The Senate narrowly confirmed California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as Health and Human Services secretary, making him the first Latino to lead the agency. The vote was 50-49. 

Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexico's Laguna Pueblo, has become the first Native American Cabinet secretary in U.S. history. The Senate voted 51-40 Monday to confirm the Democratic congresswoman to lead the Interior Department.

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Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.”

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Trump finally got the vaccine. Also Republican senator from Kentucky Rand Paul challenged Dr. Fauci on why Americans should wear masks after being vaccinated during a Senate hearing. Dr. Fauci responded that wearing masks after vaccination would be a good practice considering the unknown potential of Covid-19 variants spreading in communities.

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Rep. Chip Roy said he had "no apologies" after he made what appeared to be a pro-lynching remark during a congressional hearing on combatting anti-Asian American violence.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom isn't new to criticism or attempts to remove him from office. Republicans have crafted recall efforts five times in the two years he's led the state. 

But after being hailed as one of the nation's most formidable leaders in the fight against COVID-19, the sixth attempt to recall Newsom looks like it will almost certainly lead to a recall election— something Newsom, himself, acknowledges

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The ERA & the Equality Act 

The bill, which would add LGBTQ rights protections to federal civil rights law, passed the U.S. House of Representatives last month. However, it’s still doubtful that the Equality Act will pass the Senate in its current form, since 10 Republicans would need to vote for the bill in order for it to overcome a likely filibuster attempt. There are currently no Republican co-sponsors in the House or Senate, and no Republican spoke in favor of the bill on Wednesday.

Also, Filibuster reform

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The suspect in the spa attacks has been charged with eight counts of murder.

Six of the eight victims were women of Asian descent.

Experts warn of a rise in hate crimes motivated by ‘male supremacy.’

Asian-Americans were targeted in nearly 3,800 hate incidents in the past year.

A sheriff’s deputy faced criticism for saying the suspect had a ‘bad day’ and for an anti-Asian Facebook post.

Also, because of the economic burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic, structural changes across higher education, and Mills’ declining enrollment and budget deficits, Mills College must begin to shift away from being a degree-granting college and toward becoming a Mills Institute that can sustain Mills’ mission.

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The bucolic 40-mile road that runs from the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean through Marin County will soon have multiple names.

While the cities of Larkspur and Ross have opted not to rename Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Fairfax town council voted unanimously to change it this week.

Twenty-one Republican state attorneys general on Tuesday threatened to take action against the Biden administration over its new $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus law, decrying it for imposing “unprecedented and unconstitutional” limits on their states’ ability to lower taxes.

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Then-President Donald Trump and some of his allies made headlines in the run-up to the November general election by claiming, without evidence, that foreign adversaries were manipulating mail-in ballots.

But that theory was debunked by the US intelligence community, which said in its declassified report: "We have no indications that any foreign actor attempted to alter any technical aspect of the voting process in the 2020 US elections, including voter registration, casting ballots, vote tabulation, or reporting results."

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Epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford from UCSF joins John for the hour to answer questions from listeners.

It's been one year since the lockdown began in San Francisco.

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