As Russia is advancing in Ukraine, the US and its allies have also started to plan about how to help establish and support a government-in-exile. &nbsp;

This government could direct guerrilla operations against Russian occupiers, as per several US and European officials. &nbsp;

This comes as the Ukraine is still longing for complete support from the US and its allies.

The United States has provided weapons to Ukraine's military. This equipment continues to flow into the country. It would be crucial for the success of an insurgent movement later, the officials said.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-icj-ukraine-and-russia-to-fight-again-but-over-genocide-claim-459711">At ICJ, Ukraine and Russia to fight again but over ‘genocide claim’ &nbsp;</a>

The Biden administration has asked Congress, which is infused with a rare bipartisan spirit in defense of Ukraine, to take up a $10 billion humanitarian aid and military package. It includes funding to replenish the stocks of weapons that have already been sent. &nbsp;

If the United States and its allies choose to back an insurgency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be the important force, officials said. &nbsp;

He can be crucial in maintaining morale and rallying Ukrainians against the Russian rulers.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ukrainian-girl-sings-let-it-go-moves-hearts-from-kyivs-bomb-shelter-459765" hreflang="en">Watch: Ukrainian girl sings 'Let It Go', moves hearts from Kyiv’s bomb shelter</a>

The possible takeover of Kyiv by Russians seems to have prompted a flurry of planning at the State Department, Pentagon and other US agencies if the Zelensky government has to flee the capital. &nbsp;

"We're doing contingency planning now for every possibility." It includes a scenario where Zelensky establishes a government-in-exile in Poland, said a US administration official on the condition of anonymity.&nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As Russia is advancing in Ukraine, the US and its allies have also started to plan about how to help establish and support a government-in-exile. This government could direct guerrilla operations against Russian occupiers, as per several US and European officials.

As Russia is advancing in Ukraine, the US and its allies have also started to plan about how to help establish and support a government-in-exile. This government could direct guerrilla operations against Russian occupiers, as per several US and European officials. This comes as the Ukraine is still longing for complete support from the US and its allies. The United States has provided weapons to Ukraine's military. This equipment continues to flow into the country. It would be crucial for the success of an insurgent movement later, the officials said. Also Read: At ICJ, Ukraine and Russia to fight again but over ‘genocide claim’ The Biden administration has asked Congress, which is infused with a rare bipartisan spirit in defense of Ukraine, to take up a $10 billion humanitarian aid and military package. It includes funding to replenish the stocks of weapons that have already been sent. If the United States and its allies choose to back an insurgency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be the important force, officials said. He can be crucial in maintaining morale and rallying Ukrainians against the Russian rulers. Also Read | Watch: Ukrainian girl sings 'Let It Go', moves hearts from Kyiv’s bomb shelter The possible takeover of Kyiv by Russians seems to have prompted a flurry of planning at the State Department, Pentagon and other US agencies if the Zelensky government has to flee the capital. "We're doing contingency planning now for every possibility." It includes a scenario where Zelensky establishes a government-in-exile in Poland, said a US administration official on the condition of anonymity. (With inputs from agencies)

US, allies plan ways to help establish, support a Ukrainian government-in-exile

Four adults and two children were killed when a tornado hit Madison County in the US state of Iowa on Saturday, officials said.

At least four other adults were injured in the tornado that caused "widespread damage to both homes and properties," the county's emergency management director told a press briefing.

"This is, I think, the worst that anyone has seen in quite a long time," Diogenes Ayala said.&nbsp;"This will be impactful for many years to come."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-holds-phone-call-with-joe-biden-pushes-for-more-us-support-to-ukraine-459443">Zelensky holds phone call with Joe Biden, pushes for more US support to Ukraine</a>

National Weather Service Des Moines tweeted at 7:30 pm (0130 GMT Sunday) that "the worst is over for central Iowa."&nbsp;

"Storms are moving off to the East. Areas west of the line, including the Des Moines metro, are in the clear."

NWS said its survey teams would thoroughly investigate the damage on Sunday.

"This is pretty devastating for our community," Ayala said, adding that rescue efforts would continue overnight.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County, which allows state resources to be used to assist with recovery.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sydney-faces-more-rain-as-death-toll-from-australian-floods-rises-to-17-459463">Sydney faces more rain as death toll from Australian floods rises to 17</a>

"Our hearts go out to all those affected by the deadly storms that tore through our state today," Reynolds said in a statement.&nbsp;

In December, dozens of devastating tornadoes ripped through five US states overnight, leaving at least 79 people dead&nbsp;in Kentucky -- with fatalities also recorded in Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois.

Four adults and two children were killed when a tornado hit Madison County in the US state of Iowa on Saturday, officials said. At least four other adults were injured in the tornado that caused "widespread damage to both homes and properties," the county's emergency management director told a press briefing.

Four adults and two children were killed when a tornado hit Madison County in the US state of Iowa on Saturday, officials said. At least four other adults were injured in the tornado that caused "widespread damage to both homes and properties," the county's emergency management director told a press briefing. "This is, I think, the worst that anyone has seen in quite a long time," Diogenes Ayala said. "This will be impactful for many years to come." Also read | Zelensky holds phone call with Joe Biden, pushes for more US support to Ukraine National Weather Service Des Moines tweeted at 7:30 pm (0130 GMT Sunday) that "the worst is over for central Iowa." "Storms are moving off to the East. Areas west of the line, including the Des Moines metro, are in the clear." NWS said its survey teams would thoroughly investigate the damage on Sunday. "This is pretty devastating for our community," Ayala said, adding that rescue efforts would continue overnight. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County, which allows state resources to be used to assist with recovery. Also read | Sydney faces more rain as death toll from Australian floods rises to 17 "Our hearts go out to all those affected by the deadly storms that tore through our state today," Reynolds said in a statement. In December, dozens of devastating tornadoes ripped through five US states overnight, leaving at least 79 people dead in Kentucky -- with fatalities also recorded in Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois.

