Biden on Ukraine| Feb. 25, 2022

 FEBRUARY 24, 2022

​President Biden Remarks on Russian Invasion of Ukraine
President Biden delivers remarks from the White House on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

President Biden Delivers Remarks on Russia’s Unprovoked and Unjustified Attack on Ukraine
Feb 25, 2022

​Biden announces new sanctions as Russia attacks Ukraine

Feb. 25 - President Biden issued a new round of economic sanctions Thursday meant to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for attacking Ukraine.

​"Putin is the aggressor," Biden said in remarks at the White House. "Putin chose this war and now he and his country will bear the consequences."

Biden said the U.S. will block four additional Russian banks, including the two largest — Sberbank and VTB — from having access to the U.S. financial system and limit Russia's ability to import Western technology. He said the actions will hamper Russia's ability to do business "in dollars, pounds, euros and yen."

"The U.S. stands up to bullies," Biden said. "We stand up to freedom."

Biden repeated that U.S. troops will not be deployed to Ukraine, but reiterated that he has sent "thousands of additional forces to Germany and Poland" to protect NATO's eastern flank. Biden said NATO will convene a summit on Friday and that "we'll be there to bring together the leaders of 30 allied nations and close partners to affirm our solidarity."     more

FEBRUARY 24, 2022
​House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff Remarks on Ukraine
House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) called for additional sanctions on Russia and aid to Ukraine while briefing reporters at the U.S. Capitol.

Rep. Adam Schiff: Ukraine ‘prepared, but really overmatched’
Feb 24, 2022

Lawmakers united in outrage over Putin’s ‘unprovoked’ invasion of Ukraine

Feb. 24 -Lawmakers were united on Thursday in condemning Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, urging President Joe Biden to immediately impose crippling economic penalties on Russia even as some Republicans accused him of being too timid in his earlier sanctions response.

Lawmakers heaped almost all the blame for the attack at the feet of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who in a televised address late Wednesday night declared he was taking military action to “demilitarize and de-Nazify” Ukraine, which is led by a Jewish president. Already, dozens of Ukrainian troops have been reported killed, according to initial news reports of the Russian military’s air, land and sea-based attacks on key sites and cities around Ukraine.

Speaking in Kentucky, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urged Biden to "ratchet the sanctions all the way up. Don't hold any back. Every single available tough sanction should be employed and should be employed now."

The GOP leader's comments come as a majority of Americans support tough sanctions on Moscow — and as a majority of Republicans, according to multiple polls, call Putin a strong leader...     more

Statement by National Economic Council Director Brian Deese on One Year of Action and Progress on America’s Supply Chains

​FEBRUARY 24, 2022•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

Even as we engage and respond forcefully to the crisis unfolding in Ukraine, we are focused on the crucial work of advancing economic progress at home. Today, we received news confirming the strength and resilience of the American economy: GDP increased 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2021 and the four-week average of weekly unemployment claims fell.  A year ago, President Biden signed  Executive Order 14017 on America’s Supply Chains, launching a historic year of action and progress to strengthen the resilience, security, and sustainability of America’s supply chains. These actions are contributing to a historic recovery in American manufacturing and industrial strength, helping to rebuild our supply chains here at home and make more here in America.

As the President has said: we have more work to do, to bring back manufacturing to the United States, to make things more affordable for consumers, and to strengthen the resilience of our supply chains. But we are making critical progress. The six industrial base reports released today are an important milestone, laying a strong foundation upon which we can rebuild America’s global leadership in technological development and manufacturing, and create new jobs and new businesses in communities across America.

To secure America’s supply chains and ensure the United States remains the most productive and innovative nation in the world, President Biden is urging Congress to pass a final version of comprehensive competitiveness legislation, building on USICA and the COMPETES Act.     source from The White House

FEBRUARY 24, 2022
​White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki briefs reporters and responds to questions on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other issues facing the Biden administration.

FEBRUARY 24, 2022
​NATO Secretary General on Russian Invasion of Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying it constituted “war in Europe of a scale and of a type that we thought belonged to history.” He also announced a virtual summit of NATO leaders and said more NATO troops were being moved into Eastern European member states to deter Russian aggression beyond Ukraine. 

