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• 3 Shot, 1 in Custody in North Carolina Mall Black Friday Shooting
  
  The Streets at Southpoint shopping mall in Durham, North Carolina, was evacuated on Friday during a shooting that left three people shot and three more injured, according to CNN. One person is in custody, Fox News reported. "DPD [Durham Police Department] is investigating a ...
• WTO Cancels Major Meeting 'Indefinitely' Over Omicron Variant
  
  The World Trade Organization is canceling its planned MC12 meeting amid concerns over the new omicron COVID-19 variant.The organization announced Friday that it was postponing its Ministerial Conference after several world governments restricted travel in the wake of a...
• Rep. Chris Smith Blasts Biden Admin for 'Retreat' From Religious Freedom
  
  Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., blasted President Joe Biden's State Department this week for removing Nigeria from a list of countries violating religious freedom rights, calling the move "a retreat from the noble and necessary fight to protect victims of religious ...
• Top Vax Makers Say They're Already on the Case Against New COVID Mutation
  
  Some of the world's top makers of coronavirus vaccines said Friday they're workiing at high speed to study the new variant of the coronavirus and hopefully adapt their projects to this new, mutated strain. As reported by CNBC, Pfizer and BioNTech said they are both ...
• Agency Proposing Price Increases for Oil Drilling on US Owned Lands
  
  In a U.S. Department of the Interior report issued Friday, the agency recommends several price increases and reforms for companies drilling for oil on federally owned lands to modernize the regulations and increase revenue for taxpayers.
• Experts: Biden's Release of Crude Oil Unlikely to Help Lower Gasoline Prices
  
  The Biden administration last week authorized the release of a record 50 million barrels of crude oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, but experts who spoke with Newsweek say the move is unlikely to help with lowering gasoline prices. "One needs to be careful to...
• WHO Skips Over Greek Letter 'Xi' for New Variant
  
  The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that it was naming a new COVID-19 variant "Omicron," skipping over the Greek letter "Xi," the same name of current Chinese President Xi Jinping, Mediaite reported.
• Composer-Lyricist Stephen Sondheim Dies at 91
  
  Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped the American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century with his intelligent, intricately rhymed lyrics, his use of evocative melodies and his willingness to tackle unusual subjects, has died. He was 91.Sondheim's...
• Former FDA Commissioner: US Travel Restrictions Over New COVID Strain 'Counterproductive'
  
  Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the new U.S. restrictions on travel from eight southern African countries over concerns about a new COVID-19 variant are counterproductive and hurt containment efforts.
• Alabama City Facing $25K Fine for Changing Confederate Street Name
  
  Changing the name of a street in Montgomery, Alabama, from Jeff Davis Avenue, the name of the president of the confederacy, Jefferson Davis, to the name of civil rights attorney Fred D. Gray may cost the city a fine of $25,000 under state law. According to a story published...
• More Stores Open Than Close for First Time in Five Years
  
  More retailers are expected to open more physical stores than closing them for the first time in five years, according to an analysis of more than 900 chains by IHL Group, a research and advisory company, reports The Wall Street Journal. Dollar General expects to open ...
• DC Area Schools Divide Over Vaccination Policies in Maryland, Virginia
  
  Teachers and other employees in schools in Washington, D.C. metro areas in Maryland and Virginia will soon face repercussions if they fail to comply with COVID-19 vaccination mandates, according to The Washington Post.
• Garland Accused of Politicizing Justice Department
  
  Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, hit out at Attorney General Merrick Garland, claiming that he has politicized the Justice Department in an interview with the Washington Examiner this week.
• Andrew Yang Defends Dave Chappelle Amid High School Backlash
  
  Former 2020 Democratic presidential contender Andrew Yang defended Dave Chappelle on Friday after some at the comedian's high school, Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., took issue with his recent stand-up special "The Closer," Fox News...
• US Says 'All Options' on Table Over Russian Troop Buildup Near Ukraine
  
  All options are on the table in how to respond to Russia's 'large and unusual' troop buildup near Ukraine's border, and the NATO alliance will decide what the next move will be following consultations next week, the State Department's top U.S. diplomat for European affairs...
• China’s Human Rights Record Under Scrutiny Ahead of Beijing Winter Olympics
  
  The recent controversy over the sexual assault allegation made by Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai against a former top government official illustrates how the country's human rights record is coming under increased scrutiny ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Eva Pils, ...
• Puerto Rico COVID Mandates Working, 74 Percent Vaccinated
  
  Puerto Rico has the highest rate of COVID vaccination among U.S. states and territories, Vox reported Friday. Through Monday, Puerto Rico had fully vaccinated 74% of its population, and reported the relatively low COVID death rate of 102 per every 100,000 people. Vermont, in...
• 'We Need to Work': Hundreds of Migrants Form New US-Bound Caravan in Mexico
  
  Hundreds of Central American and Haitian migrants formed a new caravan on Friday in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, near the Guatemala border, and began walking north toward the United States.
• US to Curb Travel From 8 Southern African Countries Over New COVID-19 Variant
  
  The United States will restrict entry to travelers from eight southern African countries over concerns about a new COVID-19 variant found in South Africa, President Joe Biden said on Friday.The policy does not ban flights or apply to U.S. citizens and lawful U.S. permanent...
• Novavax Testing Vaccine That Targets New COVID-19 Variant
  
  Novavax Inc said Friday it had started working on a version of its COVID-19 vaccine to target the variant detected in South Africa and would have the shot ready for testing and manufacturing in the next few weeks.
• Rep. Boebert Offers Apology to Rep. Omar Over Jihad Comments
  
  Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Co., on Friday apologized for suggesting Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was mistaken for a terrorist in an elevator both were riding in the U.S. Capitol. "I apologize to anyone...
• AstraZeneca Hopeful Its Antibody Cocktail Will Work on New COVID Variant
  
  AstraZeneca said Friday it was hopeful its antibody cocktail against COVID-19 would retain efficacy against a new variant that is spreading in South Africa, and was also examining whether the variant was resistant to its vaccine.
• With Parnell Out, Pennsylvania Senate Race Wide Open for GOP
  
  Republican Sean Parnell, who last week suspended his candidacy for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat after he lost a fight over custody of his three children, has left a gap in the race and led to speculation...
• Pfizer/BioNTech Expect Data on Shot's Protection vs. S. African COVID Variant Soon
  
  BioNTech SE said on Friday it expects more data on a worrying new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa within two weeks to help determine whether its vaccine produced with partner Pfizer Inc would have to be reworked.
• Andrew Cuomo Governed Differently Behind the Scenes: Report
  
  Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo behaved much differently in private than during his highly publicized press conferences at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Politico reported Friday...

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