Source: HHS staffers told not to communicate with Biden team; official: Trump in “bunker mentality” as he stayed behind closed doors; Biden: if Trump keeps delaying transition briefings, our Covid response will be “behind by weeks or months”; Biden coronavirus adviser: “we will be ready on day one”; Sources: Biden considering RI, NM govs for HHS secretary; WH: Trump canceled Thanksgiving trip because he’s “hard at work”; GOP split on Trump’s decision to fire DHS official; NYC schools close due to Covid positivity rate rise; Georgia to announce election audit results tomorrow; GA Secy of State: audit found no widespread voter fraud; Great-grandmother and gospel singer dies of coronavirus; Berlin police clash with anti-Covid restriction protestors; South Australia entering six day lockdown following outbreak;

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Trump fires election security chief who debunked his fraud claims; Biden meets with health care workers about Covid response; U.S. hospitalizations at record 76,830, up 20% in one week; GA Secy of Sta

CNN's lead DC anchor and chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper, hosts this two-hour long weekday afternoon program, with headlines from around the country and the world, the top stories in national and international news, politics, health, money, the environment, sports and popular culture. The Lead also concentrates on bringing stories that aren't found on front pages—buried leads—to the forefront.

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Protests are underway across United States colleges and universities after weeks of tension over the Israel-Hamas war. Our reporters report live from campuses where protests continue. House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks at Columbia University amid the protests. 
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Tense Protests Rock major U.S. Colleges Over Israel-Hamas War

Former tabloid publisher David Pecker is under oath and on the record revealing just how far Donald Trump went allegedly to protect his 2016 presidential campaign. But, when it comes to whether Trump committed a felony in the process, how damaging was today’s testimony? Plus, what Pecker said went down in the room in the infamous meeting in August of 2015 that could hurt Donald Trump’s case nearly nine years later. 
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Pecker: Trump, Cohen asked me how I could “help the campaign”

The prosecution and defense sparred in opening statements during Donald Trump's hush money scheme. Did Trump violate a gag order? Crisis on college campuses; are Jewish students safe at School? Calls increase for Columbia University's President to resign over handling of antisemitism. Plus, the Supreme Court is set to decide if cities can punish people who are homeless, and a U.S. animation studio's work has been found on a North Korean server.
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The First Witness Takes the Stand in Trump Hush Money Case

A horrific scene outside of Trump’s New York City courthouse after a man lit himself on fire while inside the courthouse there was a major development in the hush money trial. How long can the prosecution hold out and keep its witness list outside of the hands of Donald Trump and his defense team? Also, in an extraordinary move, some 165 House Democrats came to the aid of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, drawing the ire of hard-line Republicans. 
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Full jury panel selected for Trump trial

The shocking actions that leads to two jurors in the Trump hush money case suddenly being dismissed in an unusual occurrence. Plus, name calling and fresh threats for House Speaker Mike Johnson by hard-right Republicans demanding he keep his hands off the rule which, as of now, allows just one member of Congress to force a vote to remove him as speaker. 
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Trump fires election security chief who debunked his fraud claims; Biden meets with health care workers about Covid response; U.S. hospitalizations at record 76,830, up 20% in one week; GA Secy of Sta

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