Nato chief responds to Russian invasion of Ukraine: 'Peace on our continent has been shattered'
Feb 24, 2022
Nato has increased its troop presence on its eastern boundary in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has said.  'This is a deliberate, cold-blooded and long-planned invasion,’ Stoltenberg said. 'Russia's unjustified, unprovoked attack on Ukraine is putting countless innocent lives at risk with air and missile attacks.' He said Nato had activated its defence plans, allowing freer movement of troops, but would respond in a defensive rather than combative manner

NATO Allies condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the strongest possible terms
​
Feb. 24 - Today, the North Atlantic Council decided to activate NATO’s defence plans to protect Allied nations during this crisis. “We will continue to do whatever is necessary to shield the Alliance from aggression,” Mr Stoltenberg stated.
Today, NATO held an emergency meeting of the North Atlantic Council to respond to Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

Related Articles
›  Read the Secretary General’s full remarks
›  Read the statement by the North Atlantic Council

FEBRUARY 24, 2022
​British House of Commons Meeting on Russian Invasion of Ukraine
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and leaders of other British parties condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a meeting of the House of Commons.

UK Prime Minister Johnson and US President Biden on Russian invasion of Ukraine | DW News
​Feb. 24, 2022

Biden warns Putin that the U.S. will be 'involved' if he moves into NATO countries as Ukraine hands out 10,000 assault rifles to citizens: President still insists he won't send American forces into Kiev - but deploys 7,000 to Germany​

• President Joe Biden ordered more troops to Europe on Thursday as he promised to defend NATO territory
• The Pentagon said it was sending an armored brigade combat team of 7000 troops from the US to Germany
• In a White House speech Biden insisted US forces would not fight Russian troops in Ukraine 
• But he said things would change if Russia attacked a NATO ally, triggering the pact's mutual defense clause
•  'If he did move into NATO countries we will be involved,' he said. 'We will be involved.'
• Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities handed out weapons to resist Russian invasion      more details

Infrastructure Law | Great Lakes Restoration

 President Biden Remarks on Infrastructure in Ohio

​President Biden announced a $1 billion investment in the cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes, targeting what the Environmental Protection Agency has identified as “Areas of Concern.” The president made the announcement during a visit to Lorain, Ohio stating, “It’s going to allow the most significant restoration of the Great Lakes in the history of the Great Lakes.” The funding comes from the recently passed $1 trillion infrastructure law. 

President Biden delivers remarks on infrastructure and jobs during a visit to Ohio — 2/17/22
Streamed live 12 hours ago
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on how the bipartisan infrastructure law delivers by rebuilding the infrastructure and creating jobs for the American people.

Remarks by President Biden on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Great Lakes Restoration

FEBRUARY 17, 2022•SPEECHES AND REMARKS
​The Shipyards
Lorain, Ohio

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  They’re all for Marcy.  God love you, kiddo.  You’re the best.

Before I begin, I want to just point out I was having a –just sitting and talking for a second with the Director of HUD and a former congresswoman just on the other side of this district.  And she said something that reminded me of what I miss as well.  She said, “It’s so good to be home in Ohio.”  No, I really mean it.

And I said, “You’re probably the only one here that understands that every time I get a chance, I go home to Delaware.”  (Laughter.)  You think I’m joking.  I’m not.  I represented Delaware for 36 years as a United States senator...   more

​U.S. intelligence shows Russia’s military pullback was a ruse, officials say

​Feb. 17 - U.S. officials have obtained intelligence that Russia’s announced military pullback from Ukraine’s border was a deliberate ruse to mislead the United States and other world powers, four officials said Thursday, as President Biden offered a bleak warning that the Kremlin will launch an attack “in the next several days.”

The souring optimism that it would be possible to avoid conflict came just days after a flicker of hope, when Russian leaders signaled they would begin to draw down the more than 150,000 troops they have massed at Ukraine’s border. That announcement was accompanied by Kremlin-produced videos of what they claimed were tanks and other heavy equipment leaving border areas by rail car. U.S. officials now believe it was an effort to mask Russia’s true intentions in the region.

All four officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive intelligence.

Russian forces have continued to increase near Ukraine’s frontier, officials said, and shelling escalated in eastern Ukraine, adding to increasingly gloomy attitudes in Washington and European capitals that had hoped to forestall war. Russia is continuing military exercises in Belarus, in easy reach of Ukraine’s border, that intelligence officials fear could give the cover for an invasion. The exercises are due to end Sunday.