Two children among six killed in US tornado

After helping war-torn Ukraine, SpaceX chief Elon Musk has been in news even more. He has garnered lots of traction for helping Ukrainians. Not just this, but he also took on the US President Joe Biden when he posted about jobs being created by Ford and General Motors.&nbsp;

His efforts have led to a massive increase in his fan following. Some even believe that he should be the President of the United States.&nbsp;

"Elon Musk should run for President in 2028," wrote a Twitter user. Another person wrote, "I’m starting to think Elon Musk would make one hell of a great president of the United States. Anybody else feel the same way?"

Here are some of the tweets:

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Too bad <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> Is from South Africa, he would make a phenomenal president in 2028 right after DJT.
— Tom Norton For Congress (MI-02) (@ForNorton) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForNorton/status/1499126254519435266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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I’m starting to think Elon Musk would make one hell of a great president of the United States. Anybody else feel the same way?
— terry l. (@dubsndoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubsndoo/status/1497964642869600256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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If he runs for president, he’s got my vote!!<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> <a href="https://t.co/GvQQIYvZ2r">pic.twitter.com/GvQQIYvZ2r</a>
— Dav may 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 (@2006cummins) <a href="https://twitter.com/2006cummins/status/1499967107341115395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Last week Musk announced that Starlink was active in Ukraine and that SpaceX was sending more stations after a Ukrainian government official tweeted asking Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations.

After this, he said that he will not block Russian news on his Starlink satellite broadband service "unless at a gunpoint."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-says-will-not-block-russian-news-on-starlink-unless-at-gunpoint-459385">Also read |&nbsp;Elon Musk says will not block Russian news on Starlink 'unless at gunpoint'</a>

This came in as Musk said that the service has been told by some governments, not Ukraine, to block Russian news sources. "We will not do so unless at 'gunpoint', sorry to be a free speech absolutist," he wrote in a tweet.&nbsp;

It was reported Monday that Ukraine had received donated satellite internet, terminals from Starlink, but an internet security researcher warned these could be targeted by the Russians.

Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanks Starlink for "keeping our cities connected and emergency services saving lives!". However, he added, that due to Russian attacks on infrastructure, the country needs generators to maintain Starlink's service.

(With inputs from agencies)

After helping war-torn Ukraine, SpaceX chief Elon Musk has been in news even more. He has garnered lots of traction for helping Ukrainians. Not just this, but he also took on the US President Joe Biden when he posted about jobs being created by Ford and General Motors.

After helping war-torn Ukraine, SpaceX chief Elon Musk has been in news even more. He has garnered lots of traction for helping Ukrainians. Not just this, but he also took on the US President Joe Biden when he posted about jobs being created by Ford and General Motors. His efforts have led to a massive increase in his fan following. Some even believe that he should be the President of the United States. "Elon Musk should run for President in 2028," wrote a Twitter user. Another person wrote, "I’m starting to think Elon Musk would make one hell of a great president of the United States. Anybody else feel the same way?" Here are some of the tweets: Too bad @elonmusk Is from South Africa, he would make a phenomenal president in 2028 right after DJT. — Tom Norton For Congress (MI-02) (@ForNorton) March 2, 2022 × I’m starting to think Elon Musk would make one hell of a great president of the United States. Anybody else feel the same way? — terry l. (@dubsndoo) February 27, 2022 × If he runs for president, he’s got my vote!!@elonmusk pic.twitter.com/GvQQIYvZ2r — Dav may 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 (@2006cummins) March 5, 2022 × Last week Musk announced that Starlink was active in Ukraine and that SpaceX was sending more stations after a Ukrainian government official tweeted asking Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations. After this, he said that he will not block Russian news on his Starlink satellite broadband service "unless at a gunpoint." Also read | Elon Musk says will not block Russian news on Starlink 'unless at gunpoint' This came in as Musk said that the service has been told by some governments, not Ukraine, to block Russian news sources. "We will not do so unless at 'gunpoint', sorry to be a free speech absolutist," he wrote in a tweet. It was reported Monday that Ukraine had received donated satellite internet, terminals from Starlink, but an internet security researcher warned these could be targeted by the Russians. Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanks Starlink for "keeping our cities connected and emergency services saving lives!". However, he added, that due to Russian attacks on infrastructure, the country needs generators to maintain Starlink's service. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk as US President?  Here is what people demand

While addressing a joint presser with Moldovan President, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that "US department has urged Americans to leave Russia immediately."

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Moldovan President and US Secretary of State holds joint presser

As Russian troops continue assault on Ukrainian cities, West is stepping up measures to counter Moscow’s growing military aggression. US said it is conducting an internal review to assess attack on nuclear power plant.

U.S. conducting internal review after Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s power plan

The Florida Senate passed a sweeping new bill overhauling the state’s electoral process, adding new restrictions to the state election code and establishing a law enforcement office dedicated solely to investigating election crimes.

The bill, which passed 24-14, now goes to the state’s House of Representatives, where it could pass as soon as next week and land on the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who is expected to sign it. One Republican, state Sen. Jeff Brandes, voted against it. A Democratic senator, Loranne Ausley, initially voted yes, but immediately posted on Twitter that she “pushed the wrong button” and has since changed her vote.

Although Republicans in the state had passed another sweeping voting law in May, DeSantis made election reform one of the top priorities for this legislative session as well. Both efforts come after the 2020 election in Florida was without any major issues, and Republicans in the state touted it as a “gold standard” for election administration.

The legislation is poised to become the first major election-related bill to pass this year in a critical battleground state, and it would indicate no sign of cresting for the wave of new election laws, adding more restrictions to voting, that began last year — with 34 laws passed in 19 states.

The core of the bill is the establishment of a permanent election crimes office within the Department of State, which would make Florida one of the first states to have an agency solely dedicated to election crimes and voter fraud, despite such offenses being exceedingly rare in the United States. An investigation last year by The Associated Press found fewer than 475 potential claims of fraud out of 25.5 million ballots cast for president in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The new office would assist the secretary of state’s office in investigating complaints and allegations, initiating their own independent inquiries and overseeing a voter fraud hotline. It would include an unspecified number of investigators, and DeSantis would also appoint at least one special officer in each of the regional offices of the State Department of Law Enforcement to investigate election crimes.

