Sunday, January 9th, 2022 

The death toll from the protests in Kazakhstan increases to 164, including 103 who were killed in Almaty. 5,135 people have also been detained. (Al Jazeera) 

South Korean actor O Yeong-su wins the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in the Squid Game television series, becoming the first person from South Korea to win the honor. (Korea Times) 

Mj Rodriguez wins the Best Actress in the Pose television series, becoming the first trans actress to win a Golden Globe. (CNN) 

At least 19 people are killed and more than 60 others are injured after a fire spreads through a 19-story apartment building in the Bronx, New York City, United States. (CNN) (ABC News) 

Tianjin begins city-wide COVID-19 testing for 14 million people after 20 children and adults tested positive for COVID-19, two of whom were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (The Guardian) 

The Greek government announces that fully vaccinated people who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose seven months after receiving their second dose will be banned from entering most indoor venues and participating in many types of activities beginning on February 1. (Times of Malta) 

The West African nations of the 15-member bloc ECOWAS suspend diplomatic relations with Mali and announce that they are closing their borders with and imposing economic sanctions on Mali in response to an “unacceptable delay” to the country’s next general election. (Reuters) 

Sen. John Thune will seek a 4th term Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the Senate minority whip widely seen as a possible successor to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), announced Saturday that he plans to run for re-election in 2022. Former President Donald Trump called for Thune to be unseated after Thune refused to join in Trump’s effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Thune had expressed concerns about Trump’s continuing hold on the Republican Party and was considering retirement, but aggressive lobbying from his colleagues ultimately convinced him to run again. Three other Republicans — all aligning themselves with Trump — have announced that they will challenge Thune in the primary. Five other Republican senators are retiring in 2022. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Non-citizens can now vote in NYC elections A New York City bill allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections became law Sunday after Mayor Eric Adams declined to veto it. The new “Our City, Our Vote” measure will reportedly enfranchise around 800,000 legal, non-citizen New York City residents, including green card holders and “Dreamers” brought to the U.S. illegally as children and benefiting from deferred action. The city’s Board of Elections must submit an implementation plan by July. They will also have to print separate ballots for municipal races, since non-citizens will still be barred from voting in statewide and presidential elections. THE NEW YORK POST 

Obama, Biden, others recall Reid’s tenacity, telephone etiquette President Biden, former President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) all spoke at the memorial service for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Las Vegas Saturday. Common themes in the speeches were Reid’s rise from inauspicious circumstances, his humility, his persistence, and his penchant for ending phone conversations without saying goodbye. Reid’s body will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda Wednesday before being interred in his hometown of Searchlight, Nevada. CBS NEWS 

Ethiopian airstrike reportedly hits displaced persons camp Aid workers reported Saturday that an Ethiopian airstrike killed 56 people and injured 30 in a Tigrayan displaced persons camp late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Despite continued reports of atrocities, the Ethiopian government has made attempts at rapprochement. A statement the government released Friday announced that several opposition leaders had been released from prison in an attempt to open dialogue and achieve reconciliation following more than a year of war. The newly freed prisoners include several leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as well as members of other ethnic and regional anti-government militias. REUTERS 

At least 22 dead after snowstorm in Pakistan traps thousands in their cars Snowstorms in Pakistan stranded thousands of tourists in their cars overnight as they attempted to reach Muree, a mountain vacation destination northeast of Islamabad. As of Saturday, 22 people have been confirmed dead from hypothermia or carbon monoxide poisoning, including at least 10 children. Of the 22 dead, 8 were from a single family — Islamabad police officer Naveed Iqbal, his wife, and their six children. Military personnel and first responders provided food and blankets, helped clear roads, and evacuated over 300 people. BBC 

Government says situation in Kazakhstan has ‘stabilized’ Officials from Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry announced Sunday that the situation in the Central Asian country has ‘stabilized’ and that all government buildings have been re-taken. Authorities also announced that several “strategic facilities have been transferred under the protection of the united peacekeeping contingent of the CSTO member states,” a contingent made up mostly of Russian troops. During a week of unrest kicked off by an increase in the price of liquified petroleum gas, protestors burned the country’s presidential residence and stormed its largest airport, which remains closed. More than 5,000 people have reportedly been detained. REUTERS 

Transgender Ivy League swimmers face off Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who has shattered records on the University of Pennsylvania women’s team after three years of competing as a man, lost two events Saturday to Yale’s Iszac Henig, who is in the process of transitioning from female to male. Henig explained in a June New York Times article that he was allowed to continue competing on the women’s team after he agreed to delay testosterone treatment. After one event, Henig pulled down his bathing suit top, revealing the scars from his double mastectomy. “Everything is messed up,” one UPenn parent said. “The NCAA needs to do something about this.” THE NEW YORK POST 

‘Deltacron’ hybrid COVID variant discovered in Cyprus A biology professor in Cyprus claims to have discovered a new COVID-19 strain that is a genetic hybrid of the Omicron and Delta variants, Bloomberg reported Saturday. “We will see in the future if this strain is more pathological or more contagious or if it will prevail,” University of Cyprus Professor Leondios Kostrikis said in a Friday interview on Cyprus’ Sigma TV network. In contrast to the deadly Delta variant, the Omicron variant is highly contagious but has not produced a corresponding uptick in deaths. Around 25 cases of Deltacron have been identified. CNBC 

