If a year can be accused of bait-and-switch, 2021 is fair game. It was reasonable to believe, or hope, that the pandemic would steadily recede in the rear-view mirror, that a White House transition might mean less political rancor, that America could honorably end its “forever war” in Afghanistan....
Ghislaine Maxwell Convicted in Epstein Sex Abuse Case
The British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted Wednesday of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by the American millionaire Jeffrey Epstein. The verdict capped a monthlong trial featuring sordid accounts of the sexual exploitation of girls as young as 14, told by four women who described being abused...
Big Bet: Vegas Welcomes All to NYE Fireworks Show as Other Cities Scale Back
Las Vegas isn't canceling or scaling back plans for big New Year’s gatherings amid concerns about the rapid spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19, regional public safety and elected leaders said Wednesday. More than 300,000 visitors are expected in town for events including a New Year’s Eve fireworks...
DA: No Charges for Cuomo From Allegations by 2 Women
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo won't face criminal charges stemming from allegations from two women — including a state trooper — that he planted unwanted kisses on their cheeks, a suburban prosecutor said Tuesday. It's the latest in a series of decisions about whether a raft of sexual...
Newsom Mulls Parole for RFK Assassin Sirhan Sirhan
Gov. Gavin Newsom must soon decide whether to free one of America's most notorious assassins, a decision he has said evokes one of the darkest periods in the nation's history. He has until sometime next month to allow or block the parole recommendation for Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan...
Leaders Mourn Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
U.S. and Nevada leaders are mourning former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who died Tuesday at 82. Landra Reid says her husband died peacefully after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Reid, a Democrat, led the Senate under under two presidents, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Barack Obama....
‘He Was Football’: John Madden, Hall of Fame Coach and Broadcaster, Dies at 85
John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. Madden gained...
California 1st State to Top 5M Cases Amid Omicron Surge
California became the first state to record more than 5 million known coronavirus infections, according to the state dashboard Tuesday, which was delayed by the holiday weekend. The grim milestone, as reported by the California Department of Public Health, wasn’t entirely unexpected in a state with 40 million residents...
Russian Court Shuts Renowned Rights Group
Russia’s highest court on Tuesday shut down one of the country’s oldest and most prominent human rights organizations, the latest move in a relentless crackdown on rights activists, independent media and opposition supporters. The Supreme Court's ruling to close Memorial, an international human rights group that drew international acclaim...
US Home Prices Surge 18.4% in October
U.S. home prices surged again in October as the housing market continues to boom in the wake of last year's coronavirus recession. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index, out Tuesday, climbed 18.4% in October from a year earlier. The gain marked a slight deceleration from a 19.1%...