Trump Sends 5,000 Additional U.S. Troops to Poland Ahead of NATO Talks on Iran War 
US Approves $108 Million Hawk Missile System Support Package for Ukraine 
Trump-Lai Call Remains Uncertain as U.S.-China Tensions Over Taiwan Intensify 
Trump Says Iran Peace Deal Could Reopen Strait of Hormuz as Nuclear Talks Advance 
U.S. Military Drill Over Caracas Raises Tensions in Venezuela 
Russia Launches Massive Missile and Drone Strike on Kyiv Amid Oreshnik Threat 
World Bank Emergency Funding Demand Surges as 27 Countries Seek Crisis Support Amid Iran Conflict 
China Coal Mine Explosion Death Toll Revised to 82 in Shanxi 
Iran-U.S. Talks Continue as Strait of Hormuz and Uranium Dispute Stall Peace Efforts 
Israel Faces Global Backlash Over Gaza Flotilla Activists’ Treatment 
First Trump, now Putin – all roads lead to Xi Jinping 
NIH Infectious Disease Leadership Shake-Up Raises Concerns Amid Ebola, Hantavirus Outbreaks 
Mexico-EU Free Trade Deal Signals Strategic Shift Away From U.S. Dependence 
Rubio Says NATO Must Benefit All Members Ahead of Sweden Meeting 
Xi Jinping Orders Full Rescue After Shanxi Coal Mine Gas Explosion Kills Eight 
Greenland Protesters Rally Against Expanded U.S. Consulate Amid Trump Arctic Ambitions 
Rubio Pressures NATO Allies as Trump Questions Alliance Commitment 
The US is bracing for a rising number of cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. During a meeting with the state governors, US President Joe Biden said that the response to the surge could only be done at a state level but has pledged federal support.
This week, Biden pledged federal support to the state governors who are struggling with the rising Omicron variant cases in their respective states. However, the US leader said that keeping the pandemic would be under the control of the states. Biden said that there is no “federal solution” to curb the pandemic and that the surge is solved at a state level.
When pressed on whether he agrees with the advised recommendations for shortened quarantine periods, Biden said that he relies on his medical team. “I get a recommendation, I follow it.”
“My message to the governors is simple: If you need something, say something,” said Biden during his remarks at the meeting. “We’re going to have your back any way we can.”
Biden also reiterated the promise he made last week of distributing 500 million COVID-19 home test kits. The US leader also reiterated his promises of supporting more vaccination and testing sites as well as deploying 1,000 military medical professionals to assist hospital staff all over the country.
The Biden administration has repeatedly stressed that Americans should be extra careful, especially during the 2021 holiday season, in order to protect their families from getting infected.
In other related news, Biden has signed a $770 billion defense bill into law that overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate for the fiscal year 2022. The latest NDAA bill is five percent more military spending compared to 2020, following a compromise met by Congressional Democrats and Republicans after getting stalled by disputes over policies related to China and Russia.
The latest NDAA includes a 2.7 percent increase in pay for troops, added aircraft, and Navy ship purchases, as well as strategies to deal with geopolitical threats such as China and Russia. $300 million would be allocated to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative that will support Ukraine’s armed forces. $4 billion would be invested into the European Defense Initiative and $150 million for Baltic Security Cooperation.
