A nine-year-old Mexican child died while trying to cross the Rio Grande River into the United States, the Border Patrol said Friday amid a surge in migrants seeking to enter the country.

The child was found together with a Guatemalan woman and her three-year-old, all unconscious and stranded on an island in the middle of the river which demarcates the US-Mexico border in Texas on March 20.

"Agents found the individuals and immediately began administering first aid while transporting the migrants to shore," the Border Patrol said in a statement that did not state the deceased child's gender.

The woman and the three-year-old regained consciousness but the nine-year-old could not be revived.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lack-of-sanitation-and-social-distancing-how-immigrants-in-america-are-struggling-372618">Lack of sanitation and social distancing: How immigrants in America are struggling</a>

The three, who were not identified, were some of the 500 migrants rescued from dangerous situations in the past five months as thousands attempt to cross the border every day.

A senior Border Patrol official said Friday that the numbers continue to increase: some 6,000 undocumented migrants were caught on Thursday trying to enter the country.

Unlike in the past, when most of those caught crossing the southern border illegally were single adults, most recently about half have been either in family units or as unaccompanied children.

Most are being sent back into Mexico but all of the unaccompanied children and a number of the families are being allowed to stay in the United States.

Holding and processing facilities for the children at both the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are packed far beyond capacity.

On Wednesday the CBP was holding 5,156 migrant minors while HHS, which takes them from CBP and tries to place them with family members in the United States, had 11,900. &nbsp;

In February more than 9,000 unaccompanied children, mostly from Mexico and Central American, came in, and that number appears on track to top 14,000 this month.

"We are apprehending more people than we are discharging," the official, who declined to be identified, told reporters.

On Thursday President Joe Biden defended his handling of the increase in migrants, which has become his largest political liability two months into his adminsitration, after predecessor Donald Trump sought to seal off the border.

Biden called the surge seasonal, because it was the safest time to travel, and said the children were being accepted in for humane reasons.

The Border Patrol official said they expect the surge to continue at least through April.

"I fully expect the numbers to increase into the summer months," he said.

A nine-year-old Mexican child died while trying to cross the Rio Grande River into the United States, the Border Patrol said Friday amid a surge in migrants seeking to enter the country.

A nine-year-old Mexican child died while trying to cross the Rio Grande River into the United States, the Border Patrol said Friday amid a surge in migrants seeking to enter the country. The child was found together with a Guatemalan woman and her three-year-old, all unconscious and stranded on an island in the middle of the river which demarcates the US-Mexico border in Texas on March 20. "Agents found the individuals and immediately began administering first aid while transporting the migrants to shore," the Border Patrol said in a statement that did not state the deceased child's gender. The woman and the three-year-old regained consciousness but the nine-year-old could not be revived. Also read | Lack of sanitation and social distancing: How immigrants in America are struggling The three, who were not identified, were some of the 500 migrants rescued from dangerous situations in the past five months as thousands attempt to cross the border every day. A senior Border Patrol official said Friday that the numbers continue to increase: some 6,000 undocumented migrants were caught on Thursday trying to enter the country. Unlike in the past, when most of those caught crossing the southern border illegally were single adults, most recently about half have been either in family units or as unaccompanied children. Most are being sent back into Mexico but all of the unaccompanied children and a number of the families are being allowed to stay in the United States. Holding and processing facilities for the children at both the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are packed far beyond capacity. On Wednesday the CBP was holding 5,156 migrant minors while HHS, which takes them from CBP and tries to place them with family members in the United States, had 11,900. In February more than 9,000 unaccompanied children, mostly from Mexico and Central American, came in, and that number appears on track to top 14,000 this month. "We are apprehending more people than we are discharging," the official, who declined to be identified, told reporters. On Thursday President Joe Biden defended his handling of the increase in migrants, which has become his largest political liability two months into his adminsitration, after predecessor Donald Trump sought to seal off the border. Biden called the surge seasonal, because it was the safest time to travel, and said the children were being accepted in for humane reasons. The Border Patrol official said they expect the surge to continue at least through April. "I fully expect the numbers to increase into the summer months," he said.

Mexican child, 9, dies trying to enter US: Border patrol

Sanctions are how countries wage an economic war but do you know how did this idea come about and how effective are these sanctions?

The story of sanctions dates back to ancient Greece which was a different time with different politics but the same result.

A statesman from Athens' statesman, Pericles, was the first to impose sanctions. All city-states that refused to ally with Athens were placed under a trade embargo. However, that did not help much as the Spartans went on to beat the Athenian alliance.

So, the first economic sanction in human history ended in failure. This set the trend for what was to come.

The first thing you need to know about sanctions is that they can only be imposed from a position of power which is why it is America's favourite tool. The US has imposed sanctions on more than a dozen countries such as Iran, Venezuela, China and North Korea.

Sanctions take different forms such as arms embargoes, asset freezes, denial of visas, cutting off trade and credit lines. The idea is to cripple a country financially.

US sanctions on China are not new. They are as old as the people's republic itself.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-do-sanctions-fail-373197">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-do-sanctions-fail-373197/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

From 1949 to 1972, China was under American sanctions. It was typical cold war-era politics. They were lifted in 1972 ahead of the open door policy.&nbsp;

However, Chinese politics did not change. Democracy and human rights continued to be curbed. It reached a tipping point in 1989 during the Tiananmen Square massacre and the American sanctions returned.

But unlike the last century, economic warfare isn't unilateral anymore. China now has the power to respond, at least on paper.&nbsp;

A case in point is Hong Kong. In August last year, the US sanctioned Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Beijing responded with targeted action on 11 Americans. The list included Republican senators namely Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz, but these actions were toothless.

Carrie Lam does not have assets in America and the US senators do not have interests in China. So, the sanctions were symbolic with no economic impact and herein lies the problem with sanctioning leaders. Make no mistake, autocrats double up as businessmen. They have major economic interests but they rarely extend overseas for these sanctions to make a dent.

Think back to the Gulf War. Bush's White House sanctioned Saddam Hussein for six months without any effect. In the end, it took a major military offensive.&nbsp;

A present-day example is Iran. Donald Trump followed the policy of maximum pressure. Crippling sanctions that throttled the Iranian economy but Tehran continues to expand its nuclear arsenal. Last week, they revealed an entire city of missiles.

