Hawley's move to contest electoral college vote certification ensures drawn-out process  —  Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced Wednesday that he will object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote before President-elect Joe Biden's victory is cemented …

McConnell says push for $2,000 stimulus checks has “no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate”  —  The Senate leader said the measure would be too costly, would not be targeted towards needy, and help families that are living comfortably.  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) …

Scoop: Trump administration declassifies unconfirmed intel on Chinese bounties  —  The Trump administration is declassifying as-yet uncorroborated intelligence, recently briefed to President Trump, that indicates China offered to pay non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack American soldiers …

Dr. Drew reveals COVID-19 diagnosis months after apologizing for downplaying coronavirus  —  Celebrity doctor Drew Pinsky has tested positive for COVID-19.  Pinsky, known as “Dr. Drew,” is “under surveillance” according to a message shared on his Instagram account.

Biden's Team Tells Senate Democrats To Send Him Judicial Nominees ASAP  —  The president-elect wants recommendations for all existing district court vacancies by Jan. 19, says his incoming White House counsel.  —  President-elect Joe Biden is signaling that he's ready to move quickly with nominating judges once he's sworn into office.

GOP Gov Cancels Inaugural Ceremony Over Armed Protesters Outside His Home  —  New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Wednesday announced that he is canceling his outdoor inauguration ceremony next month, citing “ongoing public safety concerns” over armed protesters who have gathered outside …

Shots are slow to reach arms as Trump administration leaves final steps of mass vaccination to beleaguered states  —  Federal and state officials say the pace will soon accelerate, but the logistical challenges are also expected to intensify in the new year  —  In suburban Milwaukee …

Feds probing if Nashville bomber believed in lizard people conspiracy  —  Investigators are exploring several conspiracy theories as potential motives behind the Christmas Day bombing outside an AT&T building in Nashville, including evidence that the bomber believed in lizard people …

Trump Could Still Start a Last-Ditch War With Iran  —  Donald Trump is intent on creating as much chaos as possible on his way out of the White House.  Could that include saddling Joe Biden with another war in the Middle East?  —  We already know that Trump is thinking about attacking Iran.

Hilaria Baldwin Talks About Her Heritage, Spain, Boston, Alec and Instagram  —  Accused of a “decade long grift where she impersonates a Spanish person,” the entrepreneur and spouse of Alec Baldwin talks about Spain, Boston, her children, Instagram and more.

Ted Cruz's Georgia Runoff Fundraising Is Actually Going to His Campaign.  He's Not Alone  —  The runoff is a gold mine for politicians.  And now that they can run Facebook ads in Georgia, they're rushing for it.  —  Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) needs your help to keep the U.S. Senate in Republican hands.

America's Vaccine Rollout Is Already a Disaster  —  It's happening all over again.  For months, Americans who despaired about the country's coronavirus-suppression efforts looked desperately to the arrival of a vaccine for a kind of pandemic deliverance.  Now that it has arrived …

Biden to tap longtime officials for top Pentagon roles  —  President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate two former senior officials to fill the Pentagon's No. 2 and No. 3 jobs, transition officials said, further signaling the new administration's intent to forge a more predictable foreign policy …

Man hospitalized for COVID-19 after Queens Republican club Christmas party  —  At least one person has been hospitalized for COVID-19 after attending an indoor Christmas dance party hosted by the Whitestone Republican Club earlier this month, the Eagle has learned.

US pardons for Blackwater guards an “affront to justice” - UN experts  —  A group of UN experts* said the pardons granted to four convicted private security contractors for war crimes in Iraq violated US obligations under international law, and called on all States parties to the Geneva Conventions to condemn the pardons.

Trump misses 20 million Covid shot target  —  The calendar will flip over into 2021 with the U.S. well short of its goal of vaccinating 20 million Americans against the coronavirus.  —  With the pandemic still raging, at least 2.6 million have received the first of two Covid shots …

Census To Miss Year-End Deadline For Delivering Numbers For House Seats  —  Saddled with delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and last-minute changes by the Trump administration, the first set of 2020 census results will not be ready for release by Thursday's year-end deadline for numbers …

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Announce Additional Members of White House Staff  —  Transition Names 100 Accomplished, Diverse White House Staff Members by End of 2020  —  WASHINGTON - Today, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris …

Even If It's ‘Bonkers,’ Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon And Other Conspiracy Theories  —  Toggle more options  —  A significant number of Americans believe misinformation about the origins of the coronavirus and the recent presidential election, as well as conspiracy theories like QAnon, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll.

Oregon mayor tells residents to ignore coronavirus restrictions  —  Stan Pulliam thinks the economy should open up as usual but with masks and social distancing  —  Oregon mayor encourages coronavirus lockdown defiance  —  A Republican mayor in Oregon is encouraging business owners to defy the state's coronavirus restrictions.