Australian court to hear Djokovic deportation appeal Monday Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, who is facing deportation from Australia, will get his (virtual) day in court Monday morning. Djokovic was denied entry into Australia on Wednesday after his visa was canceled due to his refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. He was originally scheduled to be flown out of the country Thursday but was allowed to remain in an Australian quarantine hotel pending the results of his appeal. His lawyers plan to argue that, because Djokovic had COVID-19 last month and recovered, he qualifies for a medical exemption to Australia’s vaccine mandate. A request from the Australian Department of Home Affairs that the hearing be postponed until Wednesday was denied. REUTERS 

Baby handed to U.S. soldier during Afghanistan withdrawal reunited with family Baby Sohail Ahmadi, whose parents handed him to a U.S. soldier during the chaos of last summer’s evacuation from Afghanistan, was reunited with relatives in Kabul Saturday. Mirza Ali Ahmadi and his wife Suraya had passed their then-two-month-old son over the wall at Hamid Karzai International Airport, fearing that the baby would be crushed by the surging crowd. Although the couple later gained access to the airport and were evacuated to the U.S., they were unable to locate their son. The baby was found with 29-year-old taxi driver Hamid Safi, who had taken him home from the airport. Sohail was placed with his grandfather, who plans to send the child to his parents soon. REUTERS 

Saturday, January 8th, 2022 

At least 56 people are killed by an airstrike on an IDP camp in Dedebit, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. (Sky News) 

At least 200 people were killed by a bandit group from January 4 to 6 in Zamfara State in northwestern Nigeria. (Al Jazeera) 

At least 21 people are killed by a snowstorm on a highway in Murree, Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. (BBC News) 

At least seven people are killed and 32 others injured when a rock face collapses onto boats at Furnas Lake in Capitólio, Minas Gerais, Brazil. (The Washington Post) 

A Cypriot scientist detects a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 called “Deltacron”, which combines genomes found in the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant and genetic signatures found in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (CNBC) 

Romania reintroduces mandatory face mask wearing in outdoor and indoor public spaces; reduces the operating hours and capacity of bars, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, and sporting events; and also reduces the quarantine period, amidst concern that the next wave of COVID-19 could overwhelm the health system. (Associated Press) 

Mexico reports a record 30,671 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 4.1 million. The country also surpasses 300,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Bloomberg) 

Volcán Wolf, the tallest mountain and volcano in the Galápagos Islands, erupts. (The Guardian) 

Saturday, January 8th, 2022 

Chicago 

At least 56 people are killed by an airstrike on an IDP camp in Dedebit, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. (Sky News) 

Romania reintroduces mandatory face masks in outdoor and indoor public spaces, reducing the operating hours and capacity of bars, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, and sporting events, and cuts the quarantine period, amid concern that the next wave of COVID-19 could overwhelm health system. (AP) 

The tallest mountain and volcano in the Galápagos Islands, Volcán Wolf, erupts. (The Guardian) 

At least 6 people are killed when a rock face collapses onto boats at Furnas Lake in Capitólio, Brazil. (Washington Post) 

Kazakhstan protests die down as Russian troops enter country Protests in Kazakhstan that left at least 26 demonstrators and 18 law enforcement officers dead gave way to an uneasy calm Saturday as some 2,500 Russian troops arrived in the country. Kazakh authorities also announced Saturday that Karim Massimov, who until recently headed the country’s National Security Committee, had been detained on suspicion of high treason. Some observers suggest that, by arresting Massimov and calling in Russian troops, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is attempting to escape the shadow of his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who led the former Soviet republic from its independence in 1991 until 2019 and has remained influential. Massimov served as prime minister under Nazarbayev from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2014 to 2016. Tokayev removed Nazarbayev from his position as chair of Kazakhstan’s Security Council Wednesday. THE WASHINGTON POST 

U.S. COVID hospitalizations approach record high According to a new tally by Reuters, COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States could reach a new record high by the end of the week. Hospitalizations have spiked in recent weeks as the more infectious but probably less deadly Omicron variant became the dominant strain of the virus. Even as hospitalizations from the virus increase — to almost 123,000 — deaths remain steady. Additionally, many analysts have expressed concerns that hospitalization numbers are overinflated. Data released Friday by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) revealed that more than half of the COVID patients in New York City hospitals were admitted for reasons other than COVID and only later tested positive for the virus. REUTERS 

Wednesday wasn’t the first time Cruz called Jan. 6 a ‘terrorist attack’ CNN’s Daniel Dale released a fact check Friday showing that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who attempted to play off calling the Jan. 6 riot a “terrorist attack” during a Wednesday Senate committee meeting as a one-time instance of “sloppy” phrasing, was not being entirely accurate. According to Dale, Cruz used the phrase “terrorist attack” to describe what happened on Jan. 6 at least 17 times prior to Wednesday. Cruz made his excuse during a Thursday appearance on Fox’s Tucker Carlson Tonight, during which he apologized for echoing what many Republicans consider a left-wing narrative designed to justify a crackdown on Trump supporters. Carlson was not eager to let Cruz off the hook. CNN 

