Despite being impeached twice and charges of leading an insurrection on the Capitol Hill - Donald Trump still remains the favourite of republicans. More than 50% of the republican voters want him back in the White House. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how.

Gravitas: More than 50% of the Republicans will vote for Trump

Nearly a month after coming to office, President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the inauguration and reiterated the United States' support for the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world.&nbsp;

During the telephonic conversation, Biden affirmed his personal history of steadfast commitment to Israel's security and conveyed his intent to strengthen all aspects of the US-Israel partnership, including strong defence cooperation, according to an official statement issued by the White House.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-charges-three-north-korean-hackers-in-13-billion-theft-spree-364574">US charges three North Korean hackers in $1.3 billion theft spree</a>

Netanyahu was the first leader in the Middle East to get a call from Biden, according to The Jerusalem Post. During the interaction, both leaders discussed the importance of continued close consultation on regional security issues, including Iran.&nbsp;

"Biden underscored the importance of working to advance peace throughout the region, including between Israelis and Palestinians," the statement said.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bidens-us-immigration-reform-bill-to-be-unveiled-on-thursday-364547">Biden's US immigration reform bill to be unveiled on Thursday</a>

Both leaders also affirmed their shared interest in continued strategic cooperation to confront the many challenges facing the region.&nbsp;

Following the interaction, Biden tweeted, "I spoke today with Israeli PM Netanyahu and affirmed the United States' steadfast commitment to our ally Israel's security. Our teams are in constant touch to strengthen US-Israel strategic cooperation on all regional security issues, including Iran." &nbsp;

Last year on December 16, US President Donald Trump had presided over the signing ceremony at the White House to establish the foundation of the peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. &nbsp;

Nearly a month after coming to office, President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the inauguration and reiterated the United States' support for the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world.

Nearly a month after coming to office, President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the inauguration and reiterated the United States' support for the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world. During the telephonic conversation, Biden affirmed his personal history of steadfast commitment to Israel's security and conveyed his intent to strengthen all aspects of the US-Israel partnership, including strong defence cooperation, according to an official statement issued by the White House. Also Read: US charges three North Korean hackers in $1.3 billion theft spree Netanyahu was the first leader in the Middle East to get a call from Biden, according to The Jerusalem Post. During the interaction, both leaders discussed the importance of continued close consultation on regional security issues, including Iran. "Biden underscored the importance of working to advance peace throughout the region, including between Israelis and Palestinians," the statement said. Also Read: Biden's US immigration reform bill to be unveiled on Thursday Both leaders also affirmed their shared interest in continued strategic cooperation to confront the many challenges facing the region. Following the interaction, Biden tweeted, "I spoke today with Israeli PM Netanyahu and affirmed the United States' steadfast commitment to our ally Israel's security. Our teams are in constant touch to strengthen US-Israel strategic cooperation on all regional security issues, including Iran." Last year on December 16, US President Donald Trump had presided over the signing ceremony at the White House to establish the foundation of the peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Biden affirms support for normalisation of ties between Israel, Arab nations

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be speaking to his counterparts from Japan, Australia and India's part of a quad grouping today.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to hold Quad meet with members

US State Secretary Antony Blinken is holding a virtual meeting with his counterparts from Japan, Australia and India as part of the Qued grouping, This meeting is the first of the informal groups under the Joe Biden's administration.

WION Fineprint: Antony Blinken holds virtual Quad meet with Australia, India and Japan

An unusually severe winter storm is battering much of North America. Texas was hit hardest; more than 2.7 million homes and businesses remained without electricity on Tuesday.

US Snowstorm: 21 people killed across 4 states, 2.7 million Texas homes lack power

The UK, France and Germany are set to hold talks with the United States over the Iran nuclear agreement. France will be hosting these talks between the diplomats of the European powers and US State Secretary Antony Blinken.

WION Dispatch: UK, France, Germany to hold talks with US on Iran deal

The US, Japan, Australia, and India will hold virtual Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad meet. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be speaking to his counterparts as part of efforts to balance China’s growing military and economic power.

