1 Pentagon Puts Nearly 10k Troops On Alert Over Russia/Ukraine
The Pentagon is ordering a state of heightened military readiness due to the growing threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. To that end, 85-hundred U.S.-based troops have been put on standby. At last check, there are about 100-thousand Russian troops amassed along the Ukrainian border. Spokesman John Kirby said the NATO alliance, including the U.S., can rapidly deploy forces if NATO interests are jeopardized. Ukraine is not a member of NATO – and Russia’s been fighting to keep the country out of NATO. "I want to reinforce that as of now, the decision has been made to put these units on higher alert and higher alert only," said Kirby. "No decisions have been made to deploy forces from the United States at this time." Of course, President Biden has the final decision on whether to deploy additional U.S. forces to Eastern Europe and the Baltic region. While White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has noted U.S. forces have had a presence in the region for decades, Kirby maintains there are no plans to insert combat troops there.
2 COVID Cases Now Only Rising In 19 States
More than half the nation is finally turning the corner in this latest COVID surge. New federal data shows cases falling or leveling off in 31 states and D.C. That leaves just 19 states still dealing with a rise in infections due to the omicron variant. Even places like New York – once a COVID epicenter in the country – has seen a 66% drop in just the last two weeks. Nationally, case numbers have declined to 706-thousand average cases per day from a January 15th peak of 825,000. Similarly, hospitalizations are also on a downturn. Meanwhile, more schools are making mask changes amid the COVID surge. Some in New York are telling students they don't have to cover up after a judge overturned the state mandate yesterday. The same is true in Atlanta where masks are optional as of this week in Fulton County. In Virginia, seven districts are suing over the governor allowing parents to opt out while Missouri's attorney general is trying to stop a mandate at more schools.
3 Biden Apologizes After Getting Busted On Hot Mic
President Biden has apparently made amends with Fox News reporter Peter Doocy. That’s because Mr. Biden was caught apparently calling Doocy an expletive on a hot mic during a photo op. As demonstrated in a video circulating online, reporters were calling out questions, and Doocy asked Biden about inflation as he was opening a meeting on lowering consumer prices. "It's a great asset – more inflation," Biden said half under his breath. “What a stupid son of a b***h.” Since then, Doocy appeared on his network and jokingly said "nobody has fact-checked him yet and said it's not true." But later, he reported that the President called him on his cell to apologize and added, “’It's nothing personal, pal’.”