US News

• Biden will nominate Anthony Blinken to be Secretary of State. [Link]
• Mexico agreed to arrest a high-level cartel leader in exchange for the US dropping drug trafficking charges against the former Mexican Defense Minister. [Link]
• Trump officially exits the Open Skies Treaty. [Link]
• A bipartisan group of Representatives introduced a new House bill to end the US war in Yemen. [Link]

China

• The head of Tibet’s government in exile will visit the US for the first time in decades. [Link]
• A US Two-Star Admiral visited Taiwan. The US has not confirmed the visit, but China says it will respond to the visit. [Link]
• National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien tells the Philippines and Vietnam that the US will fight to keep the Indo-Pacific open. [Link]

Nagorno-Karabakh

• Following the new ceasefire agreement, Armenia ceded a village to Azeri control. [Link]

Afghanistan

• The Islamic State claimed to be behind a rocket attack on Kabul that killed eight civilians. [Link]
• Reports claim the Taliban and Afghan government are close to making a breakthrough at talks in Qatar. [Link]

Middle East

• The US deployed B-52 bombers to the Middle East. [Link]
• Senator Chris Coons says the US needs a stricter deal with Iran. [Link]
• A militia leader in Iraq says the ceasefire between the US and Shia militias is over. The Shia militias said they would stop attacking the US if the US withdrew its troops from Iraq. The US is only expected to withdraw 500 troops before Trump leaves office. [Link]
• The Saudi backed government in Yemen claims the UAE is giving drones to its proxy, the Southern Transitional Council. [Link]