The bill would also raise the penalties on those collecting and submitting more than two absentee ballots from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Voting rights groups are worried that the continuing criminalization of the voting process could both frighten voters away from participating and leave election officials fearing prosecution over honest mistakes.

“Involving law enforcement with this sort of vague mandate obviously creates issues and can have certainly a detrimental effect in terms of the ability of voters to cast ballots if they’re worried about law enforcement involvement,” said Daniel Griffith, policy director at Secure Democracy USA, a nonpartisan organization focused on elections and voter access. “And it has a detrimental effect on election officials if they’re worried that there’s going to be law enforcement over their shoulder.”

Previously, investigations into election fraud were handled by Florida’s secretary of state, the Department of Law Enforcement and the attorney general. Democrats argued that the bill effectively creates a new agency to do work that was done by existing agencies. The agency’s creation, Democrats say, is just a political ploy to signal that Florida and DeSantis are staying tough on an issue core to both the Republican base and to former President Donald Trump.

“Why are we doing this?” said state Sen. Lori Berman during debate Friday. “The only thing I can think is that we’re motivated by the ‘Big Lie’ that the elections nationwide didn’t take place in a proper manner. But we know that is not true.”

State Sen. Travis Hutson, sponsor of the bill and a Republican, defended it during debate Friday, stating that having a dedicated force would both uncover more fraud and make the state able to handle more allegations.

“We did have great elections, the governor mentioned that,” said Hutson. “But I would submit to you that we can always do better.”

He added: “I will say there is no voter intimidation or no suppressing votes in this bill.”

The new election office drew criticisms from some Republican members as well, who argued that it was unnecessary.

“For 15 people to go after what is potentially a handful of complaints that will ultimately be substantiated is just absolutely almost comical,” said Brandes during debate Friday, referring to suggestions from the executive branch that they assign 15 investigators to the office. “So I am not going to support this bill today.”

Uniformed law enforcement officials have been used in the past to deter and suppress voters. In 1982, the Republican National Committee dispatched a group of armed, off-duty police officers known as the National Ballot Security Task Force to linger around New Jersey polling locations during a closely contested governor’s election. The Democratic National Committee sued, forcing the RNC into a consent decree to ban such tactics.

Those memories appeared to be still on the minds of lawmakers in the Florida Legislature. During debate Thursday, state Sen. Victor Manuel Torres Jr. asked Hutson, the sponsor of the bill: “Will these individuals be in uniform or civilian attire?”

Hutson responded that the current enforcement arm of the secretary of state dresses in civilian attire and that members of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are likely to be uniformed.

In addition to the new Office of Election Crimes and Security, the bill adds other new restrictions to voting, including banning ranked choice voting; raising the cap on fines of third-party registration groups from $1,000 to $50,000; extending a ban on private funding for election administration to include the “cost of any litigation”; and replacing references to “drop boxes” with “secure ballot intake stations.”

The Florida Senate passed a sweeping new bill overhauling the state’s electoral process, adding new restrictions to the state election code and establishing a law enforcement office dedicated solely to investigating election crimes.

The Florida Senate passed a sweeping new bill overhauling the state’s electoral process, adding new restrictions to the state election code and establishing a law enforcement office dedicated solely to investigating election crimes. The bill, which passed 24-14, now goes to the state’s House of Representatives, where it could pass as soon as next week and land on the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who is expected to sign it. One Republican, state Sen. Jeff Brandes, voted against it. A Democratic senator, Loranne Ausley, initially voted yes, but immediately posted on Twitter that she “pushed the wrong button” and has since changed her vote. Although Republicans in the state had passed another sweeping voting law in May, DeSantis made election reform one of the top priorities for this legislative session as well. Both efforts come after the 2020 election in Florida was without any major issues, and Republicans in the state touted it as a “gold standard” for election administration. The legislation is poised to become the first major election-related bill to pass this year in a critical battleground state, and it would indicate no sign of cresting for the wave of new election laws, adding more restrictions to voting, that began last year — with 34 laws passed in 19 states. The core of the bill is the establishment of a permanent election crimes office within the Department of State, which would make Florida one of the first states to have an agency solely dedicated to election crimes and voter fraud, despite such offenses being exceedingly rare in the United States. An investigation last year by The Associated Press found fewer than 475 potential claims of fraud out of 25.5 million ballots cast for president in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The new office would assist the secretary of state’s office in investigating complaints and allegations, initiating their own independent inquiries and overseeing a voter fraud hotline. It would include an unspecified number of investigators, and DeSantis would also appoint at least one special officer in each of the regional offices of the State Department of Law Enforcement to investigate election crimes. The bill would also raise the penalties on those collecting and submitting more than two absentee ballots from a misdemeanor to a felony. Voting rights groups are worried that the continuing criminalization of the voting process could both frighten voters away from participating and leave election officials fearing prosecution over honest mistakes. “Involving law enforcement with this sort of vague mandate obviously creates issues and can have certainly a detrimental effect in terms of the ability of voters to cast ballots if they’re worried about law enforcement involvement,” said Daniel Griffith, policy director at Secure Democracy USA, a nonpartisan organization focused on elections and voter access. “And it has a detrimental effect on election officials if they’re worried that there’s going to be law enforcement over their shoulder.” Previously, investigations into election fraud were handled by Florida’s secretary of state, the Department of Law Enforcement and the attorney general. Democrats argued that the bill effectively creates a new agency to do work that was done by existing agencies. The agency’s creation, Democrats say, is just a political ploy to signal that Florida and DeSantis are staying tough on an issue core to both the Republican base and to former President Donald Trump. “Why are we doing this?” said state Sen. Lori Berman during debate Friday. “The only thing I can think is that we’re motivated by the ‘Big Lie’ that the elections nationwide didn’t take place in a proper manner. But we know that is not true.” State Sen. Travis Hutson, sponsor of the bill and a Republican, defended it during debate Friday, stating that having a dedicated force would both uncover more fraud and make the state able to handle more allegations. “We did have great elections, the governor mentioned that,” said Hutson. “But I would submit to you that we can always do better.” He added: “I will say there is no voter intimidation or no suppressing votes in this bill.” The new election office drew criticisms from some Republican members as well, who argued that it was unnecessary. “For 15 people to go after what is potentially a handful of complaints that will ultimately be substantiated is just absolutely almost comical,” said Brandes during debate Friday, referring to suggestions from the executive branch that they assign 15 investigators to the office. “So I am not going to support this bill today.” Uniformed law enforcement officials have been used in the past to deter and suppress voters. In 1982, the Republican National Committee dispatched a group of armed, off-duty police officers known as the National Ballot Security Task Force to linger around New Jersey polling locations during a closely contested governor’s election. The Democratic National Committee sued, forcing the RNC into a consent decree to ban such tactics. Those memories appeared to be still on the minds of lawmakers in the Florida Legislature. During debate Thursday, state Sen. Victor Manuel Torres Jr. asked Hutson, the sponsor of the bill: “Will these individuals be in uniform or civilian attire?” Hutson responded that the current enforcement arm of the secretary of state dresses in civilian attire and that members of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are likely to be uniformed. In addition to the new Office of Election Crimes and Security, the bill adds other new restrictions to voting, including banning ranked choice voting; raising the cap on fines of third-party registration groups from $1,000 to $50,000; extending a ban on private funding for election administration to include the “cost of any litigation”; and replacing references to “drop boxes” with “secure ballot intake stations.”

