Alfa Ousmane Barrie, one of the boys who went missing in Harlem who later drowned in the Hudson River, is being laid to rest at a janaazah (funeral) on Friday, June 23. Barrie, 11, went missing last month along with 13-year-old Garrett Warren, who’s body was recovered from the Harlem River.
Services are being held at the Futa Islamic Center (3400 Third Avenue, Bronx) at 1:15 p.m. followed by the maqbarah at Marlboro Muslim Memorial Cemetery (340 Spring Valley Road, Morganville, NJ) at 3:45 p.m.
On May 12, Barrie and Warren, both students at Democracy Prep Middle School, went missing. After a week-long search, Barrie’s body was recovered under the Madison Avenue Bridge over the Hudson River on May 20. Warren’s body was recovered from the Harlem River on May 18.
Reports indicate that the boys climbed through a broken bridge close to the 145th Street Bridge.
Registration is now open for free Fresh Air Fund 2023 Summer Programs at community partners in Harlem. New York City children attend Fund sleepaway camps in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley or visit volunteer host families along the East Coast. Families may register online or at community partners in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and…
As we near the third full year of living with COVID-19, we continue to learn more about the disease but struggle to understand its long-term impacts. New data has shown that of all U.S. adults reporting a COVID-19 infection, 1-in-5 are experiencing “Long-COVID.”
Globally, this ratio is higher. Long COVID involves biological and longer term physical and social repercussions that affect everyday life. These repercussions are felt more gravely amongst communities of color where COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, disproportionate adverse impacts. Given the rising reports of Long COVID, its long term effect on daily life, and the detrimental impact among racially and socially marginalized communities, it’s becoming ever more important to understand its symptoms, treatments, and above all, prevention.
The Census Bureau’s 2022 Household Pulse Survey estimated that of the 16 million working age (18-65 years) Americans with Long COVID, 2-4 million would be out of work due to Long COVID. The cost of these lost wages could amount to approximately $170 billion a year.
Americans who are working at the front lines, in part time or low-wage jobs, or simply paycheck to paycheck can ill-afford to reduce their work hours to recover from Long COVID. This means that most affected by Long COVID have to either bear its symptoms with little flexibility or time-off to recover, or incur reduced wages which contributes to economic insecurity.
According to the CDC, Long COVID is a condition some individuals experience after having been infected by COVID-19. Long-term effects range from fatigue to respiratory difficulties. Long COVID’s persistent symptoms signify an immune response that goes into overdrive during COVID-19. These symptoms manifest due to internal inflammation and persistence of the COVID-19 virus in the body.
Long COVID symptoms vary in range of severity, but anyone is susceptible to it. Jamie Durchame, a health correspondent with Time magazine, told the AmNews, “You can get Long COVID if you had a very mild case, if you’re vaccinated, if you’re young and healthy. There are even some people who had asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 and then developed symptoms after that that are now diagnosed as Long COVID. So it really can affect anyone, which I think is one of the scarier parts of it.”
Difficulty concentrating and recalling memories (also known as “brain fog.”)
Shortness of breath
Muscle aches and Headaches
High temperatures (fevers)
Cough
Sore throat
As each infected person has reported differing symptoms from COVID-19, each individual afflicted by Long COVID may report differing symptoms as well. Peter Christopher, founder of the Washington Heights Long Covid Community Center, who has Long COVID, told the AmNews, “So what long COVID in a nutshell is like; it feels like something is sucking the life force out of you, like sucking the energy out of you…that sucking becomes just like a huge vacuum and you’re just depleted. So that’s kind of what it feels like. And it’s very depressing because when you look around at the world, it’s like everybody else is still living life and you become a shadow. And so you feel like a lot. You feel alone… It’s scary. And you feel you don’t feel like you anymore.”
The Washington Heights Long Covid Community Center is a developing center based in Upper Manhattan that hopes to provide multidimensional health care for those affected by Long COVID, ranging from access to doctors, to holistic community resources.
Dr. Jason Maley, a pulmonary and critical care doctor at Harvard Medical School, told the AmNews that for years there have been reported syndromes similar to Long COVID that manifest after viral infections have occurred. “They’ve been described going back into the 19th century and there’s been some research around what you might call post acute viral syndromes, people who have symptoms after known infections either from viruses or from other types of infections and that included people who had severe fatigue, shortness of breath, this cognitive impairment that’s sometimes called brain fog and other unexplained symptoms.”
