EFTA00148093 ## Texas Couple Sentenced For Faking Addition In Bid To Reduce Jail Time. WJHL-TV Johnson City, TN (1/26, 158K) reports that Stacey and Kurt Pomrenke were sentenced for Stacey Pomrenke pretending while in prison “to have an alcohol addiction and us[ing] the recovery program offered to reduce her sentence.” Stacey Pomrenke “was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000,” while Kurt Pomrenke “was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.” Acting US Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said, “Instead of simply accepting and serving her original prison sentence, Stacey Pomrenke, with the assistance of her husband, carried out an additional fraud scheme to exploit a drug treatment program to shorten her sentence. We hope today’s sentences will serve as a deterrence to others, and greatly appreciate the hard work of the FBI and IRS-CI to again bring the Pomrenkes to justice.” ## CYBER DIVISION ## How The SolarWinds Hack Happened. CNBC (1/26, 7.34M) reports in a video that, “in December, cybersecurity firm FireEye discovered that it had been compromised by a sophisticated hack.” SolarWinds, an IT firm that FireEye used, “was the victim of a supply-chain attack that gave hackers access to potentially thousands of targets, including FireEye.” A separate CNBC (1/26, Howard, 7.34M) report adds that Microsoft, Google and several US government agencies “were among those compromised by the intrusion.” Jacob Williams, founder of Rendition InfoSec, said, “What’s unique about this or special about this particular intrusion is that they use the access they got by compromising SolarWinds itself to insert malware into the build process. This then allowed them to target SolarWinds [and] customers that deployed this back door update.” The repercussions of the SolarWinds hack “are still being unraveled.” ## Vaccine Distribution Creates Cybersecurity Risks. The Washington Post (1/26, Riley, 10.52M) reports in its `Cybersecurity 202’ column that security experts and government officials are “bracing for a wave of cyberattacks targeting the coronavirus vaccine distribution process.” The complex supply chain “behind making and delivering vaccines is creating a plethora of opportunities for hackers.” The attacks could be “from criminal hackers motivated by financial incentives or nation-states looking to cause economic and civil disruption.” ## North Korea Using Hackers To Infiltrate Cybersecurity Researchers. Bloomberg (1/26, Mehrotra, 3.57M) reports hackers from North Korea have “embarked on a sweeping intelligence gathering campaign aimed at cybersecurity researchers who hunt for vulnerabilities in corporate networks.” According to Google, the North Korean government “mounted a social engineering operation for several months in hopes of engaging with the researchers.” According to a Monday blog post by Google’s Threat Analysis Group, essential to the attack were “several research blogs, YouTube videos, LinkedIn profiles and chat groups used by the hackers to build credibility in the hopes of duping the researchers.” CNBC (1/26, 7.34M) reports Google announced that its Threat Analysis Group “has ‘identified an ongoing campaign targeting security researchers working on vulnerability research and development at different companies and organizations.’” It attributed the campaign “to a government-backed entity based in North Korea.” Forbes (1/26, Brewster, 10.33M) reports Google “says North Korean hackers have been masquerading as cybersecurity bloggers in order to target researchers in the field.” They’re doing so by “exploiting mysterious weaknesses in computers running the most up-to-date versions of Microsoft Windows and Google Chrome.” Adam Weidemann, a researcher at Google’s Threat Analysis Group, “said the attacks have been EFTA00148094 ongoing over the last three months.” The hackers set up “fake Twitter accounts to show off security research and link to a blog.” North Korea Targets COVID-19 Vaccine Data Through Hacking. The New York Post (1/26, Brown, 7.45M) reports North Korea has “started human trials on a COVID-19 vaccine – using info stolen from Western drugmakers by a dedicated team of hackers.” An informant told Daily NK North Korea is “already at phrase 3 in trials for its shot, produced even as the secretive nation refuses to admit to any confirmed cases.” The insider “confirmed to the outlet that it was based on the work of a specialist ‘hacking organization’ devoted to stealing vaccine info, raising the alarm in the US, UK and South Korea starting last year.” The hacking unit – called Bureau 325 – “operates under the Reconnaissance General Bureau while receiving direct orders from the Central Committee.” ## Opinion: America Not Prepared For A Catastrophic Cyberattack. In a commentary in the Washington Times (1/26, 626K), Clifford D. May, founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, writes, “The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that became law on January 1 includes 25 legislative measures recommended to Congress by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), a bipartisan panel established two years ago to develop a ‘strategic approach to defending America in cyberspace against cyberattacks of significant consequences.’” He contends, “Nevertheless, effective deterrence is a process, not a posture. Those who see themselves as our enemies will respond, adapt, and innovate in pursuit of superior offensive cyber capabilities. They will probe for our weaknesses, for ways to damage and diminish us. Additional thinking and planning is essential. Prudently, the NDAA extends the CSC’s mandate for two more years.” He concludes, “What’s critical right now is for President Biden to prioritize this threat. In particular, he should quickly nominate someone highly skilled as national cyber director.” ## Commerce Secretary Nominee Won’t Promise To Maintain Huawei On US Blacklist. The Washington Examiner (1/26, Dunleavy, 888K) reports President Biden’s nominee to “lead the Commerce Department would not commit to keeping Huawei on the US entities blacklist after the Trump Administration deemed the Chinese telecom company a national security threat and sought to limit its sway worldwide and its access to US markets.” Gina Raimondo often took “a strong rhetorical stance on China throughout her Tuesday confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee, but she declined to promise that Huawei would remain on the Commerce Department’s ‘entities list’ for companies deemed to be national security threats.” When pressed about Huawei, she said, “I will review the policy, consult with you, consult with industry, consult with our allies, and make an assessment as to what’s best for American national and economic security.” ## INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ## Ghislaine Maxwell Seeks Dismissal Of Case. Reuters (1/26, Stempel) reports Ghislaine Maxwell requested the dismissal of the case accusing her of recruiting teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse. Her attorneys argued that Florida nonprosecution agreement with Epstien, “now widely viewed as a sweetheart arrangement,” shielded her. They also argued “that not enough Black and Hispanic grand jurors were used to indict her, and that parts of the indictment were too vague and should be thrown out.” Additional coverage includes the Daily Caller (1/26, Olohan, 375K). LAWFUL ACCESS ## Nonprofit Warns Against Demonizing Anti-Surveillance Tools. EFTA00148095 Human Rights Foundation Chief Strategy Officer Alex Gladstein, in an op-ed in TIME (1/26, 18.1M), warns of a narrative that “we should be wary of privacy-protecting platforms because they can help extremists and criminals,” including articles about how “mass surveillance-busting tools like Signal and Bitcoin are being used by domestic extremists.” Gladstein adds, “In an open society, the ability to buy political books, have discreet medical procedures, and build communities without government surveillance is essential.” He warns that attacking innovation and expanding the surveillance state “are the tactics of tyrants,” and argues that instead “we can fight domestic extremism through better national leadership, citizen journalism and police reform.” Gladstein warns of a police state if we “turn to mass surveillance to fight extremism. As anyone who lives in a dictatorship will say, that’s when you’ll need privacy the most.” ## OTHER FBI NEWS ## Senators Make US Attorney Recommendations For State Of Washington. The AP (1/26, Johnson) reports Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have recommended Nick Brown and Vanessa Waldref “for Washington state’s two US attorney posts.” During the time in which Brown served as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s general counsel, Brown helped Inslee “navigate a thicket of issues,” including ones related to “tension with the federal government after Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize the sale of marijuana for adults.” The Spokane (WA) Spokesman-Review (1/26, 187K) runs a similar story. ## Former FBI Agent Asks Court To Enforce Subpoena Against Trump Campaign. Law360 (1/26, Subscription Publication, 9K) reports that former FBI agent Peter Strzok, “who sued the FBI in August 2019 for allegedly punishing him for expressing his political opinions,” asked US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to compel former President Donald Trump’s "campaign to comply with a request for documents in an unfair termination suit against the agency, adding that the organization should also explain why it shouldn’t be held in contempt." ## Rep. Greene Called For Executing FBI Agents, Democratic Politicians. CNN (1/26, Steck, Kaczynski, 89.21M) reports on its website that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) “repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019 before being elected to Congress.” She also “liked comments about executing FBI agents” and “frequently posted far-right extremist and debunked conspiracy theories on her page.”
Forbes(1/26, Solender, 10.33M)cites CNNin reporting that，“Greene liked a Facebook comment from Jan. 2019 arguing‘a bullet to the head would be quicker’for removing[Pelosi]in addition to liking comments about executing FBI agents seen as working for the‘deep state.’”
The Hill(1/26,Gangitano,5.69M)adds that Everytown for Gun Safety is pushing Greene to resign“following reports that she expressed support for violence against Democrats before running for Congress.”
