U.S. Questions Russia’s Claim of Ukrainian Drone Attack on Putin Residence 
Peruvian Shamans’ New Year Ritual Predicts Illness for Trump, Fall of Maduro, and Global Political Shifts 
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Drone Plot Against Putin as Peace Talks Face New Strain 
Bukele Signals Willingness to Extend Power as El Salvador’s Term Limits Are Scrapped 
U.S. Government Agrees to Review Frozen NIH Diversity Research Grants After Legal Challenge 
Jazz Ensemble Cancels Kennedy Center New Year’s Eve Shows After Trump Renaming Sparks Backlash 
Trump and Netanyahu Diverge on West Bank Policy Amid Rising Tensions 
FBI Surges Resources to Minnesota Amid Fraud Investigations Linked to Somali Community 
Australia Orders Independent Review After Bondi Mass Shooting, Albanese Resists Royal Commission Calls 
Kremlin Says Ukrainian Drone Attack Hardens Russia’s Stance on Peace Talks 
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Discussing Possible U.S. Troop Presence as Security Guarantee 
Bolsonaro Undergoes Second Medical Procedure for Persistent Hiccups While Hospitalized in Brasilia 
Lavrov Says Russia Holds Strategic Initiative in Ukraine as Settlement Talks Continue 
Salvador Nasralla Challenges Honduras Election Results Amid Fraud Allegations 
U.S. Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Enforce Medicaid Funding Ban on Planned Parenthood 
South Korean President Apologizes to Families of Jeju Air Crash Victims, Pledges Full Investigation 
Trump–Netanyahu Talks Aim to Revive Gaza Ceasefire and Address Iran, Hezbollah Tensions 
This week, the husband of Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, Richard Blum, passed away after a long battle of cancer. Vice President Kamala Harris issued a statement, paying tribute to the late businessman.
Harris released a statement on the passing of Blum after a long battle with cancer over the weekend. Blum was 86 years old. The late financier was married to Feinstein since 1980, who confirmed his passing.
“Dick Blum believed we could build a world that respected the rights and essential dignity of all people. As a businessman, a Regent of the University of California, a philanthropist, and an advocate for human rights, Dick dedicated his life to furthering that vision. Our nation and world are better for his work,” said Harris in her statement.
Blum served as chairman of an equity investment management firm. Blum also founded the American Himalayan Foundation in 1981, and Feinstein called AHF one of his greatest achievements.
“AHF’s mission was to help the Sherpas and people across the Himalaya who had nowhere else to turn,” the organization said in a statement. “Through his committed leadership, 40 years later, AHF continues that work in health, education, and environment and cultural preservation.”
US President Joe Biden also issued a statement on Blum’s passing and referred to the late businessman as a “friend” and a “man of personal decency and generosity.”
In other related news, Harris hosted a Black History Month event at the White House, where she took a moment to celebrate the nomination of DC federal judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Harris made the remarks during her speech about voting rights, saying that she is full of pride and hope, pointing out that this nomination is another reason why elections are important.
Jackson would become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court and would be succeeding Justice Stephen Breyer, who announced his retirement this year. Jackson would require a simple majority of votes in the Senate to be confirmed, with Harris as the tie-breaking vote. Jackson is also expected to meet with senators in the coming weeks before she is grilled by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