Florida senate passes voting bill to create election crimes agency

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Quad leaders held a virtual meeting. However, Quad seems divided over the response on Ukraine as India rejected Kyiv on Quad's agenda.

Quad divided over response on Russian invasion of Ukraine? India rejects Kyiv on Quad agenda

In a humanitarian relief to Ukrainians, the Biden administration has said that it is offering 'Temporary Protected Status' to the citizens of the eastern European nation in the United States on Thursday. &nbsp;

This move could protect thousands of the Ukrainians from being deported to the war-torn homeland. &nbsp;

Under the federal programme known as ‘Temporary Protected Status’, the nationals of Ukraine can remain in the country for up to 18 months. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/constructive-conversation-quad-leaders-discuss-ukraine-situation-458750">'Constructive conversation': Quad leaders discuss Ukraine situation</a>

To be eligible for the protection, the citizens of Ukraine need to be in the US since at least Tuesday. &nbsp;

The decision has been taken as the Russia has invaded Ukraine, the administration said. &nbsp;

It marks the largest conventional military action in Europe since World War II. The conflict has forced more than one million people to flee the country, causing humanitarian crisis. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-sniper-killed-russias-top-general-say-reports-458776" hreflang="en">Ukrainian sniper killed Russia's top general, say reports</a>

"Russia's premeditated and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war, senseless violence that has forced Ukrainians to seek refuge in other countries," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N Mayorkas said. &nbsp;

Around 30,000 Ukrainians may get benefitted through this move, as per the Migration Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement, Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said, "I applaud President Biden for taking decisive action so that Ukrainians can stay safely in America." &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a humanitarian relief to Ukrainians, the Biden administration has said that it is offering 'Temporary Protected Status' to the citizens of the eastern European nation in the United States on Thursday.

In a humanitarian relief to Ukrainians, the Biden administration has said that it is offering 'Temporary Protected Status' to the citizens of the eastern European nation in the United States on Thursday. This move could protect thousands of the Ukrainians from being deported to the war-torn homeland. Under the federal programme known as ‘Temporary Protected Status’, the nationals of Ukraine can remain in the country for up to 18 months. Also Read | 'Constructive conversation': Quad leaders discuss Ukraine situation To be eligible for the protection, the citizens of Ukraine need to be in the US since at least Tuesday. The decision has been taken as the Russia has invaded Ukraine, the administration said. It marks the largest conventional military action in Europe since World War II. The conflict has forced more than one million people to flee the country, causing humanitarian crisis. Also Read: Ukrainian sniper killed Russia's top general, say reports "Russia's premeditated and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war, senseless violence that has forced Ukrainians to seek refuge in other countries," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N Mayorkas said. Around 30,000 Ukrainians may get benefitted through this move, as per the Migration Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank. In a statement, Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said, "I applaud President Biden for taking decisive action so that Ukrainians can stay safely in America." (With inputs from agencies)

In humanitarian relief, Biden administration offers 'Temporary Protected Status' to Ukrainians in US

In his first State of the Union address, US President Joe Biden touted his success in uniting much of the world against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden said Kyiv is on the frontline of the global battle between democracies and autocracies, and that democracy will prevail. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.

Biden: US and NATO allies will remain united | WION-VOA CO-Production

The son of a Texas man charged with storming the US Capitol delivered emotional testimony against his father on Thursday at the first trial stemming from the January 6 attack on Congress by Donald Trump supporters.

Guy&nbsp;Reffitt, a 49-year-old oil industry worker from Wylie, Texas, is accused of bringing a gun to Washington, battling police officers and impeding an official proceeding.

Reffitt&nbsp;broke down in tears as his 19-year-old son, Jackson, took the witness stand on Thursday.

Jackson&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;told the jury he had a "pretty great" relationship with his father until a 2016 stint living in Malaysia, after which it became "more distant."

Jackson&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;testified that he reached out to the FBI even before January 6 about his father's affiliation with a right-wing group known as the Three Percenters.

He said it "felt gross" writing to the FBI about his own father.

After&nbsp;Guy&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;returned home to Texas from the January 6 attack on the Capitol, the young man contacted the FBI again about his father's participation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-russia-claims-to-have-besieged-two-big-cities-in-ukraine-455211">Also read |&nbsp;LIVE | Ukraine invasion: This is Putin's war, and he has to stop it, EU says</a>

He said he did so despite his father warning him that if he turned him in to the authorities he would be a "traitor."

"And traitors get shot," he quoted his father as saying.

Prosecutors played for the jury excerpts of a recording that Jackson&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;covertly made of his father recounting his participation in the assault on the Capitol.

"I felt so patriotic,"&nbsp;Guy&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;is heard saying.

