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Los testimonios del ‘Barçagate’ cercan a Bartomeu P32
FC BARCELONA
Más mujeres que nunca en las candidaturas para los Goya
CINE
Una mayoría de las autonomías apoya el cierre en Semana Santa Sanidad busca una medida consensuada para evitar los viajes en toda España
JOSÉ MARÍA BRUNET, Madrid La Fiscalía pidió ayer al Tribunal Supremo que los siete presos del procés puestos en régimen de semilibertad el pasado 29 de enero vuelvan a prisión. El recurso persigue que se corrija al juez de vigilancia penitenciaria que se negó a suspender el tercer grado de los dirigentes independentistas catalanes. La Fiscalía sostiene que esa decisión fue “improcedente”, pues la ley requeriría una suspensión inmediata al presentarse recurso. Y solicita al Supremo que dicte un auto para ello. PÁGINA 14
El número de parados supera de nuevo los cuatro millones tras cinco años
SUNDAY ALAMBA (AP)
279 niñas nigerianas, liberadas de su secuestro Todas las menores secuestradas el viernes en un instituto de secundaria del noroeste de Nigeria, 279, fueron liberadas en la madrugada de ayer. Lo anunció el gobernador del Estado de Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, quien dijo que negoció con los cap-
Biden se alinea con la UE para sancionar a Rusia por Navalni
tores la entrega de las armas a cambio de una amnistía. Las niñas fueron llevadas a un auditorio de Gusau, en la imagen, y narraron cómo las obligaron a una larga caminata: “Los bandidos disparaban al aire para asustarnos”. PÁGINA 7
El compromiso con el progreso necesita lectores Suscríbete a los hechos
Washington y Bruselas aprueban de forma coordinada las represalias contra Moscú A. MARS / B. DE MIGUEL Washington / Bruselas El Gobierno de Estados Unidos anunció ayer sanciones a siete miembros de la Administración rusa próximos al presidente Vladímir Putin por el envenena-
El fiscal pide que vuelvan ya a prisión los líderes del ‘procés’ El recurso al Supremo cree “improcedente” el régimen de semilibertad
PABLO LINDE, Madrid La mayoría de las comunidades autónomas son partidarias de mantener los cierres territoriales en la Semana Santa, una medida que el Ministerio de Sanidad quiere consensuar con todas ellas. Actualmente, rige la prohibición de salir sin causa justificada en todas las autonomías salvo Madrid, Extremadura, Baleares y Canarias. Los técnicos del ministerio estudian un plan común. La ministra, Carolina Darias, busca adhesiones para mantener el cierre, según dijo ayer el consejero de Sanidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Jesús Fernández, antes de la reunión del Comité Interterritorial de Salud prevista para hoy. Fuentes del Gobierno se limitan a pedir “prudencia, responsabilidad y sentido común” y recuerdan el objetivo de bajar la incidencia acumulada a 50 casos por 100.000 habitantes en 14 días. Ayer esa tasa era de 168,4. La Comunidad de Madrid se desmarcó ayer de esta posición general y sugirió que apuesta por la apertura. “Espero que la Semana Santa nos ayude a recuperarnos”, dijo su presidenta, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, si bien matizó que sería “precipitado” anticipar su posición final. PÁGINA 20 Y MADRID
Los contagios en residencias caen un 95% a raíz de la vacunación P21
P28
miento y la detención del líder opositor Alexéi Navalni. El castigo ha sido coordinado con Bruselas, que aprovechó para hacer públicas las sanciones contra cuatro altos cargos rusos acordadas la semana pasada. PÁGINA 2
MANUEL V. GÓMEZ, Madrid La tercera ola de la pandemia golpeó con fuerza al mercado laboral en febrero. El número de personas apuntadas a las listas del paro superó los cuatro millones por primera vez en cinco años. La afiliación a la Seguridad Social creció al menor ritmo en ocho años. Y los afectados por ERTE rebasan los 900.000, un 11% más que en el mes anterior. PÁGINA 37 EDITORIAL EN LA PÁGINA 10
Baleares inicia la expropiación de pisos vacíos para dedicarlos a alquiler social LUCÍA BOHÓRQUEZ, Palma El Gobierno de Baleares ha dictado una resolución para expropiar de forma temporal 56 viviendas vacías que se destinarán a alquiler social durante siete años. Aplica así por primera vez una ley autonómica de 2018 que obliga a registrar los inmuebles vacíos de grandes propietarios, los que poseen más de 10 viviendas, y permite disponer de ellas. PÁGINA 38
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Fenced in Ghosn suspects arrive in Japan
Briefing ►S unakto extend state support in Budget Rishi Sunak will use today’s Budget to extend a vast package of pandemic-era support until the end of September, which the chancellor hopes will edge the UK back toeconom icheakliby th eau tu n in .- page 2