Biden told reporters at the White House that the threat of invasion remains “very high” and that Russia may be creating an excuse to do so.

“We have reason to believe that they are engaged in a false-flag operation to have an excuse to go in,” Biden said. “Every indication we have is they’re prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine.” He added that “my sense is it will happen in the next several days”...     more on WashingtonPost
​

FEBRUARY 17, 2022 | PART OF DEFENSE SECRETARY & NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE
​Defense Secretary Austin on Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Defense Secretary Austin addressed reports of a Russian drawdown at the Ukrainian border saying what’s happening is quite the contrary. He added in his military experience, one doesn’t take actions such as stocking up blood supplies and inching closer to the Ukrainian border for no reason. His comments came during a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The defense secretary is meeting with his counterparts from other NATO countries to discuss the Russia-Ukraine situation and other matters.

Ukraine crisis: US Defence Secretary says 'conflict can still be averted'
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says 'America will, if we must, defend every inch of NATO territory' and Russia isn't sending troops 'for no reason.' NATO has met in Brussels to discuss multiple diplomatic measures that can be taken to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine. Russia claims to be withdrawing troops from the border with Ukraine but NATO have said they have seen no such evidence.   Sky News on YouTube

Blinken presents to UN Security Council Washington’s theory on Russia attack on Ukraine

Feb 18 - Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday laid out in stark detail for the United Nations Security Council actions the U.S. believes Russia could take to manufacture a crisis and justify an invasion of Ukraine, The Hill reported.
Blinken delivered the last-minute speech as the U.S. warns that Moscow is on the precipice of launching a war.

“Russia plans to manufacture a pretext for its attack,” Blinken said, adding the pretext could be a violent event that Russia will blame on Ukraine or an “outrageous accusation that Russia will level against the Ukrainian government.”

The secretary said this could take the form of a “fabricated so-called terrorist bombing inside Russia, invented discovery of a mass grave, a staged drone strike against civilians, or a fake, even a real attack using chemical weapons.” 

The secretary further said Russian state-run media is amplifying warnings of a potential attack on Russians and that in the event of a “fabricated” crisis, the Russian government may “theatrically convene emergency meetings” and declare it necessary to “defend Russian citizens or ethnic Russians in Ukraine.”

He added that Moscow’s attack plans include that “Russian missiles and bombs will drop across Ukraine, communications will be jammed, cyberattacks will shut down key Ukrainian institutions” and a ground invasion will “advance on key targets that have already been identified and mapped out in detailed plans.”

These plans include targeting the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Blinken said, a city of 2.8 million people. He also said Russia “will target specific groups of Ukrainians.”

Blinken said he was sharing such a detailed assessment with the UN Security Council to deter Russia.     source from News.am

Click here for a Related Article

Japan offers Ukraine $100 million in loans in show of support

​Feb. 15 - Japan is ready to extend at least $100 million in emergency loans to Ukraine, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, the Japanese government said in a summary of their phone call.

The offer comes as Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border, raising fears of war and casting a shadow over the Ukrainian economy. Moscow denies planning to invade Ukraine, accusing the West of hysteria.

​Zelenskiy expressed his gratitude for the offer, according to the written summary of the two leaders' exchange.

Afterwards Kishida told reporters he had agreed with Zelenskiy to pursue diplomatic efforts tenaciously to ease tensions over the Russian military buildup.

He also said Japan planned to take appropriate steps, including possible sanctions, if Russia invades Ukraine, echoing what his foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said earlier on Tuesday.     source from Reuters

Lower Healthcare Costs & Ukraine tensions

 President Biden deliver remarks on efforts to lower health care costs — 2/10/22

Remarks by President Biden on the Biden-⁠Harris Administration’s Work to Lower Healthcare Costs

FEBRUARY 10, 2022•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
Germanna Community College
Culpeper, Virginia

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Mr. President.  (Laughter.)  I could have no more have done that when I was 12 years old than fly.  I used to be a stutterer.  I was scared to death I would stand up and ta-ta — ta-ta-talk — talk like that.  And I can’t tell you how much — how proud I am of you.  And your brother is equally as impressive as you are.  He’s standing there — he’s sitting there two seats over. 
Shannon and Joshua — and, by the way, Happy Birthday, man.  He’s going to be 13 years old — a teenager — in a couple days.  (Applause.)

