It's becoming more difficult for Putin to fund war every single day: WH

 It is becoming more and more difficult for Russian President Vladimir Putin to fund his war in Ukraine, the White House said Tuesday adding that more tough sanctions are to be announced on Wednesday.

It is becoming more and more difficult for Russian President Vladimir Putin to fund his war in Ukraine, the White House said Tuesday adding that more tough sanctions are to be announced on Wednesday.

What we are doing and we’re already seeing effectively happen is the financial system in Russia is near the brink of collapse. I mean, they’re projecting 15 per cent inflation, a contraction of 15 percent in their economy. Private sector businesses are pulling out of the country. It is more and more difficult for President Putin to fund this war every single day. That has an impact, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.

But what we’re also doing is providing a historic amount of military and security assistance, which is what they’ve been using effectively over the last few weeks to fight this war and push back the Russians, she said. At the same time, Psaki reiterated that the United States is not calling for regime change. That has not been our policy and continues not to be our policy. But again, our view is that he is a war criminal and he is somebody who should be looked at by the international system which evaluates war crimes, she said….Russia Ukraine War

Here's why Russia might invade Ukraine and why US is involved in conflict

 Russia has amassed an estimated 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine over the past several months

U. S. President Joe Biden said on Jan. 19, 2022, that he thinks Russia will invade Ukraine, and cautioned Russian president Vladimir Putin that he “will regret having done it,” following months of building tension. Russia has amassed an estimated 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine over the past several months. In mid-January, Russia began moving troops into Belarus, a country bordering both Russia and Ukraine, in preparation for joint military exercises in February.

Putin has issued various security demands to the U. S. before he draws his military forces back. Putin’s list includes a ban on Ukraine from entering NATO, and agreement that NATO will remove troops and weapons across much of Eastern Europe. There’s precedent for taking the threat seriously: Putin already annexed the Crimea portion of Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine’s layered history offers a window into the complex nation it is today — and why it is continuously under threat. As an Eastern Europe expert, I highlight five key points to keep in mind.

Moderna Covid vaccine appears to work as well in older adults: Study

The latest data from an early Phase I study includes an analysis from 20 additional people detailing how the vaccine performed in older adults

International News: (Reuters) – Moderna Inc said on Wednesday its experimental COVID-19 vaccine induced immune responses in older adults similar to those in younger participants, offering hope that it will be effective in people considered to be at high risk for severe complications from the coronavirus.

The company is one of the leading contenders in the race to develop a vaccine against the virus that has killed more than 820,000 people worldwide. Its candidate, mRNA-1273, is already in late-stage human trials testing its ability to safely prevent infection. The latest data from an early Phase I study includes an analysis from 20 additional people detailing how the vaccine performed in older adults.

The analysis looked at subjects given the 100-microgram dose being tested in the much larger Phase III trial. Moderna said the immune responses in those aged between ages 56 and 70, above age 70 and those 18 to 55-years-old were similar. Health officials have been concerned about whether Corona vaccine candidates would work in older people, whose immune systems typically do not respond as strongly to vaccines.

Moderna shares, which have more than tripled in value this year, rose about 6% after the data’s release. The company has so far enrolled over 13,000 participants in its late-stage study. About 18% of the total participants are Black, Latino, Native American or Alaska Native, groups that have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, and are often under represented in clinical trials…

Donald Trump paid someone to take his SATs: Niece in scathing tell-all book

Mary L Trump, a psychologist, writes that playing to the lowest common denominator and sowing division are all that her uncle knows.

President Donald Trump's niece offers a scathing portrayal of her uncle in a new book, blaming a toxic family for raising a narcissistic, damaged man who poses an immediate danger to the public, according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press. Mary L. Trump, a psychologist, writes that Trump's reelection would be catastrophic and that lying, playing to the lowest common denominator, cheating, and sowing division are all he knows.

By the time this book is published, hundreds of thousands of American lives will have been sacrificed on the altar of Donald's hubris and willful ignorance. If he is afforded a second term, it would be the end of American Democracy," she writes in Too Much and Never Enough, How My Family Created The World's Most Dangerous Man.

