(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection voted Wednesday to pursue contempt charges against Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who refused to answer the committee’s questions, even as the committee has agreed to let him come back for another try.
Justices signal they'll OK new abortion limits, may toss Roe
WASHINGTON (AP) — In the biggest challenge to abortion rights in decades, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Wednesday signaled they would allow states to ban abortion much earlier in pregnancy and may even overturn the nationwide right that has existed for nearly 50 years.
apnews.com
Justices' abortion remarks: Is it time to overturn Roe?
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court heard arguments in which it was asked to overturn a nationwide right to abortion that has existed for nearly 50 years.
apnews.com
Trump 'stoked' crowd on January 6 and should be held accountable, federal judge says
A federal judge suggested Wednesday that Donald Trump and others who spoke at the "Stop the Steal" rally on January 6 should be held accountable for the US Capitol riot that followed, saying the then-President "stoked" the crowd and "might've inspired what happened."
www.cnn.com
Trump tested COVID-positive pre-debate, ex-aide says in book
Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 three days before his first presidential debate in September 2020 with Joe Biden, according to a new book by Trump's former chief of staff. In “The Chief's Chief,” obtained by The Guardian before its Dec.
apnews.com
GOP risks government shutdown to fight Biden vaccine mandate
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government could be heading for a temporary shutdown, with Republicans poised to stall a must-pass funding bill in their effort to force a debate in Congress on rolling back the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandates for some workers.
apnews.com
Epstein accuser to BBC: Maxwell a master manipulator
The BBC spoke to Teresa Helm, who accused Epstein of sexually assaulting her at the age of 22.
www.bbc.com
Supreme Court abortion case: Justices grill lawyers on precedent, fetal viability, constitutional rights
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a potential landmark abortion rights case Wednesday, as the state of Mississippi defended an abortion restriction law that directly challenges Roe v. Wade.
U.S. Congress scrambles to avert government shutdown, as some Republicans balk
Leading Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate scrambled on Wednesday to head off the threat of a partial federal government shutdown posed by Republicans opposed to President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
www.reuters.com
Cheney warns Trump: Any lies under oath 'subject to criminal penalties'
Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, vice chairwoman of the House select committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, issued a warning to former President Donald Trump amid his posturing that he wanted to debate members of the committee: Lie, and there will be criminal…
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Trump tested COVID-positive pre-debate, ex-aide says in book
Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 three days before his first presidential debate in September 2020 with Joe Biden, according to a new book by Trump's former chief of staff. In “The Chief's Chief,” obtained by The Guardian before its Dec.
apnews.com
CIA publishes new account describing "challenges" of briefing Trump
"Trump was like Nixon, suspicious and insecure about the intelligence process, but unlike Nixon in the way he reacted," according to a new account.
www.cbsnews.com
Meta is reversing policy that kept Kyle Rittenhouse from Facebook and Instagram
The announcement follows Rittenhouse's recent acquittal for last year's shooting in Kenosha, Wis. The company is also lifting restrictions that blocked his name in certain search results.
www.npr.org
Stacey Abrams launches 2nd campaign for Georgia governor
ATLANTA (AP) — Stacey Abrams, the Georgia Democrat and leading voting rights activist , said Wednesday that she will launch another campaign to become the nation's first Black woman governor.
apnews.com
Supreme Court oral arguments in Dobbs prompt strong reactions from both sides of abortion debate
Both sides of the abortion debate offered their reactions to oral arguments heard by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Former Trump DOJ official set to plead the Fifth before Jan. 6 committee
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack plans to move forward Wednesday with criminal contempt proceedings against a former DOJ official.