I want you to know that lowering the cost of prescription drugs is one of the reasons why I’m here with Abigail, your congresswoman.  And that’s what I want to talk about with you today.  Lowering the cost of healthcare overall, as well.  Lowering the cost of prescription drugs is important.  And giving families like yours just a little bit more breathing room makes a gigantic difference.

Before I get into that, I want to say: It’s good to be here at Germanna school.  And, by the way, Abigail, if I wanted to know anything about community colleges in Virginia, I go to my wife.  (Laughter.)  She teaches full-time and has for the last nine years.  She’s in the classroom now at — at a community college in Northern Virginia — Northern Virginia Community College.
And she says — she says, “You know, the single best-kept secret in America is community colleges.”  And it really is.  They are so flexible.  They can do so much — so much.  And if I had more time — which I don’t — for all of you, I’d go into what we’re going to try to do to increase the flexibility and the funding of community colleges for people.
But it’s great to be here with Abigail — with Congresswoman Spanberger.

In every chapter of her career — in every chapter, she’s always been about one thing: service.  Service...     more

What the US is watching that could signal Russia is launching an invasion of Ukraine

Feb. 11 - ..."If you look at the lower-end options, all of which are executable immediately with little to no warning with the forces that are already deployed — things like a punitive strike or raid in the East, a breakout from the south, a raid from the north—those forces are already in position and in the right number with the right capability," a Western intelligence official told CNN...     quoted from CNN

---

FEBRUARY 10, 2022 | PART OF U.S. SENATE
U.S. Senate
Senators Sanders and Durbin on Russia and Ukraine
​Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said though Vladimir Putin is dishonest and corrupt, he has a legitimate interest in security in neighboring countries. He said Russia should not invade Ukraine, but he noted that under the Monroe Doctrine, the U.S. asserts the right to intervene in matters in countries in the Western Hemisphere and has overthrown governments in Latin American countries. He said the U.S. was on the brink of nuclear war in 1963 because the Soviet Union put nuclear weapons in Cuba, and Russia similarly does not want adversaries to have military equipment close to its borders. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) responded, saying he agreed with Senator Sanders' criticism of past U.S. military interventions. But he said if the U.S. recognizes a Russian sphere of influence, that would be a green-light for Russia to invade Ukraine. The senators then engaged in a debate about whether Russia has legitimate security interests in Ukraine. close 

President Biden visits the NYPD to address crime and gun violence | USA TODAY
Feb 4, 2022

00:32:27
I BELIEVE UKRAINE IS NOT A VICTIM OF -- HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION FOR A LONG TIME. THE LEADER YANUKOVICH I [BLEEP] WAS LIST DEPOSED IN UKRAINE WHEN THE DEMONSTRATIONS TOOK PLACE WAS CLEARLY THE SERVER AND VESSEL OF MOSCOW. IT WAS THE SOVIETS AND I CALL THEM SOVIETS, THE RUSSIANS WHO INVADED CRIMEA AND RECLAIM THEIR TERRITORY FOR THEIR OWN. AS THE RUSSIANS WHO SENT THE LITTLE GREEN MEN WITH NO EMBLEMS ON THEIR UNIFORMS TO INVADE EASTERN UKRAINE AND CONTINUED TO KILL IN THE SITE UKRAINIANS FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW. SO IT'S CLEAR TO ME UKRAINIAN HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. TO SUGGEST THE NOTION THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW WITHIN PUTIN'S SPHERE OF INFLUENCE IS TO RATIONALIZE HIS CONDUCT AND FORGIVE HIS CONDUCT AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO DO THAT. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD. HE DON'T PUT 110,000 RUSSIAN TROOPS ON THE BORDER AND PREPARE FOR WAR UNLESS YOU BELIEVE THE COMPRESSION THAT COUNTRY INTO SO SECEDING TO THEIR DEMANDS FOR UKRAINE IS NOT A MILITARY POWER. IT WON'T LAST VERY LONG IF THE RUSSIANS- DO INVADE. AT THIS MOMENT I THINK THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE UNITED STATES HAS MADE ITS OWN MISTAKES IN THE PAST AND THEREFORE WE SHOULD LOOK THE OTHER WAY AT WHAT PUTIN IS DOING ISN'T UNACCEPTABLE CONCLUSION. 