Mary Trump is the daughter of Trump's elder brother, Fred Jr., who died after a struggle with alcoholism in 1981 at 42. The book is the second insider account in two months to paint a deeply unflattering portrait of the president, following the release of former national security adviser John Bolton's bestseller. In her book, Mary Trump, who is estranged from her uncle, makes several revelations, including alleging that the president paid a friend to take the SATs a standardized test widely used for college admissions in his place. ..

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Trump plans ‘tremendous’ rallies amid alarming rise in Covid-19 cases

Total US cases topped the two million mark Thursday, the death toll climbed beyond 114,000 and the Trump campaign is readying for “tremendous” public rallies

America is hurtling headlong into a fresh round of chaos as the White House’s election-year political calculus trumps a public health apocalypse with nearly half of the country’s 50 states reporting an alarming uptick in COVID19 cases after a spate of hurried re-openings.

Total US cases topped the two million mark Thursday, the death toll climbed beyond 114,000 and the Trump campaign is readying for “tremendous” public rallies in at least four states with rising cases: Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas. Thursday offered the clearest signal yet that the White House has abandoned its public health leadership role during a pandemic.

The Trump campaign is asking Americans not to hold the US president accountable for COVID19 infections during his first rally in months, coming up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Like Trump, his deputy Mike Pence is also going mask-less in the midst of crowds, drawing widespread criticism from the medical community.

Trump is eager to wade into his sweet spot of wild rallies with thousands of cheering supporters. It’s not hard to see why: His poll numbers have tanked to 41 per cent, eight in 10 Americans think the country is out of control according to a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll and he’s got consistently low marks for his handling of the pandemic and protests over the death of George Floyd, an African American man brutally killed by a white police officer last month..Read More

Anger over police killings shatters landscapes in dozens of US cities

People set fire to police cars, threw bottles at police officers and busted windows of storefronts, carrying away TVs and other items even as some protesters urged them to stop

Another night of unrest in every corner of the country left charred and shattered landscapes in dozens of US cities on Sunday as years of festering frustrations over the mistreatment of African-Americans at the hands of police boiled over in expressions of rage met with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Cars and businesses were torched, the words I can’t breathe were spray-painted all over buildings, a fire in a trash bin burned near the gates of the White House, and thousands marched peacefully through city streets to protest the death of George Floyd, a black man who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing.

His death is one of a litany of racial tragedies that have thrown the country into chaos amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions out of work and killed more than 100,000 people in the US, including disproportionate numbers of black people. “We’re sick of it. The cops are out of control,” protester Olga Hall said in Washington DC. “They’re wild. There have just been too many dead boys.”

US overtakes China with 82,000 Covid-19 cases; toll crosses 2,000 in Iran

It is, however, important to note that the US has been testing people at a much larger scale, when compared with other countries that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic

United States has now surpassed China in the number of Covid-19 cases around the world, with at least 82,404 people are known to have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, the Johns Hopkins University real-time Covid-19 tracker said on Thursday. It is, however, important to note that the US has been testing people at a much larger scale, when compared with other countries that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We now have 370,000 tests that have been done. The majority of those — over 220,000 in the last eight days, which, those of you who have been tracking the South Korea numbers, put us equivalent to what they did in eight weeks that we did in eight days,” Dr Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, told reporters on Thursday. Although the US has surpassed China’s 81,782 mark, the Covid-19-related death toll in the country is still lower than China, with 1,178 Americans having died as opposed to the 3,291 Chinese fatalities. At least 160 million Americans have been ordered to stay home as schools are closed, restaurants and bars have been closed in hope of the curtail spread of the lethal virus, The New York Times reported.

New York City is among the worst-hit cities as the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the city has reached 38,000 and 281 have died. On Wednesday, US Senate leaders and Trump Administration had reached an agreement regarding a $2 trillion package to rescue the economy from the coronavirus wrath, paving the way for swift passage of the legislation from both the chambers of Congress. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus-related deaths worldwide exceeded 20,000, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)

US overtakes China with 82,000 Covid-19 cases; toll crosses 2,000 in Iran

It is, however, important to note that the US has been testing people at a much larger scale, when compared with other countries that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic

United States has now surpassed China in the number of Covid-19 cases around the world, with at least 82,404 people are known to have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, the Johns Hopkins University real-time Covid-19 tracker said on Thursday. It is, however, important to note that the US has been testing people at a much larger scale, when compared with other countries that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We now have 370,000 tests that have been done. The majority of those — over 220,000 in the last eight days, which, those of you who have been tracking the South Korea numbers, put us equivalent to what they did in eight weeks that we did in eight days,” Dr Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, told reporters on Thursday. Although the US has surpassed China’s 81,782 mark, the Covid-19-related death toll in the country is still lower than China, with 1,178 Americans having died as opposed to the 3,291 Chinese fatalities. At least 160 million Americans have been ordered to stay home as schools are closed, restaurants and bars have been closed in hope of the curtail spread of the lethal virus, The New York Times reported.

