Finally, some Covid optimism

Current Covid-19 data gives reason for optimism; Biden pulls America's support for Saudi Arabia's Yemen strategy. Tonight's Sentences was written by Gabby Birenbaum. TOP NEWS Covid-19 cases are on the decline Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images - While the US’s coronavirus case numbers are still relatively high and vaccine distribution remains challenging, the country has recovered from its winter peak. Case numbers are down 45 percent from early January, when the pandemic was at its worst. [[Vox / German Lopez](] - Over the past week, cases are down 17 percent, deaths have been decreased by almost 12 percent and hospitalizations fell by 15 percent — all good signs that the US could be turning a corner. Every state has seen case counts fall over the past week, except for Texas, Vermont, Arkansas, and Wyoming. [[Washington Post]]( - To put a number on it: At the winter peak on January 8, 259,564 cases were reported. On Wednesday, that number was 136,442 — still double the summer peak but a significant drop, led by sharp declines in the Midwest. [[NYT / Lazaro Gamio](] - January was the deadliest month of the pandemic, but deaths are now dropping for the first weekly period since October, save for the holidays. And though disparities persist, fewer cases are being reported in minority communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. [[Atlantic](] - And it’s not just the US — for the first time in the pandemic, cases are dropping across the globe. [[Axios / Dave Lawler](] - In another spot of good news, Johnson & Johnson has filed for emergency use authorization for its single-dose vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration could approve it within two weeks. [[The Hill / Nathaniel Weixel](] - The potential for new variants to take hold in the US could thwart the positive signs, but drugmakers say they are ready to tweak their vaccines and looking into quicker trial periods in order to get new boosters out when needed. [[NYT / Apoorva Mandavilli](] - A Covid-related number that is going up: the count of people vaccinated, though the rollout has continued to be challenging, particularly in terms of equity. Racial data exists for about half of vaccines given so far, and of that pool, only 5 percent of the doses have gone to Black Americans. Eleven percent have gone to Latinos. [[Politico / Tucker Doherty and Joanne Kenen](] [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( In a reversal from Trump, Biden ends US support for Saudi-backed Yemen war - In a State Department speech Thursday, President Biden said the US will stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as part of a larger plan to end offensive operations authorized by the Trump administration in Yemen. [[NPR / Franco Ordoñez](] - Under Trump, the US had supported the Saudis’ five-year intervention in the catastrophic Yemeni civil war through arms deals, intelligence sharing, and data support, all of which Biden is ending. [[NYT / Michael Crowley and Lara Jakes](] - Biden also called for a ceasefire in the conflict, indicating he will take a diplomatic approach to the region and focus on the ongoing human rights atrocities committed by both the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. [[AP / Ellen Knickmeyer](] - Yemenis met the news with tempered optimism, hoping Biden can help negotiate an end to the conflict, but calling for accountability for the perpetrators of violence and restitution for victims. [[Guardian / Bethan McKernan](] - Biden’s announcement was sparse on operational details regarding the end of offensive operations, but progressives in Congress lauded the speech as a win toward creating tough foreign policy on Saudi Arabia. [[The Intercept / Alex Emmons](] MISCELLANEOUS [After an all-night "vote-a-rama," Senate Democrats have approved their budget resolution, bringing them one step closer to passing Biden’s stimulus relief package.]( [[Vox / Li Zhou and Ella Nilsen](] - Kia is building an investment strategy that would provide for the manufacturing of Apple’s electric car in Georgia. [[WSJ / Tim Higgins, Elizabeth Koh, and Cameron McWhirter](] - Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has issued a “stand down” over the next 60 days for commanders across the military to have the time to investigate and discuss solutions to extremism and white supremacist views among all branches. [[The Root / Joe Jurado](] - CNN president Jeff Zucker will leave the company at the end of 2021, after the network finally beat Fox News in ratings. [[Vanity Fair / Caleb Ecarma](] [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( CROSSWORD OF THE DAY [Can you solve today's crossword?]( What is the Bronx neighborhood with a namesake university? [Solve today's new Vox crossword puzzle](, and stay tuned for more puzzles coming out Monday through Saturday. VERBATIM "I made it clear to President Putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions … are over." [[President Joe Biden, on how his administration will approach Russia](] LISTEN TO THIS [Ask a Book Critic: Books for a long winter]( A caller from Canada seeks cerebral mysteries to help him get through the brutal winter. [[Spotify / Constance Grady](] [Read more from Vox](#) [Covid-19 caused a recession. So why did the housing market boom?]( [How one hit song won The Weeknd a Super Bowl halftime show]( [Smallpox used to kill millions of people every year. Here's how humans beat it.]( [Celebrities have always done endorsements. Now they sell their fast food orders.]( [Zendaya and John David Washington deserve a better film than Malcolm & Marie]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences](, or [unsubscribe]( to stop receiving all emails from Vox. If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. 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