US to hold virtual Quad meet with Australia, India and Japan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the United States will pay $200 million in WHO contribution by the end of February after reversing Donald Trump's plan to withdraw. Blinken said the US would also "provide significant financial support" to Covax, a global plan to distribute vaccines to the poorest nations.

Antony Blinken says US will pay $200 million in WHO contribution

US Justice Department has charged 3 North Korean military intelligence officials over cyberattacks to steal $1.3 billion in cryptocurrency. The three, who are not in custody, are also accused of deploying malicious cryptocurrency programs.

US charges 3 North Korean hackers over $1.3 bn cryptocurrency attacks

US President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an hour-long telephonic conversation, putting an end to speculations behind the delay. Biden raised concerns in Israel about a frostier relationship between the two allies.

US President Joe Biden dials Israeli PM Netanyahu

President Joe Biden has said repeatedly that he wants to create a path to citizenship for all of the 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.

But even as he prepares to push hard for the broadest possible overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, he and his aides have started to signal openness to more targeted approaches that could win citizenship for smaller, discrete groups of immigrants living in the United States without legal permission. At a CNN town hall Tuesday, he said such efforts would be acceptable “in the meantime.”

In a private telephone call with activists Wednesday, top immigration aides to Biden said they supported what they called a “multiple trains” strategy, which could target citizenship for “Dreamers,” the young immigrants brought into the country illegally as children; farmworkers who have toiled for years in U.S. fields; and others.

Smaller bills could move forward as the president tries to build support for the broader legislation, which is scheduled to be introduced Thursday, according to two people who were on the call.

If he chooses to move step by step, Biden appears unlikely to anger the most powerful pro-immigration groups, which are embracing a more pragmatic strategy after spectacular defeats under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

For more than two decades, activists have tried and failed to secure passage of a broad overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws that would create a path to citizenship for most immigrants living in the United States without legal permission, a faster path for Dreamers, expanded visa access for highly skilled workers and a new program for seasonal agricultural laborers.

They are betting that Biden will struggle even more than his predecessors did to win support from a Republican Party that became more anti-immigrant during the Trump administration.

While the activists are willing to let Biden try for a bipartisan deal this year, they have warned that they will not wait forever.

“We want 11 million people legalized. That is our North Star,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice and a veteran of immigration wars in the nation’s capital for more than 30 years. “But we can’t come home empty-handed. We’re not going to adopt an all-or-nothing approach. We have to achieve a breakthrough.”

For those like Sharry, that is a major shift, and it could herald fierce debates over whether Democrats should use parliamentary tactics in the Senate to ram through individual immigration measures without any Republican support.

The activists are mobilizing on behalf of separate bills that would legalize Dreamers, farmworkers, immigrants granted temporary status after fleeing war and natural disasters, and “essential workers” living in the United States illegally who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Publicly, the White House is insisting that Congress should pass the president’s broad immigration overhaul. Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, said this week that Biden was pushing for comprehensive changes because “they all need to be addressed — that’s why he proposed them together.”

And the chief backers of Biden’s legislation in Congress — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Rep. Linda Sanchez of California — say abandoning the broader effort before it has even begun would be a mistake. Menendez and Sanchez are expected to reveal details about the president’s legislation Thursday morning after it is introduced in the House.

A Democratic aide familiar with the legislation said if immigration activists ask for only “half a loaf,” they should not be surprised when they end up going home with just a single slice of bread.

“We have an economic and moral imperative to pass big, bold and inclusive immigration reform — reform that leaves no one behind,” Menendez said Wednesday evening. He criticized advocates for not being willing to fight for legislation that would eventually legalize all the country’s immigrant population.

“We must not start with concessions out of the gate. We are not going to start with 2 million undocumented people instead of 11 million,” he said. “We will never win an argument that we don’t have the courage to make. We must make our case for bold, inclusive and lasting immigration reform.”