New York City is among the worst-hit cities as the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the city has reached 38,000 and 281 have died. On Wednesday, US Senate leaders and Trump Administration had reached an agreement regarding a $2 trillion package to rescue the economy from the coronavirus wrath, paving the way for swift passage of the legislation from both the chambers of Congress. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus-related deaths worldwide exceeded 20,000, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)

Coronavirus impact: GDP likely to fall to a three-decade low, say analysts

Total loss in output is estimated to be around Rs 6 trillion based on estimated GDP at current prices for FY20

With the nation under a lockdown because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, analysts suggest that the impact on various Indian industries could cost the economy around 3 per cent of GDP. There has been around 40 per cent decline in economic activity after the lockdown, as only essential manufacturing (food & pharma) and services (grocery trade, health & public services) are functioning. This, analysts say, could shave-off 1.5 per cent from India’s projected economic growth in financial year 2020-21 (FY21).

India’s GDP growth at constant prices is now likely to be at a three-decade low of 3.5 per cent in FY21. In January, World Bank lowered India’s GDP growth to 5 per cent in FY21 from earlier estimates of 6 per cent. The calculation is based on industry or activity-based gross value added for FY20 as presented by Central Statistics Office (CSO). Total loss in output is estimated to be around Rs 6 trillion based on estimated GDP at current prices for FY20. According to CSO, India’s GDP was expected to grow at 7.5 per cent at current prices in FY20 to Rs 204 trillion. “The base case scenario is a minimum 30-35 per cent decline in economic activity with many estimates putting loss at around 50 per cent. Anyhow we are staring at a significant downgrade in GDP growth estimate for June 20 quarter (Q1FY21) and FY21,” says Devendra Pant head economist India Ratings.

For example, in the manufacturing sector, output is expected to decline by about 70 per cent as only food-processing, and drugs and pharma industries are allowed to operate while other segments, such as engineering and metals, have shut operations. Food, beverages and tobacco, however, only account for 10 per cent of manufacturing output. Machinery and equipment — which includes automobiles, consumer durables and capital goods — is the biggest component of manufacturing, and accounted for around 20 per cent of the sector in FY19, and 3.7 per cent share in overall GDP. Overall, manufacturing accounted for 16.1 per cent of country’s GDP in FY19…Read More

Coronavirus global death toll exceeds 7,400; cases now at 183,579 worldwide

Latest updates on coronavirus from around the globe in bullet points

WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

In December 2019, an outbreak of a coronavirus (officially known as – COVID-19) in China killed over 7,965 people across the globe and infected over 198,229. The virus has spread to 157 countries. In India, 137 confirmed cases have been reported so far. A 68-year-old woman from Delhi, 69-year-old man from Mumbai and a 76-year-old man from Karnataka has been confirmed dead in the country from the virus.

What is coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that are common among animals. In rare cases, they can be transmitted from animals to humans. The spikes protruding from the virus’s membrane look like the sun’s corona. It is from this that the virus gets the name ‘coronavirus’. It causes illnesses of the respiratory tract, ranging from the common cold to severe conditions like SARS. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

• White House seeks $850-bn stimulus
• Fed unveils emergency lending
• San Francisco shuts down
• 183,579 cases worldwide, over 7,400 dead
• 1st death reported in Pakistan; cases surge to 212
• 135 deaths in Iran, raising total to 988
• 2,000 new cases in Spain as infections top 11,000, says govt
• WHO confirms two positive cases among its staff
• T20 World Cup to go ahead as scheduled, says ICC
• Euro 2020 Soccer Tournament postponed by a year
• US, China accuse each other of coronavirus fear-mongering
• 80,881 confirmed cases in China, rest of the world at 94,000
• Pfizer, BioNTech to co-develop potential coronavirus vaccine
• UK govt says ‘reasonable’ estimate is that 55,000 could have COVID-19
• US stocks rebound: Dow Jones jumps 1,000 pts intra-day
• Alphabet’s Verily tests 20 people on first day
• China approves coronavirus vaccine for clinical trials
• Spanish football coach, 21, dies of coronavirus

