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Read Kurt Volker's opening statement in the impeachment hearing

Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker testified Tuesday in the second public impeachment hearing of the day.

Why it matters: Volker was part of a cadre of officials who worked with Rudy Giuliani to push Ukraine to announce investigations into Trump's political rivals, but he maintains that he never believed those investigations to include Joe Biden. In one major change from his closed-door deposition, Volker said in his opening statement that EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland brought up "investigations" in a meeting with Ukrainian officials at the White House.

Read Volker's full opening statement

Go deeper

Shawna Chen
25 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Mike Pence calls Kamala Harris to offer congratulations and help

Mike Pence. Photo: Chip Somodevilla via Getty

Vice President Mike Pence called Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Thursday to congratulate her and offer assistance in the transition, the New York Times first reported.

Why it matters: The belated conversation came six days before the inauguration after a contentious post-election stretch. President Trump has neither spoken with President-elect Joe Biden, nor explicitly conceded the 2020 election.

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Marisa Fernandez
Updated 1 hour ago - Health

The coronavirus variants: What you need to know

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

New variants of the coronavirus circulating globally appear to increase transmission and are being closely monitored by scientists.

Driving the news: The highly contagious variant B.1.1.7 originally detected in the U.K. could become the dominant strain in the U.S. by March if no measures are taken to control the spread of the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

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Barak Ravid, author of from Tel Aviv
1 hour ago - World

Abbas announces first Palestinian elections in 15 years

Abbas is 85 and in the 15th year of a 4-year term. Abbas Momani/AFP via Getty

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas published a decree on Friday announcing the dates for parliamentary and presidential elections in the Palestinian Authority.

Why it matters: This is the first time in 15 years that such a decree has been published. The last presidential elections took place in 2005, with Abbas winning, and the last parliamentary elections took place in 2006, with Hamas winning.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow