Month: March 2022

Microsoft Suspends Sales, Services in Russia Over Ukraine Invasion

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Software giant Microsoft announced Friday that it is suspending “all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia” over that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Like the rest of the world, we are horrified, angered and saddened by the images and news coming from the war in Ukraine and condemn this unjustified, unprovoked and unlawful invasion by Russia,” the company said in a statement.

The company added that it was ‘stopping many aspects of our business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanctions decisions.’

Many companies have announced they are ending or limiting their activity in Russia. Some companies include Apple, Nike and Dell Technologies.

Microsoft added that it will continue to work with Ukraine to protect the country from Russian cyberattacks, noting it already had during an attack on a “major Ukrainian broadcaster.”

“Since the war began, we have acted against Russian positioning, destructive or disruptive measures against more than 20 Ukrainian government, IT and financial sector organizations,” Microsoft said. “We have also acted against cyberattacks targeting several additional civilian sites. We have publicly raised our concerns that these attacks against civilians violate the Geneva Convention.”

Some information in this report comes from Reuters.

 
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Millions of Malawian Kids to Get Polio Vaccine

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The U.N. children’s agency says it is procuring nearly seven million doses of polio vaccine to inoculate children in Malawi. The action follows a confirmed polio case last month in Malawi’s capital, the first reported in Africa in five years and the first in Malawi in decades.  

Malawi had last reported a polio case in 1992. The country was declared polio-free in 2005 — 15 years before the African continent as a whole was declared polio-free.  

But health experts said the polio strain which paralyzed a three-year-old child last month is similar to one in Pakistan, and noted that the child was not fully vaccinated against polio. 

UNICEF said the planned mass immunization will target the unvaccinated as well as children previously vaccinated, so all can have full protection from the polio virus.  

Rudolf Schwenk, UNICEF’s representative in Malawi, said preparations are under way for the first round of vaccinations, expected to start March 21. 

“We are installing new vaccine refrigerators, repairing vaccine refrigerators already in use or available at district level, and distributing vaccine carriers and cold boxes,” he said. 

George Jobe, executive director for the Malawi Heath Equity Network, said the emphasis should be on convincing mothers to have trust in vaccines, which has eroded because of misconceptions associated with COVID-19 vaccines.   

“There is need for more awareness raising by government of Malawi, different partners including UNICEF itself, and when doing that awareness raising, it should be made clear that vaccines for children have been there, earlier that the COVID-19 vaccine, and these are routine in Malawi,” Jobe said. 

Schwenk said the training of health workers and community leaders is already under way. 

Malawi provides a polio vaccine that targets polio virus type 1 and type 3, following the eradication of polio virus type 2 many years back. 

UNICEF said the oral polio vaccine to be administered is for wild poliovirus type 1.

The U.N. agency said the 6.9 million doses will cover the first two rounds of the mass immunization campaign in March and April. It says more vaccine is expected to cover all four rounds of the polio immunization campaign, expected to end in June.   

In the meantime, experts from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are working to detect any other potential cases in Malawi and neighboring countries. 

 
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US Added 678,000 Jobs in February in Sign of Economic Health

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Hiring by U.S. businesses picked up last month as the omicron variant of the coronavirus faded and more Americans started to dine out, shop and stay in hotels, despite climbing inflation.

U.S. employers added 678,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department reported Friday, a gain that underscored the American economy’s solid health. The unemployment rate dropped to 3.8% from 4%, its lowest level since the pandemic began two years ago this month.

In a statement Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden said his plan “to build America from the bottom up and the middle out” was working. “Since I took office, the economy has created 7.4 million jobs. That’s 7.4 million jobs providing families with dignity and a little more breathing room,” he said. “We are building a better America.”

Friday’s hiring figures were collected before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has sent oil prices jumping and has amplified risks and ambiguities for economies in Europe and the rest of the world. Escalating costs for Ukrainian and Russian exports such as gasoline, wheat and aluminum will likely accelerate inflation in the coming months, economists said.

The economy still has 2.1 million fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic erupted, though the gap is closing fast.

Inflation has reached its highest level since 1982, squeezing America’s households and businesses, with the costs of rent, food and gasoline sharply increasing. Beginning later this month, the Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates — the first of many rate increases expected this year. Consumers and businesses will face higher borrowing rates on home and auto loans and credit cards.

“While we must tackle head on the challenge families are facing with rising costs, today’s report underscores that the United States is uniquely well-positioned to deal with the challenge that inflation has posed across the world as we recover from the pandemic,” Biden said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
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IAEA ‘Gravely Concerned’ for Safety of Ukraine’s Nuclear Plants

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Even before Russian forces shelled the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, sparking a fire in a nearby building early Friday, Ukraine’s main nuclear regulatory agency had sought “immediate assistance” from the international nuclear agency.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Wednesday he had received a letter from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) asking for “immediate assistance to ensure the safety of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and other nuclear facilities in the country.”

Grossi said the IAEA had begun consultations on the request.

The letter submitted to IAEA by the Ukraine agency said the staff at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant had been kept at the site since Russian military forces took control of it a week ago. The agency said the staff members were facing “psychological pressure and moral exhaustion,” Grossi said.

He cautioned that the staff must be allowed to rest and rotate schedules “so that their crucial work can be carried out safely and securely.”

Early Friday, Russian forces shelled Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Zaporizhzhia, sparking a fire in a building outside the plant, Ukraine’s state emergency service said on Friday. The plant produces about 25% of Ukraine’s power.

Initially, the mayor of the nearby town of Enerhodar said the plant was on fire. But a short time later, the plant director told Ukraine 24 television that the fire had started outside the building perimeter and that security seemed to be restored to the facility, according to Reuters.

IAEA Director General Grossi said the event highlights once again why he has repeatedly stressed that any military or other action that could threaten the safety or security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants must be avoided.

