The Hill Articles: January 11, 2022

EU agency says omicron pushing COVID-19 out of pandemic phase Singers criticize Grand Ole Opry over Morgan Wallen performance Olympic track medalist Deon Lendore killed in car crash American Airlines passenger enters cockpit, damages controls FDA extends shelf life for millions of expired coronavirus test kits in Florida McConnell: Rounds ‘told the truth’ about 2020 election Abrams thanks Biden for Georgia speech, backs call for Senate rules change Delaware AG sues town over ordinance requiring cremation or burial of fetal remains Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick wins Florida special election to succeed Alcee Hastings Third city in China announces coronavirus lockdown Kerik to sit for ‘voluntary interview’ with Jan. 6 panel, attorney says New Hampshire moves to outlaw ‘gay panic’ defense Overnight Health Care — Biden officials take heat at Senate hearing On the Money — Powell questioned over rising prices, response Klobuchar needs to put her antitrust legislation to the sunshine test Why the US could have a higher death rate from omicron than other countries Legal aid groups want little to no part of re-upped Remain in Mexico program Judge denies Facebook’s request to throw out FTC antitrust lawsuit JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says unvaccinated New York employees could be fired North Carolina high court allows GOP-drawn political maps to stand Nearly two-thirds of people purposely use older versions of tech products due to data security concerns Overnight Energy & Environment — EPA takes steps to address toxic coal residue Overnight Defense & National Security — DOD watchdog to review extremism screening Hillicon Valley: Amazon’s Alabama union fight — take two Biden’s Georgia speech was a call to save democracy as we know it Delta Air Lines slammed for lack of gender options for nonbinary passenger BioNTech has developed a method to predict new high-risk variants of COVID-19 FAA paused some West Coast flights at time of North Korea missile launch Equilibrium/Sustainability — NASA hires climate scientist for key new role Biden calls Jan. 6 riot an attempted ‘coup’ Unvaccinated Olympic champ to quarantine for three weeks Trump mocks Biden over Abrams absence from voting rights speech Prosecutors offer to drop Ghislaine Maxwell’s perjury charges if she is sentenced Newly discovered rainfrog species named in honor of climate activist Greta Thunberg Heroic landmine-detecting rat dies Stacey Abrams’s shocking snub of Biden, Harris signals possible 2024 aspirations Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Trump allies who helped with rally EPA to assess impact on endangered species before signing off on pesticide ingredients World Economic Forum predicts three more years of volatility Quebec to fine unvaccinated residents Biden calls for changing Senate rules to allow voting bills to pass Here’s why there are empty shelves in your local grocery store US coronavirus hospitalizations surpass last winter’s peak Medicare proposes limited coverage of controversial Alzheimer’s drug Neo-Nazi Group group’s leader sentenced over threats against journalists, activists New study says air knocks down COVID-19 infection rate by 90 percent Capitol security officials developing program to identify ‘insider threats’ from police Wisconsin GOP bill would count prior COVID-19 infection as immunity Smart guns that require fingerprint identification coming to the US Kim Jong Un’s latest missile hit its mark: US-South Korea relations Biden health officials slammed at hearing for confusing pandemic messaging New Orleans reinstates indoor mask mandate ahead of Mardi Gras New Jersey declares state of emergency over omicron variant Chicago mayor tests positive for COVID-19 New Jersey high school students charged in alleged hazing of football players Hot mic catches Fauci calling GOP senator ‘a moron’ President Biden is blaming everyone else for surging inflation  Buttigieg touts supply achievements at ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach House Democratic conference postponed due to COVID-19 Historic health care expansion to take center stage in California Pope decries ‘cancel culture’ as ‘a form of ideological colonization’ Newsom allocates $22.5 billion to climate crisis in California budget proposal Bowman to discuss ‘path forward’ for youth mental health crisis in House speech For the foreseeable future, immigration will fuel US population growth Powell: Supply side constraints aren’t seeing ‘a lot of progress,’ fueling inflation Fetterman calls for ban on congressional stock trading Controversy sparked by Mike Pompeo’s claim he lost 90 pounds in six months Former US attorney considering Senate run in Vermont as Republican McConnell will run for another term as leader despite Trump’s attacks Companies recalling home elevators to address safety concern US wants Russia to pull back troops from Ukraine’s border Omar calls for closure of Guantánamo Bay prison after 20 years of ‘lawlessness and cruelty’ US orders 600K doses of antibody treatment to help fight omicron Breyer, Sotomayor participate in Supreme Court hearing remotely Crews responding to helicopter crash outside Philadelphia The first pig-to-human heart transplant could lead to thousands more Top House Democrat pushes for ‘isolation boxes’ for maskless lawmakers Music icon Elvis Costello asks radio station to stop playing one of his greatest hits over racial slur Pentagon watchdog to probe how military screens applicants for extremism Bank of America cutting overdraft fees New York ends its contact tracing program amid omicron surge To understand Russia, read Putin New York Democrat tests positive for COVID-19 with ‘minor’ symptoms Italian nurse charged with giving fake COVID-19 shots Judge removes himself from Amazon case after questions about financial conflict Deputy on leave after fatally shooting man in street Florida Democrats call on DeSantis to accept federal help to expand COVID-19 testing Powell says new rules for financial trades will be in place ‘imminently’ Senate Republicans need to step up for