Putin's Nuclear Warning, Ohio Cleanup, and Official State Songs

Putin Suspends Nuke Treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday he would suspend Russia's participation in the New Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty in place with the US since 2011. Russian officials later clarified they would still respect current treaty limits on long-range nuclear arsenals.

The New START treaty caps the number of long-range nuclear weapons Russia and the US can deploy (see explainer). It also allows each side to inspect the other's strategic nuclear sites up to 18 times per year at short notice (how it works). Analysts noted the suspension is not technically a withdrawal from the treaty, but it makes compliance more difficult to determine.

Putin also indicated Russia would be ready to restart nuclear weapons tests if the US does, a practice mostly banned since the 1960s. See a history of nuclear weapon proliferation here.

Later Tuesday, US President Joe Biden gave a speech in Poland a day after his surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine's capital. 

Ohio Derailment Cleanup

The US Environmental Protection Agency yesterday ordered rail company Norfolk Southern to clean up the contamination from the East Palestine, Ohio, train wreck. The move comes more than two weeks after emergency crews carried out a controlled burn of the leaked chemicals on the train, releasing toxic hydrogen chloride and phosgene gas over the area. 

Under what's commonly known as the Superfund law, the EPA directed Norfolk Southern to follow an approved remediation plan, which includes attending public meetings, sharing information publicly, and paying for cleaning services offered to residents and businesses. If Norfolk Southern fails to comply, the EPA warned it would perform the work itself and seek triple damages. About 8.3 million pounds of contaminated soil and 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water have been removed so far. See the EPA's latest response here.

Separately, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a package of reforms and said his department would begin inspecting train routes used to transport hazardous materials.

Four-Day Workweek Study

Results released yesterday show a recent four-day workweek trial in the UK had 56 of 61 participating companies continuing with the policy. The study, conducted from June to December, included 2,900 employees from a range of industries, with the average workweek around 32 hours and compensation kept the same.

The results showed 71% of employees reported less burnout, 39% less stress, and 60% better work-life balance. Fewer workers quit or took sick days compared to the same period in the previous year. Among the 23 companies that shared sales numbers, the average revenue grew 1.4% during the trial.

In the US, legislators in Maryland this week proposed a five-year, four-day workweek pilot program in exchange for tax credits for participating businesses. See some companies in the US that currently offer a four-day schedule.

See the history of the concept here.

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