Putin’s bear hug was no anomaly, and though done for good strategic reasons, also reflects Russian public opinion. Even as relations between Moscow and Washington continue to sour, China is growing more popular than ever; a major public-opinion poll last year found that most ordinary Russians now think China has “a positive impact on the world” and that the United States has a negative one. And Russians are far from alone in these sentiments....
There is bipartisan recognition in Washington, D.C. that China is America’s next great strategic threat, and much of the coming administration’s foreign policy will have one eye on undermining Beijing and maintaining American hegemony. The Trump Administration has been hard on China, launching a wide-ranging trade war, confronting Beijing in territorial flashpoints, pushing back on human rights abuses, and taking on Chinese diplomatic, corporate, and technological influence in the U....
Spokesperson Zhao Lijian, who last month was criticized for blaming the U.S. Army for the pandemic, dismissed The Associated Press report as “unfair” at a briefing with reporters on Wednesday, according to Bloomberg. Zhao said he had not read the report, but argued that China informed the World Health Organization of the situation and acted in a “timely manner.” The AP report said that more than 3,000 people were infected with the coronavirus during the six days of silence, when millions of Chinese people were traveling around the country and abroad for Lunar New Year....
A Thursday editorial published by the People’s Daily newspaper—the official publication of the Chinese Communist Party—lamented the death toll and called on the Trump administration to re-evaluate its approach to the pandemic, which has infected almost 5.7 million people worldwide and killed 355,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. The COVID-19 coronavirus originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan before spreading worldwide. The pandemic has driven U.S.-China relations to their lowest point in living memory, with the Trump administration blaming Beijing for allowing the virus to spread....
In his most direct remarks on the subject yet, Abe had told a Taiwanese think tank earlier the same day that the Chinese leadership, including Xi Jinping himself, needed to exercise restraint. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Abe “babbled utter nonsense.” Invoking a Xi speech from July’s Chinese Communist Party centennial, Wang said: “No one should underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard their national sovereignty and territorial integrity....
Raja Casablanca of Morocco, however, failed to make their home advantage count as they were held by a plucky AS Vita Club of Congo DR in the other group game. Asec Mimosas 1-0 Aduana Stars Aduana Stars got their Caf Confederation Cup group stage campaign off to a disappointing start following a 1-0 away defeat to Ivorian giants Asec Mimosas on Sunday. Amed Toure scored the lone goal to leave the Ghanaians crestfallen in the Group A fixture at Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny....
NOT TIME YET “The time comes when you want it to finish,” 37-year-old Cahill told the Daily Telegraph ahead of Thursday night’s World Cup qualifier against Iraq. “It has to be a motivational thing – I play because I’m passionate and I love the game. “My passion outweighs anyone’s, in my opinion. I’m still running, chasing down defenders – not just going through the motions,” he said. “I feel like I’ve ticked some boxes but I also feel there’s a lot to fulfil....
Get odds on Chelsea-Burnley The centre-back skippered the side for much of last season, with John Terry restricted largely to a back-up role, and he has now been given the armband on a full-time basis. Cahill has enjoyed a highly successful spell at Stamford Bridge since signing from Bolton Wanderers in 2012 and Conte believes he has shown himself to be captain material. “I think that it’s right to continue with Cahill, if he plays, it’s right he’s the captain,” said Conte, as quoted by the Evening Standard....
After receiving a bronze medal at the Olympic trials in Oregon on Saturday and securing her place at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, Berry staged an impromptu protest as “The Star-Spangled Banner” started playing. Standing on a podium alongside winner DeAnna Price and silver medallist Brooke Andersen—who both had their hands on their hearts—Berry turned away from the flag to face the stands. And as the anthem came to an end, the athlete, 31, covered her head with a black T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Activist Athlete....
