Biden's Administration Seeks to Extend New START Treaty With Russia for Five Years, Report Says

Moscow, in turn, stated earlier that it is ready to work with the new US president on both extending the last remaining nuclear arms treaty and reviving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which Washington left under the Trump administration.

President Joe Biden wants to extend the New START treaty with Russia, which is two weeks away from expiring, the Washington Post reported citing two anonymous US officials. The Democrat team had long been in doubts about extending the treaty but recently made up its mind to seek an extension because the accord's expiry date is rapidly approaching, the source reportedly said.

"New START is manifestly in the national security interest of the United States and makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is adversarial", an anonymous US official told the newspaper.

At the same time, Biden is not reportedly planning to "reset" the relations with Kremlin as his former boss, President Barack Obama, did in 2009. The Washington Post sources say the new administration plans to "impose new costs" on Russia and "hold [it] accountable" over Moscow's alleged "reckless and aggressive actions" in recent years.

Earlier, Biden's nominee for the office of the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stated during his confirmation hearing at the Senate that extension of the New START treaty, which severely limits the two powers on the number of nuclear armaments they can deploy, is in the US national interests. He cited "tremendous access to data and inspections" as one of the key positive moments of keeping the accord alive.

This Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, file photo provided by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) shows the launch of the U.S. military's land-based Aegis missile defense testing system, that later intercepted an intermediate range ballistic missile, from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.

© AP Photo / Mark Wright//Missile Defense Agency

Blinken: Biden Administration to Engage With Russia ‘Very Quickly’ on Extending New START Treaty

The former administration of US President Donald Trump sought to negotiate a temporary extension to the treaty in 2020 for one year. The Republican and his team, however, sought to make a number of additions to the temporal extension, such as freezing all nuclear warheads production and including China into the treaty. Beijing turned down the offer. Moscow, despite being initially reluctant, agreed to the modifications of the US side. However, despite that, Washington itself backed down from the negotiations leaving the nuclear accord's fate to the incoming Biden administration, which would have little over two weeks to negotiate the extension.

https://sputniknews.com/us/202101211081840450-bidens-administration-seeks-to-extend-new-start-treaty-with-russia-for-five-years-report-says/

Biden Administration Pauses Federal Permitting for Oil, Gas

The Biden Department of Interior has paused oil and gas leasing and permitting on federal lands for 60 days as part of an effort to review the program’s policy ramifications, according to an agency memo obtained by Reuters.

The move comes after a newly-sworn-in Biden signed executive orders aimed at combating climate change, including placing the U.S. back into the Paris accord and pausing oil leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Additionally, Biden has canceled the highly lucrative Keystone XL pipeline and ordered agencies to review over 100 other environment directives by the Trump administration.

The 1,700-mile (2,735-kilometer) pipeline was planned to carry roughly 800,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to the Texas Gulf Coast, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

“The Permit is hereby revoked,” Biden’s executive order says. “Leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit in place would not be consistent with my Administration’s economic and climate imperatives.”

Keystone XL President Richard Prior said over 1,000 jobs, the majority unionized, will be eliminated in the coming weeks. “We will begin a safe and orderly shut-down of construction,” he said.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/01/21/biden-administration-pauses-federal-permitting-for-oil-gas/

WELCOME TO COMMUNISM - EMBRACE THE DICTATOR OR BE PURGED

I Forced a Bot to Read 1,000 Biden Inauguration Stories and Write One of Its Own

Using advanced algorithmic technology purchased (semi-legally) on the dark web, the Washington Free Beacon has created a bot capable of performing journalism at a professional level.

This week, we forced the bot to read and analyze every mainstream media report on President Joe Biden's inauguration and asked it to write its own Biden inauguration article based on that analysis. Enjoy!

Biden Ends America Civil War With Unity Message, Cures Racist Cancer With Historic Decency

Sublime fashion icon Kamala Harris achieves immortality in purple triumph; Democracy wins

WASHINGTON—America escaped from carnage wormhole on Wednesday, sodden with angst but exuding miraculous hope, to witness the swearing in of democracy itself, President Joe Biden, elderly friend of Kamala Harris, historic Black Asian Woman who slayed in purple ensemble fire emoji.

The large Bibles swooned under the oath of decency, heralding the dawn of righteousness. Steps away from the smoldering ruins of normalcy, ground zero in the racist invasion, our Biden gave the greatest healing speech of all time. "Unity," he declared, ending the war.

Disgraced strongman Donald Trump fled the capital under military escort, accompanied by his unlikable foreign spouse. The pouting despot, insurgent commander of internet trolls, spoke his final words to a pathetic crowd size. The popular gay anthem blared as Twitter mocked. Asylum granted by notorious criminal haven, Florida, the small orange man slouched away, a Tiger King dethroned.

Four years on life support, the Constitution turned the page on fascism. Meanwhile, an old Jewish man wore mittens, delightfully. America was great again. The result? Emotional perfection. The first Black Woman to assume historically irrelevant office. Not weeping would suggest unsavory principles. Michelle Obama!

Above all, an important milestone for journalism, and the reporters who risked their lives under assault in America. Throughout the day survivors gathered, longing for truth, and rejoiced in the cleansing glow of unprecedented fireworks. They would risk it all again, but why? The new guy briefs the press with facts. How boring.

