thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Deputy's Killing Of Black Man Outside His Home Ruled A Homicide

A 23-year-old Black man who was fatally shot outside of his Ohio home by a sheriff ’ s deputy last week was the victim of homicide , a preliminary autopsy report has determined .
Casey Goodson of Columbus died Friday from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso , according to a statement released Wednesday by the Franklin County Coroner ’ s Office .
The coroner ’ s final report is expected in 12 to 14 weeks .
Goodson , who had a concealed carry license , was returning home from a dentist appointment with Subway sandwiches for his family when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doorstep , an attorney representing the family said in a statement .
In Goodson ’ s final moments , his family said he staggered inside his home and fell to the ground where he died , leaving his house keys hanging in the door behind him .
Goodson ’ s 72-year-old grandmother and two toddlers near the door found him as he lay dying , the statement read .
“ My 5-year-old son is the one who called me screaming , ‘ Mommy , the police just shot Casey , he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so scared .
Please , hurry up , come get here , ’ ” Goodson ’ s mother , Tamala Payne , said in an emotional interview with “ The Breakfast Club ” on Tuesday .
The sheriff ’ s deputy — identified as Jason Meade , a 17-year veteran of the agency — had been assigned to a U.S .
Marshals task force and was searching the area for “ violent offenders ” when he reported seeing a man with a gun , the Columbus Police Department said .
The U.S .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time , nor was he wanted by any other branch of law enforcement , police said .
There are few details about the circumstances surrounding Goodson ’ s killing .
The Columbus Police Department said that no other officers witnessed it , that no civilian eyewitnesses of the shooting itself have been identified , and that the Franklin County Sheriff ’ s task force officers are not issued body cameras .
“ There ’ s really nothing that they ’ ve alleged or said that Casey did on his walk from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justify him being shot , ” Sean Walton , a lawyer representing the family , told NBC News .
“ He actually was putting his key into the door when he was shot .
The key was hanging in the door even hours after the shooting.
” Police determined that Goodson had been carrying a gun , but Goodson ’ s family and attorneys say he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and that Ohio does not prohibit the open carrying of firearms .
“ He had never been in trouble in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal , ” Payne said while describing her son as an outspoken gun rights advocate .
As of Tuesday , U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers , the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice , the Cincinnati Division of the FBI , and the Columbus Police Department , whose jurisdiction the shooting took place in , are investigating Goodson ’ s death .

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A 23-year-old Black man who was fatally shot outside of his Ohio home by a sheriff’s deputy last week was the victim of homicide, a preliminary autopsy report has determined.
Casey Goodson of Columbus died Friday from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office. The coroner’s final report is expected in 12 to 14 weeks.
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Goodson, who had a concealed carry license, was returning home from a dentist appointment with Subway sandwiches for his family when the deputy gunned him down on his doorstep, an attorney representing the family said in a statement.
In Goodson’s final moments, his family said he staggered inside his home and fell to the ground where he died, leaving his house keys hanging in the door behind him. Goodson’s 72-year-old grandmother and two toddlers near the door found him as he lay dying, the statement read.
“My 5-year-old son is the one who called me screaming, ‘Mommy, the police just shot Casey, he’s dead. Please, I’m so scared. Please, hurry up, come get here,’” Goodson’s mother, Tamala Payne, said in an emotional interview with “The Breakfast Club” on Tuesday.
Casey Christopher Goodson Jr., 23, died Friday after a sheriff's deputy shot him multiple times in Ohio. His death has been ruled a homicide in a preliminary autopsy report. Facebook/Walton + Brown, LLP
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The sheriff’s deputy — identified as Jason Meade, a 17-year veteran of the agency — had been assigned to a U.S. Marshals task force and was searching the area for “violent offenders” when he reported seeing a man with a gun, the Columbus Police Department said.
At a press conference Friday, law enforcement officials said Meade confronted Goodson, who they claimed had seen “driving down the street waving a gun.”
The U.S. Marshals task force was not seeking Goodson at the time, nor was he wanted by any other branch of law enforcement, police said.
There are few details about the circumstances surrounding Goodson’s killing. The Columbus Police Department said that no other officers witnessed it, that no civilian eyewitnesses of the shooting itself have been identified, and that the Franklin County Sheriff’s task force officers are not issued body cameras.
“There’s really nothing that they’ve alleged or said that Casey did on his walk from the car to the house that would justify him being shot,” Sean Walton, a lawyer representing the family, told NBC News. “He actually was putting his key into the door when he was shot. The key was hanging in the door even hours after the shooting.”
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Police determined that Goodson had been carrying a gun, but Goodson’s family and attorneys say he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and that Ohio does not prohibit the open carrying of firearms.
“He had never been in trouble in his life. Everything he did was legal,” Payne said while describing her son as an outspoken gun rights advocate.
“My son was more than amazing, and he did not deserve this,” she added.
As of Tuesday, U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, the Cincinnati Division of the FBI, and the Columbus Police Department, whose jurisdiction the shooting took place in, are investigating Goodson’s death.
DeVillers vowed in a statement to “take appropriate action if the evidence indicates any federal civil rights laws were violated.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Anthony Fauci, Kamala Harris Among Year's Top Mispronounced Names

America ’ s preeminent infectious disease expert , Anthony Fauci , and its incoming vice president , Kamala Harris , join the Renaissance master himself , Leonardo da Vinci , atop this year ’ s list of most mispronounced words , as complied by the U.S. Captioning Company , which captions and subtitles real-time events on TV and in courtrooms .
The list released Wednesday identifies the words that proved most challenging for newsreaders and people on television to pronounce this year .
The caption company said it surveyed its members to generate the list , which is now in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Babbel , a language-learning app company with headquarters in Berlin and New York .
Todd Ehresmann , a senior linguist at Babbel , said the list , unsurprisingly , reflects a year dominated by presidential politics and the coronavirus pandemic .
“ All of these have added some new phrases to our national vocabulary , which may take some practice , ” he said .
Bangtan Sonyeondan ( PUNG-tahn SOH-nyun-dahn ) : The full name of South Korean K-Pop band ‘ BTS ’ , which translates as “ a group of bulletproof boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giannis Antetokounmpo ( YON-nis AHN-de-doh-KOON-boh ) : Greek basketball player who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks and was named the NBA ’ s ‘ Most Valuable Player ’ this year .
Isias ( ees-ah-EE-ahs ) : The name given to a powerful hurricane that caused significant damage to the East Coast and Caribbean this summer .
Kamala Harris : The Vice President-Elect .
The Associated Press has reported Harris ’ first name is pronounced “ KAH ’ -mah-lah ” — or , as she explains in her biography , “ ‘ comma-la , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ da Vinci ( lee-oh-NAR-doe dah-VIN-chee ) : The Italian painter , architect , and engineer who created the ‘ Mona Lisa.
’ A mispronunciation of his name was the subject of a viral meme on social media this year .
Mahamayavi Bhagavan Antle ( mu-HAH-muh-yaw-vee bag-AH-wahn ANT-uhl ) : The full name of wildlife park operator ‘ Doc ’ Antle , who shot to fame in the Netflix documentary series ‘ Tiger King.
’ X Æ A-Xii ( EX-aye-eye ) : The name given by business magnate Elon Musk and musician Grimes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The pronunciation is according to Grimes .

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Fauci, Kamala….da Vinci?
America’s preeminent infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, and its incoming vice president, Kamala Harris, join the Renaissance master himself, Leonardo da Vinci, atop this year’s list of most mispronounced words, as complied by the U.S. Captioning Company, which captions and subtitles real-time events on TV and in courtrooms.
The list released Wednesday identifies the words that proved most challenging for newsreaders and people on television to pronounce this year.
Advertisement
The caption company said it surveyed its members to generate the list, which is now in its fifth year and was commissioned by Babbel, a language-learning app company with headquarters in Berlin and New York.
Todd Ehresmann, a senior linguist at Babbel, said the list, unsurprisingly, reflects a year dominated by presidential politics and the coronavirus pandemic.
“All of these have added some new phrases to our national vocabulary, which may take some practice,” he said.
Here’s how Ehresmann broke down the proper pronunciations for the commonly misspoken words:
Anthony Fauci (AN-thon-nee FOW-chee): Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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Bangtan Sonyeondan (PUNG-tahn SOH-nyun-dahn): The full name of South Korean K-Pop band ‘BTS’, which translates as “a group of bulletproof boys” or “bulletproof boy scouts.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo (YON-nis AHN-de-doh-KOON-boh): Greek basketball player who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks and was named the NBA’s ‘Most Valuable Player’ this year.
Isias (ees-ah-EE-ahs ): The name given to a powerful hurricane that caused significant damage to the East Coast and Caribbean this summer.
Kamala Harris: The Vice President-Elect. The Associated Press has reported Harris’ first name is pronounced “KAH’-mah-lah” — or, as she explains in her biography, “‘comma-la,’ like the punctuation mark.”
Leonardo da Vinci (lee-oh-NAR-doe dah-VIN-chee): The Italian painter, architect, and engineer who created the ‘Mona Lisa.’ A mispronunciation of his name was the subject of a viral meme on social media this year.
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Mahamayavi Bhagavan Antle (mu-HAH-muh-yaw-vee bag-AH-wahn ANT-uhl): The full name of wildlife park operator ‘Doc’ Antle, who shot to fame in the Netflix documentary series ‘Tiger King.’
Nevada ( nev-ADD-ah ): Homestate of Las Vegas that played a central role in the presidential election.
X Æ A-Xii (EX-aye-eye): The name given by business magnate Elon Musk and musician Grimes to their first child born in May. The pronunciation is according to Grimes.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Black And Brown Doctors (Like Me) Are Not OK Right Now

