Dec 30, 2017

Transgender people can apply for military service Jan. 1

Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The Trump administration has dropped its fight to delay the January 1st date allowing transgender people to join the military, according to a BuzzFeed report. The DOJ said it will wait for a Defense Dept study on the issue and not pursue the issue to the Supreme Court now.

Why it matters: The administration's decision clears the way for transgender people to sign up to join the military despite Trump tweeting in July that transgender people would not be allowed to "serve in any capacity" in the military.

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Ben Geman
45 mins ago - Energy & Environment

The many divisions over Trump's methane rollback

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

EPA's decision to cut regulation of methane is laying bare an oil-and-gas industry divide and setting the stage for political battles this fall and beyond.

Why it matters: Methane is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas and the industry is a key emissions source.

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Orion Rummler
47 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Kushner says Trump didn't promote false Kamala Harris birtherism theory

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner told "CBS This Morning" on Friday that he does not believe President Trump promoted a baseless claim that Sen. Kamala Harris is ineligible to be vice president.

Driving the news: During a press briefing on Thursday, Trump did not question the veracity of a Newsweek op-ed that inaccurately claimed Harris may be ineligible for the office due to her parents' naturalization status at the time of her birth. Harris is an American citizen and was born in Oakland, Calif.

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Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 20,952,811 — Total deaths: 760,235— Total recoveries: 13,015,397 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 5,254,878 — Total deaths: 167,253 — Total recoveries: 1,774,648 — Total tests: 64,831,306 — Map.
  3. Health: The pandemic's toll on mental health — The kids who are most at risk.
  4. Business: How small businesses got stiffed — Unemployment starts moving in the right direction.
  5. Politics: Biden signals fall strategy with new ads.
  6. 🎧 Podcast: Economic data turns unreliable.
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