US: Gunman kills 5 workers at Milwaukee brewery before taking own life

The assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex on Wednesday was identified as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound

An employee opened fire at one of the nation’s largest breweries in Milwaukee, killing five fellow workers before taking his own life, police said. The assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex on Wednesday was identified as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. “There were five individuals who went to work today, just like everybody goes to work, and they thought they were going to go to work, finish their day and return to their families. They didn’t and tragically they never will,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Authorities offered no immediate motive for the attack and did not release details about the shooter or how the shooting unfolded. None of the victims was identified. Police, who were still contacting relatives, said identities would not be released for at least 24 hours. No one was wounded beyond those who were killed, authorities said. Officers worked for hours to clear the more than 20 buildings in the complex where more than 1,000 people work. They announced at a late evening news conference that the work was done and all employees had been allowed to go home. Police Chief Alfonso Morales said authorities believe the shooter operated alone.

President Donald Trump addressed the shooting before speaking at the White House about his administration’s efforts to combat the coronavirus. “Our hearts break for them and their loved ones,” the president said. “We send our condolences. We’ll be with them, and it’s a terrible thing, a terrible thing.” The attack occurred at a sprawling complex that includes a mix of corporate offices and brewing facilities. The complex is widely known in the Milwaukee area as “Miller Valley,” a reference to the Miller Brewing Co. that is now part of Molson Coors…Read More

Boris Johnson defies Trump, grants Huawei limited role in UK’s 5G network

US congressional leaders widely criticized Britain’s decision, with powerful Senator Lindsey Graham saying it could “greatly complicate” drawing up a new agreement after Britain exits the EU on Jan 31

Prime Minister Boris Johnson granted Huawei a limited role in Britain’s 5G mobile network on Tuesday, frustrating a global attempt by the United States to exclude the Chinese telecoms giant from the West’s next-generation communications.

Defying Britain’s closest ally in favour of China on the eve of Brexit, Johnson ruled that “high-risk vendors” such as Huawei would be allowed into the non-sensitive parts of the 5G network. Whilst such high-risk companies’ involvement will be capped at 35%, they will be excluded from the sensitive core, where data is processed, and they will be banned from all critical networks and locations such as nuclear sites and military bases.

Such an explicit rejection of US concerns that Huawei could be used to steal Western secrets was welcomed by the Chinese firm, founded in 1987 by a former People’s Liberation Army engineer, but dismayed the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Johnson and Trump spoke by phone shortly after the decision was made public. “The Prime Minister underlined the importance of like-minded countries working together to diversify the market and break the dominance of a small number of companies,” the British government said in a statement. Speaking before the call, a Trump administration official said: “There is no safe option for untrusted vendors to control any part of a 5G network…

Trump’s suggestion to stop hurricanes: Dropping nuclear bombs on them

The White House declined to comment, but a senior administration official said Trump’s objective is not bad

President Donald Trump suggested dropping nuclear bombs on hurricanes before they made landfall in the United States, Axios reported Sunday. During a hurricane briefing, Trump asked if it were possible to disrupt hurricanes forming off the coast of Africa by dropping a nuclear bomb in the eye of the storm, Axios wrote. According to an anonymous source, meeting attendees left the briefing thinking, “What do we do with this?” Axios did not say when this conversation took place.

It is reportedly not the first time the president made such a suggestion. In 2017, Trump asked a senior official whether the administration should bomb hurricanes to prevent them making landfall. Axios said that in this conversation Trump did not specify that nuclear bombs be used.The White House declined to comment, but a senior administration official said Trump’s “objective is not bad,” Axios.

Also Read:  International News

Trump’s idea is not new, according to Axios. The suggestion was originally made by a government scientist in the 1950s, under President Dwight Eisenhower.The idea continues to pop up, even though scientists agree it would not work. The US is regularly pummelled by hurricanes.

In 2017 one named Harvey became the strongest hurricane to make landfall in 12 years. Since then, the East Coast has been hit with a string of catastrophic storms, which have killed thousands of people and cost hundreds of billions of dollars in damage….