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The Justice Department plans to try to block a central line of defense for Steve Bannon in his upcoming trial for contempt of Congress: that his decision to stonewall Jan. 6 investigators was the result of his lawyer’s advice. “The Government anticipates filing a motion… to exclude evidence and argument relating to any advice of counsel on the basis that it is not a defense to the pending charges...
Trump gets wish in Georgia, sparks 'a political civil war'
Former President Donald Trump has set out to reshape the GOP in his image across the nation’s top political battlegrounds, sparking bitter primary battles.
apnews.com
Justice Department sues Texas over new redistricting maps
The Justice Department has sued Texas over its new redistricting maps, saying the plans discriminate against minority voters, particularly Latinos, who have fueled the state’s population boom.
apnews.com
Pence's former top aide cooperating with Jan. 6 panel
The former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence is cooperating with the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, according to a person familiar with the matter.
apnews.com
McConnell moves to cut deal on debt ceiling but faces GOP resistance | CNN Politics
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is quietly moving to concoct a plan that would allow the nation’s borrowing limit to be raised and force Democrats to ultimately cast the decisive and politically toxic vote — but he’ll first have to sell it to Republicans.
www.cnn.com
Biden-Putin talks on Ukraine crisis rooted in older dispute
The Cold War ended 30 years ago this month, but one unresolved issue — how closely Ukraine can ally with the West — is creating some of the deepest U.S.
apnews.com
Meadows says Trump’s blood oxygen level was dangerously low when he had COVID-19
Former President Trump’s blood oxygen level fell to a dangerous low after he tested positive for COVID-19 last year, according to a new book by former chief of staff Mark Meadows.In his upcom…
thehill.com
Former D.C. Guard official accuses Army generals of lying to Congress about Jan. 6 response
In a 36-page memo, Col. Earl Matthews called the generals "absolute and unmitigated liars" for how they characterized events.
www.nbcnews.com
Texas AG fires back at Biden admin's 'absurd lawsuit' over redistricting
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blasted the Biden administration's recently announced voting rights lawsuit, alleging that the suit was a "preposterous attempt to sway democracy."
Timed Teaser: Donald Trump raised $1bn for a social media app called...?
Test your knowledge of the news these last few days - 10 questions, 10 seconds each. Go!
www.bbc.comTrump says Comey's firing was critical to surviving four years in White House
Former President Donald Trump told Fox News host Mark Levin that his firing of former FBI Director James Comey was key to his surviving as president.
Man sentenced to nearly four years for running scam Trump, Biden PACs
A Nevada man on Monday was sentenced to 46 months in prison for running financial schemes involving false political action committees and COVID-19 relief, the Department of Justice (DOJ) annou…
thehill.com
Anti-Trump group led by longtime GOP strategist Bill Kristol raised, spent millions during 2020 campaign
A group led by Bill Kristol and a group of fellow so-called Never Trump Republicans raised more than $35 million during the 2020 campaign.
China claims to have ‘democracy that works’ ahead of Biden summit
Beijing has embarked on a media blitz in an attempt to claim its one-party state is more of a democracy than the US.
Trump draws attention with admission he ‘fired Comey’
Former President Trump is drawing attention after giving an interview in which he admitted to firing ex-FBI Director James Comey and suggested that doing so allowed him to remain in …
thehill.com
Why the Jan. 6 panel is on the clock
www.politico.com
Attorney asks court to unmask Jan. 6 footage of suspected undercover agents - Washington Examiner
An attorney to several people charged in connection to the Capitol on Jan. 6 wants the U.S. government to release videos that he says will reveal the "truth" of that day. Joseph McBride told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Monday that he had filed a motion in court "asking for the unmasking of these
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Biden commission punts on whether to recommend expanding Supreme Court
“The Commission takes no position on the validity or strength” of arguments for or against expanding the number of justices, the report said.
www.nbcnews.comBiden unveils first-ever U.S. government strategy for countering corruption
The Biden administration on Monday released the first-ever U.S. government strategy for countering corruption, kicking off a week of policy initiatives pegged to the inaugural "Summit for Democracy" on Dec. 9-10.Why it matters: Joe Biden is the first president to establish the fight against...