Additional coverage includes the Washington Post (1/26, Thebault, 10.52M). ## Call For Investigation Of FBI Racist Practices. The Revolution Podcast host Akin Olla, in an op-ed in The Guardian (UK) (1/26, 5.53M), writes, that in order to address “the threat of white supremacist infiltration of American institutions, the FBI needs to be held accountable for its past and present actions.” The agency “has a long history of fulfilling the function of white supremacy in the United States,” from J Edgar Hoover’s “war on the civil rights movement” – for which no member of the FBI has been held accountable – to in 2017 creating “a new counter-terrorism designation in response to the rise of Black Lives Matter and a new wave of the Black Liberation Movement.” Olla concludes, “The EFTA00148096 FBI, like our country's military and police departments, needs to be thoroughly investigated and its racist practices, past and present, brought to light." ## Biden Orders DOJ To End Reliance On Private Prisons. The AP (1/26, Madhani) reports President Biden on Tuesday “ordered the Department of Justice to end its reliance on private prisons.” Biden said, “This is a first step to stop corporations from profiting off of incarceration.” Biden said. The order to not renew contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities – “effectively revert[ing]” to Obama-Administration policy – move comes as Biden said the US government needs to change “its whole approach” on racial equity. However, private-prison operation company GEO Group called the Biden order “a solution in search of a problem. " ## OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS ## Biden Says US Ordering 200M More Vaccine Doses, Increasing Shipments To States. David Muir reported on ABC World News TonightVi (1/26, lead story, 4:55, 7.57M) that President Biden said Tuesday that “he hopes to have enough vaccine for 300 million Americans by the end of the summer, ordering another 100 million doses from Pfizer and 100 million doses additional from Moderna. It comes as the global pandemic now reaches a staggering new toll: more than 100 million cases worldwide and more than two million dead. Here at home, more than 25 million Americans have now tested positive.” The President “again [told] Americans this is ‘a wartime effort,’ requiring, quote, ‘aggressive steps,’ saying, ‘Keep the faith, we will get there,’ and that he will always level with you.” ABC’s Stephanie Ramos: “After weeks of frustration over a slow vaccine rollout and desperate calls for more supply, the President saying help is on the way.” Biden: “We will both increase the supply in the short term by more than 15%, and give our states and local partners more certainty about when the deliveries will arrive.” Ramos: “The Biden Administration now promising to buy an extra 100 million doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for a total of 600 million – enough to vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of this summer.” Norah O’Donnell said in opening the CBS Evening NewsVi (1/26, lead story, 3:00, 4.76M), “President Biden says the US is buying 200 million more doses of the two approved coronavirus vaccines, giving the government enough shots by the end of the summer for all Americans to get vaccinated.” Biden “also says he’s immediately increasing the number of vaccines the government is shipping to states and will give governors details and shipping schedules. … The CDC says 44 million of the shots have been already given to states, but fewer than 24 million of them have actually been put in people’s arms. That’s because some states and hospitals are holding doses back, trying to make sure that they have enough to give those second shots. Still, the President says it will take months before enough people are vaccinated to make a real dent in the pandemic, and that Americans must keep wearing masks and social distancing.” Tom Costello said on NBC Nightly NewsVi (1/26, lead story, 3:35, Holt, 6.26M) that there is “a major White House push to surge vaccine doses to every state and territory, increasing by 16% the weekly vaccine supply that’s sent to states, from 8.6 million doses to at least 10 million for the next three weeks, and giving states three weeks’ notice on how many doses they’ll receive so they can adjust their distribution plans.” Jim Sciutto reported on CNNVi (1/26, 1.07M), “President Biden is raising the bar for his goal of vaccinations in the US. The President says he hopes the country will soon be able to administer 1.5 million shots a day, up from a million shots a day, therefore, raising a goal of 150 million vaccinations in his first 100 days in office.” The AP (1/26, Drew, Miller) reports that Biden, “answering growing frustration over vaccine shortages,” said the US “is ramping up deliveries to hard-pressed states over the next three weeks and expects to provide enough doses to vaccinate 300 million Americans by the EFTA00148097 end of the summer or early fall. … Governors and top health officials have been increasingly raising the alarm about inadequate supplies and the need for earlier and more reliable estimates of how much vaccine is on the way so that they can plan.” The President’s team “held its first virus-related call with the nation’s governors on Tuesday and pledged to provide states with firm vaccine allocations three weeks ahead of delivery.” The New York Daily News (1/26, Sommerfeldt, Slattery, 2.51M) reports, “Many state leaders complained that the Trump administration had kept them in the dark about how many shots they could expect each week, hampering distribution efforts.” Reuters (1/26, Hunnicutt) reports the Administration “will purchase 100 million doses each of the vaccines made by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, and Moderna Inc, increasing the overall total doses to 600 million, with delivery expected by summer. The previous purchase target was 400 million doses.” The Washington Post (1/26, A1, Stanley-Becker, 10.52M) reports both companies were “cautious in public statements, though people knowledgeable about the negotiations said formal deals were imminent because the government was using options built into contracts negotiated by the Trump administration to receive the additional doses. Those people, like several others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal matters.” The New York Times (1/26, A1, Stolberg, Weiland, LaFraniere, 20.6M) says that while Biden “said the moves were ‘going to allow millions more Americans to get vaccinated sooner than previously anticipated,’ that was likely not the case. Next week’s increase to the states was expected as vaccine makers ramp up manufacturing. And the replenishing over the summer…was anticipated under contracts signed by the Trump administration, which gave the government options to continue increasing its commitments in increments of 100 million doses.” Still, experts said the Administration “was wise to lock down as many doses as it could as soon as possible, even if the vials would only be delivered later in the year.” The Los Angeles Times (1/26, Megerian, 3.37M) reports admitting that “even the increased number of doses is unlikely to meet the vast demand for the vaccine, Biden urged patience and encouraged people to continue to wear masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus.” He said, “The brutal truth is, it’s going to take months before we can get the majority of Americans vaccinated. … In the next few months, masks – not vaccines – are the best defense against COVID-19.” Bloomberg (1/26, Wingrove, Parker, 3.57M) reports Biden “cautioned that the vaccination effort is an overwhelmingly difficult logistical effort.” The President said, “A lot of things can go wrong along the way.” Chief of Staff Klain said on CNNVi (1/26, 2.74M), “We’ve been here seven days. We’ve ramped up capacity higher than it’s ever been. We’re moving it to the states faster, with more certainty and clarity, but there are just some limitations on this process.” Klain added, “We need more vaccine, we need more vaccinations, we need more places to give the vaccinations. We are working on all three of those things.” White House Senior COVID Response Adviser Andy Slavitt said on CNN’s Cuomo Prime TimeVi (1/26, 3.11M), “We’re giving states predictability. Every state and territory will now have at least a three-week window to know how many vaccines are coming so they can plan appropriately. … So more of those vaccines will get in people’s arms and more people will have their expectations met.” Slavitt added, “The second thing we learned is we did not have enough vaccines contracted to give everybody who needs a vaccine a vaccine. We’ve taken care of that today, so it’s been a good first week. We’re still learning as we go along.” Asked on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom (1/26, 896K) about the timeline for vaccinating the general population, NIAID Director Fauci said, “By the time you get to April, you will have gotten to the point where...wherever you are in a priority, you can start getting the doses. Logistically, by the time you get doses into everyone who might want it, it will take several months...and I’ve been saying that probably by the end of the summer, you could get everybody vaccinated.” CNN (1/26, Lee, Sullivan, 89.21M) reports on its website, "The new efforts come one day after the President said he expects the US will soon be able to vaccinate 1.5 million people a EFTA00148098 day, which is a notable increase from the administration’s previously stated target of 1 million per day. The President said that the US could surpass that initial target in about three weeks, and said that he thinks anyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get it by this spring.” Roll Call (1/26, Kopp, 130K) says “the biggest unknown, even at the highest levels of officials overseeing the vaccination effort, had been when and how much vaccine supply will become available.” USA Today (1/26, Groppe, Jansen, Behrmann, Wu, 12.7M), the Wall Street Journal (1/26, A1, Armour, Siddiqui, Restuccia, Subscription Publication, 8.41M), Politico (1/26, Cancryn, Roubein, 6.73M), and The Hill (1/26, Sullivan, Samuels, 5.69M) also have reports. Johnson & Johnson Expects To Report Vaccine Data Next Week. Reuters (1/26, Mishra, O'Donnell) reports that on Tuesday, Johnson & Johnson “said it expected to report eagerly-awaited data on its COVID-19 vaccine early next week, and that it would be able to meet the delivery target for doses to countries with which it had signed supply agreements.” Health officials “are increasingly counting on single-dose options like the one being tested by J&J to simplify and boost inoculations given the complications and slower-than-hoped rollout of authorized vaccines” from Pfizer and Moderna. The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Grossman, Loftus, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports J&J discussed its vaccine plans Tuesday as it reported fourth-quarter earnings. Eli Lilly Reports Positive Findings On Antibody Drug. The AP (1/26, Marchione) reports recent study results “extend hopes for drugs that supply antibodies to fight COVID-19, suggesting they can help keep patients out of the hospital and possibly prevent illness in some uninfected people.” On Tuesday, Eli Lilly said that a “two-antibody combo reduced the risk of hospitalizations or death by 70% in newly diagnosed, non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients at high risk of serious illness because of age or other health conditions.” USA Today (1/26, Weintraub, 12.7M) reports Lilly’s drug bamlanivimab was authorized by the FDA “late last year and has been used by 125,000 high-risk patients nationwide based on early-stage data suggesting it could be effective.” Biden Credits Previous Administration For Role In Vaccination Process, But Criticizes Program. Fox News (1/26, De Lea, 23.99M) reports on its website that the President on Tuesday “gave credit to former President Donald Trump’s administration for its role in getting the coronavirus vaccination process off the ground, before criticizing it over a lack of transparency.” Biden said credit “was ‘absolutely due’ to the Trump administration, as well as the medical and scientific communities.” Biden “quickly added, however, that in the final days of the transition his team discovered ‘the vaccine program [was] in worse shape than we anticipated or expected.’” Harris Receives Second Dose Of Moderna Vaccine. Reuters (1/26) reports Vice President Harris received her second dose of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday at the National Institutes of Health. The Washington Post (1/26, Wagner, 10.52M) reports Harris “thank[ed] the doctors and scientists for their lifesaving work and urg[ed] Americans to get the vaccine when they can.” CNN (1/26, Zeleny, Collins, 89.21M) reports on its website that “several hundred White House employees had been vaccinated for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, two Biden administration officials told CNN, with more expected in the coming weeks.” Vaccine Rollout Forces States To Make Stark Moral Choices. The AP (1/26, Flaccus, Cline) reports that with a “mass vaccination campaign underway, the U.S. is facing a moral dilemma as officials from California to New Jersey decide who gets the shots first.” In Oregon, one 75-year-old “was shocked when the state started vaccinating teachers this week before senior citizens in a push to get children back into classrooms.” She said, “The thing that is so upsetting to me is that seniors don’t matter, the elderly don’t matter. And it’s painful to hear that implication.” New COVID Variants May Increase Risk Of Spread. NBC Nightly News Vi (1/26, story 2, 1:55, Holt, 6.26M) reported on the risk from “new and more contagious strains of the virus.” NBC’s Miguel Almaguer added, “Roughly half the country, including states like New York, Illinois, and California, have already confirmed cases of the highly contagious and perhaps EFTA00148099 deadlier UK strain and are now bracing for dangerous mutations from Brazil and South Africa.” NBC also reported that “officials fear the virus variants can easily spread,” while “epidemiologists warn with the new variants, even brief interactions, like an outdoor chat without a mask or having a cup of coffee indoors, can increase your transmission by up to 70%.” So “authorities,” are recommending “wearing two masks,” and “skipping that next trip to the grocery store or coffee shop.” Vilsack Says Pandemic Will Be A USDA Priority. The New York Times (1/26, Severson, 20.6M) reports Agriculture Secretary-designate Vilsack “said in an interview on Friday that he has already sketched out his agenda. … Topping the list is protecting Agriculture Department employees and people who process the nation’s food from the virus, and figuring out which land-grant universities, government laboratories and other department offices might be able to store and administer vaccines.” Biden Calls Roy’s Rejection On Mask-Wearing “Not Very American.” Bloomberg (1/26, Sink, 3.57M) reports the President remarked Tuesday on comments by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) that “profanely dismiss[ed] the president’s call to wear a mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.” Biden said, “He used a very colorful term to say, ‘Wearing a mask, tell them to kiss my ear, I’m not going to wear a mask.’ Well, guess what? Not very American. The fact is, you want to be patriotic, you’re going to protect people.” Roy “defended the comment to RealClearPolitics, saying it was ‘not my most Christian statement but it’s very American.’” ## CDC Says Schools Can Resume In-Person Learning With Precautions. NBC Nightly NewsVi (1/26, story 3, 2:30, Holt, 6.26M) reported, “The pandemic has had a profound impact on our children, cut off from friends and schools. But CDC experts said today in-person learning can resume if proper precautions are taken.” NBC’s Kate Snow added, “The leaders of the COVID response team at the CDC concluding school-related cases of COVID-19 have been reported, but there has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission,” and that is “more ammunition for those pushing to reopen schools for in-person learning.” Still, “there are heated debates over whether to return kids to classrooms, from Chicago to Atlanta to Maryland.” According to the CDC, “schools will still need to require face masks, increase physical distance, and do testing.” ABC World News TonightVi (1/26, story 2, 0:25, Muir, 7.57M) reported, “News tonight from the CDC coming in about the safety of children going back to school.” ABC’s Stephanie Ramos added, “The study looked at 17 schools where masks were worn and social distancing rules were followed. Even though there was community spread of the virus at the time, researchers found that there wasn’t much spread of the virus in schools when those precautions were followed.” The Washington Post (1/26, Meckler, 10.52M) reports that according to the CDC “schools operating in person have seen scant transmission of the coronavirus, particularly when masks and distancing are employed.” CDC researchers also concluded that “there has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission.” The New York Times (1/26, Rabin, 20.6M) reports, “On Tuesday, federal health officials weighed in with a call for returning children to the nation’s classrooms as soon as possible,” yet “local officials also must be willing to impose limits on other settings – like indoor dining, bars or poorly ventilated gyms – in order to keep infection rates low in the community at large, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote in the journal JAMA.” Reuters (1/26, Chander) reports the CDC researchers, writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “said that mitigation measures such as universal mask use, social distancing, and ventilation were key to avoiding infection.” The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Abbott, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) and USA Today (1/26, Aspegren, Bacon, Ortiz, 12.7M) also report the news. Administration Considers Requiring Negative COVID Test For Domestic Flights. EFTA00148100