The lesson one can learn here is that sanctions have unintended effects. They help galvanise public opinion. For example, American sanctions are rallying calls in Iran and North Korea. They bring the people together against a common enemy.

In this case, the US sanctions only work in a collective. It cannot be a unilateral campaign which is why the latest campaign against China is important.

The US and its European partners have sanctioned China. The walls are closing in from all sides. Beijing will most likely deepen ties with existing allies such as North Korea, Russia, Pakistan and Turkey.&nbsp;

Sanctions are a pinch, not a purge. There is a limit to what government action can achieve. However, what about private businesses?

It's a globalised world and Companies have interests all over the world. This could be a game changer in economic warfare.

Nearly 217 Chinese companies are listed in American exchanges. For dozens more, the American market is a money churner. To think of the inverse, American companies look to China for raw materials. They operate factories there and ignore the abuses endured by the workers.

The question here is that can Apple be docked for making iPhones in China? Or can Tesla be pulled up for making cars in China? Joe Biden could do it, but the companies will be livid. Years of capitalism has taught American firms to put profits over national interest.

Trump proposed taxes on American firms shifting away from the country. He was criticised for trying to stage manage the economy. However, it's different for Chinese firms. Most of them are owned at least in part by the government.

National interest is paramount, even at the cost of losses. The future of economic warfare will be decided by private companies. They can take away jobs, funding and factories from rival nations, but will they indulge home governments? If they don't, can governments force their hand?

Sanctions are how countries wage an economic war but do you know how did this idea come about and how effective are these sanctions? The story of sanctions dates back to ancient Greece which was a different time with different politics but the same result.

Sanctions are how countries wage an economic war but do you know how did this idea come about and how effective are these sanctions? The story of sanctions dates back to ancient Greece which was a different time with different politics but the same result. A statesman from Athens' statesman, Pericles, was the first to impose sanctions. All city-states that refused to ally with Athens were placed under a trade embargo. However, that did not help much as the Spartans went on to beat the Athenian alliance. So, the first economic sanction in human history ended in failure. This set the trend for what was to come. The first thing you need to know about sanctions is that they can only be imposed from a position of power which is why it is America's favourite tool. The US has imposed sanctions on more than a dozen countries such as Iran, Venezuela, China and North Korea. Sanctions take different forms such as arms embargoes, asset freezes, denial of visas, cutting off trade and credit lines. The idea is to cripple a country financially. US sanctions on China are not new. They are as old as the people's republic itself. Watch | From 1949 to 1972, China was under American sanctions. It was typical cold war-era politics. They were lifted in 1972 ahead of the open door policy. However, Chinese politics did not change. Democracy and human rights continued to be curbed. It reached a tipping point in 1989 during the Tiananmen Square massacre and the American sanctions returned. But unlike the last century, economic warfare isn't unilateral anymore. China now has the power to respond, at least on paper. A case in point is Hong Kong. In August last year, the US sanctioned Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Beijing responded with targeted action on 11 Americans. The list included Republican senators namely Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz, but these actions were toothless. Carrie Lam does not have assets in America and the US senators do not have interests in China. So, the sanctions were symbolic with no economic impact and herein lies the problem with sanctioning leaders. Make no mistake, autocrats double up as businessmen. They have major economic interests but they rarely extend overseas for these sanctions to make a dent. Think back to the Gulf War. Bush's White House sanctioned Saddam Hussein for six months without any effect. In the end, it took a major military offensive. A present-day example is Iran. Donald Trump followed the policy of maximum pressure. Crippling sanctions that throttled the Iranian economy but Tehran continues to expand its nuclear arsenal. Last week, they revealed an entire city of missiles. The lesson one can learn here is that sanctions have unintended effects. They help galvanise public opinion. For example, American sanctions are rallying calls in Iran and North Korea. They bring the people together against a common enemy. In this case, the US sanctions only work in a collective. It cannot be a unilateral campaign which is why the latest campaign against China is important. The US and its European partners have sanctioned China. The walls are closing in from all sides. Beijing will most likely deepen ties with existing allies such as North Korea, Russia, Pakistan and Turkey. Sanctions are a pinch, not a purge. There is a limit to what government action can achieve. However, what about private businesses? It's a globalised world and Companies have interests all over the world. This could be a game changer in economic warfare. Nearly 217 Chinese companies are listed in American exchanges. For dozens more, the American market is a money churner. To think of the inverse, American companies look to China for raw materials. They operate factories there and ignore the abuses endured by the workers. The question here is that can Apple be docked for making iPhones in China? Or can Tesla be pulled up for making cars in China? Joe Biden could do it, but the companies will be livid. Years of capitalism has taught American firms to put profits over national interest. Trump proposed taxes on American firms shifting away from the country. He was criticised for trying to stage manage the economy. However, it's different for Chinese firms. Most of them are owned at least in part by the government. National interest is paramount, even at the cost of losses. The future of economic warfare will be decided by private companies. They can take away jobs, funding and factories from rival nations, but will they indulge home governments? If they don't, can governments force their hand?

Why do sanctions fail? Ancient Greece's history might have answers

US President Joe Biden is about to hold his first presidential press conference today. Biden has assured to face tough questions on topics such as the border issue, COVID-19 vaccination drive, his economic relief bill and gun laws.

United States: President Joe Biden gets ready to face the press

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told Turkey to abandon Russia's S-400 missile defence system. The two NATO allies have long been at odds over the S-400.

Antony Blinken pushes Turkey over Russian S-400 at NATO

The United States and European Nation have agreed to re-launch a bilateral dialogue on China and work together to address what they termed Russia's challenging behaviour.

EU, US agree to coordinate actions towards China

US President Joe Biden shared his condolences after a deadly mass shooting at a Colorado grocery store and urged Congress to tighten gun laws in response to the killings.