Men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery get life in prison The three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery have been sentenced to life in prison. Greg McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William Bryan were convicted of murder in November after chasing down Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man. Travis McMichael fatally shot him, and all three men — all of whom are white — were found guilty of felony murder. On Friday, they were each sentenced to life in prison, the McMichaels without the possibility of parole. Bryan was given the possibility of parole after 30 years. The case is expected to be appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Supreme Court appears hesitant to embrace Biden’s vaccine plan The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday appeared skeptical of President Biden’s broad COVID vaccination-or-testing requirement for the nation’s large employers. The justices did, however, seem more likely to back to a separate vaccine requirement for health care workers at facilities that receive federal funds. The administration’s rule, which was supposed to go into effect on Jan. 4, mandates employers with over 100 employees require vaccination or weekly COVID-19 testing as a condition of employment. OSHA pushed back the date in response to legal challenges. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

U.K.: 4th jab not necessary for elderly Government public health advisers in the United Kingdom recommended Friday that nursing home residents and people over the age of 80 not be given a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine. According to U.K. public health data, a fourth jab is unnecessary because even three months after the third dose, protection against hospitalization remains at around 90 percent for those over 65. Prof. Wei Shen Lim, chair of the U.K. Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, said that, given the need to focus on getting third shots into the arms of the general population, there is “no immediate need” to boost seniors again, but that public health officials could revisit the possibility at a later date. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Legendary actor Sidney Poitier dies at 94 Sidney Poitier, the legendary actor who made history by becoming the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Actor, has died. He was 94. Poitier won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1964 for Lilies of the Field. “It is a long journey to this moment,” he said in his acceptance speech. Poitier directed numerous films, as well, including Buck and the Preacher and Stir Crazy, and he served as Bahamian ambassador to Japan from 1997 through 2007. Then-President Barack Obama honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. TMZ 

Transgender contestant Amy Schneider becomes the 1st woman to win $1 million on ‘Jeopardy!’ Amy Schneider continued her impressive streak on Friday’s Jeopardy!, and her winnings now total $1,019,600 after 28 games. This makes her the first woman to ever win more than $1 million on the quiz show. Schneider has been making history throughout her Jeopardy! run. She previously became the first transgender contestant to qualify for the show’s Tournament of Champions, and she holds the records for most money and most consecutive games won by a woman. Schneider is the fifth person to win over $1 million on Jeopardy!, and the fourth to do so during regular-season play. 

Friday,  January 7th, 2022 

Chicago 

Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issues his security forces a shoot-to-kill without warning order in an attempt to end the ongoing protests. (Reuters) 

The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that Russian troops deployed to Kazakhstan have maintained control of Almaty International Airport and secured critical government buildings in Nur-Sultan, including the Ak Orda Presidential Palace. (Bloomberg) (The New York Times) 

Sixteen people are dead and 10 others are injured during a gas explosion in Chongqing, China. (CNN) 

The Food and Drug Administration begins accepting requests for certification of COVID-19 antigen test kits for home use. Previously, antigen test kits were only available for professional use. (CNN Philippines) 

Japan declares a quasi-state of emergency for Okinawa, Yamaguchi, and Hiroshima prefectures, which host U.S. military bases and are reporting an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The quasi-emergency measures will take effect on January 9. (Kyodo News) 

Bulgaria imposes a rule that requires almost all travellers aged above 12 years from the European Union and the United Kingdom to have a negative PCR test in the previous 72 hours along with a valid COVID-19 certificate prior to arrival, in order to limit the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Euronews) 

German chancellor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of 16 states agree to reduce the isolation period for people who have received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and also toughen the requirement to enter bars and restaurants to include a booster shot or a negative test result in addition to proof of vaccination or recovery as the Omicron variant continues to spread across the country. (ABC News) 

Mexican health regulator COFEPRIS grants emergency use authorization for Merck & Co.‘s anti-COVID-19 drug Molnupiravir for the treatment of severe disease. (Reuters) 

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari announces that Nigeria is working on developing its own COVID-19 vaccine. (CNN) 

The three defendants convicted in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery are sentenced to life in prison. Travis and Greg McMichael are sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, while William Bryan is sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. (NBC News) 

Researchers from the University of Bern announce the discovery of TOI-2257 b, an eccentric exoplanet that orbits near a red dwarf. (Phys.org) 

Biden says Trump lies fueled Jan. 6 Capitol attack President Biden, marking the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, called the insurrection an attack on democracy. He accused his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, of fueling the violence by spreading a “web of lies” in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. “For the first time in our history, a president … tried to prevent a peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said outside the House chamber. Thursday marked a year since a mob of Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol and tried to prevent lawmakers from certifying Biden’s victory over Trump. The former president, who canceled a planned Jan. 6 press conference, said Biden was using “political theater” to distract from his own policy failures.  REUTERS 