Both COVID-19 and Long COVID are novel, which means that these symptoms and their long term manifestation may vary. Given that many of these symptoms are wide ranging and associated with other comorbidities, meaning that more than one disease is occurring simultaneously in the body, diagnosis of Long COVID is challenging.
Dr. Mady Hornig, an expert in the field of Long COVID and a professor at Columbia University, [full disclosure: the author was a graduate student at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, however Dr. Hornig was not one of the author’s instructors] states that given the novelty of the disease and that there are no definite diagnostic tools for Long COVID, it is difficult to diagnose and to treat effectively.
“Symptoms can often be [dismissed or ignored] by docs. Docs look into their tool kits and they don’t have the tools to diagnose, and they don’t have the tools to manage or address the disorder even if they were to diagnose it,” Dr. Horning said.
While Long COVID may not be immediately life threatening, Dr. Maley tells the AmNews that it can have a significant impact. “It’s certainly very serious and it’s affecting people in tremendous ways in terms of their ability to function day-to-day and their quality of life and it’s causing really debilitating symptoms.”
Given its lasting impact, it’s important to seek treatment.
Long COVID may develop regardless of the severity of COVID-19; some who have had an asymptomatic infection have reported Long COVID symptoms. Those reporting more severe COVID-19 symptoms are often those who are not fully vaccinated and tend to report more and worse Long COVID symptoms. Because of this, vaccination against the virus may prevent Long COVID, given that those who have been vaccinated are less likely to experience severe or fatal symptoms from COVID-19, as well as Long COVID, than those who are unvaccinated.
Jamie Durchame tells the AmNews that “Your risk is higher if you have a severe case… And then some underlying conditions have also been linked to the risk of Long COVID, like asthma, other respiratory conditions.”
Given that the severity of COVID-19 appears to be linked at least in part to your vaccination status (full dose and boosters), studies also indicate that those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine are less likely to develop Long COVID. Dr. Maley says that the most common way to prevent COVID-19 and its potential longterm effects is to be fully vaccinated and boosted. To be fully vaccinated and boosted:
You must have completed the COVID-19 vaccine primary series (i.e.: if you have received the Pfizer vaccine, these were 2 doses, spaced approximately 1 month apart).
You must have received the most recent booster dose recommended for you by the CDC.
While there are many unknowns about Long COVID, we have learned that there are many socioeconomic repercussions in addition to the health risks. Long COVID has effects including cognitive impairment, fatigue, and fever, to name a few, and such effects can deter productivity and long term wellbeing.
Jamie Durchame tells us that “throughout the pandemic, people of color and people at lower socio-demographic classes have been more likely to get infected by the virus that causes COVID. And if you have COVID, that is the single biggest risk factor for developing Long COVID. So it stands to reason that people in those groups would also have a higher risk, but I don’t know that that’s like a biological risk factor, so much so as a societal one.”
For historically marginalized communities, gaining holistic resources (i.e.: nutritional aid, mental healthcare, etc.) is pertinent to addressing Long COVID. The denial of these resources to said communities only exacerbates public health, making one more vulnerable to the adverse symptoms of COVID-19 and Long COVID.
As doctors and public health experts develop programs to tackle Long COVID, especially amongst communities who experience healthcare access disparities, advocates are asking them to also consider holistic and socioeconomic support.
If you are experiencing any symptoms that may indicate Long COVID, please contact your healthcare provider.
In honor of Juneteenth, the Black Thought Project and Media 2070 joined forces to unveil the Black Future Newsstand, a live, in-person, custom-built installation. The installation is guided by the question, “What does a media that loves Black people look, feel, sound, and taste like in a future where reparations are real?” The launch of the Afrofuturistic newsstand drew a large crowd…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Math and reading scores among America’s 13-year-olds fell to their lowest levels in decades, with math scores plunging by the largest margin ever recorded, according to the results of a federal test known as the nation’s report card.
The results, released Wednesday, are the latest measure of the deep learning setbacks incurred during the pandemic. While earlier testing revealed the magnitude of America’s learning loss, the latest test casts light on the persistence of those setbacks, dimming hopes of swift academic recovery.
More than two years after most students returned to in-person class, there are still “worrisome signs about student achievement,” said Peggy G. Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the federal Education Department.
