President Joe Biden's administration has announced it will abandon efforts to implement key regulations concerning transgender student athletes and student loan forgiveness, signaling the first steps in a broader plan to prevent President-elect Donald Trump from reworking these initiatives once he takes office.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which killed 103 people and caused an estimated $53 billion in damages, North Carolina has received significant aid for recovery efforts, including over $1.1 billion in state relief and billions more in federal requests. The storm, considered the state’s worst natural disaster, has prompted both state and federal governments to take action, though criticism has followed regarding the adequacy of those efforts.
Attorney General Merrick Garland is under scrutiny from Congress as Republican lawmakers ramp up investigations into his Department of Justice (DOJ) over an alleged coverup tied to the Crescent Dunes solar energy project in Nevada. The project, which received hundreds of millions in federal grants during the Obama administration, has been plagued by technical failures, financial troubles, and environmental concerns. Now, questions are being raised about the DOJ’s involvement in a qui tam lawsuit that was abruptly dismissed after initially being supported by the government.
President-elect Donald Trump is set to meet with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on Monday at Mar-a-Lago, his resort in Florida, as the popular social media app faces a looming U.S. ban.
The Southwest District Health board in Idaho has decided to stop providing COVID-19 vaccines in six counties, marking a significant departure from public health practices nationwide.
The outgoing Biden-Harris administration granted $10 billion in sanctions relief to Iran just days after Donald Trump secured victory in the 2024 presidential election. This decision, which allowed Iraq to transfer funds to Iran, has drawn criticism due to Tehran’s ongoing support for terrorist groups and attacks against Israel.
The Biden administration has finalized a sweeping agreement ensuring telework protections for 42,000 Social Security Administration (SSA) employees through 2029.
The Trump-Vance transition team announced Tuesday that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Justice, allowing the FBI to conduct background checks and security clearances for cabinet nominees and incoming White House staff. The agreement follows a period of hesitation by the transition team, citing distrust of the FBI. Traditionally, the FBI is responsible for vetting cabinet nominees and managing security clearances, but the process had been delayed due to the lack of an agreement.
House Republicans are poised to start the new year with a razor-thin majority, potentially reduced to a single seat. This slim margin could complicate governance during the 119th Congress, especially as President-elect Donald Trump plans an ambitious agenda for his first 100 days in office.
