Politics & Government

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks on Nov. 15, 2021, in Washington. On Tuesday, the Justice Department issued a new legal opinion that could allow thousands of people released from prison to home confinement at the start of the pandemic to remain fre

Politics & Government

Prisoners sent to home confinement because of the pandemic might remain free

4:57pm December 21, 2021

by Carrie Johnson

In a rare reversal, the Justice Department said the prison system has discretion to allow people released to home confinement during the pandemic to remain free.

President Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 response and vaccinations on Tuesday in the State Dining Room of the White House.

Biden announces free tests and defends the White House response as COVID cases surge

4:51pm December 21, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

The U.S. government will buy a half-billion at-home COVID test kits and mail them to people who want them, with deliveries beginning in January.

President Biden shared photo and video footage of his new puppy, Commander, on social media Monday. The nearly 4-month-old German shepherd was a birthday gift from the president's brother and sister-in-law.

Politics & Government

The Bidens say hello to new puppy Commander, and Major is off to a new home

12:11pm December 21, 2021

by Rachel Treisman

The new top dog at the White House is Commander Biden, a nearly 4-month-old German shepherd. Meanwhile, rescue dog Major is moving out and a cat is scheduled to arrive soon.

President Biden meets with China's President Xi Jinping during a virtual summit from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 2021.

Politics & Government

The White House wants to focus on China, but Russia continues to be a distraction

8:29am December 21, 2021

by Franco Ordoñez

President Biden has worked to focus his foreign policy on China. But provocations from Russia keep pulling him away.

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Public health experts will be listening as Biden speaks to the nation about omicron

8:12am December 21, 2021

The omicron variant is now the dominant variant in the U.S. President Biden is set to warn Americans about omicron, and talk about the administration's plans to help areas struggling with the surge.

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Biden's climate change plan stalls after Manchin opposes Build Back Better

7:05am December 21, 2021

by Jeff Brady

President Biden campaigned on the most ambitious climate agenda of any major party candidate. But the cornerstone of his plan appears doomed in Congress, rejected by a Democrat from a coal state.

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News brief: Biden speech, COVID testing critique, Pentagon extremism rules

6:58am December 21, 2021

President Biden addresses the Omicron variant in a speech Tuesday. Some health officials say Biden has fallen short on COVID testing. The Pentagon is updating its policies on extremism in its ranks.

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Politics & Government

How W.Va. politics affect Sen. Manchin's opposition to Biden's key policy proposal

6:13am December 21, 2021

NPR's Scott Detrow talks to ProPublica reporter Ken Ward Jr. about the political forces that shaped West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's opposition to President Biden's Build Back Better bill.

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The Environmental Protection Agency announces new vehicle emission standards

6:13am December 21, 2021

by Nathan Rott

The Biden administration, reversing another Trump rollback, is tightening vehicle fuel mileage standards. It comes as much of Biden's other climate plans are at risk.

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Deqa Dhalac, who fled Mogadishu 31 years ago, recently became the first Somali-American mayor in the United States.

Politics & Government

Deqa Dhalac is the first Somali-American mayor in the United States

5:00am December 21, 2021

After fleeing Somalia some 30 years ago, Dhalac became this country's first Somali-American mayor earlier this month, elected in a city that's 90% white.

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