With Omicron now the
most widely detected variant in the US, hospitals are preparing for a surge of Covid-19 cases. And for the second year in a row, many doctors and nurses on the front lines of the pandemic will be treating these patients over the Christmas holiday. Nearly 70,000 Americans were hospitalized with Covid-19 as of yesterday, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services, up from around 45,000 in early November. In related news, the FDA yesterday
authorized Pfizer’s antiviral pill, Paxlovid, to treat Covid-19. It’s the first antiviral pill authorized for infected people to take at home before they get sick enough to be hospitalized.
2. Capitol riot
The House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection has asked Rep. Jim Jordan, one of former President Donald Trump’s top congressional allies, to
voluntarily meet with the panel as it zeroes in on Republican lawmakers who may have knowledge of events leading up to the Capitol riot. Jordan previously warned the committee that targeting GOP lawmakers in any capacity would be met with political retribution if Republicans retake the House after the 2022 midterm elections. Jordan is the second Trump ally to get an interview request this week. Rep. Scott Perry
declined the committee’s request to voluntarily sit down with investigators.
3. Student loans
President Joe Biden said yesterday that he’s
extending the pause on student loan payments until May 1. The payments, which were set to restart on February 1 for millions of borrowers, have been on hold since the start of the pandemic. During this time, interest has stopped adding up and collections on defaulted debt have been on hold. Biden pointed to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis as the reason for the extension. The reversal comes less than two weeks after White House press secretary Jen Psaki indicated that the administration was
planning to restart the payments, resisting pressure from some fellow Democrats who’d called for an extension of pandemic relief benefits.
4. Russia
Russia hopes to hold
bilateral talks with NATO and the United States in January over security guarantees it is seeking from both, a state-owned media outlet reported yesterday, citing Russia’s foreign minister. The news comes just a day after NATO said it is ready to engage in “meaningful dialogue” with Russia amid its
massing of troops near Ukraine’s border. The United States and its allies have warned
Russia about the consequences of further hostilities amid its continued military buildup along the Ukraine border — a move that US intelligence has assessed as preparation for
a full-scale invasion in the coming months. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded security guarantees from the United States and NATO, including a binding pledge that NATO won’t expand farther east and will not allow Ukraine to join the military alliance.
5. Supply chain
Biden yesterday touted progress his administration has made in
alleviating supply chain issues that have spurred shortages of consumer products, raised prices for Americans and contributed significantly to historic levels of inflation in the US. The President pointed to evidence that
bottlenecks are beginning to unclog and said retail inventories are up 3% from last year. Separately, a new report on consumer confidence showed Americans are
feeling more optimistic about the economic recovery, which has continued to show surprising strength into the final month of the year.
THIS JUST IN …
Law enforcement officials are on the scene of
a “major industrial accident” early this morning at an ExxonMobil plant in Baytown, Texas, about 25 miles from Houston. Initial reports are that some type of explosion occurred inside the plant, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a tweet. Four people may be injured, he said. Nearby residents reported a loud explosion.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Jennifer King makes NFL history as first Black female position coach
She
stepped in as running backs coach of the Washington Football Team.
NHL players won’t participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics
Taco Bell is adding a surprising new menu item
Let’s just say it’s
not something you’d expect to order at a place known for TACOS!
McDonald’s limits french fry sales in Japan because of potato shortage
Fees for US passports are going up by $20
At least you get to
keep the same picture for 10 years.
TODAY’S NUMBER
23 million
That’s how many
people in Afghanistan are facing extreme levels of hunger as winter sets in — more than half the country’s population. And at least a million children under 5 are at risk of dying from starvation.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“If you act out of line, you will wait in line.”
FAA Administrator
Steve Dickson, in an announcement about a new partnership between the FAA and the TSA that could result in
unruly travelers losing their TSA PreCheck credentials
QUIZ TIME
Instead of our normal weekly news quiz, we have a special quiz to get you in the holiday mood! Here’s a question to get you started: People in some areas of Europe and China don which color underwear to bring them luck on New Year’s Eve?
A. yellow
B. blue
C. white
D. red
Take CNN’s holiday quiz to see if you’re correct!
TODAY’S WEATHER
AND FINALLY
Joy to the World
A little something to put you in the holiday spirit. (
Click here to view.)