| Enemy within | Extremists driven by hatred for the U.S. government and for ethnic minorities are poised to carry out attacks this year in America, intelligence and law enforcement agencies said. The unclassified assessment was released a day after at least eight people were killed at three Asian massage parlors in the Atlanta area. - White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Trump bears some responsibility for threats and violence against Asian Americans from his "damaging rhetoric" about China's role in the Covid-19 outbreak.
Vaccine decision | The European Union's health regulator will decide today whether AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is safe to use, as the 27-nation bloc tries to reinvigorate its inoculation program. Critics say the suspension of the shot by some countries may cause delays that will lead to more deaths from the virus than from possible side effects and undermine public faith in the treatment. - A dispute between the U.K. and the EU over vaccines deepened as the British government said it would have to slow its inoculation program because of a shortfall in supplies.
 Awkward timing | China announced trial dates for two Canadian men on national security charges, more than two years after they were detained and just ahead of a crucial meeting between top diplomats from Beijing and Washington. The Canadians' cases have been entwined with Washington's efforts to extradite Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou — the daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei — from Canada for prosecution in the U.S. - Beijing is seeking a meeting between Biden and President Xi Jinping next month if the high-level talks starting today in Alaska prove productive.
Taking offense | Russia demanded Biden apologize for calling President Vladimir Putin a killer, a day after Moscow recalled its ambassador in protest. Biden's comment is a "watershed" in ties and Russia's response in withdrawing its envoy "won't be the last, unless there is an explanation and an apology," Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament, wrote on Facebook. Secret bid | Italian governments have been trying to find a buyer for Monte Paschi — the world's oldest bank — for years, but there's at least one offer on the table they are reluctant to consider and has been kept out of the public eye. A group of U.S. investors led by former congressman Norman D. Dicks has been courting officials since the second half of 2020 with a $4.8 billion plan for the bank, sources say, but Italian Treasury officials fret they have no track record in banking and their financial credentials are slim. What to WatchWe're launching a newsletter about the future of cars, written by Bloomberg reporters around the world. Be one of the first to sign up to get it in your inbox soon. And finally ... Nicknamed 'The Bulldozer' for his aggressive leadership style, Tanzanian President John Magufuli initially won praise for fighting corruption, improving the lives of farmers and stoking growth. But he increasingly drew criticism for his swing toward authoritarianism and denialism of the pandemic. He died yesterday at the age of 61 of what his vice president called a heart illness.  A woman walks past an election billboard photo of Magufuli in Dar es Salaam. Photographer: Daniel Hayduk/AFP/ Getty Images | 
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