Colorado mass shooting: President Biden urged Congress to enact gun control

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies.&nbsp;

The Senate Environment and Public Works committee voted 11-9 to approve Mallory, who previously served as general counsel of the council and until recently was head of regulatory affairs at the green advocacy group Southern Environmental Law Centre.&nbsp;

The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates White House energy and environmental policies across federal agencies, and can have broad influence on the outlook for big infrastructure projects from pipelines to industrial facilities.&nbsp;

In an interview ahead of her nomination last December, Mallory said she hoped the council would reverse changes made by the Trump administration to the National Environmental Policy Act, a major environmental permitting law, that sought to ease and speed up approval of big energy infrastructure projects.&nbsp;

The Trump-era changes eased requirements to weigh climate change impacts of a project and limited the amount of public comment, a move seen as diminishing the voice of low-income and minority communities that are often in the way of these projects.&nbsp;

“I am hoping at top of the priority list for CEQ is addressing changes Trump made to how CEQ implements NEPA,” she said.&nbsp;

The Senate panel also voted 11-9 to advance the nomination of Janet McCabe to be deputy Environmental Protection Agency administrator, another key environmental regulatory role.&nbsp;

McCabe previously served as the top air and water regulator at the EPA under then-President Barack Obama and played a key role drafting regulations like the Clean Power Plan and vehicle emission standards.&nbsp;

The nominations will now face a full Senate vote. The timing of the vote has not yet been announced.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies.

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies. The Senate Environment and Public Works committee voted 11-9 to approve Mallory, who previously served as general counsel of the council and until recently was head of regulatory affairs at the green advocacy group Southern Environmental Law Centre. The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates White House energy and environmental policies across federal agencies, and can have broad influence on the outlook for big infrastructure projects from pipelines to industrial facilities. In an interview ahead of her nomination last December, Mallory said she hoped the council would reverse changes made by the Trump administration to the National Environmental Policy Act, a major environmental permitting law, that sought to ease and speed up approval of big energy infrastructure projects. The Trump-era changes eased requirements to weigh climate change impacts of a project and limited the amount of public comment, a move seen as diminishing the voice of low-income and minority communities that are often in the way of these projects. “I am hoping at top of the priority list for CEQ is addressing changes Trump made to how CEQ implements NEPA,” she said. The Senate panel also voted 11-9 to advance the nomination of Janet McCabe to be deputy Environmental Protection Agency administrator, another key environmental regulatory role. McCabe previously served as the top air and water regulator at the EPA under then-President Barack Obama and played a key role drafting regulations like the Clean Power Plan and vehicle emission standards. The nominations will now face a full Senate vote. The timing of the vote has not yet been announced. (With inputs from agencies)

US Senate panel confirms Mallory to lead White House environmental council 

The United States has witnessed its second mass shooting in a week. A gunman opened fire at a grocery store in Colorado, killing 10. Will this force US President Joe Biden to push for gun control? WION's Molly Gambhir brings you a report.

Gravitas: Mass shooting in Colorado takes 10 lives, 21-year-old faces 10 counts of murder

Shocking images of a Biden-Era detention centre have emerged. The photos from Texas show children sleeping on mats under foil blankets. A report claims the migrants haven't been given adequate access to soap or food. WION's Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Shocking images of Biden-era detention centre

US President Joe Biden will join a video conference of European Union leaders on Thursday, a top EU official said, as both sides try to repair ties after four difficult years with former president Donald Trump.&nbsp;

"Looking forward to welcome @POTUS at this week's European Council meeting," European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs summits, said on Twitter. "I have invited the President of the US to join our meeting for him to share his views on our future cooperation. Time to rebuild our transatlantic alliance."&nbsp;

EU leaders will meet via video conference on Thursday and Friday to discuss vaccines, Russia, Turkey and industrial policy. Biden is expected to join at 1945 GMT, an EU spokesman said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis. &nbsp;

The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said the alliance was at a pivotal moment but could emerge stronger after internal disputes over Turkey and Russian gas. &nbsp;

"I've come here to express the United States' steadfast commitment (to NATO)," Blinken told reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The United States wants to rebuild our partnerships, first and foremost with our NATO allies, we want to revitalise the alliance." &nbsp;

After four years of friction with Washington under the presidency of Donald Trump, who said the alliance was obsolete and harangued allies over defence spending targets, NATO's European members have welcomed the change in tone, saying they are once again being consulted on strategy.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden will join a video conference of European Union leaders on Thursday, a top EU official said, as both sides try to repair ties after four difficult years with former president Donald Trump.

US President Joe Biden will join a video conference of European Union leaders on Thursday, a top EU official said, as both sides try to repair ties after four difficult years with former president Donald Trump. "Looking forward to welcome @POTUS at this week's European Council meeting," European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs summits, said on Twitter. "I have invited the President of the US to join our meeting for him to share his views on our future cooperation. Time to rebuild our transatlantic alliance." EU leaders will meet via video conference on Thursday and Friday to discuss vaccines, Russia, Turkey and industrial policy. Biden is expected to join at 1945 GMT, an EU spokesman said. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis. The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said the alliance was at a pivotal moment but could emerge stronger after internal disputes over Turkey and Russian gas. "I've come here to express the United States' steadfast commitment (to NATO)," Blinken told reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The United States wants to rebuild our partnerships, first and foremost with our NATO allies, we want to revitalise the alliance." After four years of friction with Washington under the presidency of Donald Trump, who said the alliance was obsolete and harangued allies over defence spending targets, NATO's European members have welcomed the change in tone, saying they are once again being consulted on strategy. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden to join EU leaders' video conference on Thursday

Colorado officials have revealed details about the attacker whose shooting rampage claimed 10 lives at a supermarket. The suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Ahmad Alissa.

Colorado Shooting: Officials reveal identity of shooter, yet to ascertain motive

Biden is already struggling with a surge in migrant arrivals. Shocking pictures have now emerged from detention centres that show adults and children huddled together in makeshift rooms and separated by plastic sheets.

Allegedly, they don't even have adequate access to food.

Migrants are flooding the borders of the US. Texas facility is overflowing and becoming a crowded space where migrants, including children, are lying on the floor. Sleeping on thin mattresses, with foil blankets, they are separated by plastic sheets.

Reportedly, this government-run site is housing 1,000 people and they don't have adequate access to soap or food.

With the pandemic still raging, there are also concerns over the possible lack of social distancing.

Since taking office, Joe Biden has removed some restrictions that were placed by his predecessor Donald Trump.

Now, the American borders are witnessing a surge.&nbsp; Joe Biden says he knows what's going on. Since Biden's inauguration, American borders have been battling a surge in migration.

In February, border officials encountered more than 18,000 family members and over &nbsp;9,000 unaccompanied children.

Central America is driving the surge. For years, citizens of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have suffered from the violence of gangs, extortion, government corruption and poverty.

However, now back to back hurricanes have only worsened the situation. The devastation has forced many to leave.

The migrants are struggling to enter the borders, and are then struggling to survive.