The first time I saw the media portray doctors who were women of color was on “ Grey ’ s Anatomy.
” I ’ ve been watching the show since it started , but a recent episode hit differently .
It made me realize how this pandemic has affected me and all my colleagues who identify as underrepresented in medicine .
It is the end of a long day , and Maggie Pierce , a Black surgeon who has been redeployed to the COVID-19 intensive care unit , escapes into a supply room for a quiet moment .
She dreads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He simply asks what is wrong ; she slips to the floor and cries .
“ I don ’ t know how much longer I can do this ... 53 people .
That ’ s how many people have died on my watch .
... Rosalie deserved a better death than this , she deserved not to be a statistic.
” That moment resonated .
We have heard countless health care workers on the front lines describe the toll this pandemic is taking on them .
They report feeling exhausted and bearing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a patient may have .
But that scene revealed something more : the experience of Black and Latinx health care workers and physicians during this pandemic .
We are only about 10.8 % of the physician workforce , according to a 2018 survey , but our communities make up a far greater percentage of those in the COVID wards and morgues .
As a first-generation Latina and physician who cares for COVID-19 patients sick enough to need hospitalization , watching its impact on communities of color — a community I am a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I understand the racism these communities have faced historically , because my family and friends have faced the same .
My knowledge that these communities are disproportionately affected by diabetes , high blood pressure and heart disease is not just clinical ; I have experienced this reality in my own life .
I have never taken care of more Spanish speakers , undocumented patients , Latinx patients or Black patients than I have during the pandemic .
At first , there was an adrenaline rush to buoy me when Spanish speakers crowded hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers dipped , communities of color continued to be disproportionately impacted .
Now , as the numbers surge again , we are still getting seriously ill and dying at higher rates .
It ’ s not just me or the fictional Dr. Pierce .
My colleagues of color tell me that they recognize that additional layer of heaviness that “ Grey ’ s Anatomy ” depicted .
We see our mothers , fathers , siblings in the patients we care for .
We talk daily with family members , updating them on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sometimes the conversation is the same for days or weeks .
“ We ’ re doing everything we can ; they ’ re on all of the treatments we have available .
We just have to support them the best we can while their body fights this virus.
” And more often than we ’ d like , there is a phone call to say that we have had to transfer their loved one to the ICU , or that they ’ ve passed away .
We watch a patient who could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our family member turn into a statistic .
Of course , we care for and do our best for every patient we see ; we took an oath to do so .
Still , I have come to realize that the connection that comes from shared experiences , culture and language is not just a special burden for health care providers of color , but a special strength as well .
Health care messaging around COVID-19 has at times been inconsistent , unclear and culturally inappropriate .
For example , initially people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black and Latinx individuals couldn ’ t because they were essential workers .
They did not have guidance on how to protect themselves if they did have to work .
Other times , messages were not in their language or did not take into account social situations that are important factors in a pandemic , such as families in multigenerational homes .
Health care workers who come from these disproportionately impacted communities have insights that can help guide hospitals and health care agencies when they reach out , but too often we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being made .
This may be because we are fighting on the front lines .
Now is when we need our colleagues to reach out to us .
Actively listen to our concerns or suggestions regarding outreach to these communities .
Make use of our shared experience , culture and language to help make health care information more accessible .
Let us feel heard and supported .
Help us not feel we must bear this heavy weight alone .

The author at work. Photo Courtesy of Dr. Susan Lopez
The first time I saw the media portray doctors who were women of color was on “Grey’s Anatomy.” I’ve been watching the show since it started, but a recent episode hit differently. It made me realize how this pandemic has affected me and all my colleagues who identify as underrepresented in medicine.
It is the end of a long day, and Maggie Pierce, a Black surgeon who has been redeployed to the COVID-19 intensive care unit, escapes into a supply room for a quiet moment. She dreads answering a call from her partner. He simply asks what is wrong; she slips to the floor and cries. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this ... 53 people. That’s how many people have died on my watch. ... Rosalie deserved a better death than this, she deserved not to be a statistic.”
Advertisement
That moment resonated. We have heard countless health care workers on the front lines describe the toll this pandemic is taking on them. They report feeling exhausted and bearing the weight of being the last human connection a patient may have.
But that scene revealed something more: the experience of Black and Latinx health care workers and physicians during this pandemic. We are only about 10.8% of the physician workforce, according to a 2018 survey, but our communities make up a far greater percentage of those in the COVID wards and morgues.
As a first-generation Latina and physician who cares for COVID-19 patients sick enough to need hospitalization, watching its impact on communities of color — a community I am a part of — is hard to endure. I understand the racism these communities have faced historically, because my family and friends have faced the same. My knowledge that these communities are disproportionately affected by diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease is not just clinical; I have experienced this reality in my own life.
I have never taken care of more Spanish speakers, undocumented patients, Latinx patients or Black patients than I have during the pandemic. At first, there was an adrenaline rush to buoy me when Spanish speakers crowded hospitals in the spring. But even as the numbers dipped, communities of color continued to be disproportionately impacted. Now, as the numbers surge again, we are still getting seriously ill and dying at higher rates.
Advertisement
“More often than we’d like, we watch a patient who could have been our mother, our father, our family member turn into a statistic.”
It’s not just me or the fictional Dr. Pierce. My colleagues of color tell me that they recognize that additional layer of heaviness that “Grey’s Anatomy” depicted. We see our mothers, fathers, siblings in the patients we care for. We talk daily with family members, updating them on their loved one’s progress. Sometimes the conversation is the same for days or weeks. “We’re doing everything we can; they’re on all of the treatments we have available. We just have to support them the best we can while their body fights this virus.”
And more often than we’d like, there is a phone call to say that we have had to transfer their loved one to the ICU, or that they’ve passed away. We watch a patient who could have been our mother, our father, our family member turn into a statistic.
Of course, we care for and do our best for every patient we see; we took an oath to do so. Still, I have come to realize that the connection that comes from shared experiences, culture and language is not just a special burden for health care providers of color, but a special strength as well.
Health care messaging around COVID-19 has at times been inconsistent, unclear and culturally inappropriate. For example, initially people were told to stay home. But many Black and Latinx individuals couldn’t because they were essential workers. They did not have guidance on how to protect themselves if they did have to work. Other times, messages were not in their language or did not take into account social situations that are important factors in a pandemic, such as families in multigenerational homes.
Advertisement
Health care workers who come from these disproportionately impacted communities have insights that can help guide hospitals and health care agencies when they reach out, but too often we are not at the table when messaging decisions are being made. This may be because we are fighting on the front lines.
Now is when we need our colleagues to reach out to us. Actively listen to our concerns or suggestions regarding outreach to these communities. Make use of our shared experience, culture and language to help make health care information more accessible. Let us feel heard and supported. Help us not feel we must bear this heavy weight alone.
Dr. Susan Lopez works with patients admitted to the hospital at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and has been treating COVID-19 patients since the spring. She is a Public Voices fellow with the OpEd Project.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Latvia To Roll Out COVID-19 Tests Via Vending Machine

RIGA , Dec 10 ( Reuters ) - A vending machine that issues coronavirus tests and stores the samples has been installed in a Latvian hospital , as the Baltic state turns to automation to help contain the pandemic ’ s spread .
The machine at the Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital in Riga is the first of 100 planned under a countrywide rollout and , says a board member of the company that built it , the first of its kind in the world .
It dispenses PRC swab tests .
A technician collects the completed kits once a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Didzis Gavars of the E. Gulbja Laboratory .
“ The device removes the need for two to five medical workers to administer the tests , and it removes any risk of infection , ” he said .
A vending machine that issues coronavirus tests and stores the samples has been installed in a Latvian hospital .
The European Union last week asked countries in the bloc to expand testing capacities to track local outbreaks .
The state pays is paying for tests at the hospital , where the machine is reserved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge 53 euros ( $ 64 ) per test .
“ You need only saliva , you spit in a jar , close it and its done , ” said doctor ’ s assistant Dainis Laugalis .
COVID-19 has infected more than 68 million people worldwide and killed more than 1.5 million , according to a Reuters tally .
The death toll in Latvia is 288 .

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RIGA, Dec 10 (Reuters) - A vending machine that issues coronavirus tests and stores the samples has been installed in a Latvian hospital, as the Baltic state turns to automation to help contain the pandemic’s spread.
The machine at the Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital in Riga is the first of 100 planned under a countrywide rollout and, says a board member of the company that built it, the first of its kind in the world.
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It dispenses PRC swab tests. A technician collects the completed kits once a day and results are available within 24hours, said Didzis Gavars of the E. Gulbja Laboratory. “The device removes the need for two to five medical workers to administer the tests, and it removes any risk of infection,” he said.
A vending machine that issues coronavirus tests and stores the samples has been installed in a Latvian hospital. Janis Laizans / Reuters
The European Union last week asked countries in the bloc to expand testing capacities to track local outbreaks.
The state pays is paying for tests at the hospital, where the machine is reserved for staff, but other machines will charge 53 euros ($64) per test.
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“You need only saliva, you spit in a jar, close it and its done,” said doctor’s assistant Dainis Laugalis.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Faces Last Hurdle Before U.S. Decision

