March 2020 by former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos until October, that suspended loan payments, halted collections on defaulted loans and set interest rates to 0% for 60 days because of the pandemic.Biden has announced plans to tackle college affordability, as well. He plans to make university’s tuition-free for those whose families earn less than $125,000 a year. Biden also wants to double the federal Pell Grant, awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional financial need. The maximum amount for the award is $6,345 for the 2020-21 academic year and is not repaid.The president said he wants to take extra steps to crack down on private lenders, expand post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, and invest in institutions that serve students of color, like Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions.Other ideasOther Democrats have advocated for more extensive relief.Since September, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer have called for President Biden to — through executive order — forgive $50,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers under the Higher Education Act. The plan would make sure that there is no tax liability for the borrowers upon cancellation.“For tens of millions of borrowers, student loan debt has become an impossible burden,” Warren said in December. “I just want to give you all some numbers. Nearly 43 million Americans are buried under $1.5 trillion of federal student loan debt. Close to 9 million of those borrowers are in default.”At Columbia University, a private Ivy League school in New York, students have organized a tuition strike.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 11 MB480p | 15 MB540p | 21 MB720p | 43 MB1080p | 80 MBOriginal | 236 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioWillem Morris, an organizer with Columbia’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, said that students became inspired after watching other Ivy League institutions cut tuition. In July 2020, Princeton announced it would discount its tuition by 10%.“But students saw the concessions other schools are making and saw that Columbia again, was going to charge the same price for these Zoom classes in this economic crisis,” Morris told VOA. “And students have decided that they don’t want to accept this anymore.”More than 4,100 students have signed on to this tuition strike, according to Morris. Columbia had already waived late fees to those who do not pay their tuition on time, Morris explained.
…