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1. Coronavirus
2. Congress
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgian Republican who has publicly touted dangerous and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, will be voted today on whether to get rid of her committee duties. Greene has been sued for her marginal rhetoric, but has maintained the support of House Republicans and avoided punishment. Meanwhile, some GOP members have turned their attention to Rep. Liz Cheney, insisting on her leadership role because she voted to impeach former President Trump. However, Cheney prevailed in a vote at the GOP House yesterday. It’s important not to draw false equivalence between the two: Cheney, the daughter of a former vice president, crossed party lines in a vote on impeachment; Greene promotes QAnon’s conspiracies and expressed support for the assassination of Democratic politicians.
3. Domestic extremism
The Justice Department has now filed more than 180 federal criminal cases against rioters and others related to the siege of the Capitol. Prosecutors dig into some of the history of those involved, uncovering at least one case of stolen bravery (when someone lies about military service or awards) and a New Mexico province official who said he wanted to return for the inauguration of President Biden with guns in his car. Newly-minted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the kind of domestic terrorism observed in the Capitol is “one of the biggest threats” to the US right now, echoing the findings of a 2020 Homeland Security report. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has ordered a staggered pause of operations across the US military for the next 60 days so commanders can assess the approach to extremism among their ranks.
4. Russia
The United States has renewed a major nuclear arms control treaty with Russia for the next five years. The new START treaty – all that remains that controls the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals – was set to expire tomorrow. It allows verifiable limits for Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers. Biden made renewal of the treaty a priority once he was in office, even when he launched an investigation into Russian crime ranging from the SolarWinds hack to the alleged bounties Moscow offered for the deaths of US troops in Afghanistan. The treaty is one of several delicate issues that the US will have to work on with Russia, including attempts to sanction North Korea and ensure stability in Afghanistan.
Taiwan
The US sent a guided missile destroyer through the Taiwan Strait today, marking the first time that a US warship has passed through the waterway separating China and Taiwan during Biden’s administration. Taiwan is again becoming a major foreign policy challenge for Biden. Taiwan is a self-governing island, but Beijing claims full sovereignty over it and is extremely sensitive when it comes to displaying power in the area. For example, warships are seen by Beijing as provocations that threaten stability in the region by encouraging supporters of Taiwanese independence. The Trump administration has strongly supported Taiwan, including through the sale of weapons and the dispatch of senior envoys to the region.
BREAKFAST LEAF
Record-breaking roller coaster will travel over 250 mph
Just tie us up and come back in a few hours.
Peeps will be back at Easter after a 9 month hiatus
Ah, a little sugary normalcy in these troubled times.
Archaeologists excavate Egyptian mummies with golden tongues
Put it back! This is how horror movies start!
Ford gets a patent on a transparent gas mask
But we love never having to show the bottom of our face …
Eavesdropping marmosets understand the conversations of other monkeys and assess whether they want to communicate
Today we learned that marmosets are rude.
PROFILES IN ENDURANCE
February is Black History Month, and every day we highlight black pioneers in American history. Read more here.
James Armistead Lafayette, spy, ca 1748-ca 1830
Armistead provided vital intelligence that helped defeat the British and end the Revolutionary War. Originally a slave, he worked as a double agent under Lafayette, the French general who helped the American settlers fight for their freedom (Armistead added his last name to honor him). Virginia lawmakers, after lobbying by Lafayette, gave Armistead his freedom in 1787.
TODAY’S NUMBER
125,000
That is the number of refugees that President Biden has promised to admit each year into the US. The plan is to set that limit in October to start in the next fiscal year. Until then, Biden is expected to make a mid-term increase from the current Trump administration limit, which stands at 15,000.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“I put too much faith in the assumption that it would all come back to me as ‘second nature’.”
An anonymous pilot, in a June report explaining why he or she failed to engage the critical anti-icing system. The pandemic means pilots are flying less, and many say it makes their skills rusty.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local weather forecast here >>>
AND FINALLY
You missed a spot!
This polite seal is here to remind you to keep your surfaces clean! (Click here to view.)