Kazakhstan tells troops to use lethal force against protesters Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said in a televised address Friday that he had authorized police and soldiers to shoot to kill when confronting “terrorists” participating in violent anti-government protests in the former Soviet nation. “Those who don’t surrender will be eliminated,” Tokayev said. He dismissed calls for talks with protesters as “nonsense,” saying it was impossible to negotiate “with criminals, murderers.” Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry said 26 protesters had been killed as of Friday. Another 18 have been wounded and more than 3,000 people detained. Eighteen law enforcement officers reportedly have died in the unrest, and 700 have been injured. The demonstrations started over spiking fuel prices but reflect broad dissatisfaction with the government. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Ex-advisers urge Biden to shift approach to pandemic  Six of President Biden’s former health advisers on Thursday publicly called for revising the government’s COVID-19 strategy to focus on living with the coronavirus instead of eliminating it. In three opinion articles published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the experts, who served on Biden’s transition team, said the United States should avoid getting caught in “a perpetual state of emergency,” and start approaching the coronavirus as one of several respiratory viruses to address together, with data tracking, testing, and goals on limiting hospitalizations. University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel, who coordinated the effort, told The Washington Post the experts were trying to outline “a national strategy … to find a new normal.” THE NEW YORK TIMES 

WHO confirms record 9.5 million COVID cases in last week The World Health Organization on Thursday reported that a record 9.5 million COVID-19 cases were confirmed worldwide in the last week. The total marked a 71 percent jump compared to the previous week in what the United Nations health agency called a “tsunami” fueled by the highly infectious Omicron coronavirus variant. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the total of 9,520,488 new cases was probably an undercount, due to holiday delays. There were 41,178 coronavirus deaths in the same seven-day period, down from 44,680 the week before. “The tsunami of cases is so huge and quick that it is overwhelming health systems around the world,” the WHO chief said in a news conference. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Supreme Court to hear arguments on Biden vaccine mandates The Supreme Court is scheduled to review two challenges to President Biden’s coronavirus vaccination requirements for private employers and health-care facilities on Friday. Biden has said the rules, which would affect nearly 100 million workers, will help make it safer for people to go to work by expanding protection against COVID-19. “Too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good,” he said in November when he announced the mandates. The measures were supposed to take effect on Jan. 4, but they have been put on hold while courts consider challenges by business and religious groups that argue they exceed the Biden administration’s authority. The high court will decide whether to block the rules while the cases continue. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Stephanie Grisham: Trump ‘gleefully’ watched Capitol attack on TV Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Thursday that former President Donald Trump didn’t just fail to quickly condemn last year’s attack on the Capitol as it happened, he happily watched the situation unfold from the safety of the White House. “All I know about that day is that [Trump] was in the dining room, gleefully watching on his TV, as he often did, ‘Look at all of the people fighting for me,’ hitting rewind, watching it again,” Grisham told CNN’s John Berman. Grisham also revealed how a group of about 15 ex-Trump officials, including her, are planning to meet in the coming weeks to strategize ways to stop the former president and show those in the country that still believe in him “who he really is.” ROLLING STONE 

Politico: Harris was at DNC on Jan. 6, 2021, when pipe bomb was discovered  Vice President Kamala Harris was at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, when a pipe bomb was discovered outside the building, Politico reported Thursday, citing four people familiar with her activities that day. Capitol Police started investigating the pipe bomb at 1:07 p.m., and evacuated an unnamed “protectee” seven minutes later, according to an official Capitol Police timeline obtained by Politico. The four sources, including a White House official and a former law enforcement official, confirmed that Harris was the Secret Service protectee mentioned in the timeline. The DNC bomb threat was neutralized at 4:36 p.m., an hour after another pipe bomb was discovered at the Republican National Committee. No suspects have been arrested. POLITICO 

Mortgage rates rise to highest level since May 2020 U.S. mortgage rates jumped this week to their highest level since May 2020. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.22 percent in the seven-day period that ended Thursday, up from 3.11 percent the previous week. A year ago, the average 30-year rate was 2.65 percent, the lowest on record. Ultra-low interest rates have helped drive a housing boom since the pandemic started two years ago, as people who held onto their jobs and had savings took advantage of low borrowing costs to buy bigger houses as Americans shifted to working, studying, and socializing virtually, from home. Economists have expected rates to rise as the economy improves, inflation looms, and the Federal Reserve tapers its efforts to boost the recovery with asset purchases and low rates. CNN 

Moderna CEO says people might need a 4th vaccine shot next fall Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said Thursday that people might need to get a fourth shot of the company’s coronavirus vaccine in the fall to restore strong protection against COVID-19. Bancel said people who got booster shots last fall likely would get through the winter with adequate resistance to infection and severe illness, but that the vaccine’s efficacy would wane in subsequent months. U.K. data found that Moderna and Pfizer’s two-dose vaccines were just 10 percent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 from the fast-spreading Omicron variant 20 weeks after the second dose. Protection was restored to 75 percent two weeks after a third booster shot, but efficacy declined to 40 percent to 50 percent 10 weeks later. CNBC 

