[ad_1]
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
There’s what Vladimir Putin says, after which there’s what Vladimir Putin does. French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned Putin informed him he would not need to escalate tensions with Ukraine. On the identical time, six Russian warships have been making their method from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and Ukraine’s southern coast.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Moscow says the ships are for naval drills. Yoruk Isik is a marine advisor in Turkey who carefully watches the Bosporus strait, which fits by means of Istanbul. Yesterday, as the primary group of Russian ships have been passing by Turkey’s coast, he described to us what he was seeing.
YORUK ISIK: Three large Russian touchdown ships move again to again within the slender straits of the Bosporus into the Black Sea underneath the duvet of darkness. And these ships, each ship can carry possibly as much as 20 tanks.
MARTIN: With us on the road from Moscow is NPR’s Charles Maynes. Good morning, Charles.
CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE: Morning.
MARTIN: So these large warships come by means of the Turkish Straits into the Black Sea, close to Ukraine, and Russia says, uh, nothing to see right here. Is that it?
MAYNES: The Russian authorities says this was a preplanned train, a lot because it’s characterised – I ought to add – its mass drills in Belarus, the place 30,000 Russian troops at the moment are camped out to the north of Ukraine. We do not know the specifics in regards to the mission of this touchdown ships, however they’re in principle a part of this wider demonstration of Russian naval energy occurring this month actually in every single place – you already know, the Mediterranean, the North Sea, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and, in fact, the Black Sea close to Ukraine.
MARTIN: So I assumed French President Emmanuel Macron additionally mentioned he received some reassurances from Vladimir Putin about freezing army drills.
MAYNES: Yeah. Nicely, you already know, once more, the Kremlin says these naval workout routines have been preplanned. What Macron was saying following a marathon assembly on the Kremlin Monday is that he has this pledge from Putin to freeze future army drills, significantly round Ukraine. Macron additionally says Putin promised to carry Russian troops again from Belarus when workout routines there finish later this month. The issue is you fast-forward to Tuesday, and the Kremlin says, not so quick. Putin’s spokesman mentioned it was incorrect to speak about de-escalation over Ukraine and that even this Belarus pullback may occur finally, however no date was given.
Now, Putin acknowledged some proposals provided by Macron have been helpful and merited additional dialogue, however he did not say what they have been. Putin made very clear, nonetheless, his most important concern remains to be NATO’s japanese enlargement. He desires a proper ban on Ukraine’s membership, specifically, an thought the West has rejected. And Macron’s workaround has been to counsel new approaches to European safety that Moscow may discover extra engaging. Macron clearly believes a key factor to that’s discovering an finish to the struggle in east Ukraine, the place Kyiv has been preventing Russian-backed separatists within the Donbas for seven years now.
MARTIN: I imply, Ukrainians reside on this loopy pressure, you already know, not figuring out what Putin’s going to do, if an assault goes to come back. And there have been so many conferences, a lot diplomacy. I suppose we simply look ahead to extra of that?
MAYNES: Yeah, extra conferences (laughter). So the main focus actually is again now on the Minsk peace accords. That is the stalled diplomatic effort involving France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine, the so-called Normandy quartet, to finish the struggle within the Donbas, which may then in principle de-escalate the present tensions across the Ukrainian-Russian border. Each Zelenskyy and Putin say they help the peace accords, although with differing levels of enthusiasm. You already know, Putin likes this deal as a result of it promotes extra autonomy for the pro-Russian separatist territories. Zelenskyy is not loopy about it, however he acknowledges that no less than it holds Ukraine collectively. However there’s a variety of daylight between Kyiv and Moscow on the deal’s provisions. They usually get their subsequent shot to speak it over when the quartet gathers in Berlin tomorrow.
MARTIN: NPR’s Charles Maynes. Thanks.
MAYNES: Thanks.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MARTIN: For Mikaela Shiffrin, the Winter Olympics are off to a disappointing begin.