How to successfully revamp the nation’s immigration system has for decades eluded policymakers in Washington. The last time a major immigration bill was signed into law was in 1990, when President George Bush expanded legal immigration into the United States, before an explosion of illegal crossings at the southwestern border in the following 20 years.

The surge in illegal border crossings prompted demands for increased enforcement from conservatives even as backlogs in legal immigration created a growing crisis for businesses looking for workers and for families seeking refuge in the United States from violence and disasters at home.

For nearly three decades, those in favor of immigration have argued for a single, comprehensive bill with elements that could unite Democrats and Republicans, labor unions and big businesses, security-minded conservatives and liberal immigration supporters.

Such bills — which were introduced in 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2013 — centered around a trade-off: amped-up border security and immigration law enforcement in exchange for a path to citizenship for people living in the United States without legal permission. They also included increases in the number of temporary workers allowed into the United States, more resources for processing asylum applications, new opportunities for high-skilled workers from other countries, some limits on immigration based on family ties, and protections for people living in the United States illegally who arrived as children.

But none of those efforts succeeded. Despite support from Bush, the Senate and House failed to reach a compromise in 2006, and legislation in 2007 was defeated in the Senate. In 2013, Obama secured bipartisan Senate passage of an immigration overhaul, 68-32, only to see it ignored by the Republican-controlled House. Over the past four years, some of the conservative side of the equation — border security — was secured by President Donald Trump in the form of tough restrictions on asylum-seekers and partial construction of Trump’s border wall.

Biden won the presidency in part by pledging that he would bring back bipartisanship and saying that his long-standing relationships in the Senate would help him bridge the partisan divides that have grown deeper in recent years. Psaki said the president has outlined “the tenets of what we think the proposal should look like” in the hopes of addressing the root causes of immigration problems.

But immigration advocates say the history of failure is driving a change in strategy this year.

“You’re talking about a fight that we’ve had for over three decades at this point,” said Lorella Praeli, president of Community Change Action. “I’m not interested in a dance. I’m committed to seeing this through and delivering on concrete changes.”

Praeli and other proponents praised Biden, Menendez and Sanchez for their broader bill. But they also called on the president to promise that he would also use a budgetary tool known as reconciliation to enact smaller components of the legislation even as he pushes ahead with the larger effort.

Under Senate rules, legislation that significantly affects the nation’s budget can be passed with only a majority vote, avoiding filibuster rules that require the support of 60 senators. With the current 50-50 Senate, that would give Democrats the ability to pass reconciliation bills without Republican support and with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tiebreaking vote — if they can stay united.

Immigration proponents say some more targeted efforts to legalize some immigrants living in the United State illegally would pass muster under the sometimes baffling rules of reconciliation, which are supposed to bar pure policy measures from bills that are supposed to deal with government taxation and spending. Because newly legalized residents would affect tax revenue and government benefits, the groups say immigration legislation could be tailored as budget measures.

Reconciliation is already being used to muscle through Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package, but another budget measure is expected to address infrastructure funding and climate change.

“We should be included in that package,” said Sharry of America’s Voice.

Biden’s immigration efforts face even more headwinds than those of Obama and Bush.

Many Republican senators who had been supporters of immigration — including John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona; Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee; Orrin Hatch of Utah; Dean Heller of Nevada; and others — have left the Senate. Others, like Marco Rubio of Florida and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who helped negotiate previous immigration packages, shifted right in the Trump years.

Kerri Talbot, deputy director of the Immigration Hub, said that it was clear to many of the groups that Republicans cannot be counted on to support a broad overhaul of immigration without the kind of extreme measures that Trump insisted upon during his presidency. She said that pursuing smaller, popular measures like providing legalization for Dreamers would put Republicans on the spot.

“We’re always open to having a broader discussion, but absent that, we want to move forward with pieces that can pass,” she said. “We would love to have bipartisanship. I’d love to have that conversation again. But it’s really up to Republicans.”

Praeli said she and others who have fought over immigration for years believed it was time to “put the ‘W’s’ on the board” by granting a path to citizenship to as many people as they can.

