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 
Haiti Transitional Council Pushes to Remove Prime Minister Despite U.S. Warnings 
U.S. Lawmakers Demand Scrutiny of TikTok-ByteDance Deal Amid National Security Concerns 
Trump Administration Weighs Tougher Sanctions on Cuba Including Possible Oil Blockade 
Russian Drone Attack Hits Kyiv and Kharkiv Amid Ongoing Peace Talks 
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok Meets U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Advance Trade and Security Talks 
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 
Trump Calls for Prosecution of Jack Smith After Congressional Testimony 
U.N. Human Rights Council Condemns Iran Over Deadly Crackdown on Protests 
Russia, U.S., and Ukraine Plan Abu Dhabi Security Talks as Moscow Stresses Territorial Demands 
NATO, Trump, and Arctic Security: Greenland Talks Highlight Rising Russia-China Concerns 
Colombia Suspends Electricity Exports to Ecuador as Trade and Security Dispute Escalates 
Taiwan President Offers Cooperation With Ukraine to Combat Sanctions Evasion 
Trump Reverses Course on Greenland After Diplomatic Backlash 
U.S. Backs Iraq’s Move to Detain ISIS Fighters, Urges Global Repatriation 
This week marks a big achievement by the Biden administration halfway through Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office as the new president. Biden officially signed into law his sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package.
Biden signed the bill into law at the White House Oval Office Thursday, a day earlier than expected, following the House’s swift passage of the final version of the bill. The House’s second approval of the bill also comes several days after the Senate passed the bill. The passage was done on party lines as both House and Senate Democrats moved the sweeping relief package forward without a single vote of support from their Republican counterparts. This would mark the first significant legislative achievement by Biden and his administration.
Biden did not take questions from the media that were present during the signing. However, he made a primetime address to the public hours later, marking the first anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdowns in the country. Vice President Kamala Harris was also present at the signing of the bill.
“In the weeks that this bill has been discussed and debated, it is clear that an overwhelming percentage of the American people -- have made it clear they strongly support the American Rescue Plan,” said Biden in his remarks prior to the signing. “Their voices were heard.”
The $1.9 trillion package includes $1400 stimulus checks to American households, increased funding for vaccine distribution efforts, funding to help schools reopen safely, as well as extended unemployment benefits until September, among many other aspects. Despite the signing taking place a day earlier than expected, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain tweeted that the administration would still hold a celebration of the bill’s passage with congressional leaders on Friday.
During his primetime address, Biden discussed the administration’s response to the pandemic so far. Biden expressed optimism that the country can somewhat go back to normal by July in time for Independence Day. In order to be able to reach the goal of going back to some kind of normal by that time, Biden recently directed all the states to make all American adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations by May 1.
