This article is a companion piece to today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.
Putin, Biden Trade Speeches Laying Out Road Ahead For Russian-Ukraine War
Russia announced Tuesday that it will be suspending the only remaining nuclear treaty with the United States — known as the New START treaty — allowing the country to begin revamping its nuclear arsenal. China’s Xi Jinping also announced that he will travel to Moscow for a Summitt with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the two nations potentially align against Ukraine and the West. President Joe Biden, for his part, spoke in Poland on Tuesday:
US to announce more sanctions on Russia this week, Biden says.
He says they will "hold accountable those responsible for this war".
Biden adds he will host NATO at a summit in the US next year.
"An attack against one is an attack against all".
https://t.co/IvtvkPHwrh pic.twitter.com/C2A0oKLr0t
— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 21, 2023
EPA Announces Enforcement Action Against Norfolk Southern
The Environmental Protection Agency announced an enforcement action against Norfolk Southern on Tuesday, requiring the company to pay for cleanup actions following a February 3 train derailment that exposed a small Ohio town and surrounding areas to toxic chemicals. The EPA says if the company fails to complete any part of the ordered action, the agency will conduct the necessary work and then seek to compel Norfolk Southern to pay triple the cost. The rail company already faces multiple class-action suits from members of the East Palestine community.
Buttigieg To Visit East Palestine
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced that he is planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio — more than 18 days after the Norfolk Southern train derailed. The visit comes after former president and 2024 GOP candidate Donald J. Trump announced that he will be visiting the Midwest town on Wednesday. Here’s Buttigieg on ABC’s “Good Morning America”:
WATCH: Buttigieg, pressed on Ohio response by ABC News, concedes: "Look, I was Mayor of my hometown for eight years. We dealt with a lot of disasters." pic.twitter.com/thJC9x3mda
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) February 21, 2023
Winter Weather Hits 30 Million Americans
More than 30 million Americans are under winter weather alerts as an impending winter storm is predicted to batter multiple regions later this week. Meteorologists say that while states in the Midwest and along the West Coast will deal with cold and snow, some areas in the southeast will see unprecedented warm temperatures.
Santos Admits He Lies
GOP Congressman George Santos, accused of fabricating key details on his resume during his run for Congress, admitted to lying about his college education in an interview with Piers Morgan released this week.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Reportedly Looking At Legal Action Against “South Park”
Legal representation for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly “casting an eye” over the animated sitcom “South Park” after the show parodied the royal couple in an episode last week, depicting a similar pair going on a worldwide privacy tour. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not directly named in the episode, but referred to as “Canadian royalty” and the “Prince and his wife.”
UPDATE: Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex denied that the couple is looking into legal action against South Park and issued a statement saying that “it’s all frankly nonsense. Totally baseless, boring reports.”
Asbury Revival Ends
Asbury College announced that it will move to end the historic religious “revival” that has been going on for 13 days after more than 50,000 Christians descended on the small Kentucky town since the service began. Asbury University President Kevin Brown said in a statement that Wilmore, Kentucky, simply doesn’t have the infrastructure suited for the thousands of outsiders, but added that he hoped visitors would continue similar revivals in their own towns.
To listen to the audio version of this podcast, click here. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.