“The ‘green shoots’ of academic recovery that we had hoped to see have not materialized,” Carr said in a statement.
In the national sample of 13-year-old students, average math scores fell by 9 points between 2020 and 2023. Reading scores fell by 4 points. The test, formally called the National Assessment of Educational Progress, was administered from October to December last year to 8,700 students in each subject.
Similar setbacks were reported last year when NAEP released broader results showing the pandemic’s impact on America’s fourth- and eighth-grade students.
Math and reading scores had been sliding before the pandemic, but the latest results show a precipitous drop that erases earlier gains in the years leading up to 2012. Scores on the math exam, which has been given since 1973, are now at their lowest levels since 1990. Reading scores are their lowest since 2004.
Especially alarming to officials were outsize decreases among the lowest-performing students. Students at all achievement levels saw decreases, but while stronger students saw slides of 6 to 8 points, lower performing students saw decreases of 12 to 14 points, the results show.
There were also differences by race. Students from almost every race and ethnicity saw math scores slide, but the steepest drops were among American Indian students, at 20 points, and Black students, at 13 points. The decline for white students, by comparison, was 6 points, while Asian students held even.
The scores reflect the disproportionate impact of the pandemic’s disruptions on Black and Latino students and those from low-income families, said Denise Forte, president and CEO of the Education Trust, a nonprofit advocacy group.
“Students want to succeed, attend college, start a rewarding career and reach their full academic potential,” Forte said. “But they can’t if they continue to lose precious ground.”
Pandemic setbacks appear to be lingering even as schools across the U.S. spend billions of dollars to help students catch up. The federal government sent historic sums of money to schools in 2021, allowing many to expand tutoring, summer classes and other recovery efforts.
But the nation’s 13-year-olds, who were 10 when the pandemic started, are still struggling, Carr said.
“The strongest advice I have is that we need to keep at it,” she said. “It is a long road ahead of us.”
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the results confirm what the Biden administration knew all along: “that the pandemic would have a devastating impact on students’ learning across the country and that it would take years of effort and investment to reverse the damage as well as address the 11-year decline that preceded it.”
Still, Cardona said he’s encouraged by signs of improvement elsewhere, with some states returning to pre-pandemic levels on their own math and reading assessments.
The exam is designed to measure basic skills in math and reading. Students were asked to read passages and identify the main idea or locate certain information. In math, they were asked to perform simple multiplication and tackle basic geometry, calculating, for example, the area of a square. Most questions were multiple choice.
Asked about their reading habits, fewer students than ever say they’re reading for fun every day. Just 14% reported daily reading for pleasure — which has been tied to better social and academic outcomes — down from 27% in 2012. Almost a third of students said they never or hardly ever read for fun, up from 22% in 2012.
The test also revealed a troubling increase in student absenteeism. The share of students missing five or more days of schools in a month doubled since 2020, reaching 10% this year. Students with fewer missed days had higher average scores in both reading and math, according to the results.
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The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Indirectly, the Knicks could have a lasting impact on tonight’s NBA Draft taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The team’s chief decision makers woke yesterday to begin their ongoing strategy sessions devoid of a pick in this year’s draft. If the Knicks do not execute a trade, it will be the first time since 2016 the franchise did not make a selection.
However, as a result of several conditions in dealing Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in 2019, which included the Mavericks placing terms on their 2023 first round draft pick, and acquiring Josh Hart this past February in exchange for three players and their own 2023 first round pick, the Knicks’ calculus seemingly centered on prospects beyond the current group.
Or did it?
They certainly didn’t expect the Mavericks to finish six games below .500 (38–44) and in 11th place in the Western Conference, out of a playoff and Play-In Tournament spot, and increasing their odds in the Draft Lottery to gain one of the top 10 picks. If the Mavericks, which as of the publishing of this article will be drafting at No.10, had fallen out of the top 10, the pick would have been transferred to the Knicks. But the Mavericks placed protections on the pick back in 2019 considering the possible scenario that four years later has manifested.
The Knicks will still indirectly impact this evening’s draft. The Mavericks’ pick and the first rounder New York shipped to the Trailblazers could in the course of time substantially alter those teams’ fortunes and lift them into the upper echelon of league. The Trailblazers will be selecting No. 23. Nikola Jokic (No. 41, 2014), who led the Denver Nuggets to the NBA title earlier this month, and Jimmy Butler (No. 30, 2011), who willed the Miami Heat to this year’s Finals, were taken well after No. 23.
