Kate Bedingfield, President Biden's Communications Director, will be stepping down in February and will be replaced by Ben LaBolt, who will become the first openly gay White House Communications Director.
Minnesota lawmakers are considering a bill that would establish the state as a "trans refuge" for children who are seeking transgender medical procedures but who may be blocked by laws in other states.
The Biden administration has announced that it will impose a 20-year mining moratorium on thousands of acres of land in Minnesota by citing the need to protect the natural environment, potentially dealing a blow to Twin Metals, a major mining firm with interests in the region.
17,381 deaths were registered in England and Wales during the seven days ending January 13, which is 2,837 more deaths than the average for this time of year.