5 takeaways from the Supreme Court showdown over abortion
Many players during Wednesday’s arguments appeared concerned that this case could exacerbate the public‘s perception the court is politically motivated.
www.politico.com
Florida Republicans debate how far to push congressional remap
Florida Republican legislators are debating how far they can press their luck as they consider changes to U.S. House district boundaries in a state that will add a 28th seat to its delegation. …
thehill.com
Suspect and his parents met with school officials morning of Michigan shooting, sheriff says
Oxford High School officials had contact with the suspect and his parents the day before and the morning of the fatal shooting on Tuesday at the suburban Detroit school, according to authorities.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
CNN's Chris Cuomo calls suspension over efforts to help brother 'embarrassing'
CNN news anchor Chris Cuomo said Wednesday his suspension from the cable news network over efforts to help his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, respond to allegations of sexual misconduct was "embarrassing" and cited an earlier apology for his actions.
www.reuters.com
Warren calls on big banks to follow Capital One in ditching overdraft fees
Following Capital One’s announcement that it would be dropping overdraft fees, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday pressed other big banks to follow suit and end the “abusive p…
thehill.com
NASA says huge, ‘potentially hazardous’ asteroid will break into Earth’s orbit next week
On Dec. 11, NASA expects asteroid 4660 Nereus to be at its closest point to Earth over a 20-year period.
thehill.com
Eric Adams invokes Obama ahead of ‘spiritual journey’ to Ghana
Spokesperson Evan Thies said the incoming New York mayor will return from his overseas vacation on Dec. 8, and described it as a family trip without government or political staff.
www.politico.com
NTSB issues safety alert to subways, rail over wheel defect
The National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday issued a safety alert to subway systems and commuter railroads over a wheelset problem that led to a derailment in the nation’s capital , saying the defect is difficult to detect and potentially devastating.
apnews.com
Putin demands NATO guarantees not to expand eastward
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow would seek Western guarantees precluding any further NATO expansion and deployment of its weapons near his country's borders, a stern demand that comes amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
apnews.com
Dems renew push for gun-control bills after Oxford shooting
Democrats are vowing to push new gun-control legislation and to revive stalled bills in Michigan’s Republican-led Legislature following a mass shooting that left four high school students dead and others with serious injuries
Outside Supreme Court, crowd amplifies abortion arguments
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of abortion debate partisans crowded the plaza in front of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, trading chants as justices heard the highly anticipated arguments inside.
apnews.com
Psaki slams Republicans in Congress threatening shutdown over vaccine mandates
White House press secretary Jen Psaki lit into congressional Republicans threatening a government shutdown over vaccine mandates, saying they advocate for those who would "infect their coworkers, our children, filling hospitals" with COVID-19 patients.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Meet France's far-right presidential candidate who's been likened to Trump
“People are not enough afraid of him,” said a former adviser to the last Socialist president, François Hollande. “Nobody thought that Trump could win.”
www.nbcnews.com
Michigan suspect recorded video about killing students night before shooting, officials say
The disclosure was made before the teenage suspect's arraignment.
www.nbcnews.com
Media giants side with Bannon on request to release Jan. 6 documents
A coalition of media giants is siding with Stephen Bannon in his push for the release of documents pertaining to his contempt of Congress charges related to the House investigation in the Jan.…
thehill.com
Supreme Court's conservatives lean towards limiting abortion rights after dramatic oral arguments on Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks
The Supreme Court seemed poised Wednesday to uphold a Mississippi law that bars abortion after 15 weeks, but it is less clear if there is a clear majority to end the right to abortion nationwide, although conservative justices expressed skepticism about the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
www.cnn.com
Ghislaine Maxwell accuser says seeking 'peace and healing' through trial testimony
A woman who has accused British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell of grooming her for sexual abuse by financier Jeffrey Epstein when she was 14 years old said on Wednesday she is seeking "peace and healing" by testifying in Maxwell's criminal trial.
www.reuters.com
Senate Republicans clash over government shutdown strategy
Senate Republicans on Wednesday battled over a proposal floated by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) to block a short-term government funding deal unless they get a vote on an…
thehill.com
Senate Republicans shrug off debt default deadline
Senate Republicans are feeling far more relaxed about the impending Dec. 15 federal debt-default deadline this time around, with many suggesting the real drop-dead date isn't until January.Why it matters: Their attitude toward the deadline set by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is distinctively...
Russia planning ‘aggressive moves’ against Ukraine, Blinken says
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Washington ‘will be prepared to act’ if Russia invades Ukraine.
Trump's border separations left children, parents with severe trauma, study finds
The Physicians for Human Rights study concluded that the treatment of 31 children and parents rose to the level of torture as defined by a U.N. convention.
www.nbcnews.com
Senate Republicans Threaten Shutdown Over Vaccine Mandates
WASHINGTON — A group of Senate Republicans is threatening to delay action on a spending bill needed to avert a lapse in federal funding on Friday unless it also bans enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine-and-testing mandate for large employers, heightening the threat of a government...
