LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two people are charged in the death of a 23-year-old woman whose remains were found near a lake in Lincoln in June.

 Police Chief Teresa Ewins said Friday that 25-year-old Joesef Barraza is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and three counts of first-degree sexual assault in Carly Schaaf’s death. And 25-year-old Rachel Pageler, 25, is charged with kidnapping and accessory to first-degree murder. 

Schaaf's remains were found near Pawnee Lake in June. Court records say she had complained to police that Barraza was harassing her shortly before she disappeared. 

Investigators also found cellphone video that appears to show Barraza sexually assaulting three incapacitated women, including Schaaf.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two people are charged in the death of a 23-year-old woman whose remains were found near a lake in Lincoln in June. Police Chief Teresa Ewins said Friday that 25-year-old Joesef Barraza is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and three counts of first-degree sexual assault in Carly Schaaf’s death. And 25-year-old Rachel Pageler, 25, is charged with kidnapping and accessory to first-degree murder. Schaaf's remains were found near Pawnee Lake in June. Court records say she had complained to police that Barraza was harassing her shortly before she disappeared. Investigators also found cellphone video that appears to show Barraza sexually assaulting three incapacitated women, including Schaaf.

Two suspects arrested in death of Lincoln woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fully vaccinated and mostly masked, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared skeptical Friday of the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nation’s large employers. The court seemed more open to a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?516920-1/justices-hear-case-vaccine-test-mandate">CLICK here to listen </a>to a replay of Friday's oral arguments

The arguments in the two cases come at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-education-detroit-cde614839b15d02a594dab1e690c7d46">a time of spiking coronavirus cases</a>&nbsp;because of the omicron variant, and the decision Friday by seven justices to wear masks for the first time while hearing arguments reflected the new phase of the pandemic.

An eighth justice, Sonia Sotomayor, a diabetic since childhood, didn’t even appear in the courtroom, choosing to remain in her office at the court and take part remotely. Two lawyers, representing Ohio and Louisiana, argued by telephone after recent positive COVID-19 tests, state officials said.

But the COVID circumstances did not appear to outweigh the views of the court’s six conservatives that the administration overstepped its authority in its vaccine-or-testing requirement for businesses with at least 100 employees.

“This is something the federal government has never done before,” Chief Justice John Roberts said, casting doubt on the administration’s argument that a half-century established law, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, confers such broad authority.

Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett probably hold the key to the outcome in both cases, as they have been more receptive to state-level vaccine requirements than the other three conservative justices. Barrett and Kavanaugh also had tough questions for Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer.

The court’s three liberal justices suggested support for the employer rule. Justice Elena Kagan said officials have shown “quite clearly that no other policy will prevent sickness and death to anywhere like the degree that this one will.” And Justice Stephen Breyer said he found it “unbelievable” that it could be in the “public interest” to put that rule on hold. He said that on Thursday there were some 750,000 new cases in the country and that hospitals are full.

Beginning Monday, unvaccinated employees in big companies are supposed to wear masks at work, unless the court blocks enforcement. But testing requirements and potential fines for employers don’t kick in until February.

Legal challenges to the policies from Republican-led states and business groups are in their early stages, but the outcome at the high court probably will determine the fate of vaccine requirements affecting more than 80 million people.

Roberts, Kavanaugh and Barrett seemed to have fewer doubts about the health care vaccine mandate. Kavanaugh said it was a “very unusual situation” that hospitals and health care organizations affected by the regulation were “not here complaining” about the rule but instead support it. “What are we to make of that?” he asked.

The second regulation is a mandate that would apply to virtually all health care staff in the country. It covers health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.

Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis have blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration has said it is taking steps to enforce it in the rest.

“I think effectively what is at stake is whether these mandates are going to go into effect at all,” said Sean Marotta, a Washington lawyer whose clients include the American Hospital Association. The trade group is not involved in the Supreme Court cases.

Both vaccine rules would exacerbate labor shortages and be costly to businesses, lawyer Scott Keller argued Friday on behalf of more than two dozen business groups. Without an immediate order from the court, “workers will quit right away,” Keller said.

Administration lawyer Prelogar told the justices that COVID-19 “is the deadliest pandemic in American history and it poses a unique workplace danger.” OSHA has estimated that its emergency regulation will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of those have received booster shots, including the nine justices.

Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, said the vaccine requirements are extremely effective for 15% to 20% of Americans “who don’t like to get a shot but they will and don’t have any strenuous objection.”

The high court is weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.

A conservative majority concerned about federal overreach did bring an end to a federal moratorium on evictions put in place because of the pandemic.

Both the vaccination case came to the court on an emergency basis, and the court took the unusual step of scheduling arguments rather than just ruling on briefs submitted by the parties. Unlike in other cases the court hears, a decision from the justices could come in weeks if not days.

Because of the pandemic the justices heard the cases in a courtroom closed to the public. Only the justices, lawyers involved in the cases, court staff and journalists were allowed inside. The public could listen live, however, a change made earlier in the pandemic when the justices for nearly 19 months heard cases via telephone.

The court has been asking arguing lawyers to have negative coronavirus tests and participate remotely if they have positive tests. Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers, who was arguing against the employer rule, had tested positive for COVID-19 after Christmas, had mild symptoms and fully recovered, but a test on Sunday required by the court detected the virus, a spokeswoman said. He had been vaccinated and had a booster shot.

Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill who was arguing against the health care workers rule, was also arguing remotely “based upon the court’s protocol,” state Attorney General Jeff Landry said. Landry was at the court for Friday’s arguments.

It was the first time since the court returned to in-person arguments in October that lawyers were arguing remotely.

Justice Neil Gorsuch was the only justice to remain unmasked throughout the arguments, which lasted more than 3 and 1/2 hours. He sits between Barrett and Sotomayor. The court did not explain why Sotomayor didn’t take the bench.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is taking up two major Biden administration efforts to bump up the nation’s vaccination rate against COVID-19 at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-pandemics-united-states-8d3195d162980fecb55e3d5da3794629">spiking coronavirus cases because of the omicron variant</a>.

The justices on the conservative-oriented court are hearing arguments Friday about whether to allow the administration to enforce a vaccine-or-testing requirement that applies to large employers and a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers. The arguments were expected to last at least two hours.

The challengers argue that the vaccine rules exceed the administration’s authority, but Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, wrote that both are needed to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths.

Keeping the vaccine mandate for health care workers on hold “will likely result in hundreds or thousands of deaths and serious illnesses from COVID-19 that could otherwise be prevented,” Prelogar wrote.

Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of the country has received a booster shot,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-85207706b48cc76147a17d7a476fd9c6">including the nine justices</a>.

The court said Friday that Justice Sonia Sotomayor would not be on the bench with her colleagues, opting instead to take part remotely from her office at the court. Sotomayor, who has had diabetes since childhood, has been the only justice who wore a mask to previous argument sessions in the courtroom.

Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, said the vaccine requirements are extremely effective for 15% to 20% of Americans “who don’t like to get a shot, but they will and don’t have any strenuous objection.”

The high court will be weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.

But a conservative majority concerned about federal overreach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-courts-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-daa34fb48a04dc9f3ddad94fb6b4cbb2">did bring an end to the federal moratorium on evictions</a>&nbsp;put in place because of the pandemic.

