Wednesday, December 15th, 2021 

Scientists announce that NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first ever spacecraft to enter the stellar corona of the Sun during a flyby in April. (The Guardian) 

‘Time’ names Elon Musk its Person of the Year Time magazine announced Monday that it had chosen Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as its Person of the Year. In 2021, Musk became the richest person in the world as enthusiasm for electric vehicles drove Tesla’s stock price to record levels, and SpaceX launched the first-ever mission to Earth’s orbit with only tourists on board, followed by a flight for professional astronauts. “He is reshaping life on Earth and possibly life off Earth, as well,” Edward Felsenthal, Time‘s editor-in-chief, said Monday on NBC’s Today show. Critics said Musk was an inappropriate choice for several reasons, including his early downplaying of the danger of COVID-19, his opposition to unions, and his rejection of a “billionaire’s tax” targeting the wealthiest Americans. NBC NEWS 

Ex-SpaceX interns say they faced sexual harassment A former SpaceX intern said in an online essay published on the website Lionness on Tuesday that the company is “rife with sexism.” Ashley Kosak, a former intern who later became a full-time SpaceX engineer, wrote in the essay that a male intern groped her in 2017 in company housing shared by interns, and another male colleague moved his hand up her torso during a 2018 company event. Kosak, who now works for Apple after leaving SpaceX in November, said she reported the incidents right after they happened and received no response. “Given my tenuous position at the company, I felt powerless,” she wrote. The New York Times reported that two other former SpaceX interns also said they faced sexual harassment and unwanted advances from other interns and more senior employees. SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment from CNBC or the Times, but has said recently it is auditing its human resources department. CNBC 

‘Return of the Jedi’ and ‘Fellowship of the Ring’ added to the Library of Congress It’s official: The Fellowship of the Ring is as culturally relevant as Shrek. The National Film Registry on Tuesday announced the latest 25 films that will be preserved in the Library of Congress because they’re “culturally, historically, or aesthetically” significant. Among the movies joining the list are Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, WALL-E, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. This comes after last year’s list of inductees included The Dark Knight, The Hurt Locker, and yes, Shrek. The original Star Wars was already preserved by the Library of Congress years ago, though if only one of Return of the Jedi‘s Jabba’s Palace scenes had included “All Star,” perhaps it might have gotten in sooner.  ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY 

James Cameron wonders if his ‘Avatar’ sequels will ‘make any damn money’ James Cameron has spent the last decade of his life working on sequels to Avatar, though even he’s not fully confident we’ll all rush out to see them. Cameron chatted with Entertainment Weekly about the not one, but four sequels to Avatar he’s got on the way, the first of which is allegedly set to arrive next year. But given how much the theatrical landscape has changed since the 2009 movie became the top-grossing film ever, Cameron told EW, “The big issue is: Are we going to make any damn money?” That would be an issue, yes! Cameron continued, “Big, expensive films have got to make a lot of money. We’re in a new world post-COVID, post-streaming. Maybe those [box office] numbers will never be seen again. Who knows? It’s all a big roll of the dice.” When Spider-Man: No Way Home makes approximately one gazillion dollars this weekend, maybe he’ll feel better.  THE WRAP 

Leonardo DiCaprio ‘had a problem’ with Meryl Streep nude scene in ‘Don’t Look Up’ Meryl Streep was totally down for having her character appear nude in Don’t Look Up, though Leonardo DiCaprio wasn’t so sure about it. In an interview with The Guardian, director Adam McKay was asked about a moment in which Streep’s character is seen naked — though it’s actually a body double — and he revealed that DiCaprio “had a problem with it.” He ” just views Meryl as film royalty,” McKay explained, and he “didn’t like seeing her with the lower back tattoo, walking for a second naked.” So DiCaprio actually asked McKay, “Do you really need to show that?” McKay made the case for the scene, though, telling DiCaprio it’s Streep’s character who’s naked, not her. As for Streep, according to McKay, “She didn’t even blink. She didn’t even bring it up.”  THE GUARDIAN 

Britney Spears rips Diane Sawyer for ‘making me cry’ in 2003 interview Britney Spears has a message for Diane Sawyer: “Kiss my white a–.” The pop star on Instagram slammed Sawyer over a primetime interview she conducted with her in 2003, following Spears’ breakup with Justin Timberlake. Sawyer told Spears she “broke his heart,” also asking if she had an addiction to shopping. “What was with the ‘You’re in the wrong’ approach?? Geeze … and making me cry???” Spears wrote. Spears also claimed her manager “put that woman in my home and made me talk to her on national television.” She said she was “in shock” after her split with Timberlake and “never spoke to anyone for a very long time,” but she alleged she was “forced” to talk to Sawyer. In the interview, Sawyer also asked Spears if she’s a woman or a girl, and almost 20 years later, Spears offered a response: “‘Ma’am I’m a catholic slut!!!”  THE WRAP 

Kim Kardashian says there’s ‘no possibility of saving’ Kanye West marriage Sorry, Ye: it looks like Kim Kardashian won’t be running back to you anytime soon. Kardashian has filed new court documents in her divorce from Kanye West, which say that since she originally filed for divorce in February, she has “reached out to [West] and his counsel several times in an attempt to move this case forward to a speedy and amicable resolution,” but West “has been non-responsive.” The documents also say that the marriage has “irremediably broken down,” that “there is no possibility of saving the marriage through counseling or other means,” and that “no counseling or reconciliation effort will be of any value at this time.” Kardashian is seeking to be declared legally single, though West is still publicly asking her to take him back, singing at a recent concert, “I need you to run right back to me, baby!”  VANITY FAIR 

David Fuller, a double murderer who sexually abused the corpses of more than 100 deceased women, is sentenced to a whole life tariff. (BBC News) 

A court in Hanoi, Vietnam, sentences two Facebook users to lengthy jail sentences for “conducting propaganda against the state”. One man was sentenced to 10 years in prison and five of house arrest while another man was given a six-year imprisonment term and three of house arrest. (Reuters) 

A fire breaks out at the World Trade Centre Hong Kong, injuring 13 people and leaving 300 more trapped within the building. (Al Jazeera) 

South Korea reports a record 7,850 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 536,495. (Yonhap News Agency) 

The number of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in New Zealand surpasses 90%. (Stuff) 

Australia reopens its border to vaccinated skilled migrants and foreign students without an exemption after more than 18 month closure due to the pandemic despite the spread of the Omicron variant worldwide. (ABC News Australia) 

The United Kingdom reports a record 78,610 new cases of COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, an increase of over 10,000 on the previous daily-record which occurred in January of this year. (BBC News) 

Siaosi Sovaleni becomes prime minister-designate of Tonga. (RNZ) 

Pfizer says its COVID pill effective in preventing severe illness Pfizer said Tuesday that a study had confirmed that its coronavirus pill helps prevent severe COVID-19. The drugmaker also said the antiviral pill proved effective in laboratory studies against the new Omicron variant, which is expected to overtake the Delta variant as the dominant strain in the United States within weeks. “We are confident that, if authorized or approved, this potential treatment could be a critical tool to help quell the pandemic,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. Pfizer last month submitted preliminary data to the Food and Drug Administration, requesting authorization to distribute the pill, known as Paxlovid. The new results are expected to increase the likelihood that the pill will win approval. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Health officials warn fast-spreading Omicron could peak in January Federal health officials warned Tuesday that the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant could peak with a “big wave” of infections that could overwhelm hospitals as soon as January. The dire predictions, based on new modeling analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, came after Omicron’s prevalence increased sevenfold in a week, and the United States reached 800,000 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began, a once-unimaginable milestone. Pharmaceutical companies aren’t in favor of creating an Omicron-specific vaccine, and believe that individuals with both vaccine doses and a booster shot are still well protected against severe illness and death, even with the new strain. THE WASHINGTON POSTNPR 

Producer prices to suppliers jump by a record 9.6 percent The Labor Department reported Tuesday that its producer-price index, which measures prices suppliers charge businesses, rose by 9.6 percent in November compared to a year earlier. The jump was the biggest since records began in 2010. The so-called core PPI, which excludes volatile food and fuel prices, rose by 7.7 percent, also a record. Sharply rising prices from producers show that costs remain unusually high throughout the supply chain, suggesting that consumers will face higher prices into 2022. “This is a testament to the fact that inflation continues to broaden out,” said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