Peter Bogdanovich, who directed ‘The Last Picture Show,’ dies at 82 Oscar-nominated writer-director Peter Bogdanovich died early Thursday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, his daughter Antonia Bogdanovich told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 82. Bogdanovich catapulted to A-list status in 1971 with his second film, The Last Picture Show. The black-and-white drama set in a Texas town earned eight Academy Awards nominations — including directing and adapted screenplay (shared with Larry McMurtry) for Bogdanovich — and supporting acting awards for Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson. Bogdanovich followed up with two more well-known films including What’s Up, Doc? and Paper Moon. His later hits included 1985’s Mask. Critic Matt Zoller Seitz reflected that with Bogdanovich’s death, “one of the last remaining links to classic Hollywood is also gone.” THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 

Jobs report expected to show hiring rebound before Omicron hit  Economists expect the federal jobs report to show Friday that hiring remained strong in December. A survey by data provider FactSet found that economists expected a gain of 400,000 jobs last month, up from 210,000 in November. The unemployment rate was projected to drop from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent. The numbers will reflect the hiring situation before the Omicron coronavirus variant sparked a spike in COVID-19 cases that has started impacting some businesses. Companies had record numbers of open positions last year. Many sharply increased pay, nevertheless prompting a wave of resignations as people sought better pay. Economists expect job growth to slow in January and early February, although “the hit from Omicron will probably be modest and relatively brief,” TD Securities economist Jim O’Sullivan said.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

GameStop working on launching NFT marketplace Struggling brick-and-mortar videogame retailer GameStop is working toward creating a marketplace for nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, as part of a turnaround plan, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the plans. GameStop has hired more than 20 people to operate a new unit focused on developing the marketplace, and is recruiting game developers and publishers to list NFTs on the marketplace, which it aims to launch later this year, the Journal reported. Prices of NFTs, a technology allowing proof of ownership of digital goods stored on a blockchain, have risen sharply in recent months, driven by enthusiasm among holders of Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies. GameStop shares shot up by 14 percent in after-hours trading after the Journal report. CNBC 

Julia Fox describes her ‘instant connection’ with Kanye West The Kanye West and Julia Fox saga just got stranger. The Uncut Gems actress has gone ahead and published a two-paragraph dispatch in Interview magazine walking us through her odd second date with Ye. First, she describes meeting West on New Year’s Eve and developing an “instant connection,” writing, “His energy is so fun to be around.” Fox then recounts how they went to see Slave Play in New York and how at dinner, West “directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined.” Afterward, West surprised her with “an entire hotel suite full of clothes,” which “felt like a real Cinderella moment,” leading Fox to ask the natural question of “who does things like this on a second date?”— though she seems to mean this in a good way. Despite what she just finished describing, Fox claims “everything with us has been so organic.” TMZ pointed out that West appeared to be “trying to create a new version of” his estranged wife Kim Kardashian by dressing Fox “top to bottom in Balenciaga.” So yes, we’re apparently kicking off 2022 with a Kanye West remake of Vertigo.  INTERVIEW 

Jim Carrey shows up on the Weeknd’s new album Ladies and gentlemen … Jim Carrey. Just in time for the weekend, the Weeknd dropped his new album Dawn FM on Friday, in which Jim Carrey naturally shows up to voice a purgatory radio DJ. Why not? The album’s opening track features Carrey as a host on “Dawn FM,” telling listeners, “You’ve been in the dark for way too long. It’s time to walk into the light and accept your fate with open arms.” The Weeknd has described the album as being “like the listener is dead,” and they’re tuning into a radio host “helping you transition to the other side.” By the final track, Carrey performs a spoken word poem he co-wrote, telling listeners, “If pain’s living on when your body’s long gone, and your phantom regret hasn’t let it go yet, you may not have died in the way that you must.” Alrighty then!  USA TODAY 

Rooney Mara set to play Audrey Hepburn in a biopic What is it with this week and major actors being cast as Hollywood icons? After Chris Evans was cast as Gene Kelly, Rooney Mara is now set to play Audrey Hepburn in an upcoming film directed by Call Me By Your Name‘s Luca Guadagnino. Mara, who has earned Oscar nominations for her roles in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Carol, will reportedly also be producing the movie. The casting certainty seemed to make sense, and back in 2012, The Cut even wrote an article suggesting Mara could be the “new Audrey Hepburn.” But Emily in Paris star Lily Collins immediately began to trend on Twitter as some argued she should have gotten the role instead — leading writer Akilah Hughes to offer the brutal rebuttal, “Saying Lily Collins should play Audrey Hepburn is a real mean way to say you don’t think Audrey Hepburn could act.”  DEADLINE 

The Golden Globes will now be a ‘private event’ If the Golden Globes is held but no one is around to see it, does it make a sound? The awards are set for this Sunday, but after the ceremony got canceled by NBC, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has now confirmed there won’t be any way to watch it at all. “This year’s event is going to be a private event and will not be livestreamed,” an HFPA spokesperson said, promising to post “real time updates on winners on the Golden Globes website and our social media.” It’s been a stunning downfall for an awards ceremony that faced massive backlash in 2021 over its shocking lack of diversity and alleged corruption. There won’t actually be any celebrities in attendance on Sunday, and according to Deadline, the only people who will be there are “selected members of the HFPA and grant recipients of the organization’s philanthropy.” Needless to say, there’s no need for any FOMO here. DEADLINE 

