Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jan 12, 2022

Good COVID news (for a change): No doubt you've heard about a possible new variant of Coronavirus which medical experts are calling the ‘deltacron’ variant --a combination of both the delta and omicron variants. But experts across the globe are now saying it’s more likely to be the result of a lab processing error. Excuse the ring.

While we're on the subject, the Biden Administration has announced that private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. Now, if you could only find a place to get tests! On that note, there's word the federal government will be launching a website to make 500 million at-home COVID-19 tests available via mail later this month.

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2022 ranking of the best jobs since with the COVID surge, more jobs are opening and some people are looking for a better one. Their job list is based on seven different things, including stuff like median salary, stress level, future job prospects and others. The top-10:

10. Speech-Language Pathologist
9. Lawyer
8. Statistician
7. Financial Manager
6. Data Scientist
5. Software Developer
4. Medical and Health Services Manager
3. Physician Assistant
2. Nurse Practitioner
1. Information Security Analyst

The Oreo cookie is marking its 110th birthday on March 6th, and CNN reports they'll be putting out a special flavor to celebrate --Chocolate Confetti Cake. The cookies are reportedly filled with sprinkles and have two layers of filling: their signature creme flavor, pumped with sprinkles, as well as a chocolate-cake flavored creme. Look for 'em in stores beginning January 31st.

It'll be SNOOP DOGG and MARTHA STEWART hosting Puppy Bowl 18, premiering February 13th at 2pm EST on Animal Planet and Discovery+. It's the second year in a row for the pair, who are looking to give one of the 70 pooches the coveted 'Lombarky' trophy.

Since Puppy Bowl is taped ahead of time, that leaves Snoop free and he will also be headlining the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show on the same date --February 13th-- at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood alongside MARY J. BLIGE, DR. DRE, EMINEM and KENDRICK LAMAR.

SHARON STONE has joined HBO Max’s series, “The Flight Attendant,” for the upcoming season 2. She'll playing the mother of KALEY CUOCO’s character.

"Grey’s Anatomy" has been renewed for a 19th season at ABC. ELLEN POMPEO, who stars as Dr. Meredith Grey, will have a double job --not only will she star in the show, but also has been named executive producer for the season as well.

New coin from the US Treasury. They announced yesterday that they've minted quarters featuring poet MAYA ANGELOU --the first black woman ever to be featured on the 25-cent piece. Interestingly, word is that there will also be 20 more coins over the next four years featuring other pioneering women as well, including the first female astronaut SALLY RIDE, WILMA MANKILLER, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation and a campaigner for indigenous rights; and ANNA MAY WONG, who is considered the first Chinese-American film star in Hollywood.