“We’re in a different moment,” said Praeli, who became a citizen in 2015 after living in the United States for years without legal permission following her arrival as a small child. “We can see that Trump is no longer here, but Trumpism did not go away.”

President Joe Biden has said repeatedly that he wants to create a path to citizenship for all of the 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.

President Joe Biden has said repeatedly that he wants to create a path to citizenship for all of the 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally. But even as he prepares to push hard for the broadest possible overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, he and his aides have started to signal openness to more targeted approaches that could win citizenship for smaller, discrete groups of immigrants living in the United States without legal permission. At a CNN town hall Tuesday, he said such efforts would be acceptable “in the meantime.” In a private telephone call with activists Wednesday, top immigration aides to Biden said they supported what they called a “multiple trains” strategy, which could target citizenship for “Dreamers,” the young immigrants brought into the country illegally as children; farmworkers who have toiled for years in U.S. fields; and others. Smaller bills could move forward as the president tries to build support for the broader legislation, which is scheduled to be introduced Thursday, according to two people who were on the call. If he chooses to move step by step, Biden appears unlikely to anger the most powerful pro-immigration groups, which are embracing a more pragmatic strategy after spectacular defeats under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. For more than two decades, activists have tried and failed to secure passage of a broad overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws that would create a path to citizenship for most immigrants living in the United States without legal permission, a faster path for Dreamers, expanded visa access for highly skilled workers and a new program for seasonal agricultural laborers. They are betting that Biden will struggle even more than his predecessors did to win support from a Republican Party that became more anti-immigrant during the Trump administration. While the activists are willing to let Biden try for a bipartisan deal this year, they have warned that they will not wait forever. “We want 11 million people legalized. That is our North Star,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice and a veteran of immigration wars in the nation’s capital for more than 30 years. “But we can’t come home empty-handed. We’re not going to adopt an all-or-nothing approach. We have to achieve a breakthrough.” For those like Sharry, that is a major shift, and it could herald fierce debates over whether Democrats should use parliamentary tactics in the Senate to ram through individual immigration measures without any Republican support. The activists are mobilizing on behalf of separate bills that would legalize Dreamers, farmworkers, immigrants granted temporary status after fleeing war and natural disasters, and “essential workers” living in the United States illegally who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Publicly, the White House is insisting that Congress should pass the president’s broad immigration overhaul. Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, said this week that Biden was pushing for comprehensive changes because “they all need to be addressed — that’s why he proposed them together.” And the chief backers of Biden’s legislation in Congress — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Rep. Linda Sanchez of California — say abandoning the broader effort before it has even begun would be a mistake. Menendez and Sanchez are expected to reveal details about the president’s legislation Thursday morning after it is introduced in the House. A Democratic aide familiar with the legislation said if immigration activists ask for only “half a loaf,” they should not be surprised when they end up going home with just a single slice of bread. “We have an economic and moral imperative to pass big, bold and inclusive immigration reform — reform that leaves no one behind,” Menendez said Wednesday evening. He criticized advocates for not being willing to fight for legislation that would eventually legalize all the country’s immigrant population. “We must not start with concessions out of the gate. We are not going to start with 2 million undocumented people instead of 11 million,” he said. “We will never win an argument that we don’t have the courage to make. We must make our case for bold, inclusive and lasting immigration reform.” How to successfully revamp the nation’s immigration system has for decades eluded policymakers in Washington. The last time a major immigration bill was signed into law was in 1990, when President George Bush expanded legal immigration into the United States, before an explosion of illegal crossings at the southwestern border in the following 20 years. The surge in illegal border crossings prompted demands for increased enforcement from conservatives even as backlogs in legal immigration created a growing crisis for businesses looking for workers and for families