The 7: Fox News texts from Jan. 6; new omicron findings; disappointing holiday discounts; and more
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| | | |  | | Presented By American Express Business | | | | | | | Good morning. It's Tuesday, Dec. 14, and thousands of people and their communities are struggling after the tornado outbreak. We put together a list of ways to help. | | | | Friday's tornadoes were December's deadliest on record. - The official death toll is up to 88 people, with 74 in Kentucky, which was hit hardest. At least 109 people in that state are unaccounted for, so that number will probably grow.
- President Biden declared emergencies in Illinois and Tennessee, which means they'll get federal help. He'll visit Kentucky tomorrow.
| | | | The omicron variant seems to cause milder covid cases. - It's also more resistant to the Pfizer vaccine, according to findings from the largest study of the new coronavirus variant.
- In California and New York, officials reinstated mask mandates to slow the spread of the virus — especially omicron.
- In other coronavirus news: The Supreme Court won't stop New York's vaccine mandate for health-care workers. Hospitals in many other states are canceling their requirements.
| | | | Fox News hosts wanted Donald Trump to step in during the Jan. 6 attack. - How do we know this? The House committee looking into the Capitol riot released texts from Sean Hannity and others (including Donald Trump Jr.) to Mark Meadows, who was the president's chief of staff.
- What did the messages say? They urged him to get Trump to call off the violent mob.
- Why are we talking about this? Meadows gave the committee the texts and other documents, but then stopped cooperating. The House could vote as soon as today to hold him in contempt.
| | | | ADVERTISEMENT | | Presented By American Express Business | | Get the American Express Business Platinum Card® | The American Express Business Platinum Card® has features like 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on big purchases and in select business categories, over $1,000 in statement credits per year with select business partners, and 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com. Get the Card built for business. By American Express. Terms and point cap apply. | |  | | | | | | | | Gymnasts abused by Larry Nassar will be paid $380 million. - Why? Hundreds of athletes sued the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and USA Gymnastics for failing to protect them.
- Who is Larry Nassar? A former U.S. national team doctor who sexually assaulted gymnasts in his care. He's serving what is essentially a life sentence.
| | | | A crucial Antarctic ice shelf is in trouble. - What's happening: Warmer ocean waters are melting the ice from below, and scientists say it could shatter in the next three to five years.
- Why it matters: The shelf holds back a Florida-size glacier that could raise sea levels by several feet if it collapses, which would put millions of people on coasts in danger.
| | | | Stores aren't slashing prices for the holidays this year. - The numbers: Discounts are way down, from 5% to 25%, instead of the usual 10% to 30%, analysts say.
- Why? Retailers are facing rising costs and supply challenges, and demand is "so high" they just don't need to put everything on sale.
| | | | Elon Musk is Time's Person of the Year. - Who is he? The sometimes-controversial CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and one of the richest men in the world.
- Why was he chosen? Time wrote that "few individuals have had more influence than Musk on life on Earth, and potentially life off Earth too."
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow. But before you go … a story of human kindness in the midst of tragedy: A man hauled his meat smoker from Tennessee to feed a Kentucky town.  (Jordan Robertson for The Post) | Do you know someone who would like this newsletter? Share it with them. Prefer push notifications? Download The Post's app to get one when The 7 publishes. | | | | | | | | | |
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