In past drafts, Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics, 1998), Brook Lopez ( Brooklyn Nets, 2008), and Paul George (Indiana Pacers, 2010) were all 10th overall picks.
The Knicks can hopefully look ahead as they have six of their own first round picks between 2024 and 2027. They will also be active, perhaps using those picks, the $12.2 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, the $4.5 million biannual exception and other assets this summer to upgrade a roster that needs markedly better perimeter shooters and an athletic wing that is a plus defender and efficient scorer.
It has become increasingly evident that Aaron Judge’s monetary value to the Yankees at minimum is worth every penny of the $360 million the franchise is paying him and arguably exceeds that number. The nine-year deal the 31-year-old outfielder signed in December of 2022 represents his critical importance to the Yankees.
Judge has not played since spraining his right toe on June 3 in Los Angeles in making a scintillating catch versus the Dodgers, running at high speed into the fence in the right field corner of Dodger Stadium. The reigning American League MVP was having another stellar campaign, batting .291 with 19 homers, 40 RBI, 42 runs, and a 1.078 OPS in 49 games played.
The Yankees’ record when Judge went out was 35–25: a solid 10 games over .500. They were 40–33 heading into last night’s game (Wednesday) against the Seattle Mariners after breaking a four-game losing streak with a 3–1 victory over the Mariners on Tuesday. Before the win, Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided an update on his star’s status.
“I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing, just my conversations with him,” said Boone. “I feel like he feels like there’s a little bit of breakthrough with that one, so he’s slowly been doing better and able to do more things. Hopefully that was the start of him starting to make real progress.”
The Yankees’ troubles in trying to generate offense and wins without Judge prompted general manager Brian Cashman to convey an optimistic long-term view. “Judge is a big piece—you’re going to feel it when he’s not in,’’ said Cashman. “A guy like that creates the Fun Bunch, because he always seems to do something right.”
In addition to his bat, Judge has emerged as one of the game’s best defensive outfielders. But Cashman said the Yankees’ front office isn’t going to panic or make any rash decisions in hoping to compensate for the void left by Judge as they look toward players such as first baseman Anthony Rizzo and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton to step up. But Stanton was hitting just .196 with six homers and 13 RBI in 26 games heading into last night’s matchup with Seattle.
“We’re not going to be doing any trading to replace Judge,’’ he said.
The Yankees conclude their three-game series versus the Mariners tonight, then host the Texas Rangers in three games at Yankee Stadium tomorrow through Sunday. They will start a six-game road trip against the Oakland A’s beginning on Tuesday and then head to St. Louis to meet the Cardinals.The Yankees were in third place in the American League East, 9.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays (51–25) and 5.5 games behind the second-place Baltimore Orioles (45–27) when the Major League Baseball schedule began yesterday. While the Yankees still have 88 games remaining and Judge’s return is imminent, they currently don’t bear the look of a World Series contender, which is counter to their lofty expectations on entering this season.
The celestial body of Pluto retrogrades in Capricorn, Saturn retrogrades in Pisces, and at the end of the month, Neptune retrogrades in Pisces. Earthy Capricorn and watery Pisces are a great fit; they nurture each other. The only thing is that Pisces may overdo it, and Capricorn can be too practical, strictly stuck in their way. That is Saturn’s way of protection. With the right amount of applied pressure, balance, and setting boundaries you learn to surrender to manifest what you need and more. Believe in what you do and have some faith as sight is not always by humanity’s side, that’s why the element air is invisible. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase,” Martin Luther King
Capricorn: Cappy June was a personal, professional, soulful, mentally growth spurt. Pluto has taken you back to the root of your foundation since 2008 and will continue until September 1, 2024. The knowledge you gained means it is time to build and apply the data to a book, course, program, speaking engagement, etc. to share with humanity. Every step we take into the unknown to find out the history and origins of life is to better inner-stand ourselves and the structure of the spiritual and physical realms, and the operation of the soul. From 6 a.m. on June 23until 6 p.m. on June 25, change is essential for growth and preparation follows suit.
Aquarius: The universe is smiling down on you, and you are smiling from ear to ear. This is a cycle week to reap the benefits of your labor, time, and thoughts you invested into your plans and projects, and simply take time to rest. Traveling, running errands, attending meetups, and replying back to folks is in your forecast. Whatever it is, your time is valuable enough to not allow people to suck up your energy. At 6:57 p.m. on June 26 until 4:55 a.m. on June 28, reflect on where you began and the position you are in now. It always triggers good, bad, and indifferent feelings associated with new ideas to develop to further your growth.