seeking refuge in the United States from violence and disasters at home. For nearly three decades, those in favor of immigration have argued for a single, comprehensive bill with elements that could unite Democrats and Republicans, labor unions and big businesses, security-minded conservatives and liberal immigration supporters. Such bills — which were introduced in 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2013 — centered around a trade-off: amped-up border security and immigration law enforcement in exchange for a path to citizenship for people living in the United States without legal permission. They also included increases in the number of temporary workers allowed into the United States, more resources for processing asylum applications, new opportunities for high-skilled workers from other countries, some limits on immigration based on family ties, and protections for people living in the United States illegally who arrived as children. But none of those efforts succeeded. Despite support from Bush, the Senate and House failed to reach a compromise in 2006, and legislation in 2007 was defeated in the Senate. In 2013, Obama secured bipartisan Senate passage of an immigration overhaul, 68-32, only to see it ignored by the Republican-controlled House. Over the past four years, some of the conservative side of the equation — border security — was secured by President Donald Trump in the form of tough restrictions on asylum-seekers and partial construction of Trump’s border wall. Biden won the presidency in part by pledging that he would bring back bipartisanship and saying that his long-standing relationships in the Senate would help him bridge the partisan divides that have grown deeper in recent years. Psaki said the president has outlined “the tenets of what we think the proposal should look like” in the hopes of addressing the root causes of immigration problems. But immigration advocates say the history of failure is driving a change in strategy this year. “You’re talking about a fight that we’ve had for over three decades at this point,” said Lorella Praeli, president of Community Change Action. “I’m not interested in a dance. I’m committed to seeing this through and delivering on concrete changes.” Praeli and other proponents praised Biden, Menendez and Sanchez for their broader bill. But they also called on the president to promise that he would also use a budgetary tool known as reconciliation to enact smaller components of the legislation even as he pushes ahead with the larger effort. Under Senate rules, legislation that significantly affects the nation’s budget can be passed with only a majority vote, avoiding filibuster rules that require the support of 60 senators. With the current 50-50 Senate, that would give Democrats the ability to pass reconciliation bills without Republican support and with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tiebreaking vote — if they can stay united. Immigration proponents say some more targeted efforts to legalize some immigrants living in the United State illegally would pass muster under the sometimes baffling rules of reconciliation, which are supposed to bar pure policy measures from bills that are supposed to deal with government taxation and spending. Because newly legalized residents would affect tax revenue and government benefits, the groups say immigration legislation could be tailored as budget measures. Reconciliation is already being used to muscle through Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package, but another budget measure is expected to address infrastructure funding and climate change. “We should be included in that package,” said Sharry of America’s Voice. Biden’s immigration efforts face even more headwinds than those of Obama and Bush. Many Republican senators who had been supporters of immigration — including John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona; Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee; Orrin Hatch of Utah; Dean Heller of Nevada; and others — have left the Senate. Others, like Marco Rubio of Florida and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who helped negotiate previous immigration packages, shifted right in the Trump years. Kerri Talbot, deputy director of the Immigration Hub, said that it was clear to many of the groups that Republicans cannot be counted on to support a broad overhaul of immigration without the kind of extreme measures that Trump insisted upon during his presidency. She said that pursuing smaller, popular measures like providing legalization for Dreamers would put Republicans on the spot. “We’re always open to having a broader discussion, but absent that, we want to move forward with pieces that can pass,” she said. “We would love to have bipartisanship. I’d love to have that conversation again. But it’s really up to Republicans.” Praeli said she and others who have fought over immigration for years believed it was time to “put the ‘W’s’ on the board” by granting a path to citizenship to as many people as they can. “We’re in a different moment,” said Praeli, who became a citizen in 2015 after living in the United States for years without legal permission following her arrival as a small child. “We can see that Trump is no longer here, but Trumpism did not go away.”

