National News - Page 24

The Wegovy weight loss pill is now available in U.S.

By Reuters Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is launching its once-daily Wegovy pill in the United States on Monday, offering 1.5 milligram and 4 mg doses at $149 per month for self-paying patients in an intensely competitive weight-loss drug market. The pill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month, a boon to Novo Nordisk as it looks to regain ground lost to U.S. rival Eli Lilly. Lilly has previously said it expects a decision in March. Novo’s pill will also be sold in 9 mg and a higher long-term dose of 25 mg. The two higher doses will be priced at

Flu surges in 45 states as doctor visits reach highest level in nearly 30 years

By Erika Edwards Doctors’ visits for flu-like symptoms — fevers, sore throat, extreme fatigue and body aches — have hit the highest level in nearly 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and are likely to continue to rise in the coming weeks. At least 5,000 people have died this season, including nine children. For the week ending Dec. 27, the CDC reported that nearly 1 in 10 outpatient visits nationwide — 8.2% — were for flu-like illnesses. That’s the highest logged since the CDC started tracking such visits in 1997. The flu has accounted for more than 11 million illnesses this

The Department of Health and Human Services to Launch Fellowship Program for HBCU Students

As part of President Trump’s executive order establishing the White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services (HHS) has launched the Roy Wilkins Fellowship program for students at historically Black colleges and universities interested in pursuing careers in public service. The new program will provide paid fellowships for students in the HHS Office of the Secretary. The initiative recognizes the late Roy Wilkins, a leader with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Wilkins was

Pentagon seeks to reduce Sen. Mark Kelly’s retirement rank over video urging troops to refuse illegal orders

By Rebecca Shabad WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the Pentagon is taking steps to downgrade Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly’s military retirement rank and pay because of his “seditious statements.” Hegseth said in a statement that Kelly, of Arizona, a retired Navy captain, was part of a group of members of Congress who six weeks ago “released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline.” “As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. And the Department of War — and

‘She is going to pay a very big price’: Trump issues new threat to interim leader of Venezuela

By Megan Lebowitz WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump laid out a stark warning to Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, telling The Atlantic that “if she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.” Rodríguez had been serving as Venezuela’s vice president under President Nicolás Maduro, and the country’s supreme court declared that she would immediately assume the role of acting president after U.S. forces captured Maduro and brought him to the U.S. Trump’s comments mark a shift in rhetoric from a day earlier, when he told reporters that Rodríguez had a “gracious” conversation with Secretary of State Marco

The Supreme Court has delayed direct conflict with Trump, but history suggests that will soon change

By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and the Supreme Court’s smooth relationship could turn sour in the new year. The court’s 6-3 conservative majority mostly avoided direct confrontations with Trump in 2025 while handing him a series of wins, but it pushed rulings on a series of contentious White House proposals into this year. And there are signs the court could hand the president at least one major defeat. Heading into 2026, the court is set to rule on Trump’s plan to curtail automatic birthright citizenship, his sweeping tariffs and his attempt to fire a member of the Federal Reserve’s powerful board of

The White House promises to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research

By Sam Brasch More than half a century after its founding, the Trump administration has vowed to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a Boulder-based research hub built to better understand Earth’s weather systems. Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, posted the news Tuesday on X, claiming NCAR is one of the country’s largest sources of “climate alarmism.” USA Today broke the story earlier in the day. “Any vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location,” Vought wrote. The National Science Foundation established NCAR in 1960 to accelerate research

National Guard arrives in New Orleans for 1st New Year’s since Bourbon Street attack

NEW ORLEANS — National Guard members arrived in New Orleans Tuesday to help with safety measures ahead of New Year’s celebrations as city officials are still seeking permanent security solutions nearly a year after a truck attack on Bourbon Street left 14 dead. The rampage, in which a man drove around a police blockade in the early hours of Jan. 1, revealed security vulnerabilities surrounding the city’s famous street filled with boisterous bars, brass bands playing on cobblestone corners and a steady stream of partygoers carrying cocktails. While Louisiana officials say the popular tourist destination is safe and that they’ve

Morgan State’s Magnificent Marching Machine Earns Spot in Tournament of Roses Parade

Morgan State University’s Magnificent Marching Machine Tournament of Roses Parade appearance will place the HBCU on one of the most prestigious stages in American pageantry when the band marches in the 137th Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2026, in Pasadena, California. The invitation represents a defining cultural moment for Morgan State University and further solidifies the national influence of HBCU marching bands as institutions rooted in excellence, discipline, and Black tradition. Morgan State University Selected for One of the World’s Most Prestigious Parades Each year, the Tournament of Roses Parade selects marching units from around the world that demonstrate elite musicianship and performance precision.

Four big things Congress did in 2025 — and how they could affect you

By Sahil Kapur WASHINGTON — The Republican-led Congress had a busy first year of President Donald Trump’s second term in 2025. From approving Trump’s signature tax-cut and spending legislation to repealing a record number of regulations under a fast-track procedure, the actions taken on Capitol Hill this year will have an impact on just about every American. It was also a dramatic year, with the party’s narrow House majority fighting bitterly among itself and Congress struggling to achieve bipartisan deals to pass funding bills, leading to a record 43-day shutdown last fall. Here are four big things Congress did in 2025. Made Trump’s

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