“I remain gravely concerned about the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, especially about the country’s nuclear power plants, which must be able to continue operating without any safety or security threats,” he said. “Any accident caused as a result of the military conflict could have extremely serious consequences for people and the environment, in Ukraine and beyond.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “nuclear terror” after the Zaporizhzhia plant shelling, Agence France-Presse reported.

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has been undergoing decommissioning since an accident in 1986 caused a meltdown of one of its nuclear reactors. Significant amounts of nuclear material remain in various facilities at the site in the form of spent fuel and other radioactive waste.

Ukraine also has 15 other operational nuclear reactors at four sites in the country, providing roughly half of its electricity, which SNRIU reported Thursday continue to operate normally.

The IAEA, in a statement, said it is monitoring developments in Ukraine, with a special focus on the safety and security of its nuclear power reactors. The IAEA remains in constant contact with its counterpart and will continue to provide regular updates on the situation in Ukraine.

War-related dangers

Richard Weitz, director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute in Washington, told VOA the most significant danger at the Chernobyl plant comes from possible damage to the confinement structure due to hostilities.

He said the reactors elsewhere in Ukraine, which do not have confinement structures, are vulnerable to being hit by missiles.

“This is the first time we’ve had a war between two countries that have large civilian nuclear power complexes. And that, I think, is even a greater risk than Chernobyl that something’s going to happen to disrupt the shielding and safety of one of those reactors,” Weitz said.

Chary Rangacharyulu, a physics and engineering professor at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, said the Russians may try to use the nuclear plants for political leverage, but he doubts they are “so foolish to destroy those facilities and let out radioactivities into the atmosphere.”

“However, if they make mistakes and blow up a facility or two, the harm will not be limited to Ukraine. It will go beyond. Russia and Belarus are the neighboring countries that will be very much affected. Let us hope and pray that the Russian government is not that insane to cause harm to its own people,” he said in a written response to questions from VOA.

Wade Allison, a professor of physics and a fellow at Keble College at Oxford University in England, said he saw no threat posed by the Chernobyl situation because “there have been no active nuclear reactors at Chernobyl since 2000. Spent fuel is not a problem.”

VOA’s Tatiana Vorozhko contributed to this report. 

 
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Russia’s War on Ukraine Spills Into Space 

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As Russia continues to wage war on neighboring Ukraine, a former commander of the International Space Station is in disbelief over Russian threats to destroy the decades-long partnership aboard the ISS.  Plus, Elon Musk sends a communications lifeline to Ukrainians, and a joint mission to Mars is now in doubt. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us a special edition of The Week in Space. 
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Ukraine Conflict Disrupts Global Energy Markets

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The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has left global oil and gas markets in the uncertain and unstable, causing supply issues and price spikes, with oil reaching levels of more than $110 a barrel Thursday. The uncertain duration of the conflict, though, makes it difficult to predict how much of the disruption will be permanent and how much is just temporary.

Washington-based Gulf analyst Theodore Karasik tells VOA there are many “wild cards” in the ongoing military confrontation that “could drive energy prices up even further.” He argues that “in any case, there are big changes occurring in the energy industry.”

“The energy situation and the pricing is contingent upon how long this [conflict] goes for and to what degree it ends. We’ve already seen extensive sanctions put on Russia because of its actions in Ukraine. Those sanctions against Russia in the energy field are going to affect how the Russian energy industry operates, and we just don’t have a clear picture of that yet,” Karasik said.

In the meantime, buying of Russian crude has stalled on the back of rising uncertainty over the possibility of direct western sanctions on energy exports, sending prices into freefall and prompting buyers to find alternatives.

The Russian export blend Urals — which trades as a differential to Atlantic Basin benchmark Dated Brent — touched record lows in recent sessions.

A source within the oil trading industry, who specializes in global markets told VOA that European buyers are now actively sourcing alternative crude supplies — Poland’s PKN Orlen is taking supplemental cargoes from term supplier Aramco — and much of that will come from local North Sea production as well as West Africa and the United States.

The source who chose to be unnamed said that the Chinese refiners, particularly those in Shandong province’s refining hub, are key buyers of Russian crude grades Urals and ESPO Blend.

“They have proven less concerned with sanctions, having purchased significant volumes of Iranian crude in the past year. But ongoing disruption to the global banking system as a result of SWIFT sanctions means that even willing buyers are struggling to pay for cargoes. Sanctions against Russian fleet Sovcomflot have only added to the logistical difficulties of buying Russian crude,” the analyst said.

Experts believe that Russian firms may eventually seek to set up accounts with Chinese banks to facilitate such transactions. And cargoes of Urals loading now in the Baltic Sea look likely to head to north China in bulk shipments, with or without earmarked buyers.

“But that entails losses — current market structure means long-haul arbitrage economics are marginal and storage economics are negative. Shipping a cargo to Shandong and floating for months is a losing proposition, even if that cargo has nowhere else to go,” sources in the energy industry told VOA.

Paul Sullivan, a Washington-based Middle East analyst, argues there is no end to the number of wild cards that could change the energy situation. “The conflict increases risk and therefore costs of energy by adding risk premiums,” he says.

On the flip side, “sanctions [on Russia],” he adds, “could hammer the world economy and push energy prices down.” Meanwhile, “some oil and gas companies are leaving Russia or divesting from Russia … [and that] could disrupt supply chains.”

Sullivan goes on to say that potential “terror acts in Russia towards pipelines could push prices up,” while “Turkey closing off the straits to Russian war ships” could also “affect energy ships,” as well.

Experts note that the majority of Russian spot crude is sold through international trading firms like Trafigura, Vitol and Glencore — only a small share is marketed directly by Russian firms like Surgutneftegaz. If Russian crude oil comes under sanction, then the longstanding dynamics that underpin trade in Russian seaborne exports could change, mirroring recent developments in the country’s upstream sector which has seen an exodus as western oil majors exit projects.