FADEL: The U.S. Alpine snowboarding star, winner of three Olympic medals, thought-about one of many biggest in her sport, began two races and did not make it by means of the primary run of both. As we speak on the Beijing Video games, Shiffrin skied off the slalom course simply seconds after she began. The short-turning slalom is her greatest occasion. She’s received extra slalom races than any World Cup skier, lady or man, in historical past.
MARTIN: NPR sports activities correspondent Tom Goldman is with us. Tom, I imply, that is so unhappy. Mikaela Shiffrin wished consideration from these video games and never this manner.
TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: She certain did not. Let me let you know first what occurred, Rachel. She was the seventh racer to start out the primary of two slalom runs, and simply 5 seconds in, her skis slipped on a flip. She could not recuperate. She skied off the course after which went over and sat down close to protecting netting on the facet, put her head down, and she or he was there for a lot of minutes whereas different racers skied by. It was sort of a painful picture. Speaking to reporters, she was each dissatisfied. She mentioned, it is a letdown of every thing – letting down myself, letting down different folks. And she or he sounded a bit defiant, too, saying, quote, “I did not end within the Olympics. Come on. That hurts. However in 24 hours, no one goes to care. Nicely, possibly it’ll take slightly longer,” finish quote. Now, she says she is going to attempt to reset and put together for 3 extra occasions, however she is aware of she missed the prospect to win one other medal in her two greatest races, slalom and large slalom.
I need to add one factor right here, a reminder. She wasn’t the one lady racing at present. And the tip of the ski helmet to Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova, most likely Shiffrin’s most important rival. They’re the identical age. And Vlhova has spent years ending behind Shiffrin. As we speak, she received a gold medal within the slalom.
MARTIN: So is Shiffrin saying why this occurred, why she had these two flameouts?
GOLDMAN: You already know, she’s explaining it in snowboarding phrases. With the slalom at present, she mentioned she wished to take a very aggressive line, which means extra straight down the hill, and that left little room for correction if there was a bobble. And there was, and she or he could not recuperate, and so she skied off the course. Larger causes, you already know, Rachel – right here we get into the attainable psychological side, one thing very acquainted after what occurred to gymnast Simone Biles on the Summer season Olympics final yr. Shiffrin, like Biles and different Olympic stars, has talked in regards to the strain for these Olympians who’re featured on journal covers and talked about as medal contenders. Curiously, she mentioned strain wasn’t the massive problem at present. There have been nerves, however she additionally mentioned, you already know, she had the sensation she all the time has – that good snowboarding can be there for her.
MARTIN: There’s some excellent news, although, at present on the medal entrance for Crew USA, proper?
GOLDMAN: There’s excellent news (laughter) – a primary gold medal for the U.S. from the game of snowboard cross. Now, during the last eight Winter Olympics, it is taken the U.S. on common 1.75 days – I did the maths, Rachel – to win a primary gold.
MARTIN: Yeah.
GOLDMAN: This time it took 5 days. And we have been questioning whether or not this was reflective of some troubling shift on the planet order.
(LAUGHTER)
GOLDMAN: And Lindsey Jacobellis restored order within the snowboard cross, the place 4 snowboarders go away the gate on the identical time, shoulder to shoulder – first one to the underside wins. So congrats to her successful her first gold in her fifth Olympics. And at 36, she’s the oldest American lady to win a Winter Olympics gold medal.
MARTIN: Ah, that is very cool. And all is nicely on the planet.
GOLDMAN: (Laughter).
MARTIN: NPR’s Tom Goldman in Beijing. Thanks, Tom.
GOLDMAN: You are welcome.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MARTIN: All proper. Is it time to start out absorbing some danger, begin dwelling with COVID-19 and take off our masks? Some states are saying sure.
FADEL: New York is anticipated to announce a change to its indoor masks mandate later at present. That is after a lot of different states this week mentioned they’re rolling again their mandates. One among them is California, which can drop its indoor masks mandate for vaccinated folks subsequent week. However LA County, in addition to different components of California, will hold their mandates in place, making a patchwork of COVID necessities all through the state.