Jeffrey Epstein’s former pilot testifies Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Prince Andrew flew aboard Epstein’s private plane | CNN
Jeffrey Epstein’s former pilot testified in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial Tuesday that a who’s who of powerful men, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, flew aboard Epstein’s private plane.
www.cnn.com
Lawmakers drop proposal to add women to the draft as defense bill headaches mount
The bill also won't include repeals of past war authorizations.
www.politico.com
Rise in U.S. house prices to halve next year, affordability to worsen - Reuters poll
The rise in U.S. house prices will slow to half its double-digit rate next year but still outstrip increases in consumer prices and wages, according to a Reuters poll of property analysts, who said affordability would worsen over the next two to three years.
Five things to know about Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine
Fears of Russia launching an offensive against Ukraine have raised tensions between Moscow and the West, with Russia’s massing of troops near Ukraine stoking fears that Russian President Vladimir P…
thehill.comExperts fear Putin ‘preparing citizens for war’ against Ukraine - Washington Examiner
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government is making diplomatic and military preparations for a new invasion of Ukraine in an apparent bid to exert pressure on Kyiv, perhaps even through violence.“All options are plausible from Putin’s view,” a Baltic official told the Washington Examiner, on...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Ethiopian forces recapture two key towns from Tigrayan forces
Ethiopia’s government says it has recaptured the strategic towns of Dessie and Kombolcha, north of Addis Ababa.
Kyle Rittenhouse dunks on LeBron James with F-bomb over mean tweet - Washington Examiner
Kyle Rittenhouse slammed NBA star LeBron James for a tweet criticizing his emotional testimony during his homicide trial before he was acquitted on all counts. The 18-year-old responded to James, who last month mocked Rittenhouse in a tweet when he broke down in tears while on the witness stand...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Report says Russian hackers haven't eased spying efforts
The elite Russian state hackers behind last year’s massive SolarWinds cyberespionage campaign hardly eased up this year, managing plenty of infiltrations of U.S. and allied government agencies and foreign policy think tanks with consummate craft and stealth.
apnews.com
Prosecutor says convicted murderer admitted to another killing just before execution
A 2007 cold case could be resolved after a man confessed to another killing prior to being executed for killing his estranged wife. Before his execution on Nov. 17, 50-year-old David Nea…
thehill.com
Republican McConnell says he will probably support Powell's Fed nomination
U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Monday he would probably end up supporting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's nomination for a second four-year term.
www.reuters.com
Biden set to warn Putin in video call: Expect 'substantial' economic punishment if Russia attacks Ukraine
Ukraine has warned the United States and European allies that Russian troops have amassed along its eastern border.
Democrats see Christmas goal slipping away
The goal for Democrats was to pass President Biden's sweeping climate and social spending package by Christmas, but that is slipping away as the Senate bogs down in one time-consuming fight after another.Democratic senators are growing increasingly doubtful that Senate Majority Leader Charles...
Trump allies are angling for election jobs up and down the ballot. That could have consequences in 2024 | CNN Politics
As former President Donald Trump prepares for a potential comeback bid in 2024, his allies are flocking to election jobs all the way down to the local level in key battleground states, raising new concerns that the election officials who blocked Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election...
www.cnn.com
U.S. wants private sector to operate with full information about China's Xinjiang
The U.S. State Department on Monday said it wants the private sector to operate with full information about what is transpiring in Xinjiang, after the U.S. said it would not send government officials to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing amid criticism of China's human rights record.
www.reuters.com
The dramatic irony of Biden's foreign-policy picks
The president veers progressive on his domestic nominees but embraces the establishment for global affairs. The latter cast is the one facing a Senate GOP blockade for unrelated reasons.
www.politico.comSteve Bannon Wants to Turn His Trial Into a Search of the Biden White House
Jim Bourg/ReutersIt’s the next phase in the Passion of Steve Bannon.The one-time political adviser to then-President Donald Trump is facing criminal charges for refusing to help the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. And he’s trying to use the case against him as a...
Turning outrage into power: How far right is changing GOP
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy appears to have settled on a strategy as a handful of Republican lawmakers stir outrage with violent, racist and sometimes Islamophobic comments: If you can’t police them, promote them.
apnews.comEx-National Guard official says Army generals lied to Congress, alleging cover-up of decision to withhold troops from the Capitol on January 6
Earl Matthews said Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt and Gen. Charles Flynn opposed sending guardsmen to the Capitol on January 6 then lied about it to Congress.