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine faces one final hurdle as it races to become the first shot greenlighted in the U.S. : a panel of experts who will scrutinize the company ’ s data for any red flags .
Thursday ’ s meeting of the Food and Drug Administration ’ s vaccine advisory panel is likely the last step before a U.S. decision to begin shipping millions of doses of the shot , which has shown strong protection against the coronavirus .
The FDA panel functions like a science court that will pick apart the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live-streamed — whether the shot is safe and effective enough to be cleared for emergency use .
The non-government experts specialize in vaccine development , infectious diseases and medical statistics .
The FDA is expected to follow the committee ’ s advice , although it is not required to do so .
The FDA ’ s decision comes as the coronavirus continues surging across much of the world , claiming more than 1.5 million lives , including more than 289,000 in the U.S .
Hanging over the meeting is a warning from U.K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious allergic reactions shouldn ’ t get the vaccine .
Government officials there are investigating two reports of reactions that occurred when the country began mass vaccinations .
FDA said results from Pfizer ’ s large , ongoing study showed the shot , which was co-developed with Germany ’ s BioNTech , was more than 90 % effective across people of different ages , races and underlying health conditions , including diabetes and obesity .
No major safety issues were uncovered and common vaccine-related side effects like fever , fatigue and injection site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presented in the briefing report were consistent with what we heard before and are really exciting , ” said Dr. William Moss , head of Johns Hopkins University ’ s International Vaccine Access Center .
“ Nothing that I see would delay an emergency use authorization.
” The meeting also gives regulators an opportunity to try to boost public confidence in the breakneck development process that has produced the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and a string of other upcoming shots in less than a year .
The FDA has also faced weeks of verbal abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a vaccine before Election Day .
“ There have been a lot of questions about why it takes us so long or ‘ are we being rigorous enough ?
’ ” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn in an interview .
“ I ’ m hoping that people will see with our transparency that we have taken a very rigorous stance on this.
” Hahn said the agency has already teed up the process to authorize the vaccine by filling out all the legal paperwork in advance , regardless of the ultimate decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues in its review of Pfizer ’ s 44,000-person study , including no allergic reactions of the type reported in the U.K .
But such studies can ’ t detect rare problems that might only affect a tiny slice of the general population .
FDA reviewers noted four cases of Bell ’ s palsy that all occurred among people getting the vaccine .
They concluded the cases were likely unrelated to the vaccine because they occurred at rates that would be expected without any medical intervention .
But the agency did say cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given that other vaccines can cause the problem .
When the FDA panel met in October , experts warned against allowing trial participants who received placebos to switch and get the real vaccine immediately after it receives the FDA ’ s emergency OK .
Doing that could make it impossible to get answers to long-term questions , including how long the protection lasts .
Pfizer and BioNTech say they want to allow such participants to get the vaccine either upon request or , at the latest , after six months of follow-up @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine faces one final hurdle as it races to become the first shot greenlighted in the U.S.: a panel of experts who will scrutinize the company’s data for any red flags.
Thursday’s meeting of the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisory panel is likely the last step before a U.S. decision to begin shipping millions of doses of the shot, which has shown strong protection against the coronavirus.
Advertisement
The FDA panel functions like a science court that will pick apart the data and debate — in public and live-streamed — whether the shot is safe and effective enough to be cleared for emergency use. The non-government experts specialize in vaccine development, infectious diseases and medical statistics. The FDA is expected to follow the committee’s advice, although it is not required to do so.
The FDA’s decision comes as the coronavirus continues surging across much of the world, claiming more than 1.5 million lives, including more than 289,000 in the U.S.
Hanging over the meeting is a warning from U.K. officials that people with a history of serious allergic reactions shouldn’t get the vaccine. Government officials there are investigating two reports of reactions that occurred when the country began mass vaccinations.
Still, a positive recommendation and speedy U.S. approval seem nearly certain after FDA scientists issued an overwhelmingly positive initial review of the vaccine earlier this week.
Advertisement
FDA said results from Pfizer’s large, ongoing study showed the shot, which was co-developed with Germany’s BioNTech, was more than 90% effective across people of different ages, races and underlying health conditions, including diabetes and obesity. No major safety issues were uncovered and common vaccine-related side effects like fever, fatigue and injection site pain were tolerable.
“The data presented in the briefing report were consistent with what we heard before and are really exciting,” said Dr. William Moss, head of Johns Hopkins University’s International Vaccine Access Center. “Nothing that I see would delay an emergency use authorization.”
The meeting also gives regulators an opportunity to try to boost public confidence in the breakneck development process that has produced the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and a string of other upcoming shots in less than a year. The FDA has also faced weeks of verbal abuse from President Donald Trump for not rushing out a vaccine before Election Day.
“There have been a lot of questions about why it takes us so long or ‘are we being rigorous enough?’” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn in an interview. “I’m hoping that people will see with our transparency that we have taken a very rigorous stance on this.”
Hahn said the agency has already teed up the process to authorize the vaccine by filling out all the legal paperwork in advance, regardless of the ultimate decision.
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On Thursday’s agenda:
RARE ADVERSE REACTIONS
The FDA uncovered no major safety issues in its review of Pfizer’s 44,000-person study, including no allergic reactions of the type reported in the U.K. But such studies can’t detect rare problems that might only affect a tiny slice of the general population.
FDA reviewers noted four cases of Bell’s palsy that all occurred among people getting the vaccine. They concluded the cases were likely unrelated to the vaccine because they occurred at rates that would be expected without any medical intervention. But the agency did say cases of the nerve disorder should be tracked, given that other vaccines can cause the problem.
“I think we have to be upfront, without scaring people, that we don’t know yet about any potential, rare, long-term adverse events,” Moss said.
EFFICACY QUESTIONS
The FDA found the vaccine highly effective across various demographic groups.
But it’s unclear how well the vaccine works in people with HIV and other immune-system disorders.
The study excluded pregnant women, but experts will tease apart the data for any hints in case women get vaccinated before realizing they’re pregnant.
A study of children as young as 12 is underway.
IMPACT OF EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION
Answering some of these questions will require keeping Pfizer’s study going for many more months.
When the FDA panel met in October, experts warned against allowing trial participants who received placebos to switch and get the real vaccine immediately after it receives the FDA’s emergency OK. Doing that could make it impossible to get answers to long-term questions, including how long the protection lasts.
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Pfizer and BioNTech say they want to allow such participants to get the vaccine either upon request or, at the latest, after six months of follow-up.
The FDA still hasn’t made clear if it will accept that approach.
“FDA is adamant that they want these trials completed,” said Norman Baylor, former director of FDA’s vaccine office, adding that its expert panel members “know that too.”
___
AP writer David Koenig contributed to this story from Dallas.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--More Than 3,100 Dead From COVID-19 In U.S. In Grim Single-Day Record

At least 3,124 people in the United States died from COVID-19 on Wednesday , a grim new record as the country grapples with the worst phase of the pandemic thus far .
Johns Hopkins University reported the figure late Wednesday amid a surge in infections around the nation following the Thanksgiving Day holiday period .
More than 220,000 people tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday alone , and U.S. hospitals have already begun reporting a frightening limit in intensive care beds .
The country last broke the daily record for coronavirus fatalities last Wednesday , when over 2,800 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record of about 2,600 deaths set in mid-April when the U.S. was scrambling early in the pandemic .
COVID-19 cases are still rising in almost every state .
More than 289,000 people have now died from the virus in America , and the country is on track to surpass 300,000 deaths by the end of the year .
Claudia Campos swabs the mouth of her daughter , Katie Ramirez , at a testing site in Los Angeles on Dec. 9 , 2020 .
The news has been more optimistic in some other countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inoculating citizens with the first approved coronavirus vaccine , made by Pfizer and the German company BioNTech .
The vaccine has shown to be more than 90 % effective in trials , and Canada followed Britain this week in approving its widespread use .
The Food and Drug Administration is currently considering emergency use applications from Pfizer and for another vaccine made by Moderna .
A decision on the Pfizer vaccine is expected to come within days .
Health care workers and nursing home residents are expected to be the first people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government signed a deal for 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine , but it will only be enough to inoculate 50 million Americans because the vaccine requires two doses .
Former presidents Barack Obama , Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have all said in recent weeks that they would be willing to be inoculated , possibly on television , to convince their fellow Americans to do the same .

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At least 3,124 people in the United States died from COVID-19 on Wednesday, a grim new record as the country grapples with the worst phase of the pandemic thus far.
Johns Hopkins University reported the figure late Wednesday amid a surge in infections around the nation following the Thanksgiving Day holiday period. More than 220,000 people tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday alone, and U.S. hospitals have already begun reporting a frightening limit in intensive care beds.
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The country last broke the daily record for coronavirus fatalities last Wednesday, when over 2,800 people died from the virus, surpassing a record of about 2,600 deaths set in mid-April when the U.S. was scrambling early in the pandemic. COVID-19 cases are still rising in almost every state.
More than 289,000 people have now died from the virus in America, and the country is on track to surpass 300,000 deaths by the end of the year.
Claudia Campos swabs the mouth of her daughter, Katie Ramirez, at a testing site in Los Angeles on Dec. 9, 2020. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
The news has been more optimistic in some other countries. This week, the U.K. began inoculating citizens with the first approved coronavirus vaccine, made by Pfizer and the German company BioNTech. The vaccine has shown to be more than 90% effective in trials, and Canada followed Britain this week in approving its widespread use.
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The Food and Drug Administration is currently considering emergency use applications from Pfizer and for another vaccine made by Moderna. A decision on the Pfizer vaccine is expected to come within days.
Health care workers and nursing home residents are expected to be the first people in the U.S. to get vaccinations. The U.S. government signed a deal for 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, but it will only be enough to inoculate 50 million Americans because the vaccine requires two doses.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Tensions Rise Over Masks As Coronavirus Grips Smaller U.S. Cities