Reuters(1/26, Shepardson) reports that according to Marty Cetron, Director for the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine at CDC，“the Biden administration is‘actively looking’at expanding mandatory COVID-19 testing to travelers on U.S. domestic flights.”Cetron added that“there's been a dramatic evolution and increase in both testing platforms and testing capacity。”
## Experts Say Rapid Testing, Masks, And Ventilation Are Best Bet To Reopen Safely. The Wall Street Journal (1/26, A1, Hernandez, Toy, McCabe, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports that public health experts and researchers have concluded that rapid COVID tests, masks, and ventilation are most helpful to reopening businesses and other public institutions during the pandemic. ## Vaccines Being Made Available To Teachers In At Least 22 States And DC. The Washington Post (1/26, A1, Natanson, St. George, Stein, 10.52M) reports that while “in many places, educators have been moved toward the front of the line for shots,” that “has not gone hand-in-hand with efforts to return students to classrooms.” The Post adds that “some officials are explicitly refusing to link vaccination and reopening.” According to the Post, “vaccines are available this week for teachers in at least 22 states and the District,” and some governors “are prioritizing teachers beyond what the CDC recommends.” Still, in some areas, officials and teachers unions are linking vaccinations and school reopening. ## Newsom Lifts Stay-At-Home Orders, Hopes California Can Avoid Another Surge. The Los Angeles Times (1/26, Luna, Karlamangla, Lin II, Fry, 3.37M) reports the “abrupt move” by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) “to lift stay-at-home orders – allowing outdoor dining and other business activities to resume – represents a gamble that California can avoid another deadly coronavirus surge in the coming months” as people await the vaccine, even with “the looming threat of more contagious strains.” The Times says that “lifting the stay-at-home order should be a boost to some restaurant owners and other merchants,” though “experts said it would not take a lot for the situation to spiral out of control again.” The San Francisco Chronicle (1/26, Williams, 2.44M) reports, “Each of the nine Bay Area counties remained in the most restrictive tier of California’s color-coded reopening blueprint on Tuesday,” and statewide, “54 California counties stayed in the most restrictive purple tier,” while three “were in the red tier, and only Sierra County was in the orange tier.” None have been declared “eligible to be in the least restrictive yellow tier.” ## Chicago Schools Stop In-Person Classes Wednesday. The Chicago Tribune (1/26, Leone, Pratt, 2.03M) reports, “Chicago Public Schools will halt in-person classes Wednesday as the city makes a last-ditch effort to reach a deal with its teachers union to reopen schools for elementary students on Monday and avoid” a teachers’ strike. The Chicago Teachers Union “said its members will still refuse to report to schools.” Mayor Lori Lightfoot “cast her decision to reopen schools as consistent with federal public health guidance,” and “repeatedly argued that she was doing everything she could to reach a deal.” The Chicago Sun-Times (1/26, Issa, 970K) reports “the Chicago Teachers Union has told its members to work from home Wednesday and prepare for a strike Thursday if city officials ban remote teaching in response.” ## Portland Mayor Uses Pepper Spray On Man Who Harassed Him About Masks. The New York Times (1/26, Cramer, 20.6M) reports Portland, Oregon Mayor Ted Wheeler “used pepper spray on a man who berated him for not wearing a mask at a restaurant and then followed him to his car Sunday night, according to a police report.” The Oregonian (1/26, Kavanaugh, 1.02M) reports Wheeler "blasted with pepper spray an unmasked man who confronted him and former Mayor Sam Adams with a video camera as the EFTA00148101 two left a pub Sunday night.” Wheeler said, “He had no face mask on and got within a foot or two of my face while he was videoing me.” ## Senate Confirms Blinken As Secretary Of State On 78-22 Vote. The AP (1/26, Lee) reports the Senate on Tuesday in a 78-22 vote “confirmed Antony Blinken as America’s top diplomat, tasked with carrying out President Joe Biden’s commitment to reverse the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ doctrine that weakened international alliances.” The AP says that Blinken, “a longtime Biden confidant,” had previously “served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration,” while Reuters (1/26, Zengerle) says Blinken had been “a committee staff director – when Biden, who spent decades in the Senate, was chairman – before he joined the Obama administration.” According to Axios (1/26, Chen, 1.26M), “Blinken is a French-speaker and step-son of a Holocaust survivor whose stories he credits with shaping his worldview.” Axios adds that like Biden, “Blinken is a committed multilateralist and advocate for the United States as a leading force for good in the world.”
USA Today(1/26,Shesgreen,12.7M)says the margin of the bipartisan vote for Blinken's confirmation is"particularly notable given"his predecessors under former President Trump,Rex Tillerson"was confirmed 55 to 43,"and Mike Pompeo"took the helm of the State Department on a vote of 57 to 42."USA Today notes Senate Minority Leader McConnell was among the Republicans to vote for Blinken,whereas Sen.Rand Paul(R-KY)"emerged as Blinken's most vocal opponent."The Hill(1/26,Chalfant,5.69M) reports Blinken is the President's fourth nominee to be confirmed by the Senate.
Politico(1/26, Toosi, 6.73M)says that Blinken's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week"went relatively smoothly, with Republicans expressing delight at times at how often Blinken agreed with them"Politico highlights that Blinken said...Trump was right to take a tougher stance on China, although he disagreed with some of the tactics used by the previous administration. He also indicated that he would support keeping some terrorism-related sanctions on the Islamist-led government in Iran, despite the Biden administration's goal of rejoining the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump quit in 2018.In addition,Bloomberg(1/26, Wadhams, 3.57M) reports Blinken"called China the'the most significant challenge of any nation-state to the United States'and said any re-entry to the Iran nuclear deal must be followed by a stronger, better agreement."
While Blinken “signaled he is prepared to roll back a number of State Department policies that were set under” Trump, the New York Times (1/26, Jakes, 20.6M) reports he “inherits a State Department where many diplomats say they are demoralized within an agency made up of about 1,000 fewer employees than when he left as its deputy secretary in early 2017.” The Times adds that Blinken “told senators last week that he will view his plans to ensure diversity and multiculturalism in the diplomatic corps ‘as a significant measure of whether I succeeded or failed, however long I’m in the job,’” in “another difference between his approach and that of [Pompeo], who derided multiculturalism as ‘not who America is’ just hours before Mr. Blinken’s defense of it.” ## Harris Swears In Yellen As Treasury Secretary. The AP (1/26, Crutsinger) reports that on Tuesday, Janet Yellen was “sworn in...as the nation’s 78th Treasury secretary and the first woman to hold the office” by Vice President Harris “at a ceremony performed outside on the East Wing entrance to the White House in view of the department Yellen will now lead.” The AP says Yellen’s husband, George Akerlof, “winner of the 2001 Nobel prize in economics, and their son Robert, also an economist, were present for the brief ceremony.” The AP reports that on Monday night, Yellen “became the third of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees to win Senate approval on a vote of 84-15.” The New York Times (1/26, Rappeport, 20.6M) says Yellen “will quickly be thrust into fraught negotiations over how EFTA00148102 to design and pass a robust stimulus package to help revive an economy that has been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic." ## During Confirmation Hearing, Raimondo Vows To Be Tough On China. The AP (1/26, Freking) reports Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D), President Biden’s pick to lead the Commerce Department, on Tuesday “focused her testimony” in her confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee “on the need to help those sectors of the economy and the workers hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic,” and she “took a tough line on China in her confirmation hearing,” but “stopped short of singling out which Chinese companies should remain on a list that limits their access to advanced U.S. technology.” Reuters (1/26, Shepardson) reported Raimondo said she intends to “use the full toolkit at my disposal to the fullest extent possible to protect Americans and our network from Chinese interference or any kind of back-door influence.” The New York Times (1/26, Rappeport, 20.6M) says Raimondo “declined to commit to keeping Huawei or other Chinese companies on the entity list when pressed to do so” by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), “but she vowed to use the powers of the Commerce Department ‘to protect Americans and our network from Chinese interference,’ adding, ‘that’s Huawei, ZTE, or any other company.’” Raimondo said, “China’s actions have been anti-competitive, hurtful to American workers and businesses, coercive, and...they are culpable for atrocious human rights abuses. Whether it’s the entity list, or tariffs, or countervailing duties, I intend to use all those tools to the fullest extent possible to level the playing field for the American workers.” A Wall Street Journal (1/26, McKinnon, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) article titled “Commerce Nominee Pledges Tough China Stance, But Mum On Huawei Blacklist” provides similar coverage. Meanwhile, The Verge (1/26, Kelly, 1.54M) reports Raimondo “told lawmakers that she will pursue changes to Section 230 if confirmed.” According to The Verge, Raimondo told Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) that she “would use the tools available through the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to convene stakeholders, industry leaders, lawmakers and others to identify the means of reform to the pivotal internet law.” The Providence (RI) Journal (1/26, Gregg, Anderson, 376K) says that although the hearing “tested...Raimondo’s knowledge and, at times, forced her to defend her much-touted Rhode Island record,” Senate Commerce Chairman Roger Wicker told her,“I do not believe you will be serving as governor of the state of Rhode Island for very much longer.” He added,“I look forward to working with you.” However, the New York Times (1/26, Swanson, 20.6M) says Raimondo “has faced a bit of backlash from progressive Democrats, who have criticized her close ties with venture capital and big tech firms.” ## Senate Panel Backs DHS Pick Mayorkas. Politico (1/26, Rodríguez, 6.73M) reports the Senate Homeland Security Committee in a 7-4 vote on Tuesday “voted to move forward Alejandro Mayorkas’ nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security.” According to Politico, “Senate Democrats and the Biden administration had pushed to get Mayorkas confirmed before President Joe Biden’s inauguration, but it was delayed” by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) last week. Politico adds that although “Senate leadership has not yet weighed in on when Mayorkas’ nomination will come up for a floor vote,” he is “widely expected to be confirmed.” ## Garland Names Coley To Lead Public Affairs At DOJ, Sources Say. Axios (1/26, Nichols, 1.26M) reports President Biden’s Attorney General-designate Judge Merrick Garland “has tapped Anthony Coley, an Obama-era Treasury Department official, to serve as a senior adviser and to lead public affairs at the Department of Justice, according to people familiar with the matter.” Axios says Coley will “join chief of staff Matt Klapper, who held EFTA00148103 the same role for Sen. Cory Booker, and Dena Iverson, a DOJ veteran, who will serve as principal deputy director of public affairs." ## CIA Warns Ex-Officers Against Working For Foreign Government, Speaking Publicly. The New York Times (1/26, Barnes, Haberman, 20.6M) reports CIA Assistant Director for Counterintelligence Sheetal T. Patel on Monday “sent a note to retired officers this week warning against working for foreign governments either directly or indirectly,” and it “urges retired officers to take care in speaking publicly on television, podcasts, panels or social media.” According to the Times, “Former officials and C.I.A. historians said they could not remember such a broad warning being sent previously to the agency’s retirees in the form of an email.” ## Democrats Prepare To Pass Biden’s COVID Relief Plan With Or Without GOP. The AP (1/26, Mascaro, Boak) reports Senate Democrats are preparing to move quickly on President Biden’s COVID relief package “even if it means using procedural tools to pass the legislation on their own, leaving Republicans behind.” Senate Majority Leader Schumer “told senators to be ready to vote as soon as next week on a budget reconciliation package that would lay the groundwork for swift passage.” The Washington Post (1/26, DeBonis, Werner, 10.52M) reports that the Administration “is courting Republican support publicly,” and Schumer “held out hope of GOP backing. But a number of leading Republicans including [Senate Minority Leader] McConnell have panned Biden’s plan as too costly, and behind the scenes Democrats are making plans to move forward without them.” Reuters (1/26) reports that Schumer said Tuesday, “We want to work with our Republican colleagues to advance this legislation in a bipartisan way. But the work must move forward, preferably with our Republican colleagues, but without them if we must.” Phil Mattingly said on CNNVi (1/26, 1.68M) that “while the President has repeatedly said he wants bipartisan support, he wants unity, Democrats are very clear right now that they are willing to give Republicans a couple weeks to come on board, but they are not willing to cut down their package in a significant manner.” John Harwood reported on CNNVi (1/26, 1.27M) that although Biden will “try to get the 10 Republican votes he would need to break a filibuster…that goal is less important to the Biden White House than getting something very close to the package that they’ve proposed.” Harwood added that the White House is “determined to pass a big package. They think they can hold their 50 Democratic votes together to do that.” White House Office of Public Engagement Director Cedric Richmond said on CNNVi (1/26, 2.27M), “Congress sent out $600, and we need to make sure that we push for the other $1,400, which is why the American Rescue Plan is so important for Congress to pass it, so that we can get that number to $2,000, and we need them to act before March 15, when unemployment insurance and all the other benefits, the eviction and foreclosure moratorium, expire. We’re in a dire crisis here, and we need to help these American families.” Asked on MSNBCVi (1/26, 2.78M) about the possibility of advancing proposals to the floor now, Richmond said, “This pandemic is not picking people based on party affiliation, color, or income level, and we want and expect Congress to come along and help us help the American people. And so we’re not going to compromise our values in an effort to reach a bipartisan compromise, but we promised that we would reach out and extend our hand of bipartisanship. … So right now, we’re doing both.”