Prescribing abortion pills online or mailing them in Texas can now land you in jail
As the Supreme Court considers a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, Texas enacted a new law imposing criminal penalties for those who prescribe medication abortions via telehealth or the mail.
www.npr.org
Student loan interest is set to kick back in when payments resume, but some Senate Democrats are asking President Biden to waive it
The group of lawmakers also wants the Biden administration to give borrowers who defaulted a "fresh start" with automatic rehabilitation of their loans.
www.cbsnews.com
Psaki dodges on Hunter Biden’s 10% stake in China-linked company despite lawyer’s divestment claims - Washington Examiner
The White House still won’t answer basic questions about Hunter Biden’s role in a Chinese government-linked firm that has invested in companies sanctioned by the United States, despite a lawyer for President Joe Biden’s son saying he no longer holds his 10% ownership stake. A reporter asked...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Schumer steps on the gas to move Biden agenda
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is raising the pressure on his own party to get President Biden’s spending bill on track to pass the chamber by Christmas.Facing skepticism about the…
thehill.com
Biden to urge Putin to return to diplomacy amid Ukraine ‘buildup’
US president called leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Britain on Monday to discuss their ‘shared concern’.
Democratic Latino congressman blasts ‘white rich progressives’ for use of term ‘Latinx’ - Washington Examiner
Rep. Ruben Gallego, chairman of the Bold PAC, the campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, took to Twitter on Monday to blast “white rich progressives” for using the term “Latinx” to court Hispanic voters after a poll showed the use of the term might be doing Democrats more harm than...
www.washingtonexaminer.comBiden huddles with European allies on Ukraine ahead of Putin call
President Biden will seek to convince Russia's Vladimir Putin in a phone call Tuesday that the price of invading Ukraine would be steeper than anything he's faced in the past.Driving the news: Biden held a call on Ukraine this evening with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the U.K...
2 new secret combat drones are in the works, Air Force secretary says
The disclosure is the strongest indication yet that the service is banking on autonomous weapon systems to give it an edge in the increasingly fierce military competition with China.
www.politico.com
Trump new media deal draws SEC scrutiny of one company involved
The SEC said "the investigation does not mean that the SEC has concluded that anyone violated the law," the Digital World Acquisition Corp. filing said.
www.nbcnews.com
US plans diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics
The White House says the U.S. will stage a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing to protest Chinese human rights abuses.
apnews.com
‘I need a budget’: Pentagon officials thrash Congress over gridlock
Putting federal spending on autopilot until at least February locks in funding at the previous year’s level.
www.politico.com
U.S. House could vote to hike debt limit this week, senior Democrat says
The U.S. House of Representatives could vote this week to raise the federal government's $28.9 trillion debt limit, the chamber's No. 2 Democrat told reporters on Monday, without providing details on how such an effort might unfold.
www.reuters.comU.S. Congress nears compromise agreement on massive annual defense bill
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday that Republican leaders were close to reaching a compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, a massive annual bill that sets policy for the Pentagon. "This week, we also anticipate we will be able to reach a...
Ghislaine Maxwell 'gave schoolgirl outfit to Epstein victim'
An accuser says Ms Maxwell suggested she dress up to serve tea to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
www.bbc.comLas Vegas man gets nearly 4-year prison sentence for pro-Trump and Biden scam PACs, PPP fraud
A Las Vegas man behind scam Trump and Biden PACs and a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program scheme was sentenced to 46 months in prison Monday.The big picture: James Kyle Bell, 44, must also forfeit or pay back nearly $1.4 million in cash and assets related to the schemes after pleading guilty...
Government witness ‘Kate’ testifies Ghislaine Maxwell groomed her for sex acts with Jeffrey Epstein
A woman identified as "Kate" testified that Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, recruited and groomed her for sex acts.
Fired CNN anchor Chris Cuomo steps away from his SiriusXM show
The decision follows a sexual harassment allegation. "While I have a thick skin, I also have a family, for whom the past week has been extraordinarily difficult," Cuomo said.
www.npr.org
More voters would pick Trump over Biden if election were held today: poll
More voters would back former President Trump than President Biden in a hypothetical match-up if the 2024 election were held today, according to a new Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey released exclu…
thehill.com
Ex-U.S. Marine's parents urge Biden to push for jailed son's freedom at Putin talks
The parents of Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine held in a Russian jail, urged President Joe Biden on Monday to raise their son's case with Russian President Vladimir Putin at virtual talks to push for his freedom.
www.reuters.com
Israel delays major settlement plan for occupied East Jerusalem
A Jerusalem district committee decides against the proposal, citing the need for an environmental study.
