After Biden’s fiery speech, nine unscripted words reverberate
President Joe Biden’s high-stakes speech in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday was crafted with the intent of throwing the full weight of the United States behind its European allies, while framing the Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of a global “battle between democracy and autocracy.” And although the forceful denunciation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war resonated with some leaders, it was an unprompted ad-lib that captured the attention of foreign policy experts, members of Congress and NATO allies. “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” Biden declared, a comment that two White House officials said was not included in his prepared speech.
With eyes on Russia, US military prepares for an Arctic future
Although the United States has denounced Russia’s aggressive military expansion in the Arctic, the Pentagon has its own plans to increase its presence and capabilities, working to rebuild cold-weather skills neglected during two decades of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Air Force has transferred dozens of F-35 fighter jets to Alaska, announcing that the state will host “more advanced fighters than any other location in the world.” The Army last year released its first strategic plan for “Regaining Arctic Dominance.” The Navy, which this month conducted exercises above and below the sea ice inside the Arctic Circle, also has developed a plan for protecting U.S. interests in the region.
Colorado wildfire scorches nearly 190 acres and prompts evacuations
A fire near Boulder, Colorado, that had burned nearly 190 acres as of Sunday morning prompted authorities to evacuate 19,000 people over the weekend, officials said. About 1,600 people and nearly 700 homes remained in an evacuation zone Sunday. The wind-fueled wildfire, named the NCAR Fire because it started near the National Center for Atmospheric Research, was 21% contained, authorities said at a news conference Sunday. No damage or injuries were reported. More than 200 firefighters were in the air and on the ground trying to keep the fire away from neighborhoods. The cause of the wildfire, which began about 2 p.m. Saturday, was unclear.
White House emphasizes importance of indoor air quality
With the pandemic entering a new phase in the United States marked by fewer precautions and the rise of the even more transmissible omicron subvariant BA.2, the Biden administration has begun stressing the importance of mitigating the risk of indoor aerosol transmission, the primary driver of the pandemic. The Environmental Protection Agency recently issued expert guidance to building managers, contractors and business owners, with two pages of recommendations that codify the best practices on ventilation, air filtration and air disinfection from academic experts and federal agencies of the past two years. The agency said implementation could be underwritten with federal funds from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.
UN: 1,119 civilians have been killed in Ukraine war
More than 1,100 civilians have been killed since the war began in Ukraine, the United Nations High Commissioner for human rights said in a report Sunday. The 1,119 civilians confirmed dead include 99 children, according to the report. Another 1,790 civilians have been injured, including 126 children, the U.N. said. The report noted that the U.N. believes the actual figures of deaths and injuries are “considerably higher,” but that ongoing fighting has delayed receipt of some information and that other reports are still being confirmed. (For that reason the casualty toll does not include the besieged city of Mariupol.)
Blinken to press Mideast allies for support for Ukraine
When he joins a summit Sunday focused on Middle East unity, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will ask some of the region’s top diplomats to rally behind another cause: helping Ukraine repel Russia’s invasion. The hastily arranged summit in the Negev desert has been billed as a historic event, designed to showcase growing diplomatic and economic ties between some Arab states and Israel that Blinken on Sunday called “unthinkable just a few years ago.” But foremost on his mind was the modest support for Ukraine among countries in the region that also have ties with Russia.
By wire sources