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‘Doing a lot for India’ :Biden

US President Joe Biden

“We’re helping India significantly, Biden added…reports Arul Louis

President Joe Biden has said that the US was “doing a lot for India” by sending it oxygen and materials to make anti-COVID-19 vaccines.

He said on Tuesday that he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “what he needs most is, he needs the material and the parts to be able to have his machines that can make the vaccine work. We’re sending them that.

“We’re sending them a lot of the precursors,” he added, referring to the ingredients needed for making the vaccines.

He said the US was also sending oxygen, which is in short supply in the nation in the throes of a COVID-19 resurgence.

Oxygen cylinders

“We’re helping India significantly,” he said.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has acknowledged assistance last year from India when the US was facing its deep crisis while speaking of the aid the US is now sending it.

“India came to our assistance early on in our hour of need when we were having real struggles with COVID-19, providing millions and millions, for example, of protective masks. We remember that, and we’re determined to do everything we can to help now,” he told the Financial Express according to the interview transcript provided by the State Department.

Also read:Indian-Americans unite for Covid-hit India

He said, “What I’ve seen really is an amazing mobilisation not just of the United States government, but of our private sector, and of Indian Americans as well. I was on a call a week ago with virtually every leading CEO — it was a who’s who — all wanting to help. And the government, our government, is coordinating those efforts. So we are doing everything we can.”

Biden’s Spokesperson Jen Psaki, who gave a rundown of the assistance to India, said that the US government was sending ingredients for making 20 million doses AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine from supplies that it had ordered.

AstraZeneca vaccine

These were ingredients had been ordered on a priority basis by invoking the Defence Production Act to supply to companies under contract to make vaccines for it.

The US is unlikely to need the 300 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that it had contracted because it has adequate supplies of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

She said that the total value of the COVID-19 aid will exceed $100 million.

Also read:India, UK to ink £1 bn trade deal

Psaki said that six air shipments funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) with oxygen and oxygen supplies, N95 masks, rapid diagnostic tests, medicines and components requested by the Indian government have already been sent.

“At the request of the government of India, USAID provided these urgently needed supplies to the Indian Red Cross to ensure they reach those most in need as quickly as possible,” she said.

India - US Biden-Modi

India is in dire need of oxygen and USAID sent about 1,500 oxygen cylinders that will remain in India and can repeatedly be refilled locally, 550 concentrators to obtain oxygen from ambient air and a large-scale unit to support up to 20 patients, she said.

She said that 2.5 million N95 masks have been sent and an additional 12.5 million are available if the Indian government asked for them, she said.

One million rapid diagnostic tests and 20,000 treatment courses of the anti-viral dug Remdesivir have also been sent, she said.

Also read:Kinetic storm clouds gather over Indo-Pacific for Modi and Biden

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Biden cancels Trump’s border wall projects

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Nov. 17, 2018 shows the border fence that divides the U.S. and Mexico in San Diego, California, the United States. Officers of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have tightened preparations at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, California, for the arrival of massive caravans of Central American migrants. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong/IANS)

Former US President Donald Trump had diverted billions in defence and military construction funds toward building the wall. Now President Biden is using some funding to counter environmental damage from the wall’s construction, reports Asian Lite News.

US President Joe Biden is cancelling projects to build a wall along the southern border using diverted defence funds and will use some funding to counter environmental damage from the wall’s construction.

Then-President Donald Trump had diverted billions in defence and military construction funds toward building the wall, using emergency powers after Congress refused to fully fund the project directly, according to The Hill.

“Consistent with the President’s Proclamation terminating the redirection of funds for border wall, no more money will be diverted from other purposes to building a border wall,” a Biden administration official said on Friday (local time).

“Today, the Department of Defense will begin cancelling all wall projects using the diverted funds, and will take steps to return remaining unobligated military construction funds to their appropriated purpose as permitted by law.”

A Defense Department spokesperson said the funds would be returned to accounts designated for “schools for military children, overseas military construction projects in partner nations, and the National Guard and Reserve equipment account,” but added that the department was reviewing projects to determine priorities.

Also Read – Kamala pledges additional aid to tackle migrant crisis

Upon entering office, Biden canceled the state of emergency the former President had declared along the southern border and paused construction on the wall in order to conduct a review, though the 60 day period for the review’s completion has long passed.