Ben Affleck says ‘The Flash’ has his favorite scenes as Batman Will Ben Affleck get to play Batman in a movie that’s not terrible? Affleck teased his return as Batman in DC’s upcoming The Flash, revealing to The Herald Sun, “Maybe my favorite scenes in terms of Batman and the interpretation of Batman that I have done, were in the Flash movie.” Affleck had a pretty rough experience playing Batman in the critically panned movies Batman v Superman and Justice League, though Zack Snyder’s recut of the latter film got more of a favorable reaction last year. But after seemingly retiring as the character, Affleck returns in The Flash, which involves timeline shenanigans bringing multiple Batmen into the mix including Michael Keaton’s version. Affleck recalled remembering thinking while shooting The Flash, “Wow — I think I have finally figured it out.’” We’re rooting for you, Batfleck.  SCREEN RANT 

Thursday, January 6th, 2022 

Chicago 

Twenty-six anti-government protestors are killed during a military operation in Almaty. The death toll of security forces increases to 18 with two of the officers being beheaded. (BBC News) 

Explosions and heavy gunfire are reported near the main Republic Square in Almaty. (The Independent) 

The Collective Security Treaty Organization military alliance approves what it describes a peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan in response to an official request for military assistance from Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. (Yahoo! News) 

Russian-led CSTO forces enter Kazakhstan in order to help the government restore control of the country, according to a statement from Kremlin spokesperson Maria Zakharova. (Al Arabiya) (The Guardian) 

Two journalists are killed and their bodies burned during a gang attack in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (BBC News) 

The United States Armed Forces order all personnel stationed in Japan to wear masks when traveling off-base amid criticism of their handling of the increase in COVID-19 cases in areas where they are based in large numbers, such as Okinawa and Iwakuni. (ABC News) 

The Chicago Public Schools announces that schools in Chicago, Illinois, has been canceled for a third consecutive day as teachers in the city go on a strike over COVID-19 protocols. (National Review) (Chicago Tribune) 

A 79-year-old man in Buckfastleigh, Devon, becomes the first person in the United Kingdom to test positive for bird flu. (The Guardian) 

The French National Assembly votes 214−93 with 27 abstentions to approve a bill to transform the COVID-19 health pass into a vaccine pass, which would require people over the age of 12 years to show proof of vaccination in order to enter most public places and use inter-regional public transport. The bill will be debated in the Senate early next week and is expected to come into effect later this month. (Euronews) 

Phillipine president Rodrigo Duterte signs into law a bill outlawing child marriage, with violators facing up to 12 months in prison. Some portions of the law will not go into effect for one year in order to allow for Muslim and indigenous communities to prepare. (NDTV) 

2021 Men’s Singles champion Novak Djokovic is detained by the Australian Border Force for failing to provide a valid medical exemption to explain his not being vaccinated against COVID-19 under federal guidelines. The Victoria State Government and Tennis Australia had previously approved Djokovic’s exemption under their own guidelines, which was not endorsed by the federal Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. (The Guardian) 

 
Garland vows to ‘hold all Jan. 6 perpetrators’ accountable Attorney General Merrick Garland promised Wednesday to “hold all Jan. 6 perpetrators, at any level, accountable” for last year’s attack on the Capitol by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters. “We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Garland said in a speech to Justice Department employees. The comments came the day before the first anniversary of the deadly attack by rioters aiming to prevent Congress from certifying Trump’s loss to President Biden in the 2020 election. More than 700 people have been arrested for participating in the insurrection. The FBI is still looking for another 350 suspects, including 250 people accused of assaulting police officers. On Thursday, President Biden will go to the Capitol to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the attack. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

CDC backs Pfizer boosters for adolescents The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday endorsed giving the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus booster to children ages 12 to 15, five months after their initial two-dose series of shots. “It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. “This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.” Walensky’s approval came hours after CDC advisers voted 13-1 to recommend the change, and strengthened the recommendation for 16- and 17-year-olds to get the booster. Health officials had previously recommended that people get the Pfizer booster six months after their second dose, but cut the wait to five months to expand protection against the fast-spreading Omicron variant. NPR 

Fire in Philadelphia rowhouse kills at least 12, including 8 children A fire ripped through a crowded rowhouse in Philadelphia’s Fairmont district on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people, including eight children. “This is without a doubt one of the most tragic days in our city’s history,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said. Eight people managed to escape the flames. Firefighters said that when they arrived they saw flames were shooting up from the second floor of the three-story, 2,300-square-foot house, which was operated by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Witnesses said screams from the building woke them up. Firefighters managed to control the blaze within 50 minutes. Investigators said smoke detectors in the building failed. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER 