Biden signals he’s flexible on immigration overhaul

The Quad grouping makes sense, but to make a difference it needs to speak in one voice. The alliance has informally existed for 13 long years but seems to have restricted itself to mere posturing. WION's Palki Sharma says it's time the Quad become proactive and not reactive.

Gravitas: Time to turn Quad into a formal alliance?

The usually warmer states of central and southern America have been beset with power cuts. In Minnesota, temperatures dropped as low as -70C (-94F) with wind chills.

Why is it so cold in US? What exactly is the Polar vortex

A 1943 landscape painted by Winston Churchill and which the wartime British prime minister gifted to US President Franklin D Roosevelt is expected to fetch up to $3.5 million when it is sold at auction next month. &nbsp;

Churchill painted 'Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque' in Marrakech, following the January 1943 Casablanca Conference, which both leaders attended. Churchill then took Roosevelt to Marrakech to see the sun set over the Atlas mountains. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The work is to be sold from Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie's Jolie Family Collection, with an estimated price tag of 1.5 million pounds - 2.5 million pounds ($2.08 million - $3.47 million). &nbsp;

"Churchill painted nothing in the Second World War except this one painting," Nicholas Orchard, head of the Modern British Art department at Christie's said. &nbsp;

"Churchill painted it for Roosevelt ... And so it signifies not just their friendship but also the special relationship between Britain and America. The other factor is that Churchill considered his North African views to be a cut above all his other paintings." &nbsp;

Churchill, who took up painting in his forties, first visited Morocco in 1935 and painted around 45 pictures of the country, according to Christie's. &nbsp;

"The record for a (Churchill) painting at auction is 1.8 million pounds, and likely interested buyers will probably come from the U.K. and the United States," Orchard said. &nbsp;

"But there's a much greater global interest, particularly in Churchill. And so we could see Middle Eastern interest, obviously, because of the subject matter as well as interest from the Far East." &nbsp;

The painting is leading Christie’s Modern British Art Evening Sale on March 1, where other works on offer include a portrait of socialite Doris Delevingne by John Lavery. &nbsp;

A 1943 landscape painted by Winston Churchill and which the wartime British prime minister gifted to US President Franklin D Roosevelt is expected to fetch up to $3.

A 1943 landscape painted by Winston Churchill and which the wartime British prime minister gifted to US President Franklin D Roosevelt is expected to fetch up to $3.5 million when it is sold at auction next month. Churchill painted 'Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque' in Marrakech, following the January 1943 Casablanca Conference, which both leaders attended. Churchill then took Roosevelt to Marrakech to see the sun set over the Atlas mountains. The work is to be sold from Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie's Jolie Family Collection, with an estimated price tag of 1.5 million pounds - 2.5 million pounds ($2.08 million - $3.47 million). "Churchill painted nothing in the Second World War except this one painting," Nicholas Orchard, head of the Modern British Art department at Christie's said. "Churchill painted it for Roosevelt ... And so it signifies not just their friendship but also the special relationship between Britain and America. The other factor is that Churchill considered his North African views to be a cut above all his other paintings." Churchill, who took up painting in his forties, first visited Morocco in 1935 and painted around 45 pictures of the country, according to Christie's. "The record for a (Churchill) painting at auction is 1.8 million pounds, and likely interested buyers will probably come from the U.K. and the United States," Orchard said. "But there's a much greater global interest, particularly in Churchill. And so we could see Middle Eastern interest, obviously, because of the subject matter as well as interest from the Far East." The painting is leading Christie’s Modern British Art Evening Sale on March 1, where other works on offer include a portrait of socialite Doris Delevingne by John Lavery.

Churchill wartime painting gift to Roosevelt up for auction

The United States will pay more than $200 million to the World Health Organization by the end of the month after reversing Donald Trump's plan to withdraw, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The sum amounts to the commitments the United States had made to the global health body, to which it has been the largest donor.&nbsp;

"This is a key step forward in fulfilling our financial obligations as a WHO member and it reflects our renewed commitment to ensuring the WHO has the support it needs to lead the global response to the pandemic," Blinken told a virtual UN Security Council session on Covid-19.&nbsp;

"The United States will work as a partner to address global challenges. This pandemic is one of those challenges and gives us an opportunity not only to get through the current crisis, but also to become more prepared and more resilient for the future."&nbsp;

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Blinken said the United States would also 'provide significant financial support' to Covax, a global plan to distribute vaccines to the poorest nations.&nbsp;

