upi--2020-12-10--COVID-19 leaving patients with neurological harm, even moderate cases

COVID-19 can cause a wide range of neurological complications , even in patients who are not critically ill , a new study shows .
Since the start of the pandemic , it 's become clear that infection with the coronavirus can affect organ systems throughout the body .
That includes problems affecting the brain and nervous system -- ranging from altered mental states to seizures to strokes .
In the new study , researchers found that among COVID-19 patients at their safety-net hospital , neurological complications ran the gamut .
And they were even seen in people who were more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals are obligated , by mandate or mission , to treat people regardless of their ability to pay .
So they typically have a large share of patients who are low-income , minority and either uninsured or on Medicaid .
Those Americans have also been among the hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic .
It 's unclear at this point whether Black or Hispanic Americans are at increased risk of neurologic complications , according to lead researcher Dr. Pria Anand , from Boston Medical Center .
But it 's important to document how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-income and minority patients , she said .
Anand and her colleagues studied the records of more than 900 COVID-19 patients treated at their hospital between April 15 and July 1 .
Of that group , 74 needed a neurological consult or admission .
Overall , 18 patients suffered a stroke , 15 had seizures , and 26 were diagnosed with encephalopathy -- a broad term for brain dysfunction , including confusion and delirium .
Some other patients developed nerve damage or movement problems .
They included five with myoclonus , where muscles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed signs of autoimmune encephalitis , a rare condition where the immune system attacks tissue in the spinal cord or brain , causing inflammation .
The patient improved after treatment with anti-inflammatory corticosteroids .
In general , neurological complications of COVID-19 seem to fall into a few different `` buckets , '' said Anand , who is also an assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine .
Some problems , she said , are related to an overactive immune response -- such as Guillain-Barre syndrome , where the immune system attacks the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Anand said , complications arise simply because a patient is critically ill in the hospital , and sometimes on a ventilator .
COVID-19 does affect the vascular system in some patients -- making the blood more prone to clotting , for example .
And that can be behind complications like stroke .
Finally , Anand said , it 's possible the virus itself invades the central nervous system in some patients .
That 's sometimes seen with certain other viruses , she noted -- such as herpes and cytomegalovirus .
The findings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neurology Clinical Practice , are based on patients seen earlier in the pandemic .
At this point , doctors have learned more about managing COVID-19 , in ways that can help prevent neurologic complications , said Dr. Aaron Glatt , a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America .
That includes using medications like corticosteroids and remdesivir , and drugs to prevent blood clots .
Glatt pointed out that the patients in this study were a select group -- those sick enough to require a neurological consult in the hospital .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a history of neurological conditions .
`` This is n't looking at all comers , '' noted Glatt , who was n't part of the study .
That said , he also stressed that even people with milder COVID-19 , who never enter the hospital , can have lasting neurologic symptoms .
Doctors worldwide have been reporting seeing patients with lingering fatigue and what 's been dubbed `` brain fog '' -- problems with memory , concentration and other mental skills .
`` There 's a false sense of security among younger people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to older people who end up in the hospital , '' Glatt said .
`` I 've taken care of many patients in their 30s and 40s , '' he added , `` and they were very sick . ''
Anand agreed that people should be aware that death is not the only bad outcome of COVID-19 , and people can face difficult recoveries .
In her study group , 10 patients died in the hospital .
And while most left the hospital , the majority were released to skilled nursing facilities or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Even after you leave the hospital , '' Anand said , `` there can be a long road ahead . ''
The Mayo Clinic has more on COVID 's long-term effects .

COVID-19 can cause a wide range of neurological complications, even in patients who are not critically ill, a new study shows.
Since the start of the pandemic, it's become clear that infection with the coronavirus can affect organ systems throughout the body. That includes problems affecting the brain and nervous system -- ranging from altered mental states to seizures to strokes.
Advertisement
In the new study, researchers found that among COVID-19 patients at their safety-net hospital, neurological complications ran the gamut. And they were even seen in people who were more moderately ill with the infection.
Safety-net hospitals are obligated, by mandate or mission, to treat people regardless of their ability to pay. So they typically have a large share of patients who are low-income, minority and either uninsured or on Medicaid.
Those Americans have also been among the hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advertisement
It's unclear at this point whether Black or Hispanic Americans are at increased risk of neurologic complications, according to lead researcher Dr. Pria Anand, from Boston Medical Center.
But it's important to document how the complications are showing up in hospitals serving low-income and minority patients, she said.
Anand and her colleagues studied the records of more than 900 COVID-19 patients treated at their hospital between April 15 and July 1. Of that group, 74 needed a neurological consult or admission.
Overall, 18 patients suffered a stroke, 15 had seizures, and 26 were diagnosed with encephalopathy -- a broad term for brain dysfunction, including confusion and delirium.
Some other patients developed nerve damage or movement problems. They included five with myoclonus, where muscles twitch or jerk involuntarily.
One patient showed signs of autoimmune encephalitis, a rare condition where the immune system attacks tissue in the spinal cord or brain, causing inflammation. The patient improved after treatment with anti-inflammatory corticosteroids.
In general, neurological complications of COVID-19 seem to fall into a few different "buckets," said Anand, who is also an assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine.
Some problems, she said, are related to an overactive immune response -- such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, where the immune system attacks the body's nerves.
Advertisement
In other cases, Anand said, complications arise simply because a patient is critically ill in the hospital, and sometimes on a ventilator.
COVID-19 does affect the vascular system in some patients -- making the blood more prone to clotting, for example. And that can be behind complications like stroke.
Finally, Anand said, it's possible the virus itself invades the central nervous system in some patients. That's sometimes seen with certain other viruses, she noted -- such as herpes and cytomegalovirus.
The findings, published this week in the journal Neurology Clinical Practice, are based on patients seen earlier in the pandemic.
At this point, doctors have learned more about managing COVID-19, in ways that can help prevent neurologic complications, said Dr. Aaron Glatt, a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
That includes using medications like corticosteroids and remdesivir, and drugs to prevent blood clots.
Glatt pointed out that the patients in this study were a select group -- those sick enough to require a neurological consult in the hospital. And of the 74 patients, 47 had a history of neurological conditions.
"This isn't looking at all comers," noted Glatt, who wasn't part of the study.
That said, he also stressed that even people with milder COVID-19, who never enter the hospital, can have lasting neurologic symptoms.
Advertisement
Doctors worldwide have been reporting seeing patients with lingering fatigue and what's been dubbed "brain fog" -- problems with memory, concentration and other mental skills.
"There's a false sense of security among younger people, that COVID-19 is only a risk to older people who end up in the hospital," Glatt said.
"I've taken care of many patients in their 30s and 40s," he added, "and they were very sick."
Anand agreed that people should be aware that death is not the only bad outcome of COVID-19, and people can face difficult recoveries.
In her study group, 10 patients died in the hospital. And while most left the hospital, the majority were released to skilled nursing facilities or other care to continue their recovery.
"Even after you leave the hospital," Anand said, "there can be a long road ahead."
The Mayo Clinic has more on COVID's long-term effects.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-12-10--Famous birthdays for Dec. 10: Kenneth Branagh, Raven-Symone

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius .
-- Librarian @ @ @ @ @ the Dewey decimal book classification system , in 1851

Kenneth Branagh arrives on the red carpet at the "All Is True" premiere May 5, 2019, at The Robin Williams Center in New York City. The actor/filmmaker turns 60 on December 10. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include: Advertisement
-- Abolitionist/journalist William Lloyd Garrison in 1805
-- Mathematician Ada Lovelace in 1815
-- Poet Emily Dickinson in 1830
-- Librarian Melvil Dewey, inventor of the Dewey decimal book classification system, in 1851
-- Poet Nelly Sachs in 1891
-- Novelist Clarice Lispector in 1920
-- Actor Tommy Kirk in 1941 (age 79)
-- Actor Susan Dey in 1952 (age 68)
-- Actor Michael Clarke Duncan in 1957
-- Actor/director Kenneth Branagh in 1960 (age 60)
-- Singer/actor Nia Peeples in 1961 (age 59)
-- Celebrity chef Bobby Flay in 1964 (age 56)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Musician Meg White in 1974 (age 46)
-- Actor Emmanuelle Chriqui in 1975 (age 45)
-- Actor Xavier Samuel in 1983 (age 37)
-- Actor Raven-Symone Pearman in 1985 (age 35)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI


upi--2020-12-10--ULA will try to launch spy satellite on Delta Heavy again

Somalia 's capital city , Mogadishu is seen as the International Space Station passed over the Horn of Africa on February 19 .
This historic port on the coast of the Indian Ocean is home to more than 2 million people .
The red and orange colors in the dune fields are due to natural chemical and weathering processes that left behind traces of iron in the sandy minerals .
These dunes stand in contrast to the lightly-colored , calcium carbonate-rich sands near the shore .
Photo courtesy of NASA | NASA 's Juno mission captured this look at Jupiter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's close approach to the planet on February 17. Notable features in this view are the long , thin bands that run through the center of the image from top to bottom , observed since Juno 's first close pass by Jupiter in 2016 .
The streaks are layers of haze particles that float above the underlying cloud features .
Scientists do n't yet know precisely what these hazes are made of or how they form .
NASA/UPI | This image is one of the most photogenic examples of the many turbulent stellar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed during its 30-year lifetime .
The portrait features the giant nebula NGC 2014 and its neighbor NGC 2020 , which together form part of a vast star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud , a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way , about 163,000 light-years away .
The image is nicknamed the `` Cosmic Reef '' because it resembles an undersea world .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | This Hubble image shows a globular cluster known as NGC 104 , or , more commonly , 47 Tucanae , since it is part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toucan ) in the southern sky .
Scientists using Hubble observed the white dwarfs in the cluster .
These dying stars migrate from the crowded center of the cluster to its outskirts .
While astronomers knew about this process , they had never seen it in action until the detailed study of 47 Tucanae .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | MyCn18 , a young planetary nebula located about 8,000 light-years away , was imaged with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 aboard Hubble .
This image reveals the true shape of MyCn18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern of `` etchings '' in its walls .
This picture has been composed from three separate images taken in the light of ionized nitrogen ( represented by red ) , hydrogen ( green ) , and doubly ionized oxygen ( blue ) .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | The Eagle Nebula 's Pillars of Creation , one of Hubble 's most iconic images , shows the pillars as seen in visible light , capturing the multi-colored glow of gas clouds , wispy tendrils of dark cosmic dust , and the rust-colored elephants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pillars .
With these new images comes better contrast and a clearer view for astronomers to study how the structure of the pillars is changing over time .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | The Wide Field Camera 3 ( WFC3 ) aboard Hubble snapped this image of the planetary nebula , cataloged as NGC 6302 , but more popularly called the Bug Nebula or the Butterfly Nebula , on July 27 , 2009 .
NGC 6302 lies within our Milky Way galaxy , roughly 3800 light-years away .
The `` butterfly '' stretches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is nearly half the distance from the Sun to the nearest star , Proxima Centauri .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | The NGC 4651 galaxy may look serene and peaceful as it swirls in the vast , silent emptiness of space .
It is believed that this galaxy consumed another smaller galaxy to become the beautiful spiral .
Although only a telescope like the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope , which captured this image , could give a picture this clear , NGC 4651 can also be observed with an amateur telescope .
Photo @ @ @ @

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A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket launches a classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office on Thursday night from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- United Launch Alliance on Thursday launched a spy satellite for the U.S. Department of Defense from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The company's powerful Delta IV Heavy rocket lifted off at 8:09 p.m.. its flight lighting up a partially cloudy south Florida sky. Advertisement
The launch had been delayed several times this year. On Aug. 29, controllers halted a liftoff as the countdown reached 3 seconds.
The company blamed a faulty helium pressure regulator for that abort. The mission was further delayed due to a problem with a retractable support arm at the launch site, according to ULA.
The Delta Heavy rocket is a triple-core launcher that produces a collective 2.2 million pounds of thrust. That compares to SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, the most powerful of today's rockets, with 3.4 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
The flight, called NROL-44, was the 12th launch of a Delta IV Heavy, which first was used in 2004, the company said.
The National Reconnaissance Office, the agency that oversees the launch, is part of the Defense Department. According to its mission statement, it is responsible for developing, launching and operating America's reconnaissance satellites, along with data-processing facilities.
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That data is used by the National Security Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to produce photos, maps, reports and other tools for the president, Congress, national policymakers, warfighters and others.
The Delta IV Heavy, the fourth version of the workhorse Delta rocket, was developed to launch for the reconnaissance office, U.S. Air Force Space Command and NASA. It also carried NASA's Orion capsule in a 2014 test flight and sent the Parker Solar Probe into the sun's outer atmosphere.
Out-of-this-world images from space
The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a flyaround of the orbiting lab that took place following its undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port on November 8. Photo courtesy of NASA


upi--2020-12-10--Winter reading: 10 books being adapted for film, TV

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Bridgerton , Chaos Walking , Good Morning , Midnight , Firefly Lane and other books are being adapted for film and television this winter .
New adaptations will open in theaters and debut on streaming services in December , January and February .
Some big-name stars are attached to movies and TV series based on books , plays and short stories .
Here 's a rundown : The 2016 novel by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton takes place in the competitive world of ballet .
The story follows Gigi , Bette and June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manhattan dance academy .
Netflix is adapting the book as a new series created by Michael MacLennan .
The TV version is set in Chicago and is described as being Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars .
Netflix released a trailer for the series in November that shows aspiring ballerina Neveah ( Kylie Jefferson ) arrive at the Archer School of Ballet following the death of a star pupil .
Lauren Holly and Casimere Jollette co-star .
The 1982 play by August Wilson is set in Chicago in the 1920s .
The play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blues singer Ma Rainey and explores race , art , religion and the historic exploitation of Black music artists by White producers .
Netflix is adapting the play as a new film directed by George C. Wolfe .
Viola Davis plays Rainey , known as the `` Mother of the Blues , with late actor Chadwick Boseman as the ambitious trumpeter Levee .
Netflix shared a scene from Ma Rainey 's Black Bottom this month that shows Levee ( Boseman ) boast about his talent and style to two other musicians .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 2016 book is writer Lily Brooks-Dalton 's debut novel .
The post-apocalyptic book centers on Augustine , a lonely scientist living in the Arctic , and Sullivan , an astronaut on a return flight from Jupiter .
Netflix is adapting the novel as the new film The Midnight Sky , starring George Clooney as Augustine and Felicity Jones as Sully .
Clooney said on Jimmy Kimmel Live !
this month that the movie is about `` regret '' and `` redemption . ''
Netflix released a trailer for the film in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journey to a communications antenna while accompanied by a young girl , Iris ( Caoilinn Springall ) .
The Midnight Sky will premiere Dec. 23 on Netflix .
The Bridgerton book series by Julia Quinn consists of eight novels , beginning with the 2000 book The Duke and I .
The historical romance series follows the titular Bridgertons , a family of eight siblings living in Regency London .
Netflix is adapting the series as a new show created by Chris Van Dusen and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes .
The series stars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bailey ( Anthony ) , Claudia Jessie ( Eloise ) , Florence Hunt ( Hyacinth ) , Luke Newton ( Colin ) , Ruby Stokes ( Francesca ) , Luke Thompson ( Benedict ) , Will Tilston ( Gregory ) and Julie Andrews ( Lady Whistledown ) .
Netflix shared a teaser trailer for the show in November that introduces Lady Whistledown , the mysterious author of a gossip newsletter .
Other characters are seen attending society balls and engaging in steamy hookups .
The debut play by Kemp Powers was first performed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real-life gathering between Muhammad Ali , Malcolm X , Sam Cooke and Jim Brown in February 1964 .
One Night in Miami is being adapted as a new film starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X , Eli Goree as Ali , Aldis Hodge as Brown and Leslie Odom , Jr. , as Cooke .
Powers wrote the script for the movie , which will mark Regina King 's feature film directorial debut .
One Night in Miami will be released in select theaters Dec. 25 and start streaming Jan. 15 on Amazon Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the movie in November that shows Ali , Malcolm X , Cooke and Brown discuss civil rights and Black power .
The 2008 novel is author Aravind Adiga 's first book .
The novel explores class struggles in India through the eyes of Balram Halwai , a low-born young man who becomes a successful entrepreneur .
Netflix is adapting the book as a new film directed by Ramin Bahrani and executive produced by Ava DuVernay .
Adarsh Gourav plays Balram , with Priyanka Chopra and Rajkummar Rao as Pinky Madam and Ashok , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a driver .
Netflix released a teaser trailer for the movie in October that shows Balram breaking free of his servitude .
The film will premiere in select theaters this month and start streaming Jan. 22 on Netflix .
The Chaos Walking book series by Patrick Ness consists of three novels , beginning with the 2008 book The Knife of Never Letting Go .
The sci-fi series is set in a dystopian world where men 's thoughts can be heard through the Noise , a stream of images , words and sounds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new movie written by Ness and Christopher Ford and directed by Doug Liman .
The film stars Daisy Ridley as Viola , Tom Holland as Todd , Mads Mikkelsen as Davis Prentiss and Nick Jonas as Davy Prentiss , Jr. Lionsgate shared a trailer for the movie in November that shows Viola ( Ridley ) crash land on Todd 's ( Holland ) planet , where all other women have died .
Todd is shocked to discover that Viola is silent and does not have the Noise .
The 2007 novel by John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excavation of Sutton Hoo .
The story follows Basil Brown , an archaeologist , and Edith Pretty , a widowed landowner , who discover a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon ship burial on Pretty 's property .
Netflix is adapting the book as a new film directed by Simon Stone .
The movie stars Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes as Pretty and Brown , with Lily James and Johnny Flynn as archaeologists Peggy Preston and Stuart Piggott .
Netflix released a trailer for the film this month that shows Brown ( Fiennes ) and his team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War II looms .
The movie opens in theaters Jan. 15 and will be released Jan. 29 on Netflix .
The 2009 book by Kristin Hannah follows the friendship between two women , Kate Mularkey and Tully Hart , over the course of more than 30 years .
The story begins in 1974 , when Kate and Tully first meet in eighth grade .
Netflix is adapting the novel as a new series created by Maggie Friedman .
Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke play Tully and Kate , with Ben Lawson as Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yurman as Marah .
Netflix shared a poster and a teaser trailer for the show in December that revisits moments from Tully and Kate 's long friendship .
The series premieres Feb. 3 on Netflix .
The short story by Nick Antosca was originally published in Guernica magazine in 2019 .
The supernatural horror story centers on a teacher in a small town , who discovers one of her students is harboring a dark secret .
Searchlight Pictures is adapting the short story as the new film Antlers .
Antosca co-wrote the screenplay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Cooper as director and Guillermo del Toro as producer .
Searchlight Pictures released a trailer for the movie this month featuring Keri Russell as the teacher , Julia ; Jesse Plemons as Paul , Julia 's brother and the local sheriff ; and Jeremy T. Thomas as Lucas , Julia 's troubled student .