Fed minutes show support for faster rate hikes to fight inflation Federal Reserve officials last month discussed speeding up their timetable for raising interest rates, with the first hike coming as soon as March, according to minutes of Fed policymakers’ Dec. 14-15 meeting that were released Wednesday. The minutes indicated that Fed leaders believed that the quicker pace could be justified to fight high inflation occurring at the same time as a tight labor market. Some officials at the central bank also supported cutting the Fed’s $8.76 trillion portfolio of bonds and other assets after the interest rate increases start. Fed officials said in projections released after the meeting that they expected three quarter-percent rate increases in 2022. During much of 2021, Fed officials said rising inflation was mostly due to supply-chain disruptions, but the persistence of high inflation has increased pressure on the Fed to move faster. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Capitol Police chief vows to fix problems exposed by Jan. 6 attack J. Thomas Manger, the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, told lawmakers on the eve of the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress that his department was taking steps to fix security shortcomings exposed by the insurrection. Manger vowed to implement more than 100 recommendations to address the issues. “We fully understand the need to restore confidence in our ability to fulfill our mission each day, no matter the circumstances,” Manger said in written testimony to the Senate Rules Committee. The panel last month received a critique on the Capitol Police from the agency’s inspector general, Michael A. Bolton, who made 103 recommendations, including upgrading riot gear and other equipment, and streamlining intelligence operations. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

White House says fresh COVID stimulus under discussion The White House said Wednesday that it is continuing to talk with members of Congress and others about the possibility of another round of stimulus funding to address fallout from the latest coronavirus surge. Recent economic data indicates that the economy is doing well, with private payrolls increasing, holiday sales strong, and supply chain bottlenecks easing. But economists warn that spiking COVID-19 cases, driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, have started to dent economic activity. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told CNN a bipartisan group is looking into whether Congress can provide aid to restaurants and other industries expected to be hit hard by the latest COVID-19 wave, although no formal deal has been proposed. REUTERS 

Kazakhstan protests turn deadly as Russia-led troops arrive to back government Protesters stormed Kazakhstan’s largest airport on Wednesday as anti-government demonstrations that began last weekend over higher fuel prices intensified. Protesters also set fire to the president’s residence and several other government buildings. Kazakhstan’s interior ministry said eight law enforcement officers and national guard members have been killed in the unrest, and more than 300 injured. A police spokesperson said dozens of protesters were killed. “Peacekeepers” from a Russia-led military alliance arrived to back the government at the request of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who fired his government and declared a two-week state of emergency in response to the protests. BBC Russian correspondent Olga Ivshina wrote that analysts say “the Kazakh government clearly underestimated how angry the population was.” BBC NEWS 

Australia denies Djokovic entry over vaccine exemption Australian authorities on Thursday told Novak Djokovic, the world’s No. 1-ranked men’s tennis player, that he would have to leave the country because he failed to provide adequate evidence supporting a medical exemption from the country’s coronavirus vaccine requirement. “Mr. Djokovic’s visa has been canceled,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted. “Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules.” Djokovic had traveled all day Wednesday from Dubai to Australia to defend his Australian Open singles championship. The exemption was supposed to allow him to play even though he has not been vaccinated. A judge said he would be allowed to stay in the country pending a Monday hearing on a legal challenge to the order to leave. ESPN 

Grammys postponed due to risks from Omicron surge The Recording Academy and CBS announced Wednesday that they are postponing the 64th Grammy Awards, saying “holding the show on Jan. 31 simply contains too many risks” given the wave of COVID-19 cases blamed on the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant. The Recording Academy said it would announce a new date “soon.” “The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority,” the Recording Academy said in a joint statement with its longtime television partner. This will be the second straight year the Grammys have been delayed due to the pandemic. Last year’s ceremony was pushed back from Jan. 31 to March 14. LOS ANGELES TIMES 

Fed minutes show support for faster rate hikes to fight inflation Federal Reserve officials last month discussed speeding up their timetable for raising interest rates, with the first hike coming as soon as March, according to minutes of Fed policymakers’ Dec. 14-15 meeting that were released Wednesday. The minutes indicated that Fed leaders believed that the quicker pace could be justified to fight high inflation now that the job market is strong enough that lower rates are no longer needed. Some officials at the central bank also supported cutting the Fed’s $8.76 trillion portfolio of bonds and other assets after the interest rate increases start. Fed officials said in projections released after the meeting that they expected three quarter-percent rate increases in 2022. THE WALL STREET JOURNALTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

GM unveils fully electric Chevrolet Silverado pickup General Motors on Wednesday unveiled its fully electric Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. The announcement presented a new challenge to EV powerhouse Tesla, and sent GM’s stock rising. Ford revealed a day earlier that demand for its F-150 Lightning electric pickups had jumped. GM’s full-size electric Silverado is intended to go 400 miles on a full charge. A Work Truck version designed for fleet buyers will be priced at $39,900. It is expected to go on sale in spring 2023. The fully loaded RST First Edition model will cost $105,000, and be available in fall 2023. Both versions will get 100 miles of range in 10 minutes with a DC fast charger. INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILYENGADGET 