Japanese officials screen Michael and Peter Taylor after their arrival at Narita airport in Chiba prefecture yesterday. The US citizens were extradited to Japan to face charges over their alleged role in the escap e from custody of C arlos Ghosn, the formerRenault-Nissan boss. Prosecutors have accused theTaylors of leading an operation in Decem ber 2019 to smuggle Ghosn out of the coun try in a m usical equipment case, taking him to Beirut, via Turkey. G hosn, w ho d en ies th e ch a rg e s against him, remains in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan, if convicted, the Taylors, who had claimed they would not receive a fair trial in Japan, face uptothreeyearsinjail. Report page 6
►Navalny case triggers western sanctions Co-ordinated sanctions have been launchedbythe US and the EU against Russian officials accu sed of playing a role in tire attempted killing of Alexei Navalny, theRussianoppositionpolitician.- page a
►Boohoo faces US heat over practices Washington says it has sufficient evidence to probe claims that Boohoo'sclothes are made ina way that breach its rules, which could threaten imports into the U S .- REPORT S. LOMBARD. PAGE 12
►Pharm a rivals to link up on vaccine Merck is t o ina ke J&J s Covid-19 vaccine under an unusual deal that President Joe Biden is expected to announce next week to try to boost production of the single-shot jab, which has beenhit by d elays.- p a g e 6
Kazuhi ro t+og\!AFPvia Gerty Images.
►Utilities to fight Ofgem over returns
City poised for overhaul o f listing rules in dash to catch Spacs wave
National Grid, SSE and ScottishPower will seek to overturn parts of a December ruling by energy regulator Ofgem that will from April cut from their allowed returns by nearly 4 0 per c e n t.- pag e 12
►China on course to be AI superpower A reliance on Taiwanese chipmakers means that the US risks losing its world lead, a two-year study said. “Within die next decade, China could suipass the US as th e world's A] superpower.”- page ft view, page 22
••Review on loosening regime today * Dual-class shares proposed * Rethink on prospectuses D A N I E L T H O M A S A N D P H I L IP S T A F F O R D
A T reasury-backed review of the City has called for an overhaul of com pany listing rules so London can b etter com pete against rivals in New York and Europe and grab a share of the booming m arket for special purchase acquisition vehicles. The review, to be published today, proposes allowing dual-class shares to give founders greater control of thenbusinesses and attra ct a wave of tech companies to die market. London's attractive ness has dwindled in recent years as the US and Hong Kong have swept up the highest-profile tech listings and New York had benefited from a surge of so-called Spacs, which raise money from investors and list on a
stock m arket, then look for an acquisi tion target to take public. Britain’s edge has been eroded by a loss of trading to Eu ropean rivals since Brexit. Rishi Sunak, chancellor, who com missioned the independent report, said the governm ent was determ ined to enhance the UK’s reputation after leav ing the EU, “making sure we continue to lead th e w orld in providing open , dynam ic capital m arkets for existing and innovative companies alike”. The review , c a rrie d o u t by Lord Jonathan Hill, form er EU financial serv ices commissioner, recommends a wide range of reform s to loosen rales that have tightly governed listings in die UK. Hill suggests lowering the limit on the free float of shares in public hands to 15 per cent — meaning founders need to
sell fewer shares to list — and wants to “empower retail investors” by helping them participate in capital raisings. He has also proposed a “com plete rethink” of com pany prospectuses to cu t regulation and encourage capital raising, and suggested rebranding the London Stock Exchange’s standard list ing segment to increase its appeal. The government said it would exam ine th e recom m en dations, m any of w hich require consultations by the Financial Conduct Authority. The regu lator said it aimed to publish a consulta tion paper by the sum m er, with new rales expected by late2021. Hill said the proposals were designed to “encourage investm ent in UK busi nesses [and] support die development of innovative grow th sectors such as
London’s m agnetism has faded as the US and Hong Kong m arkets sweep up high-profile te ch listings
