thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Trump's Presidency Is Over. His Judges Will Be Here For Decades.

He couldn ’ t have done it without Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) .
Not only did the GOP leader make it his top priority to confirm Trump ’ s court picks ― he was even pushing them through as emergency COVID-19 relief legislation was stalling out ― but he actively delayed or blocked Obama ’ s judicial nominees for years , in an effort to keep court seats vacant for a future Republican president to fill .
Trump did just that .
“ What McConnell has wanted is courts that will be here for decades after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what happens .
Courts that would themselves be extremely activist in blowing up the welfare state and the ability of the federal government to do much of anything , ” said Norm Ornstein , a resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute , a conservative think tank .
“ How successful they ’ ll be , I ’ m not sure .
But for the most part , this Supreme Court has given Trump whatever he wanted with regard to use of executive power.
” This was the plan all along .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on confirming judges to the nation ’ s 13 appeals courts .
These courts , which are just one step below the Supreme Court , don ’ t get the kind of flashy news coverage the highest court gets .
But they are incredibly powerful , and they are where most federal law is settled on major issues like capital punishment , abortion , same-sex marriage and immigration .
Ten of his nominees to lifetime federal court seats were rated not qualified by the American Bar Association .
His most recent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earned the abysmal rating because of her lack of experience .
At 33 , she doesn ’ t meet the ABA ’ s requirement that a nominee to a lifetime federal judgeship have at least 12 years of experience practicing law .
Mizelle has been practicing law only since 2012 , and has never tried a case ― civil or criminal ― as lead attorney or co-counsel .
Of course , Trump didn ’ t pick these nominees himself .
They were largely fed to him by The Federalist Society , a conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in putting its members onto appeals courts and the Supreme Court .
All three of Trump ’ s Supreme Court picks are Federalist Society members .
Virtually all of his appeals court picks are members .
A number of his district court picks are also members .
And their resumes often include clerkships with other powerful judges who are ― wait for it ― members of the Federalist Society .
“ I don ’ t think McConnell is likely to confirm many of Biden ’ s nominees at all , ” said Wheeler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe Joe and Mitch would get together , these old buddies , these members of the Senate club are going to work things out .
I don ’ t think that ’ s going to happen.
” If Republicans do hold the Senate , Biden may try to be more measured with the types of judicial nominees he puts forward in hopes of getting them through .
They probably wouldn ’ t be as progressive , for example , as some in his party might want .

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Donald Trump’s presidency is ending in a few weeks. But the more than 230 people he put into lifetime federal judgeships will be shaping the nation’s law for decades.
Trump will leave office having confirmed at least three Supreme Court justices, 54 appeals court judges, 174 district court judges and three judges for the U.S. Court of International Trade. The Senate could still confirm more of his court picks before he’s gone. All of these judges are Article III judges, meaning they have their jobs for life.
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How does his record compare to other recent presidents?
In terms of sheer numbers, Trump confirmed more lifetime federal judges than presidents Barack Obama (175), George W. Bush (206) and Bill Clinton (204) did in their first terms.
He couldn’t have done it without Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Not only did the GOP leader make it his top priority to confirm Trump’s court picks ― he was even pushing them through as emergency COVID-19 relief legislation was stalling out ― but he actively delayed or blocked Obama’s judicial nominees for years, in an effort to keep court seats vacant for a future Republican president to fill. Trump did just that.
“What McConnell has wanted is courts that will be here for decades after voters have rejected Republicans, if that’s what happens. Courts that would themselves be extremely activist in blowing up the welfare state and the ability of the federal government to do much of anything,” said Norm Ornstein, a resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. “How successful they’ll be, I’m not sure. But for the most part, this Supreme Court has given Trump whatever he wanted with regard to use of executive power.”
Trump is also leaving office having filled almost every vacancy on an appeals court. It’s a remarkable feat; no other president has confirmed as many appeals court judges in a single term. Put another way: Nearly one in every three appeals court judges is now a Trump pick.
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“What we’ve seen is not just Trump appointing a lot of judges, which everybody talks about, but his bulldozer-like occupation with filling courts of appeals,” said Russell Wheeler, a visiting fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Governance Studies Program and president of the nonpartisan think tank The Governance Institute. “They’re filling vacancies on district courts now because they don’t have any appeals court seats left to fill.”
This was the plan all along. Trump’s White House spent years focused on confirming judges to the nation’s 13 appeals courts. These courts, which are just one step below the Supreme Court, don’t get the kind of flashy news coverage the highest court gets. But they are incredibly powerful, and they are where most federal law is settled on major issues like capital punishment, abortion, same-sex marriage and immigration.
For some perspective, appeals courts resolve roughly 50,000 cases a year. The Supreme Court resolves about 100.
President Donald Trump put three people onto the Supreme Court in four years. That's a lot. It wouldn't have happened without Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blowing up Senate rules and traditions. Jim Bourg / Reuters
It doesn’t mean President-elect Joe Biden won’t have any appeals court seats to fill. A number of Democrat-appointed appeals court judges have likely been waiting for Biden to become president before announcing their retirement, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor and expert on judicial nominations.
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“It’s not as bleak as it might look,” said Tobias. “And it’s worth noting that even though Trump filled so many appellate court vacancies, two-thirds of those replaced Republicans. So it’s not as dramatic as if more Democratic appointees were replaced.”
Still, he said, many of Trump’s judges are incredibly young, in their 30s and 40s, which means “you’re going to have some of these people around forever.”
Trump’s judges are also incredibly homogenous, particularly his picks for appeals courts. Think dozens of clones of Vice President Mike Pence: white, male, right-wing ideologues. Not a single one of his 54 appeals court judges is Black.
Ten of his nominees to lifetime federal court seats were rated not qualified by the American Bar Association. His most recent, now-U.S. district judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, earned the abysmal rating because of her lack of experience. At 33, she doesn’t meet the ABA’s requirement that a nominee to a lifetime federal judgeship have at least 12 years of experience practicing law. Mizelle has been practicing law only since 2012, and has never tried a case ― civil or criminal ― as lead attorney or co-counsel.
Of course, Trump didn’t pick these nominees himself. They were largely fed to him by The Federalist Society, a conservative legal organization that has been hugely invested in putting its members onto appeals courts and the Supreme Court. All three of Trump’s Supreme Court picks are Federalist Society members. Virtually all of his appeals court picks are members. A number of his district court picks are also members. And their resumes often include clerkships with other powerful judges who are ― wait for it ― members of the Federalist Society.
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Federal judges who are members of the The Federalist Society have something else in common, too: They tend to have records of being hostile to abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, voting rights and the Affordable Care Act.
“You're going to have some of these people around forever.” - Carl Tobias, University of Richmond law professor
Biden is signaling he wants a more progressive and diverse federal bench, and has already promised to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court. His advisers say he’ll have a list of potential nominees ready by Inauguration Day, including a short list for the Supreme Court, where the eldest justice, Clinton appointee Stephen Breyer, is 82 years old.
“His approach to nominations across the board is ensuring folks in these positions reflect America, in terms of diversity and ideology,” said a spokesperson for Biden’s transition team, who spoke only generally about his thinking on judicial and executive picks.
“With other nominations and appointments, Biden has set a tone of expecting to work with the Senate on highly qualified nominees at a moment when the country is in a moment of crisis,” said the spokesperson. “He has an expectation of a good faith engagement when he puts forward qualified, seasoned candidates.”
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But so much of Biden’s agenda, on judges and otherwise, hangs in the balance ahead of Georgia’s Senate runoff elections in January. The outcome of these elections will decide which party controls the Senate for the next two years.
Even if just one of Georgia’s two Republican senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, holds onto his or her seat, which is likely, McConnell will remain majority leader. That means Biden has to prepare for the kind of unwavering obstruction that Obama faced in getting his judicial picks confirmed.
“I don’t think McConnell is likely to confirm many of Biden’s nominees at all,” said Wheeler. “Some people have said that maybe Joe and Mitch would get together, these old buddies, these members of the Senate club are going to work things out. I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
McConnell has tossed out so many Senate rules and norms to benefit himself and his party, added Wheeler, that it wouldn’t surprise him if Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas retired in January and McConnell prevented Biden from filling that seat for his entire four years in office.
“It is grim,” he said of his assessment. “But I’ve been studying this stuff going back to the Johnson administration. The Senate just had a different idea, that a president gets to nominate judges. Now it’s become dog-eat-dog and we’ll worry tomorrow if our dog got eaten up too much.”
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Eric Murphy is a Federalist Society member who was confirmed to his lifetime seat on a U.S. appeals court in 2019 at the age of 39. As a lawyer, he repeatedly led efforts to make it harder for people to vote. Tom Williams via Getty Images
Ornstein agreed that Biden will have a rough road ahead, but not just because of McConnell. The fact that virtually all Senate Republicans routinely voted with McConnell to block Obama’s court picks means they don’t seem to care, either, about the idea that a president is entitled to a vote on his nominees.
“I can talk all night about McConnell or Trump, but the stain here on the confirmation process ― on just the whole concept of what the judiciary is supposed to be ― is prevalent across the entire Republican Senate body,” said Ornstein. “Every single one of them.”
If Republicans do hold the Senate, Biden may try to be more measured with the types of judicial nominees he puts forward in hopes of getting them through. They probably wouldn’t be as progressive, for example, as some in his party might want.
He’ll likely have to work with GOP senators to pick nominees they can all support for court vacancies in their home states.
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He also may wind up cutting deals that allow for a package of Republican and Democratic nominees to go through together.
“Biden will be forced to horse trade like Clinton had to; he had to put Republicans on the bench to get his Democrats through,” said Brian Fitzpatrick, a law professor at Vanderbilt University and formerly the special counsel for Supreme Court nominations to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). “I suspect McConnell will drive an even harder bargain and Biden will probably have to put even more Republicans on than Clinton did.”
Regardless of which party controls the Senate, Biden will take office on Jan. 20, 2021, with roughly 43 district court vacancies and two appeals court vacancies to fill. And as a former longtime chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former vice president, Biden has it going for him that he knows the Senate confirmation process better than almost anyone.
“I’m optimistic about Biden. He gets it. He’s got good people around him who are going to do this work,” said Tobias. “I think it will come down to a function of how much Biden is willing to compromise. He and McConnell could reach some kind of understanding.”
“It might not be pretty,” he added, “but it might fill up the courts.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Nashville RV Blast Knocks Communications Offline, Remains Found