1/3
Tom Holland plays Todd Hewitt in "Chaos Walking," a new film based on the Patrick Ness book series. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Bridgerton, Chaos Walking, Good Morning, Midnight, Firefly Lane and other books are being adapted for film and television this winter. New adaptations will open in theaters and debut on streaming services in December, January and February. Advertisement
Some big-name stars are attached to movies and TV series based on books, plays and short stories. Here's a rundown:
'Tiny Pretty Things'
The 2016 novel by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton takes place in the competitive world of ballet. The story follows Gigi, Bette and June, three students at an exclusive and cutthroat Manhattan dance academy.
Netflix is adapting the book as a new series created by Michael MacLennan. The TV version is set in Chicago and is described as being Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars.
Netflix released a trailer for the series in November that shows aspiring ballerina Neveah (Kylie Jefferson) arrive at the Archer School of Ballet following the death of a star pupil. Lauren Holly and Casimere Jollette co-star.
Advertisement
Tiny Pretty Things premieres Dec. 14 on Netflix.
'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'
The 1982 play by August Wilson is set in Chicago in the 1920s. The play centers on a fateful recording session for blues singer Ma Rainey and explores race, art, religion and the historic exploitation of Black music artists by White producers.
Netflix is adapting the play as a new film directed by George C. Wolfe. Viola Davis plays Rainey, known as the "Mother of the Blues, with late actor Chadwick Boseman as the ambitious trumpeter Levee.
Netflix shared a scene from Ma Rainey's Black Bottom this month that shows Levee (Boseman) boast about his talent and style to two other musicians. The movie marks Boseman's final film appearance.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom premieres Dec. 18 on Netflix.
'Good Morning, Midnight'
The 2016 book is writer Lily Brooks-Dalton's debut novel. The post-apocalyptic book centers on Augustine, a lonely scientist living in the Arctic, and Sullivan, an astronaut on a return flight from Jupiter.
Netflix is adapting the novel as the new film The Midnight Sky, starring George Clooney as Augustine and Felicity Jones as Sully. Clooney said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this month that the movie is about "regret" and "redemption."
Advertisement
Netflix released a trailer for the film in October that shows Augustine make a perilous journey to a communications antenna while accompanied by a young girl, Iris (Caoilinn Springall).
The Midnight Sky will premiere Dec. 23 on Netflix.
'Bridgerton'
The Bridgerton book series by Julia Quinn consists of eight novels, beginning with the 2000 book The Duke and I. The historical romance series follows the titular Bridgertons, a family of eight siblings living in Regency London.
Netflix is adapting the series as a new show created by Chris Van Dusen and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes. The series stars Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne), Jonathan Bailey (Anthony), Claudia Jessie (Eloise), Florence Hunt (Hyacinth), Luke Newton (Colin), Ruby Stokes (Francesca), Luke Thompson (Benedict), Will Tilston (Gregory) and Julie Andrews (Lady Whistledown).
Netflix shared a teaser trailer for the show in November that introduces Lady Whistledown, the mysterious author of a gossip newsletter. Other characters are seen attending society balls and engaging in steamy hookups.
Bridgerton premieres Dec. 25 on Netflix.
'One Night in Miami'
The debut play by Kemp Powers was first performed in 2013. The play imagines a real-life gathering between Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown in February 1964.
Advertisement
One Night in Miami is being adapted as a new film starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X, Eli Goree as Ali, Aldis Hodge as Brown and Leslie Odom, Jr., as Cooke. Powers wrote the script for the movie, which will mark Regina King's feature film directorial debut.
One Night in Miami will be released in select theaters Dec. 25 and start streaming Jan. 15 on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon shared a trailer for the movie in November that shows Ali, Malcolm X, Cooke and Brown discuss civil rights and Black power.
'The White Tiger'
The 2008 novel is author Aravind Adiga's first book. The novel explores class struggles in India through the eyes of Balram Halwai, a low-born young man who becomes a successful entrepreneur.
Netflix is adapting the book as a new film directed by Ramin Bahrani and executive produced by Ava DuVernay. Adarsh Gourav plays Balram, with Priyanka Chopra and Rajkummar Rao as Pinky Madam and Ashok, a wealthy couple who employ Balram as a driver.
Netflix released a teaser trailer for the movie in October that shows Balram breaking free of his servitude. The film will premiere in select theaters this month and start streaming Jan. 22 on Netflix.
Advertisement
'Chaos Walking'
The Chaos Walking book series by Patrick Ness consists of three novels, beginning with the 2008 book The Knife of Never Letting Go. The sci-fi series is set in a dystopian world where men's thoughts can be heard through the Noise, a stream of images, words and sounds.
Lionsgate is adapting the series as a new movie written by Ness and Christopher Ford and directed by Doug Liman. The film stars Daisy Ridley as Viola, Tom Holland as Todd, Mads Mikkelsen as Davis Prentiss and Nick Jonas as Davy Prentiss, Jr.
Lionsgate shared a trailer for the movie in November that shows Viola (Ridley) crash land on Todd's (Holland) planet, where all other women have died. Todd is shocked to discover that Viola is silent and does not have the Noise.
Chaos Walking opens in theaters Jan. 22.
'The Dig'
The 2007 novel by John Preston reimagines the events of the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo. The story follows Basil Brown, an archaeologist, and Edith Pretty, a widowed landowner, who discover a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon ship burial on Pretty's property.
Netflix is adapting the book as a new film directed by Simon Stone. The movie stars Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes as Pretty and Brown, with Lily James and Johnny Flynn as archaeologists Peggy Preston and Stuart Piggott.
Advertisement
Netflix released a trailer for the film this month that shows Brown (Fiennes) and his team race to unearth the ship as World War II looms. The movie opens in theaters Jan. 15 and will be released Jan. 29 on Netflix.
'Firefly Lane'
The 2009 book by Kristin Hannah follows the friendship between two women, Kate Mularkey and Tully Hart, over the course of more than 30 years. The story begins in 1974, when Kate and Tully first meet in eighth grade.
Netflix is adapting the novel as a new series created by Maggie Friedman. Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke play Tully and Kate, with Ben Lawson as Ryan, Beau Garrett as Cloud and Yael Yurman as Marah.
Netflix shared a poster and a teaser trailer for the show in December that revisits moments from Tully and Kate's long friendship. The series premieres Feb. 3 on Netflix.
'The Quiet Boy'
The short story by Nick Antosca was originally published in Guernica magazine in 2019. The supernatural horror story centers on a teacher in a small town, who discovers one of her students is harboring a dark secret.
Searchlight Pictures is adapting the short story as the new film Antlers. Antosca co-wrote the screenplay with C. Henry Chaisson and Scott Cooper, with Cooper as director and Guillermo del Toro as producer.
Advertisement
Searchlight Pictures released a trailer for the movie this month featuring Keri Russell as the teacher, Julia; Jesse Plemons as Paul, Julia's brother and the local sheriff; and Jeremy T. Thomas as Lucas, Julia's troubled student.
Antlers opens in theaters Feb. 19.