‘Kate’ testifies Ghislaine Maxwell asked if she had friends who would perform sex acts on Epstein - Washington Examiner
A British woman named "Kate" testified Monday that Ghislaine Maxwell pressured her into giving Jeffrey Epstein sexual massages when she was still a teenager and asked if the then-17-year-old had any friends willing to give the disgraced financier oral sex because "it was a lot for her to...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
DOJ closes Emmett Till investigation after reopening 1955 murder case for new evidence
Justice's action comes after the feds reopened the inquiry into the 1955 killing. The Black teen's murder energized the civil rights movement.
www.usatoday.com
Kamikaze drones: A new weapon brings power and peril to the U.S. military
Some experts believe the spread of low-cost, light-weight "killer" drones will change ground warfare as profoundly as the machine gun did.
www.nbcnews.com
Trump endorses 'conservative fighter' Perdue in Georgia governors' race
Former President Donald Trump endorsed former Sen. David Perdue in the Georgia gubernatorial race, calling current GOP Gov. Brian Kemp a 'very weak Governor'
Oligarchs in Biden’s crosshairs
www.politico.comCongress hunts for shortcut to pass defense funding, debt limit combo
The scramble in Congress to pass the National Defense Authorization Act is being complicated by an effort to tie it to a needed hike in the federal debt limit.Why it matters: The House and Senate are rapidly coming up against a series of deadlines they must address before the end of the year —...
David Perdue joins Georgia governor's race, setting up GOP showdown with Kemp
In a video announcement, Perdue said that Kemp "has failed all of us and cannot win in November."
www.nbcnews.com
Biden faces high-stakes test in call with Putin over Ukraine | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden is set for one of the most critical calls of his presidency on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as he gets stark warnings from the US intelligence community that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine as soon as next month.
www.cnn.com
Trump shell company faces SEC investigation
Digital World said it received “preliminary, fact-finding inquiries” in late October and early November.
www.politico.com
Opposing sides of abortion fight prepare to navigate new landscape after Supreme Court decision
A dozen states have so-called "trigger bans" on the books, in which most abortions would be outlawed if the Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade.
www.cbsnews.com
Study casts doubt on idea that marijuana improves sleep
Scientists say using marijuana could harm sleeping habits, according to a new study published Monday.The study, published in the journal BMJ, showed that adults who used marijuana at least 20 …
thehill.com
Biden points to drug prices in call for Senate social spending vote
President Biden on Monday touted the Build Back Better Act’s provisions to lower prescription drug prices in his latest call on the Senate to act on the House-passed legislation.Biden ca…
thehill.comSenate GOP rejects debt limit fix on must-pass defense bill
It's a strategy that Democratic leaders have floated to rescue Congress from a borrowing-limit box canyon. But many upper-chamber Republicans are not impressed.
Minneapolis police chief announces retirement - Washington Examiner
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced his retirement Monday. The retirement, which will go into effect next month, will end a decadeslong career in the police force most recently rocked by the murder of Georgia Floyd as he was being apprehended by Minneapolis police. “After 32...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Republicans blast Biden 'diplomatic boycott' of Olympics as too meager
Republican lawmakers took aim at President Biden for his diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, arguing it did not go far enough while calling for a full boycott of the games
California Rep. Devin Nunes will resign to head up Trump media company
The California Republican will leave Congress at the end of this year to lead Trump's new company.
www.usatoday.com
Tesla's Musk says Biden's electric vehicle bill should not pass Congress
Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said on Monday that Congress should not approve the Biden administration's bill to boost subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs), saying the proposal would worsen the U.S. budget deficit.
www.reuters.comUyghur bill held up as White House, industry concerns align
Pressure from the State Department is reportedly holding up the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in Congress.
www.politico.com
Biden's Supreme Court commission steers clear of controversial issues in draft report
The panel, which will vote on the report Tuesday, steers clear of taking a position on many of the most controversial suggestions for changing the court.
www.npr.org
Smollett testifies he had sexual relationship with brother involved in alleged hate crime hoax - Washington Examiner
Jussie Smollett testified Monday he had a sexual relationship with one of the two brothers whom prosecutors allege he paid to stage a hate crime, despite denials from Abimbola Osundairo last week that the two were ever romantically involved.Smollett said he met Osundairo at a Chicago nightclub...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Suspected Omicron case aboard Norwegian cruise ship is South African crew member
A South African crew member suspected of having the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is among the 17 cases of the virus detected on a cruise ship that disembarked in New Orleans over the weekend, the cruise line said on Monday.