Jackson&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;said he moved out of the family home after they found out he had contacted the FBI and the situation has been "difficult."

Prosecutor Jeffrey Nestler, in his opening statement, described&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;as a leader of the "worst assault on the Capitol since the War of 1812," when British troops set fire to the seat of Congress.

William Welch,&nbsp;Reffitt's defense attorney, denied that his client had brought a handgun to the Capitol and said he never actually entered the building or assaulted anyone.

More than 750 people have been arrested for their roles in the failed bid by Trump supporters to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the November 2020 presidential election.

Nearly 220 people have pleaded guilty to various charges but&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;is the first person facing criminal charges to go on trial.

Reffitt&nbsp;was arrested on January 19, 2021 and FBI agents recovered an AR-15 rifle and Smith &amp; Wesson pistol from his home in Wylie, a suburb of Dallas.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-chancellor-scholz-urges-putin-to-end-hostilities-in-ukraine-459011">Also read |&nbsp;German Chancellor Scholz urges Putin to end hostilities in Ukraine</a>

Reffitt&nbsp;could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The storming of the Capitol left at least five people dead and 140 police officers injured and followed a fiery speech by Trump to thousands of his supporters near the White House.

Trump was impeached for a historic second time by the House after the Capitol riot -- he was charged with inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate.

The son of a Texas man charged with storming the US Capitol delivered emotional testimony against his father on Thursday at the first trial stemming from the January 6 attack on Congress by Donald Trump supporters.

The son of a Texas man charged with storming the US Capitol delivered emotional testimony against his father on Thursday at the first trial stemming from the January 6 attack on Congress by Donald Trump supporters. Guy Reffitt, a 49-year-old oil industry worker from Wylie, Texas, is accused of bringing a gun to Washington, battling police officers and impeding an official proceeding. Reffitt broke down in tears as his 19-year-old son, Jackson, took the witness stand on Thursday. Jackson Reffitt told the jury he had a "pretty great" relationship with his father until a 2016 stint living in Malaysia, after which it became "more distant." Jackson Reffitt testified that he reached out to the FBI even before January 6 about his father's affiliation with a right-wing group known as the Three Percenters. He said it "felt gross" writing to the FBI about his own father. After Guy Reffitt returned home to Texas from the January 6 attack on the Capitol, the young man contacted the FBI again about his father's participation. Also read | LIVE | Ukraine invasion: This is Putin's war, and he has to stop it, EU says He said he did so despite his father warning him that if he turned him in to the authorities he would be a "traitor." "And traitors get shot," he quoted his father as saying. Prosecutors played for the jury excerpts of a recording that Jackson Reffitt covertly made of his father recounting his participation in the assault on the Capitol. "I felt so patriotic," Guy Reffitt is heard saying. Jackson Reffitt said he moved out of the family home after they found out he had contacted the FBI and the situation has been "difficult." Prosecutor Jeffrey Nestler, in his opening statement, described Reffitt as a leader of the "worst assault on the Capitol since the War of 1812," when British troops set fire to the seat of Congress. William Welch, Reffitt's defense attorney, denied that his client had brought a handgun to the Capitol and said he never actually entered the building or assaulted anyone. More than 750 people have been arrested for their roles in the failed bid by Trump supporters to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the November 2020 presidential election. Nearly 220 people have pleaded guilty to various charges but Reffitt is the first person facing criminal charges to go on trial. Reffitt was arrested on January 19, 2021 and FBI agents recovered an AR-15 rifle and Smith & Wesson pistol from his home in Wylie, a suburb of Dallas. Also read | German Chancellor Scholz urges Putin to end hostilities in Ukraine Reffitt could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The storming of the Capitol left at least five people dead and 140 police officers injured and followed a fiery speech by Trump to thousands of his supporters near the White House. Trump was impeached for a historic second time by the House after the Capitol riot -- he was charged with inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate.

Capitol attack trial: In an emotional testimony, son attests against father

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The pilot, who is a man from Orlando, Florida, was removed from the cockpit after a Transportation Security Administration agent told the authorities that he looked “impaired” while passing through security, reported the Buffalo News. &nbsp;

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Niagara Frontier TSA spokeswoman Helen Tederous said that the pilot told authorities that he had seven to eight drinks before he got on the plane, which was departing from Buffalo Niagara international airport to Fort Lauderdale.&nbsp;

After his removal, the police performed a breathalyzer test. It was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.17% in the test. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight or flying with a blood-alcohol level more than 0.04. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Initially, he was taken into police custody, and later handed over to JetBlue security. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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The pilot has been removed from his duties by JetBlue and&nbsp;may also face federal charges, said Tederous. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement, JetBlue officials said they were aware of the incident and cooperating with law enforcement. They were also conducting an internal investigation. &nbsp;

“We adhere to all (Department of Transportation) rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy,” read the statement. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US.

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US. The pilot, who is a man from Orlando, Florida, was removed from the cockpit after a Transportation Security Administration agent told the authorities that he looked “impaired” while passing through security, reported the Buffalo News. Also Read: Biden admin offers 'Temporary Protected Status' to Ukrainians in US Niagara Frontier TSA spokeswoman Helen Tederous said that the pilot told authorities that he had seven to eight drinks before he got on the plane, which was departing from Buffalo Niagara international airport to Fort Lauderdale. After his removal, the police performed a breathalyzer test. It was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.17% in the test. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight or flying with a blood-alcohol level more than 0.04. Initially, he was taken into police custody, and later handed over to JetBlue security. Also Read: US senator calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin's assassination The pilot has been removed from his duties by JetBlue and may also face federal charges, said Tederous. In a statement, JetBlue officials said they were aware of the incident and cooperating with law enforcement. They were also conducting an internal investigation. “We adhere to all (Department of Transportation) rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy,” read the statement. (With inputs from agencies)

52-year-old drunk airline pilot removed from cockpit of flight in US

The US&nbsp;Centres for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) on Thursday said that almost 93 per cent of the population in the US lives in locations where the coronavirus level is so low that people do not need to wear masks indoors.