Blinken says Russia could move on Ukraine 'on short order'
RIGA, Latvia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin could quickly order an invasion of Ukraine if he had a pretext for doing so but that NATO allies stand ready to inflict heavy sanctions on Russia’s economy if that happens.
apnews.com
Biden says HIV/AIDS strategy needs to confront inequity
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday unveiled his new HIV/AIDS strategy to end the more than 40-year-old epidemic, calling for a renewed focus on vulnerable Americans — including gay and bisexual Black and Latino men, who his administration says are too often stigmatized even as...
apnews.com
Biden on report Trump tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of 2020 debate: 'I don't think about the former President'
President Joe Biden on Wednesday had a sharp response to a reporter's question on a report that suggested then-President Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19 last year earlier than previously disclosed.
www.cnn.com
Suozzi becomes fourth Democrat to enter New York governor’s race
“The far right and the far left have gone too far, and they’re stopping us from getting things done,” Suozzi said in a campaign launch video.
www.politico.com
Bidens to attend Kennedy Center Honors following Trumps’ absence
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will be attending 44th Kennedy Center Honors this month, marking the return of a sitting president to the prestigious arts ceremony after former President …
thehill.com
California couple to plead guilty in U.S. college admissions scandal
A California doctor and his wife have agreed to plead guilty to participating in a sprawling U.S. college admissions fraud scheme by paying $25,000 to rig their son's SAT college entrance exam, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.
www.reuters.com
Democrats wrangle to keep climate priorities in spending bill
Democrats are clamoring to keep their climate priorities in the spending bill passed by the House as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) pushes for adjustments.Democratic senators on Wednesday said a f…
thehill.com
McCarthy pleads with Republicans to stop infighting: ‘Congress is not junior high’
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday pleaded with Republicans to stop attacking each other as they keep getting mired in nasty personal fights, admonishing them that “Congre…
thehill.com
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Shreds Kevin McCarthy For Condoning 'KKK Caucus'
The House minority leader "is so desperate to be speaker" that he's willing to overlook the violent targeting of women of color in Congress, the Democrat said.
Michigan school shooting suspect did not try to lure students out of room, sheriff says
The suspected shooter at a Michigan high school did not knock on the door and try to lure students out of a barricaded room Tuesday as was previously speculated from a viral video, according to authorities.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Five revealing quotes from Supreme Court abortion case
A tense Supreme Court hearing Wednesday over Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban suggested the conservative-majority court is willing to place new restrictions on abortion.Less clear is how far the …
thehill.com
DeFazio becomes latest Democratic lawmaker to retire at the end of current term
House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., will retire at the end of this Congress.
Little-noticed spending bill provision could fix green card backlog
Re-created from CATO Institute; Chart: Axios Visuals Immigrants caught in backlogs to receive green cards could become U.S. permanent residents years — even decades — faster if a little-noticed provision in President Biden's $1.75 trillion "human" infrastructure bill becomes law.Driving the...
Abortion rights advocates in Mississippi strategize for a post-Roe world
“We’re not going to go underground,” a local advocate said as the Supreme Court heard arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
www.nbcnews.com
Why the Women’s Tennis Association rallied for Peng Shuai
Women’s world tennis body suspends China tournaments over Beijing’s handling of top player’s sexual assault allegations.
Former player, labor lawyer lead MLB into 9th work stoppage
NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Clark was a minor league prospect in the Detroit Tigers’ system and Rob Manfred a junior lawyer on Major League Baseball management’s legal team during the sport's last work stoppage.
apnews.com
A Fauci no longer in the Fox house
www.politico.com
Cruz hammers Biden judicial nominee who described himself as 'wild-eyed leftist'
Cruz tore into Dale Ho, Biden’s pick to sit on the bench for New York’s Southern District, during his Wednesday Senate confirmation hearing.
Exclusive: Trump's social media venture seeks $1 billion raise - sources
Former President Donald Trump's new social media venture is seeking to raise up to $1 billion by selling shares to hedge funds and family offices at several times the valuation it commanded in a deal with a blank-check acquisition firm in October, two people familiar with the matter said.
www.reuters.com
What Republicans and Democrats are planning for the midterm elections: 5 things to know
With control of Congress up for grabs in the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats and Republicans are laying out their plans. What we already know.
Microsoft shareholders vote to force company to better report sexual harassment data
Microsoft Corp. shareholders voted to force the company to more transparently address sexual harassment claims via independent investigations and public reporting.
4th student dies from Michigan school shooting; 15-year-old charged as adult: Latest
The teenager who allegedly gunned down four classmates and injured seven others took his father's gun to his Michigan high school.
Jan. 6 committee subpoenas phone records of private citizens but not members of Congress
The House select committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has subpoenaed the phone records of private U.S. citizens but has not subpoenaed the records of members of Congress, according to Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks and another GOP aide.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Trump SPAC social media company appears to miss its first product deadline
Trump Media & Technology Group appears to have missed its own November deadline to launch an invitation-only version of "Truth Social," its Twitter alternative.
Bidens, Harris, Emhoff celebrate Hanukkah at White House
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses held a “family” celebration of Hanukkah at the White House Wednesday, with the first Jewish spouse of a vice president, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, joining in lighting the menorah.
apnews.com
Conservatives target vulnerable Democrats with college football ad buy
A conservative group is taking its air campaign to defeat President Biden’s $1.75 trillion social spending package to college football games, targeting vulnerable senators in Arizona, Nevada and New Hampshire with a nearly $3 million buy.Why it matters: By running TV ads during this weekend's...
Sotomayor warns of danger to Supreme Court legitimacy in abortion fight: 'How will we survive?'
Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned whether the legitimacy of the Supreme Court would endure if it overturned abortion rights during a landmark hearing on a Mississippi law restricting the procedure.
Accuser's credibility attacked at Ghislaine Maxwell trial
The defense at the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell is trying to cast doubt on a key accuser’s allegation that the British socialite helped financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually the woman for years, starting when she was 14
Taliban and Myanmar junta remain out of UN after key meeting
A United Nations committee on Wednesday decided to maintain the current diplomatic status quo regarding the representation of Afghanistan and Myanmar at the international body, leaving the Taliban …
thehill.com
Data on thousands of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles patients breached
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) announced Wednesday that it had been the target of a “cybersecurity incident” that compromised patient information.In a notice posted online, PPLA reported tha…
thehill.com
UFC's Dana White lauds monoclonal antibodies after breakthrough COVID case
UFC President Dana White announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 this week despite being vaccinated.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Debt collectors can use social media to reach borrowers
There are strict guidelines governing how a collector can reach out on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
www.nbcnews.com
Mexico and US to launch plan to stem Central American migration
The vast majority of people heading to the US-Mexico border are from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Colorado Secretary of State warns of 'slow motion' Jan. 6 happening now
Americans face unprecedented barriers to having their voices heard in the upcoming 2022 and 2024 elections, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said on Wednesday.
www.reuters.com
Analysis: What you don't understand about Lauren Boebert
On Day 3 of the controversy caused by Lauren Boebert's suggestion that a Muslim member of Congress might be a terrorist, the Colorado Republican said that she "can't wait" to debate the issue with Rep. Ilhan Omar on a Fox News primetime show.
www.cnn.com
U.S. Chamber of Commerce fundraising surged to over $215 million in 2020 despite GOP leaders' criticism
The Chamber of Commerce's fundraising surged to over $215 million in 2020 even after Republican officials blasted the group.
Business execs press Congress to move semiconductor bills
Democrats in Congress are facing complaints from a litany of industries over their proposal to create a new 15 percent minimum tax on big businesses to help pay for their reconciliation package.
www.politico.com
GOP Sen. Susan Collins supports codifying Roe v. Wade abortion protections into law
"She has had some conversations with her colleagues about this and is open to further discussions," a spokeswoman said.
www.nbcnews.com
Democrats announce deal to fund government as shutdown looms: Here's what we know about where things stand
Any serious objection to a funding measure in either chamber of Congress will delay passage, forcing a shutdown.