One health board member tearfully announced she had to rush home to be with her child because of the protesters , who were seen on video banging on buckets , blaring air horns and sirens , and blasting a sound clip of gunfire from the violence-drenched movie “ Scarface ” outside her front door .
“ I am sad .
I am tired .
I fear that , in my choosing to hold public office , my family has too often paid the price , ” said the board member , Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo .
“ I increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is an ugliness and cruelty in our national rhetoric that is reaching a fevered pitch here at home , and that should worry us all.
” The U.S. topped 3,000 deaths Wednesday in what is a single-day record , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
That ’ s surpassed the level seen during last spring ’ s peak in and around New York City .
New cases per day have rocketed to more than 200,000 on average , and the number of patients in the hospital with COVID-19 stood at almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Montana ’ s Flathead County , where officials recorded 17 coronavirus-related deaths over 18 days and resistance to masks runs strong , the interim public health officer is resigning when her contract is up at year ’ s end , citing a lack of support from local authorities for measures to control the scourge .
In Missouri , Greene County officials recorded 51 COVID-19 deaths in the first eight days of December as hospitals overflow and hundreds of health care workers are quarantined .
The area ’ s two major hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county seat , to renew the city ’ s mask mandate before it expires in January .
The county itself does not have a mask mandate , nor does the state .
As the deaths pile up , Springfield Mortuary Services owner Brian Simmons is overseeing the embalming and cremation of COVID-19 victims as his own 48-year-old daughter battles the virus .
She spent the past week hospitalized on a ventilator in one of the city ’ s overwhelmed hospitals .
South Dakota has suffered through the country ’ s worst rate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , but Gov .
Kristi Noem has been ardent in her opposition to mask mandates or other aggressive efforts to slow infections .
That hands-off approach drew vocal support at Rapid City Council meetings , even as doctors warned that the only large hospital in the western half of the state is facing a crisis and patients are being flown out of the state .
The meetings drew hours of testimony from people who said the dangers of the virus are overblown and that mask requirements violate their liberties .
Dr. Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital system in the region , said he has been frustrated as he tries to persuade people to wear masks .
After working in New York City and studying medicine in England , he said , he sees a distinct skepticism toward government around him .
Opponents questioned the effectiveness of masks , wondered why a mandate more common in larger communities was even being considered , and threatened to take their business online or to the neighboring city of Wasilla , which doesn ’ t have a mask order .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treated as if we are , ” Rhonda Hayhurst said in an email to the council .
“ I moved out here to get away from tyranny as being imposed by the Anchorage administration .
”

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MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Arguments over mask requirements and other restrictions have turned ugly in recent days as the deadly coronavirus surge across the U.S. engulfs small and medium-size cities that once seemed safely removed from the outbreak.
In Boise, Idaho, public health officials about to vote on a four-county mask mandate abruptly ended a meeting Tuesday evening because of fears for their safety amid anti-mask protests outside the building and at some of their homes.
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One health board member tearfully announced she had to rush home to be with her child because of the protesters, who were seen on video banging on buckets, blaring air horns and sirens, and blasting a sound clip of gunfire from the violence-drenched movie “Scarface” outside her front door.
“I am sad. I am tired. I fear that, in my choosing to hold public office, my family has too often paid the price,” said the board member, Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo. “I increasingly don’t recognize this place. There is an ugliness and cruelty in our national rhetoric that is reaching a fevered pitch here at home, and that should worry us all.”
Boise police said three arrest warrants were issued in connection with the demonstrations at board members’ homes.
In South Dakota, the mayor of Rapid City said City Council members were harassed and threatened over a proposed citywide mask mandate that failed this week even as intensive care units across the state filled with COVID-19 patients.
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The tensions are flaring amid an epic surge in U.S. deaths, hospitalizations and infections over the past several weeks.
The U.S. topped 3,000 deaths Wednesday in what is a single-day record, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That’s surpassed the level seen during last spring’s peak in and around New York City. New cases per day have rocketed to more than 200,000 on average, and the number of patients in the hospital with COVID-19 stood at almost 105,000 on Tuesday, another all-time high.
The grim figures led the usually stoic health director of the nation’s most populated county to become emotional. Barbara Ferrer described “a devastating increase in deaths” in Los Angeles County, with the total hitting 8,075 on Wednesday.
“Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back,” Ferrer said, fighting back tears.
Meanwhile, protesters in Montana’s Gallatin County have gathered for two consecutive weeks outside the Bozeman home of county health officer Matt Kelley to decry regulations, including a statewide mask mandate. They have carried signs reading, “We refuse to be your experiment” and “Oxygen is essential.”
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Last week, around 80 people lined Bozeman’s Main Street to support Kelley and other health officials.
In Montana’s Flathead County, where officials recorded 17 coronavirus-related deaths over 18 days and resistance to masks runs strong, the interim public health officer is resigning when her contract is up at year’s end, citing a lack of support from local authorities for measures to control the scourge.
In Helena, Republicans who control both chambers of the Montana Legislature denied a request by Democratic lawmakers to require masks be worn inside the Capitol during the legislative session next month.
In Missouri, Greene County officials recorded 51 COVID-19 deaths in the first eight days of December as hospitals overflow and hundreds of health care workers are quarantined. The area’s two major hospitals asked the city of Springfield, the county seat, to renew the city’s mask mandate before it expires in January. The county itself does not have a mask mandate, nor does the state.
As the deaths pile up, Springfield Mortuary Services owner Brian Simmons is overseeing the embalming and cremation of COVID-19 victims as his own 48-year-old daughter battles the virus. She spent the past week hospitalized on a ventilator in one of the city’s overwhelmed hospitals.
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“You are just helpless,” he said. “There is nothing you can do about it. We haven’t seen her since she’s gone in.”
South Dakota has suffered through the country’s worst rate of COVID-19 deaths per capita over the last week, but Gov. Kristi Noem has been ardent in her opposition to mask mandates or other aggressive efforts to slow infections.
That hands-off approach drew vocal support at Rapid City Council meetings, even as doctors warned that the only large hospital in the western half of the state is facing a crisis and patients are being flown out of the state. The meetings drew hours of testimony from people who said the dangers of the virus are overblown and that mask requirements violate their liberties.
Dr. Stephen Neabore, who works in the biggest hospital system in the region, said he has been frustrated as he tries to persuade people to wear masks. After working in New York City and studying medicine in England, he said, he sees a distinct skepticism toward government around him.
“I still see people out here that will tell me that they don’t believe it’s any worse than a common cold,” he said.
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The City Council in Palmer, Alaska, rejected a mask mandate Friday for the community of 7,300 residents about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Anchorage.
Opponents questioned the effectiveness of masks, wondered why a mandate more common in larger communities was even being considered, and threatened to take their business online or to the neighboring city of Wasilla, which doesn’t have a mask order.
Many implored the City Council not to follow the steps of “liberal” Anchorage in forcing residents to require face coverings.
“We are not Anchorage and should not be treated as if we are,” Rhonda Hayhurst said in an email to the council. “I moved out here to get away from tyranny as being imposed by the Anchorage administration.”
Coronavirus deaths also have been rising rapidly in rural parts of Iowa, where many people disdain masks. Among the hardest hit is O’Brien County, population 13,800, where 42 deaths have been blamed on the virus.
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Ty Rushing, who covers the region as managing editor of the Northwest Iowa Review, said obituaries in his newspaper have been piling up.
“It’s sad to say, but I think people are just numb to it or they are sticking their head in the sand about it,” Rushing said.
In Iowa’s Harrison County, 47 deaths have been attributed to the virus out of population of about 14,000. Most of the deaths have resulted from outbreaks at nursing homes in small towns like Dunlap.
Dunlap City Clerk Meredith Van Houten said almost everyone in the town of about 950 people has a connection to those who have died. She said one was her old neighbor.
“It’s a horrible time right now,” Van Houten said.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Eric Trump Asked For Retweets From People Who ‘LOVE Our President’ And Got Ratioed

Eric Trump faced a predictable backlash from many people on Twitter when he asked for retweets from those who “ LOVE our President ” on Wednesday .
President Donald Trump ’ s son , who has pushed baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud in a desperate bid for his father to stay in the White House , tagged his dad at the end of the post .
But many critics flipped the tweet back on Eric Trump to remind him that his father had lost the election ( despite his numerous , futile attempts at overturning the result ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also declared that , yes , they do love President-elect Joe Biden .
Or ReTweet if you ’ re ready for our President Joe Biden to start working on cleaning up the mess the other guy left — Etan Thomas ( @ etanthomas36 ) December 10 , 2020 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸Retweet if you will LOVE it when @ realDonaldTrump gets booted from the White House .
— ★MrElias★ ( @ TheEliasRework ) December 10 , 2020 I Love our President-elect @ JoeBiden and ca n't wait until he is officially in office .
— Geenak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Yep .
Pretty awesome .
Go back to playing with your legos .
pic.twitter.com/v3uZUEIwlE — Craig Fones ( @ CraigFones ) December 10 , 2020 Retweet if you think Eric is the douchiest Trump https : //t.co/lnfNtLTZDw — Jeff Timmer ( @ jefftimmer ) December 10 , 2020 He ’ s never going to hug you .
https : //t.co/ms0Cbq6zNQ — Cameron Atfield ( @ CameronAtfield ) December 10 , 2020

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Eric Trump faced a predictable backlash from many people on Twitter when he asked for retweets from those who “LOVE our President” on Wednesday.
Retweet if you LOVE our President! @realDonaldTrump 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) December 10, 2020
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President Donald Trump’s son, who has pushed baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud in a desperate bid for his father to stay in the White House, tagged his dad at the end of the post.
But many critics flipped the tweet back on Eric Trump to remind him that his father had lost the election (despite his numerous, futile attempts at overturning the result) and would soon be leaving office. They also declared that, yes, they do love President-elect Joe Biden.
Biden? I love him! Xx — bidenbro 🎄🍔 (@KhiveBidenBro) December 10, 2020
Or ReTweet if you’re ready for our President Joe Biden to start working on cleaning up the mess the other guy left — Etan Thomas (@etanthomas36) December 10, 2020
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You're trying comedy now? pic.twitter.com/NqgRWMqgCT — Leslie - 42 to 46. 🇺🇲 (@Leslieoo7) December 10, 2020
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸Retweet if you will LOVE it when @realDonaldTrump gets booted from the White House. — ★MrElias★ (@TheEliasRework) December 10, 2020
totally not a cult https://t.co/XP8hKoIQtg — Colby Hall (@colbyhall) December 10, 2020
I Love our President-elect @JoeBiden and can't wait until he is officially in office. — Geenak (@Geenak) December 10, 2020
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President Biden is the best! ❤ — TheDaily (@StopTheCriminal) December 10, 2020
Yep. Pretty awesome. Go back to playing with your legos. pic.twitter.com/v3uZUEIwlE — Craig Fones (@CraigFones) December 10, 2020
Retweet if you think Eric is the douchiest Trump https://t.co/lnfNtLTZDw — Jeff Timmer (@jefftimmer) December 10, 2020
Love Obama💕 — Sue Das (@SudeshnaaDas) December 10, 2020
We love @JoeBiden ❤❤❤ — Sweet & Salty Caroline (@jazzmeaniesmama) December 10, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Anthony Fauci Shares Daughter's Personal Connection To A Victim Of COVID-19