Buyout chiefs reap rewards of Covid-led Fed stimulus Central bank support that wiped out losses suffered by private equity firms early in the pandemic helped their chief executives receive hundreds of millions of dollars in payouts. Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone’s founder, above, received at least $615m — onefifth more than he earned In 2019. Apolio's Leon Black took home at least $225 m. Buyout groups’ chiefs areoffen key shareholders in their firms, which means they receive large dividends. Report ►page 9
G erm an y’s financial w atchdo g lias taken direct oversight of day-to-d ay o p e ra tio n s a t G reensill B ank, th e leuderth at is part of the ailingLondonheadquartered finance group. The m ove was m ade as parent group Greensill Capital - which is advised by David Cameron, the form er prim e min ister, and backed by SoftBank — seeks a rescue deal. The com pany is in talks with Apollo on a sale of certain assets and operations and has also sought protection from Australia’s insolvency regime. Greensill was dealt a severe blow on Monday when Credit Suisse susjjended $lObn of funds linked to the supplychain finance firm, citing “considerable
uncertainties” on th e valuation of the funds’ assets. Asecond Swiss fund m an ager, GAM, severed ties yesterday. On M onday night G reensill w as denied an injunction by an Australian court afterthe group tried to prevent its insurers from pulling coverage. Greensill’s lawyers warned the court that if policies covering $4.6bn of loans to 4 0 com panies were not renew ed, Greensill Bank would be “unable to pro vide further funding for working capital of Greensill’s clients”, with som e “ likely to become insolvent”. In turn that might “trigger further adverse consequences”, putting 5 0 ,0 0 0 jobs globally at risk, including 7 ,0 0 0 in Australia, the group’s lawyers told the court. Greensill Capital lias sought pro tection from A ustralia’s insolvency regime, as it races to st rike a re sa le deal and as another fund severed ties.
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T h e c o m p a n y is hoping to invoke “safe harbour” protection in Australia, w hich can shield d irectors from per sonal liability, according to people briefed on the m ove, w hile the bulk of Greensill’s business is based in London, its p arent com pany is registered in Bundaberg, the Australian home town of its founder, LexGreensill. Greensill is in talks with Apollo Global Management, the $ 455b 11privat e equity and distressed-investtnent firm, to res cue parts of the business and keep its funding lines open for blue-chip clients. In Germ any, w here Greensill has owned a bank since 2 0 1 4 , B aFin, the financial watchdog, appointed a special representative to oversee day-to-day activities in recent weeks, according to three people familial- with the matter. Crisis lifts lid on dangers page 11 Lex page 24
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Gold has fallen to $1,707 an ounce, down 1 $ per cent from a $2,072 high in August, as signs of aglobal economic recovery and rising bond yields reduced the precious m etai’s ap p eal.- page 13
tech and life sciences”, adding th at the UK should use its post-Brexit ability to set its own rales “to move faster, more flexibly and in a more targeted way”. The recom m endation to help Spacs list in London by no longer suspending shares after a targ et is picked will be welcomed by m any investors. But some ideas will w orry institutional investors that argue loosening rules on dual-class shares, for example, will risk lowering corporategovem ance standards. Amid fears that thegovermnent cou Id go too far with deregulation, Hill said his proposals were "n o t about opening a gap between us and o th er global cen tre s . . . they are about closing a gap which has already opened up”. Regulations streamlined page 3 Lex page 24
Greensill Bank in hands of Germany’s regulator as parent hunts rescue deal R O B E R T S M ITH A N D S T E P H E N M O R R IS — LO N D O N O LA FS TO R B E C K — FRANKFURT J A M IE S M Y T H — S Y D N E Y
►Gold declines to eight-m onth low
Mar 2
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A Nikkei Company
Banksy 0-1974) NCLA {White Rain} Screenprini In colours. 2008. signed In pencil numbered form the edition of 235. Esu £90,000-120, OCO
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Choose Year Weapon (Green) Screenprini in eol&urs, 2010. signed and numbered from the edition of 25 In- green pencil, fett. £100,000-150.000
W elcom ing e n trie s fo r fu tu re au ctio n s Contact us for the most competitive seling commissions editions@forumauctions.co.uk | forumauctions.co.uk
Nxxx,2021-03-03,A,001,Bs-4C,E1
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Late Edition Today, mostly sunny, turning milder, high 52. Tonight, partly cloudy, low 36. Tomorrow, partly sunny, windy, cooler but seasonable, high 44. Weather map appears on Page B7.