Police were responding to a report of shots fired Friday when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes , Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said .
Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad .
The RV exploded shortly afterward , Drake said .
“ This morning ’ s attack on our community was intended to create chaos and fear in this season of peace and hope .
But Nashvillians have proven time and time again that the spirit of our city can not be broken , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference after issuing a curfew for the area .
Police believe the blast was intentional but don ’ t yet know a motive or target , and Drake noted that officials had not received any threats before the explosion .
The chief said investigators at the scene “ have found tissue that we believe could be remains , but we ’ ll have that examined and let you know at that time.
” Police could not say whether it potentially came from someone inside the RV .
Surveillance video published on a Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street from the blast captured the warning issuing from the RV , “ ... if you can hear this message , evacuate now , ” seconds before the explosion .
The blast sent black smoke and flames billowing from the heart of downtown Nashville ’ s tourist scene , an area packed with honky-tonks , restaurants and shops .
Buildings shook and windows shattered streets away from the explosion near a building owned by AT & T that lies one block from the company ’ s office tower , a landmark in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if that was a coincidence , or if that was the intention , ” police spokesman Don Aaron said .
He said earlier that some people were taken to the department ’ s central precinct for questioning but declined to give details .
BREAKING : This is the RV that exploded on 2nd Ave N this morning .
It arrived on 2nd Ave at 1:22 a.m. Have you seen this vehicle in our area or do you have information about it ?
Please contact us via Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 or online via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Metro Nashville PD ( @ MNPDNashville ) December 25 , 2020 AT & T said the affected building is the central office of a telephone exchange , with network equipment in it .
The blast interrupted service , but the company declined to say how widespread outages were .
The AT & T outages site showed service issues in middle Tennessee and Kentucky .
Several police agencies reported that their 911 systems were down because of the outage , including Knox County , home to Knoxville about 180 miles ( 290 kilometers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ T said that it was bringing in portable cell sites and was working with law enforcement to get access to make repairs to its equipment .
The company noted that “ power is essential to restoring ” service .
The FBI will be taking the lead in the investigation , agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said .
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms , and Explosives ( ATF ) were also on the scene .
The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorism .
“ We tried to rationalize it that it was an earthquake or something , but it was obvious it wasn ’ t an earthquake , ” Joseph Fafara said .
Buck McCoy , who lives near the area , posted videos on Facebook that show water pouring down the ceiling of his home .
Alarms blared in the background along with cries of people in distress .
Fire is visible in the street outside .
“ All my windows , every single one of them got blown into the next room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would have been horrible , ” he said .
President Donald Trump has been briefed , according to White House spokesperson Judd Deere .
The U.S. Justice Department said Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen was also briefed and directed all department resources to be made available to help with the investigation .

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Federal investigators have identified a person of interest in connection with the explosion that rocked downtown Nashville on Christmas Day and were searching a home associated with that person, law enforcement officials said Saturday.
Investigators from multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies were at a home in Antioch, in suburban Nashville, after receiving information relevant to the investigation, said FBI Special Agent Jason Pack. Another law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said investigators regard a person associated with the property as a person of interest in the bombing.
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Earlier Saturday, investigators said at a news conference they are looking at a number of individuals who may be connected to the bombing but have also found no additional explosive devices- indicating no active threat to the area.
Douglas Korneski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis field office, said 250 agents, analysts and FBI staff working the case are making progress in the search for the person or people responsible for planting a bomb in a recreational vehicle that exploded along a mostly deserted street. Three people were injured.
“It’s just going to take us some time,” he said. “Our investigative team is turning over every stone” to understand who did this and why.
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Separately, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a report Saturday that tissue samples found at the scene were determined to be human remains.
The attack continued to wreak havoc on communications systems across the state. Police emergency systems in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama, as well as Nashville’s COVID-19 community hotline and a handful of hospital systems, remained out of service due to an AT&T central office being affected by the blast. The building contained a telephone exchange, with network equipment in it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted.
Investigators shut down the heart of downtown Nashville’s tourist scene - an area packed with honky-tonks, restaurants, and shops - as they shuffled through broken glass and damaged buildings to learn more about the explosion.
Mayor John Cooper has enforced a curfew in the downtown area until Sunday via executive order to limit public access to the area.
AT&T said restoration efforts are facing several challenges, which include a fire that “reignited overnight and led to the evacuation of the building.” This has forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power.
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“Our teams continue to work around the clock on recovery efforts from yesterday morning’s explosion in Nashville,” the company said in a Saturday statement. “We have two portable cell sites operating in downtown Nashville with numerous additional portable sites being deployed in the Nashville area and in the region.”
Gov. Bill Lee asked the White House on Saturday for federal assistance due to the “severity and magnitude” of the explosion’s impact. At least 41 buildings were damaged, and communications systems — including residential and cell phone service and 911 call centers — failed across the state, he said. Kentucky and northern Alabama were also affected, he said.
This morning I toured the site of the bombing. The damage is shocking and it is a miracle that no residents were killed. @MariaLeeTN and I continue to pray for those who sustained injuries from the blast. — Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) December 26, 2020
Ray Neville, president of technology at T-Mobile, said on Twitter that service disruptions affected Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham and Atlanta. “We continue to see service interruptions in these areas following yesterday’s explosion. Restoration efforts continue around the clock & we will keep you updated on progress,” he said in a tweet Saturday.
The outages had even briefly grounded flights at the Nashville International Airport, but service was continuing normally as of Saturday. The Federal Aviation Association has since issued a temporary flight restriction around the airport, requiring pilots to follow strict procedures until Dec. 30.
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According to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake, police officers responded on Friday to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad. The RV exploded shortly afterward.
Law enforcement officials have said since shortly after the explosion occurred at around 6:30 a.m. that they believe the blast was intentional. They have not talked publicly about a possible target or motive.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a report Saturday that tissue samples found at the scene were determined to be human remains.
Three people taken to area hospitals for treatment were in stable condition Friday evening.
The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation, agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said. Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also involved in the investigation. The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes, such as explosives violations and acts of terrorism.
A law enforcement member walks past damage from an explosion in downtown Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Dec. 25, 2020. Buildings shook in the immediate area and beyond after a loud boom was heard early Christmas morning. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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In West Virginia, a hospital system said Saturday that it was experiencing network connection issues directly related to the Nashville explosion. South Charleston-based Thomas Health, which operates two hospitals, said on its Facebook page that it didn’t have an estimated time of restoration.
Similarly, Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, Tennessee, said on its Facebook page that it was operating without access to some of its systems, including medical records.
“We prepare for situations like this and moved immediately to paper records. There has been no disruption to the delivery of patient care, and no cause for concern for this temporary issue,” the center said in a post on Friday.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--9 Must-Read True Stories From 2020

9 Must-Read True Stories From 2020

But it also brought opportunities for reflection , change , growth , listening , learning , challenging the status quo @ @ @ @ @ families and complete strangers in new , deeper ways , and chances to reimagine our @ @ @ @ @ , HuffPost Personal shared incredible true stories written about and by real people , just @ @ @ @ @ since our inception in 2018 .
We believe that learning about someone else ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , triumphs , tragedies and joys they ’ ve faced ― can help us to @ @ @ @ @ We love that and hope you do , too .
Below are nine of our @ @ @ @ @ the past year .

