President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees begin their confirmation hearings before the Senate on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Thirteen nominees will appear before 11 committees as the chamber fulfills its advice and consent role. Here is a look at the most closely watched.  Tuesday Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee.…

Climate activists took their message to a historic landmark on Monday, Jan. 13, vandalizing the grave of famed British naturalist Charles Darwin. Just Stop Oil protested at Westminster Abbey to demand urgent government action on climate change. Two members of the group Just Stop Oil used chalk paint to write the words “1.5 is dead” on part…

The Los Angeles mayor’s office and the Los Angeles Fire Department are pushing back against speculation that the LAFD chief had been fired after saying the city failed her agency. This comes after Chief Kristin Crowley spoke candidly with Fox 11 Los Angeles Friday, Jan. 10 about budget cuts that she said has impacted firefighters’…

Utah and Texas, alongside nuclear developer Last Energy, have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), seeking to ease regulations they claim hinder the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors. The plaintiffs argue that the NRC licenses required for the construction and operation of these facilities are “incredibly costly,” rendering…

California police made an arson-related arrest on Sunday, Jan. 12. Now, details have emerged about the immigration status of another man involved in a separate incident in the Los Angeles area on Thursday, Jan. 9. A video showed police arresting Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva after residents chased him down and detained him. The residents claimed they…

Amazon is scaling back some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, joining a growing list of major corporations making similar moves in light of increasing political scrutiny. The company’s Vice President of Inclusive Experiences and Technology Candi Castleberry sent out a recently uncovered memo to employees last month, Bloomberg reported. In it, Castleberry said…

A group of House Republicans introduced a bill to authorize the purchase of the Panama Canal. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., and more than a dozen of his colleagues brought it forward after President-elect Donald Trump expressed interest in bringing the canal back under American ownership for national security and economic reasons.  Johnson said Trump is…

China’s military developments are under scrutiny, as satellite imagery and intelligence reports reveal the construction of new amphibious landing barges and advancements in its aircraft carrier program. These developments raise concerns about Beijing’s military capabilities, and intentions in the Taiwan Strait. Reports indicated that China is building specialized landing barges at a shipyard in southern…

With just a week left until he leaves office, President Joe Biden is making his last few policy changes as president. On Monday, Jan. 13, the Biden administration proposed a new framework for how advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence are exported. The changes would help facilitate sales to allied nations while curbing…

Mediators at ceasefire talks held in Doha, Qatar, presented a final draft of a truce to both Israeli and Hamas leaders. Those involved in the ceasefire talks termed it a breakthrough, with a source telling Reuters that the next 24 hours will be pivotal in reaching a deal. The deal would result in the release…