Egyptian political sociologist Said Sadek tells VOA that countries in North Africa, like Egypt and Algeria, are being sought out to increase their gas exports to Europe to compensate for Russian gas, which makes up 40% of European imports.

“North African states that produce gas — Algeria, Egypt — Egypt have limited stock, but they have been increasing by 365% [quantities of] liquified gas, because 90% of Egyptian gas is used domestically, 10% is exported, and then we get gas from Israel and Cyprus and transfer it into liquified gas [to] export,” Sadek says.

The expert adds that Qatar also is being solicited to increase LNG exports to Europe, but the tiny Gulf emirate already sends much of its gas to Asia: “A lot of contracts — long term — have already been signed between Qatar, South Korea, Japan, China, which cannot be revoked.”

Sadek emphasizes the Middle Eastern state that could conceivably make up the difference for lost Russian gas exports to Europe is Iran, and he thinks some European countries are hoping to lift sanctions on Tehran to allow oil and gas exports to resume. He questions, however, if Iran — an ally of Russia — would be willing to “stab Russia in the back.”

Some Middle Eastern and north African states, Sadek points out, are facing a potential food crisis, as well, “because they import large quantities of wheat from both Russia and Ukraine. “Countries like Tunisia, Sudan and Lebanon cannot afford more expensive alternative sources of wheat,” and they could eventually face instability if a major staple like bread runs short.
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Western Sanctions Push Russia Back to Soviet-Type Market

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It’s unclear if Russian President Vladimir Putin expected the sanctions that followed his invasion of Ukraine. But their severity could have far-reaching economic consequences for Russia. Oksana Bedratenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.
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UNEP Marks 50 Years of Fighting for Safe Environment

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The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) marked its 50-year anniversary Thursday at its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. Activists have criticized the organization as being slow to address global threats to the environment, such as pollution and climate change. But at the U.N.’s Environment Assembly this week over 100 nations pledged to negotiate a binding treaty to reduce plastic pollution.

UNEP’s chief, Inger Andersen, said Thursday the agency has contributed to saving the planet from harm and destruction.

“We saved millions of lives and protected nature,” she said. “We showed environmental multilateralism does deliver. That is a lesson that should inspire us today. Friends, there are other major achievements, the launch of the scientific body, the IPCC, the phase-out of lead and petrol and just yesterday, the resolution starting the pathway to a global plastic pollution deal to end plastic pollution for good.”

The resolution calls for two years of negotiations toward a comprehensive, international treaty on how to handle the growing problem of plastic waste.

The UNEP was formed in Stockholm in 1972 and has been a key player in safeguarding the world’s plant species, wildlife, and climate.

The organization says its mandate is to bring the world together in tackling environmental threats.

Addressing leaders, delegates and environmental activists at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta, praised its work.

“Progressively, over the last 50 years, UNEP has led the world to understand the centrality of the environment in human existence to appreciate the increased threats to the environment and also the existential threat that exists to our planet. They have also helped us galvanize collective global action to protect our environment,” he said.

Wanjira Mathai, the vice-president and regional director at the World Resources Institute, said enforcing agreed-upon environment policies and laws has been a challenge.

“I think enforcement is usually our biggest challenge because we make commitments but we don’t always follow through with enforcement. That’s the biggest opportunity for us, is to see them through,” he said.

Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi says implementing environmental laws and the agreement requires greater funding.

“Botswana continues to walk in the path provided by multilateral environmental agreements that she is a party to. However, with limited resources fulfilling these commitments continues to remain a challenge but we stand committed as Botswana, do not doubt it,” he said.

Andersen said her organization needs the support of all countries to achieve and deliver a stable climate and rich nature that benefits all.
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Fewer Americans Apply for Jobless Benefits Last Week

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Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week reflecting a low number of layoffs across the economy.

Jobless claims fell by 18,000 to 215,000 for the week ending February 26, from 233,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell by 6,000 to 230,500.

In total, 1,476,000 Americans were collecting jobless aid the week that ended Feb. 12, a small uptick of 2,000 from the previous week’s revised number, which was its lowest level since March 14, 1970.

First-time applications for jobless aid generally track the pace of layoffs, which are back down to fairly healthy pre-pandemic levels.

The Labor Department releases its February jobs report on Friday. Analysts surveyed by the financial data firm FactSet forecast that the U.S. economy added 400,000 jobs last month.

In January, the U.S. economy added a whopping 467,000 jobs and revised December and November gains upward by a combined 709,000. The unemployment rate stands at 4%, a historically low figure.

The U.S. economy has rebounded strongly from 2020’s coronavirus-caused recession. Massive government spending and the vaccine rollout jumpstarted the economy as employers added a record 6.4 million jobs last year. The U.S. economy expanded 5.7% in 2021, growing last year at the fastest annual pace since a 7.2% surge in 1984, which also followed a recession.

Inflation is also at a 40-year high — 7.5% year-over-year — leading the Federal Reserve to ease its monetary support for the economy. The Fed has said it will begin a series of interest-rate hikes this month in an effort to tamp down surging prices.

Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week reflecting a low number of layoffs across the economy.

Jobless claims fell by 18,000 to 215,000 for the week ending February 26, from 233,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell by 6,000 to 230,500.

In total, 1,476,000 Americans were collecting jobless aid the week that ended Feb. 12, a small uptick of 2,000 from the previous week’s revised number, which was its lowest level since March 14, 1970.

First-time applications for jobless aid generally track the pace of layoffs, which are back down to fairly healthy pre-pandemic levels.

The Labor Department releases its February jobs report on Friday. Analysts surveyed by the financial data firm FactSet forecast that the U.S. economy added 400,000 jobs last month.

In January, the U.S. economy added a whopping 467,000 jobs and revised December and November gains upward by a combined 709,000. The unemployment rate stands at 4%, a historically low figure.