Bloomberg(1/26,Litvan,Wasson,3.57M)says while a budget resolution“is the first step toward a so-called reconciliation bill,”the“catch...is that not all of Biden's $1.9 trillion plan is likely to qualify for that route.The$160 billion for Covid-19 vaccines and testing would likely be out because discretionary spending is excluded from the process,while the proposed minimum-wage hike may also be disqualified for having insufficient budget impact.”The Wall Street Journal(1/26,Duehren,Subscription Publication,8.41M)says reconciliation is generally limited
EFTA00148104 to tax and spending measures so the stimulus checks, the child tax credit and unemployment insurance in the Biden plan would like be qualify. CNN (1/26, Barrett, 89.21M) reports on its website while many Republicans “have signaled they can’t support” Biden’s $1.9 trillion proposal “just a month after they passed a $900 billion bill, senators are still having conversations with their Democratic colleagues.” Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) “told reporters on Tuesday that White House officials had just reached out to him again to follow up. Other Republicans” such as Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) “said it would be ‘irresponsible’ for Democrats to move ahead with reconciliation so soon.” Politico (1/26, Everett, Emma, Ferris, 6.73M) says while progressives “are itching to wield control...and are skeptical that talks between a bipartisan group of senators and President Joe Biden will bear fruit,” moderates “say the party needs to be more patient and give the centrists some space to work.” The Hill (1/26, Carney, 5.69M) and Roll Call (1/26, Krawzak, Lerman, 130K) provide similar coverage. Deese: White House May Agree To Restrict Eligibility For $1,400 Checks. CNBC (1/26, Franck, 7.34M) reports on its website that in an interview for CNBC’s Squawk Box from the White House Tuesday morning, NEC Director Deese indicated that the Biden Administration “could be open to adjusting eligibility levels for the next round of coronavirus stimulus checks to ensure the relief flows to families who need the emergency funds the most.” Deese said, “When it comes to the checks, we put forward a proposal that...passed the House with 275 votes – 44 Republicans voted for it. … Certainly, if there are ways to make that provision, and other provisions, more effective, that’s something that we’re open to, that we’ll have conversations about.” CNBC reports that on Monday, President Biden also “said he would consider curbing eligibility for the checks if it could help secure Republican support.” The Washington Post (1/26, Long, 10.52M) reports there are growing calls “to target the aid solely to low- and moderate-income families, and new data suggests that would provide the most needed and effective boost for the economy.” An “analysis of how Americans are using the $600 economic impact payments this month by Opportunity Insights, a nonprofit research organization,” found that families earning around $75,000 tend to spend the money quickly while families earning above the amount typically save it, “which provides little help to the overall economy and signals the money was not as urgently needed.” ## SBA Says $35B In Additional Pandemic Loans Approved As It Tries To Fix PPP Glitches. Reuters (1/26) reports the SBA said Tuesday “it had approved 400,000 more pandemic relief loans worth $35 billion and was trying to fix issues operational snags with the program raised by lenders.” The agency “launched the third round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) this month, but significant changes to its rules, process and technology platform, has caused problems that were slowing approvals,” according to the American Bankers Association. The group said companies applying for a second PPP loan experienced technical issues and lenders are receiving a “high number of incorrect error messages” when submitting loan applications. The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Omeokwe, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) says the SBA will issue guidance to lenders and it is instructing field offices on how to assist borrowers and lenders who have issues when submitting second-time applications. ## Yellen Says Treasury Will Play Major Role In Addressing COVID’s Economic Impact. The AP (1/26, Crutsinger) reports Treasury Secretary Yellen, who was sworn in Tuesday as the first woman to hold the office, “said in a message to the department’s 84,000 employees that they would play a major role in addressing the country’s biggest economic challenges.” Yellen wrote, “In addition to the pandemic, the country is also facing a climate crisis, a crisis of systemic racism and an economic crisis that has been building for fifty years. ... I believe our department can play a major role in addressing each of these crises.” In the message, Yellen “said she would be conducting a virtual listening tour in the next few weeks to meet with EFTA00148105 employees to get their views on how the department can do a better job of addressing the crises facing the country." ## Congress Expected To Probe Allegations That Big Tech Engages In Anti-Competitive Behavior. The New York Times (1/26, Kang, 20.6M) reports that “many Democrats, as well as some Republicans, want to take on Big Tech with laws and regulations to address issues like market power, data privacy, and disinformation and hate speech.” The Times says Facebook and Google are already “fighting federal and state regulators in court over allegations of anticompetitive conduct,” and “regulators continue to investigate Amazon and Apple over antitrust violations.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, is quoted as saying, “We have a major monopoly and competition problem. People have just finally had it.” EU’s Von Der Leyen Asks For Biden Administration’s Help In Regulating Big Tech. The AP (1/26) reports that on Tuesday, the European Union urged the Biden Administration “to help draw up a common rule book to rein in the power of big tech companies like Facebook and Twitter and combat the spread of fake news that is eating away at Western democracies. In a speech to the Davos World Economic Forum, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged the Biden administration to join forces against ‘the darker sides of the digital world,’ which she said was partly behind the ‘shock’ storming of Capitol Hill on Jan. 6. ‘The business model of online platforms has an impact and not only on free and fair competition, but also on our democracies, our security and on the quality of our information,’ von der Leyen said.” ## NYTimes Analysis: Small Share Of Trump Pardons And Commutations Were Fully Vetted By DOJ. The New York Times (1/26, Vogel, 20.6M) reports that “of the nearly 240 pardons and commutations issued by” former President Trump, “only 25 came through the rigorous process for identifying and vetting worthy clemency petitions overseen by the Justice Department, according to a tally kept partly by Margaret Love, who ran the department’s clemency process from 1990 to 1997 as the United States pardon attorney.” The Times adds that “the system has a backlog of 14,000 applications.” According to the Times, “The other pardons and commutations came through an ad hoc White House process that favored applications benefiting or pushed by Mr. Trump’s allies, friends and family.” Meanwhile, the New York Times (1/26, Closson, 20.6M) reports that of the “dozens of pardons and commutations…Trump issued before leaving office, one name has left some law enforcement officials reeling: Jaime A. Davidson, notorious in upstate New York for planning a 1990 robbery that ended in the murder of a police officer.” The Times says that while the commutation “bypassed the typical federal process for seeking clemency,” the case “is complex, and he was long championed by lawyers and relatives as a candidate for clemency.” The Times adds that “amid a national push to reduce incarceration rates that disproportionately affect Black men, some experts and advocates said the case was remarkable only because such decisions have been too rare.” Trump’s Pardon Of Bannon Enables Testimony Against Co-Defendants. The New York Times (1/26, Weiser, 20.6M) says that out of all of Trump’s pardons “in the hours before he left office, perhaps none was as galling to his critics, government watchdog groups and even some of his allies as the pardon of his former chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon,” who was “charged with conspiring to swindle donors to a private fund to build a wall along the Mexican border, siphoning off more than $1 million for personal and other expenses, the indictment said.” The Times adds Bannon’s pardon “also left three other men who were indicted with Mr. Bannon in an unusual and unenviable predicament. None of them received pardons and so they EFTA00148106 still must face a trial in May. What’s more, legal experts said, Mr. Bannon could now be called as a government witness to testify against them, potentially increasing their legal jeopardy.” ## Floyd Trial Judge Denies Request To Use Past Incidents Against Former Officers USA Today (1/26, Hauck, 12.7M) reports Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill in an order made public on Tuesday ruled “evidence related to 16 incidents involving former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death, as well as evidence related to Floyd’s prior arrest and conviction, cannot be brought up at trial.” USA Today adds Cahill “did not explain his decision but said an opinion would follow.” Minneapolis Settles First Lawsuit Against Police Response To Floyd Protests The Minneapolis Star Tribune (1/26, Furst, 855K) reports the city of Minneapolis last week “settled the first lawsuit by a demonstrator injured by a police projectile in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.” The Star Tribune says the City Council approved $57,900 payment to Graciela Cisneros, 22, who “suffered an eye injury when a police officer fired a projectile at her on May 29 as she and her partner were walking home after a demonstration,” and her attorneys. ## Federal Judge Temporarily Lifts Biden’s Deportation Ban. CBS News (1/26, Montoya-Galvez, 5.39M) reports on its website that on Tuesday, US District Judge Drew Tipton of the Southern District of Texas “temporarily halted the Biden administration’s 100-day moratorium on certain deportations of immigrants already in the U.S.” According to CBS, Tipton “agreed to pause the policy for at least 14 days while he considered a lawsuit filed by Texas’ Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, who argued in a complaint on Friday that the deportation freeze violated immigration law and a legal agreement the state brokered with the Trump administration before Mr. Biden took office.” CBS reports that “on January 8, Ken Cuccinelli, who was then the second-in-command at the Department of Homeland Security, signed an agreement committing the department ‘to consult Texas and consider its views’ before changing policies governing the enforcement of federal immigration law.” The AP (1/26, Merchant) reports that Tipton said that while the nationwide order was not based on the agreement with the state, the Administration did not “provide any concrete, reasonable justification for a 100-day pause on deportations.” The decision “is an early blow to the Biden administration, which has proposed