jtrent238 test blog: Evening Briefing: Putin pulls back from arms treaty

February 21, 2023

By Matthew Cullen

Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Tuesday.

"Kyiv stands!" President Biden declared in a speech in Warsaw today.Doug Mills/The New York Times

1. Both President Biden and Vladimir Putin previewed a long war ahead in Ukraine.

The two leaders gave radically different accounts of how the war is reshaping Europe in dueling speeches today, just days before the first anniversary of Russia's invasion.

Biden, speaking at the royal castle in Warsaw, promised that the U.S. would "not tire" in its support of Ukraine, describing the American commitment to NATO and Ukraine as a battle for freedom against autocracy.

"President Putin's craven lust for land and power will fail," Biden said.

The Russian leader's underlying message in his national address was to prepare for a long war. He accused the West of a "totalitarian" project to control the world under the guise of spreading liberal values, and declared that Russia would suspend its participation in the one remaining nuclear arms treaty with the U.S.

In related news, China, in urgent need of reviving its economy, wants to enhance its relationship with the E.U. without alienating Russia.

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The law at issue, Section 230, was enacted in 1996 — in the infancy of the internet.Shawn Thew/EPA, via Shutterstock

2. The Supreme Court heard a case with the potential to alter the structure of the internet.

In a case challenging a law that protects online platforms from lawsuits over what their users post online, the justices seemed to view the positions taken by both sides as too extreme. They also questioned their own competence in finding a middle ground.

"These are not the nine greatest experts on the internet," Justice Elena Kagan said.

The case was brought by the family of a college student who was killed during terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015. A lawyer for the family argued that YouTube bore responsibility because its algorithms pushed Islamic State videos to viewers using data it had collected.

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For more on the court: My colleague Adam Liptak explores whether creepy Facebook messages cross a constitutional line.

A focal point of the Atlanta inquiry is a call Donald Trump made to Georgia's secretary of state, pushing him to "find" 11,780 votes.Alex Wong/Getty Images

3. The Georgia jury investigating Donald Trump recommended multiple indictments.

In an interview with The Times, the forewoman of the grand jury looking into 2020 election interference by the former president and his allies said that jurors called for indictments on a range of charges in its report, most of which remains sealed.

Asked whether the jurors had recommended indicting Trump, the forewoman gave a cryptic answer: "You're not going to be shocked. It's not rocket science." The decision to charge will ultimately be up to the local district attorney.

In related news, Trump spent about $10 million from his political action committee on his legal fees last year.

The top two candidates from today's primary will advance to the general election on April 4.Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times

4. The first leg of this year's most important election was held today in Wisconsin.

Voters there cast ballots today for one of four candidates in a pivotal primary for a State Supreme Court seat. While the race is officially nonpartisan, no other contest this year carries as much significance — for abortion rights and the broader national political landscape.

If a liberal candidate wins a 10-year term, the state would be likely to throw out its 1849 law banning nearly all abortions and to redraw its legislative maps. If a conservative wins, abortion will remain illegal and Republicans will retain a lock on the Legislature for at least another decade.

Here's what to watch for and a link to the live results.

Ibrahim Almadi's father, Saad, was arrested for criticizing Mohammed bin Salman.Jason Andrew for The New York Times

5. Saudi Arabia is handing out harsher penalties for dissent.

The Islamic kingdom has always been an authoritarian monarchy with limited freedom of speech. But under the leadership of Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi courts have ramped up their punishment for criticism against the government — disturbing many residents.

The authorities have paid special attention to Twitter. In 2015, Saad Almadi, a 72-year-old Saudi American living in Florida, criticized Prince Mohammed in a tweet. Seven years later, Almadi was arrested during a visit to Saudi Arabia and sentenced to 16 years in prison. After he appealed, his sentence was lengthened to 19 years.

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On average, New York City has a fatal drug overdose death every three hours.Clark Hodgin for The New York Times

6. Opioids have fueled a surge of deaths in New York City.

The city's medical examiner now sees a few dozen unexpected deaths every day — tallies that a few years ago would have been a disturbing aberration.

Homicides are up, and people are still dying from Covid. But by far the largest factor is accidental drug overdoses, mostly from the opioid fentanyl. There were nearly 2,700 drug overdose deaths in New York City in 2021, the highest total in at least two decades, and the official toll of 2022 is expected to be even higher.

For more: My colleague German Lopez wrote about effective but underused treatments for opioid addiction in The Morning newsletter.

The overflowing Russian River in Guerneville, California, last month.Fred Greaves/Reuters

7. In drought, California missed a chance to store more rainfall.

Torrential downpours flooded large parts of California this winter, offering the state a chance to replenish its aquifers, which have become badly depleted after years of dry weather. But large amounts of the rainfall surged down rivers and into the ocean.

Water agencies and experts say California bureaucracy is increasingly to blame. The state tightly regulates who takes water from streams and creeks to protect the rights of people downriver, and it doesn't nimbly adjust its rules.

This week's forecast: A coast-to-coast winter storm is expected to be "extremely disruptive."

Many Manchester United fans agree on one thing: They want the current owners to sell.Dave Thompson/Associated Press

8. The Manchester United bidding war already has a winner: the sellers.

In the months since the owners of the storied English soccer club put it up for sale, some of the world's most deep-pocketed individuals have expressed interest. The two bidders making the most public case — the British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar — offer differing visions for the future of the club and for soccer as a whole.

Regardless of who buys Manchester United, the famously unpopular current ownership will depart with significant profits because it gets to set the price. (They are reportedly seeking $7 billion.)

Elsewhere in the sports world, Formula 1 is tapping into the American market. Some fans just can't get enough.

Yoko Ono fans danced onstage at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park on Saturday.Nina Westervelt for The New York Times

9. At 90, Yoko Ono has outlasted her detractors.

Once vilified for her relationship with John Lennon as the Beatles were breaking up, Ono has managed to outlive many who criticized her and her pioneering conceptual art.

"You might as well face the truth," one of her songs goes. "I'm gonna stick around / For quite a while / Yes, I'm a witch."

Her critical reputation has grown in recent years. Over the weekend, dozens of artists and fans gathered in Central Park to celebrate Ono's 90th birthday and take part in "Morning Piece for Yoko Ono," a 1960s-style art event.

The real Cocaine Bear was taxidermied and put on display at a mall in Kentucky.Matt Stone/Courier Journal, via Imagn Content Services

10. And finally, the strange but true tale of the Cocaine Bear.

Back in September 1985, a skydiving drug smuggler was found dead after his parachute failed to deploy. But before the authorities were able to locate his bag of cocaine, a black bear got to it and apparently overdosed on the substance.

The incident inspired the new move "Cocaine Bear," which arrives in theaters this week.

Such substances can cause trouble for scavengers like bears and raccoons (which "relentlessly seek out edible garbage"), leading to tales like those of the McFlurry Skunk and the Cannabis Raccoon.

Have an intoxicating night.

Elizabeth Bristow compiled photos for this briefing.

Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

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