With the Republicans attacking the Democrats, reports say Joe Biden has dispatched top officials to Mexico and Central America. It seems like Washington is seeking the help of its allies to manage the situation at the border. However, &nbsp;with the migrants determined to reach America, it doesn't look like their flow will stem anytime soon.

Biden is already struggling with a surge in migrant arrivals. Shocking pictures have now emerged from detention centres that show adults and children huddled together in makeshift rooms and separated by plastic sheets.

Biden is already struggling with a surge in migrant arrivals. Shocking pictures have now emerged from detention centres that show adults and children huddled together in makeshift rooms and separated by plastic sheets. Allegedly, they don't even have adequate access to food. Migrants are flooding the borders of the US. Texas facility is overflowing and becoming a crowded space where migrants, including children, are lying on the floor. Sleeping on thin mattresses, with foil blankets, they are separated by plastic sheets. Reportedly, this government-run site is housing 1,000 people and they don't have adequate access to soap or food. With the pandemic still raging, there are also concerns over the possible lack of social distancing. Since taking office, Joe Biden has removed some restrictions that were placed by his predecessor Donald Trump. Now, the American borders are witnessing a surge. Joe Biden says he knows what's going on. Since Biden's inauguration, American borders have been battling a surge in migration. In February, border officials encountered more than 18,000 family members and over 9,000 unaccompanied children. Central America is driving the surge. For years, citizens of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have suffered from the violence of gangs, extortion, government corruption and poverty. However, now back to back hurricanes have only worsened the situation. The devastation has forced many to leave. The migrants are struggling to enter the borders, and are then struggling to survive. With the Republicans attacking the Democrats, reports say Joe Biden has dispatched top officials to Mexico and Central America. It seems like Washington is seeking the help of its allies to manage the situation at the border. However, with the migrants determined to reach America, it doesn't look like their flow will stem anytime soon.

Lack of sanitation and social distancing: How immigrants in America are struggling

The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. Both leaders vowed to renew US-NATO ties and focus on vision 2030 while touching on divisive issues like Russia and China.

WION Fineprint: US Secretary of State Blinken meets NATO Chief

Eyewitnesses inside the store at the time of the shooting, which took place just before 3:00 pm (2100 GMT) said they heard multiple gunshots before fleeing through a back entrance.

10 people died in Colorado store shooting: Police

A shooting at a Colorado supermarket killed multiple people including a police officer, and a suspect is in custody. At a news conference, Boulder Police said that the suspect is getting medical treatment and there is no further threat to the public but didn't give more details on the shooting.

Colorado: Boulder cops brief the media on mass shooting

Police officer dead, several injured in shooting at Colorado grocery store

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis.&nbsp;

The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said the alliance was at a pivotal moment but could emerge stronger after internal disputes over Turkey and Russian gas.&nbsp;

"I've come here to express the United States' steadfast commitment (to NATO)," Blinken told reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The United States wants to rebuild our partnerships, first and foremost with our NATO allies, we want to revitalise the alliance."&nbsp;

After four years of friction with Washington under the presidency of Donald Trump, who said the alliance was obsolete and harangued allies over defence spending targets, NATO's European members have welcomed the change in tone, saying they are once again being consulted on strategy.&nbsp;

"The last thing we can afford to do is take this alliance for granted," said Blinken, a longtime Biden confidant, who is seeking to repair damage done by Trump's 'America First' policy.&nbsp;

"The process of confronting our own shortcomings can be very painful. It can be ugly. But ultimately, at least today, we've emerged the better and the stronger for it," he said.&nbsp;

Blinken said China's military rise and Russia's attempts to destabilise the West were threats that required NATO to come together, urging Turkey to embrace the alliance.&nbsp;

Having already bought Russian weapons, Turkey briefly blocked NATO defence plans in 2019 and launched an offensive on US-backed rebels in Syria, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to assert that NATO was 'experiencing brain death'.&nbsp;

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian welcomed Blinken's overtures, saying that NATO, founded in 1949 to contain a military threat from the Soviet Union, had 'rediscovered' it's better self.&nbsp;

"There will be no European defence without NATO and there will be no efficient and relevant NATO without Europeans," he said at NATO headquarters, where foreign ministers were meeting for the first time in person in a year, due to Covid-19.&nbsp;

Stoltenberg has set out areas where NATO could modernise - from climate measures to more sustainable funding of military operations and refocusing the alliance to help the West face China's technological prowess and growing armed forces.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis. The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said the alliance was at a pivotal moment but could emerge stronger after internal disputes over Turkey and Russian gas. "I've come here to express the United States' steadfast commitment (to NATO)," Blinken told reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The United States wants to rebuild our partnerships, first and foremost with our NATO allies, we want to revitalise the alliance." After four years of friction with Washington under the presidency of Donald Trump, who said the alliance was obsolete and harangued allies over defence spending targets, NATO's European members have welcomed the change in tone, saying they are once again being consulted on strategy. "The last thing we can afford to do is take this alliance for granted," said Blinken, a longtime Biden confidant, who is seeking to repair damage done by Trump's 'America First' policy. "The process of confronting our own shortcomings can be very painful. It can be ugly. But ultimately, at least today, we've emerged the better and the stronger for it," he said. Blinken said China's military rise and Russia's attempts to destabilise the West were threats that required NATO to come together, urging Turkey to embrace the alliance. Having already bought Russian weapons, Turkey briefly blocked NATO defence plans in 2019 and launched an offensive on US-backed rebels in Syria, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to assert that NATO was 'experiencing brain death'. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian welcomed Blinken's overtures, saying that NATO, founded in 1949 to contain a military threat from the Soviet Union, had 'rediscovered' it's better self. "There will be no European defence without NATO and there will be no efficient and relevant NATO without Europeans," he said at NATO headquarters, where foreign ministers were meeting for the first time in person in a year, due to Covid-19. Stoltenberg has set out areas where NATO could modernise - from climate measures to more sustainable funding of military operations and refocusing the alliance to help the West face China's technological prowess and growing armed forces. (With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State pledges to revitalise NATO alliance in Brussels 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that Washington stood united with NATO allies in efforts to bring a 'responsible' end to the conflict in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

"Tactical decisions aside, we are united with our NATO allies in seeking to bring a responsible end to this conflict and to remove our troops from harm's way, just as we are collectively determined to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists, who could threaten the United States or our allies," Blinken said at a press conference alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels.&nbsp;