The U.S. economy has rebounded strongly from 2020’s coronavirus-caused recession. Massive government spending and the vaccine rollout jumpstarted the economy as employers added a record 6.4 million jobs last year. The U.S. economy expanded 5.7% in 2021, growing last year at the fastest annual pace since a 7.2% surge in 1984, which also followed a recession.

Inflation is also at a 40-year high — 7.5% year-over-year — leading the Federal Reserve to ease its monetary support for the economy. The Fed has said it will begin a series of interest-rate hikes this month in an effort to tamp down surging prices.
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UN Environment Summit Adopts Historic Agreement on Plastic Waste

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The United Nations Environment Assembly, meeting in Nairobi, has adopted a resolution detailing what to do about plastic pollution. It calls for two years of negotiations toward a comprehensive, international treaty on the full life cycle of plastics.

Delegates from 175 countries endorsed an agreement Wednesday that addresses plastic waste.

The United Nations says 400 million tons of plastic is produced every year, and that figure is set to double by 2040.

Rwanda is one of the countries that banned plastic in its territory and is pushing for a plastic-free world.

Rwanda’s environment minister, Jeanne Mujawamariya, said her country would benefit a great deal from global regulation of the use of plastics.

“If adopted, the creation of a legally binding instrument would be greatly significant for countries like Rwanda, where we have made good progress,” she said. “Systematic global change is needed if we are to clean up the current mess, develop sustainable alternatives and make them affordable.”

The debate surrounding plastic pollution has been on the U.N. agenda since 2012.

Recycling has remained one of the effective ways of reducing plastics. The Environmental Investigation Agency, an environmental nonprofit organization, said the existing method of managing plastic is not sustainable.

Less than 10% of plastic that has been produced is being recycled, 76% is discarded into landfills, and experts warn its production will triple by 2050.

Amina Mohammed, the United Nations deputy secretary-general, told the meeting attendees not to fear a future without plastic.

“While we have learned to recycle plastic, we need a far more robust approach to tackle this enormous problem and ensure systemic change through strong action upstream and downstream,” Mohammed said. “We must be ambitious and move faster to win this battle. This is going to require genuine collaborations and partnerships with a shared vision.

The fight against plastic pollution aims to reduce plastic going into the oceans by 80% by the end of the year 2040 and create 700,000 jobs by that time.

Jane Patton, the plastic and petrochemicals campaign manager at the Center for International Environmental Law, told VOA the agreement will mandate that companies producing plastics manage the waste being emitted.

“The resolution specifically calls for a legally binding instrument, which is good, as we have seen the companies that are producing this plastic waste and putting it into the environment, they don’t follow through commitments unless they are legally bound to do that,” she said. “And so, we are excited to see that the treaty will have both a mandatory and voluntary commitments by government, and that will affect companies to address this problem.”

The head of the U.N. Environment Program, Inger Andersen, said adopting the plastic treaty is the most important international environmental agreement since the 2016 Paris climate accord took effect. 
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Western Australia Finally Opens Border After COVID-19 Closure

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After almost two years, Western Australia has lifted the nation’s toughest COVID-19 border controls. Double-vaccinated international and domestic travelers are now allowed in, as the so-called hermit state reconnects with the rest of the world.

For almost 700 days Western Australia was cut off from the rest of the country and the world.

Most international visitors were banned, as Australia’s largest state, which is 10 times the size of the United Kingdom, tried to isolate itself from the pandemic.

The state premier, Mark McGowan, said the tough policy had “avoided needless deaths,” but he acknowledged the pain felt by separated families and businesses.

The tough measures did keep infections low, but they were unable to stop a recent surge in omicron cases.

A total of 1,770 cases were reported Wednesday — a new record for Western Australia — but the number of hospitalizations remains relatively low.

With almost 99% of the eligible population double-vaccinated, authorities have insisted that the time is right to end border restrictions.

Dr. Mark Duncan-Smith, president of the Australian Medical Association (Western Australia), told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the tough border strategy appears to have worked.

“What is happening here in WA [Western Australia] right now, with omicron at 1,000 cases a day, is a social experiment that has never been done in the world, and so what we are hoping for is that we will get a very, very soft landing and hopefully our hospitalization numbers will stay very low and that will be testimony to the effectiveness of those borders over the last two years, buying us that time,” he said.

Western Australia’s tough stance on border closures led to it being dubbed a “hermit kingdom.”

McGowan was compared to the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un by Alan Joyce, the CEO of Australia’s national airline, Qantas, last month. Joyce later apologized for his comments.

Other Australian states and territories imposed internal border closures during the pandemic, but those restrictions ended last year. Australia reopened its international borders to all vaccinated international travelers on Feb. 21, but Western Australia maintained its restrictions.

Passengers on the first flights from Sydney and Melbourne into the Western Australian state capital, Perth, were welcomed with gifts of toy quokkas, a small marsupial said to be the “world’s happiest animal.”

Tourism officials in Western Australia have said the reopening of domestic and international travel into the state would bring “joy” to the industry.

Australia has recorded about 2.9 million coronavirus infections since the pandemic began. More than 5,200 people have died.
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Judge Blocks Texas Investigation of Trans Teen’s Parents

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A Texas judge on Wednesday blocked the state from investigating the parents of a transgender teenager over gender-confirmation treatments but stopped short of preventing the state from looking into other reports about children receiving similar care.

District Judge Amy Clark Meachum issued a temporary order halting the investigation by the Department of Family and Protective Services into the parents of the 16-year-old girl. The parents sued over the investigation and Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s order last week that officials look into reports of such treatments as abuse.

Meachum wrote that the parents and the teen “face the imminent and ongoing deprivation of their constitutional rights, the potential loss of necessary medical care, and the stigma attached to being the subject of an unfounded child abuse investigation.”

Meachum set a March 11 hearing on whether to issue a broader temporary order blocking enforcement of Abbott’s directive.

‘Unfathomably cruel’

The lawsuit marked the first report of parents being investigated following Abbott’s directive and an earlier nonbinding legal opinion by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton labeling certain gender-confirmation treatments as “child abuse.” The American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal sued the state Tuesday on behalf of the teen.