In an announcement on Friday, CDC eased its guidelines on when Americans should wear masks indoors, saying they can also drop them in counties experiencing low or medium COVID-19 levels.

COVID hospitalizations - a key benchmark for the new masking recommendations - continue to decline, as indicated by the latest figures.

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The CDC, while&nbsp;announcing its revised guidelines said about 70 per cent&nbsp;of US&nbsp;counties and 72 per cent&nbsp;of the US&nbsp;population resides in communities where face coverings are no longer recommended.

The agency on Thursday said 85.4 per cent of counties are now ranked as low to medium risk and about 92.9 per cent of the population lives in those counties.

However, it is&nbsp;still to be determined whether the Biden administration will extend the mask&nbsp;requirements for travelling on airplanes, trains, buses or for transit hubs.

The current transit order expires on March 18 but can be&nbsp;extended. As per the White House the issue is still being evaluated.

The guidelines announced last week shifted its focus from COVID-19 transmission rates to infection rates, local hospitalisation and hospital capacity.

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As per the earlier recommendations, only 5 per cent of the counties fell under the safe zone and could&nbsp;abandon wearing masks indoors, while&nbsp;95 per cent of were&nbsp;considered to be at risk for higher transmission.

Many federal agencies this week have told government employees that they can now stop wearing masks indoors in federal buildings in Washington, D.C. Area or in some low or medium Covid&nbsp;level areas including Pentagon, Transportation Department, Justice Department, State Department and Federal Aviation.

Watch |&nbsp;The five stages of the covid Pandemic, as told by Dr Anthony Fauci

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-five-stages-of-the-covid-pandemic-as-told-by-dr-anthony-fauci-454715/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

As per an earlier&nbsp;memo, the White House had directed agencies to revise federal employee masking and testing rules number by Friday.&nbsp;

The guidance said that Federal agencies in counties with low Covid community levels do not need to regularly screen unvaccinated employees for COVID-19. This guidance covers about 3.5 million employees.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US Centres for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) on Thursday said that almost 93 per cent of the population in the US lives in locations where the coronavirus level is so low that people do not need to wear masks indoors.

The US Centres for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) on Thursday said that almost 93 per cent of the population in the US lives in locations where the coronavirus level is so low that people do not need to wear masks indoors. In an announcement on Friday, CDC eased its guidelines on when Americans should wear masks indoors, saying they can also drop them in counties experiencing low or medium COVID-19 levels. COVID hospitalizations - a key benchmark for the new masking recommendations - continue to decline, as indicated by the latest figures. Also read | This is how Covid could reverse all the progress made towards gender equality The CDC, while announcing its revised guidelines said about 70 per cent of US counties and 72 per cent of the US population resides in communities where face coverings are no longer recommended. The agency on Thursday said 85.4 per cent of counties are now ranked as low to medium risk and about 92.9 per cent of the population lives in those counties. However, it is still to be determined whether the Biden administration will extend the mask requirements for travelling on airplanes, trains, buses or for transit hubs. The current transit order expires on March 18 but can be extended. As per the White House the issue is still being evaluated. The guidelines announced last week shifted its focus from COVID-19 transmission rates to infection rates, local hospitalisation and hospital capacity. Also read | COVID-19: Western Australia ends closures as the country fully open to travel As per the earlier recommendations, only 5 per cent of the counties fell under the safe zone and could abandon wearing masks indoors, while 95 per cent of were considered to be at risk for higher transmission. Many federal agencies this week have told government employees that they can now stop wearing masks indoors in federal buildings in Washington, D.C. Area or in some low or medium Covid level areas including Pentagon, Transportation Department, Justice Department, State Department and Federal Aviation. Watch | The five stages of the covid Pandemic, as told by Dr Anthony Fauci As per an earlier memo, the White House had directed agencies to revise federal employee masking and testing rules number by Friday. The guidance said that Federal agencies in counties with low Covid community levels do not need to regularly screen unvaccinated employees for COVID-19. This guidance covers about 3.5 million employees. (With inputs from agencies)

New CDC guidelines say that more than 90% of US population doesn't need masks anymore

The US military has said that it will postpone a scheduled test launch of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, in a bid to lower soaring tensions after Russia announced it was putting its nuclear forces on high alert.

US delays ICBM test launch in a bid to ease Russia Nuclear tensions

To control inflation and also to prop up the economy, the US central bank is preparing for a rate hike that can come as soon as next month.

US interest rate hike likely in March: Powell testified before US Congress

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Quad leaders are all set to hold a virtual meeting today. The Indo-Pacific developments are in focus.

Quad leaders' virtual meet today amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

Power failures were&nbsp;reported&nbsp;in many&nbsp;parts&nbsp;of&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;on Thursday following what the presidential office said was "an incident" at a power plant.

The&nbsp;blackouts&nbsp;occurred after 9 am (0100 GMT)&nbsp;across&nbsp;the island, from the capital Taipei to central Taichung city and southern Pingtung county, reports said.&nbsp;

The electricity failures came as&nbsp;President Tsai Ing-wen was set to meet the former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo.&nbsp;

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They also came a day after a visit by a delegation of former US security officials, a trip denounced by Beijing, which sees&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;as its territory and denounces any official ties the island has with other countries.&nbsp;

The Presidential Office said an initial probe showed the&nbsp;blackouts&nbsp;were caused by "an incident" at a power plant in southern Kaohsiung city. &nbsp;

While power supply at the president's office was normal, it said a scheduled live stream of Tsai's meeting with Pompeo was cancelled.

"President Tsai has instructed the cabinet and relevant agencies to clarify the cause of the incident... and resume power supplies as soon as possible," the statement read.

State-run Taipower said a malfunction occurred at Kaohsiung's Hsinta power plant, the island's third-largest coal-fired station which supplies around a seventh of&nbsp;Taiwan's power.&nbsp;

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It then caused an ultra-high voltage station in neighbouring Tainan to trip, which led to the blackouts, it said.

The outage hit about 5.5 million homes across&nbsp;Taiwan, the company said, of which 4 million have since had power restored.

