Biden Voids Policy on Transgender Mil. Service; Men Can Identify as Women under Biden Policy

President Biden signed an executive order yesterday overturning the Trump administration policy that limited transgender service, saying in a statement that the U.S. is "safer" when everyone can serve, the Christian Headlines website reports today (January 26, 2021).

At issue was a Trump administration policy that required military personnel to serve in their biological sex, not their preferred gender. 

The Biden executive order reverses Trump and begins a policy that allows military personnel to serve openly under their gender identity. A biological man, who identifies as a woman, for example, can serve alongside women under the new Biden policy.

Washington,DC Mayor Views DC as 51st State Soon; Sees Senate,House,Biden Approving Statehood

Mayor Muriel Boswer of Washington, D.C. recently said that the Democrat-controlled Senate and House will soon vote to make the nation's capital a state and send the bill to the desk of Joe Biden, who has voiced support of D.C. statehood, the New American website reports today (January 25, 2021). 

"The nation's capital, the federal enclave, will continue to exist as the nation's capital and everything outside of those new boundaries will become the 51st state," said Boswer.  

Boswer added, "It is going to be introduced in Congress in a couple of weeks, where we expect to have a favorite vote, and then it goes to the president of the United States. We have made a big focus to President Biden to support D.C. statehood and make it part of his 100-day agenda."

Pope Suffers from Sciatica, Has to Skip Mass; Prays for Homeless Man Who Froze to Death in Rome

Ailing Pope Francis, who this week is making limited public appearances due to persistent pain, has drawn attention to the plight of homeless people in winter, including a Nigerian man who froze to death near the Vatican, the AP website reports today (January 24, 2021).  

Francis today asked for prayers for t he 46-year-old man named Edwin who he said was "ignored by all, abandoned, even by us." The temperature in Rome has dropped to below freezing in recent nights. 

Francis, 84, is suffering for the second time this month from sciatica -- a nerve inflammation that can cause severe pain in the lower back and legs -- causing him to skip Mass in St. Peter's Basilica today.

Biden's Anti-Cath. Views Cause Cath. Divisions; Rejects Cath. Doctrine on Abortion,Marriage,Etc.

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), sent a letter to Joe Biden after he was sworn in as president on January 20, saying he felt obliged to point out that our new president has pledged to pursue certain policies opposed by the Catholic Church "in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender," the Yahoo News website reports today (January 23, 2021).

Biden, only the second Catholic U.S. president (after John F. Kennedy), has caused severe divisions among U.S. Catholics for opposing Catholic doctrine by being in favor of abortions, allowing divorced Catholics to remarry, and supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transvestite lifestyles. 

On the other hand, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, issued a rare public rebuke of Gomez's letter, saying the USCCB's "ill-considered statement" for Biden's inauguration "came as a surprise to many bishops, who received it just hours before it was released..." 

Pope:St. Paul Would Be Texting,Tweeting Today; Praises Paul's Face to Face Christian Spread

 If he were alive today, even St. Paul would be texting, tweeting, and firing off emails to get the news out, Pope Francis said today (January 23, 2021) in his message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Social Communication, according to  the Reuters website.

St. Paul, who lived in the first century of the Christian era, spread the new faith into Europe and Asia Minor, and is believed to have written a great part of the New Testament.

Still, Francis said Paul was at his best while preaching in person, saying journalists and other communicators today should do more "hitting the streets...meeting people face to face to research stories or to verify certain situations first-hand."

Senate to Begin Trump Impeachment Trial Feb. 8; Schumer:"Make No Mistake,There Will Be a Trial"

Chuck Schumer, the new Senate Majority Leader, said today (January 22, 2021) a trial in the Senate against former President Donald Trump for incitement to insurrection will begin on February 8, 2021, the NPR website reports. 

"The Senate will conduct a trial on the impeachment of Donald Trump," Schumer said today. "It will be a fair trial.But make no mistake, there will be a trial."

Once the article of impeachment is delivered to the Senate by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the trial process can begin, with notices sent to both sides.  

Biden Puts Main Effort on Licking Coronavirus; Fauci Lauds Biden's Cue to "Let Science Speak"

President Joe Biden unveiled sweeping measures to battle COVID-19 on his first full day in office today (January 21, 2021), with his chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, praising his new boss' willingness to "let the science speak" in contrast to the Trump administration, the Reuters website reports. 

Biden said he was taking steps to speed up the federal response to the virus, including expanding testing and vaccinations and increasing mask-wearing.

Biden also signed executive orders to establish a COVID-19 testing board to ramp up testing, address supply shortfalls, establish protocols for international travelers, and direct resources to hard-hit minority communities.