Critical additions, such as wheelchair president, and legendary brothel connoisseur, adorned the oval walls. Biden used executive power to fix the mistakes on day one. Soon enough, the Democrats will stop the pandemic that was Trump's fault, unless Republicans object.

https://freebeacon.com/satire/biden-inauguration-bot/

TOP KEK

Biden Administration Tear-Gassed 'Peaceful Protesters' Just Hours After Inauguration

A Democratic Party headquarters was damaged, an American flag burned, and marchers filled the streets in Portland, Ore., on Wednesday, following Joe Biden’s inauguration. Antifa was reportedly behind the activities, known during the summer as “peaceful protests.”

The New York Times reported that “federal agents in camouflage — now working under the Biden administration — blanketed streets with tear gas and unleashed volleys of welt-inducing pepper balls as they confronted a crowd that gathered outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement building near downtown.”

Some in the group of about 150 people smashed windows and spray-painted anarchist symbols at the political party building. Police said eight arrests were made in the area. Some demonstrators carried a sign reading, “We don’t want Biden, we want revenge!” in response to “police murders” and “imperialist wars.” Others carried a banner declaring “We Are Ungovernable.”

There was a huge amount of outrage last summer after President Trump was accused of having “peaceful protesters” tear-gassed without provocation to clear the area so he could “get his photo op” at the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church, which had been burned in the riots the night before. The United States Park Police (USPP) denied this allegation and the claim that the D.C. protesters were peaceful was also completely false. Over the course of four days, protesters, armed with baseball bats, metal poles, and glass bottles for projectiles, vandalized property and injured 51 USPP officers.

So, where is the outrage over the Biden administration using actual tear gas (according to the New York Times) to break up “peaceful protesters”? They are peaceful, are they not? I mean, that’s what we were told about this behavior all summer. CNN and MSNBC, for example, specifically avoided calling the BLM riots “riots.”

MSNBC reporter Ali Velshi even called the riots “mostly peaceful” as he stood amongst rampant violence in front of a burning building.

Axios also claimed that “The protests that took place in 140 U.S. cities this spring were mostly peaceful, but the arson, vandalism and looting that did occur will result in at least $1 billion to $2 billion of paid insurance claims.”

By the media’s standards, Joe Biden tear-gassed peaceful protesters. Where’s the outrage?

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2021/01/21/biden-administration-tear-gassed-peaceful-protesters-just-hours-after-inauguration-n1400758

“Revenge is Inevitable” – Twitter Allows Private News Agency in Iran to Publish Death Threats Against Trump

Twitter allowed Tasnim News, a private news agency in Iran to publish death threats against Trump.

Tasnim News posted a photo of Trump golfing with a caption that read “Revenge is inevitable”

Trump was permanently banned from Twitter after being blamed for a pre-planned siege of the US Capitol.

Parler was also punished for the siege at the US Capitol and Big Tech worked together to deplatform Parler for supposedly hosting insurrectionists.

But a news agency operating in Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, is allowed to use Twitter to issue death threats to a former US president without being held accountable.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/revenge-inevitable-twitter-allows-private-news-agency-iran-publish-death-threats-trump/

PM refuses to rule out lockdown lasting to SUMMER amid claims he is willing to keep curbs longer to make sure it's the last national squeeze - despite UK cases slumping for 12th day in a row and rise in deaths easing

Boris Johnson has refused to rule out the brutal national lockdown lasting for many more months to come

The PM has pledged to offer vaccines to the 14million people in the four most vulnerable by mid-February

Claims are swirling that the premier is ready to extend the lockdown for longer to ensure it is the last one

Boris Johnson today refused to rule out the brutal lockdown lasting until the summer amid claims he is willing to keep curbs longer to ensure it is the last national squeeze.

The PM insisted it is 'too early to say' whether the restrictions will stay in place for months longer - despite cases falling by more than a fifth on last week and hopes rising that the most vulnerable groups will be vaccinated by mid-February, with a record 366,919 jabs administered in 24 hours.

Mr Johnson also delivered a stark message that the new coronavirus strain is 'much more contagious', repeating his plea for people to stay at home and obey the rules.

The intervention came as scientists delivered a grim warning that even mass vaccinations will not be enough to stop the disease spreading, suggesting that measures will need to remain longer.

There are claims from the PM's circle that he is ready to risk the wrath of Tory MPs - who are clamouring for confirmation of an easing starting March 8 - by persisting with the curbs.

The UK recorded another 37,892 infections today, but that was down more than a fifth on last Thursday.

There were another 1,290 deaths but that was up just 3.4 per cent on the same day last week, suggesting that the rate might be slowing.

In other major moves in the coronavirus crisis:

Home Secretary Priti Patel has threatened tougher enforcement as she announced new £800 fines for people who attend house parties, with the penalty doubling to a maximum of £6,400 for repeat offenders;

The UK has set a new record for daily doses of vaccines at 366,919, with 4,973,248 people now having received jabs;

Medics in Cumbria and the North East of England have handed out 10 times more Covid vaccines than those in Shropshire, NHS data reveals today;

Ministers could achieve the target for vaccinating the top four priority groups with far fewer than 13.9million doses as they are only committing to 'offer' the jabs;

Emergency services fought to protect a vaccine factory in Wrexham from dramatic flooding overnight;

Gavin Williamson faced the fury of parents after he said he can only 'hope' that schools will restart face-to-face lessons for millions of pupils before Easter;

An investigation has been launched into reports that some of the laptops handed out to vulnerable children for homeschooling are infected with malware;

Northern Ireland has extended its lockdown until March 5 with First Minister Arlene Foster warning the NHS is still under serious pressure.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9172621/Boris-Johnson-refuses-rule-lockdown-lasting-SUMMER.html