House approves compromise bill seeking to ban imports from China’s Xinjiang region The House on Tuesday passed a bill seeking to ban imports from China’s Xinjiang region over concerns about forced labor and other abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority. The House passed a different version of the legislation last week, but that was rejected by the Senate. The new bill is a compromise that eliminates differences between the House and Senate versions, so it is expected to win Senate approval and head to President Biden’s desk for his signature. The compromise includes a provision justifying the ban with a “rebuttable presumption” that all Xinjiang goods are made with slave labor because China has Uyghur detention camps in the region. REUTERS 

 
House recommends contempt charge against Mark Meadows The House voted Tuesday night to recommend that the Department of Justice charge former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows with criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) were the only Republicans to join Democrats in the 222-208 vote. Meadows initially cooperated with the committee, handing over texts and other documents about the White House’s reaction to the insurrection by a mob of then-President Donald Trump supporters, who wanted to prevent Congress from certifying Trump’s election loss. The Justice Department has already charged another Trump ally, former White House strategist Steve Bannon, with contempt. CNN 

D.C. attorney general sues Proud Boys, Oath Keepers over insurrection D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D) on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers over their alleged roles in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The lawsuit holds the far-right groups responsible for the violence by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters trying to prevent lawmakers from certifying Trump’s election loss. The lawsuit invokes a modern version of the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act to seek large financial penalties. House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and police officers who battled the rioters have filed similar lawsuits, but Racine’s complaint is the first such suit by a government agency. An attorney representing two of the defendants called the lawsuit “a fantasy” targeting the wrong people. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Senate votes to raise debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion The Senate voted Tuesday to take up a proposal to raise the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion, a move necessary to avoid an unprecedented and potentially catastrophic default until at least early 2023. All Democrats in the evenly divided chamber backed the legislation; all Republicans opposed it. Party leaders agreed to a deal letting Democrats push through the measure with a simple majority thanks to a one-time exemption from the filibuster rule. The Treasury Department has warned that the government would be unable to borrow enough to avoid a default within days unless lawmakers raised the debt ceiling. “The American people can breathe easy and rest assured there will not be a default,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Judge rejects Trump effort to shield tax returns from House committee U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ruled Tuesday that the Treasury Department can release former President Donald Trump’s tax records to the House Ways and Means Committee. McFadden, a former Trump Justice Department official, put the ruling on hold, however, pending a likely appeal. Trump’s attorneys argued that the records were only requested by House Democrats as a way to expose Trump’s finances. McFadden said Trump’s lawyers were “wrong on the law. A long line of Supreme Court cases requires great deference to facially valid congressional inquiries. Even the special solicitude accorded former presidents does not alter the outcome.” The committee wants Trump’s tax records for an inquiry into the effectiveness of the Internal Revenue Service’s presidential audit program. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Far too few fraudulent votes to change 2020 election There were fewer than 475 potential cases of voter fraud in the six battleground states that former President Donald Trump disputed, far too few to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, The Associated Press reported Tuesday after a review of every flagged ballot. President Biden beat Trump in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin by a total of 311,257 votes. The allegedly fraudulent votes weren’t all for Biden, but most were spotted and never added to official vote counts. The AP also found that there was no collusion among the people who cast the fraudulent ballots. Trump responded to the AP report by repeating his baseless claim that the election was stolen from him through voter fraud. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

N.Y. ethics panel says Cuomo must return $5.1 million in book proceeds New York’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics on Tuesday ordered former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to return $5.1 million he received for his 2020 pandemic memoir after concluding that he had violated state ethics laws. The board previously determined that he got authorization for the book deal under false pretenses and was therefore not entitled to be paid for it. His lawyer had assured he would use “no state property, personnel, or other resources” to work on the book, but he wound up having administration employees help write it. Cuomo has vowed to fight the decision, which one of his lawyers, Jim McGuire, called “unconstitutional.” Cuomo has already given $500,000 of the money to charity and put $1 million into a trust for his daughters. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

House passes Omar’s anti-Islamophobia bill The House on Tuesday passed Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) bill seeking to create an office at the State Department dedicated to tracking and fighting Islamophobia. The vote came as Democrats push back against Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-Colo.) anti-Muslim rhetoric against Omar. Boebert has referred to Omar and other progressives as a “Jihad Squad,” and joked that Omar posed a terror threat to the Capitol. Progressive Democrats have called for the House to strip Boebert of her committee assignments. The bill passed along party lines, with no Republicans joining Democrats in favor of it. That suggests the legislation faces an uphill battle in the evenly split Senate, where Democrats need 10 Republican votes to get past a likely GOP filibuster. AXIOS 

The Italian Council of Ministers approves the extension of the COVID-19 state of emergency until March 31 and also rules that travellers from other EU countries must present a negative swab test prior to departure due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Thomson Reuters Foundation) 

Caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte announces that primary schools will be closed on December 20 and that existing restrictions requiring bars, restaurants, and non-essential shops to close at 5 pm have been extended until January 14 due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant. (Barron’s) 

The United States surpasses 800,000 deaths from COVID-19, remaining the highest death toll in (NPR) 

A final results of trial of Paxlovid conducted by Pfizer shows 89% cut of risk of hospitalization and death in high-risk patients and is likely to work against the Omicron variant. (Financial Times) 

The House of Commons votes to approve “Plan B” measures that include the extension of the indoor mask mandate, vaccine passports, and mandating COVID-19 vaccines for NHS workers in England, despite large opposition from Boris Johnson’s own Conservative Party. (Euronews) 

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and National Party Leader Barnaby Joyce and a small group of Liberal Party backbenchers join the Labor Party in criticising the Liberal-National Coalition Morrison Government’s inaction on the United Kingdom’s imminent extradition of Australian publisher Julian Assange to the United States, arguing that Assange has not broken any Australian laws. (The Guardian) 

Tuesday,  December 14th, 2021 

South Africa study finds Omicron vaccine resistant but causes milder COVID A study released Tuesday by Discovery Health, South Africa’s largest private health insurer, found that the newly emerged Omicron coronavirus variant appears to cause less severe COVID-19 than other strains, but is more resistant to vaccines. The study found that the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine widely used in South Africa provided just 33 percent protection against Omicron infection, down from 90 percent protection from the original variant. Pfizer’s shots provide 70 percent protection against severe disease, which the researchers said was “very good” even though it was down from 95 percent protection against severe disease from the Delta variant. Pfizer-BioNTech research suggests that a booster dose can restore, at least temporarily, original protection levels. USA TODAY 

Supreme Court rejects request to block NY vaccine mandate for health workers The Supreme Court on Monday refused to block New York’s vaccine mandate covering workers in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and other medical facilities. The unsigned order did not spell out the court’s reasoning. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas dissented, with Gorsuch writing that the state was violating religious freedom by declining to offer a religious exception for abortion opponents who object to the current vaccines because they “depended upon abortion-derived fetal cell lines” in production or testing.  The high court now has rejected requests to block state mandates in Indiana, Maine, and New York, giving states considerable leeway in fighting COVID-19 during the Delta variant surge.CNN 

California renews statewide mask mandate California on Monday ordered a new statewide mask mandate for indoor public spaces due to rising coronavirus infections and concerns that the highly infectious new Omicron variant could fuel a new surge. The requirement takes effect Wednesday. New cases have been increasing in California since Thanksgiving, with COVID-19 hospitalizations up by nearly 15 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified California as a state with a high level of coronavirus transmission, the most urgent ranking on the agency’s four-tier scale. Several big counties — including Los Angeles, Ventura, San Francisco, and Sacramento — already have local indoor mask mandates, so the new statewide policy affects about half of California’s population. LOS ANGELES TIMES 

Philadelphia imposes a vaccine mandate for indoor activities such as dining, cinemas, and at the Wells Fargo Center for a 76ers or Flyers game. (The Philadelphia Inquirer) 

Derek Chauvin expected to change plea on George Floyd civil rights charge Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin indicated in a Monday court filing that he plans to change his not-guilty plea on federal charges that he violated the civil rights of George Floyd, the unarmed Black man Chauvin was convicted of killing by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes. Chauvin was sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for the murder conviction. A grand jury earlier this year also indicted Chauvin and former officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao for allegedly abusing their power to deny Floyd of his constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable force. All four pleaded not guilty, but Chauvin is now scheduled to enter a new plea in a Wednesday hearing. Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests against police mistreatment of Black Americans. MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE 

