Ukraine Sanctions Chief Heads to Washington to Push Russia Bill 
China Warns Over Taiwan’s Pacific Islands Forum Presence 
South Korea Unveils Record $597 Billion 2027 Budget to Boost AI and Chips 
Maduro Seeks Dismissal of US Drug Trafficking Charges 
Two Palestinian Teenagers Killed in West Bank Violence 
Ed Markey Wins Massachusetts Democratic Senate Primary 
Lula Runs Cautious Brazil Election Campaign as Bolsonaro Narrows Poll Gap 
US Strikes Iran as Tehran Retaliates, Oil Prices Surge 
U.S., New Zealand Fund $60M Cook Islands Port Upgrade 
US Approves $800 Million Helicopter Sale to Iraq 
Honduras Court Drops Charges Against Ex-President Juan Orlando Hernandez 
US-Iran Conflict Escalates With New Strikes Near Hormuz 
Putin Says Russia Is Winning Ukraine War 
Iran Strikes U.S. Bases in Kuwait as Hormuz Tensions Rise 
US-Iran Exchange Strikes as Hormuz Tensions Escalate 
Trump Administration Threatens Smithsonian Support Over Leadership Dispute 
Pacific Islands Forum Seeks Unified Condemnation of China Missile Test 
Add as a preferred source on Google
The COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 500,000 Americans even as vaccine rollouts are speeding up. This week, marking one year since the COVID-19 lockdowns, President Joe Biden will deliver a primetime address.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced that Biden will be making a primetime address on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdowns in the country. NBC News will be broadcasting Biden’s address, but other networks are likely going to broadcast the remarks as well.
“He will discuss the many sacrifices the American people have made over the past year, and the grave loss communities and families across the country have suffered. The president will look forward, highlighting the role that Americans will play in beating the virus and moving the country toward getting back to normal,” said Psaki regarding what Biden may talk about.
There have not been any plans for Biden to address a joint session of Congress, in keeping with the tradition for new presidents in lieu of a State of the Union speech. However, Psaki announced that Biden will be holding his first press conference by the end of the month. The President’s upcoming address also comes in the wake of the Senate passing his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal back to the House to turn out a final version of the relief package. The Senate passed the proposal by party lines on a vote of 50-49. Senate Republicans opposed the bill.
Despite the high rollout of vaccines with more and more people getting vaccinated for COVID-19 every day, Americans are still advised to socially distance, wear masks in public, and stay indoors as much as possible. However, states like Texas and Mississippi have already begun to reopen 100 percent, lifting the advised COVID-19 restrictions. Biden last week, criticized the states for lifting the restrictions against the advice of health experts. Biden accused Texas and Mississippi officials of “Neanderthal thinking,” saying that the move to reopen was a “big mistake” and stressing the importance of wearing face masks in places where social distancing cannot be done.
“The last thing -- the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters,” said Biden.