Pisces: Your true identity is showing up, especially when you look in the mirror. Do you notice certain details about your facial features within the structure of your bones? Does your skin have a different look, glow, or aura that has you staring at yourself? No need to ask questions—work on areas you see that need change. From 5 p.m. on June 28 until 10:59 am on June 30th, looking at something is simple yet putting in the work shows your effort to maintain.
Aries: When you apply pressure with pressure, you avoid jams and detours for the mission to be complete so that you can enter the next phase. Although June tests your patience, strength, and willpower, that you stand your ground against all odds signifies the heart of the soul. Stand for what you believe in your soul to allow the heart to guide you to where you need to be. Recompenses are overdue for the work, time, sweat, and long nights and days invested. On June 22, something else is cooking in the oven, and in the days leading up to June 30, are you ready for what’s in store? Are you in a position within the structure of your foundation? Taurus: Life gets better, sweeter, and fresher at the same time as the universal aspects of life direct you to the next occasion. A slight change in your plan shows you a side you didn’t see coming before entering a room, place, or space for information. When change knocks at your door, it shows up in mysterious ways through your environment to forge a new path or do things in a different way. Trust what you receive straight from the divine source at 6 a.m. on June 23 until 6 p.m. on June 25, and remember solitude is nature with itself.
Gemini: Planning for the future means discarding a part of yourself and things attached to that energy. Metaphorically, this energy has been building up since last October; it’s time for new scenery. Creating a new foundation means a new lifestyle within your personal and professional development. What do you truly have a passion for that’s constantly on your mind as you only envision the outcome, wishing you could’ve, should’ve, and would’ve instead of working toward the vision making it a reality? From 6:47 p.m. on June 26 until 4:55 a.m. on June 28, pursue the vision or continue the current route you are on.
Cancer: June brings about change within your appearance, health, home, community, higher learning, pregnancy, or birth of new ideas—and, importantly, setting boundaries. What improvements are you willing to invest to receive a different outcome within the July 31 cycle when the sun enters your sign? Besides romance and finances, what about the commitment you made to self? Get to know your environment and also the resources available to you through your community, family, and friends to set the tone for a new direction in your life. From 5 p.m. on June 28 until 10:59 a.m. on June 30th, life stops for no one including the dead—it’s always in constant motion.
Leo: You can feel the change heating up now, pulling on your coattail to ride this wave. This energy of change has been in effect since the last week of February. What will your choice be? It’s time to decide. Go within for the answers you seek. Someone dear to your heart will inspire you to act upon your dreams or simply follow your heart. You see the written signs and messages, and now you are hearing messages from folks. When your mind and heart are matching up to the frequency, pursue before the door closes. On June 22 the days leading up to June 30, you are in for an epiphany session.
Virgo: “What’s mine is yours” is the old way, and maybe, just maybe, we are reverting to that stage in a different way. We do it with nature by growing food, yet it takes two to produce and share the quality of what nature has to offer. What is your humanitarian effort and foundation you are standing on and beginning? It takes a village to raise one child and a whole city, township, state, and region to awaken more.From 6 a.m. on June 23 until 6 p.m. on June 25, it’s about the humanitarian network.
Libra: This week be still, as the news you need to hear will present itself to you. Simply do you and go about your day not seeking what is right under your nose. Look at the picture and the details in it. Some messages you can hear clairaudience due to the vibration and the news forthcoming putting you on notice. Practice a fermer la bouche within your daily aspects like in meditation or quiet time. From 6:57 p.m. on June 26 until 4:55 a.m; on June 28, take a refresher course or travel to a place you have never been.
Scorpio: It’s all about Benjamins manifesting through paper, digitally, and old money due to an investment you made. You were on one heck of a program of giving, receiving, taking, and graced by people who appreciate you. June is a preview month of what’s to come this year. Next month it’s time to add sweat, value, growth, and development within the game. From 5 p.m. on June 28 until 10:59 a.m., June 30th, roll up yourselves, fasten your seatbelt, and mentally prepare for physical work.