“We appreciate the relief granted to our clients, but this should never have happened and is unfathomably cruel,” Brian Klosterboer, ACLU of Texas attorney, said in a statement. “Families should not have to fear being separated because they are providing the best possible health care for their children.”

Spokespersons for Abbott’s and Paxton’s offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday night. A spokesperson for DFPS said there would be “deliberate discussions” about next steps.

The ruling came as President Joe Biden’s administration announced new steps to protect transgender children and their families in response to Abbott’s order. Biden condemned state laws targeting transgender people in his State of the Union address Tuesday.

“Like so many anti-transgender attacks proliferating in states across the country, the governor’s actions callously threaten to harm children and their families just to score political points,” the president said in a statement Wednesday night. “These actions are terrifying many families in Texas and beyond. And they must stop.”

Meachum issued the order hours after attorneys for the state and for the parents appeared before her via Zoom in a brief hearing.

Paul Castillo, Lambda Legal’s senior counsel, told Meachum that allowing the order to be enforced would cause “irreparable” harm to the teen’s parents and other families.

“It is unconscionable for DFPS to still pursue any investigation or inflict more trauma and harm,” Castillo said in a statement after the judge’s ruling.

The groups also represent a clinical psychologist who has said the order will force her to choose between reporting her clients to the state or facing the loss of her license and other penalties.

Ryan Kercher, an attorney with Paxton’s office, told Meachum that the governor’s order and the earlier opinion don’t require the state to investigate every transgender child receiving gender-confirmation care.

Restrictions meet opposition

Abbott’s directive and the attorney general’s opinion go against the nation’s largest medical groups, including the American Medical Association, which have opposed Republican-backed restrictions filed in statehouses nationwide.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday encouraged anyone targeted by a child welfare investigation because of Abbott’s order to contact the agency’s civil rights office. The department also released guidance saying that despite the order in Texas, health care providers are not required to disclose private patient information regarding gender confirming care.

Arkansas last year became the first state to pass a law prohibiting gender confirming treatments for minors, and Tennessee approved a similar measure. A judge blocked Arkansas’ law, and the state is appealing.

The Texas lawsuit does not identify the family by name. The suit said the mother works for DFPS on the review of reports of abuse and neglect. The day of Abbott’s order, she asked her supervisor how it would affect the agency’s policy, according to the lawsuit.

The mother was placed on leave because she has a transgender daughter, and the following day, she was informed her family would be investigated in accordance with the governor’s directive, the suit said. The teen has received puberty-delaying medication and hormone therapy.

DFPS said Tuesday that it had received three reports since Abbott’s order and Paxton’s opinion but would not say whether any resulted in investigations.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Castillo said he was aware of at least two other families being investigated. He also said some medical providers have stopped providing prescriptions for gender confirming care because of the governor’s order.
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Giant Piece of Space Junk on Collision Course With Moon 

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The moon is about to get walloped by nearly 3 metric tons of space junk, a punch that will carve out a crater that could fit several semitrailer trucks.

The leftover chunk of a rocket will smash into the far side of the moon at 9,300 kph (5,800 mph) on Friday, away from telescopes’ prying eyes. It may take weeks, even months, to confirm the impact through satellite images.

It’s been tumbling haphazardly through space, experts believe, since China launched it nearly a decade ago. But Chinese officials are dubious it’s theirs.

No matter whose it is, scientists expect the object to carve out a hole 10 to 20 meters (33 to 66 feet) across and send moon dust flying hundreds of kilometers across the barren, pockmarked surface.

Not hard to follow

Low-orbiting space junk is relatively easy to track. Objects launching deeper into space are unlikely to hit anything, and these far-flung pieces are usually soon forgotten by everyone except a handful of observers who enjoy playing celestial detective on the side.

SpaceX originally took the rap for the upcoming lunar litter after asteroid tracker Bill Gray identified the collision course in January. He corrected himself a month later, saying the “mystery” object was not a SpaceX Falcon rocket upper stage from the 2015 launch of a deep space climate observatory for NASA.

Gray said it was likely the third stage of a Chinese rocket that sent a test sample capsule to the moon and back in 2014. But Chinese ministry officials said the upper stage had reentered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up

But there were two Chinese missions with similar designations — the test flight and 2020’s lunar sample return mission — and U.S. observers believe the two are getting mixed up.

The U.S. Space Command, which tracks lower space junk, confirmed Tuesday that the Chinese upper stage from the 2014 lunar mission never deorbited, as previously indicated in its database. But it could not confirm the country of origin for the object about to strike the moon.

“We focus on objects closer to the Earth,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Gray, a mathematician and physicist, said he’s confident now that it’s China’s rocket.

“I’ve become a little bit more cautious of such matters,” he said. “But I really just don’t see any way it could be anything else.”

Another crater

Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics supported Gray’s revised assessment, but noted: “The effect will be the same. It’ll leave yet another small crater on the moon.”

The moon already bears countless craters, ranging up to 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles). With little to no real atmosphere, the moon is defenseless against the constant barrage of meteors and asteroids, and the occasional incoming spacecraft, including a few intentionally crashed for science’s sake. With no weather, there’s no erosion, so impact craters last forever.

China has a lunar lander on the moon’s far side, but it will be too far away to detect Friday’s impact just north of the equator. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will also be out of range. It’s unlikely India’s moon-orbiting Chandrayaan-2 will be passing by then, either.

“I had been hoping for something [significant] to hit the moon for a long time. Ideally, it would have hit on the near side of the moon at some point where we could actually see it,” Gray said.

Reexamining the origins

After initially pinning the upcoming strike on Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Gray took another look after an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory questioned his claim. Now, he’s “pretty thoroughly persuaded” it’s a Chinese rocket part, based not only on orbital tracking back to its 2014 liftoff, but also data received from its short-lived ham radio experiment.