VOL. CLXX . . . . No. 58,986
$3.00
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© 2021 The New York Times Company
ENOUGH VACCINE FOR ‘EVERY ADULT’ IN MAY, BIDEN SAYS Texas to Fully Open, Deal Hammered Out Hastening a Drive to Speed Delivery to Ease Limits of 1-Dose Shot By JULIE BOSMAN and LUCY TOMPKINS
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Sudden Death in Myanmar Mah Daisy Kyaw Win, 32, a single mother who went out to buy snacks for her son, was shot during a crackdown on protests. Page A10.
Justices Suggest They Are Likely Union Drive at Amazon Turns To Uphold Arizona Voting Limits Into Star-Studded Labor Battle By MICHAEL CORKERY and KAREN WEISE
By ADAM LIPTAK
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed ready on Tuesday to uphold two election restrictions in Arizona and to make it harder to challenge all sorts of limits on voting around the nation. In its most important voting rights case in almost a decade, the court for the first time considered how a crucial part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 applies to voting restrictions that have a disproportionate impact on members of minority groups. The court heard the case as disputes over voting rights have again become a flash point in American politics. The immediate question for the justices was whether two Arizona measures ran afoul of the 1965 law. One of the measures requires election officials to discard ballots
cast at the wrong precinct. The other makes it a crime for campaign workers, community activists and most other people to collect ballots for delivery to polling places, a practice critics call “ballot harvesting.” Several members of the court’s conservative majority said the restrictions were sensible, commonplace and at least partly endorsed by a bipartisan consensus reflected in a 2005 report signed by former President Jimmy Carter and James A. Baker III, who served as secretary of state under President George Bush. The Biden administration, too, told the justices in an unusual letter two weeks ago that the Arizona measures appeared to be Continued on Page A15
Players from the National Football League were among the first to voice their support. Then came Stacey Abrams, the Democratic star who helped turn Georgia blue in the 2020 election. The actor Danny Glover traveled to Bessemer, Ala., for a news conference last week, where he invoked the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s pro-union leanings in urging workers at Amazon’s warehouse there to organize. Tina Fey has weighed in, and so has Senator Bernie Sanders. And on Sunday, President Biden issued a resounding declaration of solidarity with the workers now voting on whether to form a union at Amazon’s Bessemer warehouse, without mentioning the company by name. Posted to
his official Twitter account, his video was one of the most forceful statements in support of unionizing by an American president in recent memory. “Every worker should have a free and fair choice to join a union,” Mr. Biden said. A unionizing campaign that had deliberately stayed under the radar for months has in recent days blossomed into a star-studded showdown to influence the workers at Amazon, one of the world’s dominant companies whose power has increased exponentially during the pandemic. On one side is the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and its many pro-labor allies in the worlds of politics, sports and HolContinued on Page A15
VERNON JORDAN, 1935-2021
A Civil Rights Leader With Influence in Corner and Oval Offices By NEIL A. LEWIS
Vernon E. Jordan Jr., the civil rights leader and Washington power broker whose private counsel was sought by the powerful at the top levels of government and the corporate world, died on Monday at his home in Washington. He was 85. His death was confirmed in a statement by Vickee Jordan, his daughter. She did not state the cause. Mr. Jordan, who was raised in segregation-era Atlanta, got his first inkling of the world of power and influence that had largely been denied Black Americans like him while waiting on tables at one of the city’s private clubs, where his mother catered dinners, and as a driver for a wealthy white banker, who was startled to discover that the tall Black youth at the wheel could read. He went on to a dazzlingly successful career as a civil rights leader and then as a high-powered Washington lawyer in the mold of past capital insiders like Clark M. Clifford, Robert S. Strauss and Lloyd M. Cutler. Along the way he cultivated a who’s who of younger Black leaders, inviting them to monthly oneon-one lunches, dispensing advice on everything from what to read