White House says fresh COVID stimulus under discussion The White House said Wednesday that it is continuing to talk with members of Congress and others about the possibility of another round of stimulus funding to address fallout from the latest coronavirus surge. Recent economic data indicates that the economy is doing well, with private payrolls increasing, holiday sales strong, and supply chain bottlenecks easing. But economists warn that spiking COVID-19 cases, driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, have started to dent economic activity. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told CNN a bipartisan group is looking into whether Congress can provide aid to restaurants and other industries expected to be hit hard by the latest COVID-19 wave, although no formal deal has been proposed. REUTERS 

WarnerMedia, ViacomCBS weigh possible CW Network sale AT&T’s WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS are considering selling the CW Network, which they jointly own, and could reach a deal soon, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night. The potential buyers include Nexstar Media Group, the nation’s biggest broadcaster and a large owner of affiliates of the teen-focused network, the people close to the talks told the Journal. WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS reportedly might sell a significant stake, or all of the CW. They have been exploring strategic options for several months. The CW Network is not profitable on its own, but it produces valuable content for the parent companies’ other platforms. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Jessica Chastain went to the hospital after fight scene on ‘The 355’ Jessica Chastain apparently brought some Tom Cruise energy to her new film. The actress spoke with James Corden about doing stunts on the action movie The 355, one of which went a bit awry. During a fight scene on a marble floor, Chastain explained she “had to fall and hit my head” but “misjudged the distance,” and everyone on set stopped and “looked scared” when she “heard a crack.” Her stunt double then came up and uttered the ominous phrase “I’m sorry, but I have to put it back in” while reaching toward her head. “I guess it was just a bruise she was pushing back in my head,” Chastain said. “I did a couple of more takes because, you know, I don’t give up easy, and then I went to the hospital.” Chastain previously revealed a separate moment when she hurt herself while jumping from a ledge, which is actually in the film. And now to take a giant sip of coffee and check the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score for confirmation that all this brutal work was worth it… CNN 

Tom Holland unsuccessfully pitched a young James Bond film Tom Holland’s pitch for a young James Bond movie didn’t leave producers stirred. The Spider-Man actor revealed in a new interview with Total Film he came up with an idea for a movie about a young James Bond and even pitched it — unsuccessfully. Holland explained, “It didn’t really make sense. It didn’t work. It was the dream of a young kid, and I don’t think the Bond estate were particularly interested.” The meeting wasn’t a complete waste of time, though, as Holland said his idea for a Bond origin film ended up evolving into the Uncharted movie, in which Holland stars as a younger version of Nathan Drake than in the video games. Holland has previously expressed interest in being the next James Bond, telling Variety he’d “love” to do it, though we’re not convinced the gig won’t somehow end up going to Mike Richards.  TOTAL FILM 

Denzel Washington doesn’t recall clash with Ellen Pompeo on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ I don’t know her. In an interview with Variety, Denzel Washington was asked about Ellen Pompeo revealing they had a heated clash on the set of Grey’s Anatomy when he directed an episode, something that apparently didn’t make much of an impression with him. Pompeo claimed Washington “went ham on my a–” on the set in 2015 and that the two “went at it,” with Pompeo recalling telling him, “Listen, motherf—er, this is my show!” But Variety says that when he was asked about this incident, Washington sidestepped the question and said he doesn’t recall this day. “No, no,” Washington said, before grinning and adding, “But it’s all good.” Back when Pompeo shared the story, she wasn’t exactly showered with support for it, with journalist Felice León on MSNBC deeming it a “typical case of a white woman white womaning.”  VARIETY 

‘The Sopranos’ star Michael Imperioli cast in ‘The White Lotus’ Christopher Moltisanti himself is checking back in at HBO. Michael Imperioli, best known for playing Christopher on HBO’s The Sopranos, has been cast as one of the leads in the second season of The White Lotus. The series from Mike White stars a group of characters staying at a resort in Hawaii — though this follow-up will reportedly be taking place at another location following a new set of protagonists, Jennifer Coolidge may be returning from the first season. Imperioli will be starring as a “man traveling with his elderly father and recent college-graduate son,” Deadline says. With Imperioli’s help, The White Lotus will be following in the grand tradition of shows returning for more seasons despite allegedly being a limited series, so it may soon be time to officially start calling that genre “limited-unless-a-lot-of-people-watch-it series.”  DEADLINE 

Olivia Jade says she ‘worked really hard at school’ Olivia Jade doesn’t want people to think she didn’t work “really hard at school” just because her parents illegally paid $500,000 in bribes to get her into college. In a new episode of her podcast, the 22-year-old YouTuber and daughter of Mossimo Giannulli and Lori Loughlin said there’s a “big misconception about me” that she doesn’t work hard, to which she responded, “I didn’t have to start my YouTube when I was 14. I did put in a lot of work.” Jade, while acknowledging she lives a “very blessed and fortunate and privileged life” thanks to her famous parents, also said she “had straight A’s” in high school and “worked really hard.” Jade’s parents both went to prison after pleading guilty to paying to get her and her sister into the University of Southern California as rowing recruits, even though they don’t row. While reviewing her critical comments, Jade also read aloud a review of her show that declared it “objectively terrible.”   PAGE SIX 

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