Economic minister Wang Mei-hua told reporters the Hsinta plant has been cut off from the power system after the incident, with hydro and other power plants being brought online to supply electricity.&nbsp;

TV footage showed police officers directing cars as traffic lights failed and some shops were forced to stay closed due to the lack of power.

Taiwan&nbsp;High-Speed Rail said an unspecified number of its trains were affected by the power outage.&nbsp;

Taiwan&nbsp;Railways Administration said some of its trains operating in southern Tainan, Pingtung and central Nantou have been delayed or suspended.&nbsp;

The island does occasionally experience large power outages, particularly during warmer seasons when demand spikes.&nbsp;

In 2017,&nbsp;Taiwan's economic minister resigned following an outcry over massive power failures across the island, affecting more than six million households.

Blackouts also hit in May last year as demand spiked during a heatwave.&nbsp;

Power failures were reported in many parts of Taiwan on Thursday following what the presidential office said was "an incident" at a power plant. The blackouts occurred after 9 am (0100 GMT) across the island, from the capital Taipei to central Taichung city and southern Pingtung county, reports said.

Power failures were reported in many parts of Taiwan on Thursday following what the presidential office said was "an incident" at a power plant. The blackouts occurred after 9 am (0100 GMT) across the island, from the capital Taipei to central Taichung city and southern Pingtung county, reports said. The electricity failures came as President Tsai Ing-wen was set to meet the former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Also read | United States sends delegation to Taiwan amid ‘invasion’ fears They also came a day after a visit by a delegation of former US security officials, a trip denounced by Beijing, which sees Taiwan as its territory and denounces any official ties the island has with other countries. The Presidential Office said an initial probe showed the blackouts were caused by "an incident" at a power plant in southern Kaohsiung city. While power supply at the president's office was normal, it said a scheduled live stream of Tsai's meeting with Pompeo was cancelled. "President Tsai has instructed the cabinet and relevant agencies to clarify the cause of the incident... and resume power supplies as soon as possible," the statement read. State-run Taipower said a malfunction occurred at Kaohsiung's Hsinta power plant, the island's third-largest coal-fired station which supplies around a seventh of Taiwan's power. Also read | China says US warship sailing in Taiwan Strait 'provocative' It then caused an ultra-high voltage station in neighbouring Tainan to trip, which led to the blackouts, it said. The outage hit about 5.5 million homes across Taiwan, the company said, of which 4 million have since had power restored. Economic minister Wang Mei-hua told reporters the Hsinta plant has been cut off from the power system after the incident, with hydro and other power plants being brought online to supply electricity. TV footage showed police officers directing cars as traffic lights failed and some shops were forced to stay closed due to the lack of power. Taiwan High-Speed Rail said an unspecified number of its trains were affected by the power outage. Taiwan Railways Administration said some of its trains operating in southern Tainan, Pingtung and central Nantou have been delayed or suspended. The island does occasionally experience large power outages, particularly during warmer seasons when demand spikes. In 2017, Taiwan's economic minister resigned following an outcry over massive power failures across the island, affecting more than six million households. Blackouts also hit in May last year as demand spiked during a heatwave.

Mass blackouts reported across parts of Taiwan, 5.5 million homes affected

Top US officials on Wednesday laid out a plan to move the nation to a new stage of the pandemic. The new plan focuses on four goals, to help the nation move forward safely. This includes protection against COVID, preparing for new variants, preventing shutdowns and continuing to vaccinate the world.&nbsp;

The White House claimed, "This plan lays out the road map to help us fight Covid-19 in the future as we move America from crisis to a time when Covid-19 does not disrupt our daily lives and is something we prevent, protect against and treat."

“America must maintain the tools — vaccines, boosters, treatments, tests and masks — to protect against Covid-19 and dramatically decrease the risk of the most severe outcomes. We must be prepared to respond to a new variant quickly and keep our schools and businesses open," the plan read.&nbsp;

The plan further aims to give schools and businesses the tools they need to prevent economic and educational shutdowns. This is being done so that the students can remain safe in school and workers can be safe at work. Also, this will help the economy to grow.&nbsp;

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"The path forward in the fight against COVID-19 is clear: schools, workers, and workplaces have resources and guidance to prevent shutdowns," said the White House.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, reports state that nearly half of the 500 million free Covid tests made available to the public recently by the Biden administration remain unclaimed. COVIDtests.Gov had received over 45 million orders on the first day of the White House test giveaway in January. Now, the officials say that less than 100,000 orders a day are being witnessed for the packages of four free rapid tests per household, which are being delivered by the US Postal Service.&nbsp;

The White House views the programme as a step towards a deeper testing infrastructure, which will accommodate the demand surges and remain on standby when cases wane. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Top US officials on Wednesday laid out a plan to move the nation to a new stage of the pandemic. The new plan focuses on four goals, to help the nation move forward safely.

Top US officials on Wednesday laid out a plan to move the nation to a new stage of the pandemic. The new plan focuses on four goals, to help the nation move forward safely. This includes protection against COVID, preparing for new variants, preventing shutdowns and continuing to vaccinate the world. The White House claimed, "This plan lays out the road map to help us fight Covid-19 in the future as we move America from crisis to a time when Covid-19 does not disrupt our daily lives and is something we prevent, protect against and treat." “America must maintain the tools — vaccines, boosters, treatments, tests and masks — to protect against Covid-19 and dramatically decrease the risk of the most severe outcomes. We must be prepared to respond to a new variant quickly and keep our schools and businesses open," the plan read. The plan further aims to give schools and businesses the tools they need to prevent economic and educational shutdowns. This is being done so that the students can remain safe in school and workers can be safe at work. Also, this will help the economy to grow. Also read | UK PM Boris Johnson says Russia already guilty of 'war crime' in Ukraine "The path forward in the fight against COVID-19 is clear: schools, workers, and workplaces have resources and guidance to prevent shutdowns," said the White House. Meanwhile, reports state that nearly half of the 500 million free Covid tests made available to the public recently by the Biden administration remain unclaimed. COVIDtests.Gov had received over 45 million orders on the first day of the White House test giveaway in January. Now, the officials say that less than 100,000 orders a day are being witnessed for the packages of four free rapid tests per household, which are being delivered by the US Postal Service. The White House views the programme as a step towards a deeper testing infrastructure, which will accommodate the demand surges and remain on standby when cases wane. (With inputs from agencies)

In a bid to help the nation move forward, White house unveils its Covid preparedness plan

US President Joe Biden is delivering his first State of the Union address in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. Biden said that the US needs good mental health services.