www.reuters.com
Hawaii governor declares state of emergency ahead of the threat of catastrophic flooding | CNN
The Hawaiian Islands could experience “catastrophic flooding” from a storm system lasting until Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
www.cnn.com
Sony fires PlayStation executive after he allegedly appears in pedophile sting video - Washington Examiner
Sony Corporation fired a PlayStation executive on Sunday, citing a pedophile sting video. George Cacioppo, listed on his LinkedIn as the senior vice president of engineering for the PlayStation Network, was allegedly caught on camera trying to meet up with a 15-year-old boy to have sex. The...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Analysis: This is the hidden cost of Trumpism | CNN Politics
By any measure, Charlie Baker is one of the most popular governors in the country.
www.cnn.comThe most competitive governors races, one year out
It is the culmination of a recruiting effort from former President Donald Trump.
www.politico.comBeyond Ukraine, plenty of issues for Biden-Putin talks
Russia’s military buildup on the border with Ukraine will be the top focus of talks between President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, but there are plenty of other thorny issues on the table as well, including cyberattacks, human rights, and US-Russian relations that a Kremlin...
Millions of workers retired during the pandemic. The economy needs them to "unretire," experts say.
Americans are already working more days, longer hours and later in life than people in other industrial countries, but the average age of retirement ticked down during the pandemic.
www.cbsnews.com
Opioid treatment access would be expanded under House Democratic bill
Users in treatment would be able to continue to get methadone prescriptions from pharmacies to take at home.
www.nbcnews.com
GOP Rep. Nunes leaving Congress for Trump social media firm
California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes is leaving the House at the end of this year to lead former President Donald Trump’s effort to launch a social media platform intended to rival Twitter.
apnews.com
Afghanistan: Foreign Office chaotic during Kabul evacuation - whistleblower
Thousands of pleas for help went unread and the foreign secretary lacked urgency, an ex-official says.
www.bbc.comPOLITICO Playbook: Return of the debt ceiling drama
And a former D.C. National Guard official levels explosive new claims about two Army leaders' response to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
www.politico.com
The Memo: Biden, bruised by Afghanistan, faces a critical test in Ukraine
President Biden is facing the second foreign policy crisis of his presidency and he has no room for error, given that he failed the first test with the ignominious U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.…
thehill.com
'There was no hoax': Jussie Smollett denies attack was staged during testimony
Legal experts say that defendants are typically advised not to take the stand, but this jury may need to hear the actor's version of events to be convinced of his innocence.
www.nbcnews.comColumn: Has Biden moved to finally kill California's most farcical water project?
The Cadiz water scheme has been a dead-project-walking for two decades. Biden may finally put it in the grave.
DOJ sues Texas over Republican-approved redistricting maps | CNN Politics
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Monday challenging legislative maps adopted by Texas Republicans in recent weeks that it says fail to recognize growth in the Latino population and discriminate against Black voters.
www.cnn.com
Justice Department sues Texas over redistricting plan - Washington Examiner
The Justice Department on Monday sued Texas over the state's redistricting plan for House maps over the next decade, accusing Republican line-drawers of illegally undermining minority groups' right to vote.Attorney General Merrick Garland said the DOJ reviewed the Lone Star State's redistricting...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Pence’s former chief of staff cooperating with Jan. 6 committee
The House committee is assessing what information Marc Short might be able to provide following his subpoena.
www.nbcnews.com
Hoyer says Dec. 15 is drop-dead deadline to hike debt ceiling
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) argued Monday that Congress must raise the debt ceiling by midmonth or risk an economy-gutting government default.The exact date that the Treasury exh…
thehill.com
Emmett Till investigation closed by feds; no new charges
The U.S. Justice Department is ending its investigation into the 1955 lynching of the Black teenager Emmett Till.
apnews.com
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi convicted in further blow to democracy
The sentencing for incitement and violating coronavirus restrictions was the first in a series of cases to prosecute the 76-year-old Nobel laureate since the army seized power on Feb. 1.
www.politico.com
Perdue gears up for primary brawl with Georgia GOP governor
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is likely to face a prominent challenger for the 2022 Republican primary for governor, former Sen. David Perdue.
apnews.com
Man arrested for threatening to attack LGBTQ community with guns, bombs
Robert Fehring, 74, was arrested for allegedly threatening to attack members of the LGBTQ community and affiliated organizations.
