Las Notis is a daily news column that gets you up to speed on the political, media + other going ons in the United States, Latin America and the diaspora—all in one quick digest.
Here’s your glimpse at what’s going on today:
- Brazil’s city of Manaus is experiencing an oxygen shortage as COVID-19 cases soar in the region.
A 16-page report defending the government’s response to the crisis disclosed that local and federal officials knew about looming oxygen shortages a week before supplies ran out. [CNN] - Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were inaugurated today as President and Vice President of the United States. In his inauguration speech, Biden called to end political divisiveness and urged Americans to come together during a period of turbulence. “To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America, requires so much more than words and requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity,” he said. [NYT]
- The country’s first Latina Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor administered the oath of office to Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman and person of color to hold the nation’s second-highest office. Her replacement in the Senate is California’s first Latino senator, Alex Padilla. [Politico]
- Lady Gaga sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Biden-Harris inauguration, while Jennifer Lopez sang a medley that included “This Land Is Your Land” and a few words in Spanish at the celebration event. [EW]
- State officials are pushing for more vaccines as demand outpaces supply. Biden has shared plans to change the federal government’s approach to the pandemic and ramp up vaccine distribution across the country. [CNN]
- In his first few hours as president, Joe Biden has said he plans to propose a new bill that would reverse Trump’s administration policies and include a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented people. The plan will be sent to Congress on Wednesday (Jan. 20) for review. [HuffPo]