Three conservatives, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, probably hold the key to the outcome, Marotta said.

They broke with the other justices on the right over state mandates for health-care workers, but joined them to allow evictions to resume.

Both vaccine rules will exacerbate labor shortages and be costly to businesses, opponents said. “People are going to quit. It will make a bad situation worse and they’re not going to come back,” said Karen Harned, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business’ Small Business Legal Center.

Her group is among those challenging an emergency rule adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under which workers at businesses with 100 or more employees must be vaccinated or get tested weekly and wear masks while working. The rule has exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors.

The OSHA rule is supposed to take effect Monday, although the agency has said it would not impose fines on businesses that don’t comply before late February.

The vaccine mandate, for its part, applies to virtually all health care staff in the country. It covers health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.

Both cases are coming to the court on an emergency basis and the court took the unusual step of scheduling arguments rather than just ruling on briefs submitted by the parties. Unlike in other cases the court hears, a decision from the justices could come in weeks if not days.

Because of the pandemic the justices will hear the cases in a courtroom closed to the public. Only the justices, lawyers involved in the cases, court staff and journalists will be present. The public <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">can listen live,</a> however, a change made earlier in the pandemic when the justices for nearly 19 months heard cases via telephone.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641555607497.png" alt="Snow on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court this week -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Snow on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court this week -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Fully vaccinated and mostly masked, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared skeptical Friday of the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nation’s large employers. The court seemed more open to a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?516920-1/justices-hear-case-vaccine-test-mandate">CLICK here to listen </a>to a replay of Friday's oral argumentsThe arguments in the two cases come at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-education-detroit-cde614839b15d02a594dab1e690c7d46">a time of spiking coronavirus cases</a>&nbsp;because of the omicron variant, and the decision Friday by seven justices to wear masks for the first time while hearing arguments reflected the new phase of the pandemic.An eighth justice, Sonia Sotomayor, a diabetic since childhood, didn’t even appear in the courtroom, choosing to remain in her office at the court and take part remotely. Two lawyers, representing Ohio and Louisiana, argued by telephone after recent positive COVID-19 tests, state officials said.But the COVID circumstances did not appear to outweigh the views of the court’s six conservatives that the administration overstepped its authority in its vaccine-or-testing requirement for businesses with at least 100 employees.“This is something the federal government has never done before,” Chief Justice John Roberts said, casting doubt on the administration’s argument that a half-century established law, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, confers such broad authority.Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett probably hold the key to the outcome in both cases, as they have been more receptive to state-level vaccine requirements than the other three conservative justices. Barrett and Kavanaugh also had tough questions for Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer.The court’s three liberal justices suggested support for the employer rule. Justice Elena Kagan said officials have shown “quite clearly that no other policy will prevent sickness and death to anywhere like the degree that this one will.” And Justice Stephen Breyer said he found it “unbelievable” that it could be in the “public interest” to put that rule on hold. He said that on Thursday there were some 750,000 new cases in the country and that hospitals are full.Beginning Monday, unvaccinated employees in big companies are supposed to wear masks at work, unless the court blocks enforcement. But testing requirements and potential fines for employers don’t kick in until February.Legal challenges to the policies from Republican-led states and business groups are in their early stages, but the outcome at the high court probably will determine the fate of vaccine requirements affecting more than 80 million people.Roberts, Kavanaugh and Barrett seemed to have fewer doubts about the health care vaccine mandate. Kavanaugh said it was a “very unusual situation” that hospitals and health care organizations affected by the regulation were “not here complaining” about the rule but instead support it. “What are we to make of that?” he asked.The second regulation is a mandate that would apply to virtually all health care staff in the country. It covers health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis have blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration has said it is taking steps to enforce it in the rest.“I think effectively what is at stake is whether these mandates are going to go into effect at all,” said Sean Marotta, a Washington lawyer whose clients include the American Hospital Association. The trade group is not involved in the Supreme Court cases.Both vaccine rules would exacerbate labor shortages and be costly to businesses, lawyer Scott Keller argued Friday on behalf of more than two dozen business groups. Without an immediate order from the court, “workers will quit right away,” Keller said.Administration lawyer Prelogar told the justices that COVID-19 “is the deadliest pandemic in American history and it poses a unique workplace danger.” OSHA has estimated that its emergency regulation will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of those have received booster shots, including the nine justices.Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, said the vaccine requirements are extremely effective for 15% to 20% of Americans “who don’t like to get a shot but they will and don’t have any strenuous objection.”The high court is weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.A conservative majority concerned about federal overreach did bring an end to a federal moratorium on evictions put in place because of the pandemic.Both the vaccination case came to the court on an emergency basis, and the court took the unusual step of scheduling arguments rather than just ruling on briefs submitted by the parties. Unlike in other cases the court hears, a decision from the justices could come in weeks if not days.Because of the pandemic the justices heard the cases in a courtroom closed to the public. Only the justices, lawyers involved in the cases, court staff and journalists were allowed inside. The public could listen live, however, a change made earlier in the pandemic when the justices for nearly 19 months heard cases via telephone.The court has been asking arguing lawyers to have negative coronavirus tests and participate remotely if they have positive tests. Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers, who was arguing against the employer rule, had tested positive for COVID-19 after Christmas, had mild symptoms and fully recovered, but a test on Sunday required by the court detected the virus, a spokeswoman said. He had been vaccinated and had a booster shot.Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill who was arguing against the health care workers rule, was also arguing remotely “based upon the court’s protocol,” state Attorney General Jeff Landry said. Landry was at the court for Friday’s arguments.It was the first time since the court returned to in-person arguments in October that lawyers were arguing remotely.Justice Neil Gorsuch was the only justice to remain unmasked throughout the arguments, which lasted more than 3 and 1/2 hours. He sits between Barrett and Sotomayor. The court did not explain why Sotomayor didn’t take the bench.___WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is taking up two major Biden administration efforts to bump up the nation’s vaccination rate against COVID-19 at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-pandemics-united-states-8d3195d162980fecb55e3d5da3794629">spiking coronavirus cases because of the omicron variant</a>.The justices on the conservative-oriented court are hearing arguments Friday about whether to allow the administration to enforce a vaccine-or-testing requirement that applies to large employers and a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers. The arguments were expected to last at least two hours.Legal challenges to the policies from Republican-led states and business groups are in their early stages, but the outcome at the high court probably will determine the fate of vaccine requirements affecting more than 80 million people.“I think effectively what is at stake is whether these mandates are going to go into effect at all,” said Sean Marotta, a Washington lawyer whose clients include the American Hospital Association. The trade group is not involved in the Supreme Court cases.The challengers argue that the vaccine rules exceed the administration’s authority, but Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, wrote that both are needed to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths.Keeping the vaccine mandate for health care workers on hold “will likely result in hundreds or thousands of deaths and serious illnesses from COVID-19 that could otherwise be prevented,” Prelogar wrote.Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of the country has received a booster shot,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-85207706b48cc76147a17d7a476fd9c6">including the nine justices</a>.The court said Friday that Justice Sonia Sotomayor would not be on the bench with her colleagues, opting instead to take part remotely from her office at the court. Sotomayor, who has had diabetes since childhood, has been the only justice who wore a mask to previous argument sessions in the courtroom.Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, said the vaccine requirements are extremely effective for 15% to 20% of Americans “who don’t like to get a shot, but they will and don’t have any strenuous objection.”The high court will be weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.But a conservative majority concerned about federal overreach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-courts-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-daa34fb48a04dc9f3ddad94fb6b4cbb2">did bring an end to the federal moratorium on evictions</a>&nbsp;put in place because of the pandemic.Three conservatives, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, probably hold the key to the outcome, Marotta said.They broke with the other justices on the right over state mandates for health-care workers, but joined them to allow evictions to resume.Both vaccine rules will exacerbate labor shortages and be costly to businesses, opponents said. “People are going to quit. It will make a bad situation worse and they’re not going to come back,” said Karen Harned, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business’ Small Business Legal Center.Her group is among those challenging an emergency rule adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under which workers at businesses with 100 or more employees must be vaccinated or get tested weekly and wear masks while working. The rule has exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors.The OSHA rule is supposed to take effect Monday, although the agency has said it would not impose fines on businesses that don’t comply before late February.The vaccine mandate, for its part, applies to virtually all health care staff in the country. It covers health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis have blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration has said it is taking steps to enforce it in the rest.Both cases are coming to the court on an emergency basis and the court took the unusual step of scheduling arguments rather than just ruling on briefs submitted by the parties. Unlike in other cases the court hears, a decision from the justices could come in weeks if not days.Because of the pandemic the justices will hear the cases in a courtroom closed to the public. Only the justices, lawyers involved in the cases, court staff and journalists will be present. The public <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">can listen live,</a> however, a change made earlier in the pandemic when the justices for nearly 19 months heard cases via telephone.