The foreign ministers of NATO member states on Tuesday convened for a two-day in-person meeting in Brussels, for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

Last week, the Taliban movement urged the US to complete the pullout of its troops from Afghanistan by May 1 as agreed last year. &nbsp;

Suhail Shaheen, a member of the movement's negotiating team, said at recent talks in Moscow that the US forces would violate the February 2020 agreement with the Taliban by staying in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden, in turn, told ABC News earlier in March that it would be 'tough' for all US servicemen to leave Afghanistan by May 1. &nbsp;

The US president also said that the final decision on the pullout of troops was yet to be made and Washington was consulting with its allies on the matter. &nbsp;

The NBC News reported last week, citing sources, that the Biden administration was considering extending the US troop deployment in Afghanistan until November. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that Washington stood united with NATO allies in efforts to bring a 'responsible' end to the conflict in Afghanistan.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that Washington stood united with NATO allies in efforts to bring a 'responsible' end to the conflict in Afghanistan. "Tactical decisions aside, we are united with our NATO allies in seeking to bring a responsible end to this conflict and to remove our troops from harm's way, just as we are collectively determined to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists, who could threaten the United States or our allies," Blinken said at a press conference alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. The foreign ministers of NATO member states on Tuesday convened for a two-day in-person meeting in Brussels, for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week, the Taliban movement urged the US to complete the pullout of its troops from Afghanistan by May 1 as agreed last year. Suhail Shaheen, a member of the movement's negotiating team, said at recent talks in Moscow that the US forces would violate the February 2020 agreement with the Taliban by staying in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline. US President Joe Biden, in turn, told ABC News earlier in March that it would be 'tough' for all US servicemen to leave Afghanistan by May 1. The US president also said that the final decision on the pullout of troops was yet to be made and Washington was consulting with its allies on the matter. The NBC News reported last week, citing sources, that the Biden administration was considering extending the US troop deployment in Afghanistan until November. (With inputs from agencies)

Blinken: US united with NATO allies for a 'responsible' end to Afghan conflict 

In a fresh set back for AstraZeneca, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in the US said that AstraZeneca may have included out-of-date information during trials of its COVID-19 vaccine.

US Agency: AstraZeneca may have included outdated data

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will propose a new presidential election within six months, under a peace plan, he will put forward as a counter-offer to a US proposal that he rejects, two senior government officials told Reuters.&nbsp;

Ghani will unveil his proposal at an international gathering in Turkey next month, signalling his refusal to accept Washington's plan for his elected government to be replaced by an interim administration, the officials said.&nbsp;

Washington, which agreed last year to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by May 1 after nearly two decades, is pressing for a peace deal to end war between the government and the Taliban. Talks between the Afghan sides in Qatar have stalled.&nbsp;

US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has been circulating a proposal, which would replace the Kabul government with an interim administration. But Ghani has voiced vehement opposition to any solution that requires his government to step aside for unelected successors.&nbsp;

"The counterproposal, which we are going to present at the Istanbul meeting, would be to call for early presidential elections if the Taliban agree on a ceasefire," one senior government official said on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;

Another Afghan government official said, "The president would never agree to step aside and any future government should be formed through democratic process, not a political deal."&nbsp;

A third senior official also said Ghani's proposal would include possible early elections, although he did not specify the exact time frame for the vote. The third official said Ghani had already shared his roadmap with Khalilzad.&nbsp;

With just weeks left before a deadline it agreed with Taliban last year to end the longest war in US history, Washington is seeking regional backing for its approach to push the Kabul government and insurgents to share power.&nbsp;

But diplomats and foreign officials have said it will be difficult to move forward with the US plans without Ghani's support.&nbsp;

During a visit to the region, which included stops in Doha and Islamabad, Khalilzad pushed for a conference to be hosted by Turkey with involvement from the United Nations next month.&nbsp;

The Afghan officials said that as part of Ghani's counter-proposal, his government would ask the UN to closely observe the new election to ensure it is accepted by all sides.&nbsp;

A presidential palace spokesman declined to comment.&nbsp;

Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and insurgent Taliban in Qatar's capital Doha have made little progress, while violence has increased.&nbsp;

The Taliban, which is fighting the foreign-backed government since being ousted from power by Afghan opponents and US air strikes in late 2001, have so far rejected a ceasefire and said they would not directly join an interim government.&nbsp;

Ghani was sworn in as president for a second five-year term in March last year after a disputed presidential election.&nbsp;

The new US administration led by President Joe Biden is reviewing its plans before May 1, the deadline agreed last year under the Donald Trump administration for the last 2,500 US troops to leave Afghanistan. Biden told broadcaster ABC last week that it would be 'tough' to meet the deadline.&nbsp;

The Taliban say there will be consequences if the United States does not meet the deadline to pull out.&nbsp;

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will propose a new presidential election within six months, under a peace plan, he will put forward as a counter-offer to a US proposal that he rejects, two senior government officials told Reuters.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will propose a new presidential election within six months, under a peace plan, he will put forward as a counter-offer to a US proposal that he rejects, two senior government officials told Reuters. Ghani will unveil his proposal at an international gathering in Turkey next month, signalling his refusal to accept Washington's plan for his elected government to be replaced by an interim administration, the officials said. Washington, which agreed last year to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by May 1 after nearly two decades, is pressing for a peace deal to end war between the government and the Taliban. Talks between the Afghan sides in Qatar have stalled. US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has been circulating a proposal, which would replace the Kabul government with an interim administration. But Ghani has voiced vehement opposition to any solution that requires his government to step aside for unelected successors. "The counterproposal, which we are going to present at the Istanbul meeting, would be to call for early presidential elections if the Taliban agree on a ceasefire," one senior government official said on condition of anonymity. Another Afghan government official said, "The president would never agree to step aside and any future government should be formed through democratic process, not a political deal." A third senior official also said Ghani's proposal would include possible early elections, although he did not specify the exact time frame for the vote. The third official said Ghani had already shared his roadmap with Khalilzad. With just weeks left before a deadline it agreed with Taliban last year to end the longest war in US history, Washington is seeking regional backing for its approach to push the Kabul government and insurgents to share power. But diplomats and foreign officials have said it will be difficult to move forward with the US plans without Ghani's support. During a visit to the region, which included stops in Doha and Islamabad, Khalilzad pushed for a conference to be hosted by Turkey with involvement from the United Nations next month. The Afghan officials said that as part of Ghani's counter-proposal, his government would ask the UN to closely observe the new election to ensure it is accepted by all sides. A presidential palace spokesman declined to comment. Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and insurgent Taliban in Qatar's capital Doha have made little progress, while violence has increased. The Taliban, which is fighting the foreign-backed government since being ousted from power by Afghan opponents and US air strikes in late 2001, have so far rejected a ceasefire and said they would not directly join an interim government. Ghani was sworn in as president for a second five-year term in March last year after a disputed presidential election. The new US administration led by President Joe Biden is reviewing its plans before May 1, the deadline agreed last year under the Donald Trump administration for the last 2,500 US troops to leave Afghanistan. Biden told broadcaster ABC last week that it would be 'tough' to meet the deadline. The Taliban say there will be consequences if the United States does not meet the deadline to pull out.