A court in Minsk, Belarus, sentences opposition activist Sergei Tikhanovsky to 18 years in prison for organising riots among other charges following what was widely described as a “sham trial”. Tikhanovsky’s wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, fled Belarus amidst the protests that rocked the country in 2020. (BBC News) 

Hundreds of gymnasts reach $380 million settlement over Larry Nassar abuse More than 500 gymnasts sexually abused by former national team doctor Larry Nassar have agreed to a $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics. The settlement was revealed Monday during a USA Gymnastics bankruptcy hearing. “No amount of money will ever repair the damage that has been done and what these women have been through,” former gymnast Rachael Denhollander told The New York Times. “But at some point, the negotiations have to end because these women need help — and they need it right now.” Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, and Aly Raisman are among the women who qualify for compensation under the settlement, which is among the largest ever for a sexual abuse case. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Two explosions at Cúcuta’s Camilo Daza International Airport kill two law enforcement officials and one of the perpetrators. (Yahoo News) 

The descendants of the late Chief Justice José Abad Santos, Brigadier General Vicente Lim and civic worker and suffragette Josefa Llanes Escoda considered as national heroes during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines condemn the proposal of the redesigned version of the Philippine one thousand-peso note slated for release in 2022. (Rappler) 

Bangko Sentral Governor Benjamin Diokno defends the controversial redesign of the Philippine one thousand-peso note slated for release in 2022 despite opposition from various sectors. (The Philippine Star) 

At least 60 people are killed when a fuel tanker explodes in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti. (BBC News) 

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and National Party Leader Barnaby Joyce voices opposition to ruling Coalition partner the Liberal Party’s lack of intervention in the extradition of Australian publisher Julian Assange from the United Kingdom to the United States, arguing Assange has not broken any Australian laws, a position also held by the opposition Labor Party. Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer also joins the criticism of the Liberal leadership. (ABC News Australia) 

Ugandan politician Bobi Wine is placed under house arrest. (The East African) 

House Jan. 6 panel votes to hold Mark Meadows in contempt  The special House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack voted Monday to recommend holding former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in criminal contempt of Congress for defying the panel’s subpoena. The unanimous vote by the committee’s seven Democrats and two Republicans referred the matter to the full House, which is expected to take it up as soon as Tuesday. The committee released evidence indicating that Meadows was deeply involved in Trump’s push to overturn President Biden’s election victory. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) read texts from Fox News hosts and Donald Trump Jr. urging Meadows to get the then-president to speak out against the mob violence. “These text messages leave no doubt,” Cheney said. “The White House knew exactly what was happening here at the Capitol.” THE WASHINGTON POST 

No U.S. troops to be punished for botched Afghanistan drone strike No U.S. military personnel will be punished for an August drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children, the Pentagon said Monday. A Pentagon review found that U.S. intelligence struck the wrong vehicle thinking it was carrying ISIS-K-led suicide bombers targeting the Kabul airport. The review concluded that the incident “did not violate any laws of war,” and left the decision on punishment to two senior commanders, who found no grounds for disciplinary action. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reportedly agreed with the two senior officials. The driver of the car, Zemari Ahmadi, was killed. He worked for a California-based aid organization. Steven Kwon, the founder of the organization, called the decision not to hold anyone accountable “shocking.” NBC NEWS 

Harris announces investments to ease Central America migration root causes  Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday announced that seven private companies have committed to investments in Central America to help address the root causes of a wave of migrants seeking to enter the United States over the southern border. Harris, who is overseeing the Biden administration’s response to immigration issues, said PepsiCo, Mastercard, and Cargill were among the companies that had pledged to invest $1.2 billion in the region, which is struggling with poverty and violence. The news came as Harris faces increasing pressure to show results as recent staff departures have fueled concerns that her office is being hampered by internal turmoil. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Toyota changes course with faster shift to EVs Toyota said Tuesday it would accelerate its commitment to electric vehicles by offering 30 EV models by 2030 and selling 3.5 million battery EVs globally by 2030. The Japanese automaker also said it would make all of its luxury Lexus brand vehicles fully electric by 2035, with battery EVs accounting for all its Lexus sales in Europe, North America, and China by 2030. Toyota said it would fuel the push by investing $17.6 billion in battery technology. The announcement came as well-funded startups such as Lucid, Fisker, Rivian, and Canoo rush out new EVs and trailblazer Tesla ramps up mass production. Toyota President Akio Toyoda, once a skeptic about the shift to EVs, said the company wanted to reduce carbon emissions as fast as it can. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

MGM Resorts to sell Mirage to Hard Rock International for $1.1 billion MGM Resorts International has agreed to sell the Mirage hotel on the Las Vegas Strip to Hard Rock International for nearly $1.1 billion in cash, MGM said in a Monday news release. MGM said it would net $815 million in cash from the sale. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the second half of 2022. MGM has owned the Mirage, one of the Strip’s first mega-resorts, for 21 years. It put the property up for sale in November, saying it didn’t want to invest any more money in it. MGM still owns about a dozen Las Vegas properties, including the Bellagio, MGM Grand, and Mandalay Bay. Under the deal, it will give Hard Rock a royalty-free license for the Mirage name for up to three years while the new owner works on rebranding it.  CNN 

Golden Globes announce nominations as if everything is totally fine The Hollywood Foreign Press Association had some real “this is fine” dog energy on Monday while announcing the nominations for this year’s Golden Globe Awards, despite getting canceled in both senses of the word. NBC already announced it wouldn’t air the Golden Globes in January following revelations that the HFPA had literally zero Black members. But somehow, the Golden Globes will still be handed out next month. Monday’s nominations included Belfast, Coda, Dune, King Richard, and The Power of the Dog up for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Meanwhile, Cyrano, Don’t Look Up, Licorice Pizza, tick, tick … Boom!, and West Side Story were nominated for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy. Perhaps the highlight of the morning, though, was Snoop Dogg reading the nominations while seeming like he wanted to be absolutely anywhere else, even managing to mispronounce Ben Affleck’s name at one point. “Sorry about that, Ben,” he said. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Kim Kardashian passes the baby bar exam after failing it 3 times The fourth time was the charm for Kim Kardashian. Kardashian revealed Monday on Instagram she has finally passed the “baby bar” exam after two years of attempts. “Looking in the mirror, I am really proud of the woman looking back today in the reflection,” she wrote. The reality star explained that “in California, the way I’m studying law you need to take 2 bar exams, this was just the first one but with the harder pass rate.” She previously failed the exam three times, although to be fair, she had a pretty good excuse for not passing the third time; she noted she “did have COVID” then. She wrote on Instagram that her father, the late attorney Robert Kardashian, “would be so proud” — even though “I am told he was notorious for making fun of people who didn’t pass on their first attempt like he did.”  NBC NEWS 

Billie Eilish believes she ‘would have died’ from COVID-19 if she was unvaccinated  August 2021 was no time to die for Billie Eilish, and she credits the COVID-19 vaccine. Eilish revealed Monday on The Howard Stern Show that she battled COVID-19 for nearly two months earlier this year. “It was bad,” she said. “I didn’t die, and I wasn’t gonna die, but that does not take away from how miserable it was. I mean, it was terrible. I still have side effects.” Eilish said she was vaccinated at the time, though she stressed that it was “because of the vaccine that I’m fine,” and “I think if I weren’t vaccinated, I would have died.” She praised the COVID-19 vaccines as “f—ing amazing,” and she did note that her case wasn’t terrible in the grand “scheme of COVID.” Eilish previously urged her fans to get vaccinated, saying in a Vanity Fair interview, “It’s not just for you, you selfish b—h!”  UPROXX 

Naomie Harris alleges a ‘huge star’ groped her in an audition James Bond star Naomie Harris told the Mail on Sunday that a major actor once groped her during an audition. Harris, who played Moneypenny in the James Bond series, didn’t name the person, but she alleged he put his hand up her skirt while she was reading. “What was so shocking about it was the casting director was there and the director, and of course no one said anything because he was — he is — such a huge star,” she said. Harris said this was the only “#MeToo incident” she has experienced in her career, which she said makes her “very lucky given how rife that behaviour was.” She did, though, also recall a project she was on where “there was a #MeToo incident and there was no hesitation … [the perpetrator] was immediately removed.” So, she suggested, “now things have definitely changed.”  DEADLINE 

