France Nears 2026 Budget Deal as Government Offers Concessions to Avoid No-Confidence Vote 
EU Prepares Retaliation as Trump Tariff Threats Over Greenland Escalate Transatlantic Tensions 
U.S. Military Kills Al Qaeda-Linked Leader Connected to Deadly ISIS Attack in Syria 
Russian Drone and Missile Attack Disrupts Power and Water in Kyiv 
EU Ambassadors Hold Emergency Talks as Trump Threatens Tariffs Over Greenland Dispute 
Guatemala Declares State of Siege After Deadly Gang Violence and Prison Hostage Crisis 
Starmer Criticizes Tariffs on NATO Allies in Call With Trump 
Trump Criticizes NYSE Texas Expansion, Calls Dallas Exchange a Blow to New York 
JD Vance to Lead U.S. Presidential Delegation at Milano Cortina Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony 
Ukraine Unveils New Drone-Based Air Defence Strategy Amid Rising Russian Threats 
Pentagon Prepares Troops for Possible Minnesota Deployment Amid Deportation Protests 
Kazakh President Tokayev Accepts Invitation to Join Trump-Proposed “Board of Peace” 
Trump Administration Held Secret Talks With Venezuela’s Diosdado Cabello Ahead of Maduro Ouster 
U.S. Officials Clash Over Greenland Proposal as Tensions With Europe Rise 
Pedro Sánchez Warns U.S. Greenland Move Could Undermine NATO and Benefit Russia 
Japan Snap Election Fuels Debate Over Consumption Tax Cut Amid Rising Living Costs 
South Korea Seeks Favorable U.S. Tariff Terms on Memory Chip Imports 
Congress put in place proxy voting as a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi placed an extension of proxy voting that will last until the end of March.
Pelosi told colleagues Thursday last week that voting by proxy in the House would be extended until March 30. The measure was set to expire over the weekend under a previous extension that Pelosi placed. The House Speaker cited a letter by the House Sergeant-at-Arms saying that in consultation with the Office of the Attending Physician that the public health emergency because of COVID-19 “remains in effect.”
Under the rules that were adopted by Democrats in 2020, proxy voting is only allowed for 45 days at a time unless the House Speaker announces an extension. The extension would require a confirmation from the House Sergeant-at-Arms and the Capitol physician that there is still a public health emergency due to the coronavirus.
The measure was challenged by House Republicans, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy claiming in his lawsuit against Pelosi that proxy voting is unconstitutional. The lower courts rejected the suit, and the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from McCarthy.
Following the dismissal by the Supreme Court, a spokesman for McCarthy said that should the Republicans regain the House majority in the upcoming midterm elections, they will eliminate proxy voting.
In other related news, Pelosi responded to the comments of Progressive Rep. Cori Bush, who said she will continue using the “Defund the Police” slogan that was popularized during the widespread Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. The slogan drew a rift amongst Democrats, with those who have opposed the notion citing it as a reason for the party’s losses in the 2020 elections.
Pelosi said that “defund the police” is not the official policy of the Democratic Party. However, Pelosi pointed out that public safety is a priority in the party, even citing the Democrat-led Justice in Policing Act bill. The legislation would overhaul qualified immunity for police officers, bar chokeholds federally, prohibit no-knock warrants in federal drug cases, and outlaw racial profiling.
The bill would also put up a national registry of police misconduct that would be managed by the DOJ.