Rejecting US peace plan, Afghan president to offer election in six months 

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Monday it was imposing sanctions on two members of Myanmar's ruling junta, including the chief of police, and two military units linked to the deadly repression of protests again the army's coup, as Washington warned of more action.

President Joe Biden's administration has already blacklisted top junta members and some military-owned companies, but the military has refused to change course and increasingly used violence against anti-coup demonstrators, killing more than 250 people so far.

"Today's actions send a strong signal that we will follow through on our pledges to continue to take action against coup leaders and those who perpetrate violence," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

The U.S. action came on the heels of the European Union imposing its own sanctions on Monday on 11 individuals linked to the Feb. 1 coup in Myanmar.

The U.S. Treasury's action targeted Than Hlaing, a military officer who was appointed to lead the police force after the coup, and Lieutenant General Aung Soe, a special operations commander overseeing the crackdown.

The move essentially freezes any U.S. assets of those blacklisted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them.

The Treasury also blacklisted the army's 77th Light Infantry Division and 33rd Light Infantry Division, which have been deployed to suppress anti-coup demonstrations in the largest city, Yangon, and second city of Mandalay.

"Video footage shows security forces riding pickup trucks while apparently indiscriminately firing live ammunition in multiple directions, including into people's homes," the Treasury said of the crackdowns.

The 33rd was one of two of the army's elite light infantry units already under U.S. human rights sanctions for their roles in the military's 2017 assault on Rohingya Muslims, which were first detailed in a Reuters special report. 
&nbsp;

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Monday it was imposing sanctions on two members of Myanmar's ruling junta, including the chief of police, and two military units linked to the deadly repression of protests again the army's coup, as Washington warned of more action.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Monday it was imposing sanctions on two members of Myanmar's ruling junta, including the chief of police, and two military units linked to the deadly repression of protests again the army's coup, as Washington warned of more action. President Joe Biden's administration has already blacklisted top junta members and some military-owned companies, but the military has refused to change course and increasingly used violence against anti-coup demonstrators, killing more than 250 people so far. "Today's actions send a strong signal that we will follow through on our pledges to continue to take action against coup leaders and those who perpetrate violence," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. The U.S. action came on the heels of the European Union imposing its own sanctions on Monday on 11 individuals linked to the Feb. 1 coup in Myanmar. The U.S. Treasury's action targeted Than Hlaing, a military officer who was appointed to lead the police force after the coup, and Lieutenant General Aung Soe, a special operations commander overseeing the crackdown. The move essentially freezes any U.S. assets of those blacklisted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. The Treasury also blacklisted the army's 77th Light Infantry Division and 33rd Light Infantry Division, which have been deployed to suppress anti-coup demonstrations in the largest city, Yangon, and second city of Mandalay. "Video footage shows security forces riding pickup trucks while apparently indiscriminately firing live ammunition in multiple directions, including into people's homes," the Treasury said of the crackdowns. The 33rd was one of two of the army's elite light infantry units already under U.S. human rights sanctions for their roles in the military's 2017 assault on Rohingya Muslims, which were first detailed in a Reuters special report.

US blacklists Myanmar police chief, army units over deadly crackdown

Unaccompanied migrants at the US-Mexico border are an unprecedented challenge for the Biden administration. US President Joe Biden has planned to visit the US-Mexico border to review the situation of migrants seeking refugee status in the country.

Joe Biden plans to visit Mexican border to review migrants situation

William Pietri, a software engineer in San Francisco, put careful thought into his Christmas box for his family in Michigan, jamming it with tastes from around the world and other gifts: Indonesian ginger candy, Mexican saladitos con chile, Korean honey butter almonds, a puzzle that was almost impossible to find.

But about three months later, the package has never arrived. According to the U.S. Postal Service, it is still “in transit, arriving late.”

Pietri, 51, is left to guess at the cause. The coronavirus pandemic? The politicization of the Postal Service under former President Donald Trump? “Well-informed delays, I would be happy with, but this great mystery is deeply frustrating,” he said.

Months after an election that thrust problems at the Postal Service into the national glare, the beleaguered agency has failed to restore its target delivery times. In mid-December — awash in Christmas and New Year’s greetings — the agency delivered as little as 62% of first-class mail on time, the lowest level in years, according to Postal Service data. The rate had rebounded to 84% by the week of March 6, but remained far below the agency’s target of about 96%.

“It hasn’t really gotten better as much as we would have hoped at this point,” said Dave Lewis, the president of SnailWorks, a company that tracks commercial mail and has found that delivery now takes four to five days, after years of averaging 3.5. “It just seems that the Postal Service just hasn’t come to grips with this and hasn’t been able to dig themselves out of it yet from the problems they had in December.”

The delays are compounding problems at a venerable American institution already teetering under widening financial losses, polarizing leadership and questions about what the Biden administration will — or even can — do to right the ship. And they may be a precursor of even worse delays to come as the Postal Service reaches a potential inflection point: The agency cannot fix its finances without addressing its service problems, and it cannot address its service problems without fixing its finances.

Already the postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, is completing a soon-to-be-released plan to stabilize the agency’s finances over 10 years that is expected to prioritize reliability and cost effectiveness over speed. In part, that could mean people like Pietri no longer find their Christmas gifts lost in transit, but it almost certainly would slow the delivery of some mail even further.

DeJoy’s report is expected to propose eliminating the use of planes for the first-class mail service to transport letters and other flat mail in the contiguous United States, according to someone familiar with the planning. It is also expected to propose lengthening the agency’s standard delivery time for first-class mail, which includes many envelopes and lightweight packages, from within three days to within five days.