Monday,  December 13th, 2021 

One hundred and six members of an Ukrainian “neo-Nazi” youth group are arrested in Russia, suspected of planning attacks, including mass murders. Russia has accused Ukrainian intelligence of financially funding the group. Ukraine alleges that the arrests and subsequent Russian media reporting are staged as part of Russian intelligence measures. (Reuters) 

Harnaaz Sandhu of India is crowned Miss Universe in Eilat, Israel. (CNN) 

Three policemen are killed and 11 others injured as Jaish-e-Mohammed gunmen open fire against a bus carrying Indian security forces in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. (BBC News) 

‘West Side Story’ ticket sales disappoint over debut weekend Director Steven Spielberg’s reboot of the 1961 classic musical West Side Story made a disappointing box office debut, bringing in just $10.5 million in its opening weekend in North America. Film industry analysts had projected about $15 million in domestic ticket sales in the film’s first weekend. The lackluster opening came despite great reviews, an “A” CinemaScore from viewers, and early Oscar buzz. Other recent film adaptations of Broadway musicals, including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights, also have had trouble at the box office. The newly emerged Omicron coronavirus variant might have discouraged some moviegoers from venturing out to see West Side Story, although audiences still might appear as the holidays arrive and people have more free time to go to the movies. CNN 

Biden approval on economy, pandemic hit new lows Public approval of President Biden’s handling of the economy and the coronavirus pandemic have fallen to a new low, according to an ABC News/Ipsos poll released Sunday. Fifty-three percent of Americans still approve of Biden’s pandemic response, but 45 percent now disapprove, the most since Biden took office. In March, 72 percent approved of Biden’s COVID-19 response. The decline came as the Biden administration tightens mask requirements and travel restrictions, and pushes vaccine booster shots to fight the new Omicron variant. As inflation rose to the highest rate in decades, approval of Biden’s approach to combating rising consumer prices came in at just 28 percent. In October, 53 percent approved of his handling of the economy, compared to 41 percent in the new poll. ABC NEWS

A vehicle carrying migrants crashes while trying avoid a police check in Morahalom, Hungary, killing seven people and wounding four more. The Serbian driver has been arrested. (BBC) 

Cyprus announces the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine administered for children ages 5 to 11 years and also allowing adults to receive booster dose two weeks sooner than six months after their second dose in order to curb the rise of COVID-19 cases following the first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (AP) 

The Norwegian government announces that alcohol sales at bars and restaurants will be banned and stricter rules will be implemented at schools due to the spread of the Omicron variant. The government also announces that the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose interval has been reduced to 4.5 months and that the military will assist with the booster dose campaign. (The Local Norway) 

China reports its first confirmed case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a person who travelled to Tianjin from overseas on December 9. (NDTV) 

New York state reimposes a mandatory indoor mask mandate for businesses that haven’t implemented a vaccination requirement amid threats of the COVID-19 surge and the Omicron variant in winter. (The New York Times) 

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett enters the Presidential Palace of the United Arab Emirates on his first official visit to the country. (NBC News) 

South Africa cancels a plan to forcibly deport 200,000 Zimbabweans from the country amid an outcry and concerns over perceived xenophobia and human rights abuses. (Bloomberg) 

Eight people are injured as a teenager detonates an improvised explosive device, in an attempt to blow himself up, at a Russian Orthodox school near a convent in Serpukhov, Russia. The perpetrator is identified as a student at the school, and is currently hospitalised in critical condition. (BBC News) 

Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi assures his country that the presence of Ugandan troops in the Congo is only to prevent the ongoing insurgency by the Allied Democratic Forces. The president has assured that Uganda’s intervention will be temporary. (Reuters) 

Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson got matching tattoos Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson once got matching ink live from New York — though only one of them still has it. This would have been in 2017, when Cyrus and Davidson starred in a Saturday Night Live sketch where they rap while dressed as babies. “It was a very dark time, I think, in our lives,” Davidson joked on The Tonight Show. Cyrus proclaims in the sketch “we babies,” and she told Jimmy Fallon that “for some reason,” they “looked at each other and were like, ‘that’s a great tattoo!’” So Davidson actually had his “tattoo guy” come by 30 Rock, and they both got matching tattoos that just say “we babies.” Davidson later had his lasered off, but Cyrus still has hers on her foot. “I stopped smoking weed the next day,” Cyrus said. “For a couple of years. Well, at least with Pete.” THE TONIGHT SHOW 

Kanye West begs Kim Kardashian to ‘run right back’ to him Speaking of Davidson, in case you didn’t get the memo that Kanye West really wants Kim Kardashian to break up with the Saturday Night Live star, he openly begged at a concert on Thursday night. While performing with Drake in Los Angeles at a show that Kardashian attended, West repeatedly sang, “I need you to run right back to me, baby! I need you to run right back to me!” If there was any doubt about what he was talking about, West added, “more specifically, Kimberly.” Kardashian filed for divorce from West earlier this year and is currently dating Davidson, but West has previously said that “I want us to be together” and claimed “the media” doesn’t want this to happen. Meanwhile, People cites a source as saying Kardashian “has moved on” but “she knows it’s difficult for Kanye to deal with.” TMZ

Netflix’s ‘Cowboy Bebop’ has already been canceled Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is over faster than you can say “three, two, one, let’s jam.” The live-action remake of the classic anime has been canceled, a decision that brutally came less than three weeks after the show’s debut. The series starring John Cho was slammed with some tough reviews, and critics generally recommended viewers just watch the original anime. It was the latest example of Netflix debuting an expensive new series with big hopes for its future, only for it to completely flop and get quickly axed, a fate also met by the superhero show Jupiter’s Legacy earlier this year. Even so, it’s not often you see a high-profile streaming series debut just before Thanksgiving and not even make it to Christmas. Oh well — see you, space cowboy.  THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 

Taylor Swift to face trial over claim she ripped off ‘Shake It Off’ lyrics Taylor Swift wasn’t able to shake off a claim she copied lyrics for one of her most popular songs — at least not before it heads to a trial. A judge has declined to dismiss a copyright case against Swift over her song “Shake It Off,” which songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler claim copied lyrics from their 3LW song “Playas Gon’ Play.” Both songs feature versions of the phrase “players gonna play” and “haters gonna hate,” and … that’s pretty much it. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald previously said these lyrics are “too brief, unoriginal, and uncreative” for a copyright case. But an appeals court reversed this ruling, and the judge said Swift will have to face a trial since the court can’t “determine that no reasonable juror could find substantial similarity of lyrical phrasing, word arrangement, or poetic structure between the two works.” We’ll have to see whether a jury thinks she did something bad. BBC

Peloton hits back over portrayal in ‘Sex and the City’ reboot Peloton on Sunday released a parody commercial in response to a scene in HBO Max’s Sex and the City reboot that sent the at-home fitness equipment company’s already struggling shares tumbling to a 52-week low last week. One of the main Sex and the City characters in And Just Like That…, Mr. Big, dies of a heart attack after a Peloton class. In the parody, Mr. Big, played by actor Chris Noth, sits in front of a fire with the show’s Peloton instructor, Jess King, and says, “Shall we take another ride?” Then actor and director Ryan Reynolds then says in a voiceover: “And just like that, the world was reminded that regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs, and circulation. … He’s alive.” CNBC 

Reuters: U.S. coronavirus death toll reaches 800,000 The United States coronavirus-related death toll reached 800,000 on Sunday, according to Reuters‘ count. The nation hit the grim milestone as public health officials brace for a potential surge of new cases as winter hits and people spend more time indoors, increasing the risk of infection at the same time that the highly infectious Omicron variant continues to spread. More than 450,000 people have died after contracting COVID-19 this year, more than did in all of 2020, despite the widespread availability of vaccines and new treatments. The highly transmissible Delta variant drove a summertime surge and continues to account for nearly all COVID deaths. Most of those dying now are unvaccinated. The U.S. has the highest COVID death rate in the Group of Seven wealthiest nations.REUTERS 