Jeffrey Epstein’s house manager says staff was instructed to ‘see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing’ | CNN
The longtime house manager of Jeffrey Epstein’s home in Palm Beach, Florida, read aloud from an instruction booklet Ghislaine Maxwell gave him in 2001 or 2002 that instructed staff in minute detail how to handle Epstein’s homes.
www.cnn.com
Long December looms for US Democrats
This year has been hard on Democrats. Next year may be harder.
www.bbc.com
Vermont lieutenant governor seeks to become state’s first woman in Congress - Washington Examiner
Vermont Lt. Gov. Molly Gray announced Monday she will run for the state’s single House seat, which, if successful, would make her its first female member of Congress. The campaign is part of a game of musical chairs of sorts among Democrats in the state prompted by the retirement of longtime...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
‘Remain in Mexico’ program restarts, fueling frustration among immigration advocates | CNN Politics
The Biden administration relaunched the Trump-era border policy known as “Remain in Mexico” on Monday, kicking back into gear the program allowing officials to send non-Mexican migrants to Mexico to await their US immigration court hearings.
www.cnn.com
Pentagon chief holds high-level meeting on situation in Ukraine, Russia
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a meeting Monday morning with “key departmental leaders” to discuss Moscow’s military buildup at the Ukrainian border, according to the Pentagon’s top …
thehill.com
Biden targets cash for homes deals in anti-corruption drive
The Biden administration wants to shed new light on transactions where people pay cash for houses.
www.nbcnews.com
Islamophobia and anti-Semitism controversies dominate Congress. Diplomacy, not so much.
Lawmakers and advocates still pressing for a two-state solution in the Middle East are wincing as political weaponization of the conflict becomes the norm.
www.politico.comProject Veritas hires its first lobbyist after FBI raids
Conservative provocateur James O'Keefe's Project Veritas has retained a former senior Trump administration official as a lobbyist, records show.Why it matters: The FBI raided O'Keefe's home last month amid an investigation into a diary allegedly stolen from President Biden's daughter. Project...
Biden touts savings on insulin and other drugs for Americans
President Joe Biden is pledging his social agenda legislation will deliver tangible savings on prescription drugs for all Americans.
apnews.com
GOP lawmaker draws backlash for Christmas photo showing family holding guns
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie came under criticism for the photo he posted of his family holding large guns just days after a high school shooting that left four dead.
'Absolute liars': Ex-D.C. Guard official says generals lied to Congress about Jan. 6
In a 36-page memo to the Capitol riot committee, Col. Earl Matthews also slams the Pentagon's inspector general for what he calls an error-ridden report.
www.politico.com
Analysis: Here’s what pleading the Fifth is and what it means for the January 6 committee | CNN Politics
The January 6 committee is facing a new challenge as multiple people it has subpoenaed signal their intentions to invoke Fifth Amendment protections ahead of their testimony.
www.cnn.com
Could others be charged, liable in Michigan school shooting?
A prosecutor continues to criticize the decision to keep a teenager in a Michigan school before a shooting that killed four students last week.
apnews.com
Crews begin long process of dismantling Lee statue pedestal
Preliminary work is underway to remove an enormous pedestal that until recently held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E
Chaos erupts in Colorado Walmart after suspected shoplifter deploys bear spray
The incident closed the store to the public for hours on Sunday.
Pandemic stress weighs heavily on Gen Z: AP-NORC, MTV poll
A new poll finds that the stresses of the coronavirus pandemic have been especially hard for younger Americans, in particular when it comes to their education and social lives.
apnews.com
Amid shortage, Canada taps into emergency maple syrup reserves
The Canadian province of Quebec produces 70% of the world's maple syrup supply.
www.bbc.com
Dems plot escape from Biden’s poll woes
The party’s own polling has the president in the red. Lawmakers know they need to get better at selling his agenda to avert midterm disaster.
www.politico.com
San Francisco moves to delay its cannabis business tax to give legal dealers a boost
Supporters of the ordinance said the cannabis industry is experiencing a drop-off in business following a boom early in the COVID-19 pandemic and that a tax hike would result in higher prices.
www.npr.orgAs omicron fears grow, COVID-19 once again spoils Biden's plan to push his legislative agenda
Fears over the omicron variant are overshadowing Biden's plans for December, which includes passing a key social and climate spending package
Malala Yousafzai meets with Blinken to advocate for women and girls in Afghanistan
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Malala Yousafzai on Monday in Washington, there to advocate for millions of girls in Afghanistan being denied an education.
White House warns art world rife with money laundering as Hunter Biden sells paintings for $500,000
The White House is warning that the art world is fertile ground for money laundering and other financial crimes at the same time that the president's son, Hunter Biden, is raising eyebrows by selling paintings for up to half a million dollars despite lacking any formal art experience.
