PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2021 meeting (White House photo).

U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin each spent time on Wednesday seeking to rally support for their widely divergent roles in the Ukraine War.

Biden, fresh from an unannounced visit to Kyiv, met with leaders from eastern members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Warsaw Poland, to discuss the threat to them from Russian territorial ambitions.

According to The New York Times, Biden said, “You know better than anyone else what’s at stake in this conflict, not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and the world.”

In Moscow, Putin met with Wang Yi, the diplomatic leader from China, The two nations have been moving closer and now conduct military exercises together.

Winter weather grounds flights

A MAJOR WINTER storm extends from the upper Midwest to the Pacific (NOAA)

Stormy snowy and windy weather has delayed or cancelled over 3,000 flights Wednesday afternoon across the United States. According to United Press International, snowfall and freezing temperatures are snarling air and ground traffic and will extend into Thursday.

Most affected are the West, upper Midwest and northern Plains states. Locally, light snow has been reported in some areas of the High Desert and mountains in Los Angeles County.

Also in the news … The winner of the $1.35 billion Mega Millions bought his ticket last month in Maine on Friday, Jan. 13. The winner’s name will not be made public,

Weather:  Storm Jr. is on its way

While the rest of the United States struggles under a monster winter storm, the West Orange County area will get a modest, but wet version of that. The forecast for Thursday is for showers with a daytime high of 55 and a nighttime low of 47. Friday will be similar with rain and wind – speeds up to 21 miles an hour – and a high of 57 and a low of 47. Rain will continue Saturday with a high of 52 and a low of 41. The wet stuff will finally give way to partly cloudy conditions on Sunday.

Most affected are the West, upper Midwest and northern Plains states. More locally, light snow has been reported in some areas of the High Desert and mountains in Los Angeles County.

Weather:  Storm Jr. is on its way

While the rest of the United States struggles under a monster winter storm, the West Orange County area will get a modest, but wet version of that. The forecast for Thursday is for showers with a daytime high of 55 and a nighttime low of 47.

Friday will be similar with rain and wind – speeds up to 21 miles an hour – and a high of 57 and a low of 47. Rain will continue Saturday with a high of 52 and a low of 41. The wet stuff will finally give way to partly cloudy conditions on Sunday.