upi--2020-12-10--On This Day, Dec. 10: President Obama accepts Nobel Peace Prize

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1768 , Encyclopedia Britannica was first published .
In 1817 , Mississippi joined the United States as the 20th state .
In 1869 , the Territory of Wyoming granted women the right to vote .
In 1898 , Spain signed a treaty officially ending the Spanish-American War .
It gave Guam , Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the United States .
In 1901 , the Nobel Prizes were first awarded in Oslo , Norway , and Stockholm , Sweden .
In 1906 , U.S. President Theodore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nobel Peace Prize .
In 1936 , Britain 's King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson .
His brother succeeded to the throne as King George VI .
In 1941 , Japanese troops landed on northern Luzon in the Philippines in the early days of World War II .
In 1950 , U.S. diplomat Ralph Joseph Bunche received the Nobel Peace Prize for his peace mediation during the first Arab-Israeli war .
He was the first African American to win the award .
In 1984 , the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first planet outside the solar system -- 21 million light-years from Earth .
In 1990 , communists won a major victory in the first postwar multiparty elections in the Yugoslavian republics of Serbia and Montenegro .
In 2006 , Gen. Augusto Pinochet , the former president of Chile who seized power in a bloody 1973 coup and ruled the nation for 17 years , died at the age of 91 .
In 2009 , President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize , urging attendees to reach for the world `` as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo , represented by a portrait and an empty chair , was honored during the Nobel presentations in Oslo , Norway .
Liu was in a northeastern China prison serving an 11-year sentence for subversion and his family was forbidden from attending the ceremony .
In 2013 , Mary Barra became CEO of General Motors , the first woman to head a major automotive company .
In 2019 , a gun battle at a Jersey City , N.J. , bodega left six people dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspects .

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Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland (L) presents U.S. President Barack Obama with the Nobel Peace Prize medal and diploma during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Raadhuset Main Hall at Oslo City Hall on December 10, 2009. File Photo by Pete Souza/The White House | License Photo
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1768, Encyclopedia Britannica was first published. Advertisement
In 1817, Mississippi joined the United States as the 20th state.
In 1869, the Territory of Wyoming granted women the right to vote.
In 1898, Spain signed a treaty officially ending the Spanish-American War. It gave Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the United States.
In 1901, the Nobel Prizes were first awarded in Oslo, Norway, and Stockholm, Sweden.
In 1906, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Photo courtesy the Museum of Photography at the University of California
In 1936, Britain's King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. His brother succeeded to the throne as King George VI.
In 1941, Japanese troops landed on northern Luzon in the Philippines in the early days of World War II.
In 1950, U.S. diplomat Ralph Joseph Bunche received the Nobel Peace Prize for his peace mediation during the first Arab-Israeli war. He was the first African American to win the award.
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In 1984, the National Science Foundation reported the discovery of the first planet outside the solar system -- 21 million light-years from Earth.
In 1990, communists won a major victory in the first postwar multiparty elections in the Yugoslavian republics of Serbia and Montenegro.
In 2006, Gen. Augusto Pinochet, the former president of Chile who seized power in a bloody 1973 coup and ruled the nation for 17 years, died at the age of 91.
File Photo by Cristobal Arjona/UPI
In 2009, President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, urging attendees to reach for the world "as it ought to be."
In 2010, Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, represented by a portrait and an empty chair, was honored during the Nobel presentations in Oslo, Norway. Liu was in a northeastern China prison serving an 11-year sentence for subversion and his family was forbidden from attending the ceremony.
In 2013, Mary Barra became CEO of General Motors, the first woman to head a major automotive company.
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In 2019, a gun battle at a Jersey City, N.J., bodega left six people dead, including a police officer and two suspects.


upi--2020-12-10--Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf tests COVID-19 positive

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Wolf announced he has tested positive for the coronavirus .
The Democratic governor said in a statement Wednesday that he tested positive for the virus during a routine test a day prior .
`` I have no symptoms and am felling well , '' he said .
`` I am following CDC and Department of Health guidelines . ''
His wife , Frances Wolf , has also been tested and they are awaiting her results , he said , adding they are in quarantine at their home from where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing during the pandemic . ''
`` As this virus rages , my positive test is a reminder that no one is immune from COVID , that following all precautions as I have done is not a guarantee , but it is what we know to be vital to stopping the spread of the disease , '' he said .
Lyndsay Kensinger , the governor 's spokeswoman , told reporters that several state police troopers who are apart of Wolf 's security detail have tested positive for the virus .
She said those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of his staff , have been tested and they are awaiting results .
Pennsylvania Rep. Barry Jozwiak also announced Wednesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 .
`` I 'm focused on following the advice of my doctor and taking steps necessary to recover from this disease , '' he said in a statement , adding he is at home resting .
On Monday , another Republican lawmaker in the state , Rep. Mike Reese , announced he had contracted the virus .
The governor 's positive diagnosis on Wednesday occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , with health officials reporting more than 7,200 infections on Tuesday , which is almost half the record of 12,900 set on Friday .
Cases for months had fluctuated between a few hundred and 1,000 a day following an initial spike of about 2,000 in April .
However , cases have been escalating since about mid-September .
In total , the state has reported about 445,000 infections and 11,760 deaths .
Early this week , Wolf warned that the surge threatened to overwhelm healthcare facilities .
`` If we do n't slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the reality is that COVID-19 will overwhelm our hospitals and our healthcare workers , '' he said Monday in a press conference .
In his statement on Wednesday , he urged all Pennsylvanians to wear a mask , stay home , practice socially distancing and , `` most of all , take care of each other and stay safe . ''

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said he will continue to work from home while he recuperates from the coronavirus. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Democratic governor said in a statement Wednesday that he tested positive for the virus during a routine test a day prior. Advertisement
"I have no symptoms and am felling well," he said. "I am following CDC and Department of Health guidelines."
His wife, Frances Wolf, has also been tested and they are awaiting her results, he said, adding they are in quarantine at their home from where he will work remotely "as many are doing during the pandemic."
"As this virus rages, my positive test is a reminder that no one is immune from COVID, that following all precautions as I have done is not a guarantee, but it is what we know to be vital to stopping the spread of the disease," he said.
Lyndsay Kensinger, the governor's spokeswoman, told reporters that several state police troopers who are apart of Wolf's security detail have tested positive for the virus.
She said those who interacted with the governor, including members of his staff, have been tested and they are awaiting results.
Pennsylvania Rep. Barry Jozwiak also announced Wednesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
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"I'm focused on following the advice of my doctor and taking steps necessary to recover from this disease," he said in a statement, adding he is at home resting.
On Monday, another Republican lawmaker in the state, Rep. Mike Reese, announced he had contracted the virus.
The governor's positive diagnosis on Wednesday occurred as cases continue to climb in the state, with health officials reporting more than 7,200 infections on Tuesday, which is almost half the record of 12,900 set on Friday.
Cases for months had fluctuated between a few hundred and 1,000 a day following an initial spike of about 2,000 in April. However, cases have been escalating since about mid-September.
In total, the state has reported about 445,000 infections and 11,760 deaths.
Early this week, Wolf warned that the surge threatened to overwhelm healthcare facilities.
"If we don't slow the spread of this dangerous virus now, the reality is that COVID-19 will overwhelm our hospitals and our healthcare workers," he said Monday in a press conference.
In his statement on Wednesday, he urged all Pennsylvanians to wear a mask, stay home, practice socially distancing and, "most of all, take care of each other and stay safe."


upi--2020-12-10--CBP says 100,000 counterfeit N95 masks seized at U.S.-Mexico border

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Federal border authorities in Texas said they have seized more than 100,000 counterfeit surgical masks destined for hospital workers .
In a statement on Wednesday , U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the counterfeit 3M N95 masks were intercepted Dec. 3 at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection 's Ysleta cargo facility in El Paso while en route to an unnamed East Coast hospital .
The masks had an estimated retail price of $ 600,480 .
`` The seizure of these counterfeit surgical masks not only ensures the health and safety of our frontline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inferior personal protective equipment , it also protects the integrity of the American economy , '' said Erik P. Breitzke , acting special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations , El Paso .
ICE HSI launched Operation Stolen Promise in April with the aim to crack down on rising fraud and crime exploiting the coronavirus pandemic .
The operation , which sees federal agencies working with Pfizer , 3M , Amazon and other private sector partners , has resulted in 187 arrests , $ 28 million worth in proceeds seized , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disrupted or recovered and tens of thousands of COVID-19-related Internet domains analyzed , according to ICE data .
On Nov. 30 , ICE announced it was launching Operation Stolen Promise 2.0 to identify and prevent the production , sale and distribution of unapproved or unauthorized COVID-19 products and drugs .
`` This large seizure of counterfeit surgical masks , destined for frontline medical workers , demonstrates the great collaborative effort between CBP and HSI , '' said Ysleta Port Director Arnoldo Gomez .
`` Counterfeit surgical masks pose a great risk to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use them . ''