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s leading infectious disease specialist , revealed Wednesday that the brother of his daughter Alison ’ s boyfriend had died after contracting the coronavirus .
In a wide-ranging livestream interview for the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , moderator Sanjay Gupta , CNN ’ s chief medical correspondent , asked Fauci if any of his friends or family had been personally affected by COVID-19 .
“ The answer is yes , a few , but one in particular , ” Fauci said .
“ My youngest daughter ’ s boyfriend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man , athletic , healthy , who got COVID-19 and had one of the unusual complications of cardiomyopathy with an arrhythmia and died.
” “ So there you have a 32-year-old young man , otherwise healthy actually , quite athletic and strong , who died , ” Fauci added .
“ Very sad .
Really saddened my daughter greatly.
” Fauci has three children with his wife , Christine Grady .
Jennifer is 34 , Megan is 31 and Alison is 28 .
The scientist did not spend time with his kids over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s comments came as the United States set yet another grim death toll record : On Wednesday , at least 3,124 people died after contracting COVID-19 .
Daily infections and hospitalizations also continue to surge nationwide .
Fauci said there is a risk that the numbers of deaths and infections risk becoming a “ meaningless cold statistic ” unless people “ can make the connection between suffering human beings and those enormous numbers.
” “ When you see a real patient in the room , it becomes really real , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want to overwhelm the general public but you want them to understand you are dealing with real suffering and real loss.
” Watch the full livestream below .
( Fauci ’ s comments about his daughter come at the 44:40 mark . )

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease specialist, revealed Wednesday that the brother of his daughter Alison’s boyfriend had died after contracting the coronavirus.
In a wide-ranging livestream interview for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, moderator Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, asked Fauci if any of his friends or family had been personally affected by COVID-19.
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“The answer is yes, a few, but one in particular,” Fauci said. “My youngest daughter’s boyfriend’s brother is a 32-year-old young man, athletic, healthy, who got COVID-19 and had one of the unusual complications of cardiomyopathy with an arrhythmia and died.”
“So there you have a 32-year-old young man, otherwise healthy actually, quite athletic and strong, who died,” Fauci added. “Very sad. Really saddened my daughter greatly.”
Fauci has three children with his wife, Christine Grady. Jennifer is 34, Megan is 31 and Alison is 28. The scientist did not spend time with his kids over Thanksgiving because of the pandemic.
Fauci’s comments came as the United States set yet another grim death toll record: On Wednesday, at least 3,124 people died after contracting COVID-19. Daily infections and hospitalizations also continue to surge nationwide.
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Fauci said there is a risk that the numbers of deaths and infections risk becoming a “meaningless cold statistic” unless people “can make the connection between suffering human beings and those enormous numbers.”
“When you see a real patient in the room, it becomes really real,” he said, later adding, “You don’t want to overwhelm the general public but you want them to understand you are dealing with real suffering and real loss.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Washington Post Editorial Board: 'Danger Is Growing' From Trump's Election Lies

The Washington Post editorial board published a column Wednesday warning that President Donald Trump ’ s lies about the election may lead to violence if Republicans continue to inflame tensions with their complicity .
Threats of violence are already surfacing .
The editorial noted that officials in seven states have reported receiving threats or harassment in the wake of the Nov. 3 election .
The Arizona Republican Party asked its Twitter followers Tuesday if they were willing to give their lives in the cause of overturning Trump ’ s loss .
Last week , Gabriel Sterling , a top Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to stop , saying , “ Someone ’ s going to get shot , someone ’ s going to get killed .
It ’ s not right.
” Republican leaders may believe staying silent about the election will allow passions to dissipate with time .
But passions aren ’ t dissipating , “ they are exploding , ” the board wrote .
The majority of Republicans in Congress have not publicly acknowledged the reality of Trump ’ s election loss by 74 Electoral College votes and more than 7 million popular votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( Ky. ) down to county GOP chairs , are inflaming them with their encouragement or their acquiescence , ” the editorial continued .
“ Violence seems ever more possible when President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory becomes official — if not before .
”

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The Washington Post editorial board published a column Wednesday warning that President Donald Trump’s lies about the election may lead to violence if Republicans continue to inflame tensions with their complicity.
Threats of violence are already surfacing. The editorial noted that officials in seven states have reported receiving threats or harassment in the wake of the Nov. 3 election. The Arizona Republican Party asked its Twitter followers Tuesday if they were willing to give their lives in the cause of overturning Trump’s loss.
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Last week, Gabriel Sterling, a top Republican election official in Georgia, begged for Trump to stop, saying, “Someone’s going to get shot, someone’s going to get killed. It’s not right.”
Republican leaders may believe staying silent about the election will allow passions to dissipate with time. But passions aren’t dissipating, “they are exploding,” the board wrote.
The majority of Republicans in Congress have not publicly acknowledged the reality of Trump’s election loss by 74 Electoral College votes and more than 7 million popular votes nationally.
“Republicans across the country, from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) down to county GOP chairs, are inflaming them with their encouragement or their acquiescence,” the editorial continued.
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“Violence seems ever more possible when President-elect Joe Biden’s victory becomes official — if not before.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Delusional Trump Tells Hanukkah Party Guests 'We're Gonna Win' Election He Just Lost

President Donald Trump falsely declared during a White House Hanukkah party on Wednesday that “ we ’ re gon na win this election in a landslide ” if “ certain very important people ” have wisdom and courage .
Trump ’ s bogus claim prompted guests to chant “ four more years.
” To be clear , Trump lost the election and Joe Biden is now the president-elect .
VIDEO : Trump tells the crowd at the Hanukkah party that with the help of “ certain very important people , if they have wisdom and if they have courage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” — remarks followed with loud chants of “ four more years.
” pic.twitter.com/FjCyFGOqPC — Jacob Kornbluh ( @ jacobkornbluh ) December 10 , 2020 CNN ’ s Don Lemon was bewildered by the president ’ s address , which came after the Supreme Court shot down a GOP attempt to reverse Pennsylvania ’ s certification of Biden ’ s win in the state .
“ That ’ s a con .
That ’ s not true .
It is not going to happen .
It ’ s just not , ” Lemon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ CNN Tonight ” about Trump ’ s comments at the White House party , where many attendees were filmed wearing masks but standing close together .
Trump and his administration have faced widespread criticism for holding in-person holiday parties in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic .
On Wednesday , the United States experienced its highest daily death toll yet as at least 3,124 people died from COVID-19 .
“ And if someone really respected you , and had your best interests at heart , they don ’ t lie to you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t give you false hope .
They tell you the truth.
” '' That 's a con . ''
CNN 's @ DonLemon reacts to President Trump falsely telling guests at a White House Hanukkah party that `` we 're going to win this election . ''
https : //t.co/sJhmX6KjFa pic.twitter.com/7D6TI1kczr — CNN Tonight ( @ CNNTonight ) December 10 , 2020

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President Donald Trump falsely declared during a White House Hanukkah party on Wednesday that “we’re gonna win this election in a landslide” if “certain very important people” have wisdom and courage.
Trump’s bogus claim prompted guests to chant “four more years.” To be clear, Trump lost the election and Joe Biden is now the president-elect.
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VIDEO: Trump tells the crowd at the Hanukkah party that with the help of “certain very important people, if they have wisdom and if they have courage, we are going to win this election.” — remarks followed with loud chants of “four more years.” pic.twitter.com/FjCyFGOqPC — Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) December 10, 2020
CNN’s Don Lemon was bewildered by the president’s address, which came after the Supreme Court shot down a GOP attempt to reverse Pennsylvania’s certification of Biden’s win in the state.
“That’s a con. That’s not true. It is not going to happen. It’s just not,” Lemon said on Wednesday’s broadcast of “CNN Tonight” about Trump’s comments at the White House party, where many attendees were filmed wearing masks but standing close together.
Trump and his administration have faced widespread criticism for holding in-person holiday parties in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, the United States experienced its highest daily death toll yet as at least 3,124 people died from COVID-19.
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“And if someone really respected you, and had your best interests at heart, they don’t lie to you,” Lemon added. “They don’t give you false hope. They tell you the truth.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--‘They Were Watching Us, Not Watching Our Backs’

Edgar Su / Reuters Flowers and cards are seen at the memorial site outside Al Noor mosque in Christchurch , @ @ @ @ @ , 2019 .
The Myth of the ‘ Lone Wolf ’