Boris Johnson expands booster access as coronavirus ‘tidal wave’ looms  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday that his government would offer everyone 18 and older a coronavirus booster shot by the end of December to confront a potential “tidal wave” of infections due to the fast-spreading new Omicron variant. The government previously had planned the booster expansion by the end of January, but accelerated it as Omicron cases doubled every two to three days in the United Kingdom. “I’m afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need,” Johnson said. “But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose – a booster dose – we can all bring our level of protection back up.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Haitian president was preparing to unmask drug traffickers when killed  Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was compiling a list of political and business leaders linked to drug traffickers when he was assassinated in July, The New York Times reported Sunday. Moïse had planned to hand over the information to the United States, the Times said, citing four senior Haitian advisers and officials assigned to work on the dossier. Moïse’s wife, Martine, was wounded in the attack, and survived by pretending to be dead. She told the Times in her first interview after the assassination that the gunmen who killed her husband searched their bedroom, going through his files until someone said, “That’s it.” Some members of the hit squad who were captured confessed that one of their tasks was to retrieve the list of drug suspects, one of several issues the late president had been clashing over with powerful rivals.  THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Austria ends coronavirus lockdown for vaccinated people Austria on Sunday lifted coronavirus lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people, clearing the way for theaters, museums, and other cultural sites to resume operations. Some regions also gave restaurants and hotels the green light to open their doors. Stores will be able to reopen starting Monday. The Austrian government imposed the strict rules three weeks ago as the country faced a new wave of coronavirus infections, as did some other European nations. Restaurants still face an 11 p.m. curfew, and people still must wear masks on public transportation, in stores, and in other public places. Chancellor Karl Nehammer last week called the decision to let the country’s nine regions relax restrictions depending on local infections “opening with a seatbelt.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Chris Wallace leaves Fox News to join CNN streaming service  Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace announced on his show this weekend that he is resigning after 18 years at the conservative cable network. “After 18 years — this is my final Fox News Sunday,” Wallace said on his final airing. “It is the last time — and I say this with real sadness — we will meet like this.” Wallace said he was leaving to start a “new adventure.” CNN said he would be joining CNN+, a streaming service launching early in 2022. Wallace will have a weekday show in which he will interview newsmakers in business, sports, and culture, as well as politics, which was his bread and butter at Fox. “I look forward to the new freedom and flexibility streaming affords in interviewing major figures across the news landscape — and finding new ways to tell stories,” Wallace said. FOX NEWS

North and South Korea, U.S., China agree ‘in principle’ to officially end Korean War  North and South Korea, the U.S., and China have agreed “in principle” to formally end the Korean War, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday during a visit to Australia. The fighting stopped with an armistice in 1953, but never officially was declared over. For now, Moon said, “we are not able to sit down for a discussion or negotiation on the declarations” due to demands made by North Korea, which wants the U.S. to drop what it calls its “hostile policy” toward the North. North Korea has long objected to the presence of U.S. forces in South Korea, joint U.S.-South Korean training exercises, and U.S. sanctions imposed over North Korea’s nuclear weapons buildup. The U.S. State Department told Axios that U.S. officials are “prepared to meet without preconditions.”AXIOS

Mexican musical icon Vicente Fernández dies at 81 Mexican mariachi legend Vicente Fernández died Sunday, four months after a fall at his ranch in Guadalajara in his home state of Jalisco. He was 81. His Guillain-Barré syndrome had prevented his recovery, and he had been placed on a ventilator in a hospital. The Grammy winner, who was known as the king of the rancheras, started his career as a street performer and went on to sell more than 65 million albums and make more than 35 movies. His hits included “El rey,” “Volver, volver,” “Por tu maldito amor,” and “Para siempre.” He won three Grammys and eight Latin Grammys, and, in 1998, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This year, singer Lupita Castro accused him of sexual abuse, which he denied. NBC LOS ANGELES

The End

Sunday, December 12th, 2021

Three Hamas members are killed and six more injured during a dispute with Fatah gunmen in Tyre, Lebanon, at the funeral of a Hamas member killed two days ago during an accidental explosion at the Burj al-Shemali camp. (Al Jazeera) 

The death toll from the tornado outbreak in Kentucky, United States, increases to 80, making it the deadliest tornado outbreak to occur in the state. Fourteen people are also killed in other U.S. states, with some towns being completely destroyed. (BBC News) 

The United Kingdom raises its COVID-19 Alert level to Level 3 due to the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which has resulted in 3,137 cases. (France 24) 

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Philippines’ central bank, issues a statement that it is currently monitoring an increase in complaints on social media regarding Banco de Oro clients losing money and having their accounts hacked. (Reuters) 

Citizens in New Caledonia vote against independence and choose to remain part of France. Pro-independence parties boycotted the referendum in order to protest the alleged lack of time to campaign. (RNZ) 

At the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen wins the Driver’s Championship, while Mercedes wins the Constructors’ Championship. (The Guardian) 

Secret drone strike cell showed reckless disregard for civilian casualties, New York Times report claims A classified Delta Force cell that coordinated strikes against Islamic State targets showed reckless disregard for civilian casualties by regularly circumventing safeguard procedures and engaging in deceptive practices, according to a report published Sunday by The New York Times. The cell, known as Talon Anvil, worked out of nondescript offices in Iraq and Syria. Authority to order airstrikes was delegated to enlisted personnel. High-ranking intelligence officers became skeptical of the cell’s methods as civilian casualties mounted. Talon Anvil members reportedly misclassified almost all strikes as defensive in order to sidestep waiting periods imposed on offensive strikes and even took to averting the drones’ cameras after launch in order to hide evidence of civilian deaths.  THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Anne Rice, vampire novelist, dead at 80 Anne Rice, author of the best-selling Interview with a Vampire and other novels, died Saturday. Her son, author Christopher Rice, announced her death on Twitter and Facebook, expressing his hope that Anne “is now experiencing firsthand the glorious answers to many great spiritual and cosmic questions.” Anne Rice was the author of the 13-book Vampire Chronicles series, which starred the iconic vampire Lestat. She also wrote erotic fiction and, after returning to the Catholic Church 1998, two novels about the early life of Jesus Christ. By the end of her life, Rice had distanced herself from Catholicism and identified as a secular humanist. She will be laid to rest in New Orleans. BBC 

G7 to Russia: invading Ukraine would have ‘massive consequences’ “Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost,” the G7 nations said in a draft statement released Sunday. Around 94,000 Russian troops have massed on the Ukrainian border, and intelligence estimates suggest that the invasion could come as early as January 2022 and involve 175,000 troops. CIA Director William Burns warned Monday that the build-up of military forces could allow Russia to act “in a very sweeping way.” The G7 comprises the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. REUTERS 

Israeli PM makes groundbreaking visit to UAE Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is scheduled to travel to the United Arab Emirates Sunday, marking the first ever visit to the UAE by an Israeli premier. This visit comes after the UAE signed the Abraham Accords last year, normalizing relations between the two nations. Bennett says he plans to discuss “economic and regional issues that will contribute to prosperity, welfare and strengthening stability between the countries” during his Monday meeting with Emirati Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed. Also on the agenda will be how best to respond to an increasingly hostile Iran that seems bent on acquiring nuclear weapons. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Trump blasts Netanyahu, praises Obama Former President Barack Obama is “smart and sharp,” but sowed “tremendous division” during his time in office, former President Donald Trump said at an event in Florida Saturday. Trump also said he “liked” Obama. This is a major shift in rhetoric for Trump, who spent years claiming his predecessor was born in Kenya and was “the most ignorant president in our history.” Even as he warms up to Obama, Trump appears to have soured on his longtime ally former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. An Israeli outlet released excerpts Friday from an interview in which Trump blasted “Bibi” for congratulating then-President-elect Biden on his victory before Trump had conceded. “F— him,” Trump said of Netanyahu. FOX NEWS

In SNL cold open, ‘Fauci’ presents COVID Christmas showcase Kate McKinnon played Dr. Anthony Fauci in the latest Saturday Night Live cold open, providing public service announcements for dealing with the Omicron variant with a little help — or hinderance — from Sen. Ted Cruz (Aidy Bryant), Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Cecily Strong) and Lauren Boebert (Chloe Fineman), and the Cuomo brothers (Pete Davidson as Andrew and Andrew Dismukes as Chris). “Do people still think I’m sexy, or are we done with that?” McKinnon-as-Fauci asked before explaining that the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is not as dangerous as was initially feared and that those who have been vaccinated and boosted can safely “unclench.” FOX NEWS