But it also brought opportunities for reflection, change, growth, listening, learning, challenging the status quo, connecting with friends and families and complete strangers in new, deeper ways, and chances to reimagine our lives.
Through it all, HuffPost Personal shared incredible true stories written about and by real people, just as we’ve done since our inception in 2018. We believe that learning about someone else’s life ― and the struggles, triumphs, tragedies and joys they’ve faced ― can help us to learn more about ourselves. We love that and hope you do, too.
Below are nine of our favorite HuffPost Personal stories from the past year.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--12,000 NYC Kids Bumped From In-Person Education Over Missing Virus Testing Forms

New York City is bouncing some 12,000 children from in-person education because their parents haven ’ t signed a consent form allowing random testing for COVID-19 .
The parents of all of the children had registered the students for in-person learning .
They ’ re among 190,000 preschool , elementary and special education students who returned to classrooms earlier this month .
Close to 60,000 preschool and kindergarten children are exempt from testing because officials believe they are less likely to transmit the disease .
But that leaves about 130,000 students who must participate in the testing program , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in each school building .
“ Due to the extensive efforts of our staff , 91 % of students who need a consent form have one on file , ” Nathaniel Styer , a spokesperson for the Department of Education , told The Staten Island Advance .
“ Students without consent forms , and who do not have approved exemptions , are transitioned to remote instruction.
” Testing is “ one of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our schools , and we are focused on making this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students , led by trained testers , ” he explained .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza have repeatedly warned that children wouldn ’ t be allowed in school if they didn ’ t submit consent forms .
The students can return to school as soon as their parents sign the forms .
The New York City school system is the largest in the nation , with some one million students .
All middle and high school students are currently learning remotely .
Many elementary students are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their parents .
The city shut down all in-person teaching when citywide COVID-19 test results reached 3 % positivity in November , but resumed it earlier this month .

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New York City is bouncing some 12,000 children from in-person education because their parents haven’t signed a consent form allowing random testing for COVID-19.
The parents of all of the children had registered the students for in-person learning. They’re among 190,000 preschool, elementary and special education students who returned to classrooms earlier this month.
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Close to 60,000 preschool and kindergarten children are exempt from testing because officials believe they are less likely to transmit the disease.
But that leaves about 130,000 students who must participate in the testing program, which will include randomly testing 20% of those in each school building.
“Due to the extensive efforts of our staff, 91% of students who need a consent form have one on file,” Nathaniel Styer, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, told The Staten Island Advance. “Students without consent forms, and who do not have approved exemptions, are transitioned to remote instruction.”
Testing is “one of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, and we are focused on making this a brief and gentle experience for our students, led by trained testers,” he explained.
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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza have repeatedly warned that children wouldn’t be allowed in school if they didn’t submit consent forms.
The students can return to school as soon as their parents sign the forms.
The New York City school system is the largest in the nation, with some one million students. All middle and high school students are currently learning remotely. Many elementary students are also doing online instruction at the request of their parents.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-25--CNN's Andrew Kaczynski Mourns Death Of Baby Daughter Francesca In Touching Tribute

CNN political reporter Andrew Kaczynski and his wife , Wall Street Journal reporter Rachel Louise Ensign , mourned the death of their 9-month-old daughter , Francesca , in a wrenching eulogy on Friday .
Francesca died of cancer complications on Christmas Eve , shortly after her dad appealed on Twitter for prayers for his “ Bean.
” “ We ’ re heartbroken to have to announce our beautiful daughter Francesca passed away last night in the arms of her mom and dad , ” Kaczynski tweeted Friday .
“ There will always be a Bean-sized hole in our hearts for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have known her love .
Francesca we love you.
” We ’ re heartbroken to have to announce our beautiful daughter Francesca passed away last night in the arms of her mom and dad .
There will always be a Bean-sized hole in our hearts for her .
We ’ re so grateful to have known her love .
Francesca we love you .
https : //t.co/OGml2nZ12H — andrew kaczynski ( @ KFILE ) December 25 , 2020 Francesca was diagnosed at 6 months old with a rare and aggressive rhabdoid brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Following brain surgery , the development of meningitis , chemo and a fungal infection , she was put on a ventilator weeks ago .
If anyone can spare a pray for our Bean this Christmas , would just ask they include Francesca in their thoughts and hope for a Christmas miracle for our family .
— andrew kaczynski ( @ KFILE ) December 24 , 2020 Ensign and Kaczynski posted a moving tribute on Medium on Friday , honoring the baby girl who showed them a “ love they never knew before.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an outgoing , bold and curious baby , ” they wrote .
“ She had huge , deep brown eyes that followed whatever her parents were doing .
She loved eating and being held close.
” Francesca “ loved seeing her parents ... and greeting them with the world ’ s biggest smile and an excited kick when she woke up from a nap , ” they wrote .
“ Her many smiles sent a thrill through the world .
She was so generous with them , even when most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even when she faced challenges that would scare an adult , like a cancer diagnosis or being born with hearing loss.
” Bean “ showed her parents a kind of love they never knew before and they will never forget it , ” they added .
In lieu of any gifts , Francesca ’ s parents asked that donations be made in honor of Francesca to the PMC Winter Cycle charity event , which donates proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute .

CNN political reporter Andrew Kaczynski and his wife, Wall Street Journal reporter Rachel Louise Ensign, mourned the death of their 9-month-old daughter, Francesca, in a wrenching eulogy on Friday.
Francesca died of cancer complications on Christmas Eve, shortly after her dad appealed on Twitter for prayers for his “Bean.”
“We’re heartbroken to have to announce our beautiful daughter Francesca passed away last night in the arms of her mom and dad,” Kaczynski tweeted Friday. “There will always be a Bean-sized hole in our hearts for her. We’re so grateful to have known her love. Francesca we love you.”
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Kaczynski’s Twitter profile features a photo of him with his daughter.
We’re heartbroken to have to announce our beautiful daughter Francesca passed away last night in the arms of her mom and dad. There will always be a Bean-sized hole in our hearts for her. We’re so grateful to have known her love.
Francesca we love you. https://t.co/OGml2nZ12H — andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) December 25, 2020
Francesca was diagnosed at 6 months old with a rare and aggressive rhabdoid brain tumor, Kaczynski revealed in September. Following brain surgery, the development of meningitis, chemo and a fungal infection, she was put on a ventilator weeks ago.
On Thursday, Kaczynski appealed for prayers for a “Christmas miracle.”
If anyone can spare a pray for our Bean this Christmas, would just ask they include Francesca in their thoughts and hope for a Christmas miracle for our family. — andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) December 24, 2020
Ensign and Kaczynski posted a moving tribute on Medium on Friday, honoring the baby girl who showed them a “love they never knew before.”
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“In her short life, Francesca was an outgoing, bold and curious baby,” they wrote. “She had huge, deep brown eyes that followed whatever her parents were doing. She loved eating and being held close.”
Francesca “loved seeing her parents ... and greeting them with the world’s biggest smile and an excited kick when she woke up from a nap,” they wrote. “Her many smiles sent a thrill through the world. She was so generous with them, even when most of the smiles back were covered by masks and even when she faced challenges that would scare an adult, like a cancer diagnosis or being born with hearing loss.”
Bean “showed her parents a kind of love they never knew before and they will never forget it,” they added.
In lieu of any gifts, Francesca’s parents asked that donations be made in honor of Francesca to the PMC Winter Cycle charity event, which donates proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-25--Now What Happens To The $892 Billion COVID Aid Bill?

