Covid
- SCOTUS rejects an emergency appeal challenging the mask mandate on airplanes. [Link]
- Wisconsin will deploy over 200 National Guard soldiers to nursing homes over the next two months. [Link]
- The US gives seven million Pfizer covid vaccine doses to Bangladesh through Covax. [Link]
US News
- A grand jury recommended charges against three police officers that opened fire on two teens and killed an 8-year-old girl. Initially, the state charged the two teens with Fanta Bility’s murder, even though prosecutors knew it was one of the cops that fired the shot that killed her. [Link]
- Police in California and Kansas have seized over $1 million from three armored trucks that service the legal marijuana industry. [Link]
- The Washington National Guard will deploy 100 troops to Poland. First, the soldiers will train at Fort Bliss. [Link]
- Tennessee will deploy 25 members of its National Guard to Kuwait. [Link]
Russia
- NATO says it will treat an attack on any of its members’ space assets as an attack on the alliance. [Link]
- NATO signs an agreement with Ukraine to boost cyber cooperation. [Link]
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Ukraine to meet with President Zelenskyy. [Link]
- The US is concerned about Russia moving troops to Belarus for war games. [Link]
- The US says Russia could invade Ukraine at any time. [Link]
China
- Taiwan will pay Ballard Partners $900,000 to lobby on behalf of Guatemala to US officials. [Link]
- The US increased its number of aircraft carrier deployments to the South China Sea to ten in 2021, up from six in 2020. The warships engaged in more unpredictable routes and maneuvers. [Link]
Afghanistan
- The Taliban are attempting to place their officials in Afghan embassies. [Link]
Israel
- The US and Israel claim to have successfully tested the Arrow-3 missile interceptor system. The Arrow-3 is designed to intercept missiles outside the atmosphere. The system could be used to hit satellites. [Link]
- A report says Israel targeted its citizens with Pegasus spyware. [Link]
- Women rights activists in Jordan and Bahrain had their phones targeted with the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. [Link]
- Israel offers security and intelligence support to the UAE in response to the Houthi drone attack. [Link]
Middle East
- South Korea will sell the UAE $3.4 billion in anti-aircraft missile systems. [Link]
- The US sanctioned three Lebanese men over alleged ties to Hezbollah. [Link]