🎤Vaccine mandate showdown at the Supreme Court

NEW YORK (AP) — Sidney Poitier, the groundbreaking actor and enduring inspiration who transformed how Black people were portrayed on screen, became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance and the first to be a top box-office draw, has died. He was 94.

Poitier, winner of the best actor Oscar in 1964 for “Lilies of the Field,” died Thursday in the Bahamas, according to Eugene Torchon-Newry, acting director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Bahamas.

Few movie stars, Black or white, had such an influence both on and off the screen. Before Poitier, the son of Bahamian tomato farmers, no Black actor had a sustained career as a lead performer or could get a film produced based on his own star power. Before Poitier, few Black actors were permitted a break from the stereotypes of bug-eyed servants and grinning entertainers. Before Poitier, Hollywood filmmakers rarely even attempted to tell a Black person’s story.

Poitier’s rise mirrored profound changes in the country in the 1950s and 1960s. As racial attitudes evolved during the civil rights era and segregation laws were challenged and fell, Poitier was the performer to whom a cautious industry turned for stories of progress.

He was the escaped Black convict who befriends a racist white prisoner (Tony Curtis) in “The Defiant Ones.” He was the courtly office worker who falls in love with a blind white girl in “A Patch of Blue.” He was the handyman in “Lilies of the Field” who builds a church for a group of nuns. In one of the great roles of the stage and screen, he was the ambitious young father whose dreams clashed with those of other family members in Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun

Debates about diversity in Hollywood inevitably turn to the story of Poitier. With his handsome, flawless face; intense stare and disciplined style, he was for years not just the most popular Black movie star, but the only one.

NEW YORK (AP) — Sidney Poitier, the groundbreaking actor and enduring inspiration who transformed how Black people were portrayed on screen, became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance and the first to be a top box-office draw, has died. He was 94.Poitier, winner of the best actor Oscar in 1964 for “Lilies of the Field,” died Thursday in the Bahamas, according to Eugene Torchon-Newry, acting director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Bahamas.Few movie stars, Black or white, had such an influence both on and off the screen. Before Poitier, the son of Bahamian tomato farmers, no Black actor had a sustained career as a lead performer or could get a film produced based on his own star power. Before Poitier, few Black actors were permitted a break from the stereotypes of bug-eyed servants and grinning entertainers. Before Poitier, Hollywood filmmakers rarely even attempted to tell a Black person’s story.Poitier’s rise mirrored profound changes in the country in the 1950s and 1960s. As racial attitudes evolved during the civil rights era and segregation laws were challenged and fell, Poitier was the performer to whom a cautious industry turned for stories of progress.He was the escaped Black convict who befriends a racist white prisoner (Tony Curtis) in “The Defiant Ones.” He was the courtly office worker who falls in love with a blind white girl in “A Patch of Blue.” He was the handyman in “Lilies of the Field” who builds a church for a group of nuns. In one of the great roles of the stage and screen, he was the ambitious young father whose dreams clashed with those of other family members in Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the SunDebates about diversity in Hollywood inevitably turn to the story of Poitier. With his handsome, flawless face; intense stare and disciplined style, he was for years not just the most popular Black movie star, but the only one.

Sidney Poitier, Oscar-winning actor, dead at 94

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2022-02.pdf">frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit (FS-2022-02)</a>&nbsp;PDF.

This updated FAQ includes changes to the information for Topic F: 
Finding the First and Second Economic Impact Payment Amounts to 
Calculate the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit:

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance is available</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2022-02.pdf">frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit (FS-2022-02)</a>&nbsp;PDF.This updated FAQ includes changes to the information for Topic F: 
Finding the First and Second Economic Impact Payment Amounts to 
Calculate the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-f-finding-the-first-and-second-economic-impact-payment-amounts-to-calculate-the-2020-recovery-rebate-credit#qf4">Question 4</a>, Topic F: updated</li><li>Questions <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-f-finding-the-first-and-second-economic-impact-payment-amounts-to-calculate-the-2020-recovery-rebate-credit#qf8">8</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-f-finding-the-first-and-second-economic-impact-payment-amounts-to-calculate-the-2020-recovery-rebate-credit#qf9">9</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-f-finding-the-first-and-second-economic-impact-payment-amounts-to-calculate-the-2020-recovery-rebate-credit#qf10">10</a>, Topic F: added</li>
 </ul>These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance is available</a>.

IRS issues new guidance on COVID relief payments and taxes

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a driver involved in a two-car crash in southwest Omaha has died. 

The crash happened late Thursday night at the intersection of 153rd and Q streets. Investigators say a westbound Volkswagen and a southbound Chevrolet entered the intersection at the same time, causing the crash that injured both drivers and a passenger in the Chevy.

 Paramedics later declared the driver of the Chevy, 22-year-old Jacob Reynolds of Omaha, dead at the scene. Reynolds' 21-year-old male passenger suffered several leg fractures and was taken to a hospital. 

The 22-year-old man driving the Volkswagen was also taken to a hospital with lacerations to his head and legs.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a driver involved in a two-car crash in southwest Omaha has died. The crash happened late Thursday night at the intersection of 153rd and Q streets. Investigators say a westbound Volkswagen and a southbound Chevrolet entered the intersection at the same time, causing the crash that injured both drivers and a passenger in the Chevy. Paramedics later declared the driver of the Chevy, 22-year-old Jacob Reynolds of Omaha, dead at the scene. Reynolds' 21-year-old male passenger suffered several leg fractures and was taken to a hospital. The 22-year-old man driving the Volkswagen was also taken to a hospital with lacerations to his head and legs.

1 driver killed in 2-car collision in southwest Omaha

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man and a woman have been charged in the Christmas Eve death of a toddler.