Trump has not yet said whether he will veto the $ 892 billion for COVID-19 relief that is coupled with $ 1.4 trillion to fund an array of federal agencies through next September .
Here ’ s how this standoff could play out : Trump signs the 5,500-page bill , despite Congress ’ refusal so far to meet his demands .
He wants far larger coronavirus relief checks for Americans and major reductions to the foreign aid budget and other spending he has deemed wasteful .
Trump rejects the bill that passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives and Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options : 1 .
Round up the two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override Trump ’ s veto before the bill expires , and then it automatically becomes law .
2 .
Sustain the president ’ s veto , a scenario likely if enough Republicans abandon the legislation , despite their earlier votes for passage .
The bill is killed .
Trump runs out the clock within 10 calendar days ( except Sundays ) of receiving it from Congress , neither signing nor vetoing it .
The situation is known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step is somewhat complicated because it normally only works when Congress is adjourned .
In this case , the calendar works in Trump ’ s favor if he wants to kill the bill .
Within that 10-day time frame , the current 116th Congress expires on Jan. 3 and the new , 117th Congress is sworn in .
Bills die if they are not enacted during the Congress in which they are introduced .
That means it could be left to President-elect Joe Biden to deal with after he is sworn in on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their jobs during the pandemic would suffer as unemployment insurance for more than 14 million expires on Dec. 26 .
Without enactment of the bill , the U.S. government runs out of money at midnight Dec. 28 .
If this battle is not resolved by then , Congress must either pass its fourth stopgap funding bill since last September or federal agencies will not have money to fully operate beginning Dec. 29 .
In that case , tens of thousands of government workers could be furloughed and programs interrupted .
If Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to approve it or the shutdown begins .

Trump has not yet said whether he will veto the $892 billion for COVID-19 relief that is coupled with $1.4 trillion to fund an array of federal agencies through next September.
Here’s how this standoff could play out:
TRUMP BACKS DOWN
Trump signs the 5,500-page bill, despite Congress’ refusal so far to meet his demands. He wants far larger coronavirus relief checks for Americans and major reductions to the foreign aid budget and other spending he has deemed wasteful.
TRUMP VETOES THE BILL
Trump rejects the bill that passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives and Senate. This would present Congress with two options: 1. Round up the two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override Trump’s veto before the bill expires, and then it automatically becomes law.
2. Sustain the president’s veto, a scenario likely if enough Republicans abandon the legislation, despite their earlier votes for passage. The bill is killed.
TRUMP DOES NOTHING
Trump runs out the clock within 10 calendar days (except Sundays) of receiving it from Congress, neither signing nor vetoing it. The situation is known as a “pocket veto.”
This step is somewhat complicated because it normally only works when Congress is adjourned.
In this case, the calendar works in Trump’s favor if he wants to kill the bill. Within that 10-day time frame, the current 116th Congress expires on Jan. 3 and the new, 117th Congress is sworn in. Bills die if they are not enacted during the Congress in which they are introduced.
That means it could be left to President-elect Joe Biden to deal with after he is sworn in on Jan. 20. Meanwhile, people who lost their jobs during the pandemic would suffer as unemployment insurance for more than 14 million expires on Dec. 26.
Without enactment of the bill, the U.S. government runs out of money at midnight Dec. 28. If this battle is not resolved by then, Congress must either pass its fourth stopgap funding bill since last September or federal agencies will not have money to fully operate beginning Dec. 29.
In that case, tens of thousands of government workers could be furloughed and programs interrupted.
If Congress does pass a temporary bill, Trump would have to approve it or the shutdown begins.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Dangerous U.K. Coronavirus Variant Jumps Borders In Europe, Canada

A frightening new coronavirus variant that started in the U.K. has now been detected in several European nations and in Japan , Lebanon , Australia and Canada , health officials reported .
Several countries enacted U.K. travel bans Sunday after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of the strain that scientists have determined is approximately 56 % more transmissible than other strains .
( Johnson initially said it was as much as 70 % more transmissible . )
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo on Sunday called on President Donald Trump ’ s administration — which he called “ grossly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.K. travel ban or require testing of airline passengers as six flights daily fly into New York airports .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday announced that travelers from the U.K. would need a negative COVID-19 test within three days of boarding a plane to the U.S .
The requirement goes into effect Monday , eight days after Cuomo ’ s frantic call for action .
The number of variant cases detected so far are small in the other countries : seven in Japan and four in Spain ( another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times reported .
But officials fear travelers may have carried the variant for weeks , and many more cases may yet to be discovered .
Authorities determined that most cases are linked to the U.K. A single case reported in Sweden on Saturday was a traveler from the U.K. who visited for the holidays , Reuters reported .
But a stricken couple in Canada had not traveled and likely caught COVID-19 from travelers , suggesting a second stage of local community spread of the new variant .
The new variant has yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the CDC .
But the U.S. conducts little genetic sequencing to trace strains of the coronavirus , so the “ variant could already be in the United States without having been detected , ” the agency said .
The variant was first detected in the U.K. in September , but health officials only recently figured out how much more easily it spreads .
It doesn ’ t appear to be deadlier per case , but a greater numbers of cases could translate to a higher death toll .
Current COVID-19 vaccines are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But because the variant could suddenly trigger an alarming increase in cases , it “ may be necessary to greatly accelerate vaccine rollout , ” researchers warned in a study that has not yet been peer reviewed .
“ The preliminary findings are pretty convincing that more rapid vaccination is going to be a really important thing for any country that has to deal with this or similar variants , ” said lead researcher Nicholas Davies , an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slammed Democrats in a tweet Saturday for enacting restrictions recommended by health experts to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
The lockdowns in Democrat run states are absolutely ruining the lives of so many people - Far more than the damage that would be caused by the China Virus .
Cases in California have risen despite the lockdown , yet Florida & others are open & doing well .
Common sense please !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 26 , 2020

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A frightening new coronavirus variant that started in the U.K. has now been detected in several European nations and in Japan, Lebanon, Australia and Canada, health officials reported.
France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark were among the nations reporting cases.
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday called on President Donald Trump’s administration — which he called “grossly negligent” — to immediately institute a U.K. travel ban or require testing of airline passengers as six flights daily fly into New York airports.
“Today that variant is getting on a plane and landing at JFK,” Cuomo said in a statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday announced that travelers from the U.K. would need a negative COVID-19 test within three days of boarding a plane to the U.S. The requirement goes into effect Monday, eight days after Cuomo’s frantic call for action.
The number of variant cases detected so far are small in the other countries: seven in Japan and four in Spain (another three are suspicious), The New York Times reported. But officials fear travelers may have carried the variant for weeks, and many more cases may yet to be discovered.
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Authorities determined that most cases are linked to the U.K. A single case reported in Sweden on Saturday was a traveler from the U.K. who visited for the holidays, Reuters reported.
But a stricken couple in Canada had not traveled and likely caught COVID-19 from travelers, suggesting a second stage of local community spread of the new variant.
The new variant has yet to surface in the U.S., according to the CDC. But the U.S. conducts little genetic sequencing to trace strains of the coronavirus, so the “variant could already be in the United States without having been detected,” the agency said.
The variant was first detected in the U.K. in September, but health officials only recently figured out how much more easily it spreads. It doesn’t appear to be deadlier per case, but a greater number of cases could translate to a higher death toll.
Current COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective against the variant. But because the variant could suddenly trigger an alarming increase in cases, it “may be necessary to greatly accelerate vaccine rollout,” researchers warned in a study that has not yet been peer reviewed.
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“The preliminary findings are pretty convincing that more rapid vaccination is going to be a really important thing for any country that has to deal with this or similar variants,” said lead researcher Nicholas Davies, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, according to the Times.
Without a more aggressive vaccine rollout, the 2021 case and death count could exceed the 2020 toll, the study warned.
As for Trump, he slammed Democrats in a tweet Saturday for enacting restrictions recommended by health experts to stem the spread of the coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Trump Slams 'Rigged & Stolen' Election, COVID-19 Relief And More In Wild Boxing Day Rant

