Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping held a face-to-face meeting in Moscow on Monday, days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the visit indicates China's support for Russia in the face of international criticism. The three-day state visit is seen as a sign of strengthening ties between the two countries, and the outcome of the visit will be closely watched.
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President Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan bill that directs the federal government to declassify intelligence related to the origins of Covid-19. The bill calls for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology and requires a report to Congress within 180 days. It is hoped that the declassified intelligence will help to resolve the debate over the source of the virus and provide more clarity on the public health response.
President Joe Biden has designated the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Southern Nevada as a national monument, protecting 506,000 acres of Nevada's Spirit Mountain and the surrounding desert. This is a major victory for the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, who have been advocating for the site for three decades, and is part of Biden's larger effort to protect the environment. The monument is one of the largest tracts of land to come under federal protection so far during Biden's presidency.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testified before the American Bankers Association on Tuesday, discussing the government's response to the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. She highlighted the Federal Reserve's new lending facility and existing discount window as effective tools for providing liquidity to the banking system, and praised the government's "decisive and forceful actions" for calming the banking crisis. Yellen also noted that the US banking system remains sound, but warned that similar action could be warranted if deposit outflows from regional banks pose the risk of contagion.
Abigail Zwerner, a first-grade teacher in Newport News, Virginia, has spoken out for the first time since she was allegedly shot by a 6-year-old student in her classroom in January. Zwerner has tried to stay positive despite the traumatic incident and hopes it will lead to more conversations about gun safety and the need for more resources to help children in need. The student and his parents have been charged with various offenses related to the incident.
Saad Ibrahim Almadi, a 72-year-old dual US-Saudi citizen, has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia after being detained for over a year for tweets critical of the government. He is currently in Riyadh under a travel ban, and it is unclear if he will be able to return to the US. Neither Saudi nor US officials have yet to confirm Almadi's release.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held informal talks in Moscow on Monday, discussing topics such as the war in Ukraine and the strengthening of ties between the two countries. Xi invited Putin to visit China later this year, and the two leaders will hold a second round of talks in the afternoon, followed by a ceremony for signing joint agreements and a state dinner. The visit has been met with skepticism from Western allies, but is seen as an important step in strengthening ties between China and Russia.
Key takeaways: The grand jury has been investigating Donald Trump since 2018, when it was revealed he had paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels shortly before…