Christopher Robert Wilson, 46, and Avery Nicole Young, 22, of Chillicothe were arrested Tuesday on warrants charging them with second-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child, according to online court documents.

Police have said that medics called around 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 to a home in Chillicothe found a 2-year-old child unresponsive. The toddler was rushed to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Authorities have not released the name of the child or given the child’s cause of death.

Police have not said how Wilson and Young are related to the child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641500156494.png" alt="Wilson- Daviess-Dekalb Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Wilson- Daviess-Dekalb Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man and a woman have been charged in the Christmas Eve death of a toddler.Christopher Robert Wilson, 46, and Avery Nicole Young, 22, of Chillicothe were arrested Tuesday on warrants charging them with second-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child, according to online court documents.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641500131529.png" alt="Young-Daviess-Dekalb Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Young-Daviess-Dekalb Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>Police have said that medics called around 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 to a home in Chillicothe found a 2-year-old child unresponsive. The toddler was rushed to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Authorities have not released the name of the child or given the child’s cause of death.Police have not said how Wilson and Young are related to the child.

Couple near KC charged in toddler's death on Christmas Eve

Read the coverage from 9To5Google.com <a href="https://9to5google.com/2022/01/07/google-chrome-97-ios-freezing/">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641577334216.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Read the coverage from 9To5Google.com <a href="https://9to5google.com/2022/01/07/google-chrome-97-ios-freezing/">HERE</a>.

Report: Google Chrome freezing on phones after iOS update

FAIRBURY, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Fairbury man has been sentenced in the beating death of a 2-year-old boy and for a separate shooting. 

Jake Gonzalez was sentenced Thursday to 70 to 80 years in prison in the February 2021 death of Hollen Siedschlag and for shooting a man a year earlier. 

The boy's mother found him barely breathing in a closet at the apartment she shared with Gonzalez. 

Prosecutors said he threatened to hurt the woman's daughter if she called for help. She was able to get help the next day but the boy died from liver failure. 

At the time, Gonzalez was already charged with shooting a man in 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641551800942.png" alt="Gonzalez" />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez</figcaption>
 </figure>FAIRBURY, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Fairbury man has been sentenced in the beating death of a 2-year-old boy and for a separate shooting. Jake Gonzalez was sentenced Thursday to 70 to 80 years in prison in the February 2021 death of Hollen Siedschlag and for shooting a man a year earlier. The boy's mother found him barely breathing in a closet at the apartment she shared with Gonzalez. Prosecutors said he threatened to hurt the woman's daughter if she called for help. She was able to get help the next day but the boy died from liver failure. At the time, Gonzalez was already charged with shooting a man in 2020.

Man sentenced in beating death of 2-year-old Fairbury boy

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Police say a Grand Island man found with several knives on him threatened to cut off a police officer's arms before he was arrested. 

The Grand Island Independent reports that 57-year-old Ignacio Contreras was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon, running a stop sign and making menacing threats. 

Police say officers saw Contreras roll through a stop sign and stopped his SUV. 

Police say officers were investigating whether Contreras had earlier threatened to burn down a food truck when Contreras told Officer Jose Rodriguez that he would later find the officer and cut off his arms. 

Police said they then found various knives concealed on Contreras and in his vehicle.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Police say a Grand Island man found with several knives on him threatened to cut off a police officer's arms before he was arrested. The Grand Island Independent reports that 57-year-old Ignacio Contreras was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon, running a stop sign and making menacing threats. Police say officers saw Contreras roll through a stop sign and stopped his SUV. Police say officers were investigating whether Contreras had earlier threatened to burn down a food truck when Contreras told Officer Jose Rodriguez that he would later find the officer and cut off his arms. Police said they then found various knives concealed on Contreras and in his vehicle.

Police: Grand Island man with knives threatened to cut off officer's arms

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Conditions remain dry throughout the Missouri River basin, so officials are predicting that the amount of water flowing down the river this year will be below average again. 

The dry forecast reduces the chance of widespread flooding along the river this spring although some local flooding is still possible if chunks of ice block the flow of water or if heavy rains fall on an area. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday that last year was the tenth driest year on record in the Missouri River basin. 

This year, runoff is expected to increase somewhat but it is expected to be only 84% of the long-term average.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Conditions remain dry throughout the Missouri River basin, so officials are predicting that the amount of water flowing down the river this year will be below average again. The dry forecast reduces the chance of widespread flooding along the river this spring although some local flooding is still possible if chunks of ice block the flow of water or if heavy rains fall on an area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday that last year was the tenth driest year on record in the Missouri River basin. This year, runoff is expected to increase somewhat but it is expected to be only 84% of the long-term average.

Conditions remain dry throughout Missouri river basin

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2022-01.pdf">frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Unemployment Compensation Exclusion (FS-2022-01)</a>&nbsp;PDF.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2022-01.pdf">frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Unemployment Compensation Exclusion (FS-2022-01)</a>&nbsp;PDF.This updated FAQ adds a question:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2020-unemployment-compensation-exclusion-faqs-topic-g-receiving-a-refund-letter-or-notice#q10">Question 10, Topic G: Receiving a Refund, Letter, or Notice</a></li>
 </ul>These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance is available</a>.

IRS: New FAQs for 2020 unemployment refunds, tax return info

Flights are continuing to be canceled as airlines struggle with 
pandemic-related staffing woes. Thousands of flights have been affected,
 and there is no end in sight to the disruptions. As airlines continue 
to try to accommodate stranded passengers, the Better Business Bureau®&nbsp;(BBB®) provides guidance to travelers who may be seeking compensation and refunds for cancellations.

When a consumer is flying domestically in the United States, rules regarding <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/27/business/flights-canceled-omicron-covid/index.html">flight delays and cancellations are overseen by the US Department of Transportation</a>. In Canada, complaints about flight delays are handled by the <a href="https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/contact-us" target="_blank">Canadian Transportation Agency</a>.&nbsp;
 In general, there are no U.S. federal laws requiring airlines to 
provide passengers with compensation for a delayed flight. In Canada, 
see the <a href="https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/publication/flight-delays-and-cancellations-a-guide" target="_blank">flights and delays cancellations guide</a>.
 Airlines may have their own policies and may provide better benefits if
 a flight was canceled or significantly delayed within the airline’s 
scope of control. Consumers may have additional benefits if they 
purchased the flight with a credit card that offers additional travel 
protections. Check the cardholder agreement and with the airline. Consumers should keep receipts
 for extra purchases, like a hotel room, so they can submit them to 
their airline or credit card company for reimbursement later. Typically,
 nearly all domestic airlines will try to accommodate passengers on the 
next available flight, and sometimes on a different carrier.

When flights are canceled by the airline, consumers are always entitled to a full refund.
 This includes a refund of any bag fees or extras, such as additional 
legroom, for a seat. If the airline offers a voucher in lieu of a 
refund, ask about expiration and blackout dates. 
Airlines may also have additional restrictions on the use of vouchers. 
Consumers are not obligated to accept vouchers and may insist on a full 
refund instead. If the trip was canceled by the consumer, however, they may not be entitled to a full refund.

BBB is asking consumers to keep the following tips in mind when handling travel disruptions:

As the Omicron variant spreads, be wary of coronavirus cons. Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22395-bbb-scam-alert-want-a-covid-test-theres-a-scam-for-that">BBB's alert about COVID-19 testing scams</a>.

Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23352-bbb-tip-travel-safely-on-your-vacation" target="_blank">BBB's tips to travel safely on your vacation</a>.

For the latest information, BBB recommends consumers visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/news">BBB.org</a>.

<a href="https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-greater-cleveland" target="_blank">BBB of Greater Cleveland</a> contributed to this article.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641576252441.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBFlights are continuing to be canceled as airlines struggle with 
pandemic-related staffing woes. Thousands of flights have been affected,
 and there is no end in sight to the disruptions. As airlines continue 
to try to accommodate stranded passengers, the Better Business Bureau®&nbsp;(BBB®) provides guidance to travelers who may be seeking compensation and refunds for cancellations.When a consumer is flying domestically in the United States, rules regarding <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/27/business/flights-canceled-omicron-covid/index.html">flight delays and cancellations are overseen by the US Department of Transportation</a>. In Canada, complaints about flight delays are handled by the <a href="https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/contact-us" target="_blank">Canadian Transportation Agency</a>.&nbsp;
 In general, there are no U.S. federal laws requiring airlines to 
provide passengers with compensation for a delayed flight. In Canada, 
see the <a href="https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/publication/flight-delays-and-cancellations-a-guide" target="_blank">flights and delays cancellations guide</a>.
 Airlines may have their own policies and may provide better benefits if
 a flight was canceled or significantly delayed within the airline’s 
scope of control. Consumers may have additional benefits if they 
purchased the flight with a credit card that offers additional travel 
protections. Check the cardholder agreement and with the airline. Consumers should keep receipts
 for extra purchases, like a hotel room, so they can submit them to 
their airline or credit card company for reimbursement later. Typically,
 nearly all domestic airlines will try to accommodate passengers on the 
next available flight, and sometimes on a different carrier.When flights are canceled by the airline, consumers are always entitled to a full refund.
 This includes a refund of any bag fees or extras, such as additional 
legroom, for a seat. If the airline offers a voucher in lieu of a 
refund, ask about expiration and blackout dates. 
Airlines may also have additional restrictions on the use of vouchers. 
Consumers are not obligated to accept vouchers and may insist on a full 
refund instead. If the trip was canceled by the consumer, however, they may not be entitled to a full refund.BBB is asking consumers to keep the following tips in mind when handling travel disruptions:<ul>
 <li>Check delays - Travelers can check their latest 
flight information on their carrier’s website or via the airline’s 
telephone reservation system. Many times, delays don’t occur until the 
day of the flight and the airline must update its flight information 
within 30 minutes of receiving a notice of a status change.&nbsp;</li><li>Check carrier and credit card terms - While federal
 regulations don’t require airlines to reimburse expenses such as rooms 
or food in the event a flight is canceled or severely delayed, the 
carrier and credit card companies may have different policies. Purchase 
tickets with a credit card that offers trip protection or travelers 
insurance and check individual airline policies.</li><li>Keep documentation - Keep receipts and records for 
expenses incurred as a result of a significantly delayed or canceled 
flight. These may be needed later to recover expenses.</li><li>Check the carrier's website - Most airlines allow 
consumers to initiate refunds directly on the carrier’s website. Using a
 website may help a consumer obtain a refund or rebook a trip much 
faster than waiting for a consumer service agent in person or on the 
phone.</li><li>Rules are different for foreign flights - Flights 
that were canceled while in another country will be affected by the laws
 of that nation. Check with the local country’s department of 
transportation while traveling internationally.</li>
 </ul>As the Omicron variant spreads, be wary of coronavirus cons. Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22395-bbb-scam-alert-want-a-covid-test-theres-a-scam-for-that">BBB's alert about COVID-19 testing scams</a>.Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23352-bbb-tip-travel-safely-on-your-vacation" target="_blank">BBB's tips to travel safely on your vacation</a>.For the latest information, BBB recommends consumers visit <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/news">BBB.org</a>.<a href="https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-greater-cleveland" target="_blank">BBB of Greater Cleveland</a> contributed to this article.

BBB Tip: Flight canceled? Tips for handling travel delays

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Jan. 7 on whether the Biden administration can order workers at private companies and health care employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Until the court rules, millions of workers face a patchwork of requirements depending on where they live.

Under a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers must require employees to be vaccinated or, if they are not, to be tested weekly and wear masks while working. There are exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors.

The same day, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services published a rule requiring a wide range of health care providers who receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding to get the first vaccine dose this month and to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.

That rule was projected to affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers.

The court is intervening because the rules spawned multiple court challenges from more than two dozen Republican-led states, some conservative and business groups, and some individual businesses that opposed the vaccination mandates. Those challenges produced rulings among several federal district and circuit courts that contradicted one another.

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled 2-1 this month that the vaccine-or-test requirement for workers at companies with 100 or more employees could take effect. Multiple legal challenges to the OSHA rule originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts.

The cases subsequently were consolidated with the 6th Circuit in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-business-health-62a918becbcd80a77fbc12ca56dd14ad">a random drawing</a>&nbsp;using ping-pong balls, a process employed when challenges to certain federal agency actions are filed in multiple courts. The requirement could affect some 84 million U.S. workers.

In the health care employee case, a decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals kept a preliminary injunction in place for 14 states, altering an earlier ruling by a federal district judge, who applied the order nationwide. A separate preliminary injunction on appeal before the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals applied to 10 additional states. That means the vaccine requirement for Medicare and Medicaid providers is blocked by courts in about half states but not in the other half.

DOES THE SUPREME COURT HEARING PUT THE MANDATES ON HOLD?

No, the court hearing is unlikely to put the mandates on hold, unless the court moves extremely fast and reverses the 6th Circuit ruling while expanding the preliminary injunctions of the 5th and 8th circuits to include all the states.

OSHA has said the vaccination mandate will go into effect Jan. 10. The testing requirement deadline is Feb. 9. The agency said in a statement that it would not issue citations before the listed dates “so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard.” Employers who fail to comply with the emergency, temporary standard may be subject to penalties, up to $13,653 per violation for serious violations.