Among other ideas under consideration: shuttering processing facilities and reducing some post office hours. DeJoy told lawmakers last month that price increases would also be part of the strategy. The plan is part of a concerted effort by the agency to shift its resources to shipping packages, which have become a growing share of its business as traditional mail volumes have declined.

The plan, some details of which were reported earlier by The Washington Post, aims to address longer-term problems at the agency. Although recent months have been particularly dire, the Postal Service has not met its mail delivery service standards for more than eight years.

The proposal is almost certain to prompt resistance from the Democrats who control Congress and the White House, but it is also unclear what they will do about it.

DeJoy, a former logistics executive and Trump megadonor, had already drawn Democrats’ wrath when slowdowns began last year as he instituted operational changes during an election year with a historic influx of mail-in ballots. But President Joe Biden cannot directly fire him. Instead, his fate rests with the Postal Service Board of Governors, minus DeJoy himself, composed entirely of Trump appointees.

Some Democrats have called for Biden to fire all of the governors, and though he may have the legal authority to do so, the president has shown little appetite for such a drastic move after repeatedly criticizing his predecessor for norm-breaking firings across the government. He has nominated three new governors for open spots, but the board does not intend to wait for the confirmation of Biden’s picks to complete its 10-year plan.

The Postal Service has blamed the pandemic and a record holiday peak season for much of the poor service performance. David Partenheimer, a spokesperson for the agency, emphasized that the pandemic had contributed to an industrywide shortage of air cargo capacity, and that for the Postal Service, which does not operate or own planes, air transportation is less reliable and more expensive than ground transportation. He would not comment on the contents of the plan beyond that it would include a review of current delivery service standards.

“Our forthcoming plan to achieve service excellence and financial sustainability for the U.S. Postal Service is designed to strengthen our public service mission,” Partenheimer said in an email early this month. “We will share the final plan’s details in the coming weeks.”

DeJoy has repeatedly stressed the need to improve the Postal Service’s financial status, which has grown increasingly dire as the use of its most profitable product — first-class mail — continues to decline.

In the past 14 fiscal years, the Postal Service has lost $87 billion, including $9.2 billion in the 2020 fiscal year alone, and expects to lose $9.7 billion in 2021. The agency, which is expected to be self-sustaining, “cannot fund its current level of services and financial obligations from its revenues,” the Government Accountability Office said in a report naming the Postal Service to its “high risk” financial list. In July, the service reached an agreement with the Treasury Department on a $10 billion loan as part of a coronavirus relief bill.

But critics question why the postmaster general would slow mail delivery when the agency is already struggling to deliver mail on time and no current members of the Board of Governors have extensive experience at the agency. Michael Plunkett, the president of the Association for Postal Commerce, which represents businesses and organizations that are postal customers, called the proposals as well as efforts to increase prices “a shortsighted and imprudent step by postal management” with service already lagging and a poor economy.

Mark Diamondstein, the president of the American Postal Workers Union, said his group, among the largest Postal Service unions, had not been asked to consult on the 10-year plan as of early this month. The Board of Governors appears to have “no interest” in his union’s input, he said.

With the election over, the Postal Service is no longer encumbered by court orders that limited its ability to institute major operational changes or forced it to disclose on-time delivery rates while ballots passed through its network.

But plenty of customers report delays. Laura Nelson Selinsky, a teacher from King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, said a Christmas card sent on Dec. 11 did not arrive until the middle of January. And even though her husband received a prescription by mail a month late, she said she worried more about how the delays could affect her students at a small private school that specializes in learning disabilities.

In December, she sent packages of goodies to the 12th graders in her British literature class who were reading “Macbeth.” Among those included: Renaissance-era snacks, plastic swords, scripts, headdresses and a chain mail coif, all so the students could act out the play, she said.

But one student did not receive any materials until the unit was largely complete.

“This is such a small thing, to be able to go to the post office and you spend $70 on materials, on priority mailing materials, to students because you really want them to have it for this special event, and you really can’t count on them being there,” Nelson Selinsky said. The Postal Service is “a thing that we should be able to count on, and we just can’t.”

Occasionally, the delays can be a matter of life and death. Naya, a cat with big sage eyes found dumped in a Corona beer box, had a disease caused by a kind of fatal, feline coronavirus treatable only by a drug sold through “the underground cat railroad,” said Daniela Stolfi-Tow, who volunteers for a cat rescue group in Hawaii. They call her the “corona kitten,” she added.

When Stolfi-Tow ordered medication, it was held up in New York and never arrived. The symptoms became apparent: Naya started to lose the ability to walk straight, jerking and falling over.

Stolfi-Tow ordered another shipment held up in California that never arrived, and was preparing to get on a plane herself to pick up the medication. But finally, a third order arrived. It was sent through FedEx.

“I just cried. I was just like, ‘Oh, my God, you saved her life,’ ” she said. “It’s appalling to me that the government has not stepped in and said, ‘Hey, get it together or stop taking packages until you can deal with whatever the problem is.’ ”

William Pietri, a software engineer in San Francisco, put careful thought into his Christmas box for his family in Michigan, jamming it with tastes from around the world and other gifts: Indonesian ginger candy, Mexican saladitos con chile, Korean honey butter almonds, a puzzle that was almost impossible to find.

