The European Parliament elects a new president, COVID-19 case rates surge across the globe, and diplomacy continues over Russian security demands in Europe. Articles Mentioned in the Podcast Mary Beth Sheridan, “Mexico has refused to close its borders during the covid-19 pandemic. Does that make sense?” Washington Post, January 12, 2022 Stephen Sestanovich, “The Russia-Ukraine Crisis: A Scorecard on Biden’s Response,” CFR.org, December 23, 2021 Adam Tooze, “Chartbook #68 Putin’s Challenge to Western hegemony - the 2022 edition,” January 12, 2022