Harry Reid, former Senate majority leader and Democratic kingmaker, dies at 82  —  Harry Reid, who rose from abject poverty in rural Nevada to become one of the most influential state and national leaders, died on Tuesday, sources confirmed to The Nevada Independent.  He was 82.

Why Covid Death Rates Are Rising for Some Groups  —  The overall rate of Covid-19 deaths has declined since vaccines became widely available in April, yet nearly a quarter million people in the United States have died from the virus in the past eight months.

Alexa tells 10-year-old girl to touch live plug with penny  —  Amazon has updated its Alexa voice assistant after it “challenged” a 10-year-old girl to touch a coin to the prongs of a half-inserted plug.  —  The suggestion came after the girl asked Alexa for a “challenge to do”.

Michigan's redistricting commission adopts final congressional map for the next decade  —  Clara Hendrickson Todd SpanglerDetroit Free Press  —  Michigan's redistricting commission voted to adopt new congressional districts Tuesday, creating political boundaries for the state's 13 U.S. House districts for the next decade.

Hong Kong Police Arrest Six Linked to Pro-Democracy News Site  —  Six current or former senior staff members of Stand News were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to publish seditious material.  More than 200 officers raided the news site's headquarters.  —  HONG KONG — The Hong Kong police …

A Lavish Tax Dodge for the Ultrawealthy Is Easily Multiplied  —  Once aimed at small businesses, a 1990s-era tax break has become a popular way for Silicon Valley founders and investors to avoid taxes on their investment profits.  —  This is the story of the incredible cloning tax break.

The Political Life of Dr. Oz … Dr. Oz for Senate is headquartered in a patch of strip mall next to a Mexican restaurant in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where the candidate's father-in-law, Dr. Gerald Lemole, maintains a medical office down the road from the Lemole family farm …

Omicron Is Not More Severe for Children, Despite Rising Hospitalizations  —  More children are being treated for Covid, but a combination of factors, including low vaccination rates, most likely explains the increase.  —  The latest coronavirus surge sweeping the United States …

No criminal charges for ex-New York Governor Cuomo over two kissing complaints  —  A county prosecutor in New York has decided not to bring criminal charges against Andrew Cuomo, the state's former governor, over accusations he kissed two women against their will.

Judge Says New York Times Can Retain Project Veritas Memos, for Now  —  A New York appeals court said the paper did not need to immediately give up or destroy documents related to the conservative group.  The paper is still prevented from publishing certain documents.

Toplines and Crosstabs December 2021 National Poll: Presidential Election & Jan 6th Insurrection at the US Capitol  —  One Year Later, New UMass Amherst Poll Finds Continued National Political Division Over the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol.  —  With 71% of Republicans viewing Joe Biden's victory …

White House, Jan. 6 committee agree to shield some documents  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol has agreed to defer its attempt to get hundreds of pages of records from the Trump administration, holding off at the request of the Biden White House.

Trump warns Alaska GOP governor he'll revoke endorsement if he backs Murkowski  —  Former President Trump on Tuesday endorsed Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy's (R) reelection bid, but only on the condition that Dunleavy doesn't back Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in 2022.

Judge rejects Proud Boys' First Amendment claims in January 6 conspiracy case  —  (CNN)A federal judge is allowing a major January 6 conspiracy case against four Proud Boys leaders to move forward, rejecting their bid to throw out the charges.  —  Judge Timothy Kelly, in a 43-page opinion issued Tuesday …

Fox News Star Was Up for ‘The View’ Gig Until She Refused to Get Vaccine  —  Lisa Marie Boothe interviewed to replace Meghan McCain as the talk show's in-house conservative.  But conversations ended when she publicly refused to get any vaccines. … The View's already difficult path …

EXCLUSIVE: There Was ANOTHER Rally Planned On Jan. 6 ... At The Supreme Court  —  The same people who organized Trump's fateful rally on the Ellipse had something else in store on Jan. 6: a rally planned in front of the Supreme Court.  —  The same people who organized Trump's fateful rally …

Beavercreek man accused of entering U.S. Capitol during Jan. 6 riots  —  24-year-old works at Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.  —  A Wright-Patterson Air Force Base employee living in Beavercreek is accused of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol during a riot on Jan. 6.

Biden finishes 2021 with most confirmed judicial picks since Reagan  —  President Joe Biden is wrapping up 2021 with more judges confirmed to the federal bench than any first-year president since Ronald Reagan, and experts say a growing list of judicial vacancies could allow him to appoint even more in 2022.

How Defund the Police backfired  —  Over the last two decades, progressives have established a new consensus on crime.  Nonviolent felonies like shoplifting and drug possession should be reclassified as misdemeanours.  Cities should defund the police and spend the money on nurses, psychologists and social workers instead.

A Proclamation on Revoking Proclamation 10315  —  On November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution announced that the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), constitutes a variant of concern.

New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz appears to call America a ‘trash country’ over health care system  —  New York Times runs piece saying the US flag ‘may no longer unite’ America  —  New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz appeared to refer to the United States as a “trash country” …

Antisemitic flyers found Christmas morning, spreading COVID conspiracies in Springfield  —  This Christmas Day, some Springfieldians woke up not to presents but to an antisemitic flyer.  —  The flyers were left at the front steps of houses in central Springfield sometime during the night of Christmas Eve.

Why isn't vaccination proof required for domestic flights?  —  To go into restaurants, visit gyms, go on a cruise or see the new “Spider-Man” movie in theaters, you need to show proof of vaccination in many parts of the country.  But you don't need proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test …

Healthy, boosted people unlikely to develop severe omicron infections, but jury's out on older, at-risk populations  —  The new variant has sent U.S. infections soaring, but a smaller share than with delta are resulting in hospitalization.  —  Healthy individuals who have been vaccinated …

How We Changed Our Minds in 2021  —  In the waning days of 2021, or year two of the pandemic, or year zero, depending on how you count, the stakes of changing your mind can feel insurmountable.  And of course.  —  Because the personal has become political, and because politics has swallowed everything …

Russian Court Orders Prominent Human Rights Group to Shut  —  The Supreme Court ruled that Memorial International, which chronicled political repression in Russia, must be liquidated.  —  MOSCOW — Russia's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the nation's most prominent human rights organization must close …

$4 gas could be here by Memorial Day, GasBuddy predicts  —  New York (CNN Business)Pain at the pump will get worse before it gets better.  —  That's according to a new GasBuddy forecast that predicts the national average will rise to $3.41 a gallon in 2022, up from $3.02 a gallon this year.