President Donald Trump unleashed a Twitter tirade on Saturday , lashing out at everything from the American electoral process to the Supreme Court to the Senate ’ s $ 900 billion COVID-19 relief bill that he has not yet signed .
Within the span of about an hour on Boxing Day morning , the president shot out six tweets , first harping upon his unsubstantiated theories of voter fraud and taking aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) and other Republicans for not supporting him .
Trump ’ s claim that “ Mitch & the Republicans do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and much of the rest of the GOP backed the president as he pursued lawsuits in various states to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election .
Once these lawsuits proved fruitless , many Republicans began to change their tune , but McConnell waited to publicly congratulate President-elect Joe Biden until Dec. 15 — the day after the Electoral College declared Biden ’ s victory and 42 days after the election itself .
At the time , Trump lashed out at McConnell on Twitter and wrote that the “ Republican Party must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat Presidential Candidate had an Election Rigged & Stolen , with proof of such acts at a level never seen before , the Democrat Senators would consider it an act of war , and fight to the death .
Mitch & the Republicans do NOTHING , just want to let it pass .
NO FIGHT !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 26 , 2020 Trump also turned his criticism towards the Department of Justice and the FBI for not supporting his conspiracy theories about voter fraud , and took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Durham .
Durham was appointed by former Attorney General William Barr in October as a special counsel in the Justice Department ’ s probe into the inquiry on Trump and Russia led by former President Barack Obama ’ s administration .
The president repeatedly called for the release of the so-called Durham Report prior to the Nov. 3 election on the grounds that it would reveal attempts by the Obama administration to undermine him , and seethed after it was revealed that the documents would not be released on his preferred timetable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI have done nothing about the 2020 Presidential Election Voter Fraud , the biggest SCAM in our nation ’ s history , despite overwhelming evidence .
They should be ashamed .
History will remember .
Never give up .
See everyone in D.C. on January 6th .
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 26 , 2020 Where the hell is the Durham Report ?
They spied on my campaign , colluded with Russia ( and others ) , and got caught .
Read the Horowitz Reports about Comey & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nytimes said “ bad ” .
They tried it all , and failed , so now they are trying to steal the election !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 26 , 2020 Trump condemned the Supreme Court for rejecting his bid to invalidate votes in Pennsylvania , Georgia , Michigan and Wisconsin earlier this month , arguing that the court was “ totally incompetent and weak.
” The president then pivoted to Afghanistan , claiming that “ a young military man ” had told him that “ elections in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better run than the USA ’ s 2020 Elections.
” The U.S. Supreme Court has been totally incompetent and weak on the massive Election Fraud that took place in the 2020 Presidential Election .
We have absolute PROOF , but they don ’ t want to see it - No “ standing ” , they say .
If we have corrupt elections , we have no country !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 26 , 2020 A young military man working in Afghanistan told me that elections in Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run than the USA ’ s 2020 Election .
Ours , with its millions and millions of corrupt Mail-In Ballots , was the election of a third world country .
Fake President !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 26 , 2020 Finally , Trump turned to the COVID-19 relief bill , which he has yet to sign or veto .
He claimed the holdup is due to wanting “ to get our great people $ 2000 , rather than the measly $ 600 that is now in the bill.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a Tuesday speech , Trump also took aim at additional items on the $ 1.4 trillion government spending bill that was passed with the coronavirus relief bill , calling them “ pork , ” a colloquial term for spending items that benefit a single member of Congress ’ district .
On Wednesday , Rep. Anthony Gonzalez ( R-Ohio ) blasted Trump for conflating both bills , and argued that the “ pork ” Trump was complaining about were actually things originally requested in the White House ’ s proposed 2021 budget .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sign the relief bill in order to bring immediate assistance to families who will lose unemployment insurance if the spending provisions in the bill are not signed into law .

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President Donald Trump unleashed a Twitter tirade on Saturday, lashing out at everything from the American electoral process to the Supreme Court to the Senate’s $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill that he has not yet signed.
Within the span of about an hour on Boxing Day morning, the president shot out six tweets, first harping upon his unsubstantiated theories of voter fraud and taking aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Republicans for not supporting him.
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Trump’s claim that “Mitch & the Republicans do NOTHING” ignores the fact that McConnell and much of the rest of the GOP backed the president as he pursued lawsuits in various states to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election.
Once these lawsuits proved fruitless, many Republicans began to change their tune, but McConnell waited to publicly congratulate President-elect Joe Biden until Dec. 15 — the day after the Electoral College declared Biden’s victory and 42 days after the election itself.
At the time, Trump lashed out at McConnell on Twitter and wrote that the “Republican Party must finally learn to fight.”
If a Democrat Presidential Candidate had an Election Rigged & Stolen, with proof of such acts at a level never seen before, the Democrat Senators would consider it an act of war, and fight to the death. Mitch & the Republicans do NOTHING, just want to let it pass. NO FIGHT! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
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Trump also turned his criticism towards the Department of Justice and the FBI for not supporting his conspiracy theories about voter fraud, and took a moment to specifically call out attorney John Durham.
Durham was appointed by former Attorney General William Barr in October as a special counsel in the Justice Department’s probe into the inquiry on Trump and Russia led by former President Barack Obama’s administration.
The president repeatedly called for the release of the so-called Durham Report prior to the Nov. 3 election on the grounds that it would reveal attempts by the Obama administration to undermine him, and seethed after it was revealed that the documents would not be released on his preferred timetable.
The “Justice” Department and the FBI have done nothing about the 2020 Presidential Election Voter Fraud, the biggest SCAM in our nation’s history, despite overwhelming evidence. They should be ashamed. History will remember. Never give up. See everyone in D.C. on January 6th. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
Where the hell is the Durham Report? They spied on my campaign, colluded with Russia (and others), and got caught. Read the Horowitz Reports about Comey & McCabe. Even the Fake News @nytimes said “bad”. They tried it all, and failed, so now they are trying to steal the election! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
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Trump condemned the Supreme Court for rejecting his bid to invalidate votes in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin earlier this month, arguing that the court was “totally incompetent and weak.”
The president then pivoted to Afghanistan, claiming that “a young military man” had told him that “elections in Afghanistan are far more secure and much better run than the USA’s 2020 Elections.”
(A USA Today opinion column published earlier this month compared Trump’s post-election tactics with those of Afghanistan’s current chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, who alleged widespread fraud when he lost the presidency to Ashraf Ghani in 2014.)
The U.S. Supreme Court has been totally incompetent and weak on the massive Election Fraud that took place in the 2020 Presidential Election. We have absolute PROOF, but they don’t want to see it - No “standing”, they say. If we have corrupt elections, we have no country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
A young military man working in Afghanistan told me that elections in Afghanistan are far more secure and much better run than the USA’s 2020 Election. Ours, with its millions and millions of corrupt Mail-In Ballots, was the election of a third world country. Fake President! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
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Finally, Trump turned to the COVID-19 relief bill, which he has yet to sign or veto. He claimed the holdup is due to wanting “to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill.”
Repeating arguments that he had made in a Tuesday speech, Trump also took aim at additional items on the $1.4 trillion government spending bill that was passed with the coronavirus relief bill, calling them “pork,” a colloquial term for spending items that benefit a single member of Congress’ district.
On Wednesday, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) blasted Trump for conflating both bills, and argued that the “pork” Trump was complaining about were actually things originally requested in the White House’s proposed 2021 budget.
I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill. Also, stop the billions of dollars in “pork”. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
Later on Saturday, Biden urged Trump to sign the relief bill in order to bring immediate assistance to families who will lose unemployment insurance if the spending provisions in the bill are not signed into law.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Utah Football Star Ty Jordan Dead In Apparent Accidental Shooting

“ We are deeply saddened and shocked to learn of Ty Jordan ’ s passing early this morning , and @ @ @ @ @ with those who loved him dearly , including the young men in our football program @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
“ Our priority is on supporting his family and the student athletes @ @ @ @ @ our football program who are so deeply hurting right now .
Coach Whittingham and I @ @ @ @ @ support and resources for our Utah football family in this extremely difficult time.
” Utah @ @ @ @ @ his condolences on Twitter and said Jordan had “ an amazing season as a freshman @ @

“We are deeply saddened and shocked to learn of Ty Jordan’s passing early this morning, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who loved him dearly, including the young men in our football program,” Harlan said in a statement. “Our priority is on supporting his family and the student athletes, coaches and staff in our football program who are so deeply hurting right now. Coach Whittingham and I are working closely to provide support and resources for our Utah football family in this extremely difficult time.”
Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell expressed his condolences on Twitter and said Jordan had “an amazing season as a freshman!”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Despite Smooth Election, GOP Leaders Still Seek Vote Restrictions