Photo shows the border fence that divides the U.S. and Mexico in San Diego, California, the United States. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong/IANS)

Republicans in Congress have accused Biden of illegally halting congressionally approved funds, and the Government Accountability Office is preparing a report on whether the pause was legal under the Impoundment Control Act.

The Biden administration said on Friday it would use some of the USD 1.4 billion appropriated for constructing the wall towards repairing environmental damage from its construction, such as flood barriers in the Rio Grande Valley and soil erosion in San Diego.

Also Read – US to encounter 2mn migrants at southern border

Democrats, on the other hand, welcomed the move. “President Biden promised to not build one more foot of border wall under his watch, and I welcome this step by his Administration to begin repairing the damage caused by border wall construction,” said Representative Raul Girjalva who represents a border district in the US State of Arizona.

Biden
United States President Joe Biden

“The border wall has done nothing but militarize border communities, destroy precious environmental habitats, and desecrate Native American sacred sites. After such abuses of power, cancelling the contracts and repairing the environmental damage is the least we can do.”

According to The Hill, the issue of funding the wall, one the most symbolic policies of the Trump era, was a regular flashpoint between Democrats and Republicans over the past four years. Trump would regularly request north of USD 5 billion a year for the wall, much to the chagrin of Democrats.

In order to pass spending bills, which require 60 votes in the Senate, Democrats and Republicans typically compromised on a significantly lower figure, replete with caveats over what could be built or reinforced with the funds.

Former United States President Donald Trump (Source IANS)

In late 2018, however, Trump threatened to veto spending bills over lack of wall funding, leading to a 35-day government shutdown, the longest in the nation’s history, according to The Hill.

When it was over, he declared a state of emergency and announced he would redirect the defense funds and other sources of government money toward building the wall. Democrats and outside groups have challenged the diversion of military funds toward the wall in court with mixed success. (ANI)

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Suga to embark on visit to US

Suga is expected to hold talks with Biden at the White House on Friday, to become the first foreign leader to meet in person with Biden…reports Asian Lite News

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to depart for the US on Thursday for talks with President Joe Biden amid the Covid-19 pandemic and tension with China.

Suga is scheduled to hold a summit meeting with Biden at the White House on Friday, becoming the first foreign leader to meet in person with the new president, who was inaugurated in January, DPA news agency reported.

Suga wants the talks to be “productive”, he told reporters on Wednesday.

The two leaders want to show the strong ties of the Japan-US alliance and their commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, Tokyo said.

US President Joe Biden

Suga and Biden are expected to discuss climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, issues related to China and North Korea and cooperation toward a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the Japanese government said.

Tokyo has expressed concerns about a new Chinese law which allows Beijing’s coastguard to use weapons on foreign ships.

Chinese coastguard vessels were spotted near a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea every day in the past two months.

The Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands are also claimed by China and Taiwan, where they are known as Diaoyu and Tiaoyutai, respectively.

Also read:Blinken ,Japanese FM discuss free ‘Indo-Pacific’

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US revokes sanctions on International Criminal Court officials

The Trump-era executive order against certain persons of the International Criminal Court has been revoked, ending the threat and imposition of economic sanctions and visa restrictions in connection with the court, reports Asian Lite News

The US has lifted sanctions against senior officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which were imposed by the administration of former President Donald Trump.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Friday that President Joe Biden had revoked an executive order against certain persons of the ICC, ending the threat and imposition of economic sanctions and visa restrictions in connection with the court.

Also Read – Biden in Limbo as Taliban Flex Muscles

“As a result, the sanctions imposed by the previous administration against ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and Phakiso Mochochoko, the Head of the Jurisdiction, Complementarity and Cooperation Division of the Office of the Prosecutor, have been lifted,” he said.

The Department of State also terminated a separate 2019 policy on visa restrictions on certain ICC personnel, Blinkem added.

Former US President Donald Trump (IANS)

“These decisions reflect our assessment that the measures adopted were inappropriate and ineffective.”

Blinken, however, highlighted the disagreement between Washington and The Hague-based international tribunal.

“We continue to disagree strongly with the ICC’s actions relating to the Afghanistan and Palestinian situations. We maintain our longstanding objection to the Court’s efforts to assert jurisdiction over personnel of non-States Parties such as the United States and Israel,” he noted.

Also Read – Top court orders to resume Afghan war crimes probe

The US has not ratified the Rome Statute of the ICC and rejected the the Court’s jurisdiction over American persons.