women, or have blood on their hands Ye to meet with Putin in Russia, associate says World-famous pieces of Parthenon should be returned, says Greek prime minister EPA takes steps toward addressing toxic coal residue Watch live: Biden delivers remarks on voting rights The pursuit of happiness: Yale’s free course on how to be happier sees unprecedented surge during pandemic Want to Build Back Better? Look to Abraham Lincoln White House limiting size of gatherings amid omicron wave British utility apologizes after telling customers to cuddle pets to keep warm A call to regular order: Joe Manchin and the anomaly of the NDAA World’s largest condom maker reports surprising sales during pandemic A hungry badger may have helped uncover a Roman treasure Top Republicans pressing Hogan to run for Senate Senate Judiciary Committee to debate key antitrust bill Washington’s playing with a weak hand in the Ukraine crisis Head of European Parliament dies after battling pneumonia last year Hoyer vows support for contempt against uncooperative lawmakers in Jan. 6 probe Powell says high inflation is a ‘severe threat’ to achieving maximum employment Woman, teen rescue three children from icy pond Amazon workers in Alabama to vote on union again in February The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Biden travels to Georgia in Hail Mary move White House downplays Abrams’ absence from voting rights speech Woman seen with broken sign from Pelosi office pleads guilty in Jan. 6 riot Future of Cities Summit West Virginia needs the Build Back Better Act to recover and thrive  Americans are reading fewer books: poll Conservatives push for boycott of GOP club over DC vaccine mandate NASA welcomes chief scientist, senior climate adviser in new dual role Kemp pads out campaign war chest ahead of tough reelection bid Biden administration calls on agencies to better guard against political influence on science Oceans absorbed heat equivalent to seven Hiroshima nuclear explosions every second, expert says Fauci clashes with Paul, says attacks kindle ‘the crazies’ Man charged with terrorism in South Africa parliament fire New report says 20 climate disasters that hit US costed $1B each McConnell vows retaliation if Democrats change filibuster Ocean warmth hits record high Ending nation’s polarization begins with understanding First Amendment Scotland beginning to ease omicron restrictions First high-value Guantánamo detainee cleared for transfer Powell says climate stress tests will ‘very likely’ be a ‘key tool going forward’ Trophy hunters are on their last legs UN rips Kazakhstan after troops seen wearing blue helmets Is it time to rein in premature Supreme Court review? Army to stage ‘realistic’ guerrilla war exercise in rural Carolinas Facebook pushes back office return to March, will require boosters Thousands of United employees call out sick, forcing flight cancellations Death row inmates seeking firing squad as alternative to lethal injection DOJ establishing new unit focused on domestic terrorism A conservative’s guide to conspiracies — and conspiracy theories Manchin doubles down on filibuster ahead of Biden’s speech  176 Haitians rescued from overloaded boat near Florida Keys North Korea launches another ballistic missile, South says Free speech, Whole Foods, and the endangered apolitical workplace Novak Djokovic now being investigated over alleged false travel claim in vaccine case Maryland man gets world’s first pig heart transplant CDC warns against travel to Canada as country hits level four Powell pledges Fed will prevent inflation from becoming ‘entrenched’ CDC eyes recommending higher quality masks: report Navy to comply with emergency order on leaking Pearl Harbor fuel tanks US sets new record for COVID-19 hospitalizations More than half of Europe’s population may be infected with omicron in weeks, WHO says Red Cross declares first national blood crisis in US The hero of Jan. 6 whose name must not be spoken Watch live: Fed Chairman Powell testifies at confirmation hearing Judge dismisses LA officers’ challenge to vaccine mandate Cloudy with a chance of vegetables: town blanketed in bizarre snowfall of soybeans Rising: January 11, 2022 Infrastructure spending should not facilitate sawing down our National Forests WHO: Don’t treat COVID-19 like flu Mexico’s president tests positive for COVID-19 for second time Watch live: Fauci, Walensky testify before Senate panel Medicines and tests are missing in action with Biden’s ‘Operation Snail Speed’ Kazakhstan president says Russian troops will begin leaving in two days CBS News announces leadership changes in Washington bureau Nearly 9 in 10 now say they know someone who’s gotten COVID-19: poll CDC warns against travel to Canada US on track to have record COVID-19 hospitalizations Booker endorses Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin Senate race White House announces $308M in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan Court upholds firing of LAPD officers for playing Pokémon Go during robbery Who will write the history of Jan. 6? Record 1.35M new COVID-19 cases recorded in US 20 million in China now under lockdowns ahead of Olympics Press: Biden’s January 6 speech makes history Feehery: The left’s phony concerns about democracy, civil war Budowsky: When Dr. King, Rep. Cheney came to Washington America is less secure with an isolationist foreign policy Bottom line Curious about VR? Here’s what you need to know about the HTC VIVE Pro 2 The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden to make voting rights play in Atlanta Looking to add a smart companion to your wrist? Check out the best smartwatches for iPhone Ex-special envoy: Biden’s approach to Haiti a ‘recipe for disaster’ Standing up for family farms Search for 2024 convention sites ramps up in both parties Congress restores strict health protocols during omicron-fueled surge Johnson, Thune signal GOP’s rising confidence Democrats eager to fill power vacuum after Pelosi exit I tried the fancy Dyson hairdryer to see if it outperforms the rest of the market Biden to call expected Senate action on voting bills a ‘turning point’