Biden's COVID speech, Ghislaine Maxwell trial, NHL and NFL games: 5 things to know Tuesday
Biden to address fight against COVID-19, discuss federal assistance
President Joe Biden plans to speak Tuesday on the status of the fight against COVID-19 and discuss government help for communities in need of assistance, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted. The president will also warn about the risks for unvaccinated Americans. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's top coronavirus adviser, said the president will be emphasizing and upscaling some existing policies and detailing new steps. That includes the ongoing push to get people vaccinated, making testing more available, sending surge response teams to states with rising rates, providing vaccines to the rest of the world and making traveling safer. "If we're going to deal with omicron successfully, vaccinated people need to get boosted," Fauci told NBC. "And obviously, people who are not vaccinated clearly need to get vaccinated now more than ever."
- White House aide who was in close contact with Biden tests positive for COVID-19: The president has tested negative thus far
- COVID-19 updates: Omicron variant sweeping across nation, now accounts for 73% of new cases
- 5 Things podcast: What can you do to stay safe this holiday season with the omicron variant spreading?
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Jury to resume deliberations in Ghislaine Maxwell trial
The jury tasked with considering whether Ghislaine Maxwell is a dangerous predator who recruited teens to be sexually abused by financier Jeffrey Epstein – as prosecutors put it – or the "innocent woman" a defense attorney described her as, will continue deliberating Tuesday. Jurors received the case just before 5 p.m. Monday after two prosecutors and a defense lawyer delivered their closing arguments over a six-hour period in Maxwell's sex trafficking trial. The closings came after two dozen prosecution witnesses testified, including the four women who say they were abused by Epstein with the help of Maxwell when they were teenagers. The defense rested its case on Friday after Maxwell told the judge she wouldn't testify.
- Previous testimony: Ex-Epstein worker tells jury at Ghislaine Maxwell trial that she 'never' saw misconduct
- Fact check: False claim that 28 CEOs have stepped down during Ghislaine Maxwell's trial
COVID affects sports: NHL to play final games; NFL plays rescheduled meets
Due to the rising number of positive COVID-19 cases, the National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association agreed to start their Christmas break early. The NHL plans to pause its season Wednesday, two days before the originally scheduled break from Dec. 24-26. So, the final two games on the NHL's schedule before the break — the Washington Capitals at the Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET) and the Tampa Bay Lightning visiting the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET) — are both a go Tuesday, pending any additional positive tests. Meanwhile, the National Football League will play on as two matchups originally scheduled for Sunday will be played Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET (both airing on FOX) due to COVID concerns. The Washington Football Team is traveling to Philadelphia to play the Eagles in an NFC East rivalry game and the Los Angeles Rams will host the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC West matchup that will have playoff positioning implications.
- NFL issues: Chiefs star Travis Kelce among 51 players placed on COVID-19 list on Monday
- Column from Nancy Armour: Once the gold standard on dealing with COVID-19, NFL throws in the towel with testing retreat
- What we know: With more than 90 players in COVID protocols, here are the NBA's plans
Certain states will see stimulus checks for the holidays
Hopes of a fourth stimulus check from the federal government have been dashed, but certain states will still offer their residents some cash ahead of the holidays. So far, there have been three rounds of stimulus checks: one in April 2020, another in December 2020 and one more in March 2021. In addition, Maine, California, Maryland, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee have all passed legislation to provide stimulus money this month. The qualifications are different in each state, but many include money for teachers and low-income families and residents.
- $15 minimum wage: 21 states, 35 localities raise hourly wages
- For 'unbanked' Americans, stimulus checks arrived slowly and with higher fees. But that could change.
Short day, long night: The winter solstice is Tuesday
Winter is coming. The solstice, the precise moment at which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun, is Tuesday. It marks the beginning of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere and occurs at the same instant everywhere on Earth. Here in the United States, that's 10:59 a.m. EST. Though the solstice marks the astronomical beginning of winter, meteorologists view winter as starting Dec. 1. Additionally, most locations don't have their earliest sunset or latest sunrise on the solstice. Those events occur either weeks before or after Dec. 21.
- Video archive: The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year
- Summer solstice: What to know about the 'longest day of the year,' which was in June in the Northern Hemisphere