US President Biden's State of the Union address: 'We need good mental health services'

US President Joe Biden is delivering his first State of the Union address in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. Biden Pushed for made in America products during the address.

US President Joe Biden pushes for made in America products during his State of the Union address

US President Joe Biden is delivering his first State of the Union address in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. Biden Pushed for made in America products during the address. He also said that Gun manufacturing is the only industry in US that can't be sued.

Biden's State of the Union address: Gun manufacturing is the only industry in US that can't be sued

US President Joe Biden is delivering his first State of the Union address in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. Biden Pushed for made in America products during the address and said the businesses to lower costs to fight inflation.

US President Biden's State of the Union address: 'Lower your cost, not wages to fight inflation'

US President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. It will be addressed to the 117th United States Congress.

US President Biden's first state of the Union address today

Witness US President Joe Biden’s most memorable gaffes

NASA&nbsp;is&nbsp;exploring&nbsp;ways&nbsp;to&nbsp;keep&nbsp;the&nbsp;International Space Station&nbsp;in orbit&nbsp;without&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;help, but doesn't see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration following the invasion of Ukraine, a senior&nbsp;official&nbsp;said Monday.

Kathy Lueders, who heads the agency's human spaceflight program, told reporters on a call that operations on the research platform were proceeding "nominally" and "we're not getting&nbsp;any&nbsp;indications at a working level that our counterparts are not committed."

"That said, we always look for how do we get more operational flexibility and our cargo providers are looking at how do we add different capabilities," she continued.

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While the US side of the ISS supplies power and life support, Russia is responsible for propulsion and keeping the&nbsp;station&nbsp;afloat: it does this by using docked Progress spacecraft to periodically give the&nbsp;station&nbsp;a boost to maintain its altitude, approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) high.&nbsp;

Last week, though, Russia's&nbsp;space&nbsp;chief Dmitry Rogozin raised the prospect of pulling out of the partnership in response to US sanctions, allowing the 400 ton structure to come crashing down to Earth while most likely avoiding his country, since its&nbsp;orbit&nbsp;doesn't&nbsp;fly much over it.

Lueders said: "Northrop Grumman has been offering up a reboost capability, and you know, our SpaceX folks are looking at can we have additional capability."

The last Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo vessel that arrived at the ISS on February 21 was the first to boast a capacity to "reboost" the outpost&nbsp;without&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;help.

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On Friday, SpaceX boss Elon Musk tweeted his company's logo in response to Rogozin's rhetorical question about who would save the ISS&nbsp;from&nbsp;an uncontrolled de-orbit.

But Lueders stressed that such plans were a contingency measure only.&nbsp;

"It would be very difficult for us to be operating on our own -- ISS is an&nbsp;international&nbsp;partnership that was created...with joint dependencies," she said.

"As a team, we are looking at where we may have operational flexibilities, but... it would be a sad day for&nbsp;international&nbsp;operations if we can't&nbsp;continue to peacefully operate in&nbsp;space," she concluded.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: A NASA spacecraft has reached the sun

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-nasa-spacecraft-has-reached-the-sun-437230/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A symbol of post Cold War detente, the ISS has been continuously habited for more than 21 years and has weathered past geopolitical storms, notably Russia's&nbsp;invasion&nbsp;of Crimea in 2014. But some observers believe the&nbsp;invasion&nbsp;of&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;could hasten the demise of US-Russian&nbsp;space&nbsp;cooperation.

NASA is exploring ways to keep the International Space Station in orbit without Russian help, but doesn't see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration following the invasion of Ukraine, a senior official said Monday.

NASA is exploring ways to keep the International Space Station in orbit without Russian help, but doesn't see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration following the invasion of Ukraine, a senior official said Monday. Kathy Lueders, who heads the agency's human spaceflight program, told reporters on a call that operations on the research platform were proceeding "nominally" and "we're not getting any indications at a working level that our counterparts are not committed." "That said, we always look for how do we get more operational flexibility and our cargo providers are looking at how do we add different capabilities," she continued. Also read | New artificial intelligence model shows hidden turbulence in Sun's atmosphere While the US side of the ISS supplies power and life support, Russia is responsible for propulsion and keeping the station afloat: it does this by using docked Progress spacecraft to periodically give the station a boost to maintain its altitude, approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) high. Last week, though, Russia's space chief Dmitry Rogozin raised the prospect of pulling out of the partnership in response to US sanctions, allowing the 400 ton structure to come crashing down to Earth while most likely avoiding his country, since its orbit doesn't fly much over it. Lueders said: "Northrop Grumman has been offering up a reboost capability, and you know, our SpaceX folks are looking at can we have additional capability." The last Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo vessel that arrived at the ISS on February 21 was the first to boast a capacity to "reboost" the outpost without Russian help. Also read | NASA's Curiosity rover captures image of mineral 'flower' on Mars On Friday, SpaceX boss Elon Musk tweeted his company's logo in response to Rogozin's rhetorical question about who would save the ISS from an uncontrolled de-orbit. But Lueders stressed that such plans were a contingency measure only. "It would be very difficult for us to be operating on our own -- ISS is an international partnership that was created...with joint dependencies," she said. "As a team, we are looking at where we may have operational flexibilities, but... it would be a sad day for international operations if we can't continue to peacefully operate in space," she concluded. Watch | Gravitas: A NASA spacecraft has reached the sun A symbol of post Cold War detente, the ISS has been continuously habited for more than 21 years and has weathered past geopolitical storms, notably Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014. But some observers believe the invasion of Ukraine could hasten the demise of US-Russian space cooperation.

NASA exploring ways to keep International Space Station afloat without Russia

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