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Hard Numbers: Venice bus tragedy, Armenia joins ICC, NYC mayor challenges “right to shelter” law, Biden's border U-turn
The site of the tragedy where a bus fell from the Mestre overpass outside of Venice, Italy.
Reuters
21: Italian authorities are using DNA samples to identify some of the still-unknown victims of a devastating bus accident outside Venice that left 21 people dead. It remains unclear what caused the electric vehicle to crash.
60: Armenia’s parliament has voted – 60 to 22 – to join the International Criminal Court. Russia said it was disappointed with Yerevan, an ally, considering that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin. But Armenian officials sought to reassure the Kremlin, saying the move was motivated by its ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan.
122,700: Mayor Eric Adams has asked a judge to suspend a long-term edict mandating that New York City provide shelter to those who seek it. Adams says the Big Apple can’t cope with the 122,700 migrants who have arrived since spring 2022, and he is traveling to Latin America this week to try to deter would-be asylum-seekers from making the journey to New York. For more on the politics of New York’s migrant crisis, see our explainer here.
20: In a remarkable about-face, the Biden administration is set to build 20 miles of wall at the US southern border. The White House, and most Democrats, had long opposed and even ridiculed former President Donald Trump’s calls to “build the wall.” But faced with soaring numbers of undocumented migrants, the administration said Tuesday there is now an “acute and immediate need” for a wall.
Small business hiring surged 7% above the 2024 average in December, led by a surprise rally in retail. But with uncertainty still historically high and mounting concerns over tariffs, can this momentum survive 2026? Explore the data behind the resilience of the US small business sector. Get the latest economic insights from Bank of America Institute.
At the Munich Security Conference, a group of global technology providers, including Microsoft, announced the Trusted Tech Alliance — committed to shared, verifiable principles for trusted, transparent, and resilient technology across borders. At a moment of economic volatility and zero-sum technological competition, countries and customers are demanding greater accountability from technology providers. The Alliance addresses this by bringing together companies from across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America around shared commitments: transparent governance, secure development practices, supply chain oversight, open digital ecosystem, and respect for the rule of law—ensuring the benefits of emerging technologies strengthen public trust while driving job creation and economic growth. Learn about the Trusted Tech Alliance here.
A ceasefire in Ukraine could be a strategic trap, leaving Kyiv vulnerable, former NATO ambassador Ivo Daalder warns on GZERO World.