Ukraine tensions: Russia accused of sea blockade

​Feb. 11 - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the Sea of Azov was completely blocked and the Black Sea almost fully cut off by Russian forces.

​Russia has repeatedly denied any plans to invade Ukraine despite massing more than 100,000 troops at the border.

But it has just begun massive military drills with neighbouring Belarus.

Belarus is a close ally of Russia and has a long border with Ukraine.

called the drills - believed to be Russia's biggest deployment to Belarus since the Cold War - a "violent gesture". Ukraine says they amount to "psychological pressure"...     more on BBC
​
Related Articles
Is Russia preparing to invade Ukraine?
EU leaders attempt to dodge Putin's divide and rule
Ukraine: How big is Russia's military build-up?

PM warns Russia if they invade 'Ukraine will fight and there will be bloodshed'

Hajji Abdullah | Feb. 4, 2022

 

President Biden on Counterterrorism Operation in Syria
Feb 3, 2022

ISIS Loses Its Leader as Biden Navigates Global Crises

​Hajji Abdullah is the latest jihadi leader eliminated in a U.S. raid, but the President still faces challenges in Russia, China, and Iran, as well as the pandemic. 

Feb. 3 - The elusive leader of isis blew up himself, his wife, and their children during a risky predawn raid by helicopter-borne U.S. FeSpecial Operations Forces in northwest Syria on Thursday. The attack on the leader of what remains the world’s most dangerous terrorist movement, which was carried out after months of secret planning, led to the death of the third major jihadi leader in a confrontation with U.S. forces in the past decade or so. President Joe Biden said the operation that killed Hajji Abdullah, also known as Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi, was “testament to America’s reach and capability to take out terrorist threats no matter where they hide around the world.” President Barack Obama oversaw the operation that killed the Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at his hideaway in Pakistan, in 2011. President Donald Trump approved plans that led to the death of the isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria, in 2019. isis is estimated to have as many as twenty thousand jihadis in underground cells still proliferating across the globe, decades after the emergence of jihadism in the nineteen-seventies...     more

02/02/22: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki​
Feb 3, 2022

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jen Psaki

FEBRUARY 03, 2022•SPEECHES AND REMARKSAboard Air Force One
En Route New York, New York


     MS. PSAKI:  I know this is a short flight, so I thought I would just start.  And I know we’ve done a number of briefings, but just giving you all just a couple of key points on the President’s engagement in the operation that happened overnight last night. 
 
    The operation has been months in — was months in planning.  The President was first briefed on this operation in depth over a month ago by the actual operational commanders.  He was regularly updated by the national security team on the planning details of this operation, to include a briefing in the Oval Office on Monday. 
 
    Last night, the President monitored key aspects of the operation in real time in the White House Situation Room.  I think you all saw the photo that we released on that. 
 
    I also want to stress that the President directed the Department of Defense to take every precaution to minimize noncombatant casualties in the operation, hence how they proceeded with their — the operation. 

     Unfortunately, as we know and we saw, ISIS once again revealed its barbarity in a final act of cowardice, and displaying a never-ending — ended — disregard for innocent lives.  Hajji Abdullah detonated an explosive device shortly after U.S. forces arrived on site, killing himself, a woman, and three children...     more 

FEBRUARY 3, 2022
​President Biden Holds Gun Violence Strategies Meeting in New York
President Biden discussed gun crime and what his administration is doing to reduce gun violence during a visit to police headquarters in New York City. Six NYPD officers have been shot, two fatally, so far in 2022. President Biden was joined at the event by Attorney General Merrick Garland, New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Rep. Nadia Velazquez (D-NY).

President Biden visits the NYPD to address crime and gun violence | USA TODAY
Feb 4, 2022

Remarks by President Biden at a Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Meeting

​FEBRUARY 03, 2022•SPEECHES AND REMARKSOne Police Plaza
New York, New York


     THE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  Well, General Garland; Governor; Mr. Mayor; Representative Jeffers [sic] — Jeffries, excuse me; Representative Velázquez — they rode up on the flight with me — and other members of Congress that are here: Thank you. 

 
    And I just want to thank Mayor Adams and Commissioner Sewell and the law — all the law enforcements here today for — not having me, for what you do every single day.


It’s — and let me start by saying Detective Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera are the “who” and “what” law enforcement ought to be.  And the — Senator Gillibrand and I have talked about that on the way up as well.