Bob Dole to lie in state at Capitol as nation honors senator
The body of the late Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as congressional leaders honor the former Republican presidential candidate and World War II veteran.
apnews.com
Treasury wants more oversight of all-cash real estate deals
The Biden administration is looking to expand reporting requirements on all-cash real estate deals to help crack down on bad actors' use of the U.S. market to launder money made through illicit activity.
apnews.com
Sacklers: Billions reaped from Purdue Pharma not bankruptcy abuse
Sackler family members are alleged to have drained Purdue Pharma of cash over several years.
10 new astronaut candidates inaugurated at NASA
NASA inaugurated a new astronaut candidate class on Monday, it announced. The 10 candidates were selected from 12,000 applicants and will begin two years of training in January as they prepare…
thehill.com
Trump brokers deal to remake the field in N.C. Senate race
The deal benefits Trump-endorsed Rep. Ted Budd, who has struggled to take command of the GOP primary in one of the nation’s key Senate contests.
www.politico.com
January 6 committee postpones depositions with Michael Flynn and Trump’s personal assistant | CNN Politics
One-time Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and the former President’s personal assistant, who were scheduled to be deposed by a congressional committee Monday, have been granted short postponements, a committee aide tells CNN.
www.cnn.com
Trump-tied group pushing for voting changes in Wisconsin
A group supporting former President Donald Trump's agenda is working to bypass Wisconsin's Democratic governor to change the swing state's election laws.
apnews.com
EXPLAINER: What is the revived US policy on Mexico border?
The Biden administration has reinstated a Trump-era policy to make asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court, with changes and additions that Mexico demanded.
apnews.com
Jussie Smollett testifies at trial: 'There was no hoax'
Jussie Smollett says a "massive" man in a ski mask attacked him after shouting slurs in Chicago.
www.bbc.com
Honolulu shut down its largest water source in Oahu due to reported contamination of Navy well near Pearl Harbor | CNN
Records show a history of fuel leaks plaguing Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in the past decade, with the most recent leak occurring 11 days before the Navy announced it had discovered contamination in the Red Hill well on Oahu.
www.cnn.comVulnerable Democrats urge Congress to act before 2022 Medicare cuts kick in
Vulnerable Democrats are urging President Biden and congressional leaders to act quickly to prevent the Medicare cuts that will take effect on the first day of the new year. Why it matters: Congress has little time to act before the Medicare reimbursement cuts kick in on Jan. 1, 2022, and...
Dole mastered the caustic wisecrack, often against himself
Bob Dole’s frequent scowl concealed a dry, often caustic wit. He singed political rivals with it — but didn’t spare himself.
apnews.com
Rohingya sue Facebook for $150bn over Myanmar hate speech
The social media giant is accused of fuelling violence against the persecuted minority in Myanmar.
www.bbc.com
Video Arctic blast on the move
ABC News' Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee has the latest on a powerful storm system with a cold front moving east across the country.
Dems: Discovery, AT&T merger will hurt diversity, workers
Congressional Democrats are raising concerns that the proposed merger of Discovery and AT&T’s WarnerMedia, a $43 billion effort to conquer the world of streaming, could affect diversity efforts in Hollywood and particularly hurt Latinos, who are already deeply underrepresented.
apnews.com
Wisconsin law to curb rape kit backlog with standardized collection, tracking system
Wisconsin officials are taking steps to curb the backlock of rape test kits with a new collection and tracking system.
Floor of Bronx hair salon collapses, injuring 3, including child
The property owner was issued a violation for poor maintenance.
The world’s newest nation is both drying up and drowning | CNN
The worst floods in six decades have swallowed not only the very roads that people need to escape, but also their farms, homes and markets.
www.cnn.com
Turkey’s Erdogan says Cyprus mosque attacks won’t go ‘unanswered’
Turkish leader calls on Cypriot authorities to secure houses of worship or prepare to ‘pay for such acts’.
India hosts Putin as it balances ties with Russia, US
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss defense and trade relations as India attempts to balance its ties with the United States
Sacklers: Billions reaped from Purdue Pharma not bankruptcy abuse
Sackler family members are alleged to have drained Purdue Pharma of cash over several years.
Asian stocks follow Wall Street higher as virus fears ease
Asia stock markets have followed Wall Street higher as anxiety about the coronavirus’s latest variant eased
Wall Street watchdogs probe Trump media firm deal
At the weekend the Trump Media and Technology Group said it had secured $1bn of investment.
www.bbc.comUkraine president hails military as Russia tensions soar
Ukraine's president on Monday hailed the country's military, saying its forces are capable of fending off a potential attack by Moscow as tensions soar over a Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian and Western officials are worried that the Russian military concentration...
