In his first State of the Union address, U.S. President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine will leave “Russia weaker and the rest of the world stronger” (FT). Biden said the United States will close its airspace to all Russian flights and reiterated an earlier announcement that the United States will join other countries in releasing oil from strategic reserves to deal with rising oil prices.

Russian forces are carrying out an aerial bombardment (RFE/RL) of Ukrainian cities such as Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, and assembling outside the capital, Kyiv. Russia blocked the websites (AFP) of a Russian independent television channel and a liberal radio station over their war coverage. More Western companies also spurned business with Russia, with Airbus and Boeing suspending support services (Fortune) to Russian airlines and ExxonMobil joining other oil companies in saying it will exit joint ventures in the country.

The protesters oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates and have camped in front of the legislature (SMH) for weeks. Police officers also towed protesters’ vehicles, which were blocking streets.
 
Hong Kong: The city’s COVID-19 isolation facilities have been overwhelmed (SCMP) by a spike in cases, but Chief Executive Carrie Lam says Hong Kong has no plans for a lockdown.
 
For Think Global Health, Gabriel Leung discusses how Hong Kong is coping with the COVID-19 wave.

The money was part of a trust fund (Reuters) set up prior to the Taliban’s takeover to pay for reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. It will be disbursed through UN agencies and international aid groups to bypass Taliban authorities.
 
India: The country’s production and exports of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine are expected to slow due to new sanctions on Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, Reuters reported.
 
This In Brief discusses whether sanctions will stop Russia’s moves in Ukraine.

The U.S. State Department restarted the program for U.S.-affiliated Iraqis after an “extensive review.”
 
Israel: The Supreme Court ruled that four Palestinian families slated for eviction from East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood can stay in their homes (Times of Israel) until the Justice Ministry settles ownership claims.
 
CFR’s Steven A. Cook explained how the evictions led to Israeli-Palestinian violence last year.

The UN Mission in South Sudan and UN Human Rights Office said that members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition and the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces were among those responsible for murdering at least 440 civilians from June to September 2021. At least 64 civilians were subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.
 
South Africa: The United States sanctioned four men (News24) for using South African financial institutions to provide financial support to the self-declared Islamic State.

People fleeing Ukraine would receive a three-year residence permit (Reuters), as well as access to employment and social welfare services in European Union (EU) countries.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro voiced “strong support” for Russia (AFP) in its conflict in Ukraine and criticized “destabilizing actions” by the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Kremlin said.
 
Guatemala: Health authorities said more than one million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine expired because people refused the shot (AP). It was unclear if resistance was to vaccination in general or to the Russian vaccine.

Most of the speech focused on domestic issues, with Biden touting job growth amid recovery from the pandemic and pledging to fight inflation by ending reliance on foreign supply chains (NPR). He also introduced a “unity agenda” (CNBC) to focus on the opioid epidemic, youth mental health, veterans services, and ending cancer.