 
    I’ve spoken to their families, and — and their loss for the city is also a loss for the nation.  You know, the future is cut short by a man with a stolen Glock with 40 rounds — a magazine with 40 rounds.  And it’s really a weapon of war. 


One of the things I was proudest of years ago, when I was in the Senate — I was able to get these weapons and the size of magazines outlawed.  That got changed.  It got overruled.  But I don’t see any rationale to why there should be such a weapon able to be purchased.  It doesn’t violate anybody’s Second Amendment rights to deny that...     more 

a​FEBRUARY 3, 2022

Speaker Pelosi Holds News Conference
​House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she favors sanctions on Russia if they were to invade Ukraine and not before. The speaker told reporters during her weekly briefing, “I think its really important for us to use the sanctions if the Russians strike. it is important because it’s where our leverage is at maximum if they do this, then we strike. It is where also most of our allies are on this. In response to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WVA, calling the so-called Build Back Better agenda "dead,” the speaker said: “I’m never giving up on BBB.”

Pelosi urges US Olympians not to anger ‘ruthless’ Chinese government

Feb. 3 - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday urged US athletes competing in the Beijing Winter Olympics to keep mum on China’s human rights abuses because the country’s government is “ruthless.”

Pelosi issued the warning during testimony at a Congressional-Executive Commission on China. She acknowledged the US has a moral obligation to condemn the rights violations – but insisted the Olympic games were not the proper venue for athletes to voice their concerns.
“
If we do not speak out against human rights violations in China, because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak out against human rights violations anywhere,” Pelosi said.

But addressing athletes, she added: “Do not risk incurring the anger of the Chinese government because they are ruthless.”

Pelosi slammed the International Olympic Committee – saying the group “turns a blind eye” to Beijing’s rights violations.
Rights groups have long criticized the IOC for awarding the Games to China, citing its treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups.

The US has deemed the treatment of the minority groups genocide. China has denied allegations of human rights abuses.    source from nypost

'China, US should cooperate to contain Taiwan'

Jan. 31 - WASHINGTON, D.C.: China and the United States should "work together to contain the separatist forces of Taiwan," Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang said.
The one-China principle is the most important foundation of China-US relations in the past decades, said Qin in an interview with US National Public Radio aired on Friday, adding that the United States has been walking away from this commitment "bit by bit."

Speaking of the recent escalation of tension in the situation across the Taiwan Strait, Qin said, "This is because the Taiwanese authority is trying to seek an independence agenda by borrowing support and encouragement from the United States and the US is playing Taiwan card."
  
"We have taken notice of President (Joe) Biden's words that the United States does not support Taiwan independence and the United States wants to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the United States will adhere to its one-China policy, but so far, we haven't seen many actions to honor his words," he said.       more

Related Articles:

• Steer China-US ties back to right track

• Taiwanese embrace distinct identity

White House and Justice Department commit to combating violent crime at local level

Feb. 3 - At a summit on public safety Thursday, President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland announced new efforts to fight violent crime at the local level. This is part of the administration’s comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to gun crime, announced in May 2021. Hours after Biden told every US Attorney’s Office in the country to direct funds toward fighting violent crime, Garland announced how the Department of Justice (DOJ) would help its local partners.

Garland spoke on the new federal actions to support this local work. Among these efforts is a national ghost gun enforcement initiative to train prosecutors on bringing charges for unregistered firearms that are assembled at home. The DOJ claims they are also “strengthening…firearms trafficking strike forces” to prevent violent criminals from obtaining firearms through illegal gun pipelines.

The DOJ’s mix of local and federal strategy is “designed to address violent crime from all angles:”

It includes targeted enforcement, data-driven approaches, and programming that reach every aspect of the problem, from the earliest prevention strategies and violence interruption approaches to post-conviction reentry services. The strategy recognizes that we are most successful when we work closely with state, local, Tribal, and territorial counterparts—and when we serve as a force multiplier for their frontline efforts, including with critical grant funding.

The Biden Administration and DOJ’s plan to keep direct actions primarily in the hands of local authorities, who allegedly have a better understanding of their communities, but seek to work cooperatively across local and federal lines. The summit was hosted by New York City mayor Eric Adams at a New York Gun Violence Strategic Partnership meeting, seen as a model of working across jurisdictions to remedy violent crime and gun trafficking.     Source from JURIST