The Biden administration sees a path to a deal in the Vienna nuclear talks, but Iran must make “tough political decisions now” or face an escalating crisis, a senior State Department official told reporters Monday.
Why it matters: The comments are another sign that the Biden administration is somewhat optimistic as nuclear negotiations in Vienna get closer to a decision point. Last week, White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk said the U.S. and Iran are “in the ballpark” of a possible deal.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised COVID-19 travel advisories to their highest levels for a dozen countries on Monday due to spikes in COVID-19 cases at those destinations.
Why it matters: The highly contagious Omicron variant continues to drive surges in COVID-19 cases around the world.
President Biden announced Monday he will inform Congress of his intention to designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally "to reflect the importance of our relationship."
Why it matters: The designation "provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation," according to the State Department, and will entitle Qatar to a special status shared by just 16 other countries.
In a tense UN Security Council meeting on Monday, the Russian and U.S. ambassadors traded barbs over Ukraine, with Russia accusing Washington of "whipping up" tensions and the U.S. warning of an "urgent and dangerous" situation.
Why it matters: Monday's meeting, held at the request of the U.S., was the first open Security Council session on the recent crisis. Western leaders have warned of an imminent Russian invasion, pointing to intelligence and the estimated 100,000 troops they say Moscow has amassed on Ukraine's borders.
VC firm 468 Capital has raised $400 million for its second seed-stage fund focused on European startups, and American ones with a connection to Europe.
Why it matters: The past year has been a record year for the European startup market, even attracting unprecedented levels of American venture capital.
The lockdown-defying parties at U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Downing Street residence represented a "serious failure" to observe the standards expected of government officials, according to the long-awaited initial findings of an investigation out Monday.
The big picture: "Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the Government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify," the report states.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that he is "feeling fine" after testing positive for COVID-19.
The big picture: Trudeau, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, tweeted that he tested positive Monday morning and will continue to work remotely this week. "Everyone, please get vaccinated and get boosted," he said.
Trudeau had been in isolation over the weekend after one of his children tested positive for the virus last week, per CBC.
Foreign journalists and news outlets are "facing unprecedented hurdles covering China" as the country's government steps up "excessive intimidation" efforts, according to a report published Sunday night.
Why it matters: As global outlets prepare to cover the Beijing Winter Olympics, which begin Friday, 99% of foreign journalists surveyed by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China reported conditions that did not meet international standards and 62% said they were "obstructed at least once by police or other officials," per the report.
North Korean state media announced its military launched a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile into the sea Sunday — which the Japanese and South Korean militaries estimated reached a maximum altitude of roughly 1,200 miles and traveled nearly 500 miles.
Why it matters: The seventh missile test that North Korea's military has conducted this month marks the first time a "nuclear-capable missile" that size with such a large range has launched since 2017, per Reuters.
Hundreds of people gathered in the city of Derry in Northern Ireland on Sunday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the killing of 13 unarmed Catholic civil rights marchers by British soldiers, the Guardian reported.
Why it matters: Known as "Bloody Sunday," it marked one of the deadliest days of the nearly three decades of violence between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland.
Beijing officials announced Sunday that they have sealed off several residential areas where two COVID-19 cases were detected, AP reported.
Why it matters: Government officials have urged local districts to maintain "full emergency mode" as coronavirus cases continue to be detected in the run-up to the opening of the Beijing Games on Friday.
Migrants from South American countries, Cuba and Haiti — as well as more distant nations like Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and India — drove an uptick in traffic at the U.S.-Mexico border last month.
Why it matters: For years, most migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border have come from Mexico or the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. But last month, they were outnumbered by those making an even longer and more complicated trek to the United States.
Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova sought to minimize reports of tensions between Washington and Kyiv and batted away suggestions that her government is "downplaying the risk" of a Russian invasion during an appearance Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation."
Why it matters: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's rhetoric on the possibility of a Russian invasion has contrasted starkly at times with that of the U.S. and other allies.
President Biden issued a statement on Sunday stressing that the Taliban must release U.S. Navy veteran Mark Frerichs, who was kidnapped in Afghanistan two years ago, "before it can expect any consideration of its aspirations for legitimacy."
Why it matters: Frerichs, a civil engineering contractor who had been working in Kabul for a decade before his disappearance, is the last American known to be held hostage in Afghanistan.
The United Nations Security Council will be "unified" on Monday "in calling for the Russians to explain themselves," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told ABC's "This Week."
Why it matters: The meeting, called by the United States and which is expected to be broadcast live on Monday, will be "one more opportunity to find a diplomatic way out for the Russians," the ambassador said.
If Russia invades Ukraine, the Biden administration will consider sanctions and other economic consequences "the likes of which we have not looked at before," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said on Sunday.
Why it matters: Kirby's comments come as the leading Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee announced progress on a major congressional sanctions package.
By the numbers: Between 2015 and 2020, the world never saw more than two successful coup attempts in a year. But there have now been eight coups in the past 12 months — most recently in Burkina Faso, where soldiers seized power last Monday.