Saturday, December 11th, 2021 

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz says he has instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare military options for potential use against Iran, that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action yielded “no progress”, and that world powers “understand that the Iranians are playing games”. (Haaretz) 

At midnight, terrestrial transport between Argentina and Uruguay reopens as buses resume service to border crossings between the two countries. Both countries require a proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to board the buses and enter both countries. (Misiones Cuatro) 

A court in Benin sentences opposition leader Reckya Madougou to 20 years in prison after finding her guilty of “financing terrorism”. The case has been highly controversial, with a judge in the case fleeing to France and denouncing the case as “entirely politically motivated”. (The Washington Post) 

U.K. foreign secretary threatens ‘severe consequences’ if Russia invades Ukraine  Invading Ukraine would be a “strategic mistake” that would lead to “severe consequences for Russia,” United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Friday ahead of a weekend G7 meeting in Liverpool. Around 94,000 Russian troops have massed on the Ukrainian border, and intelligence estimates suggest that the invasion could come as early as January 2022 and involve 175,000 troops. Truss urged European leaders to reduce their dependence on Russian natural gas and suggested that the U.K. might take steps to lock Russian money out of British financial markets. When asked if she could rule out a military response, Truss said the U.K. is working to bolster Ukraine’s “defense and security capability.” BBC 

Omicron reaches Taiwan and is on track to surpass Delta in Europe Officials from Britain and Denmark said Friday that the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is expected to become the dominant strain in their countries within the next week. According to the U.K. Health Security Agency, Omicron spreads more rapidly than Delta, which currently accounts for the greatest number of cases. Taiwanese officials announced Saturday that a woman returning from the small southern African country of Eswatini — also known as Swaziland — tested positive for the Omicron variant. This is Taiwan’s first confirmed case of Omicron. ABC NEWS

Inflation rate hits 39-year high Consumer prices rose in November at an annual rate of 6.8 percent, the U.S. Labor Department reported Friday. This marks the most rapid rate of inflation since 1982. Wages rose only 4.3 percent last month. Inflation has been bad for the President Biden’s poll numbers, and observers suggest this latest report could prompt him to agree to further cuts to his massive spending bill in order to get it passed by Christmas.  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Palestinians vote in municipal elections as support for Abbas slips  Palestinians voted Saturday in municipal elections in the West Bank as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas grows increasingly unpopular. No elections were held for Palestine’s legislature or presidency, and the last legislative elections were held in 2006. Abbas was elected to a four-year term in 2005 and has not faced voters since. Over 400,000 Palestinians in 154 villages were able to cast votes, but municipal elections were canceled in major West Bank cities. Hamas, which is feuding with Abbas’ Fatah party, boycotted elections in Gaza. Hamas has seen a surge in support after fighting a brief war with Israel in May, and polling suggests that the Islamist faction is now more popular than Fatah. REUTERS 

Mexico announces crackdown on people smugglers after deadly crash Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebard announced the creation of a new working group to combat people smuggling after a truck crash on a Mexican highway killed more than 50 migrants Thursday. More than 150 people were packed into the tractor-trailer, which flipped when its driver attempted to take a turn too sharply. The migrants reportedly paid at least $2,500 each to be driven from southern to central Mexico, after which they would have had to hire other smugglers to complete their journey to the U.S. border.  The working group comprises Mexico, the U.S., Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has blamed the migrant crisis on poverty and a lack of jobs. BBC

Bosnian Serbs vote for greater autonomy, stoking fears of renewed conflict Lawmakers in the lower house of the Republika Srpska passed a non-binding resolution Friday that would decouple the semi-autonomous republic from Bosnia’s tax system, military, and judicial system. The Republika Srpska — also known as the Bosnian Serb Republic — was set up under international auspices following the cessation of bloody ethnic strife in 1995. Lawmakers who opposed the measure warned that it was a step back toward the dark days of the Bosnian War. Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia’s three-person interethnic presidency, favors removing the framework established by the 1995 Dayton Accords. “I don’t believe [Bosnia] can survive because it does not have an internal capacity to survive,” he said. REUTERS 

Prosecution rests in Ghislaine Maxwell trial The prosecution rested Friday after two weeks of dramatic and emotional testimony in the sex-trafficking trial of former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Four alleged victims, two of whom were underage at the time, took the stand to accuse Maxwell of grooming them for Epstein and pressuring them into unwanted sexual acts. The defense will begin to make its case Monday. So far, Maxwell’s lawyers have attempted to poke holes in the witnesses’ stories and suggested Maxwell is being made into a scapegoat for Epstein’s crimes. Epstein was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges when he died in prison in 2019 under suspicious circumstances. His death was officially ruled a suicide. BBC 

Friday,  December 10th, 2021 

The Bundestag and Bundesrat approve a revised Infectious Disease Protection Act that would require healthcare workers and other health professionals to be vaccinated or to have recovered from COVID-19. The new legislation also requires the closure of bars, restaurants and theatres in high-risk areas, as well as the suspension of cultural and sporting events in those areas. (Deutsche Welle) 

The Czech government announces the compulsory COVID-19 vaccination for people aged above 60 years, as well as healthcare workers, police officers, firefighters and the military, beginning from March 1, as the country experiences the world’s highest infection rate. (The Times of India) 

Nicaragua severs diplomatic relations with Taiwan and establishes diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. (The Hill) 

The London High Court accepts an appeal from the U.S. government to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States. The judge cited that certain conditions have been met for his decision. However, the extradition will not take place immediately as Assange has a right to appeal the decision. Assange’s fiancée says that they will appeal the decision “at the earliest possible moment”. (CNBC) 

The End Monday 

Biden urges world leaders to ‘lock arms’ to defend democracy President Biden on Thursday called on fellow world leaders participating in the first White House Summit for Democracy to “lock arms” to show that democracies can deliver progress better than autocracies. Biden said global democratic institutions are under assault, and he called for leaders everywhere to step up efforts to strengthen democracies. “This is an urgent matter,” Biden said as he opened the two-day virtual summit. “The data we’re seeing is largely pointing in the wrong direction.” The video gathering came as the U.S. and key allies are warning Russia that it will face strong sanctions if it invades Ukraine. Russia and China, adversaries who were not invited to participate in the summit, accused the Biden administration of trying to “stoke up ideological confrontation and a rift in the world” with a “Cold-War mentality.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

At least 53 migrants die in tractor-trailer accident in Mexico A tractor-trailer full of migrants crashed Thursday in southern Mexico, killing at least 53 people. Mexican authorities said at least 54 others were injured. The crash happened in Chiapas state near the Guatemalan border. “According to survivors, the majority appeared to be citizens of Guatemala,” Luis Manuel García Moreno, the state director of civil protection, said in an interview broadcast on Foro TV. He said a mechanical problem appeared to have triggered the crash. The Biden administration has called for Mexico to curb the flow of Central American migrants toward the U.S.-Mexico border, and smugglers have increasingly used tractor-trailers to avoid detection. Guatemala’s top human rights official, Jordán Rodas, said 200 migrants might have been packed into the truck that crashed. THE WASHINGTON POST 

N.Y. attorney general requests Trump deposition in civil fraud case New York State Attorney General Letitia James has asked to question former President Donald Trump under oath in an investigation into possible civil fraud at the Trump Organization, Trump’s property company. James’ office is looking into whether Trump’s company fraudulently reported property valuations, inflating them to get better loans and under-reporting them to lower tax bills. James could file a lawsuit against Trump if she finds evidence of fraud, but couldn’t bring criminal charges. But James’ office also is collaborating in a criminal investigation being led by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. that is seeking to determine whether Trump was involved in a pattern of criminal fraud by giving lenders false property values. James on Thursday ended her campaign for governor as the Trump investigations intensified. CNBC 