Earlier this week, the government of New Zealand released a comprehensive report on the 2019 Christchurch massacre, describing in chilling detail how a single white supremacist carried out the worst terror attack in the country’s modern history.
Although the nearly 800-page report, conducted by the Royal Commission, documents several major shortcomings by the country’s security agencies, it concludes that there were no signs that the attack was imminent and there was little that the state could have done to thwart the March 2019 killing of 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques.
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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday apologized for major government failings described in the report, including that agencies had neglected to look into white supremacists, focusing their resources almost exclusively on the perceived threat of extremist Islamist terrorism. She also apologized that police had failed to enforce proper checks on firearm licenses as the shooter was acquiring his arsenal.
“The commission made no findings that these issues would have stopped the attack. But these were both failings, and for that, I apologize,” Ardern said after the report was released.
The report, however, is much more than a dry recitation of government missteps. It’s one of the more thorough and terrifying investigations into how anti-Muslim terror has become a fixture of news headlines over the last decade.
The report ultimately amounts to a searing indictment of institutional Islamophobia — in New Zealand’s national security apparatus and in big tech companies like YouTube — that helped transform a place of worship into the setting for a livestreamed pogrom.
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It’s also a story of Muslim voices being ignored before 51 Muslim voices were silenced forever.
A royal commission report shown during a press conference in Wellington on Dec. 8, 2020, where New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern apologized after a judicial review exposed failures by police and intelligence services ahead of last year's Christchurch mosques terror attack. NEIL SANDS via Getty Images
On March 15, 2019, white supremacist Brenton Tarrant opened fire on two mosques during Friday prayers — first at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch and then at Linwood Islamic Centre in a nearby suburb. Inscribed on his guns were a slew of anti-Muslim memes and messages.
Upon entering the Al Noor mosque, a worshipper greeted Tarrant with “Hello, brother” before Tarrant killed him. Tarrant, an Australian native, livestreamed the massacre on Facebook as he made his way to the main prayer hall and shot worshippers indiscriminately from close range and opened fire again on people who were already injured and unable to escape.
His livestream ended as he drove towards the Linwood mosque. Once he arrived there, according to witnesses, he opened fire from the outside, shooting at the 100 worshippers through a window. He then continued to shoot as he made his way inside the mosque.
After a worshipper threw a heavy credit card reader and one of Tarrant’s discarded guns at him, Tarrant fled and was later apprehended by police after a car chase.
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The victims spanned generations and nationalities. Of the 51 Muslims, 47 were men and four were women. The youngest victim was just 3 years old and the eldest was 77.
‘They Didn’t Listen’
The attack brought rising Islamophobia across the globe into focus, offering proof of how the normalization of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies have deadly consequences.
The Christchurch report quotes many anonymous Muslim New Zealanders who criticized authorities for ignoring repeated warnings about the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment leading up to the attack.
“The events of the day were presaged by so many tell-tale signs of its coming, all of which were evident and all of which were ignored by those who had power to act,” one Muslim New Zealander said.
“We warned them of dangers, and they didn’t listen,” said another.
“It is inconceivable that New Zealand’s professional internet community was aware of the threat posed by alt-right radicals but [the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service] were not,” said yet another.
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Al Noor Mosque shooting survivor Osman Ahmed looks on following a press conference at Al Noor Mosque on Dec. 8, 2020, in Christchurch, New Zealand. Kai Schwoerer via Getty Images
Muslims interviewed as part of the report expressed anger over the “catastrophic failure” of the country’s intelligence agencies, which they felt had downplayed the rise of Islamophobia and right-wing extremism while simultaneously being hyperfocused on the perceived threats of Muslim individuals.
“They were watching us, not watching our backs,” said one Muslim individual in the report.
The report concludes that the intelligence agencies had, in fact, spent an “inappropriate” and disproportionate amount of time and resources focused on the potential threat of Islamic terrorists in the months leading up to the attack, a problem that may be persisting in the country.
“Even now, we are still being engaged with like we are the threat,” was the conclusion of one Muslim focus group interviewed for the report, which observed that counterterror agencies appear to have a “limited competency when it comes to Muslim culture.”
Ultimately, the report documents both the trauma and resilience of Muslims in New Zealand.
“We stopped feeling safe in New Zealand after the 15 March attacks,” one of the Muslim focus groups told the report’s authors. “This event has shaken us, especially our women who tend to be the ‘flag bearers’ as their dress is a visual demonstration of their faith.”
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The Myth of the ‘Lone Wolf’
One of the big questions the report sought to answer with their research was: Did Tarrant act alone?
“Yes, he was a lone actor and no one else was involved in the planning, preparation or execution of the terrorist attack,” the report states. “There is no evidence that anyone else was aware of his plans or provided personalised encouragement.”
Still, the report is careful to note that “it is, however, likely that his thinking was affected by what was said in far right online communities and other far right material he was able to source from the internet.”
In recent years, many politicians and journalists have frequently used the term “lone wolf” to describe terrorists like Tarrant with no formal membership in organized extremist groups.
But this framing has received considerable pushback from those studying online radicalization, like Jared Cohen, the chief executive of Jigsaw, the research arm of Google. Cohen wrote in a recent report that the “myth” of the lone wolf “obscures the vast, underlying infrastructure of white supremacist online communities around the world.”
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“Radicalization is an inherently social process — one that thrives openly on the internet,” Cohen wrote, pointing to the ways in which extremists “move fluidly between mainstream and fringe platforms” — including those owned by Cohen’s employer.
The Christchurch report published this week offers alarming examples of this process. An entire section is devoted to documenting donations Tarrant made online to white supremacist websites and figures across the globe, many of them in America.
In the month after the deadly “Unite the Right” white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — where a neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters — Tarrant donated money to two of the biggest American neo-Nazi websites, The Daily Stormer and The Right Stuff. He also gave money to the National Policy Institute, the white supremacist group led by fascist American figurehead Richard Spencer.
Outside the U.S., Tarrant gave money to far-right, Islamophobic Canadian website Rebel News, and to European neo-fascist organizations including Generation Identitaire in France and the Identity Movement in Germany.
“Thank you that really gives me energy and motivation,” Austrian neo-fascist leader Martin Sellner wrote to Tarrant in a January 2018 email, thanking him for a $2,308.97 donation, according to the report.
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“If you ever come to Vienna,” Sellner added, “we need to go for a café or a beer.”
Brenton Tarrant, whose face is obscured here, is seen in the dock during his appearance in the Christchurch District Court, New Zealand March 16, 2019. Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald/Pool via REUTERS
The report also details the ways in which Tarrant was inspired by another so-called “lone wolf” terrorist — Anders Breivik, the Norwegian white supremacist who killed 77 people in 2011 to promote his manifesto against the “Islamization of Europe.”
A chilling moment in the report describes how a copy of Breivik’s manifesto was on an SD card found inside a drone Tarrant used to surveil the mosques he’d later attack.
Breivik’s “manifesto and his actions provide considerable guidance for would-be extreme right-wing terrorists” like Tarrant, the report states.
Tarrant followed much of Breivik’s advice in preparing for his terror attack, including “joining a gym,” “bulking up with steroids” and “joining rifle clubs to gain firearms expertise.”
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As Tarrant prepared for his rampage, he inscribed his gun with the name of another modern “lone wolf” terrorist — Alexandre Bissonnette, who killed six people at a Quebec mosque in 2017.
Every step of the way, Tarrant was copying the tactics of, and paying tribute to, the white supremacist “lone wolves” who came before him, all radicalized by the same sprawling far-right ecosystem online.
“We acknowledge a view is held in the community that, while the individual may have acted alone on 15 March 2019, he formed part of a network of people holding similar views to him and therefore was not, in that sense, a ‘lone actor,’” the report states.
A ‘Completely Predictable’ Story Of YouTube Radicalization
The report emphasizes that although Tarrant may have sometimes visited extremist web forums, his radicalization into a murderous neo-Nazi was fueled mostly via videos he watched on one of the world’s largest and most accessible online platforms: YouTube.
Tarrant, according to the report, explained in interviews that “YouTube was, for him, a far more significant source of information and inspiration” than fringe far-right sites.
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The report said this is consistent with a review of Tarrant’s internet use. “Although he did frequent extreme right-wing discussion boards such as those on 4chan and 8chan,” it reads, “the evidence we have seen is indicative of more substantial use of YouTube.”
Becca Lewis, an extremism researcher at Stanford University who authored a widely read 2018 report on the way YouTube enables far-right radicalization, said she was “furious and heartbroken” while reading the Christchurch report this week, pointing to the ways in which the company has repeatedly failed to deal with extremists on its platform.
“What’s gut-wrenching about reading the report is just how completely predictable that story is,” Lewis told HuffPost. “Anyone who has been researching this space for a while could tell you that YouTube would have played a role, and that the figures who he would have been interested in would include someone like Stefan Molyneux.”
Molyneux is a Canadian white nationalist propagandist who had nearly 1 million subscribers on YouTube — one of whom may have been Tarrant.
The report notes that on Jan. 15, 2017, the future mass shooter donated $138.89 via PayPal to Molyneux’s YouTube channel.
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In the years leading up to the Christchurch massacre, researchers like Lewis, along with civil rights groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center, repeatedly raised alarms about the proliferation of white nationalist channels like Molyneux’s on YouTube.
It was only after the massacre that YouTube agreed to change its algorithm so that it would recommend fewer extremist videos to users — a common way in which people have been radicalized on the platform.
But Molyneux himself — along with other infamous white supremacist figureheads on YouTube like Richard Spencer and David Duke — wasn’t kicked off YouTube until a year after the Christchurch shooting.
A video from the German neo-Nazi music band Lunikoff is seen on YouTube on August 27, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. German government officials have called for an investigation into YouTube for allowing right-wing groups to use the Internet platform for disseminating neo-Nazi material. Sean Gallup via Getty Images
This underscores the ways in which YouTube and other tech companies have played a game of whack-a-mole with extremists on their platforms, kicking off white nationalists and other bigots only after public outcry.
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YouTube and other Silicon Valley companies, explained Lewis, have historically been “deeply libertarian projects” opposed to regulating their platforms out of the “assumption that more speech is better.”
Ultimately, YouTube has a business interest in having as much content as it can possibly monetize on its platform, Lewis argued, including hate speech.
“And that, I think, is something that they haven’t grappled with, and they’re not going to grapple with it as long as they’re able to avoid it, because that’s more of an indictment of the overall project in the platform,” she added.
In the meantime, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Ardern specifically called out YouTube in a speech this week after the Christchurch report was released.
“What particularly stood out was the statement that the terrorist made that he was ‘not a frequent commentator on extreme right-wing sites and YouTube was a significant source of information and inspiration,’” Ardern said. “This is a point I plan to make directly to the leadership of YouTube.”
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Reached for comment, a YouTube spokesperson told HuffPost that the company has made “significant progress in our work to combat hate speech” since the Christchurch attack, pointing to changes in the video-recommendation algorithm, a “5x spike” in the number of hate videos removed, and the termination of channels mentioned in the report.
“We will continue our work together with the Prime Minister, as well as governments, industry partners, and communities around the world to combat the spread of violent extremism online,” the YouTube spokesperson said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Rachel Maddow Says Partner’s COVID-19 Fight Was 'Scariest Thing I’ve Ever Been Through'

MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow reflected on her partner ’ s COVID-19 infection on Wednesday ’ s episode of “ The Late Show , ” describing it to host Stephen Colbert as the “ scariest thing I ’ ve ever been through.
” Maddow said her longtime partner , Susan Mikula , was going to be fine , although she was still experiencing some symptoms of the disease including fatigue , headaches and a lingering cough .
“ She is OK. She had a , you know , a real case of it and like a lot of people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got kind of the long tail of the symptoms , which is true for almost everybody that I know that ’ s had it , ” Maddow told Colbert .
Mikula is “ out of the woods in terms of being scared that she could take a downturn , ” she said .
“ It ’ s been a bear to deal with , ” Maddow continued .
“ It was the scariest thing I ’ ve ever been through in my life but she ’ s going to be OK. ” Maddow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close contact ” had contracted the coronavirus and that she would self-isolate .
Two weeks later , Maddow revealed Mikula ’ s diagnosis when she returned to the air and delivered an emotional monologue in which she said she had feared her partner was going to die .

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MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow reflected on her partner’s COVID-19 infection on Wednesday’s episode of “The Late Show,” describing it to host Stephen Colbert as the “scariest thing I’ve ever been through.”
Maddow said her longtime partner, Susan Mikula, was going to be fine, although she was still experiencing some symptoms of the disease including fatigue, headaches and a lingering cough.
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“She is OK. She had a, you know, a real case of it and like a lot of people who had symptomatic cases, she’s got kind of the long tail of the symptoms, which is true for almost everybody that I know that’s had it,” Maddow told Colbert.
Mikula is “out of the woods in terms of being scared that she could take a downturn,” she said.
“It’s been a bear to deal with,” Maddow continued. “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through in my life but she’s going to be OK.”
Maddow announced on Nov. 6 that a “close contact” had contracted the coronavirus and that she would self-isolate.
Two weeks later, Maddow revealed Mikula’s diagnosis when she returned to the air and delivered an emotional monologue in which she said she had feared her partner was going to die.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Trump Looks Past Supreme Court Loss To New Election Lawsuit From Texas

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to let him join an improbable lawsuit challenging election results in Pennsylvania and other states that he lost , a day after the justices rejected a last-gasp bid to reverse Pennsylvania ’ s certification of Democrat Joe Biden ’ s victory .
The high court has asked for responses by Thursday .
Out of the roughly 50 lawsuits filed around the country contesting the Nov. 3 vote , Trump has lost more than 35 and the others are pending , according to an Associated Press tally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general , Republican Ken Paxton , demands that the 62 total Electoral College votes in Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin be invalidated .
That ’ s enough , if set aside , to swing the election to Trump .
Paxton ’ s suit repeats a litany of false , disproven and unsupported allegations about mail-in ballots and voting in the four battlegrounds .
Repeating many of those claims , Trump lawyer John Eastman wrote , “ The fact that nearly half of the country believes the election was stolen should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by more than 7 million votes and has a 306-232 electoral vote edge .
“ We will be INTERVENING in the Texas ( plus many other states ) case , ” Trump said hours before the high court filing .
“ This is the big one .
Our Country needs a victory !
” Legal experts dismissed Paxton ’ s filing as the latest and perhaps longest legal shot since Election Day , and officials in the four states sharply criticized Paxton .
Seventeen states Trump won last month joined Texas in urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than a week before presidential electors gather in state capitals to formally choose Biden as the next president .
The Supreme Court , without comment Tuesday , refused to call into question the certification process in Pennsylvania .
Gov .
Tom Wolf , D-Pa. , already has certified Biden ’ s victory and the state ’ s 20 electors are to meet on Dec. 14 to cast their votes for the former vice president .
In any case , Biden won 306 electoral votes , so even if Pennsylvania ’ s results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have more than the 270 electoral votes needed to become president .
Shortly before tweeting about joining Paxton ’ s case , Trump distanced himself from the Pennsylvania challenge , saying it wasn ’ t his .
“ The case everyone has been waiting for is the State ’ s case with Texas and numerous others joining , ” he said .
The court ’ s decision not to intervene in Pennsylvania came in a suit led by Rep. Mike Kelly , R-Pa. , and GOP congressional candidate and Trump favorite Sean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lamb , D-Pa .
In court filings , lawyers for Pennsylvania and Wolf , said the suit ’ s claims were “ fundamentally frivolous ” and its request “ one of the most dramatic , disruptive invocations of judicial power in the history of the Republic.
” Having lost the request for the court to intervene immediately , Greg Teufel , a lawyer for Kelly and Parnell , said he would request that the court consider the case on its underlying merits on an expedited basis .
In their underlying suit , Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had sought to either throw out the 2.5 million mail-in ballots submitted under the law or to wipe out the election results and direct the state ’ s Republican-controlled Legislature to pick Pennsylvania ’ s presidential electors .
The Republicans argued that Pennsylvania ’ s expansive vote-by-mail law is unconstitutional because it required a constitutional amendment to authorize its provisions .
Just one Republican state lawmaker voted against its passage last year in the Republican-controlled Legislature .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to let him join an improbable lawsuit challenging election results in Pennsylvania and other states that he lost, a day after the justices rejected a last-gasp bid to reverse Pennsylvania’s certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.
The high court has asked for responses by Thursday. Out of the roughly 50 lawsuits filed around the country contesting the Nov. 3 vote, Trump has lost more than 35 and the others are pending, according to an Associated Press tally.
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The suit from the Texas attorney general, Republican Ken Paxton, demands that the 62 total Electoral College votes in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin be invalidated. That’s enough, if set aside, to swing the election to Trump. Paxton’s suit repeats a litany of false, disproven and unsupported allegations about mail-in ballots and voting in the four battlegrounds.
Repeating many of those claims, Trump lawyer John Eastman wrote, “The fact that nearly half of the country believes the election was stolen should come as no surprise.” Biden won by more than 7 million votes and has a 306-232 electoral vote edge.
“We will be INTERVENING in the Texas (plus many other states) case,” Trump said hours before the high court filing. “This is the big one. Our Country needs a victory!”
Legal experts dismissed Paxton’s filing as the latest and perhaps longest legal shot since Election Day, and officials in the four states sharply criticized Paxton.
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“I feel sorry for Texans that their tax dollars are being wasted on such a genuinely embarrassing lawsuit,” Wisconsin’s attorney general, Josh Kaul, said.
President Donald Trump walks with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (left) and Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (right) at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin in November 2019. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Seventeen states Trump won last month joined Texas in urging the court to take on the lawsuit less than a week before presidential electors gather in state capitals to formally choose Biden as the next president.
They are: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia.
The Supreme Court, without comment Tuesday, refused to call into question the certification process in Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Wolf, D-Pa., already has certified Biden’s victory and the state’s 20 electors are to meet on Dec. 14 to cast their votes for the former vice president.
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In any case, Biden won 306 electoral votes, so even if Pennsylvania’s results had been in doubt, he still would have more than the 270 electoral votes needed to become president.
Shortly before tweeting about joining Paxton’s case, Trump distanced himself from the Pennsylvania challenge, saying it wasn’t his. “The case everyone has been waiting for is the State’s case with Texas and numerous others joining,” he said.
The court’s decision not to intervene in Pennsylvania came in a suit led by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and GOP congressional candidate and Trump favorite Sean Parnell, who lost to Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa.
“Even Trump appointees & Republicans saw this for what it was: a charade,” Lamb said on Twitter.
In court filings, lawyers for Pennsylvania and Wolf, said the suit’s claims were “fundamentally frivolous” and its request “one of the most dramatic, disruptive invocations of judicial power in the history of the Republic.”
“No court has ever issued an order nullifying a governor’s certification of presidential election results,” they wrote.
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Having lost the request for the court to intervene immediately, Greg Teufel, a lawyer for Kelly and Parnell, said he would request that the court consider the case on its underlying merits on an expedited basis.
Still, hopes for immediate intervention concerning the election “substantially dimmed” with the court’s action Tuesday, Teufel said.
In their underlying suit, Kelly, Parnell and the other Republican plaintiffs had sought to either throw out the 2.5 million mail-in ballots submitted under the law or to wipe out the election results and direct the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature to pick Pennsylvania’s presidential electors.
The Republicans argued that Pennsylvania’s expansive vote-by-mail law is unconstitutional because it required a constitutional amendment to authorize its provisions. Just one Republican state lawmaker voted against its passage last year in the Republican-controlled Legislature.
Biden beat Trump by more than 80,000 votes in Pennsylvania, a state Trump had won in 2016. Most mail-in ballots were submitted by Democrats.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Jimmy Kimmel Spots The Single Bonkers Sentence That Sums Up 2020

2020 has been quite the wild ride .
And Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday said he found the sentence of news @ @ @ @ @ last 12 months : “ Joe Exotic asks Kim Kardashian to help him get a @ @ @ @ @ Kimmel ’ s crack came after it emerged this week that the “ Tiger King @ @ @ @ @ currently serving 22 years for a murder-for-hire plot against Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin @ @ @ @ @ Kardashian asking for her help in securing a pardon from the outgoing president .
In @ @ @ @ @ to Alice Marie Johnson after Kardashian highlighted her case .
The president has also reportedly @ @ @ @ @ a slew of pardons on his way out of the White House ( while also @ @ @ @ @ result , of course ) .
Elsewhere in his monologue , Kimmel speculated about what @ @ @ @ @ he been told aliens exist ― and pitted Trump against Vice President Mike Pence in @ @ @ @ @ ” competition .

