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President-elect Joe Biden is facing escalating pressure from competing factions within his own party as he finalises his choice for secretary of defense. Black leaders have encouraged the incoming president to select an African-American to diversify what has so far been a largely white prospective Cabinet, while others are pushing him to appoint a woman to lead the Department of Defense for the first time. At the same time, a growing collection of progressive groups is opposing the leading female contender, Mich le Flournoy, citing concerns about her record and…

Joe Biden on Monday got his first look as president-elect at the President’s Daily Brief, a top secret summary of US intelligence and world events a document former first lady Michelle Obama has called The Death, Destruction, and Horrible Things Book.” Biden has already had eyes on different iterations of the so-called PDB, which is tailored to the way each president likes to absorb information. More than a decade ago, Biden read President George W Bush’s PDB during Biden’s transition into the vice presidency. After that, he read President Barack…

Mexican officials said Sunday they want to prosecute former security chief Genaro Gar Luna in his own country, despite the fact he faces trial in the US for allegedly protecting a drug gang. The action follows a US decision to drop charges against another former top Mexican official accused of drug links, ex-Defense Secretary Salvador Cienfuegos, and leave any prosecution up to Mexico. A federal official told The Associated Press on Sunday that the Attorney General’s Office had issued an arrest warrant on Friday for former Public Security Secretary Garc…