Senate passes bill clearing way for debt ceiling increase The Senate on Thursday passed a bill temporarily changing the chamber’s rules to prevent a filibuster so Democrats can raise the debt ceiling with a simple majority vote, preventing a potentially catastrophic default. Ten Republicans joined Democrats in the 59-35 vote. The House approved the measure Tuesday, so it now goes to President Biden for his signature. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress earlier this month that the federal government could run out of money to pay its bills by Dec. 15. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said passing the one-time rule change was “crucial” to help avoid “the prospect of a catastrophic, calamitous default on our sovereign debt. This is the responsible path forward — no brinkmanship, no default on the debt, no risk of another recession.” ABC NEWS 

Appeals court rejects Trump attempt to block records from Jan. 6 committee The federal appeals court for the D.C. Circuit on Thursday rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to block the National Archives from giving his White House records to the special House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. The three-judge panel’s decision set up an emergency Supreme Court review. The judges said Trump had given them no reason to override President Biden’s decision not to invoke executive privilege to keep the documents secret. They said the White House and Congress agreed there was a legitimate need for the documents because the rioters, who sought to prevent lawmakers from certifying Trump’s loss to Biden, threatened the peaceful transfer of power, and there’s “a direct linkage between the former president and the events of the day.” THE WASHINGTON POST 

’19 Kids and Counting’ star Josh Duggar convicted on child pornography charges A federal jury in Arkansas on Thursday found former reality TV star Josh Duggar guilty of downloading and possessing child pornography. Duggar, 33, faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possession. Duggar, 33, will be sentenced next year. TLC canceled the Duggar family’s show, 19 Kids and Counting, in 2015 after revelations that Duggar had allegedly molested four of his sisters and a babysitter. Authorities investigated the case in 2006 after a tip from a family friend but concluded that no charges could be filed because the statute of limitations had expired. Duggar’s parents said he had confessed to fondling the girls, and apologized. He later confessed to a pornography addiction. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Jury finds ex-‘Empire’ star Jussie Smollett guilty of staging fake hate crime A jury on Thursday found actor Jussie Smollett guilty on five of six felony counts of disorderly conduct for falsely reporting to Chicago police that he was the victim of a hate crime three years ago. Prosecutors said the former Empire star arranged for two men to attack him, wrap a noose around his neck, and douse him with bleach while yelling racist and homophobic slurs, and lied when he reported the staged attack to police. Smollett took the stand and told jurors “there was no hoax.” Smollett could get up to three years in prison for the charge of a false crime report. Cook County Judge James Linn will have discretion to impose concurrent or consecutive sentences. Defense attorneys said they would appeal. CNN 

American cuts international flights, citing Boeing Dreamliner delays  American Airlines plans to cut back on international flights next summer due to delays in deliveries of new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Production problems have hampered Boeing’s efforts to get the popular wide-body jets to airlines for more than a year, leaving the aircraft maker with more than $25 billion of jets in its inventory. “Without these wide-bodies, we simply won’t be able to fly as much internationally as we had planned,” Vasu Raja, American’s chief revenue officer, wrote in a memo American released after The Wall Street Journal reported on the cuts. American plans to halt flights to Edinburgh; Shannon, Ireland; and Hong Kong next summer, and reduce flights to Shanghai, Beijing, and Sydney, according to an internal airline memo the Journal viewed. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

N.Y. attorney general requests Trump deposition in civil fraud case New York State Attorney General Letitia James has asked to question former President Donald Trump under oath in an investigation into possible civil fraud at the Trump Organization, Trump’s property company. James’ office is looking into whether Trump’s company fraudulently reported property valuations, inflating them to get better loans and under-reporting them to lower tax bills. In the civil case, James could file a lawsuit against Trump if she finds evidence of fraud, but she couldn’t bring criminal charges. But James’ office also is collaborating in a criminal investigation being led by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. that is seeking to determine whether Trump was involved in a pattern of criminal fraud by giving lenders false property values. James on Thursday ended her campaign for governor as the Trump investigations intensified. CNBC 

Starbucks workers in Buffalo vote to become company’s 1st unionized store Starbucks workers at a Buffalo, New York, store voted to unionize on Thursday, a first in the coffee giant’s 50-year history. The National Labor Relations Board said that workers at one of Starbucks’ three stores in Buffalo voted 19-8 in favor of a union. A second store voted 12-8 against unionizing, although the union said it was considering contesting that vote. Both sides challenged the balloting in a third store. Starbucks and the union, Workers United, have five days to submit any objections. The company has aggressively tried to keep out unions, and it spent months urging baristas to vote against organized labor representation. The Buffalo vote marked the latest sign of renewed strength for organized labor after decades of waning influence. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Thursday, December 9th, 2021 

PKK fighters kill three Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq, before Turkish fighter jets reportedly kill six PKK fighters during airstrikes. (Al Jazeera) 

A tractor-trailer transporting more than 100 illegal migrants – mostly Guatemalans and Hondurans – crashes in Chiapas, Mexico, killing at least 53 people. (The Washington Post) 

Hong Kong mandates usage of its COVID-19 tracing app for all adults under the age of 65. The app logs a person’s presence at 18 types of premises, including bars and restaurants, and enables tracing of infections if an outbreak is reported. (CNA) 

Singapore reports its first locally transmitted case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a 24-year-old airport employee with no recent travel history. (South China Morning Post) 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people as young as 16 years receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This comes after the FDA authorized the usage of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose for people in that age group. (CBS News) 

The Austrian government announces plans to make COVID-19 vaccination compulsory for the general population, setting a minimum age of 14 years and requiring unvaccinated persons to pay fines of up to 3,600 euros every three months. The rules will be in effect from February 1 until January 2024. (Reuters) 

The World Health Organization recommends that people who are immunocompromised or received an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine should get their COVID-19 booster dose due to reducement of vaccine effectiveness against virus variants. (The Hill) 

An mRNA vaccine candidate against the human immunodeficiency virus, developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Moderna and other institutes, shows a 79% efficacy rate and no major side effects in animal trials on rhesus macaques, according to a peer-reviewed paper published in Nature Medicine. (France 24) 

The government announces that it will begin increasing the legal age for purchasing tobacco by one year every year beginning in 2025, effectively preventing future generations from legally purchasing tobacco products. The plan also involves decreasing the nicotine content of tobacco, limiting licenses for the sale of tobacco, and increasing funding for anti-addiction services. Electronic cigarettes, which are more popular among younger generations in New Zealand, will not be subject to the ban. (The Guardian) 

The Supreme Court of the Philippines partially upholds provisions of the contentious Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 while declaring unconstitutional the designation of terrorists on the request of foreign jurisdictions as well as the qualifier on harmful dissent. (Rappler) 

American actor Jussie Smollett is convicted on five counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police after staging a racist and anti-gay hate crime on himself in 2019. (AP) 

The End Friday 

3 Northeast states tap National Guard to help fight COVID surge The governors of three Northeast states — Maine, New York, and New Hampshire — are calling on the National Guard to help address surging COVID-19 cases overwhelming hospitals. The New York National Guard announced Wednesday it deployed 120 medics and medical technicians to a dozen long-term care facilities across the state in response to a call issued by Gov. Kathy Hochul due to staffing shortages. Hochul said she might also deploy Guard members to hospitals that are running out of beds. Maine Gov. Janet Mills activated the National Guard after a spike in cases strained hospitals. New Hampshire Gov. Christopher Sununu called on the Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard for help “preparing for the winter surge.” CNN 

U.S. President Joe Biden rules out deploying American troops unilaterally to Ukraine in order to deter a potential Russian invasion, saying that the option “was not on the table”. (Reuters) 

Senate approves resolution against Biden vaccine mandate for big employers The Senate on Wednesday approved a resolution calling for the repeal of President Biden’s mandate on large businesses to require coronavirus vaccinations or regular testing for their employees. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the mandate “blatant overreach.” Two Democrats — Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) — voted with all the Senate’s Republicans to pass the measure. It is unlikely to become law, because it faces an uphill battle to get a vote in the Democratic-controlled House, and Biden is certain to veto it if it reaches his desk. Biden said in September that he wanted the Labor Department to make businesses with 100 or more employees require vaccinations or weekly testing, and wear masks. A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the rule, which was set to take effect Jan. 4. NEW YORK POST 