JPL’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies endorses Gray’s reassessment. A University of Arizona team also recently identified the Chinese Long March rocket segment from the light reflected off its paint during telescope observations of the careening cylinder.

It’s about 12 meters (40 feet) long and 3 meters (10 feet) in diameter. It does a somersault every two to three minutes.

Gray said SpaceX never contacted him to challenge his original claim. Neither have the Chinese.

“It’s not a SpaceX problem, nor is it a China problem. Nobody is particularly careful about what they do with junk at this sort of orbit,” Gray said.

Tracking deep space mission leftovers like this is hard, according to McDowell. The moon’s gravity can alter an object’s path during flybys, creating uncertainty. And there’s no readily available database, McDowell noted, aside from the ones he, Gray and a couple of others have “cobbled together.”

“We are now in an era where many countries and private companies are putting stuff in deep space, so it’s time to start to keep track of it,” McDowell said. “Right now there’s no one, just a few fans in their spare time.”
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Eight US States Investigate TikTok’s Impact on Children 

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A consortium of U.S. states announced on Wednesday a joint investigation into TikTok’s possible harm to young users of the platform, which has boomed in popularity, especially among children. 

Officials across the United States have launched their own investigations and lawsuits against Big Tech giants as new national regulations have failed to pass, partly because of partisan gridlock in Congress. 

The consortium of eight states will look into the harm TikTok can cause to its young users and what the company knew about such possible harm, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said a statement.  

Leading the investigation is a coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont.

The investigation will focus, among other things, on TikTok’s techniques to boost young user engagement, including efforts to increase the frequency and duration of children’s use. 

“We don’t know what social media companies knew about these harms and when,” Bonta said in a statement.  

“Our nationwide investigation will allow us to get much-needed answers and determine if TikTok is violating the law in promoting its platform to young Californians,” he added. 

TikTok’s short-form videos have boomed in popularity with the youngest users, prompting growing concern from parents over the potential that their children could develop unhealthy use habits or be exposed to harmful content. 

TikTok welcomes investigation

The platform welcomed the investigation as a chance to provide information on its efforts to protect users. 

“We care deeply about building an experience that helps to protect and support the well-being of our community,” TikTok’s statement said. 

“We look forward to providing information on the many safety and privacy protections we have for teens,” it added. 

Social media’s impact on young users came under renewed scrutiny last year when Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked a trove of internal company documents raising questions over whether it had prioritized growth over users’ safety. 

The documents were given to lawmakers, a consortium of journalists and U.S. regulators by Haugen, who has become a figurehead of criticism of the leading social media platform. 

Despite media attention on the issue and hearings before U.S. lawmakers, no new rules have gotten close to being enacted on the national level. 

States have instead proceeded with their own efforts to look into Big Tech companies. 

For example, a consortium of U.S. states announced a joint probe in November of Instagram’s parent company, Meta, for promoting the app to children despite allegedly knowing its potential for harm. The consortium of attorneys general, states’ top law enforcers and legal advisers, included some of the same states as Wednesday’s probe, like California and Florida.

Instagram sparked fierce criticism for its plans to make a version of the photo-sharing app for younger users. It later halted development. 
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Asia Markets Drop as Ukraine Crisis Continues to Overshadow Global Economy 

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Stock markets in Asia and Australia were mixed Wednesday as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to cast a pall over the global economy.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index finished 1.6% lower, while Shanghai’s Composite index and the TSEC index in Taiwan both closed 0.1% lower.

The KOSPI index in South Korea closed 0.1% higher. In late afternoon trading, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index is 1.9% lower, while Mumbai’s Sensex is down just over 2%

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX index finished up 0.2%.

In commodities trading, gold was selling at $1,943.50 an ounce, virtually unchanged percentage wise. Oil markets are continuing to rise, with U.S. crude oil trading at $109.97 per barrel, an increase of 6.3%, while Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, is also 6.3% higher, selling at $111.65 per barrel.

Russia’s currency, the ruble, was trading at 105.61 to the U.S. dollar, down 0.4%. The Russian Stock Exchange is closed for the third consecutive day as sanctions imposed by a growing list of nations in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine. The British online newspaper The Independent said Russia’s central bank will allow a limited number of operations for the first time.

In futures trading, the Dow Jones is trending slightly higher, while the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ are both slightly higher.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
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Apple, Ford, Other Big US Brands Join Corporations Shunning Russia 

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Some of America’s best-known companies including Apple, Google, Ford, Harley-Davidson and Exxon Mobil rebuked and rejected Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, under steady pressure from investors and consumers decrying the violence. 

Late Tuesday, Apple said it had stopped sales of iPhones and other products in Russia, adding that it was making changes to its Maps app to protect civilians in Ukraine. 

Tech firms including Alphabet’s Google dropped Russian state publishers from their news, and Ford Motor, with three joint venture factories in Russia, told its Russian manufacturing partner it was suspending operations in the country. Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson suspended shipments of its bikes. 

Exxon wants out of Russia

Exxon Mobil Corp said it would discontinue operations in Russia and was taking steps to exit the Sakhalin-1 venture, following in the steps of British energy giants Shell and BP, Russia’s biggest foreign investor. 

Many corporations have been unusually clear in their condemnation of Russia. 

“We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all of the people who are suffering as a result of the violence,” Apple said in a statement. 

The steady drum beat of companies taking a stance increased later in the day as rockets struck major cities in Ukraine. 

“Ford is deeply concerned about the invasion of Ukraine and the resultant threats to peace and stability. The situation has compelled us to reassess our operations in Russia,” Ford said, adding to several days of announcements by global car companies. 

“We deplore Russia’s military action that violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine and endangers its people,” said Exxon, adding it will not invest in new developments in Russia. 