Abortion providers say stakes are 'unbelievably high' for Supreme Court case
Supreme Court Justices heard arguments today in a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade. NBC News' Kate Snow speaks to a nurse at North Dakota's only abortion clinic who says the stakes are "unbelievably high" and the clinic would close down if the court upheld Mississippi's law.
www.nbcnews.com
New dinosaur species from Chile had a unique slashing tail
Scientists in Chile have found the fossils of a strange new dinosaur species
Fight over Putin's pipeline consumes Congress
The Biden administration, House and Senate Democrats and even the German government have been engaged in a multi-pronged effort to stop Congress from imposing mandatory sanctions on a Kremlin-backed natural gas pipeline.Why it matters: President Biden's decision to let Nord Stream 2 proceed has...
Ethiopia's Tigray conflict: Lalibela retaken - government
Tigray rebels took control of Lalibela, famous for its 13th Century rock-hewn churches, in August.
www.bbc.com
Supreme Court conservatives look ready to gut Roe v. Wade during arguments in Mississippi abortion case
The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, marks the most significant challenge to abortion rights in decades.
Boeing out of the running for Canada’s $19B fighter jet contract
Boeing is officially out of the running for Canada’s $19 billion fighter jet contract after the country revealed on Wednesday that two companies remain in contention.Public Services and Procurement…
thehill.com
Defendant cried about using a stun gun on officer during interrogation
The Justice Department released video of Daniel Rodriguez's March interviews, which show him saying "Trump called us to D.C."
www.nbcnews.com
Roe has lasted almost 50 years. How unusual would it be to overturn it? | CNN Politics
A CNN analysis of congressional data shows overruling the landmark abortion rights case would be unusual, but far from unprecedented.
Dr. Oz Sorta Has An Address In The State Where He's Running For Senate
Home is where the heart is — or where you can rent your in-laws' place.
Dow finishes 450 points lower, triggered by first omicron case in U.S.
Travel stocks were the biggest losers, with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines all dropping by around 5 percent each.
www.nbcnews.com
Jury takes shape for Potter trial in Daunte Wright's death
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The jury for the trial of a suburban Minneapolis police officer charged in Daunte Wright's shooting death began to take shape Wednesday, with nine of the necessary 14 panelists seated, including a woman who said she owns a stun gun.
apnews.com
GOP's Baker won't seek 3rd term as Massachusetts governor
BOSTON (AP) — Republican Gov. Charlie Baker announced Wednesday he won't seek a third term as governor of Massachusetts, where his party is bitterly split between supporters and foes of former President Donald Trump.
apnews.com
Why two young women traveled far to protest outside Supreme Court
Two women were among more than a thousand people who descended upon the nation's high court on Wednesday as it heard a historic abortion case.
READ: Transcript of Supreme Court oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health | CNN Politics
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday on a Mississippi law that bars abortion after 15 weeks.
Nord Stream 2 turning into Biden’s No. 1 problem
www.politico.com
Canadian MPs vote to ban LGBT 'conversion therapy'
MPs cross the aisle to shake hands with and even hug their counterparts as the bill is passed.
www.bbc.com
World AIDS Day: A time for remembrance, a time for hope
More than 32 million people have died due to the virus.
Loyalty to family, instead of CNN, puts Chris Cuomo at risk
NEW YORK (AP) — There's family, and your job as a journalist. Chris Cuomo's willingness to put the latter at risk in service to his brother has led to his suspension by CNN. The network took him off the air Tuesday , saying that material released by New York's attorney general shows that he...
apnews.com
WTA to AP: Loss of China events over Peng could go past '22
The suspension of all WTA tournaments in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former government official there of sexual assault, could result in cancellations of those events beyond 2022, the head of the women's professional...
apnews.com
Michigan teen charged in Oxford High School shooting
OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A 15-year-old boy was charged with murder and terrorism for a shooting that killed four fellow students and injured more at a Michigan high school, authorities said Wednesday as they revealed additional details, including a meeting between troubled officials and...
apnews.com
Democrats officially have a retirement problem | CNN Politics
The shock retirement announcement by Oregon Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio on Wednesday provides clear evidence that senior members of the Democratic Party expect next year's midterm election to drive them out of the majority.
