Senate passes stopgap funding bill, avoiding shutdown

The Senate passed a stopgap spending bill Thursday that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18 after leaders defused a partisan standoff over federal vaccine mandates. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

Many climate activists support Biden's move to use oil reserve

Democrats and environmentalists mostly support President Joe Biden’s decision to release a record-setting 50 million barrels of oil from America’s strategic reserve, even as the action appeared to contradict the president's long-term goal to fight climate change.