Boeing suspends support program

Boeing suspended parts, maintenance and technical support services for Russian airlines, a Politico reporter tweeted. The U.S. planemaker suspended major operations in Moscow and will also temporarily closed office in Kyiv, the tweet said. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Restrictions from the West have hit the Russian economy hard, with the ruble falling as much as a third to a record low. Financial isolation is rising as shipping companies say they will not serve Russian ports. 

The U.S. government is expected to ban Russian flights from American airspace as soon as Wednesday, government and industry officials told Reuters. 

And a boom of investor interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is making it more difficult for those companies that sit on the sidelines. 

Russian companies are in particular peril with such Western investors, since they often are not open to talks to change their behavior, said TJ Kistner, vice president at Segal Marco Advisors, a large U.S. pension consultant. 

Investors continue to leave

Western investors may respond by pulling out. 

“The only course of action for many is simply divestment,” Kistner said. 

Moscow has responded by temporarily curbing foreign investors from selling Russian assets. 

Big Tech companies also are continuing efforts to stop Russian forces from taking advantage of their products. 

Apple said it had blocked app downloads of some state-backed news services outside of Russia. 

Microsoft earlier said it would remove Russian state-owned media outlet RT’s mobile apps from its Windows App store and ban ads on Russian state-sponsored media. Google barred RT and other Russian channels from receiving money for ads on websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook. 
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Could Russia Get Around Sanctions with Cryptocurrency?

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Cryptocurrency purchases in rubles are at a record high following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, raising questions about whether the likes of bitcoin can help Moscow get around sanctions. 

Why is crypto attracting Russians? 

The United States and its Western allies have sought to cripple Russia’s banking sector and currency with a barrage of sanctions. 

They include cutting selected Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system, rendering them isolated from the rest of the world. 

SWIFT’s system allows banks to communicate rapidly and securely about transactions. Cutting Russia off is aimed at preventing it from trading with most of the world. 

Western measures that prohibit transactions with Russia’s central bank have also helped plunge the country’s economy into turmoil. 

The ruble is down 27% against the dollar since the start of the year and is trading at more than 100 rubles per U.S. unit, its weakest level on record. 

Russians are consequently flocking to cryptocurrencies that operate on a decentralized network and therefore are not directly affected by sanctions.  

Crypto data-provider Kaiko has reported record purchasing volumes of bitcoin in rubles since last week’s invasion.  

Another type of digital currency to have benefitted hugely from Russia’s assault on its neighbor is tether, a “stablecoin” that is seen as less volatile than cryptocurrencies since it is pegged to the dollar. 

“What we saw … looking at tether (is) the average trade size has increased” in Russia, Clara Medalie, head of research at Kaiko, told AFP. 

“However, it’s still relatively low, which shows an interest split between institutional and retail buyers.” 

Is crypto a long-term solution against sanctions? 

Governments can, if they wish, order shopping platforms to place restrictions on purchases made using cryptocurrencies as a way of blocking attempts to get around sanctions. 

Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who is also minister of the country’s digital transformation, demanded via Twitter that crypto platforms block Russian accounts, a request reportedly being considered by U.S. authorities. 

Analysis group Chainalysis said in a statement that it was “optimistic that the cryptocurrency industry can counter attempts by Russian actors to evade sanctions.” 

It pointed out that blockchains, or the registers of transactions made by digital currencies, allow Western governments to identify violations.  

At the same time, North Korea and Iran have succeeded in getting around sanctions thanks to cryptocurrencies. 

North Korea has earned billions of dollars from cyberattacks, while Iran has used low-cost energy to mine bitcoin, according to Caroline Malcolm of Chainalysis. 

However, using crypto to sell key Russian export commodities, such as wheat, oil and gas, is unlikely because, one veteran broker said, trading volumes of bitcoin and its rivals remain insufficient to support large-scale trades. 

Crypto reactions to invasion? 

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency prices have jumped since the invasion but not simply because of Russian investment. 

The Ukranian government since Saturday has received $17.1 million worth of crypto following a call for donations, according to analysts Elliptic.  

“We didn’t get to choose the time or manner of our little industry becoming geopolitically critical overnight, but it is upon us,” tweeted Nic Carter, partner at crypto fund Castle Island. 

But Medalie cautioned that the “ruble is not a large cryptomarket. There is not a lot of influence on the rest of the market,” she said. 

 
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Do Sanctions Work?

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From Afghanistan to Cuba, more than 20 countries around the world are under U.S. economic, financial and political sanctions that, according to some experts, are unprecedented in severity and scope. 

The latest penalties target Russia. 

As Russian troops crossed Ukrainian borders, U.S. President Joe Biden made it clear that he will not send U.S. forces to deter Russia’s invasion militarily. Instead, he authorized a series of economic and financial sanctions. 

“The scale of these sanctions are truly unprecedented,” Robert Person, a professor of international affairs at West Point, told VOA while speaking in a private capacity. 

This week Russia has been scrambling to prevent a financial meltdown after sanctions cut some banks out of a critical global financial system and froze the assets of Russia’s central banks that are held overseas. Western countries also set up a task force to seize assets of Russian companies and politically influential businessmen. 

“The cost to Russia will be immediate and profound — to its financial system, to its economy, to its technology base, and to its strategic position in the world,” Daleep Singh, deputy national security adviser for international economics at the White House, told reporters on February 24. 

“We are settling in for a long-term political-economic conflict with Russia, what some have called ‘containment 2.0.’ It’s worth remembering that it took 74 years for the economic flaws in the Soviet system to finally bring about its collapse,” said Person. “Patience in this long struggle will be necessary.” 

Presidential, congressional power 

Under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), the U.S. president can impose sanctions through executive orders. 

Sanctions do not require congressional approval, but Congress also can initiate sanctions through legislation. 

Sanctions are used when diplomacy fails and when war is not preferred as an option, experts say. 

“The exercise of powers granted to the president under IEEPA — the underlying legal authority for most sanctions programs — requires a declaration of national emergency with respect to a threat to the foreign policy, national security, or the economy of the United States that emanates largely from abroad,” Brian O’Toole and Samantha Sultoon wrote in a piece for the Atlantic Council.  