Jenner, an Olympian and reality television personality, is one of 46 candidates challenging Newsom in the upcoming September 14 recall election. Jenner is running as a Republican. Elder, a conservative radio host who launched his gubernatorial campaign last month, is also running as a Republican and has been identified in recent polls as the top Republican candidate in the field. “’[W]omen know less than men about political issues, economics and current events....
For the teams’ upcoming opener Friday in Australia, Cal had to ship its goalposts to Sydney to set them up at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium. MORE: How to watch Cal-Hawaii on TV Because Australia is mainly cricket and rugby country, there were no viable American football goalposts, so, Cal equipment manager Dan Matthiesen told the San Francisco Chronicle, the team had to break apart the posts and put them on a freight ship....
This article provides an overview of calculus bridges, including their causes, their impact on oral health, and their treatment and prevention. How Plaque Can Cause a Calculus Bridge Plaque is a bacteria-rich film that forms on the teeth, along the gumline and on such surfaces as fillings and dental crowns. This colorless or pale-yellow substance forms naturally throughout the day as bacteria digest carbohydrates and sugars from the foods and drinks you consume....
Thousands of people have been evacuated from the area as the fire has continued to grow. Approximately 204,390 acres have been burned by the Caldor Fire so far, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The department, also known as Cal Fire, reported Tuesday night that fire behavior had “increased dramatically” due to strong winds and low humidity. The high wind speeds prompted long-range fire spotting on the ridgetops of the Sierra Nevada mountains....
Although the medical staff said they respect the nurses’ right to strike, they stated it’s not in the patients’ best interest. “This stoppage in workforce comes at a very crucial time during our COVID surge,” said the memo, obtained by Becker’s Hospital Review on December 16. “We are at an all-time critical point, and as patient advocates, our patients and community are in serious need of our team together,” the memo continued....
Elite teams of wildland firefighters known as “hotshot” teams are growing sparse, and KNTV reported the starting pay for a hotshot team member is $13.45 an hour. Employed by the federal government, hotshot firefighters are best equipped to tackle large wildland fires on rough terrain, but firefighters are finding they can make more money on unemployment than they do while employed. It’s not an easy job either, as former hotshot firefighter Aaron Humphrey told KRCW that “these federal firefighters are sleeping in the dirt....
"Hopefully, that's my lucky number," Espinoza said Wednesday. Eight horses have won from there, most recently Funny Cide in 2003. "I think it's a perfect spot," trainer Art Sherman said. "I think we break clean, he'll get out of a lot of trouble. He's got a little gas leaving there." At 77, Sherman could become the oldest trainer to win the Derby, surpassing Charlie Whittingham's record of 76 when Sunday Silence won in 1989....
The Modoc County Board of Supervisors voted to reopen after sending Newsom a letter outlining their intentions last week. Only 80 of the rural county’s fewer than 10,000 residents have been tested for the virus, with zero confirmed cases as of Friday, although three test results are pending. “Just as our physical health is vital for our citizens, so is the mental health and the economic health of our citizens,” Modoc County Supervisor Ned Coe told The Associated Press....
The men are alleged to be part of the Mongolian Boys Society gang who police say were looking to avenge the death of one of their members when they stormed the house in the south east of the city on Sunday November 17. At least two gunmen came into the backyard and began firing pistols at the property where about 40 people had gathered to watch a football game....
The survey, conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, found that less than half of California voters, or 46 percent, now approve of Newsom’s job performance. That number is down from 60 percent just four months ago, marking a dramatic decline for a Democratic governor previously regarded as one of the state’s most popular leaders. Newsom’s 60 percent rating had been among the highest of any California governor in the last five decades, according to the Los Angeles Times....
The judge’s temporary restraining order will block the plan until a hearing next month. The plan, if eventually implemented, would increase daily good-conduct credits for second-strike inmates at minimum-security prisons and camps from half-off to two-thirds off their sentences. The emergency regulations, filed by California corrections officials, were supposed to begin on New Year’s Day. However, many opposed the regulations because while the inmates’ second offenses were not violent, several people’s first offenses were violent felonies....