William Pietri, a software engineer in San Francisco, put careful thought into his Christmas box for his family in Michigan, jamming it with tastes from around the world and other gifts: Indonesian ginger candy, Mexican saladitos con chile, Korean honey butter almonds, a puzzle that was almost impossible to find. But about three months later, the package has never arrived. According to the U.S. Postal Service, it is still “in transit, arriving late.” Pietri, 51, is left to guess at the cause. The coronavirus pandemic? The politicization of the Postal Service under former President Donald Trump? “Well-informed delays, I would be happy with, but this great mystery is deeply frustrating,” he said. Months after an election that thrust problems at the Postal Service into the national glare, the beleaguered agency has failed to restore its target delivery times. In mid-December — awash in Christmas and New Year’s greetings — the agency delivered as little as 62% of first-class mail on time, the lowest level in years, according to Postal Service data. The rate had rebounded to 84% by the week of March 6, but remained far below the agency’s target of about 96%. “It hasn’t really gotten better as much as we would have hoped at this point,” said Dave Lewis, the president of SnailWorks, a company that tracks commercial mail and has found that delivery now takes four to five days, after years of averaging 3.5. “It just seems that the Postal Service just hasn’t come to grips with this and hasn’t been able to dig themselves out of it yet from the problems they had in December.” The delays are compounding problems at a venerable American institution already teetering under widening financial losses, polarizing leadership and questions about what the Biden administration will — or even can — do to right the ship. And they may be a precursor of even worse delays to come as the Postal Service reaches a potential inflection point: The agency cannot fix its finances without addressing its service problems, and it cannot address its service problems without fixing its finances. Already the postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, is completing a soon-to-be-released plan to stabilize the agency’s finances over 10 years that is expected to prioritize reliability and cost effectiveness over speed. In part, that could mean people like Pietri no longer find their Christmas gifts lost in transit, but it almost certainly would slow the delivery of some mail even further. DeJoy’s report is expected to propose eliminating the use of planes for the first-class mail service to transport letters and other flat mail in the contiguous United States, according to someone familiar with the planning. It is also expected to propose lengthening the agency’s standard delivery time for first-class mail, which includes many envelopes and lightweight packages, from within three days to within five days. Among other ideas under consideration: shuttering processing facilities and reducing some post office hours. DeJoy told lawmakers last month that price increases would also be part of the strategy. The plan is part of a concerted effort by the agency to shift its resources to shipping packages, which have become a growing share of its business as traditional mail volumes have declined. The plan, some details of which were reported earlier by The Washington Post, aims to address longer-term problems at the agency. Although recent months have been particularly dire, the Postal Service has not met its mail delivery service standards for more than eight years. The proposal is almost certain to prompt resistance from the Democrats who control Congress and the White House, but it is also unclear what they will do about it. DeJoy, a former logistics executive and Trump megadonor, had already drawn Democrats’ wrath when slowdowns began last year as he instituted operational changes during an election year with a historic influx of mail-in ballots. But President Joe Biden cannot directly fire him. Instead, his fate rests with the Postal Service Board of Governors, minus DeJoy himself, composed entirely of Trump appointees. Some Democrats have called for Biden to fire all of the governors, and though he may have the legal authority to do so, the president has shown little appetite for such a drastic move after repeatedly criticizing his predecessor for norm-breaking firings across the government. He has nominated three new governors for open spots, but the board does not intend to wait for the confirmation of Biden’s picks to complete its 10-year plan. The Postal Service has blamed the pandemic and a record holiday peak season for much of the poor service performance. David Partenheimer, a spokesperson for the agency, emphasized that the pandemic had contributed to an industrywide shortage of air cargo capacity, and that for the Postal Service, which does not operate or own planes, air transportation is less reliable and more expensive than ground transportation. He would not comment on the contents of the plan beyond that it would include a review of current delivery service standards. “Our forthcoming plan to achieve service excellence and financial sustainability for the U.S. Postal Service is designed to strengthen our public service mission,” Partenheimer said in an email early this month. “We will share the final plan’s details in the coming weeks.” DeJoy has repeatedly stressed the need to improve the Postal Service’s financial status, which has grown increasingly dire as the use of its most profitable product — first-class mail — continues to decline. In the past 14 fiscal years, the Postal Service has lost $87 billion, including $9.2 billion in the 2020 fiscal year alone, and expects to lose $9.7 billion in 2021. The agency, which is expected to be self-sustaining, “cannot fund its current level of services and financial obligations from its revenues,” the Government Accountability Office said in a report naming the Postal Service to its “high risk” financial list. In July, the service reached an agreement with the Treasury Department on a $10 billion loan as part of a coronavirus relief bill. But critics question why the postmaster general would slow mail delivery when the agency is already struggling to deliver mail on time and no current members of the Board of Governors have extensive experience at the agency. Michael Plunkett, the president of the Association for Postal Commerce, which represents businesses and organizations that are postal customers, called the proposals as well as efforts to increase prices “a shortsighted and imprudent step by postal management” with service already lagging and a poor economy. Mark Diamondstein, the president of the American Postal Workers Union, said his group, among the largest Postal Service unions, had not been asked to consult on the 10-year plan as of early this month. The Board of Governors appears to have “no interest” in his union’s input, he said. With the election over, the Postal Service is no longer encumbered by court orders that limited its ability to institute major operational changes or forced it to disclose on-time delivery rates while ballots passed through its network. But plenty of customers report delays. Laura Nelson Selinsky, a teacher from King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, said a Christmas card sent on Dec. 11 did not arrive until the middle of January. And even though her husband received a prescription by mail a month late, she said she worried more about how the delays could affect her students at a small private school that specializes in learning disabilities. In December, she sent packages of goodies to the 12th graders in her British literature class who were reading “Macbeth.” Among those included: Renaissance-era snacks, plastic swords, scripts, headdresses and a chain mail coif, all so the students could act out the play, she said. But one student did not receive any materials until the unit was largely complete. “This is such a small thing, to be able to go to the post office and you spend $70 on materials, on priority mailing materials, to students because you really want them to have it for this special event, and you really can’t count on them being there,” Nelson Selinsky said. The Postal Service is “a thing that we should be able to count on, and we just can’t.” Occasionally, the delays can be a matter of life and death. Naya, a cat with big sage eyes found dumped in a Corona beer box, had a disease caused by a kind of fatal, feline coronavirus treatable only by a drug sold through “the underground cat railroad,” said Daniela Stolfi-Tow, who volunteers for a cat rescue group in Hawaii. They call her the “corona kitten,” she added. When Stolfi-Tow ordered medication, it was held up in New York and never arrived. The symptoms became apparent: Naya started to lose the ability to walk straight, jerking and falling over. Stolfi-Tow ordered another shipment held up in California that never arrived, and was preparing to get on a plane herself to pick up the medication. But finally, a third order arrived. It was sent through FedEx. “I just cried. I was just like, ‘Oh, my God, you saved her life,’ ” she said. “It’s appalling to me that the government has not stepped in and said, ‘Hey, get it together or stop taking packages until you can deal with whatever the problem is.’ ”

Postal service struggles to speed up delivery, compounding its troubles

Asian-Americans continue to protest across the US against racism after a shooting in Atlanta which claimed the lives of eight people including six women of Asian descent.

WION Fineprint: Asian-Americans hit the streets against racism across US

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