Trump, who faced criticism for his handling of Covid in the United States, which has suffered the highest death toll of any nation, announced a pullout from the World Health Organization, saying it was beholden to China and did not do enough to stop the pandemic.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden immediately reversed the decision although his administration has also pressed China to be more forthcoming to a WHO team investigating the origins of the devastating virus.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republican-accused-of-joining-devils-army-for-voting-to-impeach-donald-trump-364108">Republican accused of joining 'devil's army' for voting to impeach Donald Trump</a>

"All countries must make available all data from the earliest days of any outbreak," Blinken said.&nbsp;

"And going forward, all countries should participate in a transparent and robust process for preventing and responding to health emergencies so the world learns as much as possible, as soon as possible."&nbsp;

The United States will pay more than $200 million to the World Health Organization by the end of the month after reversing Donald Trump's plan to withdraw, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

The United States will pay more than $200 million to the World Health Organization by the end of the month after reversing Donald Trump's plan to withdraw, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. The sum amounts to the commitments the United States had made to the global health body, to which it has been the largest donor. "This is a key step forward in fulfilling our financial obligations as a WHO member and it reflects our renewed commitment to ensuring the WHO has the support it needs to lead the global response to the pandemic," Blinken told a virtual UN Security Council session on Covid-19. "The United States will work as a partner to address global challenges. This pandemic is one of those challenges and gives us an opportunity not only to get through the current crisis, but also to become more prepared and more resilient for the future." × Blinken said the United States would also 'provide significant financial support' to Covax, a global plan to distribute vaccines to the poorest nations. Trump, who faced criticism for his handling of Covid in the United States, which has suffered the highest death toll of any nation, announced a pullout from the World Health Organization, saying it was beholden to China and did not do enough to stop the pandemic. President Joe Biden immediately reversed the decision although his administration has also pressed China to be more forthcoming to a WHO team investigating the origins of the devastating virus. Also Read: Republican accused of joining 'devil's army' for voting to impeach Donald Trump "All countries must make available all data from the earliest days of any outbreak," Blinken said. "And going forward, all countries should participate in a transparent and robust process for preventing and responding to health emergencies so the world learns as much as possible, as soon as possible."

US to pay $200 million in WHO obligations: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Monday for an investigation into a rocket attack on an airbase in Iraq's Kurdistan region and promised to "hold accountable those responsible."

A volley of rockets targeting the base late Monday killed a foreign civilian contractor and wounded five others and a US soldier, the US-led coalition said.

"We are outraged by today's rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region," Blinken said in a statement.

"I have reached out to Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to discuss the incident and to pledge our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible."

The attack was the first time Western military or diplomatic installations have been targeted in Iraq in nearly two months, after a string of such incidents.

Under former US President Donald Trump, Washington had vowed that the killing of an American national in such a rocket attack would prompt retaliation against Iran, whom US military officials accuse of backing the Iraqi militia groups behind the strikes.&nbsp;

But Blinken's call for an investigation marks a shift away from that policy under President Joe Biden's new administration.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Monday for an investigation into a rocket attack on an airbase in Iraq's Kurdistan region and promised to "hold accountable those responsible.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Monday for an investigation into a rocket attack on an airbase in Iraq's Kurdistan region and promised to "hold accountable those responsible." A volley of rockets targeting the base late Monday killed a foreign civilian contractor and wounded five others and a US soldier, the US-led coalition said. "We are outraged by today's rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region," Blinken said in a statement. "I have reached out to Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to discuss the incident and to pledge our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible." The attack was the first time Western military or diplomatic installations have been targeted in Iraq in nearly two months, after a string of such incidents. Under former US President Donald Trump, Washington had vowed that the killing of an American national in such a rocket attack would prompt retaliation against Iran, whom US military officials accuse of backing the Iraqi militia groups behind the strikes. But Blinken's call for an investigation marks a shift away from that policy under President Joe Biden's new administration.

US vows to 'hold accountable those responsible' for Arbil attack

As India edges closer towards taming COVID, the west is overwhelmed. 7 new variants have emerged in the US. The UK is still under lockdown and in France, only 1 vaccine dose is being administered. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how the west is still struggling with the Wuhan Virus.

