Taiwan President Offers Cooperation With Ukraine to Combat Sanctions Evasion 
Somaliland President Meets Eric Trump and Israeli President at Davos to Seek Recognition and Investment 
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Stall as Energy Crisis Deepens 
U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Visit Azerbaijan and Armenia Following Historic Peace Deal 
New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District 
Russia, U.S., and Ukraine Plan Abu Dhabi Security Talks as Moscow Stresses Territorial Demands 
U.S. Backs Iraq’s Move to Detain ISIS Fighters, Urges Global Repatriation 
Trump Reverses Course on Greenland After Diplomatic Backlash 
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok Meets U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Advance Trade and Security Talks 
Iran Warns of All-Out War Response as U.S. Sends Aircraft Carrier to Middle East 
Keir Starmer Condemns Trump’s Afghanistan Remarks as European Allies Push Back 
Japan Snap Election Sparks Bond Yield Surge as Parties Clash Over Fiscal and Monetary Policy 
NATO, Trump, and Arctic Security: Greenland Talks Highlight Rising Russia-China Concerns 
United States Officially Exits World Health Organization, Raising Global Public Health Concerns 
NATO Chief Says Greenland Sovereignty Not Discussed as Trump Backs Off Tariff and Force Threats 
Pentagon Signals Reduced U.S. Role in Deterring North Korea as South Korea Takes Lead 
Federal Judge Rules Trump Administration Unlawfully Halted EV Charger Funding 
With the House successfully passing President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, it is now in the hands of the Senate. Biden makes another strong push for the passage of the bill in his latest meeting with Senate Democrats.
Biden sat down with Senate Democrats in a virtual meeting Tuesday to talk about the sweeping COVID-19 relief package he has proposed. People knowledgeable of the meeting revealed to CNN that Biden told the Democratic lawmakers that in order to successfully pass the relief plan, they would need to accept some provisions that may not necessarily be favorable to them. Biden reportedly noted that they must show the American public that they are determined to respond to the ongoing pandemic and the economic collapse it has caused.
The President met with Senate Democrats for lunch for 15 minutes and did not take questions. Biden did not get into specifics with regards to the ongoing debates that are occurring within the Democrats in the upper chamber. The ongoing debates among Democrats have involved whether or not to reduce unemployment benefits to $300 a week from $400 a week as passed by the House. West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin has said he supports the $300 a week level, but it has put him at odds with Delaware Senator Chris Coons, who opposed reducing the benefit.
Montana Democrat Jon Tester said that modest changes may ultimately be made to the COVID-19 relief plan in order for it to pass. Nevertheless, they all appear to agree not to reduce the overall cost of $1.9 trillion.
Meanwhile, Biden made an announcement regarding the COVID-19 vaccines. Biden announced that the US expects to be able to ship out enough COVID-19 vaccines for all adults until the end of May which is two months earlier than he had previously estimated. Biden also pushed for states to vaccinate teachers at least once by the end of March in order to speed up the reopenings of schools.
Pharmaceutical company Merck has also been announced to produce its rival Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine that has been recently approved by the FDA.