MARTIN: To elucidate extra, we’re joined by Jackie Fortier, senior well being reporter at member station KPCC in Los Angeles. Hey, Jackie.
JACKIE FORTIER, BYLINE: Hey, Rachel.
MARTIN: Why is California’s masks mandate altering now?
FORTIER: Nicely, when omicron was cascading in early December, California well being officers determined to impose a one-month indoor masks mandate for everybody age 2 and up, no matter their vaccination standing. After which in January, when case counts exploded and hospitals have been once more slammed as, you already know, well being staff examined constructive, the masks mandate was prolonged for an additional month to attempt to stop extra folks from getting contaminated. So now that the omicron surge is quickly receding, state well being officers determined to let the masks mandate expire. So after February 15, in lots of components of the state, vaccinated Californians will now not be required to put on a masks if they do not need to.
MARTIN: Many components of the state – are you able to be extra particular?
FORTIER: Yeah. Actually, most of California you will not should, together with rural areas the place native officers did not impose masks mandates, in addition to, you already know, extra conservative locations like Orange County right here in Southern California. However, you already know, masks aren’t going away fully. All unvaccinated folks can be required to put on masks indoors and everybody in high-risk settings like nursing properties, hospitals and shelters. And to this point, there was no date set to elevate the statewide masks mandate in Ok-through-12 faculties.
MARTIN: However the masks mandates are going to remain in place altogether in some components of California – LA County for one, proper? What is the rationale there?
FORTIER: Proper. So counties and municipalities are allowed to have stricter guidelines than the state. And LA County well being officers say there’s simply too many individuals nonetheless getting contaminated. LA County Well being Director Barbara Ferrer mentioned important staff can pay the value for lifting the masks mandate too early.
BARBARA FERRER: The identical important staff who, from the start of the pandemic, have had essentially the most danger, the very best case charges and, sadly and tragically, excessive hospitalization and loss of life charges. So let’s not have that occur once more in our rush to kind of declare victory over the pandemic.
FORTIER: Underneath the brand new standards introduced final week, masks will come off in LA County as group transmission declines – first, outside at faculties after which, when transmission drops even decrease, indoors at places of work and eating places. In order that signifies that hundreds of followers attending the Tremendous Bowl in LA County on Sunday might want to masks up.
MARTIN: So, as Leila famous, this leaves a kind of patchwork – proper? – of masks mandates across the state. So you do not put on a masks the place you are from. Possibly you drive throughout the county line; you bought to place one on. What are the bigger implications of that?
FORTIER: Yeah, it is complicated for folks, particularly for these, such as you mentioned, who stay in a single county and work in one other. Lots of people stay in San Bernardino County as a result of it is cheaper after which work in LA County, the place they’d should put on a masks. After which, you already know, after they drive house, exit to eat in San Bernardino, they would not should put on a masks. Particular person companies can nonetheless require masks whenever you get it from the desk. However the county mandate actually supplies cowl for enterprise house owners who do need prospects to put on masks, you already know? It is simpler to say, hey, it is the well being division guidelines than to say it is our personal restaurant’s coverage.
MARTIN: Proper. Well being reporter Jackie Fortier from KPCC in Los Angeles. Thanks, Jackie. We admire it.
FORTIER: Thanks.
MARTIN: Earlier than we go, we need to let you already know about one other story we’re watching at present – a rift inside the Republican Social gathering. Senator Mitch McConnell is looking out the GOP for penalizing two Home Republicans for his or her roles in investigating the January 6 assault on the Capitol. Comply with NPR Information for extra on that story.
Copyright © 2022 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This textual content might not be in its ultimate kind and could also be up to date or revised sooner or later. Accuracy and availability could differ. The authoritative document of NPR’s programming is the audio document.
[ad_2]
Source link