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2020 has been quite the wild ride.
And Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday said he found the sentence of news that best sums up the last 12 months: “Joe Exotic asks Kim Kardashian to help him get a pardon from Donald Trump.”
Kimmel’s crack came after it emerged this week that the “Tiger King” star, who is currently serving 22 years for a murder-for-hire plot against Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin, wrote a letter to Kardashian asking for her help in securing a pardon from the outgoing president.
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In 2018, Trump granted clemency to Alice Marie Johnson after Kardashian highlighted her case. The president has also reportedly touted the idea of issuing a slew of pardons on his way out of the White House (while also refusing to accept the election result, of course).
Kardashian channeled Baskin and Exotic for Halloween:
Carole Baskin, Joe Exotic and our tigers 🐅 #Halloween2020 pic.twitter.com/eYl2fZsyN3 — Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 30, 2020
Elsewhere in his monologue, Kimmel speculated about what Trump would have done had he been told aliens exist ― and pitted Trump against Vice President Mike Pence in a bizarre “Space Force” competition.
Check out the full video here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Minneapolis Approves Cuts To Police Budget, Not Staffing

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) — The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a budget early Thursday that will shift about $ 8 million from the police department toward violence prevention and other programs — but will keep the mayor ’ s targeted staffing levels for sworn officers intact , averting a possible veto .
Mayor Jacob Frey , who had threatened to veto the entire budget if the council went ahead with its plan to cap police staffing , said the vote was a defining moment for the city , which has experienced soaring crime rates amid calls to defund the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd .
“ We all share a deep and abiding reverence for the role our local government plays in service of the people of our city , ” Frey said .
“ And today , there are good reasons to be optimistic about the future in Minneapolis.
” The City Council had initially approved a proposal to cut the city ’ s authorized police force to 750 officers , down from the current 888 , beginning in 2022 .
But they changed course late Wednesday after the mayor called the move “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday to keep the cap at 888 .
“ Tonight the City Council passed a budget that represents a compromise , and also a big step forward into a more compassionate and effective public safety future , ” said City Council member Steve Fletcher , co-author of the proposal to lower the cap on staffing .
He said the City Council has more work to do and “ we can not afford to remain stuck in the past any longer.
” Supporters call the City Council ’ s plan “ Safety for All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ defund the police ” movement that Minneapolis and other cities have considered since Floyd ’ s death ignited mass demonstrations against police brutality and a nationwide reckoning with racism .
More than 300 Minneapolis residents signed up to speak about the proposal Wednesday , with some pleading for City Council members to deliver the reforms they promised after Floyd ’ s death , and others warning it would be irresponsible to cut officers .
Some in favor of the plan called police officers cowards , gang members , white supremacists or terrorists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans and other minorities have experienced at the hands of police .
Those against the plan said the City Council was acting irresponsibly and has bungled its attempts to bring change .
They cited increasing violence , saying they don ’ t feel safe .
Cities around the U.S. , including Los Angeles , New York City and Portland , Oregon , are shifting funds from police departments to social services programs in an effort to provide new solutions for problems traditionally handled by police .
Such cuts have led some departments to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or retreat from hiring goals .
In Minneapolis , violent crime rates have surged since the death of Floyd , a Black man who was handcuffed and pleading for air for several minutes while Derek Chauvin , a white former officer , pressed his knee against his neck .
Chauvin and three others were charged in Floyd ’ s death and are expected to stand trial in March .
Police have recorded 532 gunshot victims this year as of last Thursday , more than double the same period a year ago .
Carjackings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , up 331 % from the same period last year .
Violent crimes have topped 5,100 , compared with just over 4,000 for the same period in 2019 .
“ This summer happened because George Floyd was murdered by the Minneapolis Police Department and it wasn ’ t an accident , it ’ s because the system of policing we know now is not just racist , but it doesn ’ t create safety for all , ” said Oluchi Omeoga , a cofounder of Black Visions , which supports “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward more transformational change .
Due to austerity forced by the coronavirus pandemic , the mayor ’ s proposal already includes a $ 14 million cut to the department compared with its original 2020 budget , mostly through attrition .
Frey aims to hold the number of sworn officers around 770 through 2021 with hopes of eventually increasing the force to its current authorized cap of 888 .
The department is already down by about 120 — partly due to officers claiming post-traumatic stress disorder from a summer of unrest — with more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morale .
A proposal over the summer to dismantle the department and replace it with a “ Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention ” initially had support from a majority of the council but faltered when a separate city commission voted against putting it on the November ballot .
The city was paying $ 4,500 a day at one point for private security for three council members who reported getting threats after supporting defunding .

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a budget early Thursday that will shift about $8 million from the police department toward violence prevention and other programs — but will keep the mayor’s targeted staffing levels for sworn officers intact, averting a possible veto.
Mayor Jacob Frey, who had threatened to veto the entire budget if the council went ahead with its plan to cap police staffing, said the vote was a defining moment for the city, which has experienced soaring crime rates amid calls to defund the police since the May 25 death of George Floyd.
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“We all share a deep and abiding reverence for the role our local government plays in service of the people of our city,” Frey said. “And today, there are good reasons to be optimistic about the future in Minneapolis.”
The City Council had initially approved a proposal to cut the city’s authorized police force to 750 officers, down from the current 888, beginning in 2022. But they changed course late Wednesday after the mayor called the move “irresponsible.” The council voted 7-6 on Wednesday to keep the cap at 888.
“Tonight the City Council passed a budget that represents a compromise, and also a big step forward into a more compassionate and effective public safety future,” said City Council member Steve Fletcher, co-author of the proposal to lower the cap on staffing. He said the City Council has more work to do and “we cannot afford to remain stuck in the past any longer.”
Supporters call the City Council’s plan “Safety for All,” the latest version of the “defund the police” movement that Minneapolis and other cities have considered since Floyd’s death ignited mass demonstrations against police brutality and a nationwide reckoning with racism.
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The plan cuts nearly $8 million from Frey’s $179 million policing budget and redirects it to mental health teams, violence prevention programs and other initiatives.
More than 300 Minneapolis residents signed up to speak about the proposal Wednesday, with some pleading for City Council members to deliver the reforms they promised after Floyd’s death, and others warning it would be irresponsible to cut officers.
Some in favor of the plan called police officers cowards, gang members, white supremacists or terrorists. They spoke about violence that African Americans and other minorities have experienced at the hands of police. Those against the plan said the City Council was acting irresponsibly and has bungled its attempts to bring change. They cited increasing violence, saying they don’t feel safe.
“The place I grew up this summer burned,” said Will Roberts, who grew up in the Longfellow neighborhood. “And it burned because of police misconduct.”
Loraine Teel, of south Minneapolis, said she supported the mayor’s position, telling council members: “You cannot achieve reform without a plan that includes the cooperation of those being reformed ... You have failed miserably.”
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Cities around the U.S., including Los Angeles, New York City and Portland, Oregon, are shifting funds from police departments to social services programs in an effort to provide new solutions for problems traditionally handled by police. Such cuts have led some departments to lay off officers, cancel recruiting classes or retreat from hiring goals.
In Minneapolis, violent crime rates have surged since the death of Floyd, a Black man who was handcuffed and pleading for air for several minutes while Derek Chauvin, a white former officer, pressed his knee against his neck. Chauvin and three others were charged in Floyd’s death and are expected to stand trial in March.
Police have recorded 532 gunshot victims this year as of last Thursday, more than double the same period a year ago. Carjackings have also spiked to 375 so far this year, up 331% from the same period last year. Violent crimes have topped 5,100, compared with just over 4,000 for the same period in 2019.
“This summer happened because George Floyd was murdered by the Minneapolis Police Department and it wasn’t an accident, it’s because the system of policing we know now is not just racist, but it doesn’t create safety for all,” said Oluchi Omeoga, a cofounder of Black Visions, which supports “Safety for All” as a step toward more transformational change.
Due to austerity forced by the coronavirus pandemic, the mayor’s proposal already includes a $14 million cut to the department compared with its original 2020 budget, mostly through attrition. Frey aims to hold the number of sworn officers around 770 through 2021 with hopes of eventually increasing the force to its current authorized cap of 888. The department is already down by about 120 — partly due to officers claiming post-traumatic stress disorder from a summer of unrest — with more preparing to leave amid retirements and poor morale.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-10--Republicans' 'Forbidden Phrase' Exposed In 'Daily Show' Supercut

“ The Daily Show with Trevor Noah ” on Wednesday mocked Republicans who just can ’ t bring themselves to @ @ @ @ @ s defeat in the 2020 election .
The Comedy Central program cut together clips in @ @ @ @ @ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) ― were unwilling to describe Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ , they referred to the incoming POTUS as “ vice president ” or “ former @ @ @ @ @ to avoid incurring the wrath of Trump , who continues to falsely claim victory , @ @ @ @ @ challenges contesting the result .
Check out the video here : And here is Noah @ @ @ @ @ evening ’ s show :

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“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” on Wednesday mocked Republicans who just can’t bring themselves to acknowledge President Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election.
The Comedy Central program cut together clips in which Republican lawmakers ― including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) ― were unwilling to describe Joe Biden as the president-elect.
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Instead, they referred to the incoming POTUS as “vice president” or “former vice president,” presumably to avoid incurring the wrath of Trump, who continues to falsely claim victory, despite losing slews of legal challenges contesting the result.
Check out the video here: