US Army Creates Single Vaccine Against All COVID & SARS Variants, Researchers Say  —  Within weeks, Walter Reed researchers expect to announce that human trials show success against Omicron—and even future strains.  —  Within weeks, scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research expect …

McConnell to Manchin: We'd Love to Have You, Joe  —  Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, says Democratic outrage over Senator Joe Manchin's opposition to sweeping policy bills shows he is not welcome in his party any longer.  —  WASHINGTON — Senator Mitch McConnell is extending …

John Thune, a Likely Successor to Mitch McConnell, Weighs Retirement  —  Mr. Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, is considering giving up his South Dakota seat because of both family concerns and Donald Trump's enduring hold on the G.O.P.  —  WASHINGTON — Senator John Thune of South Dakota …

Trump ‘very appreciative’ and ‘surprised’ Biden acknowledged his administration's COVID vaccine success  —  In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Trump said Biden's comment would help the ‘process of healing’  —  Biden pressed on COVID testing availability

Early assessment of the clinical severity of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in South Africa  —  Nicole Wolter, Waasila Jassat, Sibongile Walaza, Richard Welch, Harry Moultrie, Michelle Groome, Daniel Gyamfi Amoako, Josie Everatt, Jinal N Bhiman, Cathrine Scheepers, Naume Tebeila, Nicola Chiwandire …

Michael Flynn sues Nancy Pelosi and Jan. 6 committee  —  Former national security adviser Michael Flynn filed a lawsuit requesting a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the Jan. 6 committee and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday.

Five things about omicron that I want my friends and family to know … As a health reporter who's been writing about coronavirus since early January 2020, I often get questions about the pandemic.  But after the omicron variant emerged last month, those questions became more urgent …

Omicron Is the Beginning of the End  —  No matter the severity of the variant, the appetite for shutdowns or other large-scale social interventions simply isn't there.  —  About the author: Yascha Mounk is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University …

Some Inmates Can Stay Confined at Home After Covid Emergency, Justice Dept. Says  —  The move reverses a Trump-era decision that would have sent many of the thousands of inmates released to home confinement during the pandemic back to prison.  —  WASHINGTON — The Justice Department moved …

Omicron Will Surge Despite Biden's New Plan, Scientists Say  —  Public health experts fear that the highly contagious variant cannot be stopped without harsh measures that the public will no longer tolerate.  —  Even as President Biden on Tuesday outlined new plans for battling …

The Five Deadly Sins of the Left  —  About a year ago I published an American Compass essay on “The Five Deadly Sins of the Left.”  In that essay, I addressed the surprising fact that the left has not performed as well as one might expect, given the poor performance of free-market capitalism in the 21st century.

Democratic push on voting rights becomes more urgent as midterms approach  —  But passing a measure to outlaw partisan gerrymandering could cause a new kind of chaos  —  Senate Democrats not only failed to push their social spending bill over the finish line before the Christmas holidays.

Criminals have stolen nearly $100 billion in Covid relief funds, Secret Service says  — Criminals have stolen close to $100 billion in pandemic relief funds, the U.S. Secret Service said Tuesday.  — The stolen funds were diverted by fraudsters from the Small Business Administration's …

Biden administration considering another extension of student loan payment pause  —  WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is considering extending the moratorium on federal student loan payments just weeks before it is set to expire as the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a new threat to the economy.

Exclusive: U.N. proposing paying nearly $6 million to Taliban for security  —  The United Nations is proposing to pay nearly $6 million for protection in Afghanistan to Taliban-run Interior Ministry personnel, whose chief is under U.N. and U.S. sanctions and wanted by the FBI …

This Scientist Created a Rapid Test Just Weeks Into the Pandemic.  Here's Why You Still Can't Get It.  —  Irene Bosch developed a quick, inexpensive COVID-19 test in early 2020.  The Harvard-trained scientist already had a factory set up.  But she was stymied by an FDA process experts say made no sense.

What the Stalled Build Back Better Bill Means for Climate, in One Chart  —  The fate of the imperiled Build Back Better bill in Congress will have major consequences for America's ability to tackle climate change, researchers have estimated.  —  The Stalled Bill Is Crucial for Reaching Biden's Climate Goals

Harvard professor convicted for lying to FBI about China ties  —  Harvard professor Dr. Charles Lieber was found guilty on all federal charges against him related to concealing his ties to a Chinese university and the Chinese government's Thousand Talents Program while receiving U.S. government funding.

Putin wants us to negotiate over the heads of our allies.  Washington shouldn't fall for it.  —  Last week, the Russian government took the highly unusual decision to publish two draft treaties, complete with articles and formal legalistic language, on European security — one between Russia and NATO …

New Vintage 2021 Population Estimates Available for the Nation, States and Puerto Rico  —  Estimates Show Slowest Growth on Record for the Nation's Population  —  DEC. 21, 2021 — According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2021 national and state population estimates and components …