Most policies regarding sanctions are proposed by U.S. government agencies, such as the State Department, and discussed before being recommended to the president for approval. 

Various applications 

While many sanctions are economic in nature, some sanctions are also political and aim to address a range of issues such as nonproliferation of arms, human rights violations, terrorism concerns and trade disputes. 

As of February 2022, there are 23 countries under various U.S. sanctions. 

There are also sanctions related to counter-narcotics trafficking, counterterrorism, cyber operations, foreign interference in U.S. elections, and human rights violations, which can be applied against any country, individual or entity. 

Under IEEPA, there is no limit on the number of countries and foreign entities against which sanctions can be applied. 

“The limit is really policy-defined, in (terms of) how many sanctions regimes the U.S. government believes it needs (in order) to deal with whatever challenges it is facing,” Richard Nephew, a sanctions expert and Columbia University senior research scholar, told VOA. 

Execution 

Russia’s central bank has billions of dollars in foreign currencies held in Western countries which are now frozen. Earlier this year, the U.S. froze some $7 billion of Afghanistan’s assets at the New York Reserve.

When sanctions are applied it becomes “illegal for U.S. persons — and foreign persons can face sanctions of their own — if they do business with sanctioned entities and individuals in ways the U.S. government considers material,” Nephew said. 

The U.S. cannot force other countries to comply with sanctions it imposes but seeks their cooperation to do so. 

Sanctions can deprive individuals and entities from a host of financial transactions such as credit loans, mortgage payments and funds transfers unless there are specific exemptions offered within a given jurisdiction. 

Under the latest sanctions on Russia, U.S. and European countries have also isolated selected Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), an international bank-to-bank transfer system. 

“This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally,” the European Union said in a statement on February 26. 

Russian officials have shrugged off the sanctions as trivial and something that will not cause significant harms, but independent observers say it’s too early to say how deep and extensive the impact of the sanctions will be on the Russian economy. 

Effectiveness 

Sanctions can be modified, eased or removed at any time by the U.S. government. 

The Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Cuba, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) have been under U.S. sanctions for several decades. 

The effectiveness of sanctions is passionately debated as both proponents and opponents point to specific cases. 

In a June 2019 Foreign Affairs article, a majority of experts quoted said sanctions were causing more harm than good. 

“Sanctions impose costs on both parties: the sender and the target,” said Person of West Point. “There’s also a long-term concern that aggressive sanctions like these will accelerate a global transition away from the American-led international financial architecture and use of the dollar as the dominant currency of exchange and reserve.” 

One thing that is clear is the palpable impact of sanctions — even if intended to target only the broader economic standing of a country — on ordinary people. 

Speaking on the effectiveness of the new sanctions imposed against Russia, White House official Singh said, “these impacts over time will translate into higher inflation, higher interest rates, lower purchasing power, lower investment, lower productive capacity, lower growth, and lower living standards in Russia.” 

“To be clear: This is not the outcome we wanted. It’s both a tragedy for the people of Ukraine and a very raw deal for the Russian people. But Putin’s war of choice has required that we do what we said and to ensure this (invasion) will be a strategic failure.” 
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Airspace Closures After Ukraine Invasion Stretch Global Supply Chains

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Global supply chains, already hit hard by the pandemic, are facing further disruption and cost inflation as airspace closures after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affect the air freight industry.

Transport between Europe and north Asian destinations like Japan, South Korea and China has become particularly problematic due to reciprocal airspace bans that bar European carriers from flying over Siberia and Russia airlines from flying to Europe.

Airlines responsible for moving around 20% of the world’s air cargo are affected by those bans, Frederic Horst, managing director of Cargo Facts Consulting, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Germany’s Lufthansa LHAG.DE, Air France KLM AIRF.PA, Finnair FIA1S.HE and Virgin Atlantic have already canceled north Asian cargo flights over airspace issues, though major Asian carriers like Korean Air Lines 003490.KS and Japan’s ANA Holdings 9202.T are still using Russian airspace, as are Middle Eastern airlines.

Pure cargo carriers like Russia’s AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Luxembourg’s Cargolux are also subject to the airspace bans, in a move that could send air freight rates — already elevated due to a lack of passenger capacity during the pandemic — soaring further.

In December, air cargo rates were 150% above 2019 levels, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), adding to inflation affecting industries and economies around the world.

Sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine are expected to further disrupt global supply chains.

Russia’s AirBridgeCargo alone moves just under 4% of global international air cargo, with most of that between Europe and Asia, Horst said.

“All up you could be looking at perhaps a quarter of air cargo between Asia and Europe needing to find alternate means of transportation,” Horst said.

“Yields are high enough that flying a longer route via Southeast Asia, South Asia or the Middle East is an option, but it will still pull capacity out of the market.”

Demand for air cargo last year was 6.9% above 2019’s pre-pandemic levels, according to IATA, as e-commerce surged during the pandemic and shipping container shortages and port bottlenecks led to more products being flown by air. In December, air cargo rates were 150% above 2019 levels, IATA said.

Asia-North America cargo routes are expected to be less affected than European routes, analysts say, because many carriers already use Anchorage, Alaska as a cargo hub and stopover point.

Japanese automakers Toyota Motor Corp 7203.T and Nissan Motor Co 7201.T said on Tuesday they were keeping an eye on any disruption to supply chains as a result of what Russia calls its “special operation” in Ukraine.

U.S.-based United Parcel Service Inc UPS.N and FedEx Corp FDX.X, two of the world’s largest logistics companies, have halted deliveries to Russia.
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Technology Helps Forecasters Predict Avalanche Dangers

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Avalanche forecasters use a slew of technology to predict avalanche risk and help lovers of backcountry winter sports to be prepared. From Boulder Colorado, Shelley Schlender reports. Video editors – Shelley Schlender, Luis Da Costa.
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