far-reaching changes sought by immigration advocates,” though the order only “bars enforcement of a moratorium for 14 days” and “does not require deportations to resume at their previous pace.” The White House “issued a statement saying the moratorium was ‘wholly appropriate’” and that the President “remains committed to taking immediate action to reform our immigration system.” The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Hackman, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports that Tipton, a Trump appointee, said he will also consider whether to announce a preliminary injunction that would extend the ban beyond two weeks. The Dallas Morning News (1/26, Briseno, Solis, 772K) reports that Tipton “said Texas had a ‘substantial likelihood’ of prevailing in two of its six claims,” including that the moratorium “violated a federal immigration law” placing a 90-day timeframe on final deportation orders, as well as “the state’s argument that Texas would be at significant risk of suffering imminent and irreparable harm if a temporary restraining order was not granted.” An attorney for the ACLU of Texas, Kate Huddleston, called the lawsuit an attempt to “follow Trump’s xenophobic policies” and said, “The administration’s pause on deportations is not only lawful but necessary to ensure that families are not separated and people are not returned to danger needlessly.” Fox News (1/26, Lea, 23.99M) reports on its website that “it is unclear” whether terms of the federal agreement with Texas “are enforceable, but similar agreements were struck with several other states under the former administration.” The Houston Chronicle (1/26, Goldenstein, 982K) reports that the "nationwide order marks Paxton's first win in what he's predicted will be a string of legal action against the Biden EFTA00148107 administration.” The Chronicle calls the ruling “a bright spot...for Paxton,” who tweeted, “Within 6 days of Biden’s inauguration, Texas has HALTED his illegal deportation freeze. *This* was a seditious left-wing insurrection. And my team and I stopped it.” The New York Times (1/26, Jordan, 20.6M) reports, “Immigration advocates challenged many of Mr. Trump’s policies in federal court, and the decision by Judge Tipton on Tuesday signaled that immigration hawks might also sue to stymie Mr. Biden’s initiatives.” Immigration lawyer Stephen Yale-Loehr said, “The court’s order shows the uphill battle President Biden has in trying to reverse the prior administration’s immigration restrictions. A single judge can halt a federal agency’s effort to review and reprioritize its immigration enforcement policies.” The Washington Post (1/26, Miroff, 10.52M) reports that Boston College of Law immigration scholar Kari Hong called the ruling “baffling” and said it “seems to invite states to be litigating matters of national policy, which is a slippery slope that will end in chaos.” ## Wilkinson Overturns “Zero Tolerance” Trump-Era Immigration Policy. The AP (1/26, Balsamo, Long) reports that Acting Attorney General Wilkinson on Tuesday “rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a ‘zero tolerance’ enforcement policy for migrants” crossing the US-Mexico border, which resulted “in thousands of family separations.” The new memo was issued “to federal prosecutors across the nation, saying the department would return to its longstanding previous policy and instructing prosecutors to act on the merits of individual cases.” The AP says that while the move “is in part symbolic, it undoes the Trump administration’s massively unpopular policy responsible for the separation of more than 5,500 children from their parents” at the border. ## Lawmakers Call On Biden To Protect Immigrants In Sanctuary. The Boston Globe (1/26, Ulloa, 1.04M) reports that “more than two dozen congressional Democrats are asking President Biden to grant temporary protection from deportation to 40 immigrants living in houses of worship as part of his pledge of a new approach to immigration.” Immigrant families in churches and synagogues “were initially granted so-called stays of removal during the Obama administration but became targets of federal immigration officials under President Trump.” In a letter to the President, 27 lawmakers led by Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), wrote that “those in sanctuary have suffered enough. Your administration’s actions can bring them the relief they need and deserve.” ## Biden Issues Executive Orders Aimed At Racial Equity. Politico (1/26, Niedzwiadek, 6.73M) reports that on Tuesday, President Biden “rolled out an additional slate of executive actions to address racial equity.” Politico says Biden “directed the Department of Justice to not renew contracts with private prison operators and signed a presidential memorandum acknowledging the role the federal government has played in discriminatory housing policy.” In addition, Biden is “instructing the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reassess moves implemented under former President Donald Trump, including making it harder for plaintiffs to meet the legal threshold for proving unintentional discrimination, known as the disparate impact rule.” Biden “said that Tuesday’s actions are a direct response to the groundswell of protests that emerged following the killing of George Floyd.” The Los Angeles Times (1/26, Stokols, 3.37M) says Biden “took action...to disavow another aspect of his predecessor’s legacy – racial animus toward Asian Americans.” One of Biden’s orders “called for providing the Justice Department with additional guidance and resources to more accurately track hate crimes and harassment of Asian Americans.” In his remarks, Biden “referred to an increase in xenophobic attacks against Asian Americans,” which he said “is unacceptable and it’s un-American.” The Hill (1/26, Johnson, 5.69M) says the order “comes in response to former President Trump regularly referring to COVID-19 as the ‘China EFTA00148108 virus,’ which was widely criticized as xenophobic.” Nancy Cordes reported on the CBS Evening NewsVi (1/26, story 2, 1:40, O'Donnell, 4.76M), “Since the pandemic started, advocacy groups have logged nearly 3,000 reports of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans.” The New York Times (1/26, Tankersley, Karni, 20.6M) says the orders “are incremental pieces of Mr. Biden’s broader push for racial equity – an initiative that is expected to be a centerpiece of his administration and that follow an executive order last week directing federal agencies to review policies to root out systemic racism.” Reuters (1/26, Lynch, Hunnicutt) reports Biden “said he believes the vast majority of Americans believe in equality.” Biden said, “We’ve never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation – to state the obvious – that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives. … And it’s time to act now, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because if we do we’ll all be better off for it.” NBC Nightly News Vi (1/26, story 5, 1:25, Holt, 6.26M) showed Biden saying, “I’m not promising we can end it tomorrow, but I promise you we’re going to continue to make progress to eliminate systemic racism.”
Bloomberg(1/26,3.57M) reports White House Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice“said at a briefing earlier Tuesday that Biden also intends to address moves by Republican-led state legislatures to roll back voting expansions that contributed to Donald Trump's defeat.”Rice said，“It's a matter of real concern because we ought to be in the business of encouraging and enabling all Americans who are eligible to vote，to be able to vote。”In a separate story，Reuters(1/26) reports that Rice“said the White House would work with Congress on legislation to address voting rights。
USA Today (1/26, Groppe, Subramanian, Berry, 12.7M) reports Rice and the President "stressed that the equality agenda is not aimed solely at communities of color but is designed to help all marginalized communities, including people with disabilities, religious minorities, members of the LGBTQ community and anyone living in persistent poverty – whether in urban, rural or suburban areas." Asked on CNNVi (1/26, 2.27M) whether the White House will pursue legislation on the executive orders, White House Office of Public Engagement Director Cedric Richmond said, “Yes, we want to put it in law. We want to work with the other side, both Republicans and Democrats, to make sure that we have that lasting, empowering transformational impact on Black and Brown and other marginalized communities.” Richmond said on MSNBCVi (1/26, 2.78M), “For those things we can do by executive order, we’re going to do by executive order because it’s a priority. … We’re the first Administration to roll out a whole-of-government approach to racial equity, and it’s going to create a very intentional movement by this Administration to make sure we tackle systemic racism across agencies and government-wide.” Cecilia Vega of ABC World News TonightVi (1/26, story 6, 1:40, Muir, 7.57M) reported Biden “is trying to make good on a campaign pledge to address these issues of racial equity in this country,” and the AP (1/26, Madhani) says Tuesday’s actions “reflect [Biden’s] efforts to follow through with campaign pledges to combat racial injustice,” while the Washington Post (1/26, 10.52M) says they “reflected the extent to which Biden’s ascent to the presidency was wrapped up with the nation’s racial struggles.” The Post adds that “activists are making it clear they expect more from Biden than a diverse administration and rhetoric about justice. Tuesday marked his first major effort to respond, to mixed reviews from civil rights groups.” Axios (1/26, Contreras, 1.26M) describes Biden’s orders as “a down payment on racial equity.” ## Biden To Impose "Wide-Ranging Moratorium" On Oil And Gas Leases. The AP (1/26, Daly) reports that on Wednesday, President Biden will “announce a wide-ranging moratorium on new oil and gas leasing on U.S. lands, as his administration moves quickly to reverse Trump administration policies on energy and the environment and address climate change.” According to the AP, “The move follows a 60-day suspension of new drilling permits for U.S. lands and waters announced last week and follows Biden’s campaign pledge to halt new EFTA00148109 drilling on federal lands and end the leasing of publicly owned energy reserves as part of his plan to address climate change.” The AP reports that “oil industry groups slammed the move, saying Biden had already eliminated thousands of oil and gas jobs by killing the Keystone XL oil pipeline on his first day in office.”
Reuters(1/26, Volcovici, Resnick-Ault) reports that Biden's"orders will impact large swathes of acreage onshore in mostly Western states, as well as offshore drilling acreage located mainly in the U.S.Gulf of Mexico."However,“Tribal lands,which host significant reserves of oil and gas...will not be included in Biden's executive order."According to Reuters,"Biden's other climate-related executive orders on Wednesday will include beefing up the use of climate science in policy decisions and setting up an international summit on climate change for April."Reuters says"the push to end new federal drilling marks an easy target for the new administration: federal lands and waters produce roughly a quarter of the nation's oil and gas,and also account for around a quarter of its greenhouse gas emissions."
