Tag Archives: Washington DC

This morning.

Washington DC, USA

Ahead of tomorrow’s Presidential inauguration ceremony…

…the scale of the security effort can be put into perspective by comparing the number of Guard members in Washington to the number of troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. National Guard members have been arriving in the U.S. capital from all over the country and it is estimated that 25,000 will be present for the inauguration.

That’s five times as high as troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan combined with around 2,500 service members serving in each country, according to a recent Department of Defense press release.

Washington D.C. Troop Levels Are Five Times As High As In Iraq & Afghanistan Combined (Forbes)

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Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo 5:32 p.m. The panda team heard the cub vocalize and glimpsed the cub for the first time briefly immediately after the birth. Mei Xiang picked the cub up immediately and began cradling and caring for it.

She’s tired but well and sitting up enjoying a pot of tay. There’s toast on the way.

Watch Mei Xiang and cub here live

News from the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat (National Zoo Washington DC)