Texas said Tuesday that it was lifting its mask requirement and would allow businesses to fully reopen, the most expansive step by any state to remove coronavirus restrictions as Americans across the country are eager to emerge after a year of isolation in the pandemic. The move by Texas, with its 29 million residents, goes further than similar actions in other states and cities that are rushing to ease as many limits as they can. “It is now time to open Texas 100 percent,” Gov. Greg Abbott said, adding that “Covid has not suddenly disappeared,” but state mandates are no longer needed. All around the country, governors and mayors are calibrating what is feasible, what is safe and what is politically practical. In Chicago, tens of thousands of children returned to public school this week, while snow-covered parks and playgrounds around the city that had been shuttered since last March were opened. Mississippi ended its mask mandate, too. Restaurants in Massachusetts were allowed to operate without capacity limits, and South Carolina erased its limits on large
TRAVIS DOVE FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
A bar in Columbia, S.C., a state that won’t restrict large groups. gatherings. San Francisco announced that indoor dining, museums, movie theaters and gyms could reopen on a limited basis. But federal health officials have worried that state and local leaders may be moving too fast. “I know people are tired; they want to get back to life, to normal,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday. “But we’re not there yet.” The divergent guidance has left many Americans in a quandary: wondering whether to follow the Continued on Page A6
This article is by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Sharon LaFraniere, Katie Thomas and Michael D. Shear.
WASHINGTON — President Biden said on Tuesday that the United States was “on track” to have enough supply of coronavirus vaccines “for every adult in America by the end of May,” accelerating his effort to deliver the nation from the worst public health crisis in a century. In a brief speech at the White House, Mr. Biden said his administration had provided support to Johnson & Johnson that would enable the company and its partners to make vaccines around the clock. The administration had also brokered a deal in which the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. would help manufacture the new Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine. Merck is the world’s secondlargest vaccine manufacturer, though its own attempt at a coronavirus vaccine was unsuccessful. Officials described the partnership between the two competitors as historic and said it harks back to Mr. Biden’s vision of a wartime effort to fight the coronavirus, similar to the manufacturing campaigns when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president. “As a consequence of the stepped-up process that I’ve ordered and just outlined, this country will have enough vaccine supply — I’ll say it again — for every adult in America by the end of May,” Mr. Biden said. “By the end of May. That’s progress — important progress.” He also said he wanted all teachers vaccinated by the end of this month. The president’s time table, if it comes to pass, provides a bright light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, though he acknowledged that the nation remained in a tenuous situation. The announcement on Tuesday came days after the Food and Drug Administration gave Johnson & Johnson emergency authorization for its vaccine, which unlike the two others that are available requires just one dose. Public health officials fear a fourth surge of the coronavirus pandemic, fueled by worrisome new variants, as states like Texas and Mississippi rush to fully reopen. While daily caseloads have undergone a steep drop since January, the decline appears to be leveling off, and top federal health officials warned governors last week against relaxing coronaviContinued on Page A5
Rape Allegations Create Rift For Governing Party in Mexico By MARIA ABI-HABIB and NATALIE KITROEFF
WARREN K LEFFLER/PHOTOQUEST, VIA GETTY IMAGES
Vernon Jordan working on voter registration in 1967. He became a powerful Washington lawyer. to what to wear, and using his unmatched influence to promote their careers in business, politics and the nonprofit world. “When Vernon Jordan came into your life, he fully embraced
INTERNATIONAL A7-11
On the Pill, but Then Pregnant The pregnancies of at least 140 women in Chile are linked to their use of flawed packets of birth control pills. PAGE A7
U.S. Puts Sanctions on Russia The Biden administration acted in response to the poisoning and imprisonment of Aleksei A. Navalny. PAGE A9
you,” said Darren Walker, a close friend and the president of the Ford Foundation. “This was a man who saw it as his job to advance the next generation of African-Americans in this country.”
Mr. Jordan began his civil rights career after graduating from Howard University School of Law in 1960. He was in his 30s when he was selected to head the National Continued on Page A20
MEXICO CITY — Basilia Castañeda said she was such a fervent believer in Mexico’s president that she founded the first chapter of his political party in her small town and stumped with the president’s son on the campaign trail. Then, in December, the man she has accused of raping her when she was just 17 was nominated by the president’s party to run for governor of her state, Guerrero. In statements to prosecutors, Ms. Castañeda and at least one other woman have accused the candidate, Félix Salgado Macedonio, a former senator who is favored to win the election in June, of rape. Local news media have re-
NATIONAL A12-17
SPORTSWEDNESDAY B8-10
Nominee Bows Out
New Team for Female Athletes
Neera Tanden, who was nominated to lead the Office of Management and Budget, withdrew after pushback in the Senate over stinging tweets. PAGE A16
The Olympians Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Simone Manuel and Chloe Kim joined forces to create a media company that elevates women’s voices. PAGE B8
Cuomo Under Pressure The governor faced more calls to step down, and a Republican congressman said he was exploring a challenge to him next year. PAGE A17
Domestic Terrorism Warning The F.B.I. director warned senators that domestic terrorism was “metastasizing” and largely escaped tough questions about the Capitol riot. PAGE A16
ported that another woman made sexual assault allegations against him in 2007. One of the criminal investigations is still open, yet Mr. Salgado has enjoyed weeks of public support from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has defended the candidate by calling the accusations politically motivated. The president’s backing of Mr. Salgado is creating significant cracks inside the governing party, presenting a potential challenge to Mr. López Obrador’s popularity and promised transformation of Mexican society. Continued on Page A8
FOOD D1-8
ARTS C1-6
A Tech-Military Reunion
The Cookbooks of 2020
Grocery Store Nostalgia
Entrepreneurs far from Silicon Valley, like Brian Schimpf, look to develop projects for the Pentagon. PAGE B1
The stir-crazy year upended the way people cook and think about food in fundamental ways. That’s reflected in the best sellers. PAGE D1
Vicarious food shopping, from the collectible Mini Brands toys to the game show “Supermarket Sweep,” simulates the lost pleasure of browsing. PAGE C1
BUSINESS B1-6
How Green Are Electric Cars? Plug-in vehicles are good for the planet but can have negative effects. A how-to guide on solving those issues. PAGE B5
EDITORIAL, OP-ED A18-19
Thomas L. Friedman
PAGE A18
U(D54G1D)y+=!"!%!$!=
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021 ~ VOL. CCLXXVII NO. 50
* * * *
DJIA 31391.52 g 143.99 0.5%
NASDAQ 13358.79 g 1.7%
STOXX 600 413.23 À 0.2%
10-YR. TREAS. À 9/32 , yield 1.413%
OIL $59.75 g $0.89
WSJ.com GOLD $1,733.10 À $10.60
Hundreds of Schoolgirls Kidnapped in Nigeria Are Released
What’s News Business & Finance arget said holiday sales rose solidly, capping a year when the retailer increased revenue by more than it had in the previous 11 years combined. A1
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China’s chief banking regulator warned about rising risks from the country’s property sector and from global financial markets. B12 A group of private-equity firms led by BayPine is nearing a deal to buy Mavis Express Tire Services. B1 Japanese prosecutors said they would keep pursuing Ghosn after arresting and jailing two Americans accused of helping him escape Japan. B3 Hertz proposed exiting bankruptcy protection by midyear under the control of new investors. B3
World-Wide Biden said the U.S. would have enough Covid-19 vaccines for all adults in the country by the end of May, after regulators authorized the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine and Merck agreed to help produce it. A1 Texas businesses will be able to operate at full capacity and state residents will no longer be required to wear masks to visit them beginning March 10, Gov. Abbott said. A6 Senate Democrats sought to bridge differences over provisions of a coronavirus relief package. A4 The White House is withdrawing Tanden’s nomination to lead the OMB amid opposition from Senate Republicans and a key Democrat. A1 The U.S. imposed sanctions on Russia, accusing the Kremlin of trying to assassinate opposition leader Navalny, then detaining him for political purposes. A9 Wray defended the FBI’s handling of information warning of the prospect of violence on Jan. 6 by Trump supporters and described an increasingly complex U.S. extremist threat landscape. A4 Democrats in the New York state Legislature moved to strip Gov. Cuomo of powers granted to him during the pandemic, as more lawmakers called for his resignation after a third woman accused him of inappropriate behavior. A3 Gunmen released hundreds of girls who were kidnapped from a boarding school in Nigeria. A18 CONTENTS Arts in Review... A13 Business News.. B3,5 Crossword.............. A14 Heard on Street. B14 Markets.................... B13 Opinion.............. A15-17