Sagittarius: Did you catch the universal signals sent your way? It was a hop, skip, then jump to your destination. The only thing is the parachute didn’t come out right away. It only works when you are approaching the main adventure to slow you down just a bit to catch the context clues you see, hear, or have heard of before the adventure comes about. What a mystical quest you are on, and remember, it’s so magical it’s top secret. On June 22and the days leading up to June 30, you see, hear of, and visit the place and people you need.
With the explosive good times in Harlem over Juneteenth weekend, it is no surprise that early voting for city council elections is off to a bit of a slow start this year.
Early voting started on Sat, June 17 and runs through Sun, June 25. Find pollsites and hours at nycvotes.org.
As of this Tuesday, the Board of Elections (BOE) has completed four days of early voting. So far the unofficial and cumulative number of votes is up to 18,293 across four boroughs. Queens (5,616) comes in with the highest number of voters, then Brooklyn (4,987) and Manhattan (4,558), and lastly, the Bronx (3,132).
Candidates in the city’s city council, District Attorney, and judgeship races were out beating the pavement and handing out their logos to encourage voters to show up at the polls this weekend. Some, like candidate for District 9 in Harlem Yusef Salaam, voted on the Junteenth holiday.
“People are still getting used to early voting here in New York. We are doing our part to help educate residents on where to vote. We hope that this process will eventually turn into an increase in voter turnout,” said Assemblymember Inez Dickens, who is also running for city council District 9 in Harlem. “At the end of the day, it is important for Harlemites to exercise their right to choose the best candidate.”
The use of rank choice voting in this year’s 51 city council elections, 21 of which are competitive, makes for an interesting experience. Rank choice voting means that voters can choose up to five candidates for a race in order of preference.
Dickens nailed an endorsement from long-time supporter Mayor Eric Adams while Salaam teamed up with fellow candidate Assemblymember Al Taylor to entice one another’s voters to rank them.
“I am pumped and energized! Everywhere I go, voters are coming up to us excited and determined to vote for Team Taylor,” said Taylor in a statement. “The people of Harlem are hungry for change – they want a champion who will fight for affordable homes, safe streets, and good schools. And that’s exactly what I intend to do for our community.”
The race has not been without the usual scandals. Both Dickens and Salaam have come under fire from the media about their education.
Salaam, who does not have a doctorate but an honorary doctorate he received from Anointed by God Ministries Alliance & Seminary in 2014, has received some criticism for going by ‘Dr. Salaam’ at times. Dickens “studied real estate and land economics at New York University and later attended her studies at Howard University,” but didn’t graduate instead receiving certificates, she told to news outlets.
Election Day for the primary is on Tues, June 27. Polls are open 6am-9pm. The last day to request absentee ballots in-person is Mon, June 26.
Absentee ballots have to be postmarked by June 27 to be valid.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visitinghttps://bit.ly/amnews1.
With his son planning to plead guilty to federal tax crimes, an impending forced House vote to impeach him, his poll numbers plummeting, and now news that he’s called Chinese leader Xi Jinping a dictator—President Biden has more than a toxic mix of problems on his agenda.
Then again, Hunter Biden, his youngest son (Beau died in 2015) has cut a deal to avoid prison; the impeachment charge is practically dead on arrival in the House; and Biden’s poll numbers are—like most poll numbers—uncertain at this time. Of most immediate concern is his charge that Jinping is a dictator, particularly while Secretary of State Antony Blinden has made overtures to bring about calm between the two nations.
Biden asserted in remarks Tuesday evening in California, in connection with the supposed spy balloon that the U.S. shot down, “The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when [we] shot that balloon down with two boxcars full of spy equipment is he didn’t know it was there. That was a great embarrassment for dictators—when they didn’t know what happened.”
The balloon was flying across the U.S. and was shot down off the coast of the Carolinas. “It was blown off course, up through Alaska and then down through the United States, and [Jinping] didn’t know about it,” Biden said.
The president’s comments, as expected, have ruffled the Chinese government and they responded quickly. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, called the remarks “extremely absurd and irresponsible. They’re an open political provocation.” Moreover, she said, the balloon was unintended and caused by circumstances beyond China’s control.
Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, had a stronger reaction. “Biden’s big mouth is a loose cannon,” he said. “Mutual trust is what China has been stressing, so Biden’s comments are very destructive and damaging.”
The comments also contradict Blinken’s recent mission. How they will add to the brewing tumult during the 2024 presidential elections is left for debate.
