THE WHITE HOUSE
Biden’s new plan seeks to administer 5 million free rapid COVID tests a month to K-12 schools across the nation. He considers overturning the filibuster in “defense of democracy.”
DIGITAL ASSETS
A FOIA request reveals the Trump administration’s openness towards digital currency.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Blinken has laid out clear criteria for the US’s and other allies’ reactions to increased aggression on behalf of Russia. Next up is the OSCE Permanent Council Meeting in Vienna tomorrow, January 13.
*All this and more ahead!
Good Morning DC!
Yesterday, at GB News, Ksenija Pavlovic Mcateer talked about the violation of Novak Djokovic’s legal rights at the airport and said that the tennis world champion could still be deported, despite winning his appeal. “If Australia deports him it ‘shows the world they’re the bad guys,” she said. Express carries Ksenija Pavlovic McAteer’s interview with the headline: Expulsion to undermine ‘integrity and reputation’ of Queen’s Commonwealth.
Following the questions about coronavirus testing dates and the declarations on his visa forms, Djokovic issued a statement this morning to clarify “continuing misinformation about my activities and attendance at events in December in the lead up to my positive PCR COVID test result.”
He said that he made an error in judgment deciding to go forward with the L’Equipe interview, despite knowing that he tested positive for covid at the time.
“I felt obliged to go ahead and conduct the L’Equipe interview as I didn’t want to let the journalist down, but did ensure I socially distanced and wore a mask, except when my photograph was being taken.”
Djokovic said that he went home after the interview “to isolate for the required period,” but that, “on reflection, this was an error of judgment, and I accept that I should have rescheduled this commitment.”
EXCLUSIVE: The Man in the High Castle’s Jason O’Mara sat down with The Pavlovic Today’s Ksenija Pavlovic McAteer in London to discuss his growing body of work and what fans can expect from him in the future.
Along the way, we touched on traditions of his family life and Irish roots, how the pandemic affected him, and why using his voice to encourage an active democratic society is important to him.
Click below to read the full interview!
Homecoming With Jason O’Mara
On a misty, rainy day in London, with the crackle of a mild winter in the air, Jason O’Mara was having breakfast at the Palm Court at The Langham, […]
TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Today, the Biden administration will make a big announcement regarding increased covid testing at schools. The plan is to distribute 5 million free, rapid tests to K-12 schools each month.
The First Family will attend the funeral of General Raymond Odierno, who commanded in Iraq at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. President Biden will honor Odierno with a speech.
Aside from this engagement, Biden has nothing else on his schedule for today.
Biden favors overturning the filibuster that would allow Senate Republicans to block his voting rights bill. “This is the moment to defend our democracy,” Biden said yesterday in Atlanta during his speech on voting rights.
Psaki outlined how the filibuster has been used in the Senate for 36 years. “It was used about 21 times a year on average. Last year, it was used 154 times, including 4 times to prevent us – the Senate – from moving forward and even considering and allowing a debate and a vote to happen on voting rights.”
DIGITAL ASSETS
Through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), CoinDesk has obtained a 250 page-long dossier about the Trump administration’s stance on crypto. Documents reveal that Jared Kushner was in favor of a US digital currency.
TODAY’S CRYPTO PRICES
Bitcoin (BTC):$41,036.38
Ether (ETH):$3,046.83
SOL:$136.53
LUNA: $68.59
Jack Dorsey is digging deeper into crypto and is proposing to create a legal defense fund for Bitcoin developers, a leaked email shows. The legal fund will consist of volunteers and part-time lawyers for developers to use on the basis of need at no cost
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
There has been a phone call between Secretary Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. They talked about “outcomes and next steps following the US-Russia Strategic Stability Dialogue in Geneva and in advance of the NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels.” Blinken outlined the expectation for the January 13 OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna.
“if Russia chooses the path of further conflict,” Bilnken started, the US will do the following:
- Impose enormous costs on Russia’s economy.
- Reinforce NATO’s presence in frontline Allied states.
- Increase defensive assistance to Ukraine.
The Dutch government has a new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wopke Hoekstra. Bilnken made a call yesterday to congratulate him.
Across the pond, in the U.K., in the hallways of Whitehall, people are saying that Dominic Cummings is “playing cat and mouse” with PM Boris Johnson, as the pressure mounts for the Prime Minister to come clean about breaking his own covid lockdown rules by attending parties at No.10 Downing Street. Sources are telling Good Morning DC that Cummings “can’t get over the fact that Carrie was responsible for his firing” and owns the party photos that the PM won’t be able to deny. The stakes are rising as all UK media and the public turn against Prime Minister Johnson.
And that’s a wrap for this Wednesday morning, January 12, 2022. Good Morning DC will be here tomorrow to bring you the latest first.
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INTERVIEW
Homecoming With Jason O’Mara
On a misty, rainy day in London, with the crackle of a mild winter in […]
