With fewer cast, crew ‘SNL’ outlasts omicron for a few more laughs

“Saturday Night Live” outlasted the omicron variant just long enough for one final show of 2021, a year that started with hope and ended with a new pandemic wave impacting weekend laughs again.

“SNL” aired with a limited cast and

Fauci warns omicron variant is ‘raging around the world’

Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that the next few weeks will see severe stress on hospital systems as the omicron variant is “raging around the world.”

Fauci, the president’s chief medical adviser, said there is no doubt on omicron’s “extraordinary capability”

Biden indicates Build Back Better talks likely to stretch into January

President Joe Biden on Thursday all but confirmed that Senate Democrats are unlikely to vote on his $1.7 trillion social spending package before Christmas.

Biden said in a statement that he had “a productive call” with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,

Judging the judges: Watchdog groups see spike in interest after Rittenhouse trial

A few weeks after the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, Michelle Garra signed up to volunteer with Court Watch PG, a Maryland-based organization that trains people to monitor trials to keep judges and prosecutors accountable.

Following the proceedings closely,

Employees of tornado-battered candle factory say it was a job for ‘the have-nots’

MAYFIELD, Ky. — Prison inmates, formerly incarcerated people and those simply out of luck were all welcomed at the Mayfield Consumer Products’ candle factory — a last-resort job for many in the unemployment line, several employees said.

The work —

Rockettes cancel rest of season as New York records largest one-day Covid tally

Just one week before Christmas, the remainder of New York’s iconic Radio City Rockettes season was called off, as the city and state continue to deal with a surge of new Covid-19 cases.

New York state on Friday reported 20,627

NFL reschedules 3 games as new wave of Covid sidelines dozens of players

As a new wave of Covid-19 sidelines dozens of NFL players, the league on Friday announced three weekend games were rescheduled for later next week.

More than 150 players have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past five days, NFL

Holmes didn’t ‘flee a sinking ship,’ defense says in closing arguments

SAN JOSE, Calif., — During closing arguments in the 15-week fraud trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, defense lawyers got one last chance to portray their client as a true believer in her unproven technology and had simply tried

Manchin says he is a ‘no’ on Biden’s Build Back Better legislation

WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said Sunday he will not vote for President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act.

“I’ve always said this Brett, if I can’t go home and explain to the people of West Virginia I can’t

Van full of Christmas toys stolen in New Mexico, police say

FARMINGTON, N.M. — Time is of the essence for the Salvation Army in New Mexico now that the Grinch has thrown a wrench into the group’s holiday toy program.

A van loaded with $6,000 worth of toys set to be