National News
National News

Lloyd Austin Confirmed As Secretary of Defense, Becomes First Black Pentagon Chief
Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star Army general, has been confirmed by the Senate, making him the first Black secretary of defense in U.S. history. The Senate approved President Biden’s nomination for Pentagon chief in a near-unanimous 93 to 2 vote. Continue Reading Lloyd Austin Confirmed As Secretary of Defense, Becomes First Black Pentagon Chief

Woman Accused Of Stealing Pelosi’s Laptop During Capitol Riot Released With Ankle Monitor
Riley Williams, the 22-year-old woman who is accused of participating in the theft of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop during the attack on the Capitol building on Jan. 6, has been released from jail Thursday, The Associated Press reported. Continue Reading Woman Accused Of Stealing Pelosi’s Laptop During Capitol Riot Released With Ankle Monitor

Hank Aaron, Baseball’s Legendary Slugger, Dies At 86
Because of his skill and power at the plate — Aaron batted in more than 100 runs in a season in three decades — Major League Baseball named its award for the best offensive player after him. Continue Reading Hank Aaron, Baseball’s Legendary Slugger, Dies At 86

Current, Deadly U.S. Coronavirus Surge Has Peaked, Researchers Say
While another surge remains possible, especially with new, more infectious variants on the horizon, the number of new daily infections in the current wave appears to have hit a high in the past week or two and has been steadily declining in most states since, the researchers say. Continue Reading Current, Deadly U.S. Coronavirus Surge Has Peaked, Researchers Say

In One Of His First Acts, President Biden Moves To Have U.S. Join Paris Climate Agreement
The U.S. officially withdrew from the accord to limit climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions late last year, after President Donald Trump began the process in 2017. It is the only country of the nearly 200 signatories that has withdrawn. Biden vowed to sign on Inauguration Day the documents needed to rejoin the agreement. Continue Reading In One Of His First Acts, President Biden Moves To Have U.S. Join Paris Climate Agreement

ALS Patients To Gain Quicker Access To Disability Benefits And Medicare
ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease after the New York Yankees first baseman who died of the disease in 1941, destroys motor neurons, causing people to lose control of their limbs, their speech and, ultimately, their ability to breathe. It’s usually fatal in two to five years, though about 10% of people survive ten years or more. Continue Reading ALS Patients To Gain Quicker Access To Disability Benefits And Medicare

Voice of America CEO Pack, Defined By Scandal, Resigns At Biden’s Request
Michael Pack resigned Wednesday as the CEO of the federal agency over the Voice of America and other federally funded international broadcasters, after a turbulent seven-month tenure. He leaves the U.S. Agency for Global Media with a Trumpian legacy of ideological strife, lawsuits, and scandal, his departure effective just two hours after the swearing-in of President Biden, who requested him to leave. Continue Reading Voice of America CEO Pack, Defined By Scandal, Resigns At Biden’s Request

Order From President Biden Blocks Keystone XL Pipeline
As part of his ambitious plan to address climate change, President Biden is revoking a key, cross-border presidential permit needed to finish the controversial Keystone XL pipeline Continue Reading Order From President Biden Blocks Keystone XL Pipeline

‘This Is America’s Day’: Inauguration Of Joe Biden And Kamala Harris
Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, having defeated Donald Trump in an acrimonious, divisive election last November. Biden will be sworn in alongside Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in an unusual inauguration ceremony, conducted amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis and heightened physical security risks. Continue Reading ‘This Is America’s Day’: Inauguration Of Joe Biden And Kamala Harris

U.S. Records 400,000 Lives Lost To COVID At 1-Year Mark Of 1st Confirmed Case In Washington
While millions wait for a lifesaving shot, the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus continues to soar upward with horrifying speed. On Tuesday, the last full day of Donald Trump’s presidency, the official death count reached 400,000 — a once-unthinkable number. More than 100,000 Americans have perished in the pandemic in just the past five weeks. Continue Reading U.S. Records 400,000 Lives Lost To COVID At 1-Year Mark Of 1st Confirmed Case In Washington

Now Is A Good Time To Talk To Kids About Civics
If you’ve been riding an emotional, politics-fueled rollercoaster in 2021 (not to mention 2020), believe us: Your kids have noticed. Here’s a quick primer from Life Kit on how to talk with your kids about politics — and, even get them thinking about civics. Continue Reading Now Is A Good Time To Talk To Kids About Civics

In Historic 1st, Biden To Nominate Transgender Doctor As Assistant Health Secretary
Joe Biden is nominating Pennsylvania health expert Dr. Rachel Levine to be assistant secretary for health in the department of Health and Human Services, in a move that could make Levine the first openly transgender federal official to win Senate confirmation. Continue Reading In Historic 1st, Biden To Nominate Transgender Doctor As Assistant Health Secretary