U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has signed a memo ordering commanding officers and supervisors to hold a one-day "stand-down" to discuss extremism within the armed forces in the next 60 days, the Department of Defense announced Friday.
Why it matters: After multiple current service members and veterans were arrested for their actions during the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol siege, the Pentagon has increased efforts to combat white supremacy and other forms of extremism in its ranks, according to the New York Times.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi Friday that the U.S. will stand up for human rights and democratic values, and "hold Beijing accountable for its abuses of the international system."
The big picture: Blinken's phone call with Yang comes just days after President Biden said the U.S. would confront Beijing over its "economic abuses," "coercive actions" and "attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance."
As President Biden pushes his economic recovery plans forward, here’s a special Deep Dive on the economy he is inheriting, the team he has selected and the challenges they face.
On the next episode of “Axios on HBO,” Axios co-founder Mike Allen interviews Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg about transportation equity, the coronavirus and the future of travel.
Catch the full interview and much more on Sunday, February 7 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on all HBO platforms.
The Supreme Court late Friday night lifted some restrictions on religious services in California spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, ruling the state cannot ban churches from holding indoor services, but can cap services at 25% capacity.
Details: The court ruled in two cases where churches sued the state over COVID-related restrictions, also declined to stop California from enforcing a ban on indoor singing and chanting.
As the debate over reopening America's classrooms heats up, one overlooked factor is the significant racial gap in whether parents are ready to send their children back to school.
Why it matters: Study after study shows that kids in remote schooling are suffering lifelong learning loss. But the concerns many Black and Latino parents express about returning their children to classrooms — concerns fueled by higher numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths and historically underfunded schools — need to be answered first.
President Biden's first flight on Air Force One as commander-in-chief lasted 25 minutes — about one-third the time it takes for the Acela to trace his beloved Amtrak route from D.C. to Wilmington.
What he's saying: It's a "great honor" to ride as president on the iconic symbol of American power and diplomacy, Biden told reporters on the tarmac upon landing at New Castle Air National Guard Base.
Former Vice President Mike Pence will join the Young America's Foundation as the group's Ronald Reagan presidential scholar, the conservative youth organization announced Friday.
Driving the news: In the position, Pence will spread a "pro-freedom message" as a featured campus lecturer, publish a monthly op-ed and launch a video podcast focused on conservatism, per the foundation.
The Biden administration has formally notified Congress of its intention to revoke the terrorist designation for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the State Department confirmed Friday, reversing a last-minute decision by former President Trump.
Why it matters: Humanitarian groups and the United Nations had warned the designation would make it harder for aid to reach the people of Yemen, who are facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Donald Trump should not continue to receive intelligence briefings, President Biden told CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell Friday, citing the former president's "erratic behavior."
Why it matters: Former presidents usually receive routine intelligence briefings and access to classified information after they leave office. But multiple intelligence experts and others have argued Trump poses a national security risk as a private citizen and can't be trusted to safeguard classified information.
Fox News has cancelled its business network's “Lou Dobbs Tonight" and will air the program's final show on Friday night, the LA Times first reported.
Why it matters: Dobbs, former President Trump’s favorite TV host, helped promote the baseless assertions of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Conservative-leaning media companies, including Fox, are in the throes of navigating a post-Trump landscape.