Personal Journal A11-12 Property Report... B6 Sports....................... A14 Technology............... B4 U.S. News............. A2-7 Weather................... A14 World News. A8-9,18
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ORDEAL’S END: Girls kidnapped from a boarding school in Jangebe, Nigeria, last week wait for a medical checkup Tuesday after their release. Some of the girls said they believed a ransom was paid, though authorities denied it. A18
President’s Budget Nominee Withdraws Amid Opposition BY ANDREW RESTUCCIA AND ALEX LEARY
acknowledged she had little chance of being confirmed. “I appreciate how hard you and your team at the White House has worked to win my confirmation,” she wrote. “Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities.” Mr. Biden said in a statement, “I have the utmost respect for her record of accom-
WASHINGTON—The White House is withdrawing Neera Tanden’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget amid opposition from Senate Republicans and a key Democrat, marking the first failed confirmation push for one of President Biden’s cabinet picks. Ms. Tanden asked that her nomination be withdrawn in a letter to Mr. Biden in which she
plishment, her experience and her counsel, and I look forward to having her serve in a role in my administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work.” White House chief of staff Ron Klain said last month that the administration hoped to find a position for Ms. Tanden that didn’t require Senate confirmation if she were unable to win enough support. The defeat came in what has been an otherwise relatively
Vaccines Promised For U.S. Adults by May 31
smooth confirmation process for Mr. Biden’s cabinet, despite a delayed transition and the Senate spending a week on the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. This week, Mr. Biden’s picks to run the Education Department and Commerce Department were confirmed, and most of his nominees have gotten significant bipartisan support. Ms. Tanden, the leader of the center-left think tank the Please turn to page A4
President Biden said the U.S. would have enough Covid-19 vaccines for all adults in the country by the end of May, two months earlier than he had previously said, after regulators authorized the oneshot Johnson & Johnson vaccine and Merck & Co. agreed to help produce it. Mr. Biden also called on states to give priority to teachers, school staff and child-care workers for vaccinations, as virtual learning continues for many students across the country. Several teachers unions have made vaccinations part of their negotiations for returning to in-person teaching. Mr. Biden said 30 states are giving priority to such workers for the shot. Mr. Biden said the federal pharmacy program would give priority to teachers, and he set a goal for those workers to get at least one dose of the vaccine by the end of March. “Today’s announcements are a huge step in our effort to beat this pandemic,” Mr. Biden, a Democrat, said Tuesday. The president said the partnership to make the new J&J Please turn to page A6 Democrats iron out details in Covid-19 aid package............ A4 Texas lifts mask mandate, business restrictions ............ A6 Vaccines provide retailers with data trove......................... B1
Slow Pace of Shots Biden Limited by Judges Leery of Rule by Regulation Risks Slowing Asia’s Economic Recovery
Executive orders can skirt D.C.’s gridlock, but courts look askance BY JACOB M. SCHLESINGER President Biden is moving swiftly on his agenda to remake large parts of the economy by wielding the powers of the executive branch. He signed more than 30 executive orders in his first month, nearly as many as the past four presidents combined at this point in their terms. He is about to run into a formidable obstacle: a judiciary turned increasingly skeptical of regulatory authority, and conservatives determined to tap into that skepticism. Last week, two Donald Trump-appointed judges in Texas moved to block two different early Biden actions. On Feb. 23, one imposed a nationwide injunction against the new president’s 100-day pause on deporting mi-
grants, writing that the Department of Homeland Security had overstepped its authority and given insufficient justification for swiftly reversing a Trump-era policy. Two days later, another judge declared unconstitutional a pandemic eviction moratorium started by Mr. Trump and extended by Mr. Biden. Meantime, the Western Energy Alliance, an organization representing 200 companies, is suing to stop a Biden executive order suspending oil and gas leasing on federal lands. “We like our chances in court,” said alliance president Kathleen Sgamma. “The 230-plus judges that Trump has put in place are very significant.” It’s too soon to know how any suits will Please turn to page A10
Sick of Chores? Don’t Throw In The Towel—Toss It to Your Family i
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Nozzle that shoots dish soap, Swiffer mops entice novice cleaners to pitch in BY ELLEN BYRON