As for the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, its guidance says non-compliance among hospitals and “certain other acute and continuing care providers” can lead to termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs as a final measure. That, however, would occur only after providing a facility an opportunity to make corrections and come into compliance.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Jan. 7 on whether the Biden administration can order workers at private companies and health care employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Until the court rules, millions of workers face a patchwork of requirements depending on where they live.HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT?Under a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers must require employees to be vaccinated or, if they are not, to be tested weekly and wear masks while working. There are exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors.The same day, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services published a rule requiring a wide range of health care providers who receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding to get the first vaccine dose this month and to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.That rule was projected to affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers.___WHY IS THE SUPREME COURT STEPPING IN?The court is intervening because the rules spawned multiple court challenges from more than two dozen Republican-led states, some conservative and business groups, and some individual businesses that opposed the vaccination mandates. Those challenges produced rulings among several federal district and circuit courts that contradicted one another.A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled 2-1 this month that the vaccine-or-test requirement for workers at companies with 100 or more employees could take effect. Multiple legal challenges to the OSHA rule originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts.The cases subsequently were consolidated with the 6th Circuit in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-us-supreme-court-business-health-62a918becbcd80a77fbc12ca56dd14ad">a random drawing</a>&nbsp;using ping-pong balls, a process employed when challenges to certain federal agency actions are filed in multiple courts. The requirement could affect some 84 million U.S. workers.In the health care employee case, a decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals kept a preliminary injunction in place for 14 states, altering an earlier ruling by a federal district judge, who applied the order nationwide. A separate preliminary injunction on appeal before the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals applied to 10 additional states. That means the vaccine requirement for Medicare and Medicaid providers is blocked by courts in about half states but not in the other half.___DOES THE SUPREME COURT HEARING PUT THE MANDATES ON HOLD?No, the court hearing is unlikely to put the mandates on hold, unless the court moves extremely fast and reverses the 6th Circuit ruling while expanding the preliminary injunctions of the 5th and 8th circuits to include all the states.___WHAT’S NEXT?OSHA has said the vaccination mandate will go into effect Jan. 10. The testing requirement deadline is Feb. 9. The agency said in a statement that it would not issue citations before the listed dates “so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard.” Employers who fail to comply with the emergency, temporary standard may be subject to penalties, up to $13,653 per violation for serious violations.As for the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, its guidance says non-compliance among hospitals and “certain other acute and continuing care providers” can lead to termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs as a final measure. That, however, would occur only after providing a facility an opportunity to make corrections and come into compliance.

Supreme Court set to wade into COVID-19 vaccine mandates 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden accused Donald Trump and his supporters of holding a “dagger at the throat of democracy” in a forceful speech Thursday marking the anniversary of the deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol. He warned that though it didn’t succeed, the insurrection remains a serious threat to America’s system of government.

(click below to listen to comments from President Biden)

Biden’s criticism was blistering of the defeated president whom he blamed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the attack</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-7153ffc196f746883f57d4d407d38cf0">has fundamentally changed Congress</a>&nbsp;and the nation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-elections-voting-rights-misinformation-democracy-dab61d6637fb858d84daa33a4f97ec48">raised global concerns about the future of American democracy</a>.

“For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”

His voice booming at times, filling the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan. 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police, breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside threatening to hang the vice president — all while Trump sat at the White House watching it on TV.

“The former president’s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.”

The president’s remarks launched the start of daylong remembrance, drawing a contrast between the truth of what happened and the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-minnesota-presidential-elections-capitol-siege-elections-8d9e92a27a90511bf8f3f7f9540d44c2">refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election.

“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”

He said: “We are in a battle for the soul of America.”

“I did not seek this fight, brought to this Capitol one year from today. But I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, I will defend this nation. I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of this democracy.”

Republican leaders and lawmakers are largely staying away from the day’s remembrance events, viewing them as overly politicized.

From Florida, Trump dashed off a statement claiming Biden was trying to “further divide America. This political theater is all just a distraction.”

Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, most have stayed loyal to the former president.

“What brazen politicization of January 6 by President Biden,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a sometimes Trump confidant. Others, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, were absent, with a contingent attending the funeral for a former colleague Sen. Johnny Isakson in Georgia.

The division is a stark reminder of the rupture between the two parties, worsening since hundreds of Trump’s supporters violently pushed past police, used their fists and flagpoles to break through the windows of the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Biden’s victory.

Rep. Liz Cheney, chair of the House committee investigating the attack and one of the few GOP lawmakers attending the Capitol ceremonies, warned that “the threat continues.” Trump, she said, “continues to make the same claims that he knows caused violence on January 6.”

“Unfortunately, too many in my own party are embracing the former president, are looking the other way or minimizing the danger,” she told NBC’s “Today.” “That’s how democracies die. We simply cannot let that happen.”

In a bid to inform the public, Democrats investigating the insurrection plan to spend the coming months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capital-siege-steve-bannon-elections-donald-trump-congress-bab0144274d996171b7160e051b29a75">telling the American people exactly what happened last Jan. 6</a>. But leaders will spend the anniversary appealing to broader patriotic instincts.

Biden and his administration have come under criticism from some in his party for not forcibly explaining to Americans the ways democracy is at risk, or pushing Congress hard enough to pass election and voting rights legislation that is stalled by a filibuster in the Senate.

Barack Obama, the former president, said “nothing is more important” on the anniversary than ensuring the right to vote.

“While the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then,” Obama said in a statement.

Biden’s address, and that of Vice President Kamala Harris who is leading the administration’s efforts on the voting and elections legislation, appeared as a direct response to critics.

“We must pass voting rights bills,” said Harris, addressing those gathered. “We cannot sit on the sidelines. We must unite in defense of our democracy.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, is marking the anniversary with a high-minded appeal, telling The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-nancy-pelosi-jan-6-capitol-siege-8daea575e6f2ced931a5abdc4a2a8049">in an interview Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that “democracy won that night,” when Congress returned to the Capitol after the riot and affirmed Biden’s victory.

To honor the anniversary, Pelosi has scheduled a moment of silence in the House, where many members were evacuated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">some were trapped</a>&nbsp;as the rioters tried to break in. She will also deliver private remarks to Hill staff who, as she told AP, stayed to “protect our democracy.”

Later the Democratic leaders will hold a moderated discussion with historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham; and a session featuring testimonials from members who were there that day. While many lawmakers will be absent due to concerns about COVID-19, several of the events will be livestreamed so they can participate. The Senate also marked the day with a moment of silence and planned speeches.

Biden’s sharp message and the Republicans’ distance from it come as lawmakers are adjusting to the new normal on Capitol Hill — the growing tensions that many worry will result in more violence or, someday, a legitimate election being overturned. Democrats and a handful of Republicans feel a desperate urgency to connect to a public in which some have come to believe Trump’s lies that the election was stolen from him and that the attack wasn’t violent at all.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-donald-trump-only-on-ap-congress-3dc5964a8139ae964f7c5c66798a987d">A new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 3 in 10 Republicans say the attack was not violent, and about another 3 in 10 say it was somewhat violent. Around two-thirds of Americans described the day as very or extremely violent, including about 9 in 10 Democrats.

As Biden is prepared to direct blame toward the former president, the percentage of Americans who blame Trump for the Jan. 6 riot has grown slightly over the past year, with 57% saying he bears significant responsibility for what took place.

In an AP-NORC poll taken in the days after the attack, 50% said that.

Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">rejected by the courts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">refuted by his own Justice Department</a>.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">investigation by the AP</a>&nbsp;found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641478216460.png" alt="President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris entered Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris entered Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden accused Donald Trump and his supporters of holding a “dagger at the throat of democracy” in a forceful speech Thursday marking the anniversary of the deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol. He warned that though it didn’t succeed, the insurrection remains a serious threat to America’s system of government.(click below to listen to comments from President Biden)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1330427914069423%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=590" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden’s criticism was blistering of the defeated president whom he blamed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the attack</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-7153ffc196f746883f57d4d407d38cf0">has fundamentally changed Congress</a>&nbsp;and the nation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-elections-voting-rights-misinformation-democracy-dab61d6637fb858d84daa33a4f97ec48">raised global concerns about the future of American democracy</a>.“For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” Biden said. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”His voice booming at times, filling the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan. 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police, breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside threatening to hang the vice president — all while Trump sat at the White House watching it on TV.“The former president’s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.”The president’s remarks launched the start of daylong remembrance, drawing a contrast between the truth of what happened and the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-minnesota-presidential-elections-capitol-siege-elections-8d9e92a27a90511bf8f3f7f9540d44c2">refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641479098818.png" alt="“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. Here’s the truth,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. Here’s the truth,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie,” he said. “The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”He said: “We are in a battle for the soul of America.”“I did not seek this fight, brought to this Capitol one year from today. But I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, I will defend this nation. I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of this democracy.”Republican leaders and lawmakers are largely staying away from the day’s remembrance events, viewing them as overly politicized.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641485411291.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>From Florida, Trump dashed off a statement claiming Biden was trying to “further divide America. This political theater is all just a distraction.”Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, most have stayed loyal to the former president.“What brazen politicization of January 6 by President Biden,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a sometimes Trump confidant. Others, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, were absent, with a contingent attending the funeral for a former colleague Sen. Johnny Isakson in Georgia.The division is a stark reminder of the rupture between the two parties, worsening since hundreds of Trump’s supporters violently pushed past police, used their fists and flagpoles to break through the windows of the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Biden’s victory.Rep. Liz Cheney, chair of the House committee investigating the attack and one of the few GOP lawmakers attending the Capitol ceremonies, warned that “the threat continues.” Trump, she said, “continues to make the same claims that he knows caused violence on January 6.”“Unfortunately, too many in my own party are embracing the former president, are looking the other way or minimizing the danger,” she told NBC’s “Today.” “That’s how democracies die. We simply cannot let that happen.”In a bid to inform the public, Democrats investigating the insurrection plan to spend the coming months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capital-siege-steve-bannon-elections-donald-trump-congress-bab0144274d996171b7160e051b29a75">telling the American people exactly what happened last Jan. 6</a>. But leaders will spend the anniversary appealing to broader patriotic instincts.Biden and his administration have come under criticism from some in his party for not forcibly explaining to Americans the ways democracy is at risk, or pushing Congress hard enough to pass election and voting rights legislation that is stalled by a filibuster in the Senate.Barack Obama, the former president, said “nothing is more important” on the anniversary than ensuring the right to vote.“While the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then,” Obama said in a statement.Biden’s address, and that of Vice President Kamala Harris who is leading the administration’s efforts on the voting and elections legislation, appeared as a direct response to critics.“We must pass voting rights bills,” said Harris, addressing those gathered. “We cannot sit on the sidelines. We must unite in defense of our democracy.”House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, is marking the anniversary with a high-minded appeal, telling The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-nancy-pelosi-jan-6-capitol-siege-8daea575e6f2ced931a5abdc4a2a8049">in an interview Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that “democracy won that night,” when Congress returned to the Capitol after the riot and affirmed Biden’s victory.To honor the anniversary, Pelosi has scheduled a moment of silence in the House, where many members were evacuated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-siege-lawmakers-trauma-04e29724aa6017180259385642c1b990">some were trapped</a>&nbsp;as the rioters tried to break in. She will also deliver private remarks to Hill staff who, as she told AP, stayed to “protect our democracy.”Later the Democratic leaders will hold a moderated discussion with historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham; and a session featuring testimonials from members who were there that day. While many lawmakers will be absent due to concerns about COVID-19, several of the events will be livestreamed so they can participate. The Senate also marked the day with a moment of silence and planned speeches.Biden’s sharp message and the Republicans’ distance from it come as lawmakers are adjusting to the new normal on Capitol Hill — the growing tensions that many worry will result in more violence or, someday, a legitimate election being overturned. Democrats and a handful of Republicans feel a desperate urgency to connect to a public in which some have come to believe Trump’s lies that the election was stolen from him and that the attack wasn’t violent at all.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-donald-trump-only-on-ap-congress-3dc5964a8139ae964f7c5c66798a987d">A new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 3 in 10 Republicans say the attack was not violent, and about another 3 in 10 say it was somewhat violent. Around two-thirds of Americans described the day as very or extremely violent, including about 9 in 10 Democrats.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641479071719.png" alt="“Here is the God’s truth about Jan. 6, 2021,” Biden said. ”They were looking to subvert the Constitution.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“Here is the God’s truth about Jan. 6, 2021,” Biden said. ”They were looking to subvert the Constitution.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>As Biden is prepared to direct blame toward the former president, the percentage of Americans who blame Trump for the Jan. 6 riot has grown slightly over the past year, with 57% saying he bears significant responsibility for what took place.In an AP-NORC poll taken in the days after the attack, 50% said that.Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">rejected by the courts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">refuted by his own Justice Department</a>.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">investigation by the AP</a>&nbsp;found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.___

🎥 Biden condemns Trump on anniversary of Capitol riots

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Powerball tickets sold in Wisconsin and California were winners of the latest jackpot and will split $632 million. 

The Wisconsin Lottery didn't immediately announce where the winning ticket was sold in Wisconsin. 

The California Lottery says the winning ticket in its state was sold at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Sacramento. The winners have a cash option of splitting $450 million. 

The jackpot is one of the largest in the history of the Powerball game, but didn’t rank among the Top 10 largest in U.S. lottery history. 

The winning numbers for the Powerball jackpot drawn Wednesday night were 6, 14, 25, 33 and 46. The Powerball was 17.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Powerball tickets sold in Wisconsin and California were winners of the latest jackpot and will split $632 million. The Wisconsin Lottery didn't immediately announce where the winning ticket was sold in Wisconsin. The California Lottery says the winning ticket in its state was sold at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Sacramento. The winners have a cash option of splitting $450 million. The jackpot is one of the largest in the history of the Powerball game, but didn’t rank among the Top 10 largest in U.S. lottery history. The winning numbers for the Powerball jackpot drawn Wednesday night were 6, 14, 25, 33 and 46. The Powerball was 17.

Powerball tickets sold in Wisconsin, California split $632M

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Manhattan.

Just after 11:45p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the report of a medical call in the 300 block of N. 5th Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

First responders found a 29-year-old man at the residence suffering from a gunshot wound to the hand. 

It was determined he accidentally shot his gun while cleaning it in his home. He was transported to Via Christi for treatment of his hand injury.

Police released no additional details early Thursday.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Manhattan.Just after 11:45p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the report of a medical call in the 300 block of N. 5th Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.First responders found a 29-year-old man at the residence suffering from a gunshot wound to the hand. It was determined he accidentally shot his gun while cleaning it in his home. He was transported to Via Christi for treatment of his hand injury.Police released no additional details early Thursday.

Kan. man hospitalized after he shot himself while cleaning a gun

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday vowed to hold accountable anyone who was responsible for last year’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, whether they were physically there or not.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-delivers-remarks-first-anniversary-attack-capitol">In a speech to Justice </a>Department employees, Garland said prosecutors remained “committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law.”

His remarks come just shy of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol and as the Justice Department has faced increased pressure from some Democrats to focus more on actions that may have inspired the thousands of pro-Trump rioters to storm the building.

“We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Garland said in his speech. “The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last.”

The investigation into the attack on the Capitol is the largest in the Justice Department’s history. So far, more than 700 people have been arrested and 350 others are still being sought by the FBI, including 250 of whom are accused of assaulting police officers.

Garland also detailed the serious assaults on law enforcement officers, describing in detail how officers were beaten and shocked with stun guns. During January’s riot, one officer was beaten and shocked with a stun gun repeatedly until he had a heart attack; another was foaming at the mouth and screaming for help as rioters crushed him between two doors and bashed him in the head with his own weapon.

“Those involved must be held accountable, and there is no higher priority for us at the Department of Justice,” Garland said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday vowed to hold accountable anyone who was responsible for last year’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, whether they were physically there or not.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDOJ%2Fvideos%2F306414498092634%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=63" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-delivers-remarks-first-anniversary-attack-capitol">In a speech to Justice </a>Department employees, Garland said prosecutors remained “committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law.”His remarks come just shy of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol and as the Justice Department has faced increased pressure from some Democrats to focus more on actions that may have inspired the thousands of pro-Trump rioters to storm the building.“We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Garland said in his speech. “The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last.”The investigation into the attack on the Capitol is the largest in the Justice Department’s history. So far, more than 700 people have been arrested and 350 others are still being sought by the FBI, including 250 of whom are accused of assaulting police officers.Garland also detailed the serious assaults on law enforcement officers, describing in detail how officers were beaten and shocked with stun guns. During January’s riot, one officer was beaten and shocked with a stun gun repeatedly until he had a heart attack; another was foaming at the mouth and screaming for help as rioters crushed him between two doors and bashed him in the head with his own weapon.“Those involved must be held accountable, and there is no higher priority for us at the Department of Justice,” Garland said.

🎥 AG: All Jan. 6 perpetrators at any level will be held accountable 

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

The U.S. is urging that everyone 12 and older get a COVID-19 booster as soon as they're eligible, to help fight back the hugely contagious omicron mutant that's ripping through the country.

Boosters already were encouraged for all Americans 16 and older, but Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed an extra Pfizer shot for younger teens — those 12 to 15 — and strengthened its recommendation that 16- and 17-year-olds get it, too.

“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night.

"This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations,” she said.

Vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness from any type of COVID-19, including omicron — what experts say is their most important benefit. But the newest mutant can slip past a layer of the vaccines' protection to cause milder infections. Studies show a booster dose at least temporarily revs up virus-fighting antibodies to levels that offer the best chance at avoiding symptomatic infection, even from omicron.

Earlier Wednesday, the CDC's independent scientific advisers wrestled with whether a booster should be an option for younger teens, who tend not to get as sick from COVID-19 as adults, or more strongly recommended.

Giving teens a booster for a temporary jump in protection against infections is like playing whack-a-mole, cautioned CDC adviser Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University. But she said the extra shot was worth it to help push back the omicron mutant and shield kids from the missed school and other problems that come with even a very mild case of COVID-19.

More important, if a child with a mild infection spreads it to a more vulnerable parent or grandparent who then dies, the impact “is absolutely crushing,” said panelist Dr. Camille Kotton of Massachusetts General Hospital.

“Let’s whack this one down,” agreed Dr. Jamie Loehr of Cayuga Family Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only option for American children of any age. The CDC says about 13.5 million children ages 12 to 17 — slightly more than half of that age group — have received two Pfizer shots. Boosters were opened to the 16- and 17-year-olds last month.

Wednesday's decision means about 5 million of the younger teens who had their last shot in the spring are eligible for a booster right away. New U.S. guidelines say anyone who received two Pfizer vaccinations and is eligible for a booster can get it five months after their last shot, rather than the six months previously recommended.

But one committee member, Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University, worried that such a strong recommendation for teen boosters would distract from getting shots into the arms of kids who have not been vaccinated at all.

The advisers saw U.S. data making clear that symptomatic COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are between seven and 11 times higher in unvaccinated adolescents than vaccinated ones.

While children do tend to suffer less serious illness from COVID-19 than adults, child hospitalizations are rising during the omicron wave -- the vast majority of them unvaccinated.

During the public comment part of Wednesday's meeting, Dr. Julie Boom of Texas Children's Hospital said a booster recommendation for younger teens “cannot come soon enough.”

The chief safety question for adolescents is a rare side effect called myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys who get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The vast majority of cases are mild — far milder than the heart inflammation COVID-19 can cause — and they seem to peak in older teens, those 16 and 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641436737958.png" alt="“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE, Associated PressThe U.S. is urging that everyone 12 and older get a COVID-19 booster as soon as they're eligible, to help fight back the hugely contagious omicron mutant that's ripping through the country.Boosters already were encouraged for all Americans 16 and older, but Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed an extra Pfizer shot for younger teens — those 12 to 15 — and strengthened its recommendation that 16- and 17-year-olds get it, too.“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, said in a statement Wednesday night."This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations,” she said.Vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness from any type of COVID-19, including omicron — what experts say is their most important benefit. But the newest mutant can slip past a layer of the vaccines' protection to cause milder infections. Studies show a booster dose at least temporarily revs up virus-fighting antibodies to levels that offer the best chance at avoiding symptomatic infection, even from omicron.Earlier Wednesday, the CDC's independent scientific advisers wrestled with whether a booster should be an option for younger teens, who tend not to get as sick from COVID-19 as adults, or more strongly recommended.Giving teens a booster for a temporary jump in protection against infections is like playing whack-a-mole, cautioned CDC adviser Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University. But she said the extra shot was worth it to help push back the omicron mutant and shield kids from the missed school and other problems that come with even a very mild case of COVID-19.More important, if a child with a mild infection spreads it to a more vulnerable parent or grandparent who then dies, the impact “is absolutely crushing,” said panelist Dr. Camille Kotton of Massachusetts General Hospital.“Let’s whack this one down,” agreed Dr. Jamie Loehr of Cayuga Family Medicine in Ithaca, New York.The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only option for American children of any age. The CDC says about 13.5 million children ages 12 to 17 — slightly more than half of that age group — have received two Pfizer shots. Boosters were opened to the 16- and 17-year-olds last month.Wednesday's decision means about 5 million of the younger teens who had their last shot in the spring are eligible for a booster right away. New U.S. guidelines say anyone who received two Pfizer vaccinations and is eligible for a booster can get it five months after their last shot, rather than the six months previously recommended.But one committee member, Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University, worried that such a strong recommendation for teen boosters would distract from getting shots into the arms of kids who have not been vaccinated at all.The advisers saw U.S. data making clear that symptomatic COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are between seven and 11 times higher in unvaccinated adolescents than vaccinated ones.While children do tend to suffer less serious illness from COVID-19 than adults, child hospitalizations are rising during the omicron wave -- the vast majority of them unvaccinated.During the public comment part of Wednesday's meeting, Dr. Julie Boom of Texas Children's Hospital said a booster recommendation for younger teens “cannot come soon enough.”The chief safety question for adolescents is a rare side effect called myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys who get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The vast majority of cases are mild — far milder than the heart inflammation COVID-19 can cause — and they seem to peak in older teens, those 16 and 17.The FDA decided a booster dose was as safe for the younger teens as the older ones based largely on data from 6,300 12- to 15-year-olds in Israel who got a Pfizer booster five months after their second dose. Israeli officials said Wednesday that they've seen two cases of mild myocarditis in this age group after giving more boosters, 40,000.Earlier this week, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said the side effect occurs in about 1 in 10,000 men and boys ages 16 to 30 after their second shot. But he said a third dose appears less risky, by about a third, probably because more time has passed before the booster than between the first two shots.