Biden Picks Xavier Becerra to Lead Health and Human Services  —  The selection of Mr. Becerra, the California attorney general, is a surprise.  If confirmed, he will face a daunting challenge in leading the department at a critical moment in the pandemic.  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect …

‘This Must Be Your First’  —  Only one widely understood word captures what Donald Trump is trying to do, even though his acts do not meet its technical definition.  —  Contributing writer at The Atlantic  —  On the evening of September 11, 1980, my mom was approached by a neighbor who held rank in the Turkish military.

Bob Dylan Sells His Songwriting Catalog in Blockbuster Deal  —  Universal Music purchased his entire songwriting catalog of more than 600 songs in what may be the biggest acquisition ever of a single act's publishing rights.  —  Bob Dylan's memoir “Chronicles: Volume One” …

Barr Is Said to Be Weighing Whether to Leave Before Trump's Term Ends  —  The attorney general's future came into doubt after he acknowledged that the Justice Department had not found evidence of widespread voter fraud in the president's election loss.  —  WASHINGTON — Attorney General William P. Barr …

Arizona Legislature shuts down after Rudy Giuliani possibly exposed lawmakers to COVID-19  —  The Arizona Legislature will close for a week “out of an abundance of caution” after Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's personal attorney, possibly exposed several Republican lawmakers to COVID-19.

Paul Sarbanes, longtime U.S. senator from Maryland who championed protection of Chesapeake Bay, dies at 87  —  Paul S. Sarbanes, a low-key son of Greek immigrants who fiercely protected the Chesapeake Bay and other Maryland interests during 30 years in the U.S. Senate, died Sunday night, according to his son.

A Powerful Reporter Got Away With Sexual Misconduct for Decades.  His Paper, and His Union, Looked the Other Way.  —  Michael Fuoco was a bigfoot reporter with a fiery personality and a reputation for harassing young women.  No one seemed to want to rein him in.

Anti-Vaccine Doctor Has Been Invited to Testify Before Senate Committee  —  The selection of Dr. Jane M. Orient as federal health officials are trying to promote a vaccine to end the coronavirus pandemic prompted harsh criticism from Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York.

To rebuild CDC, Biden picks Rochelle Walensky  —  President-elect Joe Biden has selected Rochelle Walensky, the chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to two people with knowledge of the decision.

Get ready to change the channel and stop giving Donald Trump the attention he craves  —  I am a part of this problem.  But my point is we have an opportunity to do better.  To learn from the past.  To ignore Trump and get back to reality.  —  As we near the end of the Trump presidency …

Trump mulls dramatic flight to Florida rally on Biden's Inauguration Day  —  President Trump is considering a made-for-TV grand finale: a White House departure on Marine One and final Air Force One flight to Florida for a political rally opposite Joe Biden's inauguration, sources familiar with the discussions tell Axios.

Water Futures to Start Trading Amid Growing Fears of Scarcity  — Futures on California water index launched by CME Group  — Contracts seen useful for farmers, cities to hedge water risk  —  Water is joining gold, oil and other commodities traded on Wall Street …

Netanyahu's reaction to Biden's victory is appalling  —  Consider the strategy most congressional Republicans have adopted in response to Joe Biden's election victory: Avoid recognizing him as president-elect, while issuing statements designed to placate President Trump.

Goldman Plots Florida Base for Asset Management in a Blow to New York  — Remote-work experience speeds plan to shift New York-area jobs  — Elliott, Blackstone and Citadel have been expanding in Florida  —  Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is weighing plans for a new Florida hub to house …

'It's an unusual setup': Kerry's climate job scrambles Biden's org chart  —  He's been a national figure since his days as a Vietnam vet protesting the war.  He carried his party's banner in 2004.  And as secretary of State, he negotiated a major nuclear deal involving the world's most powerful countries.

Bob Woodward is writing another Trump book with the Washington Post's Robert Costa  —  Woodward with Robert Costa.  Photo via YouTube.  —  When Bob Woodward called President Trump to warn him that “Rage” would be “a tough book,” Trump replied, as Woodward recounted on “60 Minutes”: “Well, I didn't get you on this book.

Judge Removes Tentacle of ‘Kraken’ Election-Toppling Bid in Michigan: ‘The People Have Spoken’  —  Slapping down one of the so-called “Kraken” cases pushed by pro-Trump lawyers Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, a federal judge in Michigan cut off one of the arms of their efforts to overturn battleground elections.

‘A lost generation’: Surge of research reveals students sliding backward, most vulnerable worst affected  —  After the U.S. education system fractured into Zoom screens last spring, experts feared millions of children would fall behind.  Hard evidence now shows they were right.

Protesters descend on Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's home after dark  —  A couple of dozen protesters gathered in front of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's home Saturday night shouting through megaphones against the certification of the election and demanding a forensic audit.

Trump Runs the Stacey Abrams Playbook  —  Evidence-free charges of election fraud are corrosive no matter who makes them.  —  Atlanta  —  November's election was the most secure in history.  In Georgia there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud and no significant issues with absentee ballots.

In Georgia Debate, Kelly Loeffler Won't Say Trump Lost  —  Republicans fear that President Trump's grievances about the results might persuade his supporters to sit out Georgia's two runoff elections, including Ms. Loeffler's race, that will determine control of the Senate.

Conservative nonprofit group challenging election results around the country has tie to Trump legal adviser Jenna Ellis  —  A conservative legal organization that has filed lawsuits challenging the election results in five states has a tie to President Trump's legal team …