4.2 million people left their jobs in October About 4.2 million Americans quit their jobs in October as people continued to seek new opportunities in a changing pandemic-era economy, according to a report released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figure marked a slight decline from the record of 4.4 million in September, which broke the previous high of 4.3 million set in August. The survey found that there were 11 million job openings in the country, just under a record set in July. “This report once again shows strong demand from employers leading to a hot labor market,” Nick Bunker, an economist at Indeed, wrote Wednesday. “The bargaining table is tilted more toward workers than it has been in the past. … The question now is whether the Omicron variant cools down in the labor market.” THE WASHINGTON POST 

Biden calls for making federal government carbon neutral by 2050 President Biden signed an executive order Wednesday calling for making the United States government carbon neutral by 2050. The Biden administration said it planned to pursue the goal by spending billions to replace its 600,000 cars and trucks with an all-electric fleet, buy power to support cleaner energy, and make more efficient federal buildings. Biden’s order aims to use the government’s buying power to slash its carbon emissions by 65 percent by 2030. The government would stop buying gas-powered vehicles by 2035, and make most buildings owned or leased by the federal government carbon neutral a decade later. Left-leaning groups said Biden wasn’t going far enough, while conservatives like Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said his plan would hurt states with big fossil-fuel reserves. NBC NEWS 

Cuba reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a person who had travelled from Mozambique. (The Straits Times) 

The government of New Zealand announces it will begin increasing the legal age for purchasing tobacco by one year every year starting in 2025, effectively preventing future generations from ever legally purchasing tobacco products. This plan also involves decreasing the nicotine content of tobacco, limiting licenses for its sale, and increasing funding to addiction services. Electronic cigarettes, which are more popular among younger generations in New Zealand, will not be subject to the ban. (The Guardian) 

The Supreme Court of the Philippines partially upholds provisions of the contentious Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 while declaring unconstitutional on the designation of terrorists upon the request by foreign jurisdictions and a qualifier on harmful dissent. (Rappler) 

U.S. surpasses 200 million vaccinations as Omicron spreads The United States’ vaccination push has reached a major milestone, with more than 200 million Americans now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The total amounts to more than 60 percent of the population. Concerns about the spread of the newly discovered Omicron variant have increased demand for shots, although the current rate of 1.78 million doses per day is far below the April 13 peak of 3.38 million. Scientists and the public have expressed concerns that the fast-spreading new strain could be resistant to existing vaccines. Pfizer and BioNTech said Wednesday that laboratory tests showed that Omicron partially evaded their COVID-19 vaccine, but three doses — two initial shots and a booster — provided significant protection from the new strain. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Mark Meadows sues to block Jan. 6 committee subpoenas Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a federal court to block a subpoena for his cooperation from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters. Meadows also named House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in the lawsuit. The filing came after the Jan. 6 committee indicated that it would pursue a vote to ask the Justice Department to determine whether to charge Meadows with criminal contempt for refusing to give a deposition about the riot. Meadows says the subpoenas are “overly broad and unduly burdensome.” He also claims the committee “lacks lawful authority to seek and to obtain” the information it’s demanding. CNN 

U.K. toughens COVID restrictions in response to new variant British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday tightened COVID-19 restrictions, ordering people in England to work from home, wear masks in public, and show proof of vaccination as part of an effort to fight the spread of the newly discovered Omicron coronavirus variant. Critics called Johnson’s “Plan B” a “hammer blow” to London restaurants and shops that were hoping Christmas sales would help them recover from the damage caused by the pandemic. As Johnson imposed the tougher rules, he faced criticism, even from lawmakers in his own party, over accusations that his staff attended a party at Downing Street during last year’s Christmas lockdown. In Finland, Prime Minister Sanna Marin apologized as she faced a backlash for going clubbing in Helsinki last weekend after being exposed to COVID-19, although she has tested negative. REUTERS 

California attorney general investigates Torrance officers’ racist, homophobic texts California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday launched a review of excessive force and discriminatory conduct allegations in the Torrance Police Department, after the surfacing of racist and homophobic text messages exchanged by more than a dozen current and former officers. In the texts, officers joked about lynching Black people, “gassing” Jewish people, assaulting gay people, and lying during the investigation into a police shooting, the Los Angeles Times reported. The comments have led to the dismissal of at least 85 criminal cases involving the officers. The department’s new chief of police, Jay Hart, requested the review after the texts were found during an investigation into two former Torrance officers accused of painting a swastika on an impounded vehicle. LOS ANGELES TIMES 

Court sentences Scott Peterson to life after death sentence overturned Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo of California resentenced Scott Peterson to life in prison on Wednesday, months after the state Supreme Court overturned his death sentence. The decision came nearly 17 years after Peterson was convicted of killing his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn child, and dumping them in San Francisco Bay. Peterson, who is not eligible for parole, also will serve a concurrent 15-year sentence for the death of the unborn child. Three of Laci Peterson’s relatives testified during the hearing that he was “evil” and a “coward.” Peterson didn’t say anything. His attorney said was innocent. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE 

Kim Kardashian thanks Kanye West at the People’s Choice Awards Kim Kardashian accepted a Fashion Icon award at the People’s Choice Awards Tuesday night, giving a shout-out to her ex-husband, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. “To Kanye, even,” she said, “for really introducing me to the fashion world.” The comments came after Kardashian was confirmed to be dating Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson. Meanwhile, West — who has legally changed his name to Ye — has claimed she is “still my wife” despite their divorce because he has “never even seen the papers.” In her speech, Kardashian thanked the designers who have “really believed in me,” or at least, she quipped, who were “talked into it by getting a call from Kanye.” Sadly, she ended her speech before ever using the phrase “thank Ye very much.”  PEOPLE 

Jessica Chastain defends Jeremy Strong against ‘incredibly one sided’ profile He’s still her number one boy. Jessica Chastain came to Succession star Jeremy Strong’s defense on Twitter in response to a recent profile of him from The New Yorker, which discussed his acting methods. “[He’s] a lovely person,” Chastain wrote of her Molly’s Game co-star. “Very inspiring & passionate about his work. The profile that came out on him was incredibly one sided. Don’t believe everything you read folks. Snark sells but maybe [it’s] time we move beyond it.” The New Yorker mentioned, among other things, the “unusual lengths” Strong sometimes goes to while acting, and it quoted his co-star Kieran Culkin as saying this doesn’t necessarily “help me.” Still, some were a bit confused by Chastain’s passionate slam of the profile, with Variety editor Kate Aurthur replying, “Wait, what? It was an incredibly nuanced portrait of him.”  THE WRAP 

Jennifer Aniston says she’s been ‘bullied’ over COVID-19 vaccines Give her a break, anti-vaxxers! Jennifer Aniston told The Hollywood Reporter she’s faced some pushback for being in favor of COVID-19 vaccination. After noting that she’s exclusively been going to restaurants that require patrons to be vaccinated, she shared, “You know, someone literally called me a ‘liberal Vax-hole’ the other day. I don’t understand the disconnect right now, being bullied for wanting people not to be sick? I mean, that’s what we’re talking about.” Aniston previously revealed to InStyle she “lost a few people in my weekly routine” who refused to get vaccinated or reveal their vaccine status. The Friends star told the Reporter she does “think we’re getting closer” to the end of the pandemic, though, adding she’s “excited to get on a plane again — and terrified as well.” Hey, if it’s too much to handle, you can always get off the plane.  THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 

Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 

The death toll from the eruption of the Semeru volcano in Indonesia increases to 39. (France 24) 

China’s National Medical Products Administration approves the use of the neutralizing antibody cocktail developed by BRII Biosciences to treat COVID-19 in adults and teenagers. (Financial Post) 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces new “Plan B” restrictions that include working from home for those who can beginning on December 13, and an extension of mandatory face mask wearing to more indoor venues beginning on December 10. The restrictions also include usage of the mandatory NHS COVID pass in order to enter nightclubs and other venues with large crowds, as well as daily tests for people who had contact with a person who tested positive for the Omicron variant. (Sky News) 

The Danish government announces that schoolchildren will be sent home early from December 15 and nightlife establishments will close on December 10 due to persistently high number of COVID-19 cases. (Daily Sabah) 

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority approves the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for people over the age of 18 that can be administered six months after their second dose, as well as immunocompromised people aged above 12 years that can be administered 28 days after their second dose. (BusinessTech) 

Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom join a U.S.-led diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Beijing citing China’s human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region and Beijing’s ongoing freeze on ministerial contact with Canberra.  (Politico)  

The End