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Federal authorities said the masks had an estimated value of $600,480. Photo courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Federal border authorities in Texas said they have seized more than 100,000 counterfeit surgical masks destined for hospital workers. In a statement on Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the counterfeit 3M N95 masks were intercepted Dec. 3 at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Ysleta cargo facility in El Paso while en route to an unnamed East Coast hospital. Advertisement
The masks had an estimated retail price of $600,480.
"The seizure of these counterfeit surgical masks not only ensures the health and safety of our frontline healthcare workers by preventing them from receiving inferior personal protective equipment, it also protects the integrity of the American economy," said Erik P. Breitzke, acting special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, El Paso.
ICE HSI launched Operation Stolen Promise in April with the aim to crack down on rising fraud and crime exploiting the coronavirus pandemic.
The operation, which sees federal agencies working with Pfizer, 3M, Amazon and other private sector partners, has resulted in 187 arrests, $28 million worth in proceeds seized, $18.8 million worth in transactions either disrupted or recovered and tens of thousands of COVID-19-related Internet domains analyzed, according to ICE data.
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On Nov. 30, ICE announced it was launching Operation Stolen Promise 2.0 to identify and prevent the production, sale and distribution of unapproved or unauthorized COVID-19 products and drugs.
"This large seizure of counterfeit surgical masks, destined for frontline medical workers, demonstrates the great collaborative effort between CBP and HSI," said Ysleta Port Director Arnoldo Gomez. "Counterfeit surgical masks pose a great risk to our medical community and any individual who may use them."


upi--2020-12-10--Mindfulness helps young women after breast cancer, study says

Mindfulness , meditation and survivorship education can help young breast cancer survivors overcome depression and other problems , a new study indicates .
About 20 % of breast cancer cases occur in women younger than 50 , many of whom face significant struggles .
`` For women in their 30s and 40s , the experience with breast cancer and its treatments is substantially different from that of older women , '' said study author Dr. Patricia Ganz said in a university news release .
`` These women often require more aggressive therapy that can be both disruptive and disfiguring , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , putting them at an increased risk for the negative effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment .
Yet , little research has been done on strategies to reduce the depression and manage the stress of this younger population , '' said Ganz , associate director for population science research at UCLA 's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center .
The researchers developed two six-week group behavioral interventions to help reduce depression , stress , fatigue and sleep problems in younger breast cancer patients .
One program provided instruction in using mindfulness to deal with difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultivate loving kindness .
The second program focused on survivorship education and covered topics including : quality of life and medical management after breast cancer ; relationships and work-life balance ; sexual health , and physical activity .
To assess the programs , the researchers enrolled 247 women who were diagnosed at age 50 or younger with early-stage breast cancer , completed treatment between six months and five years earlier , and had at least mild depressive symptoms .
Women in the mindfulness meditation group had significant reductions in depressive symptoms immediately after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six months later .
The rate of clinical depression in the group fell from 50 % before the program to 30 % over the follow-up period .
This group also had long-lasting , significant decreases in fatigue severity , sleep disturbance and hot flashes .
Women in the survivorship education group also had significant reductions in depressive symptoms immediately after the program and three months later , but did n't have significant changes in fatigue , sleep disturbance and hot flashes .
The study was to be presented this week at the virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal .
`` Younger breast cancer survivors are in need of targeted , effective programs to help manage stress , depression , and other residual side effects of diagnosis and treatment , '' said co-author Julienne Bower , a professor of psychology and psychiatry/biobehavioral sciences at UCLA .
`` We are excited to have two new options to offer these survivors , and particularly the mindfulness program which is available online and can be accessed by women across the country , '' Bower said @ @ @ @

Mindfulness, meditation and survivorship education can help young breast cancer survivors overcome depression and other problems, a new study indicates.
About 20% of breast cancer cases occur in women younger than 50, many of whom face significant struggles.
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"For women in their 30s and 40s, the experience with breast cancer and its treatments is substantially different from that of older women," said study author Dr. Patricia Ganz said in a university news release.
"These women often require more aggressive therapy that can be both disruptive and disfiguring, which can cause high levels of distress, putting them at an increased risk for the negative effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Yet, little research has been done on strategies to reduce the depression and manage the stress of this younger population," said Ganz, associate director for population science research at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The researchers developed two six-week group behavioral interventions to help reduce depression, stress, fatigue and sleep problems in younger breast cancer patients.
One program provided instruction in using mindfulness to deal with difficult thoughts and emotions, manage pain and cultivate loving kindness.
The second program focused on survivorship education and covered topics including: quality of life and medical management after breast cancer; relationships and work-life balance; sexual health, and physical activity.
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To assess the programs, the researchers enrolled 247 women who were diagnosed at age 50 or younger with early-stage breast cancer, completed treatment between six months and five years earlier, and had at least mild depressive symptoms.
Women in the mindfulness meditation group had significant reductions in depressive symptoms immediately after the program, and at three and six months later.
The rate of clinical depression in the group fell from 50% before the program to 30% over the follow-up period.
This group also had long-lasting, significant decreases in fatigue severity, sleep disturbance and hot flashes.
Women in the survivorship education group also had significant reductions in depressive symptoms immediately after the program and three months later, but didn't have significant changes in fatigue, sleep disturbance and hot flashes.
The study was to be presented this week at the virtual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
"Younger breast cancer survivors are in need of targeted, effective programs to help manage stress, depression, and other residual side effects of diagnosis and treatment," said co-author Julienne Bower, a professor of psychology and psychiatry/biobehavioral sciences at UCLA.
"We are excited to have two new options to offer these survivors, and particularly the mindfulness program which is available online and can be accessed by women across the country," Bower said in the release.
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The American Cancer Society offers resources for breast cancer survivors.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-12-10--COVID-19 cases, deaths spike in U.S.; Azar says vaccine approval coming

Dec. 9 ( UPI ) -- As the United States added more than 200,000 COVID-19 cases and saw a spike in deaths , the Trump administration 's top health official said Wednesday that Pfizer 's vaccine should receive necessary approval within days .
Updated data from Johns Hopkins University shows there were about 215,900 new cases nationwide on Tuesday and more than 2,500 coronavirus deaths -- a spike of several hundred over Monday 's death toll .
Tuesday 's case total is the third-highest to date in the United States .
Since the start of the pandemic , there have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths nationwide , according to Johns Hopkins data .
Over the past week , the average for deaths per day is 2,200 -- a 45 % increase over the previous week , according to health news website Stat .
There are more than 104,000 patients in U.S. hospitals , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told CNN Wednesday he expects the Food and Drug Administration could approve Pfizer 's vaccine by the end of this week .
The vaccine began distribution in Britain on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccinated in just the next several weeks , '' Azar said .
`` And then we 'll just keep rolling out vaccines through January , February , March as they come off the production lines . ''
Azar said the initial focus of the rollout will be healthcare workers and nursing home patients , and that the general public should start receiving doses in February and March .
The Defense Department will give an update Wednesday on plans to distribute the vaccine .
The FDA 's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency authorization for Pfizer 's vaccine , a key step required for distribution .
The panel will consider a different vaccine candidate from Moderna next week .
Meanwhile , a study published Wednesday found that male COVID-19 patients are almost three times as likely to need intensive care and are at greater risk of death than women .
The findings , in the academic journal Nature Communications , appears to confirm anecdotal evidence that COVID-19 affects men more severely than women .
`` Gender-based socio-cultural and behavioral differences could contribute to the sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' they wrote , adding that male patients were found to be more likely to smoke , less likely to wash their hands after visiting a restroom and more likely to visit crowded areas .