most of the chores, just 2% of women agreed that their More time at home means spouse took on most of the more cooking, mopping, dish- work, the company says. washing, laundry and dusting. Some companies are pitchIt also brings more attention to ing in with products to get famwho’s doing it all. ily members involved. P&G’s “Moms are so exhausted and Dawn dish soap and Swiffer running on fumes,” says Kath- dusters started a campaign last erine Wintsch, chief executive month urging consumers to of the Mom Complex, a “come clean to close the strategy consulting firm chore gap.” based in Richmond, Va., Dawn Powerwash, that works on innovawhich shoots sudsy dish tions for mothers. soap from a spray nozzle, Some 63% of women was initially developed to say they are mainly reaccommodate consumsponsible for chores, ers’ increasing prefercompared with 31% of ence to wash each dish men, according to a as it gets dirty with a Procter & Gamble survey squirt of soap and a of 1,578 adults in Decemrinse. Since launching it ber. P&G also found a per- Mystery about a year ago, P&G ception gap: Despite 31% says it learned that the object of men saying they did Please turn to page A11
OBITUARY Vernon Jordan, a D.C. power broker forged in the civil-rights movement, 85. A2
SPORTS The Utah Jazz are beating everybody— including the Las Vegas betting line. A14
BY PHRED DVORAK Asian nations led the world in crushing Covid-19 in 2020. Now some are being hamstrung by border closures and other rules they imposed to stay safe, potentially putting them behind the U.S. and other countries in leading the global economic recovery. Countries such as China, Thailand and Australia virtually halted the coronavirus within their borders by shutting off entry to most outsiders and aggressively quashing infections that slipped in. Their citizens live near-normal
lives and their economies, with some exceptions, haven’t crashed as hard as those in the West. China managed to grow its gross domestic product by 2.3% last year. But that success made it less urgent for many Asian countries to move quickly in vaccinating their citizens, since few are falling sick. Most countries in Asia have only vaccinated a small percentage of their populations, and most Asian economies won’t reach herd immunity until 2022, Goldman Sachs estimates. The U.S. and U.K. will likely have vaccinated half Please turn to page A8
Target Sales Rise 20% At Its Rivals’ Expense
INSIDE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alibaba founder Jack Ma has lost his title as China’s richest person, according to a closely watched annual list of the nation’s wealthy. B1
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U.S. stocks fell, with the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq retreating 0.8%, 0.5% and 1.7%, respectively. B13
YEN 106.69
BY TARINI PARTI AND SABRINA SIDDIQUI
SUNDAY ALAMBA/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kohl’s CEO defended the retailer against activist investors pushing to take over its board, saying the firm’s existing strategy is paying off. B1
EURO $1.2091
Biden calls on states to prioritize teachers; Merck to help produce J&J’s approved shot
Gensler told senators he would look into issues ranging from climate change to the GameStop trading frenzy if he is confirmed as SEC chief. A2 Pressure mounted on SoftBank-backed Greensill as it scrambled to sell core parts of its business and regulators intensified supervision of its banking unit. B1
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BY SARAH NASSAUER Covid-19 helped Target Corp. get much bigger. Target said Tuesday that holiday sales rose solidly, capping off a year when the Minneapolis-based retailer increased revenue by more than it had in the previous 11 years combined. Comparable sales, those from stores and digital channels operating for at least 12 months, rose nearly 21% in the fiscal quarter ended Jan. 30, boosted by strong demand for online services, including sameday order pickup and delivery. For the full fiscal year, revenue hit $93.6 billion, a 20% increase. “Following years of investment to build a durable, scalable and sustainable business model, we saw record growth in 2020,” said Chief Executive Brian Cornell. In recent years Target has ramped up investments in on-
line services. Instead of spending heavily to establish a massive network of online fulfillment warehouses, Target has used stores as hubs to ship online orders or allow shoppers to pick up their orders from store parking lots. Over the past fiscal year, about 95% of sales came from store fulfillment, which includes products bought in stores as well as online orders fulfilled from stores, the company said. Digital comparable sales—orders placed online or through the Target app—more than doubled in the most recent quarter. That model, as well as selling products in high demand during the pandemic such as home décor, food and toilet paper, helped Target grab market share over the past year. TarPlease turn to page A10 Kohl’s defends its existing strategy.......................................... B1