President Biden’s first full day in office
A day after he was sworn in, President Biden rushed to set up his administration and dismantle some of the Trump administration’s most controversial policies.
Mr Biden released a national pandemic response plan that included 10 executive orders to increase capacity for coronavirus testing, wear masks on federal properties, and expand production of Covid-19 consumables. However, experts say that vaccine production facilities are already full or almost full and that production capacity will not increase significantly until April. Others fear that the president’s plan for 100 million shots in 100 days is far too modest.
Masked faces in a crowd: Our interactive graphic shows in more detail who attended Mr Biden’s inauguration.
Climate policy: Pete Buttigieg, Mr. Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Transportation, promised to make climate change a priority in policy-making. Here’s how he could do that.
Shocking scenes in overburdened British hospitals
The already overburdened UK National Health Service has taken increasingly desperate measures in the face of rising coronavirus hospitalizations, including urging the military to move patients and equipment, suspend urgent operations at organ transplant centers, and reduce patient oxygen levels by saving congested tubes.
Although vaccinations continue rapidly, deaths are increasing. The UK has suffered more per capita deaths from the coronavirus in the past week than any other country, hospitals continue to fill and for the second time in a year overwhelmed health workers struggle to keep patients alive.
Warning signs of a winter swarm had been evident, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson repeatedly avoided acting quickly, defying government scholars’ calls for a lockdown and other measures for weeks or months.
Quote: “It just didn’t have to be like that,” said a London ambulance. “The first time you could say that it was inevitable. It just feels completely avoidable, and it’s a lot harder to take. “
Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic.
In other developments:
Russia targets a US-funded news agency
The Russian government is threatening Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty with fines of several million dollars and possible criminal charges. The news organization’s editors fear that for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union they will be forced to shut down in the country.
Given the growing public discontent in Russia, generally available non-Kremlin content has become a problem for President Vladimir Putin. For example, the outlet has invested in reporting on the anti-government protests in neighboring Belarus.
Context: The escalation of the government’s pressure campaign against the news agency shows how Putin is stepping up his stance in his conflict with Washington just as President Biden takes office.
Details: According to RFE / RL, the Russian government has reported dozens of violations of new requirements in the past few weeks, according to which all content has been flagged as created by a “foreign agent”. The editors say this would detract from the outlet’s credibility.
If you have 12 minutes, it’s worth it
A million dollar question of the afterlife
Robert Thomas Bigelow, a Las Vegas outsider, real estate and aviation mogul with billionaire appeal, offers nearly $ 1 million in prizes for the best evidence of “survival of consciousness after permanent body death.”
In other words, did Hamlet have the right to call death the inescapable frontier, “the undiscovered land from whose homeland no traveler returns”? Or does consciousness survive physical death in some form – as the Dalai Lama called it, as we just “change our clothes”?
The following also happens
Brexi; Britain apparently refuses to grant the ambassador of the European Union the same diplomatic status as other ambassadors because it is an international federation and not a nation-state.
Iraq bomb attack: Two suicide bombers detonated explosive vests in a crowded market in central Baghdad Thursday morning, killing at least 32 people in the largest such attack in years.
Canadian politics: Julia Payette, who represented Queen Elizabeth II, who represented Canada’s governor general and official head of state, a high-profile but largely ceremonial role, resigned Thursday after a report sharply criticized her treatment of staff.
Australia detention: Dozens of refugees and asylum seekers have been detained in Melbourne hotels for more than a year, often spending only an hour a day outside their rooms. Many seemed shocked when they were finally released this week.
Snapshot: Police found more than 800 cannabis plants in a basement near the Bank of England after reports of a strong smell in London’s financial district, which is largely empty due to lockdown restrictions. Above is the once flourishing company.
Art Basel: The international art trade’s hopes for a return to normal were thrown back when the organizers of the flagship fair planned for June in Switzerland announced that it would be postponed to September.
What we read: Many in the UK have found this recent lockdown to be particularly damaging to their mental health. This thoughtful article by the New Statesman explores why and what can be done about it.
Now a break from the news
Cook: Harissa is added to this Bolognese and made in a frying pan from start to finish – including the pasta that cooks right in the sauce.
Clock: The final season of “Call My Agent!” is now available on Netflix. Expect observational wit, physical slapstick, and satire alongside fits of thoroughly Gallic farce.
To plan: Consider a more mindful approach to post-pandemic travel – perhaps a personal challenge to master, explore your heritage, or achieve a goal in life.
Protect yourself and keep yourself busy. At Home offers a comprehensive collection of ideas for what to read, cook, see, and do while staying at home.
And now for the background story about …
Biden’s tech-to-do list
President Biden inherits tricky technical questions, including how to curb powerful digital superstars, what to do with Chinese technology, and how to get more Americans online. Our OnTech newsletter offers an insight into the challenges and opportunities of technology policy.
Restrict technical forces: There have been investigations and lawsuits under the Trump administration into the power of Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and other technology companies. Tech giants can expect more of this under Mr. Biden and a Democrat-controlled Congress. The new government is expected to continue filing lawsuits against Google and Facebook.