A masked man walks near the Christmas tree last Friday outside at the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 9 (UPI) -- As the United States added more than 200,000 COVID-19 cases and saw a spike in deaths, the Trump administration's top health official said Wednesday that Pfizer's vaccine should receive necessary approval within days. Updated data from Johns Hopkins University shows there were about 215,900 new cases nationwide on Tuesday and more than 2,500 coronavirus deaths -- a spike of several hundred over Monday's death toll. Advertisement
Tuesday's case total is the third-highest to date in the United States. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been about 15.3 million cases and 289,370 deaths nationwide, according to Johns Hopkins data.
Over the past week, the average for deaths per day is 2,200 -- a 45% increase over the previous week, according to health news website Stat.
There are more than 104,000 patients in U.S. hospitals, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told CNN Wednesday he expects the Food and Drug Administration could approve Pfizer's vaccine by the end of this week. The vaccine began distribution in Britain on Tuesday.
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"Twenty million people should get vaccinated in just the next several weeks," Azar said. "And then we'll just keep rolling out vaccines through January, February, March as they come off the production lines."
Azar said the initial focus of the rollout will be healthcare workers and nursing home patients, and that the general public should start receiving doses in February and March.
The Defense Department will give an update Wednesday on plans to distribute the vaccine.
The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss emergency authorization for Pfizer's vaccine, a key step required for distribution. The panel will consider a different vaccine candidate from Moderna next week.
Meanwhile, a study published Wednesday found that male COVID-19 patients are almost three times as likely to need intensive care and are at greater risk of death than women.
The findings, in the academic journal Nature Communications, appears to confirm anecdotal evidence that COVID-19 affects men more severely than women.
British and South African researchers examined 3 million cases across 46 countries.
"Gender-based socio-cultural and behavioral differences could contribute to the sex difference seen in COVID-19 disease severity," they wrote, adding that male patients were found to be more likely to smoke, less likely to wash their hands after visiting a restroom and more likely to visit crowded areas.


upi--2020-12-09--U.S. sanctions CCP triad leader 'Broken Tooth' for corruption

Dec. 9 ( UPI ) -- The Trump administration on Wednesday sanctioned a member of the Chinese Communist Party it accuses of using Beijing 's multination infrastructure project to hide the expansion of and crimes committed by one of the world 's largest Chinese criminal organizations .
Wan Kuok Koi , also known by the alias `` Broken Tooth , '' was sanctioned by the Treasury on Wednesday under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act that targets perpetrators of corruption and serious human rights abuse .
The World Hongmen History and Culture Association in Cambodia , Dongmei Group in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cultural Association were also sanctioned for being under his control .
Wan , a member of the CCP 's Political Consultative Conference , is being blacklisted for engaging in corruption as a leading figure in the 14K Triad , which deals in drug and human trafficking , illegal gambling , racketeering and other criminal enterprises .
The Treasury said Wan , 65 , in 2018 established the Cambodian headquarters of the World Hongmen History and Cultural Association , a Chinese fraternal organization founded in the mid-1600s that is synonymous with the triad in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14K Triad is utilizing Broken Tooth 's World Hongmen History and Cultural Association as an effort to legitimize itself , '' the Treasury said , adding that the association has also co-opted elite figures in Malaysia and Cambodia while spreading throughout Southeast Asia and establishing a powerful business network .
This network , the Trump administration said , is involved in developing and launching crypto currencies , real estate and a security company specialized in protecting Belt and Road Initiative investments .
It added that the Dongmei Group that Wan controls is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone in Burma .
The State Department has previously aired caution about the Belt and Road project , describing it in a report published last month as `` China 's predatory development program and debt-trap diplomacy . ''
The Treasury also sanctioned prominent Liberian lawyer and senator Harry Varney Gboto-Nambi Sherman for offering bribes to judges connected to his 2010 bribery trial involving a British mining company that had hired him to obtain one of the African nation 's last remaining mining assets .
He was indicted by the Liberian government in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raimbek Matraimov of the Kyrgyz Republic was blacklisted over a customs scheme that smuggled some $ 700 million into the country .
The Treasury said Matraimov would bribe customs officials to clear expensive goods as low value to increase profits .
The sanctions freezing all property and assets of those blacklisted while barring U.S. citizens from doing business with them coincided with International Anti-Corruption Day , which has been observed annually since the U.N Convention Against Corruption in 2003 to raise awareness for anti-corruption initiatives .
`` On International Anti-Corruption Day , Treasury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who facilitate corruption at the expense over the people , '' said Deputy Treasury Secretary Justin G. Muzinich .

The Treasury on Wednesday, International Anti-Corruption Day, sanctioned several individuals and entities over committing corruption. Photo courtesy of Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The Trump administration on Wednesday sanctioned a member of the Chinese Communist Party it accuses of using Beijing's multination infrastructure project to hide the expansion of and crimes committed by one of the world's largest Chinese criminal organizations. Wan Kuok Koi, also known by the alias "Broken Tooth," was sanctioned by the Treasury on Wednesday under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act that targets perpetrators of corruption and serious human rights abuse. Advertisement
The World Hongmen History and Culture Association in Cambodia, Dongmei Group in Hong Kong and the Palau China Hung-Mun Cultural Association were also sanctioned for being under his control.
Wan, a member of the CCP's Political Consultative Conference, is being blacklisted for engaging in corruption as a leading figure in the 14K Triad, which deals in drug and human trafficking, illegal gambling, racketeering and other criminal enterprises.
The Treasury said Wan, 65, in 2018 established the Cambodian headquarters of the World Hongmen History and Cultural Association, a Chinese fraternal organization founded in the mid-1600s that is synonymous with the triad in Hong Kong and Macau.
"The 14K Triad is utilizing Broken Tooth's World Hongmen History and Cultural Association as an effort to legitimize itself," the Treasury said, adding that the association has also co-opted elite figures in Malaysia and Cambodia while spreading throughout Southeast Asia and establishing a powerful business network.
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This network, the Trump administration said, is involved in developing and launching crypto currencies, real estate and a security company specialized in protecting Belt and Road Initiative investments. It added that the Dongmei Group that Wan controls is a key investor in a special development economic zone in Burma.
The State Department has previously aired caution about the Belt and Road project, describing it in a report published last month as "China's predatory development program and debt-trap diplomacy."
The Treasury also sanctioned prominent Liberian lawyer and senator Harry Varney Gboto-Nambi Sherman for offering bribes to judges connected to his 2010 bribery trial involving a British mining company that had hired him to obtain one of the African nation's last remaining mining assets.
He was indicted by the Liberian government in 2016 but was acquitted three years later.
Raimbek Matraimov of the Kyrgyz Republic was blacklisted over a customs scheme that smuggled some $700 million into the country.
The Treasury said Matraimov would bribe customs officials to clear expensive goods as low value to increase profits.
The sanctions freezing all property and assets of those blacklisted while barring U.S. citizens from doing business with them coincided with International Anti-Corruption Day, which has been observed annually since 2003 to raise awareness for anti-corruption initiatives.
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"On International Anti-Corruption Day, Treasury remains fully committed to imposing costs on those who facilitate corruption at the expense over the people," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Justin G. Muzinich.


upi--2020-12-10--Carolina Panthers' Christian McCaffrey unlikely to play vs. Denver Broncos

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Carolina Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey , who was nearing a return from a shoulder injury , is expected to miss Sunday 's game against the Denver Broncos .
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule told reporters Thursday that McCaffrey is unlikely to suit up against the Broncos because of a new quad injury .
`` He 's rehabbing , and it remains to be seen where exactly he is with regards to that thing , '' Rhule said .
`` I 'm going to monitor it .
At this time , I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'll continue to monitor it .
`` No one knows their body better than Christian , so I 'll wait to see how the rehab goes . ''
Rhule said Wednesday that McCaffrey injured the quad last week while working out on his own during the team 's bye .
The coach said it `` tightened up '' in Wednesday 's practice .
McCaffrey did n't practice with the team Thursday , instead rehabbing at the stadium .
He will continue to do so for the remainder of the week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this weekend from a shoulder ailment that forced him to miss the last three games .
McCaffrey has appeared in only three games this season due to various injuries .
He sat out six games with a high ankle sprain that he suffered in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and missed three more because of the shoulder issue .
In his three games , McCaffrey has recorded 225 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 59 carries .
He has added 17 receptions for 149 yards and one receiving score .
Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottom of the NFC South this season .
The Panthers are scheduled to play the Broncos at 1 p.m. EST Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina .

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) was limited in Wednesday's practice and missed Thursday because of a quad injury. File Photo by Nell Redmond/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Carolina Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey, who was nearing a return from a shoulder injury, is expected to miss Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule told reporters Thursday that McCaffrey is unlikely to suit up against the Broncos because of a new quad injury. Advertisement
"He's rehabbing, and it remains to be seen where exactly he is with regards to that thing," Rhule said. "I'm going to monitor it. At this time, I do not expect him to play, but I'll continue to monitor it.
"No one knows their body better than Christian, so I'll wait to see how the rehab goes."
Rhule said Wednesday that McCaffrey injured the quad last week while working out on his own during the team's bye. The coach said it "tightened up" in Wednesday's practice.
McCaffrey didn't practice with the team Thursday, instead rehabbing at the stadium. He will continue to do so for the remainder of the week.
The 24-year-old McCaffrey was on target to return this weekend from a shoulder ailment that forced him to miss the last three games.
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McCaffrey has appeared in only three games this season due to various injuries. He sat out six games with a high ankle sprain that he suffered in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and missed three more because of the shoulder issue.
In his three games, McCaffrey has recorded 225 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 59 carries. He has added 17 receptions for 149 yards and one receiving score.
Carolina (4-8) currently sits at the bottom of the NFC South this season. The Panthers are scheduled to play the Broncos at 1 p.m. EST Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-12-10--New Hampshire House Speaker Richard Hinch dies of COVID-19

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Rep. Richard Hinch , the newly elected speaker of the New Hampshire House , died of complications from COVID-19 , the state 's attorney general announced Thursday .
He was 71 .
New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon MacDonald announced that the cause of Hinch 's death on Wednesday was COVID-19 following an autopsy by New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner Jennie Duval .
`` During this difficult time , the family has requested that their privacy continue to be respected , '' MacDonald said .
Hinch , who previously served as New Hampshire 's House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was formally elected House speaker on Dec. 2 .
New Hampshire Gov .
Chris Sununu directed all flags on public buildings and grounds to fly at half-staff in honor of Hinch who was `` a respected public servant . ''
Sununu also said Hinch 's death should serve as a reminder of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` Really just a stark reminder , unfortunately , that this virus really does n't care if you 're in a long-term care facility or if you 're an elected official , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Rep. Richard Hinch, the newly elected speaker of the New Hampshire House, died of complications from COVID-19, the state's attorney general announced Thursday. He was 71.
New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon MacDonald announced that the cause of Hinch's death on Wednesday was COVID-19 following an autopsy by New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner Jennie Duval.
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"During this difficult time, the family has requested that their privacy continue to be respected," MacDonald said.
Hinch, who previously served as New Hampshire's House Republican leader from 2015 to 2020, was formally elected House speaker on Dec. 2.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu directed all flags on public buildings and grounds to fly at half-staff in honor of Hinch who was "a respected public servant."
Sununu also said Hinch's death should serve as a reminder of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Really just a stark reminder, unfortunately, that this virus really doesn't care if you're in a long-term care facility or if you're an elected official," he said. "No one is immune."


upi--2020-12-10--Boston College first school to forgo bowl game in 2020 season

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Boston College on Thursday became the first bowl-eligible team to announce it will not play in the postseason this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Boston College athletic director Pat Kraft and head football coach Jeff Hafley said the decision was made as a team .
Kraft and Hafley pointed to the sacrifices that players had to make throughout the season during the pandemic , saying they wanted student-athletes `` to focus on finishing up the semester strong . ''
In addition , there were no guarantees that the bowl game Boston College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would happen as scheduled .
`` Our student-athletes have sacrificed so much since June to even make this season possible for BC and our fans and now it is time for them to focus on finishing up the semester strong and going home to spend time with their families and loved ones , '' Kraft said in a statement .
`` Very few teams in the country handled playing in a pandemic better than our student-athletes have and I thank them for all of their hard work and sacrifice to make it through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to conclude its season , we have the utmost respect for our ACC bowl partners and we look forward to participating in the postseason again in 2021 . ''
Since students returned to campus at the end of June , Boston College has administered more than 9,000 coronavirus tests .
The school has reported only one positive within the football program in that span .
The Eagles end their season with a 6-5 record .
Boston College 's five ACC wins are its most since 2009 .

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Boston College on Thursday became the first bowl-eligible team to announce it will not play in the postseason this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boston College athletic director Pat Kraft and head football coach Jeff Hafley said the decision was made as a team. Kraft and Hafley pointed to the sacrifices that players had to make throughout the season during the pandemic, saying they wanted student-athletes "to focus on finishing up the semester strong."
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In addition, there were no guarantees that the bowl game Boston College would have been chosen to play in would happen as scheduled.
"Our student-athletes have sacrificed so much since June to even make this season possible for BC and our fans and now it is time for them to focus on finishing up the semester strong and going home to spend time with their families and loved ones," Kraft said in a statement.
"Very few teams in the country handled playing in a pandemic better than our student-athletes have and I thank them for all of their hard work and sacrifice to make it through the season. While the team has decided to conclude its season, we have the utmost respect for our ACC bowl partners and we look forward to participating in the postseason again in 2021."
Advertisement Breaking News: BC Football Concludes 2020 Football Season; 6-5 Eagles decide to opt out of a bowl gamehttps://t.co/X1Bu57eAkm pic.twitter.com/63bCdfKNzc— BC Football (@BCFootball) December 10, 2020
Since students returned to campus at the end of June, Boston College has administered more than 9,000 coronavirus tests. The school has reported only one positive within the football program in that span.
The Eagles end their season with a 6-5 record. Boston College's five ACC wins are its most since 2009.


upi--2020-12-10--U.S. government executes Brandon Bernard for Texas slayings

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. government on Thursday executed a man convicted of killing a Texas couple two decades ago -- the second such execution of the lame-duck presidency of Donald Trump .
Brandon Bernard , 40 , was given the lethal injection just before 9 p.m. at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute , Ind.
, for the 1999 deaths of Todd and Stacie Bagley , married youth ministers .
His was the 9th execution carried out by the federal government and 16th overall in the United States this year .
Robert Owen , Bernard 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones were `` full of righteous anger and deep sadness . ''
`` Many things went wrong to put Brandon on death row , including egregious government misconduct in concealing evidence and misleading the jury , which the courts refused to remedy , '' he said .
`` Before Brandon 's execution , five of the jurors who sentenced him to death said they no longer stood by that verdict .
They joined the lead appellate prosecutor on Brandon 's case in urging President Trump to commute his death sentence to life without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the Supreme Court denied Bernard 's application for a stay of execution .
His attorneys sought to appeal his case based on allegations that prosecutors withheld evidence they said may have spared their client the death penalty .
The defense team asked the Supreme Court for a 14-day delay so new attorneys added to the team Thursday -- Alan Dershowitz and former U.S .
Solicitor General Ken Starr -- could have time to review the case .
Defense attorneys said they discovered evidence showing their client had a lesser role in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings .
They argue that knowledge `` almost certainly '' would have persuaded at least one juror to vote for life in prison over the death penalty .
Bernard 's lawyers accuse the government of withholding the evidence , which they say was found while reviewing court documents for the resentencing of one of Bernard 's co-defendants , showing the information was in the government 's possession .
Bernard and accomplice Christopher Vialva were sentenced to death in 2000 for the murders .
Prosecutors argued at trial that the Bagleys gave Vialva and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ride before the men held them at gunpoint and locked them in the trunk of their vehicle .
They also stole the couple 's money and a wedding ring .
Bernard 's attorneys said he was not with those three accomplices when they kidnapped the Bagleys , but was called to join later in his own vehicle .
The four then drove the Bagleys and the two vehicles to Fort Hood Army base , where prosecutors said Vialva shot the couple in the head and set the car on fire .
Todd Bagley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a gunshot wound , died of smoke inhalation , federal prosecutors said .
Defense lawyers said Bernard believed he was called to help dispose of the Bagleys ' vehicle and let them go free .
Police arrested the four men after their vehicle slid off the road into a ditch near the Bagleys ' burning vehicle .
Because the murders took place on a military reservation , they were considered federal offenses .
Vialva was executed for his role in September .
Earlier this month , dozens of people -- including jurors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clemency petition asking Trump to commute his death sentence .
The petition asked Trump to consider that Bernard was just 18 at the time of the crime , had a clean prison record , showed remorse and conducted outreach work while incarcerated .
They ask for his death sentence to be commuted to life in prison .
U.S. Attorney General William Barr resumed federal executions in July after a 17-year hiatus .
Daniel Lewis Lee , Wesley Purkey and Dustin Honken were executed in July ; Lezmond Mitchell and Keith Dwayne Nelson in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September ; and Orlando Hall in November .
Hall 's execution was the first to be carried out during a lame-duck presidency since President Grover Cleveland 's administration in 1880 , according to the Death Penalty Information Center .
Some critics , including Democrats in Congress , have called for the Trump administration to halt the executions scheduled for the remainder of his term and leave them for President-elect Joe Biden 's administration to handle .
`` These executions are a further illustration of how deviant and dangerously out of touch this government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of this execution spree , '' DPIC Executive Director Robert Dunham told UPI in November .
`` No lame-duck president has attempted to carry out an execution in more than a century .
And to cavalierly do so , as infections from a virus that has killed a quarter-million Americans are exploding across the country , exhibits a pathological lack of concern for public health and safety . ''