Republicans in key states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden already are pushing for new restrictions , especially to absentee voting .
It ’ s an option many states expanded amid the coronavirus outbreak that proved hugely popular and helped ensure one of the smoothest election days in recent years .
President Donald Trump has been unrelenting in his attacks on mail voting as he continues to challenge the legitimacy of an election he lost .
Despite a lack of evidence and dozens of losses in the courts , his claims of widespread voter fraud have gained traction with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not justify throwing out the results of the election , nor can it justify imposing additional burdens on voters that will disenfranchise many Americans , ” said Wendy Weiser , head of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law .
An estimated 108 million people voted before Election Day , either through early in-person voting or by mailing or dropping off absentee ballots .
That represented nearly 70 % of all votes cast after states took steps to make it easier to avoid crowded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes were popular with voters and did not lead to widespread fraud .
A group of election officials including representatives of the federal cybersecurity agency called the 2020 presidential election the “ most secure ” election in U.S. history , and U.S. Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press there had been no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election .
Early supporters of the ID requirement include Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , Republicans who were criticized relentlessly by Trump for failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Georgia .
A top deputy for Raffensperger has said the ID requirement would boost public confidence and refute any future claims of fraud .
Voters stand in a line as they wait to vote early , Monday , Oct. 19 , 2020 , in Athens , Ga. With record turnout expected for this year 's presidential election and fears about exposure to the coronavirus , election officials and advocacy groups have been encouraging people to vote early , either in person or by absentee ballot .
( AP Photo/John Bazemore ) In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation to address what they claim are problems with the 2020 election and mail voting in particular , even though courts and elections officials have found no evidence of widespread problems .
Republicans hold majorities in both legislative chambers , and their support was instrumental in a year-old state law that expanded mail voting to all registered voters .
One bill being discussed would go so far as to repeal that law and force voters to state an excuse to receive a ballot in the mail .
Previous elections have shown that voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party affiliation .
Republican candidates down the ballot did very well this year , even as a record 81.2 million voters cast their ballot for the Democrat in the presidential race .
In Michigan , Republicans held every congressional seat and kept control of the legislature despite Trump losing the state .
Yet Republicans still held a legislative hearing in which Trump ’ s lawyers argued there were widespread irregularities without explaining how these somehow affected only the presidential race but not other contests .
“ Just like we have seen a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearings that ended up being more political theater than policy debates , we can similarly expect legislators to further this hyper-partisan agenda to restrict the vote , ” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson , a Democrat .
Benson said lawmakers should instead look to the high turnout for the presidential election as a guide to improving what worked and then make changes sought by elections officials , such as providing more time for clerks to process mail ballots .
Michigan does not allow that work to begin until the day before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we spend in debating other issues , the less time that we have to do something good with changes to the election code , ” Schaefer said .
Democrats and voting rights groups have already begun pushing back , saying Republicans should be focused on protecting voter access to the polls and not feeding into conspiracy theories launched by Trump and his allies to undermine the Nov. 3 election .

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ATLANTA (AP) — Changes to the way millions of Americans voted this year contributed to record turnout, but that’s no guarantee the measures making it easier to cast ballots will stick around for future elections.
Republicans in key states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden already are pushing for new restrictions, especially to absentee voting. It’s an option many states expanded amid the coronavirus outbreak that proved hugely popular and helped ensure one of the smoothest election days in recent years.
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President Donald Trump has been unrelenting in his attacks on mail voting as he continues to challenge the legitimacy of an election he lost. Despite a lack of evidence and dozens of losses in the courts, his claims of widespread voter fraud have gained traction with some Republican elected officials.
The U.S. Supreme Court has been totally incompetent and weak on the massive Election Fraud that took place in the 2020 Presidential Election. We have absolute PROOF, but they don’t want to see it - No “standing”, they say. If we have corrupt elections, we have no country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
They are vowing to crack down on mail ballots and threatening to roll back other steps that have made it easier for people to vote.
“This myth could not justify throwing out the results of the election, nor can it justify imposing additional burdens on voters that will disenfranchise many Americans,” said Wendy Weiser, head of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law.
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An estimated 108 million people voted before Election Day, either through early in-person voting or by mailing or dropping off absentee ballots. That represented nearly 70% of all votes cast after states took steps to make it easier to avoid crowded polling places during the pandemic.
A few states sent ballots to every registered voter while others dropped requirements that voters needed a specific excuse to cast an absentee ballot. Many states added drop boxes and expanded early voting options.
The changes were popular with voters and did not lead to widespread fraud. A group of election officials including representatives of the federal cybersecurity agency called the 2020 presidential election the “most secure” election in U.S. history, and U.S. Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press there had been no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election.
Nevertheless, Republicans in Georgia have proposed adding a photo ID requirement when voting absentee, a ban on drop boxes, and possibly a return to requiring an excuse for mail voting, such as illness or traveling for work on Election Day.
Early supporters of the ID requirement include Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Republicans who were criticized relentlessly by Trump for failing to back his fraud claims after losing in Georgia. A top deputy for Raffensperger has said the ID requirement would boost public confidence and refute any future claims of fraud.
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The state’s two U.S. Senate runoffs next month will take place under current law, which requires local election officials to verify signatures on absentee ballots.
Voters stand in a line as they wait to vote early , Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, in Athens, Ga. With record turnout expected for this year's presidential election and fears about exposure to the coronavirus, election officials and advocacy groups have been encouraging people to vote early, either in person or by absentee ballot. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers have been writing legislation to address what they claim are problems with the 2020 election and mail voting in particular, even though courts and elections officials have found no evidence of widespread problems.
“We’d like to tighten it up as soon as we can,” said Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward.
Republicans hold majorities in both legislative chambers, and their support was instrumental in a year-old state law that expanded mail voting to all registered voters. One bill being discussed would go so far as to repeal that law and force voters to state an excuse to receive a ballot in the mail.
Previous elections have shown that voters appreciate mail voting, no matter their party affiliation. Republican candidates down the ballot did very well this year, even as a record 81.2 million voters cast their ballot for the Democrat in the presidential race.
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In Michigan, Republicans held every congressional seat and kept control of the legislature despite Trump losing the state. Yet Republicans still held a legislative hearing in which Trump’s lawyers argued there were widespread irregularities without explaining how these somehow affected only the presidential race but not other contests.
“Just like we have seen a lot of legislators making ill-advised decisions to hold hearings that ended up being more political theater than policy debates, we can similarly expect legislators to further this hyper-partisan agenda to restrict the vote,” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat.
Benson said lawmakers should instead look to the high turnout for the presidential election as a guide to improving what worked and then make changes sought by elections officials, such as providing more time for clerks to process mail ballots. Michigan does not allow that work to begin until the day before Election Day.
Lisa Schaefer, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said her organization also would like to see lawmakers focus on reducing the strain facing local election officials.
“The more time that we spend in debating other issues, the less time that we have to do something good with changes to the election code,” Schaefer said.
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Democrats and voting rights groups have already begun pushing back, saying Republicans should be focused on protecting voter access to the polls and not feeding into conspiracy theories launched by Trump and his allies to undermine the Nov. 3 election.
They say ID requirements accomplish little but have a high cost.
“It’s a solution in search of a problem,” said California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat who was recently tapped to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. “It will undoubtedly have the net effect of disenfranchising a lot of people without necessarily improving election security.”
Padilla supports sending registered voters a ballot in the mail.
Voter fraud does happen, but studies have shown it’s exceedingly rare. Numerous safeguards are built into voting systems to ensure that only eligible voters cast a ballot. Election officials say when fraud does happen, people are caught and prosecuted.
Not all Republicans are seeking to add restrictions.
In Ohio, Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his legislative priorities are to expand early voting locations, increase oversight of election vendors, add an online option for requesting absentee ballots and address confusion over drop boxes.
“Ohio’s got a good thing going, but we don’t want to rest on our laurels,” said LaRose, who would have to get his changes through a Republican-dominated legislature.
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Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said the pandemic forced the state to implement early voting, which proved popular among voters of both major parties. The Republican said he thinks it’s likely that state lawmakers will create an early voting policy for subsequent elections and has heard of no opposition to that in the GOP-controlled legislature.
“It just makes voting easier,” he said.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Notorious 'Club Kid' Killer Michael Alig Dies At 54

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Notorious “ club kid ” killer Michael Alig , who served 17 years in prison for killing his roommate over a drug debt in a case that became a book and film , has died of a suspected drug overdose six years after his release , police said .
He was 54 .
Alig ’ s death late Thursday or early Friday is being investigated as a possible drug overdose , police said .
No official cause had been determined , Aja Worthy-Davis , a spokesperson for the New York City medical examiner ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was part of a decadent 1990s party scene characterized by wild costumes and rampant drug use .
He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 1997 for killing Andre “ Angel ” Melendez .
Alig admitted that he and Robert “ Freeze ” Riggs killed Melendez , cut the body up and dumped the parts in the Hudson River .
Riggs also pleaded guilty to manslaughter .
He was released in 2010 .
The story was turned into the 2003 movie “ Party Monster , ” in which Macaulay Culkin played Alig .
Alig maintained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although he had no access to a computer and dictated tweets to a friend over the prison phone .
Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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NEW YORK (AP) — Notorious “club kid” killer Michael Alig, who served 17 years in prison for killing his roommate over a drug debt in a case that became a book and film, has died of a suspected drug overdose six years after his release, police said. He was 54.
Alig’s death late Thursday or early Friday is being investigated as a possible drug overdose, police said. No official cause had been determined, Aja Worthy-Davis, a spokesperson for the New York City medical examiner’s office, said Saturday.
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Alig was part of a decadent 1990s party scene characterized by wild costumes and rampant drug use. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 1997 for killing Andre “Angel” Melendez.
Alig admitted that he and Robert “Freeze” Riggs killed Melendez, cut the body up and dumped the parts in the Hudson River.
Riggs also pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was released in 2010.
The story was turned into the 2003 movie “Party Monster,” in which Macaulay Culkin played Alig.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--FBI Probe Home Of Possible Person Of Interest In Nashville Blast