MLB's collective bargaining agreement expired at midnight. Here's what you need to know about the lockout.
Commissioner Robert Manfred said the MLB players union has "refused to budge" from its stance on a new contract.
www.cbsnews.com
Trump voices old grievances in freewheeling interview with Farage
Conversation broke little new ground as ex-president hinted that he might run for president again Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Wellington, Ohio, in June. Photograph: Aaron Josefczyk/UPI/REX/Shutterstock Donald Trump attacked Boris Johnson’s plans for clean power, slammed the Duchess of...
McCarthy tries to keep order within House GOP as Dems debate Boebert punishment
But as more controversies crop up in the House Republican conference, ultra-conservatives are increasingly emboldened.
www.politico.com
Michigan school shooting: Suspect, 15, charged as an adult
The 15-year-old killed four students in an "absolutely premeditated" attack, say prosecutors.
www.bbc.com
Jeffrey Epstein introduced me to Trump at 14, Ghislaine Maxwell accuser says
Testifying at Maxwell’s trial in New York City, the woman, identified by the pseudonym Jane, said she met the former president in the 1990s at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
www.nbcnews.com
Takeaways from the historic Supreme Court arguments on abortion rights
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday on one of its most important cases in decades and considered the future of abortion rights in America.
www.cnn.com
U.S. Congress will pass voting rights bills, Stacey Abrams says
(Reuters) -Democratic politician Stacey Abrams is bullish that the U.S. Congress will pass two key bills to protect voting rights https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/back-future-voting-rights-2021-06-15 - even though her party has already failed to advance voting rights legislation four...
Suspect in Waukesha parade carnage says he feels 'demonized'
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The man accused of driving his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring dozens , said Wednesday that he feels like he's being “demonized.”
apnews.com
Takeaways from the appeals court hearing in the January 6 Trump documents case
An appeals court hearing Tuesday on former President Donald Trump's claim to keep January 6 documents from his presidency private showed that Trump faces an uphill battle to keep the documents out of the hands of House investigators.
www.cnn.com
Baldwin to ABC about shooting: 'I didn't pull the trigger'
NEW YORK (AP) — Alec Baldwin told ABC's George Stephanopoulos in an interview airing Thursday that he did not pull the trigger on a prop gun he was holding on a New Mexico film set when it went off, killing a cinematographer.
apnews.com
Alec Baldwin exclusive: 'The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger'
George Stephanopoulos' exclusive interview airs Thursday on ABC, streams on Hulu
Fossil footprints puzzle scientists: Bear or ancient human?
WASHINGTON (AP) — Prehistoric footprints that have puzzled scientists since the 1970s are getting a second look: Were they left by extinct animals or by human ancestors? When famed paleontologist Mary Leakey first uncovered the footprints in Tanzania 40 years ago, the evidence was ambiguous.
apnews.com
Who are the victims of Oxford High School shooting?
The four teenagers killed by a fellow student at Oxford High School in Michigan were being remembered Wednesday for their commitment to athletics, art and family.
apnews.com
Summer lawsuit trial seen in deadly Florida condo collapse
A Miami judge says a summer trial is likely for lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages from the collapse of a Florida beachfront condominium that killed 98 people
Jacqueline Avant, wife of music legend, killed in shooting
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Jacqueline Avant, a Los Angeles philanthropist and the wife of legendary music executive Clarence Avant, was fatally shot at their home in Beverly Hills, California, early Wednesday, police said.
apnews.com
1st US case of COVID omicron variant confirmed in California
WASHINGTON (AP) — A person in California who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 became the first in the U.S. to have an identified case of the omicron variant, the White House announced Wednesday as scientists continue to study the risks posed by the new virus strain.
apnews.com
Mysteries of omicron variant could take weeks to untangle
A pandemic-weary world faces weeks of confusing uncertainty as countries restrict travel and take other steps to halt the newest potentially risky coronavirus mutant before anyone knows just how dangerous omicron really is.
apnews.com
Trump tested positive for Covid three days before debating Biden, subsequently tested negative
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows revealed the pre-debate positive test in a new book, which Trump said was “fake news.”
www.nbcnews.com
Facebook takes down China-based network spreading false COVID-19 claims
The Chinese operation is one of six networks blocked from Facebook and Instagram after spreading false information and harassing opponents.
www.npr.org
Hospitals refused to prescribe ivermectin. Threats and lockdowns followed.
