Biden visiting Bob Dole following cancer diagnosis

President Joe Biden is visiting former Sen. Bob Dole Saturday afternoon after Dole announced earlier this week that he has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, according to the White House.

The two served in the Senate together and Dole is a "close friend" of the President, the White House said.
 Collective sighs of relief could be heard from many European capitals Saturday after President Biden made clear in his first major foreign policy address since taking office that he rejected the “America First” and transactional approach of his predecessor and urged cooperation among Western allies.

At the same time, politicians and observers cautioned that some of the sources of tension from Donald Trump’s presidency remained and that the allies have serious work ahead of them, once Biden’s honeymoon is over.

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President Biden speaks during a virtual event with the Munich Security Conference in the East Room of the White House on Friday in Washington. Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

“Biden gave exactly the speech that many Europeans wanted to hear – an America that pats you on the shoulders, that doesn’t criticize or demand,” wrote Germany’s influential Der Spiegel magazine after Biden on Friday became the first American president to appear at the Munich Security Conference, albeit in virtual form.

“Will it stay that way? For the moment, it was certainly the right message: It was primarily intended to patch up the injuries of the Trump years,” the magazine said in an analysis.

The annual Munich Security Conference has long been heralded as a gathering where world leaders are able to share and debate ideas in an informal setting.

Biden’s speech highlighted the condensed agenda for this year’s conference, which was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In his keynote address, Biden assured other participants, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, that the United States was “determined to re-engage with Europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trusted leadership.”

Over the last four years, the NATO alliance was shaken by Trump’s questioning of its relevance and his suggestion that the United States might not come to the aid of members who failed to meet pledges to commit 2 percent of gross domestic product to defense spending.

But Biden made no mention of Washington’s opposition to the Germany-Russia joint Nord Stream 2 pipeline project and steered away from criticizing Germany and others for failing to meet NATO defense spending goals. Instead, he emphasized Washington’s commitment to Article 5 of the NATO founding treaty, which states that an attack on one alliance member is considered an attack on all.

It is now important for Germany and the rest of Europe to seize upon the renewed U.S. willingness to engage in dialogue and work hard toward resolving areas of disagreement, said Juergen Hardt, the foreign policy spokesman for Merkel’s parliamentary group.

“With his speech, Joe Biden reached out to Europe,” Hardt said. “

The coming months must be used intensively to resolve numerous open issues, such as punitive tariffs, extra-territorial sanctions on Nord Stream 2, or digital tax,” he said.

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Merkel told reporters Friday after Biden’s speech that it is up to Europe to take an example from his first days in office, and follow words with actions.

She cited the United States’ return to the Paris climate agreement, its decision to stay in the World Health Organization and to engage with the U.N. Human Rights Council, to extend the New START treaty and to try to revive the Iran nuclear agreement as “important steps toward more multilateral cooperation.”

“I can only support (the idea) that it is up to democratic countries not just to talk about freedom and values, but to produce results,” Merkel said.

In a nod toward Biden’s call for cooperation in addressing economic and national security challenges posed both by Russia and China, several leaders suggested more could be done.

The leader of the European Union’s executive branch, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, noted at the conference that “a more and more assertive China” showed robust economic growth in 2020 despite the pandemic and “a more and more defiant Russia continues to breach international rules at home and abroad.”

“It is up to us, the United States and Europe, to strengthen our cooperation again as proven and trusted partners, as indispensable allies, shoulder to shoulder,” von der Leyen said. “Because if we lead the way, this is not only about joining forces, this is a signal to the world.”

European Council President Charles Michel underlined the need for a common approach to “defend the rules-based international order from the attacks of autocratic regimes, whether from Russia, China or Iran,” saying “a strong partnership needs strong partners.”

“That’s why we, in Europe, are growing stronger, to increase our strategic ability to act,” Michel said.

France’s Macron, who has pushed since his own presidency began in 2017 for Europe to do more for its own defense, suggested that by doing so, it would be strengthening the U.S. ability to focus more on the Pacific region.

“I think it is time for us to take much more of the burden of our own protection,” he said.

Merkel, meanwhile, stressed that “it is very important that we develop a common trans-Atlantic Russia agenda, which on the one hand makes cooperative offers, but on the other hand very clearly names the differences.”

“The second and perhaps more complicated thing is for us to develop a common agenda toward China,” she said, noting that the country is both a systemic competitor and needs to tackle issues such as climate change.

“There is a great deal to do,” Merkel said. “Germany stands ready for a new chapter of the trans-Atlantic partnership.”
PORTAGE, Mich. — Portage City Manager Joe La Margo offered his thoughts Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 about a trip President Joe Biden took to the city's Pfizer facility the previous day.

The trip: In a day of firsts, President Biden visits Pfizer plant in Portage, tours vaccine line
Biden toured the manufacturing site of the company's COVID-19 vaccine and met with La Margo, as well as Portage Mayor Patricia Randall.

Gallery: See pictures of President Joe Biden's visit to Pfizer's Portage manufacturing facility
“We were privileged to have the chance to speak with President Biden yesterday,” La Margo said in a written statement. “I expressed my appreciation for the efforts President Biden has taken to increase production and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and I thanked him for personally recognizing the hard-working Pfizer employees for their dedication to supply the vaccine to the country and the world."

The visit was Biden's first official visit to Michigan during his presidency.

Local reaction: Portage residents say President Joe Biden's visit is a big deal for the community
Portage representatives applauded Pfizer's employees in their efforts to produce a vaccine to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

History lesson: President Joe Biden visit to Pfizer marks his first time in Kalamazoo County in 12 years
BIDEN-NATURAL DISASTERS — The extreme winter weather that left residents of Texas and other Southern states shivering through an unseasonal cold spell is testing President Joe Biden’s disaster management skills. The White House announced that Biden had declared a major disaster in Texas, and he’s asked federal agencies to identify additional resources to address the suffering. By Darlene Superville. SENT: 850 words, photos.
WINTER WEATHER — Warmer temperatures spread across the southern United States, bringing some relief to a winter weary region that faces a challenging clean-up and expensive repairs from days of extreme cold and widespread power outages. In hard-hit Texas, where millions were warned to boil tap water before drinking it, the warm-up was expected to last for several days. The thaw produced burst pipes throughout the region, adding to the list of woes from severe conditions that were blamed for more than 70 deaths. By Jake Bleiberg and Mark Scolforo. SENT: 1,430 words, photos. WITH WINTER WEATHER-FREEZING TO DEATH — With the snow and ice clearing in Texas, authorities are finding the bodies of people who likely froze to death as they struggled to stay warm after electricity was cut. By Jamie Stengle and Marion Renault. SENT: 680 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK — As more people get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, what’s safe for them to do? Don’t expect to shed your mask right away. At least for now, U.S. health authorities say people should follow the same rules as everybody else about wearing a mask, keeping a 6-foot distance and avoiding crowds even after they’ve gotten their second vaccine dose. That’s in part because so few people are vaccinated yet. By Lauran Neergaard. SENT: 860 words, photos.

BIDEN ONE MONTH — Joe Biden is a month into his presidency and one pattern is clear. He doesn’t want to talk about the man he’s called “the former guy,” Donald Trump But much of what Biden is doing is about breaking from Trump’s legacy on matters of policy, symbolism and style. That began on his first day, when Biden appeared at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office wearing a mask. The Democrat framed his first month as a time to start to “heal the soul” of the nation and restore the White House as a symbol of stability and credibility. By Jonathan Lemire and Calvin Woodward. SENT: 1,450 words, photos. A 900-word version also is available.

RUSSIA-NAVALNY — A Moscow court has rejected Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s appeal against his prison sentence, even as the country faced a top European rights court’s order to free the Kremlin’s most prominent foe. By Vladimir Isachenkov. SENT: 910 words, photos.

EMERGENCY LANDING-PLANE DEBRIS — Debris from a United Airlines plane fell onto Denver suburbs during an emergency landing Saturday, with one very large piece that appears to be part of the engine narrowly missing a home. Authorities said nobody aboard or on the ground was reported hurt. By Gillian Flaccus SENT: 700 words, photos.

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WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

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COCAINE-COATED CEREAL — Customs inspectors find cocaine-coated corn flakes in Ohio. SENT: 120 words.

ITALY-OBIT-DI-MODICA — Arturo Di Modica, sculptor of Wall Street bull, dies at 80. SENT: 420 words, photos.

NAZI-GUARD-DEPORTATION — A 95-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard has been deported from the United States to his native Germany. SENT: 340 words.

SCI-SPACE-STATION— A space station supply ship has blasted off from Virginia on the 59th anniversary of John Glenn’s historic flight. The company has named its latest capsule the S.S. Katherine Johnson after the Black NASA mathematician profiled in the movie “Hidden Figures.” SENT: 330 words.

MILITARY JET CRASH — 2 dead after Air Force trainer jet crashes in Alabama. SENT: 230 words.

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