Gravitas: The West is struggling with Wuhan Virus

President Joe Biden has approved a state of emergency in Texas where a surge in demand for electricity has led to widespread power cuts.

US: Millions without power in Texas as snow blankets Southern plains

At a time when Iran and Russia are at loggerheads with the US and the European Union (EU), Tehran's armed forces on Tuesday launched a joint naval drill with Moscow in the north of the Indian Ocean designed to 'enhance security' of maritime trade, state television reported.&nbsp;

The 'Maritime Security Belt Exercise' is to cover an area of 17,000 square kilometres (6,500 square miles) and include units from the Iranian army and the elite Revolutionary Guards as well as Russia's navy, the broadcaster quoted drill spokesman Rear Admiral Gholamreza Tahani as saying.&nbsp;

"The purposes of this drill are to enhance security of international maritime trade, confront maritime piracy and terrorism, and exchange information," he added.&nbsp;

Russia's Baltic Fleet said in a statement on Monday that three ships will take part in the drill.&nbsp;

Exercises will include 'liberating a commercial ship abducted by pirates', and fighting fires, it said.&nbsp;

According to Tahani, the Indian navy will also join the exercise, in a message of 'peace and friendship for neighbouring and regional countries'. &nbsp;

Iran's state news agency IRNA said the drill is to last three days.&nbsp;

The Iranian army said the exercises will also 'expand bilateral relations' with Russia.&nbsp;

Iran, China and Russia held a similar drill in the area in 2019, and the Islamic republic participated in 'Caucus 2020' drills held in Russia last September.&nbsp;

At a time when Iran and Russia are at loggerheads with the US and the European Union (EU), Tehran's armed forces on Tuesday launched a joint naval drill with Moscow in the north of the Indian Ocean designed to 'enhance security' of maritime trade, state television reported.

At a time when Iran and Russia are at loggerheads with the US and the European Union (EU), Tehran's armed forces on Tuesday launched a joint naval drill with Moscow in the north of the Indian Ocean designed to 'enhance security' of maritime trade, state television reported. The 'Maritime Security Belt Exercise' is to cover an area of 17,000 square kilometres (6,500 square miles) and include units from the Iranian army and the elite Revolutionary Guards as well as Russia's navy, the broadcaster quoted drill spokesman Rear Admiral Gholamreza Tahani as saying. "The purposes of this drill are to enhance security of international maritime trade, confront maritime piracy and terrorism, and exchange information," he added. Russia's Baltic Fleet said in a statement on Monday that three ships will take part in the drill. Exercises will include 'liberating a commercial ship abducted by pirates', and fighting fires, it said. According to Tahani, the Indian navy will also join the exercise, in a message of 'peace and friendship for neighbouring and regional countries'. Iran's state news agency IRNA said the drill is to last three days. The Iranian army said the exercises will also 'expand bilateral relations' with Russia. Iran, China and Russia held a similar drill in the area in 2019, and the Islamic republic participated in 'Caucus 2020' drills held in Russia last September.

Iran, Russia begin joint naval drill in Indian Ocean to 'enhance security'

Turkey said on Sunday militants from the outlawed PKK executed the captives, including Turkish military and police personnel, amid a military operation against the group.

US reassures Turkey over executions after Erdogan calls response 'a joke'

In a letter to Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said the House will also put forth supplemental spending to boost security at the Capitol.

Democrats demand a 9/11-style commission on deadly Capitol riot

Donald trump impeachment trial was unique, it was his second impeachment and the trial was convened after his exit from office. US senate must have acquitted but trump trouble is far from over. Both republican and democrats are proposing for fresh enquiry.

Republican and Democrats are proposing for fresh enquiry in case of Donald Trump

extreme weather conditions griped various parts of US on Sunday bringing heavy snowfall in the region. Thousands of people remained without power in the pacific northwest. A winter storm blankets parts of US . US President Joe Biden declared a federal emergency in Texas.

Winters storm brings snow, ice to Oklahoma, Texas

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