Psaki dodges question about Hunter Biden's sale of Chinese assets
The president’s primary spokesperson was asked by a reporter during the daily press briefing if the White House would promise transparency regarding the younger Biden’s sale of Chinese assets.
Washington Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt dead at 66
Fred Hiatt, a foreign correspondent who rose in 2000 to become The Washington Post’s editorial page editor, died Monday at a hospital in New York City. He was 66.
apnews.com
US airline uses AI to guide planes, eliminates plastic to reduce carbon footprint
Alaska Airlines pushes toward a green future.
GOP Women Are Leaning Into Mudslinging and Total Villainy
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty“We are not the fringe,” Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene said a few days ago. “We are the base of the party.”She was defending her alliance of right-wing congressional racists—with a tacit emphasis on Lauren Boebert, who in recent weeks has...
New York billionaire surrenders stolen antiquities worth $70M
The antiquities were stolen from 11 different countries.
Hong Kong Covid: The Cathay pilots stuck in 'perpetual quarantine'
One Cathay Pacific pilot said he had spent almost 150 days in quarantine this year alone.
www.bbc.com
261 vehicle crashes in 18 hours as snow sweeps across Minnesota
A Minnesota snowstorm turned highways and roads into a slippery destruction derby in which at least 261 vehicles crashes were reported in an 18-hour period.
Man says he feels cured after living with diabetes for almost 50 years
Brian Shelton has lived for nearly 50 years with Type 1 diabetes.
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit dies after suffering heart attack following a workout
Trainer Bob Baffert said Medina Spirit died at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
www.cbsnews.com
Omicron v. delta: Battle of coronavirus mutants is critical
Scientists are poring over the latest data to try to understand who might win the battle of the coronavirus variants, the world-dominating delta or the latest competitor, omicron.
apnews.com
NYC to impose vaccine mandate on private sector employers
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says all private employers big and small in the city will have to require their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 27.
apnews.com
Omicron updates: COVID-19 cases could double in New York City
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.3 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 797,000 Americans.
CDC: France and 6 other places at ‘very high’ risk for Covid-19 | CNN
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has moved France to its list of “very high” risk travel destinations. France and six other countries moved to Level 4, the CDC’s highest-risk category, on Monday.
www.cnn.com
U.S. CDC urges Americans to avoid travel to France, Jordan over COVID-19 concerns
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday advised Americans against travel to France, Jordan, Portugal, and Tanzania, citing COVID-19 concerns.
www.reuters.com
CEOs and scientists on whether existing vaccines will work against Omicron
A preliminary study from Pfizer and BioNTech suggest that a booster shot might be the best way to combat Omicron.
www.cbsnews.com
Endless pandemic? Asia’s Omicron retreat shows COVID is political
Rush by Asia-Pacific countries to slam borders shut over the new variant raises questions about the end goal.
A scientist behind the AstraZeneca vaccine is warning the next pandemic may be worse
Sarah Gilbert helped develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. She says without more spending to fight emerging viral threats, the next pandemic could be more contagious and more lethal.
www.npr.org
Parents knowingly sent their child to school after they tested positive for Covid-19. 75 classmates were forced to quarantine | CNN
One family’s decision to send their child to school after testing positive for Covid-19 resulted in dozens of canceled Thanksgiving plans for other classmates, according to a California school district.
www.cnn.comNewsom’s endless COVID mandates spawned California’s looting crime wave, officials say - Washington Examiner
California’s smash-and-grab robbery nightmare is directly tied to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s continuing state of emergency declarations, according to the Orange County sheriff.The California Judicial Council imposed a zero-bail system in response to Newsom’s March 2020 executive order that imposed a...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Cruise ship with COVID-19 infections has new passengers
A cruise ship that carried at least 17 passengers and crew members with breakthrough COVID-19 infections when it docked in New Orleans has set sail again with new passengers
Covid: Omicron spreading in the community, Javid confirms
The new variant is spreading in multiple regions of England, the health secretary says.
www.bbc.com
Officials seek to reassure public over omicron fears
Administration health officials are trying to soothe the public’s fears over the omicron variant of the coronavirus, balancing the need to keep Americans informed with the reality that there’s litt…
thehill.com
We asked a former acting CDC director about the Omicron variant. Here's what he said
Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, weighs in on the latest COVID-19 variant.
www.cbsnews.com
Old wounds from past conflict fuel vaccine hesitancy in Aceh
Indonesian province spent years at war and local residents say the ‘crisis of trust’ created then is still felt today.