Investigators from multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies were at a home in Antioch , in suburban Nashville , after receiving information relevant to the investigation , said FBI Special Agent Jason Pack .
Another law enforcement official , who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity , said investigators regard a person associated with the property as a person of interest in the bombing .
Earlier Saturday , investigators said at a news conference they are looking at a number of individuals who may be connected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional explosive devices- indicating no active threat to the area .
Douglas Korneski , the special agent in charge of the FBI ’ s Memphis field office , said 250 agents , analysts and FBI staff working the case are making progress in the search for the person or people responsible for planting a bomb in a recreational vehicle that exploded along a mostly deserted street .
Three people were injured .
“ It ’ s just going to take us some time , ” he said .
“ Our investigative team is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who did this and why .
The attack continued to wreak havoc on communications systems across the state .
Police emergency systems in Tennessee , Kentucky , and Alabama , as well as Nashville ’ s COVID-19 community hotline and a handful of hospital systems , remained out of service due to an AT & T central office being affected by the blast .
The building contained a telephone exchange , with network equipment in it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted .
Investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tourist scene - an area packed with honky-tonks , restaurants , and shops - as they shuffled through broken glass and damaged buildings to learn more about the explosion .
AT & T said restoration efforts are facing several challenges , which include a fire that “ reignited overnight and led to the evacuation of the building.
” This has forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power .
“ Our teams continue to work around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s explosion in Nashville , ” the company said in a Saturday statement .
“ We have two portable cell sites operating in downtown Nashville with numerous additional portable sites being deployed in the Nashville area and in the region.
” Gov .
Bill Lee asked the White House on Saturday for federal assistance due to the “ severity and magnitude ” of the explosion ’ s impact .
At least 41 buildings were damaged , and communications systems — including residential and cell phone service and 911 call centers — failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky and northern Alabama were also affected , he said .
Ray Neville , president of technology at T-Mobile , said on Twitter that service disruptions affected Louisville , Nashville , Knoxville , Birmingham and Atlanta .
“ We continue to see service interruptions in these areas following yesterday ’ s explosion .
Restoration efforts continue around the clock & we will keep you updated on progress , ” he said in a tweet Saturday .
The outages had even briefly grounded flights at the Nashville International Airport , but service was continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aviation Association has since issued a temporary flight restriction around the airport , requiring pilots to follow strict procedures until Dec. 30 .
According to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake , police officers responded on Friday to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes .
Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad .
The RV exploded shortly afterward .
Law enforcement officials have said since shortly after the explosion occurred at around 6:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They have not talked publicly about a possible target or motive .
The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation , agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said .
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives are also involved in the investigation .
The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes , such as explosives violations and acts of terrorism .
In West Virginia , a hospital system said Saturday that it was experiencing network connection issues directly related to the Nashville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which operates two hospitals , said on its Facebook page that it didn ’ t have an estimated time of restoration .


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-25--Mysterious Gingerbread Monolith Appears In San Francisco

It could have been alien elves .
There was no other immediate explanation for a 7-foot-tall gingerbread monolith that mysteriously appeared in a San Francisco park .
It ’ s not clear how edible the structure was , but witnesses reported the texture and smell of the monolith panels seemed to be the real thing — and it was decorated with frosting .
Resident Ananda Sharma told KQED public radio that he went for a run in the park early Friday and spotted what he initially thought was a “ big post ” — but as he ran closer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ structure was the latest in a series of monoliths that have appeared — and disappeared — from Utah to Romania .
The San Francisco version appears to be the first made of a Christmas treat .
Informed by KQED News about the new monolith , San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg responded : “ Wow .
Even makes a Jewish parks director smile.
” Ginsburg said there were no immediate plans to remove the monolith , and it could stay , at least for the time being .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baked , ” Ginsburg quipped like a true Californian .
“ We will leave it up until the cookie crumbles.
” “ We all deserve a little bit of magic right now , ” he said .
“ I just thought it was hilarious , ” said Raemond Bergstrom-Wood , who lives nearby .
Jeffrey Tumlin , director of transportation at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency , called the “ expertly-iced ” monolith the “ perfect act of SF 2020 defiance .
”

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It could have been alien elves. There was no other immediate explanation for a 7-foot-tall gingerbread monolith that mysteriously appeared in a San Francisco park.
It’s not clear how edible the structure was, but witnesses reported the texture and smell of the monolith panels seemed to be the real thing — and it was decorated with frosting.
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The monolith appeared early Christmas Day on a hilltop in Corona Heights Park overlooking the Castro neighborhood.
Resident Ananda Sharma told KQED public radio that he went for a run in the park early Friday and spotted what he initially thought was a “big post” — but as he ran closer, he could smell the gingerbread.
The structure was the latest in a series of monoliths that have appeared — and disappeared — from Utah to Romania. The San Francisco version appears to be the first made of a Christmas treat.
Gingerbread monolith atop Corona Heights in San Francisco this morning. And it was briefly framed by a rainbow to boot 🌈 ✨
Merry Christmas to all!!! ❤🎄💚 pic.twitter.com/9xZHxqo7hh — Lydia Laurenson ❤ 💫 (@lydialaurenson) December 25, 2020
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A mysterious gingerbread monolith appeared at corona heights park. Apparently the aliens are feeling festive. pic.twitter.com/2WsJzsQmDr — Raemond (@RaemondBW) December 25, 2020
Neighbors and city officials appeared to enjoy it.
Informed by KQED News about the new monolith, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg responded: “Wow. Even makes a Jewish parks director smile.”
Ginsburg said there were no immediate plans to remove the monolith, and it could stay, at least for the time being.
“Looks like a great spot to get baked,” Ginsburg quipped like a true Californian. “We will leave it up until the cookie crumbles.”
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“We all deserve a little bit of magic right now,” he said.
“I just thought it was hilarious,” said Raemond Bergstrom-Wood, who lives nearby.
Jeffrey Tumlin, director of transportation at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, called the “expertly-iced” monolith the “perfect act of SF 2020 defiance.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--December Sees Highest COVID-19 Death Toll In U.S. Since Pandemic Began

December marked the deadliest month in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic began , with more than 63,000 COVID-19 deaths recorded nationwide during the month so far , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
April held the previous monthly record for the highest number of COVID-19 deaths , with at least 55,000 reported .
The U.S. saw a steep incline in coronavirus cases , hospitalizations and deaths in the spring , followed by a sharp decrease over the summer .
Those numbers began to increase again in the fall and have continued to surge into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been nearly 19 million recorded COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and more than 331,000 deaths nationwide .
COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna began rolling out across the U.S. in recent weeks , marking a turning point in the pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the health and economy of the country .
Members of the White House coronavirus task force have said the hope is to have 20 million Americans vaccinated by the end of December , another 30 million in January and 100 million by March .
Still , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the next few months could continue to see record COVID-19 deaths .
“ One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis : I ’ m going to tell it to you straight , ” President-elect Joe Biden said during a news conference Tuesday .
“ I ’ m going to tell you the truth .
And here ’ s the simple truth : Our darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us , not behind us.
” “ We need to prepare ourselves , to steel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As frustrating as it is to hear , it ’ s going to take patience , persistence and determination to beat this virus .
There will be no time to waste in taking the steps we need to turn this crisis around .
”

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December marked the deadliest month in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic began, with more than 63,000 COVID-19 deaths recorded nationwide during the month so far, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
April held the previous monthly record for the highest number of COVID-19 deaths, with at least 55,000 reported. The U.S. saw a steep incline in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the spring, followed by a sharp decrease over the summer. Those numbers began to increase again in the fall and have continued to surge into the winter.
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As of Sunday, there have been nearly 19 million recorded COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and more than 331,000 deaths nationwide.
COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna began rolling out across the U.S. in recent weeks, marking a turning point in the pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the health and economy of the country.
Members of the White House coronavirus task force have said the hope is to have 20 million Americans vaccinated by the end of December, another 30 million in January and 100 million by March.
Still, public health experts and top officials have warned that the next few months could continue to see record COVID-19 deaths.
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“One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis: I’m going to tell it to you straight,” President-elect Joe Biden said during a news conference Tuesday. “I’m going to tell you the truth. And here’s the simple truth: Our darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us, not behind us.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--European Union Kicks Off COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign

ROME ( AP ) — Doctors , nurses and the elderly rolled up their sleeves across the European Union to receive the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine Sunday in a symbolic show of unity and moment of hope for a continent confronting its worst health care crisis in a century .
Even though a few countries started giving doses a day early , the coordinated rollout for the 27-nation bloc was aimed at projecting a unified message that the vaccine was safe and Europe ’ s best chance to emerge from the pandemic and the economic devastation caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers who have been battling the virus with only masks and shields to protect themselves , the vaccines represented an emotional relief as well as a public chance to urge Europe ’ s 450 million people to get the shots for their own health and that of others .
“ Today I ’ m here as a citizen , but most of all as a nurse , to represent my category and all the health workers who choose to believe in science , ” said Claudia Alivernini , 29 , who was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Spallanzani infectious disease hospital in Rome to receive the vaccine .
Within weeks , northern Lombardy became the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe and a cautionary tale of what happens when even wealthy regions find themselves unprepared for a pandemic .
Lombardy still accounts for around a third of the dead in Italy , which has the continent ’ s worst confirmed virus toll at nearly 72,000 dead .
The vaccine developed by Germany ’ s BioNTech and American drugmaker Pfizer started arriving in super-cold containers at EU hospitals on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country was only getting a fraction of the doses needed — fewer than 10,000 in the first batches — with the bigger rollout expected in January when more vaccines become available .
All those getting shots Sunday will need to come back for a second dose in three weeks .
Ursula von der Leyen , head of the European Union ’ s executive Commission , said with additional vaccines in development , the EU will have more vaccines than necessary for all Europeans in 2021 .
She indicated the bloc could share its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries in Africa .
The Czech Republic was spared the worst of the pandemic in the spring only to see its health care system near collapse in the fall .
In Prague , Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis received his shot at dawn Sunday and asserted : “ There ’ s nothing to worry about.
” Sitting next to him was World War II veteran Emilie Repikova , who also received a shot .
In France , where many question the safety of vaccines , the French government has been cautious in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not seen as forcing vaccinations on the public .
France ’ s first vaccination at a nursing home in a poor area outside of Paris on Sunday was not broadcast on live television as it was elsewhere in Europe and no government ministers attended .
“ We didn ’ t need to convince her .
She said ‘ yes , I ’ m ready for anything to avoid getting this disease , ’ ” said Dr. Samir Tine , head of geriatric services for the Sevran nursing home where France ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , a new virus variant that has been spreading rapidly around London and southern England has now been detected in France , Italy , Spain , Canada and Japan .
The new variant , which British authorities said is much more easily transmitted , has prompted many countries to restrict travel from Britain .

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ROME (AP) — Doctors, nurses and the elderly rolled up their sleeves across the European Union to receive the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine Sunday in a symbolic show of unity and moment of hope for a continent confronting its worst health care crisis in a century.
Even though a few countries started giving doses a day early, the coordinated rollout for the 27-nation bloc was aimed at projecting a unified message that the vaccine was safe and Europe’s best chance to emerge from the pandemic and the economic devastation caused by months of lockdown.
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For health care workers who have been battling the virus with only masks and shields to protect themselves, the vaccines represented an emotional relief as well as a public chance to urge Europe’s 450 million people to get the shots for their own health and that of others.
“Today I’m here as a citizen, but most of all as a nurse, to represent my category and all the health workers who choose to believe in science,” said Claudia Alivernini, 29, who was the first of five doctors and nurses at the Spallanzani infectious disease hospital in Rome to receive the vaccine.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called the vaccine — which was developed in record time — a “game-changer.”
“We know that today is not the end of the pandemic, but it is the beginning of the victory,” he said.
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Italian virus czar Domenico Arcuri said it was significant that Italy’s first doses were administered at Spallanzani, where a Chinese couple visiting from Wuhan tested positive in January and became Italy’s first confirmed cases.
Within weeks, northern Lombardy became the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe and a cautionary tale of what happens when even wealthy regions find themselves unprepared for a pandemic. Lombardy still accounts for around a third of the dead in Italy, which has the continent’s worst confirmed virus toll at nearly 72,000 dead.
“Today is a beautiful, symbolic day: All the citizens of Europe together are starting to get their vaccinations, the first ray of light after a long night,” Arcuri told reporters.
But he cautioned: “We all have to continue to be prudent, cautious and responsible. We still have a long road ahead, but finally we see a bit of light.”
The vaccine developed by Germany’s BioNTech and American drugmaker Pfizer started arriving in super-cold containers at EU hospitals on Friday from a factory in Belgium. Each country was only getting a fraction of the doses needed — fewer than 10,000 in the first batches — with the bigger rollout expected in January when more vaccines become available. All those getting shots Sunday will need to come back for a second dose in three weeks.
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Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s executive Commission, said with additional vaccines in development, the EU will have more vaccines than necessary for all Europeans in 2021. She indicated the bloc could share its extra supplies with the western Balkans and countries in Africa.
“Europe is well positioned,” she said.
In the Los Olmos nursing home in the Spanish city of Guadalajara, northeast of Madrid, 96-year-old resident Araceli Hidalgo and a caregiver were the first Spaniards to receive the vaccine.
“Let’s see if we can all behave and make this virus go away,” Hidalgo said.
The Los Olmos home suffered two confirmed COVID-19 deaths and another 11 deaths among residents with symptoms who were never tested.
“What we want is for as many people as possible to get vaccinated,” said Mónica Tapias, the 48-year-old worker at the home.
The Czech Republic was spared the worst of the pandemic in the spring only to see its health care system near collapse in the fall. In Prague, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis received his shot at dawn Sunday and asserted: “There’s nothing to worry about.” Sitting next to him was World War II veteran Emilie Repikova, who also received a shot.
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Altogether, the EU’s 27 nations have recorded at least 16 million coronavirus infections and more than 336,000 deaths — huge numbers that experts say still understate the true toll of the pandemic due to missed cases and limited testing.
The vaccination campaign should ease frustrations that were building up, especially in Germany, as Britain, Canada and the United States kicked off their inoculation programs with the same vaccine weeks earlier.
Residents of the 'Hospital zum Heiligen Geist' retirement home queue to enter the local vaccination center to be inoculated with the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19, corona virus vaccine in the northern German city of Hamburg, on December 27, 2020. MORRIS MAC MATZEN via Getty Images
As it turned out, some EU immunizations began a day early in Germany, Hungary and Slovakia. The operator of a German nursing home where dozens were vaccinated Saturday, including a 101-year-old woman, said “every day that we wait is one day too many.”
In France, where many question the safety of vaccines, the French government has been cautious in its messaging and keen to ensure that it is not seen as forcing vaccinations on the public. France’s first vaccination at a nursing home in a poor area outside of Paris on Sunday was not broadcast on live television as it was elsewhere in Europe and no government ministers attended.
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“We didn’t need to convince her. She said ‘yes, I’m ready for anything to avoid getting this disease,’” said Dr. Samir Tine, head of geriatric services for the Sevran nursing home where France’s first vaccine shot went to 78-year-old Mauricette.
“It’s an important day,” Tine said. “We are very eager to have a new weapon at our disposal and we are very eager to rediscover our normal lives.”
Among the politicians who got shots Sunday to promote a wider acceptance of vaccinations was Bulgarian Health Minister Kostadin Angelov.
“I can’t wait to see my 70-year-old father without fear that I could infect him,” Angelov said.
Meanwhile, a new virus variant that has been spreading rapidly around London and southern England has now been detected in France, Italy, Spain, Canada and Japan. The new variant, which British authorities said is much more easily transmitted, has prompted many countries to restrict travel from Britain.
Japan announced it would temporarily ban all non-resident foreigners from entering through Jan. 31 as a precaution against the U.K.’s new variant.
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Germany’s BioNTech has said it’s confident that its vaccine works against the new U.K. variant, but added that further studies are needed to be completely certain.
The European Medicines Agency on Jan. 6 will consider approving another coronavirus vaccine made by Moderna, which is already being used in the United States.
Andreas Raouna, 84, said he was honored to be among the first to get the shot in Cyprus and criticized vaccine skeptics of being “in league with a murderer.”
“If the coronavirus hits you, it’ll be the end of you,” he said.
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