National, State and Local Temperature Checks

By Matt Meduri

National

International politics has taken a significant shift after China’s Xi Jinping has seemingly reinforced a somewhat tepid relationship between China and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, one move among many that some believe contributes to a stage set for World War III.

President Xi of China has now formally displayed himself as Putin’s only friend on the world stage, besides that of President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, the selfdescribed “last dictator” of Ukraine and a world leader fully supportive of Russia’s initiative in Ukraine.

But a friend is not an ally, at least not yet.

Xi traveled to Moscow last week and although no weapons or resources have been provided to Russia yet, China is at least offering moral and psychological support.

Xi’s diplomacy only sheds light on the situation in Eastern Europe. Russia, now weakened by its loss in energy markets to the invasion, now depends on China and other Central Asian customers, some of whom were once part of the now-defunct Soviet Union.

China also recognizes the need to strike while the iron is hot in pursuit of continental domination, at least economically. While Putin’s botched invasion of Ukraine has weakened his position and image on the world stage, it remains the best opportunity for China to play kingmaker as the West continues to sever ties between themselves and the Kremlin. The concern for China is to shore up resources and diplomatic support while Putin remains in office before the possibility of a massive shift in the Ukraine war or a more Westernaligned leader replaces Putin.

Xi apparently has proposed some ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, calling Putin a “dear friend.” It is unknown if Xi will propose any negotiations to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy but Xi’s recent practice of diplomacy in the recent Iran-Saudi Arabia deal earlier this month gives clues towards his abilities.

The Iran-Saudi Arabia deal brokered by China entails that the two countries re-establish their ties and reopen their embassies. After numerous failed talks and attempts at peace, China has done what the United States was accomplishing under the Abraham Accords in the Middle East under President Donald Trump. The complicated nature of the relationship places China as a growing influence in the Middle East in a tumultuous time for world power, as the U.S. continues to flounder on the world stage, easily making China’s campaign for world leader a zero-sum game against the U.S.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are also China’s largest trading partners in the Persian Gulf, with the ability to boost the Persian states’ economies while possibly funding war efforts further in Ukraine or possible military interests of China towards Taiwan. Vladimir Putin has recently stated that Taiwan is “inherently” China, raising eyebrows that both leaders possibly support each other’s quests to rebuild former empires across Asia and Europe.

Taiwanese leaders have announced their skepticism of the Putin-Xi meeting, stating that the two cannot attempt peace talks when they are both concerned with expansionism.

Late last month, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken traveled the Astana, Kazakhstan, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, two former Soviet states that lie within the sights of both Russia and China. Blinken’s visit aimed to shore up support against Russia’s war in Ukraine, and possibly any attempts China might make to influence their clout in the region. Both countries, as well as former Soviet Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, are situated in Central Asia and face diplomatic threats from both angles.

Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin, obligating local authorities in associated countries to arrest him if he enters those countries. China is not a state party or signatory of the ICC.

The appeal is supported by Governor Kathy Hochul (D).

The appeal was reportedly filed on the deadline of March 13, nearly eight months after the Supreme Court ruling.

Local Congressman Nick LaLota (R) (pictured right) of the First District has introduced a bipartisan and bicameral bill to prevent train derailment disasters. This comes in response to a series of significant train derailments across the country, most notably the highly toxic and dubious circumstances of the East Palestine, Ohio, crisis on February 3.

LaLota introduced the bill with Chris Deluzio (D-PA) a freshman Representative of Pennsylvania’s 17th District, encompassing the Pittsburgh suburbs not far from East Palestine.

LaLota said: “’What happened in East Palestine is nothing short of a tragedy, an environmental disaster, and it needs a bipartisan solution. We need to assure Americans that their Congress is actively working to ensure that this doesn’t happen anywhere else, whether it be Long Island or Western Pennsylvania.’”

The Railroad Safety Act would “enhance safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials by including new safety requirements and procedures, requiring rail carriers to provide advance notification and information to state emergency response officials about what they are transporting, creating new requirements to prevent block railroad crossings, and mitigating derailment risk with rules for train size and weight.’”

James (D) has filed an appeal against a July ruling of the New York Supreme Court that overturned Rule 2.13, the “Isolation and Quarantine Procedures.” Originally adopted in February 2022, the rules empowered the state’s health commissioner to direct local health authorities to “issue isolation and/or quarantine orders” to “all such persons as the State Commissioner of Health shall be appropriate” in the fight against “highly contagious communicable diseases.”

The rule was struck down by the state Supreme Court after Republican legislators, activists, and personal freedom advocates challenged the constitutionality of the rule, as well as the violation of separated powers within the state government.