The ICC in March 2020 authorised an investigation into possible war crimes in Afghanistan, including those that may have been committed by the American military and the CIA, which could lead to the indictment of US Army and intelligence personnel.

The ICC in March 2020 authorised an investigation into possible war crimes in Afghanistan, including those that may have been committed by the American military and the CIA.

In June 2020, Trump authorised economic sanctions against ICC officials engaged in an investigation into US personnel, which drew criticism from the international community and some American allies.

The ICC was established when the Rome Statute took effect in 2002.

It prosecutes crimes of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.

Also Read – ICJ: China Deserts Pakistan at World Court

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Fresh actions to curb anti-Asian violence

President Joe Biden (www.instagram.comwhitehouse)
President Joe Biden will “appoint a permanent Director to lead the Initiative in the coordination of policies across the federal government impacting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities”, reports Asian Lite News desk.

The White House has announced new actions including additional funding and a cross-agency initiative to curb the alarming rise in violence and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Today’s announcements are additional steps in the Biden Administration’s work to advance equity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities through a whole-of-government approach to racial justice,” the White House said.

According to a White House fact sheet, President Joe Biden will “appoint a permanent Director to lead the Initiative in the coordination of policies across the federal government impacting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.”

As part of the initiative, the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department reconvened its Hate Crimes Enforcement and Prevention Initiative with a focus on the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes in the country.

The FBI will also publish a new interactive page that documents hate crimes against the AAPI community and begin holding training events to educate agents on recognizing and reporting anti-Asian bias.

The Department of Health and Human Services is providing nearly $50 million from the American Rescue Plan to assist AAPI survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The Covid-19 Health Equity Task Force, founded in January, has also established a subcommittee on Structural Drivers of Health Inequity and Xenophobia, the White House said. This subcommittee will be specifically focused on combating the surge in anti-Asian bias during the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Endowment for the Humanities also launched a virtual library to expand resources and provide information on Asian-American history.

Rallies against anti-Asian racism

Last week, thousands of people gathered at Chinatown Square in Chicago to protest against increasing crimes targeting persons of Asian descent and the savage killing of eight people, including six Asian women, in Atlanta.

People holding banners reading “Zero tolerance for racism”, “Stop Asian Hate”, “I stand with Asian-Americans”, “We need justice”, “Racial discrimination must end”, flocked to Chinatown Square on Saturday afternoon.

Local officials and district police chief, including President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Toni Preckwinkle and Illinois State Representative Theresa Mah, joined them.

By organising the event, “we hope to be heard”, and to unite local residents under a common goal of building a safer and better Chinese community in cooperation with the local government and the police, Grace Chan, executive director of the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC), told Xinhua in an interview.

CBCAC co-hosted the protest with the Chinatown Security Foundation.

Also in last week, hundreds of New Yorkers from different races rallied against racism and violence on Asian-Americans, according to the ANSWER Coalition, a protest umbrella group consisting of anti-war and civil rights organisations.

The protesters rallied and marched on Saturday in Flushing, a major Asian community in Queens borough.

Also Read-Chicago sees massive rally against racism

A number of speakers shared their personal stories about racism and violence, while participants chanted slogans for much of the time.

The rally in New York was held simultaneously with those from over 60 cities in more than 25 states across the US, all aiming to stop anti-Asian violence and China-bashing, said the ANSWER Coalition.

The Asian-American community suffers the brunt of the hatred fomented as a weapon of war, it added.

New Yorkers have held more than 10 rallies since the shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, in which six Asians were killed.

Also Read-Hundreds march against anti-Asian racism in Auckland

Read More-Hundreds march against anti-Asian racism in Auckland

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Biden invites 40 world leaders to climate summit

US President Joe Biden at the Oval Office in White House, Washington D.C., (Picture: @POTUS/Twitter)

The climate summit will be a key milestone on the road to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow, reports Arul Louis

US President Joe Biden has invited 40 heads of state, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to join him for the World Leaders Summit on Climate to be hosted by his administration on April 22-23.

The other leaders including Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Lotay Tshering of Bhutan have also been invited to the virtual meeting to highlight the urgency of action to combat climate change, the White House said on Friday.

European leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson were invited.

Also Read – Biden, Harris set eyes on 2024 election

So were Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“The Leaders Summit on Climate will underscore the urgency, and the economic benefits, of stronger climate action. It will be a key milestone on the road to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow,” the White House said.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

The virtual summit will be live-streamed for people everywhere to watch the proceedings.

