Officials announced that Saudi Arabia will reopen its borders and airspace to Qatar after leading a boycott of the country since 2017 over Qatar’s alleged support for terrorism. The move could be the first step (NYT) in a broader agreement to end the blockade by four Arab countries—Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—that disrupted regional trade and initially pushed Qatar into crisis.

During a summit in Saudi Arabia today aimed at ending the dispute, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council signed a “solidarity and stability” document (Al Jazeera), according to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, though its contents weren’t immediately released. In a sign of warmer relations, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani hugged bin Salman upon arriving. The breakthrough is part of the Donald J. Trump administration’s push to end the crisis and unite countries (Reuters) in the region against Iran.

The U.S. exchange reversed plans (FT) to delist state-run groups China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom. It had started proceedings to kick out the companies to comply with a November executive order from President Trump.

This CFR timeline traces U.S.-China relations.

South Korea: Seoul will send a delegation to Tehran (Yonhap) to negotiate the release of a South Korean oil tanker and its crew after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the vessel yesterday.

Negotiators for the Afghan government and the Taliban are resuming talks (WaPo) in Qatar today after a two-week holiday break. The restart comes as the U.S. government blames the Taliban for the recent killings of journalists, civic leaders, and government officials in Afghanistan.

CFR’s Center for Preventive Action breaks down the Afghan peace negotiations.

India: Another round of talks failed (Hindustan Times) between the government and farmers who have blockaded highways near New Delhi to protest new agriculture laws. The two sides agreed to meet again on Friday.

Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), along with Russia and the other countries that form the so-called OPEC+ coalition, will meet for a second day (Bloomberg) after a majority of members opposed a Russian proposal to increase oil production next month.

This CFR Backgrounder explains OPEC.

President Faustin-Archange Touadera won nearly 54 percent of votes (AFP) in the December 27 election, the country’s electoral commission announced. Thousands of people were unable to vote as a coalition of armed rebel groups stirred up violence ahead of the election.

Mali: An al-Qaeda branch known as the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claimed responsibility (Al Jazeera) for the killings of two French soldiers on Saturday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people must stay at home (BBC) until at least mid-February as a new COVID-19 variant spreads. Much of Scotland is also under lockdown. Most schools will be closed for in-person learning, even as the United Kingdom ramps up its vaccination campaign.

France: President Emmanuel Macron met with Prime Minister Jean Castex and Health Minister Olivier Veran yesterday to discuss how to accelerate France’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout (Politico) after critics blasted the government for administering significantly fewer doses than other European countries.

Mexican officials approved a COVID-19 vaccine (NYT) created by Oxford University and AstraZeneca for emergency use. Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard said the country will start vaccine production “very soon” as it struggles with a high COVID-19 caseload and the world’s fourth-highest reported death toll.

Colombia: Rescue workers are searching for five migrants (AP) who went missing while trying to reach Panama after their boat carrying sixteen people sank. Nine migrants survived, and two bodies have been found, according to Colombia’s navy.

Voters in the state of Georgia will cast their ballots today (AP) in a runoff election that will determine whether Democrats or Republicans control the Senate. More than three million people have already voted.