The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Puko, Restuccia, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports that Biden has targeted the oil and gas industry with this policy and with his revoking of the Keystone XL pipeline permit. The New York Times (1/26, Davenport, Friedman, 20.6M) reports that as Biden readies to announce the policy, “powerful and surprising forces are arrayed at his back,” listing automakers; “large oil and gas companies”; corporate shareholders; “and a youth movement.” On the other side, the Times says, are “senators from fossil-fuel states in both parties,” specifically “Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, who will lead the Senate Energy Committee.” Biden To Focus On Environmental Justice In Climate Plan. The Washington Post (1/26, Eilperin, Dennis, Fears, 10.52M) reports that Biden “plans to make tackling America’s persistent racial and economic disparities a central part of his plan to combat climate change.” To do that, “Biden will direct agencies across the federal government to invest in low-income and minority communities that have traditionally borne the brunt of pollution,” and “will sign an executive order establishing a White House interagency council on environmental justice, create an office of health and climate equity at the Health and Human Services Department and form a separate environmental justice office at the Justice Department.” ## Colorado Delegation Asks Biden To Keep Space Command Headquarters In State. The Denver Post (1/26, 660K) reports Colorado’s entire congressional delegation asked the Biden Administration Tuesday “to reconsider moving U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Alabama.” Two weeks ago, former President Donald Trump “said the agency’s headquarters would move to Huntsville, Alabama, drawing bipartisan rebukes.” The six Democrats and thee Republicans in Colorado’s delegation wrote in a letter Tuesday, “This move undermines our ability to respond to the threats in space and is disruptive to the current mission. … Additionally, significant evidence exists that the process was neither fair nor impartial and that President Trump’s political considerations influenced the final decision.” ## Schumer Says Senate Can Organize After Filibuster Standoff. CNBC (1/26, Pramuk, 7.34M) reports on its website that Senate Majority Leader Schumer on Tuesday cited what he described as “notable progress” in his discussions with Senate Minority Leader McConnell and said, “We’re finally able to get the Senate up and running.” According to CNBC, “a breakthrough did not come until two of the chamber’s most conservative Democrats said they would vote against getting rid of the legislative filibuster.” Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have “said they would not vote to get rid of the filibuster, effectively ending the standoff.” Axios (1/26, Perano, 1.26M) says McConnell “on Tuesday condemned Democratic support for abolishing the legislative filibuster, arguing that it would” result in a “scorched-earth Senate.” McConnell said on the Senate floor, “If your legislation can’t pass the Senate, you don’t scrap the rules or lower the standards. You improve your idea, take your case to the people, or EFTA00148110 both. ... Four years ago, Republicans had just won unified control. President Trump and others pressured us heavily, me in particular, to scrap this rule when it was protecting the Democratic minority. ... But we stood firm. I stood firm, endured many tweets on the subject. I said we would not do that to our colleagues in the minority. No short term policy win justifies destroying the Senate as we know it.” The New York Times (1/26, Hulse, 20.6M) says the skirmish over the filibuster “foreshadowed an epic battle ahead over what Democrats should do if Republicans obstruct President Biden’s agenda.” While McConnell “abandoned his insistence that Democrats commit to keeping the filibuster,” his “surrender did not mollify progressive activists who have long clamored for Senate Democrats to curb the procedural weapon. They promised to keep the pressure on in their campaign to end the filibuster.” The Times cites “several Democrats” who “said it was up to Mr. McConnell and his fellow Republicans to determine whether the filibuster comes under threat, arguing that if the minority party sought to block Mr. Biden’s agenda at every turn, it would be at fault for destroying the storied Senate weapon.” ## Schumer Lists Goals For Country, New York, Impeachment. USA Today (1/26, Spector, 12.7M) reports when Senate Majority Leader Schumer “has always prided himself on balancing his national role with his state responsibilities, never seemingly finding a local issue too small to take on or a place to visit for one of his well-known Sunday press conferences.” Now, he “ticks off a lengthy list of goals he has for New York, the nation and, of course, moving forward with an historic impeachment trial of ex-President Donald Trump.” Schumer “will look to reach a deal with President Joe Biden, Republicans and the Democratic-led House on a $1.9 trillion stimulus package.” In addition, he “has to guide the confirmation of Biden’s cabinet members in advance of the Feb. 9 start of the impeachment trial.” Also, “there are all the infrastructure projects that Schumer said he hopes to push through as majority leader.” CNN (1/26, Rogers, Raju, Barrett, 89.21M) says on its website that Schumer “will have to piece together a coalition from a diverse caucus to push legislation through the slow-moving chamber. Schumer, who has cut bipartisan deals in the past, will have to showcase those deal-cutting bonafides while keeping at bay restless liberals.” ## Leahy Sent Home From Hospital After Falling Ill. The AP (1/26) reports Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) “was taken to a hospital Tuesday evening after not feeling well and later sent home after tests, a spokesman said, hours after the 80-year-old Democrat began presiding over the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.” The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, who had “been in his Capitol office, was taken to George Washington University Hospital ‘out of an abundance of caution’ after being examined by Congress’ attending physician,” a spokesman said. The New York Times (1/26, Cochrane, Gold, 20.6M) reports Leahy “has received both vaccine shots for the coronavirus, and it was unclear what his symptoms were.” The Burlington (VT) Free Press (1/26, 85K) reports Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), “who was the president pro tempore in the last Senate session as its most senior Republican, sent well wishes to his fellow octogenarian and colleague.” Politico (1/26, Emma, 6.73M) and The Hill (1/26, Axelrod, 5.69M) also report. ## All But Five GOP Senators Vote To Declare Trump Impeachment Trial Unconstitutional. Lester Holt reported on NBC Nightly NewsVi (1/26, story 4, 1:20, 6.26M), “The impeachment trial of former President Trump is moving forward, but there’s already a major new signal tonight that there are not enough votes for a conviction.” NBC’s Peter Alexander reported there was “an early blow to Democrats’ hopes of a conviction” on Tuesday, with “just five Republicans voting with them that an impeachment trial of the former president is constitutional.” Sen. Rand EFTA00148111 Paul (R-KY): “Democrats are wasting the nation’s time on a partisan vendetta against a man no longer in office. It’s almost as if they have no ability to exist except in opposition to Donald Trump.” Alexander: “Democrats firing back.” Senate Majority Leader Schumer: “It is clearly and certainly constitutional to hold a trial for a former official.” Rachel Scott said on ABC World News TonightVi (1/26, story 3, 3:10, Muir, 7.57M) that Paul “forc[ed] senators to vote on whether the trial itself is unconstitutional, since Trump is already out of office.” Paul: “This is not the trial of a president, but of a private citizen.” Scott: “Democrats and many legal experts insist the Constitution does not exempt former presidents from impeachment. ... Still, today, nearly all the Republican senators, 45 of them, voted that the trial is unconstitutional.” Kris Van Cleave said on the CBS Evening NewsVi (1/26, story 5, 0:50, O'Donnell, 4.76M), “With so many Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, moving to dismiss the trial, it makes it pretty clear Mr. Trump will be acquitted next month.” The AP (1/26, Mascaro, Jalonick) reports that “while the Republicans did not succeed in ending the trial before it began, the test vote made clear that Trump still has enormous sway over his party. … Many Republicans have criticized Trump’s role” in the January 6 Capitol “attack – before which he told his supporters to ‘fight like hell’ to overturn his defeat – but most of them have rushed to defend him in the trial.” Senate Minority Whip Thune said, “I think this was indicative of where a lot of people’s heads are.” The New York Times (1/26, Fandos, 20.6M) writes, “Senators could yet change their views. But for now, the vote signaled the likelihood that Mr. Trump would for the second time in a year be acquitted by the Senate in an impeachment trial. … It would take two thirds of senators – 67 votes – to attain a conviction, meaning 17 Republicans would have to cross party lines to side with Democrats in finding him guilty.” USA Today (1/26, Behrmann, 12.7M) also says the vote “suggests a lack of support for convicting Trump on the charge of inciting insurrection,” while the Washington Post (1/26, DeBonis, 10.52M) says the “largely partisan vote indicated that, nearly three weeks after the Capitol attack, much of the GOP anger over Trump’s actions immediately before and during the siege has faded.” The Los Angeles Times (1/26, 3.37M) reports Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Pat Toomey (R-PA) “joined Democrats against the Paul measure. … Though many more GOP lawmakers have condemned Trump’s actions in inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the party has largely coalesced around the idea that an impeachment trial of a former president is unconstitutional.” Politico (1/26, Desiderio, Everett, 6.73M) says that view “has been strongly challenged by legal scholars across the political spectrum.” Roll Call (1/26, McPherson, 130K) reports Collins said after the vote, “It’s pretty obvious from the vote today that it is extraordinarily unlikely that [Trump] will be convicted. Just do the math.” Axios (1/26, Treene, 1.26M) reports Collins and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) “are privately pitching their colleagues on a bipartisan resolution censuring former President Trump,” according to “three sources familiar with the discussions.” Chief of Staff Klain said on CNNVi (1/26, 2.74M), "The reality is that the Senate has to do its constitutional duty. It has to hold this trial. Our focus...is on how we can get work done around that." ## INTERNATIONAL NEWS ## US May Not Enforce Self-Quarantine Requirement For International Travelers. The Washington Post (1/26, McMahon, 10.52M) reports under a “new Biden administration executive order that took effect Tuesday, the United States now requires all international entrants” to “secure a negative coronavirus test result,” and “to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to self-quarantine for at least seven days.” The Post adds that EFTA00148112 "it remains unclear how a self-quarantine would be enforced, and the CDC said in an email Monday that it will not enforce its guidelines for quarantine as a rule." ## EU Says It Expects Drug Companies To Live Up To Vaccine Obligations. The AP (1/26, Casert) reports that on Tuesday, the EU “warned pharmaceutical companies that have developed coronavirus vaccines with EU aid that it must get its shots on schedule, a day after the bloc threatened to impose export controls on vaccines produced within its borders.” According to the AP, the EU “made it very clear that it is bent on getting all doses as quickly as their contracts provide for at a time when infections are surging, many hospitals are overwhelmed, and many of the 27 members states are struggling to get their vaccine rollout going at top speed.” The AP says “the hardening of its position came days after it accused AstraZeneca of failing to guarantee the delivery of coronavirus vaccines without a valid explanation. It also had expressed displeasure over vaccine delivery delays from Pfizer-BioNTech.” The Washington Post (1/26, Cunningham, Morris, 10.52M) reports, “The European Union on Tuesday stepped up pressure on pharmaceutical companies it says have hobbled coronavirus vaccine rollouts, proposing tighter export controls and threatening potential legal action” towards AstraZeneca, “which said last week that it would supply ‘considerably fewer’ doses of its coronavirus vaccine to E.U. member states than originally planned.” Also on Tuesday, “Germany’s health minister said he supported restricting vaccine exports to ensure doses reserved for E.U. member states remain in the bloc.” ## European Public Upset Over COVID Restrictions. The CBS Evening NewsVi (1/26, story 7, 1:45, O'Donnell, 4.76M) reported, “Anger is rising in Europe as governments impose new COVID restrictions and vaccines are in short supply.” CBS’ Charlie D’Agata added, “Strict new lockdown measures triggered a backlash of violence that spread across the Netherlands for three nights running. Anger at a nighttime curfew drawing rioters on the streets. Countries across Europe resorting to extreme measures to stem the spread of a mutant variant of the virus first identified in the UK.” The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports there have been riots for three nights in Dutch cities over COVID restrictions including the new curfews. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte denounced the rioters and defended the regulations. ## UK Is Smallest Nation To Pass 100K COVID Deaths. The AP (1/26) reports the UK is now "the smallest nation to pass the 100,000 mark" in COVID deaths, and "has one of the highest death tolls relative to its population." The AP reports on the grief being felt by many UK residents. The New York Times (1/26, Landler, Castle, 20.6M) reports, “Britain on Tuesday surpassed 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus,” which, it says, “laid bare the missteps in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s handling of the pandemic.” ## Italian PM’s Resignation Raises Concerns About Pandemic Response. The New York Times (1/26, 20.6M) reports that Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte “resigned on Tuesday and triggered the collapse of the government.” The Times adds, “The question is whether a government collapse in a country that has had more than 65 governments in the last 70-odd years actually matters when it comes to running the Covid response.” ## Venezuela’s Maduro Touts COVID Treatment. The AP (1/26, Rueda, Smith) reports Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro “appears to be counting on yet another ‘miracle’ to save his citizens from COVID-19, promoting a secretive solution with no published scientific evidence he claims will conquer the new coronavirus.” On Sunday in a TV appearance, Maduro touted “a powerful antiviral, very powerful, that neutralizes EFTA00148113 the coronavirus.” The AP adds, “The local National Academy of Medicine said it appeared be derived from the common herb thyme.” Maduro called the treatment “carvativir” and said that it “has been under testing for nine months among Venezuelans ill with the coronavirus.” ## NYTimes Analysis: Pandemic Shows Costs Of Inequality In Hong Kong. The New York Times (1/26, Wang, May, Fei, 20.6M) reports, “Hong Kong has long been one of the most unequal places on Earth,” and “during the coronavirus pandemic, its cost has become unmistakable.” The Times adds, “Officials suggested that the dilapidated living conditions of many residents...fueled the virus’s spread.” The Times also reports that “the pandemic has exacerbated longstanding discrimination against South Asian residents.” ## Epidemiologist Argues US Needs To Help Poorer Countries Acquire Vaccine. NBC Nightly NewsVi (1/26, story 9, 3:10, Holt, McFadden, 6.26M) reported, “Even with a vaccine struggle here at home, experts warn the US has to do more outside its borders because if people in other countries are not vaccinated, the pandemic could drag on for years.” NBC’s Cynthia McFadden added that epidemiologist Larry Brilliant “says the United States has a critical role to play in helping the world access the vaccine.” NBC also reported, “Canada has already pre-ordered enough vaccine to inoculate every citizen nearly six times, and the US has enough purchase options to vaccinate everyone nearly five times, leaving much of the world scrambling.” ## Kerry Plans For US To Resume Leadership Role Against Climate Change. The AP (1/26, Knickmeyer) reports climate envoy John Kerry “is talking the U.S. back into a leading role in global climate action, making clear the nation isn’t just revving up its own efforts to reduce oil, gas and coal pollution but that it intends to push everyone in the world to do more, too.” According to the AP, “Kerry’s diplomatic efforts match the fast pace of domestic climate directives by the week-old Biden administration, which created the job Kerry now holds.” However, the AP adds Kerry faces domestic “pushback from the oil and gas industry” and there is international “uncertainty about whether Biden’s climate commitments can survive the United States’ intensely divided politics, let alone the next presidential transition,” but “environmentalists are pushing him to be aggressive – even demonstrating outside his house on his first full day on the job.” ## Biden Administration To Review Sanctions On ICC Officials. Reuters (1/26, Lewis) reports a State Department spokesman on Tuesday announced the Biden Administration “will ‘thoroughly review’ U.S. sanctions on International Criminal Court officials imposed over investigations into U.S forces in Afghanistan.” Reuters says the Trump Administration last year “accused the Hague-based tribunal of infringing on U.S. national sovereignty when it authorized an investigation into war crimes committed by Afghan forces, the Taliban or U.S. troops.” ## Beijing Announces South China Sea Drills In Wake Of US Carrier Group’s Entry. Reuters (1/26) reports that on Tuesday, the Chinese government “said...it will conduct military exercises in the South China Sea this week, just days after Beijing bristled at a U.S. aircraft carrier group’s entry into the disputed waters.” According to Reuters, “A U.S. carrier group led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt entered the South China Sea on Saturday to promote ‘freedom of the seas,’ the U.S. military said, days after Joe Biden began his term as president.” Reuters says “the U.S. military has steadily increased its activities there in recent years as China asserts its territorial claims in the area in conflict with neighbouring countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan.” Taiwanese Jets Demonstrate Readiness To Repel Chinese Attack. Reuters (1/26, Lee) reports, "Armed and ready to go, Taiwan air force jets screamed into the sky on Tuesday in EFTA00148114 a drill to simulate a war scenario, showing its fleet’s battle readiness after dozens of Chinese warplanes flew into the island’s air defence zone over the weekend.” Reuters says Taiwan “has been on edge since the large-scale incursion by Chinese fighters and nuclear-capable bombers into the southwestern part of its air defence identification zone on Saturday and Sunday, which coincided with a U.S. carrier group entering the South China Sea.” Reuters goes on to report that the government of China “has provided no public explanation for what its aircraft were doing at the weekend.” Reuters says the Biden Administration “responded by calling on China to cease pressuring Taiwan and reaffirming its commitment to the democratic island.” Merkel Rejects Biden’s Call For Anti-China Coalition. Under the headline “Merkel Sides With Xi On Avoiding Cold War Blocs,” Politico Europe (1/26, 15K) reports that on Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel “rejected calls for Europe to pick sides between the U.S. and China, in a nod to the plea made by Chinese President Xi Jinping a day earlier.” Politico says the Biden Administration is “looking to group together democracies to contain China,” but Merkel was “pointedly wary about the formation of factions.” Speaking to the World Economic Forum, Merkel said, “I would very much wish to avoid the building of blocs. I don’t think it would do justice to many societies if we were to say this is the United States and over there is China and we are grouping around either the one or the other. … The Chinese president spoke yesterday, and he and I agree on that. We see a need for multilateralism.” ## New Delhi Farmers Protest Turns Violent. The New York Times (1/26, Mashal, Schmall, Kumar, 20.6M) reports, “Thousands of protesting farmers poured into New Delhi on Tuesday, using their tractors to pull apart barricades and challenging government forces who fired tear gas, blocked internet access and charged demonstrators with bamboo sticks to bring some order to a capital that felt under siege.” The demonstration, which has resulted in at least one death, “was the most violent escalation in two months of general peaceful protests that have tested the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in unprecedented ways.” ## Biden And Putin Discuss Extending Last Remaining Nuclear Arms Deal. Reuters (1/26, Hunnicutt, Holland) reports President Biden on Tuesday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin “for the first time since taking office and raised concerns about Russian activities including the treatment of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki “announced the phone call between the two leaders at her daily briefing,” and she revealed topics “included Biden’s proposal to extend the New START nuclear arms treaty with Russia for five years and ‘strong [US] support for Ukraine sovereignty’ in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.” In addition, Biden “also voiced concern about the massive Solar Winds cyber hack blamed on Russia and reports that Russians offered bounties to Taliban insurgents for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan.” The Washington Post (1/26, Wagner, Itkowitz, Sonmez, 10.52M) reports the Kremlin “had a slightly different readout of the call” than the White House, “saying in a statement that the two leaders had discussed...cooperation on the coronavirus pandemic, trade and economic matters.” According to the Post, “The Kremlin mentioned ‘the Ukraine domestic settlement’ but none of the hot-button issues listed by the White House. It said the two leaders discussed President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Open Skies agreement and the preservation of the Iran nuclear deal.” USA Today (1/26, Shesgreen, 12.7M) says Biden and Putin “have a long history of engagement – much of it frosty,” while CNN (1/26, Liptak, 89.21M) reports on its website that the call “amounted to Biden’s opening bid at diplomacy with one of his chief adversaries, whom he has met previously but not dealt with as an equal.” The New York Times (1/26, Troianovski, 20.6M) characterizes the call as "the opening act of what promises to be a deeply adversarial relationship between the two leaders, and most likely the sharpest turn in American foreign policy since...Trump left office one week ago." On EFTA00148115 ABC World News Tonight Vi (1/26, story 6, 1:40, 7.57M), David Muir concurred that the call "signal[s] a very different tone than what we saw with...Trump." Fox News (1/26, McFall, 23.99M) reports on its website that Biden had “accused his predecessor of being weak on Russia, calling Trump ‘Putin’s puppy’ during the first presidential debate last year, criticizing him for not taking decisive action after reports surfaced regarding bounties placed on American soldiers in Afghanistan.” Fox News adds that Biden also confirmed the US stance “on supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, condemned the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny.” According to Politico (1/26, Leonard, 6.73M), “Biden’s agenda for his call with Putin struck a decidedly different tone than...Trump, who was the subject of significant criticism for his relatively soft rhetoric toward Russia, especially relative to his broader America-first approach to foreign policy.” On the CBS Evening NewsVi (1/26, story 2, 1:40, O'Donnell, 4.76M), Nancy Cordes said the discussion of “Russian hacking and interference in the 2020 election” were “the kind of topics Mr. Trump was often reluctant to discuss with his Russian counterpart.” Reuters (1/26, Gardner, Hunnicutt) reports Psaki “said on Tuesday that...Biden continues to believe the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline is a bad deal for Europe,” and “the Biden administration will be reviewing measures, which have been taken to date relating to the pipeline.” However, the AP (1/26, Lemire) says Biden and Putin "on a positive note...agreed to have their teams work urgently to complete an extension of New START, the last remaining U.S.-Russian arms control treaty, before it expires next month." According to the AP, Biden has "looked to establish a break from the warm rhetoric often displayed toward Putin by" Trump, but is also "looking to preserve room for diplomacy." Reuters (1/26, Tétrault-Farber, Hunnicutt) reports the Kremlin "said Putin and Biden "expressed satisfaction" that diplomatic notes between the two nations had been exchanged earlier on Tuesday confirming the pact would be extended and that procedures required for the pact to come into force before it expires would be completed in the coming days." The AP (1/26, Isachenkov) says the treaty, which was "signed in 2010 by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance." The AP adds that during the 2020 campaign, Biden "indicated...he favored the preservation of the New START treaty, which was negotiated during his tenure as U.S. vice president." Citing “US officials,” the AP (1/26) reports that the Russian government “reached out last week to request the call.” The AP says Biden “agreed but wanted first to prepare with his staff and speak with European allies, including the leaders of Britain, France and Germany.” Bloomberg (1/26, Parker, Wadhams, 3.57M) says that although the call “took place before Biden has spoken with leaders of several allied nations, underscoring the importance that he attaches to confronting the challenge from Russia,” Biden on Tuesday also spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg “in another signal aimed at showing U.S. unity with its allies against Russia,” and they “discussed `dealing with a more assertive Russia,’ the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said in a statement.” The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Thomas, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. Navalny Ally Pledges To Continue To Seek Release. The AP (1/26, Litvinova) reports Lyubov Sobol, “a top ally of Alexei Navalny,” on Tuesday “vowed...to keep up the fight to free the jailed Russian opposition leader and his battle to influence this year’s parliamentary election despite a government crackdown on nationwide protests and its attempts to create a climate of fear.” The AP adds Sobol, a “lawyer and politician,” told reporters that Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption “and his team’s regional offices will continue to operate even amid the ‘arrests of our followers and allies, open criminal probes (and) criminal probes that are yet to come.’” Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal (1/26, Grove, Kantchev, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) says the protests over Navalny’s arrest appear to be coalescing into a broader opposition movement against the Russian government. EFTA00148116 ## Administration Restores Relations With Palestinians. The AP (1/26, Lederer) reports that on Tuesday, the Biden Administration “announced...it was restoring relations with the Palestinians and renewing aid to Palestinian refugees, a reversal of the Trump administration’s cutoff and a key element of its new support for a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.” The AP says Acting US Ambassador to the UN Mills “made the announcement of Biden’s approach to a high-level Security Council meeting, saying the new U.S. administration believes this ‘remains the best way to ensure Israel’s future as a democratic and Jewish state while upholding the Palestinians’ legitimate aspirations for a state of their own and to live with dignity and security.” Bloomberg (1/26, 3.57M) quotes Mills as saying, “President Biden has been clear in his intent to restore US assistance programs that support economic development and humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people, and to take steps to reopen diplomatic missions that were closed by the last US Administration.” According to Bloomberg, at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Mills “said the U.S. will emphasize humanitarian issues, especially in Gaza, and seek to create the atmosphere needed for eventual peace talks, even as he conceded that Israel and the Palestinian leadership remain far apart for any immediate progress to be made.” Reuters (1/26) reports that also on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki indicated that Biden “believes a two-state solution is the only way forward for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.” However, the New York Times (1/26, Crowley, 20.6M) reports analysts “and regional leaders say the prospects of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement are dimmer than they have been in decades.” According to the Times, “The parties have all but ceased communications, Palestinian leaders summarily rejected a peace plan offered by the Trump White House last year, and the issue is not among Mr. Biden’s top foreign policy priorities.” ## Austin Planning To Review Trump’s Withdrawal Of Troops From Afghanistan, Iraq. The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Lubold, Youssef, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports Defense Secretary Austin will review former President Trump’s decision to withdraw more than 3,000 US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq prior to leaving office, according to defense officials. However, Austin’s spokesman, John Kirby, “said officials hadn’t yet made a formal decision to review troop levels in either country.” ## Yemenis Submit Petition Seeking Redress For US Drone Strikes. The Washington Post (1/26, Ryan, Mekhennet, 10.52M) reports the families of at least 34 Yemenis “alleged to have been killed in American military actions have asked an international human rights body to determine whether the deaths were unlawful, in a case that could draw attention to the human cost of overseas counterterrorism campaigns.” Per the Post, “The petition, the first of its kind to be submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, asserts that six drone strikes and one Special Operations raid targeting Yemen’s al-Bayda governorate during the Obama and Trump administrations inflicted catastrophic damage on two families.” The Post adds the filing “provides new visibility into a counterterrorism campaign that has mostly been shrouded in secrecy, as American military and intelligence officials conduct an extended effort against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and other militant threats.” ## THE BIG PICTURE ## Headlines From Today's Front Pages. ## Wall Street Journal: Microsoft Earnings Jump On Pandemic-Driven Cloud, Videogame Demand EFTA00148117
Most Republican Senators Reject Constitutionality Of Trump Impeachment
Administration To Buy Enough Doses To Vaccinate Most Americans By End Of Summer
Walgreens Poaches Starbucks Executive Rosalind Brewer For CEO
200 Lemons, 30 Bananas: Online Shoppers Accidentally Buy Too Much
New Playbook For Covid-19 Protection Emerges After Year Of Study, Missteps
## New York Times:
Republicans Rally Against Impeachment Trial, Signaling Likely Acquittal For Trump
Capitol Police Detail Failures During Pro-Trump Assault
‘Solidarity Is Failing’: EU And UK Fight Over Scarce Vaccines
The Battle Lines Are Forming In Biden’s Climate Push
Proud Boys Under Growing Scrutiny In Capitol Riot Investigation
Biden Pledges To Speed Flow Of Vaccines To The States
## Washington Post:
Senate Signals Trump Acquittal
US Near Securing Millions Of Doses
Shots Don’t Deliver Open Schools
Biden Signs Orders Seeking To Boost Racial Equity
Editor Who Led Post’s Expansion Is Set To Retire
Before Riot, DC Guard Leader’s Powers Diluted
## Financial Times:
Companies Raise $400BN Over Three Weeks In Blistering Start To 2021
Apple Set To Post $100BN-Revenue Quarter After Strong Christmas
Germany Presses EU For Powers To Block Vaccine Exports
## Washington Times:
Trump's Post-Presidency Clout Puts Republicans On Notice, Democrats On High Alert
Biden Tackles 'Racial Equity' Agenda By Ending Federal Contracts With Private Prisons
Biden's Goal To Reopen Schools In First 100 Days Opposed By Powerful Ally Of Democrats
Senate Republicans Signal Acquittal Looming For Trump
Declassified US Intelligence Bolsters Wuhan Lab Theory In Coronavirus Outbreak
## Story Lineup From Last Night’s Network News: ABC: Vaccine Distribution; COVID-Schools; Impeachment; Alabama-Tornado; Severe Weather; Biden-Agenda; Vaccine Fraud; Capitol Police Chief Apology; FDA-Hand Sanitizers; Wyoming-Brother Protects Sister From Dog.
CBS: Vaccine Distribution; Biden-Agenda; COVID; Capitol Police Chief Apology; Impeachment; Alabama-Tornado; Europe-COVID; CBS Executives On Leave; Army-Cultural Sensitivity; Florida-Great White Shark Sighting; Minnesota-Teacher Battling Cancer Teaches Every Day.
NBC: Vaccine Distribution; COVID Variants; COVID-Schools; Impeachment; Biden-Agenda; Alabama-Tornado; Severe Weather; COVID-Restaurants; Worldwide Vaccine Distribution; Global Herd Immunity; Chicago-Woman Runs Own Food Pantry.
## Network TV At A Glance:
Vaccine Distribution-11 minutes,30 seconds
Impeachment-5 minutes,20 seconds
Biden-Agenda-4 minutes,45 seconds
## WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE EFTA00148118 ## Today's Events In Washington. ## White House: - President Biden — No public schedule released. - Vice President Harris — No public schedule released. ## US Senate: - Senate committee considers energy secretary nominee – Nominations hearing considers Jennifer Granholm to be Secretary of Energy Location: Rm 106, Dirksen Senate Office Bldg, Washington, DC; 9:30 AM - Senate committee votes on transportation secretary nominee – Executive Session, to consider the nomination of Pete Buttigieg to be Secretary of Transportation Location: Rm 325, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington. DC: 10:00 AM - Senate Foreign Relations Committee considers U.S. ambassador to the U.N. nominee – Hybrid nominations hearing considers Linda Thomas-Greenfield to be U.S. Representative to the United Nations with the rank and status of ambassador, and the U.S. Representative in the U.N. Security Council and the U.S. Representative to the sessions of the U.N. General Assembly during her tenure of service * Held in Rm G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building and via videoconference; 10:00 AM - Closed Briefing: Intelligence Matters Location: CVC 217, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Washington, DC; 2:00 PM - Senate Veterans Affairs Committee organizational meeting – Business Meeting, with agenda including ‘The Committee Rules for the 117th Congress’ and ‘A resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee for the 117th Congress’ Location: Rm 106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 3:00 PM • Senate committee considers VA secretary nominee – Nominations hearing considers Denis McDonough to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs Location: Rm 106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 3:01 PM ## US House: - No votes scheduled in the House of Representatives ## Cabinet Officers: • No public schedules released. Visitors: • No visitors scheduled. ## General Events:
• State of the Net Conference continues(virtual) – State of the Net Conference-Internet Policy in Transition continues.Day two speakers include Democrats Sen.Amy Klobuchar and Rep.Katie Porter,and NCTA-The Internet&Television Association President and CEO Michael Powell;11:00 AM
- Economic Club of Washington, DC, hosts panels on the Capitol Hill attack and COVID-19 (virtual) – Economic Club of Washington, DC, hosts online Congressional Panel, with Economic Club President David Rubenstein interviewing Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell and Republican Rep. Tom Reed on the 6 Jan attack on the U.S. Capitol, the current political environment, potential reforms to security measures, and the way forward to national unity (11:45 AM EST) * Followed by Medical Panel, with Kaiser Permanente Markets Outside California Group President and Executive Vice President Kimberly Horn, Inova Health System President and CEO J. Stephen Jones, and MedStar Health President and CEO Kenneth Samet discussing the current surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, including an update on area hospitals and the plan for vaccine allocation and distribution (12:20 PM EST); 11:45 AM EFTA00148119 • Brookings Institution and Mount Vernon host ‘Leadership for a More Perfect Union’ conference (virtual) – ‘Leadership for a More Perfect Union’ online conference hosted by the Brookings Institution and Mount Vernon, with speakers including Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, Microsoft President Brad Smith, Wilson Center President Jane Harman, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in conversation with Brookings Institution President Gen. (Ret.) John Allen, Mount Vernon President and CEO Douglas Bradburn, and The Carylyle Group co-founder and co-Executive Chairman David Rubenstein; 12:00 PM - Axios hosts discussion on ‘Global Data-Driven Change’ (virtual) – Axios hosts ‘Global Data-Driven Change’ virtual event, on the social impact of Big Data and how it can help solve some of the biggest equity issues across the economy and society. Speakers include Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke, Shift7 founder and CEO Megan Smith, and Intel Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer Sandra Rivera; 12:30 PM
• POLITICO Live discussion on `Space Policy in the Biden Era'(virtual) - `Ready to Launch- Space Policy in the Biden Era' POLITICO Live virtual event, on space policy and national security in the Biden era, with Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper, American Foreign Policy Council Defense Studies Senior Fellow Peter Garretson, and Secure World Foundation Washington Office Director Victoria Samson; 1:00 PM
• Interest rate decision – Federal Open Market Committee decision on interest rates, following two-day meeting and followed by press briefing with Chair Jerome Powell Location: Federal Reserve, 1801 K St NW, Washington, DC; 2:00 PM - Court hearing for man arrested near U.S. Capitol allegedly possessing a truckload of weapons – Status conference for Lonnie Leroy Coffman, charged with possession of an unregistered firearm; carrying a pistol without a license; carrying a rifle or shotgun; possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device; and unlawful possession of ammunition, after U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) responded to reports of possible explosive devices in the U.S. Capitol area during the 6 Jan attack * While conducting a protective sweep of the area, USCP officers observed what appears to be a firearm in Coffman’s vehicle. Prosecutors allege that the truck held components for 11 explosive devices, guns, smoke devices, and machetes, along with a note containing information about a Member of Congress * Held via teleconference before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly * Case no. 1:21-cr-00004; 3:00 PM Copyright 2021 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. Content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, radio broadcasts, social-media platforms and additional forms of open-source data. Sources for Bulletin Intelligence audience-size estimates include Scarborough, GfK MRI, comScore, Nielsen, and the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Data from and access to third party social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others, is subject to the respective platform’s terms of use. Services that include Factiva content are governed by Factiva’s terms of use. Services including embedded Tweets are also subject to Twitter for Website's information and privacy policies. The FBI News Briefing is published five days a week by Bulletin Intelligence, which creates custom briefings for EFTA00148120 government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinIntelligence.com, or called at (703) 483-6100. EFTA00148121