Hospitals in Idaho and Montana called police after patients’ family members threatened violence if their loved ones weren’t treated with the antiparasitic drug.
www.nbcnews.com
GOP sets back Biden’s vaccine mandates amid omicron
The GOP’s legal pushback against President Biden’s vaccine mandates is limiting his efforts to get more people vaccinated in the face of the omicron variant. A string of recent court rul…
thehill.com
South Africa's new COVID cases double in 1 day amid omicron
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's new cases of COVID-19 nearly doubled in a day, authorities reported Wednesday, signaling a dramatic surge in the country where scientists detected the omicron variant last week.
apnews.com
Ex-White House official says Trump showed 'flagrant lack of regard for public health' in keeping positive Covid test secret | CNN Politics
Former President Donald Trump showed "a flagrant lack of regard for public health" and endangered White House staff by not disclosing a positive Covid-19 test he received last year, his former communications director said Wednesday.
Biden to boost winter pandemic protections as Omicron arrives in the U.S.
President Biden announces new measures as scientists try to determine how dangerous the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 will be.
Airlines told to keep data on travelers from southern Africa
Federal health officials are requiring airlines to gather contact-tracing information on passengers heading to the U.S. who have been in southern Africa in the previous two weeks. The directive follows President Joe Biden’s order that bars most foreign nationals from entering the U.S. if they...
Border closures won't do much to stop Omicron, expert says, and could be counterproductive
President Biden’s decision late last week to ban travel from eight southern African countries is unlikely to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, an epidemiologist warns, and could even be counterproductive.
Trump denies claim he tested positive for COVID before 1st debate
The former president is denying the claim made by Mark Meadows in a forthcoming book that he tested positive for COVID-19 three days before his first debate with Joe Biden.
How Trump’s ‘America First’ edict delayed the global Covid fight
With Omicron emerging in countries deprived of vaccines, the failure to develop a strategy to inoculate the world looms large.
www.politico.com
Officials lament wait for information as Omicron variant spreads
Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the US confirm their first cases of the new variant that is spreading fear and uncertainty.
Psaki ducks question on Biden claim Trump responsible for 'many' COVID-19 deaths as toll keeps mounting
Jen Psaki refused to acknowledge previous remarks from President Biden about Trump which claimed “anyone who is responsible” for thousands of COVID-19 deaths should “not remain” in the White House.
December 1, 2021 Omicron coronavirus variant news
Scientists are racing to determine the Omicron coronavirus variant's severity, transmissibility and whether it evades current vaccines. Follow here for the latest.
Hedge fund CEO readies Senate bid despite Oz announcement
David McCormick is expected to join the Pennsylvania GOP primary in the next few weeks.
First known U.S. Omicron case found in fully vaccinated overseas traveler
The United States on Wednesday identified its first known COVID case caused by the Omicron variant, discovered in a fully vaccinated patient who traveled to South Africa, as scientists continue to study the risks the new version could pose.
www.reuters.com
Biden declines comment on report Trump tested positive for COVID days before debate
Former President Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows' writes in an upcoming book, according to the Guardian, that Trump tested positive for COVID days before a debate.
The Memo: Trump’s justices look set to restrict abortion
Former President Trump’s lasting influence on one of the nation’s most divisive issues was revealed Wednesday, when the three justices he appointed to the Supreme Court appeared poised to restrict …
thehill.com
Biden administration to extend transportation mask requirement through mid-March: report
The Biden administration will announce an extension for mask requirements for passengers on public transportation systems through mid-March, according to a report.
In hunt for Omicron, CDC offered free COVID tests to some flights from Southern Africa
The CDC expanded their variant surveillance over the weekend to four airports.
www.cbsnews.com
Global health authorities warn against 'blanket' travel bans
These bans could disincentive sharing research and sequencing, the WHO says.
Covid Omicron: Time to consider mandatory jabs, EU chief says
EU countries should discuss forced vaccinations to combat the Omicron variant, says Ursula von der Leyen.
www.bbc.com