Biden has made fighting climate change a pillar of both his foreign and domestic policies and one of his first actions on taking office in January was to have the US rejoin the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

The summit is meant to position Biden, and the US, as the global leader in meeting the climate change challenge and boost his stature.

Also Read – Tough to meet May 1 Afghan troop exit deadline: Biden

“By the time of the summit, the US will announce an ambitious 2030 emissions target as its new Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement for limiting the damage from climate change, the White House said.

Biden has asked all US government agencies to come up with ways to cut greenhouse emissions and harness green energy.

He appointed former Secretary of State John Kerry to be his international emissary for climate change reflecting the high priority it has on his agenda.

John Kerry in Brussels to renew climate cooperation

He is reaching out to the leaders of China and Russia, who he has harshly criticised over their human rights record and their international rivalry with the US to work together on the climate agenda despite their differences.

Biden wants countries around the world to take steps to limit emissions to a level that would limit planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius “in order to stave off the worst impacts of climate change”, the White House said.

“The President urged leaders to use the Summit as an opportunity to outline how their countries also will contribute to stronger climate ambition.”

India will be under US pressure to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by being shown as the world’s third-highest emitter of greenhouse gases after Beijing and Washington.

However, that picture is misleading as on a per capita basis the US emissions were nearly nine times that of India.

John Kerry in Brussels to renew climate cooperation

An Indian emitted only 1.96 tonnes of greenhouse gases in a year, while an American was responsible for 16.56 tonnes.

For all the posturing and preaching, Biden or the climate change activists in the US are not going to bring down the US per capita emissions anywhere near the Indian level while demanding that India cut down its emissions overall.

India is already promoting green energy to eventually eliminate fossil fuel-generated electricity.

Read More – Biden promises 200mn jabs in 100 days

It is reportedly working on a goal of achieving a net-zero emissions by 2050. Net-zero emission is achieved by removing all greenhouse gases that are put out by various means ranging from aforestation to technologies to capture the emissions.

The Climate Summit will be Modi’s second multilateral virtual meeting with Biden.

Earlier this month, Biden and Modi were joined by Prime Minister Yoshihide Sugo of Japan and Scott Morrison of Australia at a summit of the Quad.

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Russia ‘prepared for worst’ over US ties

JERUSALEM, Jan. 23, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during the 5th World Holocaust Forum at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, on Jan. 23, 2020. Dozens of world leaders gathered on Thursday in Jerusalem to commemorate 75 years for the liberation of the Auschwitz camp and called on to combat the resurgence of modern-day anti-Semitism. (Yonatan Sindel/JINI via Xinhua/IANS)

After a break, it seems like the Washington-Moscow relations are deteriorating to its worst as both the leaders are trading jabs after the release of US intelligence report, reports Asian Lite News

The Kremlin said that it hoped for the best regarding relations between Russia and the US, yet it was also “prepared for the worst”.

President Vladimir Putin has already made it clear that Russia wished to maintain its relations with the US as this would be of advantage for the rest of the world, Xinhua news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Friday.

Nevertheless, “we cannot fail to take into account” US President Joe Biden’s words, Peskov added.

Also Read – Putin invites Biden to virtual talks

The Kremlin’s remarks came amid escalating Moscow-Washington tensions after a US intelligence report on Tuesday, accusing Russia of “denigrating” Biden’s candidacy during the elections to increase support for former President Donald Trump.

US President Joe Biden (Photo – @POTUS)

Peskov has stressed once again that those claims of Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2020 US elections were baseless and regretful, calling them just another pretext for additional sanctions.

On Thursday, Putin told local media that he would like to invite Biden to an online meeting to continue their discussions of bilateral ties.

Also Read – Russia warns West of retaliation

“I want to invite President Biden to continue our discussions, but on the condition that we do this actually live, as they say, online,” he said.

The discussions could be held soon, and the Kremlin is ready at any time convenient for the White House, Putin said, adding that he would give relevant instructions to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and then US President Donald Trump at the 2017 G20 Hamburg Summit

Earlier that day, Putin said that the US has to take into account Russia’s interests and Moscow is capable of protecting them.

He emphasised that Russia is prepared to work with the US in fields of mutual interest, but only on terms that are favourable for Moscow.

Also Read – EU sanctions Russian officials