Demonstrators with the group Death Penalty Action participate in a protest Thursday against the death penalty at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where the group is calling on ending the death penalty and asking President Trump to stop the five death penalty executions scheduled before he leaves office. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. government on Thursday executed a man convicted of killing a Texas couple two decades ago -- the second such execution of the lame-duck presidency of Donald Trump. Brandon Bernard, 40, was given the lethal injection just before 9 p.m. at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., for the 1999 deaths of Todd and Stacie Bagley, married youth ministers. His was the 9th execution carried out by the federal government and 16th overall in the United States this year. Advertisement
Robert Owen, Bernard's attorney, said his client's loved ones were "full of righteous anger and deep sadness."
"Many things went wrong to put Brandon on death row, including egregious government misconduct in concealing evidence and misleading the jury, which the courts refused to remedy," he said. "Before Brandon's execution, five of the jurors who sentenced him to death said they no longer stood by that verdict. They joined the lead appellate prosecutor on Brandon's case in urging President Trump to commute his death sentence to life without parole."
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"Brandon's execution is a stain on America's criminal justice system."
The execution came shortly after the Supreme Court denied Bernard's application for a stay of execution. His attorneys sought to appeal his case based on allegations that prosecutors withheld evidence they said may have spared their client the death penalty.
The defense team asked the Supreme Court for a 14-day delay so new attorneys added to the team Thursday -- Alan Dershowitz and former U.S. Solicitor General Ken Starr -- could have time to review the case.
Defense attorneys said they discovered evidence showing their client had a lesser role in the crime and the gang that perpetrated the killings. They argue that knowledge "almost certainly" would have persuaded at least one juror to vote for life in prison over the death penalty.
Bernard's lawyers accuse the government of withholding the evidence, which they say was found while reviewing court documents for the resentencing of one of Bernard's co-defendants, showing the information was in the government's possession.
Bernard and accomplice Christopher Vialva were sentenced to death in 2000 for the murders.
Prosecutors argued at trial that the Bagleys gave Vialva and two other accomplices in the case a ride before the men held them at gunpoint and locked them in the trunk of their vehicle. They also stole the couple's money and a wedding ring.
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Bernard's attorneys said he was not with those three accomplices when they kidnapped the Bagleys, but was called to join later in his own vehicle. The four then drove the Bagleys and the two vehicles to Fort Hood Army base, where prosecutors said Vialva shot the couple in the head and set the car on fire.
Todd Bagley died instantly but Stacie Bagley, unconscious from a gunshot wound, died of smoke inhalation, federal prosecutors said.
Defense lawyers said Bernard believed he was called to help dispose of the Bagleys' vehicle and let them go free. Police arrested the four men after their vehicle slid off the road into a ditch near the Bagleys' burning vehicle.
Because the murders took place on a military reservation, they were considered federal offenses.
Vialva was executed for his role in September.
Earlier this month, dozens of people -- including jurors from Bernard's trial -- signed a clemency petition asking Trump to commute his death sentence. The petition asked Trump to consider that Bernard was just 18 at the time of the crime, had a clean prison record, showed remorse and conducted outreach work while incarcerated. They ask for his death sentence to be commuted to life in prison.
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U.S. Attorney General William Barr resumed federal executions in July after a 17-year hiatus. Daniel Lewis Lee, Wesley Purkey and Dustin Honken were executed in July; Lezmond Mitchell and Keith Dwayne Nelson in August; William LeCroy and Vialva in September; and Orlando Hall in November.
Hall's execution was the first to be carried out during a lame-duck presidency since President Grover Cleveland's administration in 1880, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Some critics, including Democrats in Congress, have called for the Trump administration to halt the executions scheduled for the remainder of his term and leave them for President-elect Joe Biden's administration to handle.
"These executions are a further illustration of how deviant and dangerously out of touch this government's conduct has been during the entire course of this execution spree," DPIC Executive Director Robert Dunham told UPI in November.
"No lame-duck president has attempted to carry out an execution in more than a century. And to cavalierly do so, as infections from a virus that has killed a quarter-million Americans are exploding across the country, exhibits a pathological lack of concern for public health and safety."


upi--2020-12-10--Disney to release 20 Marvel, 'Star Wars' series on Disney+ in coming years

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Disney on Thursday announced plans to launch a combined 20 Marvel and Star Wars series on its Disney+ streaming service .
The chairman of media and entertainment distribution for Disney , Kareem Daniel , announced that the company will launch `` roughly '' 10 Marvel series , 10 Star Wars series and 15 live-action , animation and Pixar series on Disney+ in the coming years during a Disney Investor Day live stream .
Additionally , 15 new live-action , animation and Pixar features will be released directly on Disney+ .
`` With these Disney+ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ library titles , we will be adding something new to the service every week , '' Daniel said .
Disney also announced it will raise the price for a monthly subscription for Disney+ by $ 1 to $ 7.99 per month beginning on March 26 , 2021 .
The price of a yearly subscription will rise to $ 79.99 and the Disney Bundle -- including Disney+ , Hulu and ESPN+ -- will rise to $ 13.99 .
Among the projects announced Thursday were two Mandalorian spinoffs -- Rangers of the New Republic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his role from Rogue One as Cassian Andor in the series Andor , Hayden Christensen will play the role of Darth Vader in the upcoming series based on Obi-Wan Kenobi and the service will feature a series based on Lando Calrissian .
On the Marvel side , Disney announced that the Fantastic 4 will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe .
Additionally , the company announced it would not re-cast the role of Black Panther following actor Chadwick Boseman 's death earlier this year .
Disney also provided trailers for the Captain America spinoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Thor spinoff Loki .

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Disney on Thursday announced plans to launch a combined 20 Marvel and Star Wars series on its Disney+ streaming service.
The chairman of media and entertainment distribution for Disney, Kareem Daniel, announced that the company will launch "roughly" 10 Marvel series, 10 Star Wars series and 15 live-action, animation and Pixar series on Disney+ in the coming years during a Disney Investor Day live stream.
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Additionally, 15 new live-action, animation and Pixar features will be released directly on Disney+.
"With these Disney+ originals, along with theatrical releases and library titles, we will be adding something new to the service every week," Daniel said.
Disney also announced it will raise the price for a monthly subscription for Disney+ by $1 to $7.99 per month beginning on March 26, 2021. The price of a yearly subscription will rise to $79.99 and the Disney Bundle -- including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ -- will rise to $13.99.
Among the projects announced Thursday were two Mandalorian spinoffs -- Rangers of the New Republic and Ahsoka.
Diego Luna will also reprise his role from Rogue One as Cassian Andor in the series Andor, Hayden Christensen will play the role of Darth Vader in the upcoming series based on Obi-Wan Kenobi and the service will feature a series based on Lando Calrissian.
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On the Marvel side, Disney announced that the Fantastic 4 will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Additionally, the company announced it would not re-cast the role of Black Panther following actor Chadwick Boseman's death earlier this year.
Disney also provided trailers for the Captain America spinoff series Falcon & The Winter Soldier and the Thor spinoff Loki.


upi--2020-12-10--ULA launches spy satellite on Delta Heavy


upi--2020-12-10--Cross-country storm to deliver another wintry blow to central U.S.

A storm already triggering much-needed rain and mountain snow over extremely parched parts of the Southwest will move along a 2,500-mile-long stretch of the United States and Canada .
And while it is n't expected to become a powerhouse storm , the system will have far-reaching effects across the Rockies , portions of the Plains , Midwest and eastern Canada , as it unleashes accumulating snow and causes difficult travel along its long track .
The heaviest snowfall from the storm is predicted in parts of Ontario and Quebec on Saturday and Sunday .
And even though the storm is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its path totally for the United States on Friday and Saturday , enough snow to shovel , plow and make roads slippery is anticipated from Colorado to parts of Kansas , Nebraska , Iowa , Missouri , Illinois , Wisconsin and Michigan .
Forecasters said that motorists should expect delays due to slippery roads along stretches of Interstate 25 , I-29 , I-35 , I-70 , I-75 , I-80 , I-88 , I-90 and I-94 .
Snow will spread northward over much of Colorado during Thursday night and continue into Friday .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be a dramatic weather roller coaster this week .
The high reached an `` amazing '' 68 F on Wednesday -- only three degrees shy of the daily record high of 71 set way back in 1957 , according to the National Weather Service , but the high will only reach in the upper 20s with snow falling on Friday .
An AccuWeather Local StormMax & trade snowfall of 14 inches is forecast for the high country over parts of the Colorado Rockies and San Juan Mountains farther to the south .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely to bring rain at the onset from the central Plains to the Great Lakes region on Friday and Friday night .
However , precipitation will switch over to snow as colder air invades the storm as it moves along to the northeast Friday night into Saturday .
People out running errands or shopping on Saturday should be aware of changing weather conditions even though the day may start mild and wet from eastern Iowa and northern Illinois to southern Wisconsin .
Cities that will pick up enough snow to make roads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Topeka , Kan. , Kansas City , Mo.
, Chicago and Lansing , Mich. A few inches of snow are forecast for Denver , Des Moines , Iowa , Omaha , Neb .
and Madison , Wis. '' A gradation of snow accumulation is likely in the Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas with snowfall increasing away from the relatively warm shores of Lake Michigan , where both downtown areas reside , '' AccuWeather senior meteorologist Joe Lundberg said .
The distant northwestern suburbs of Chicago and the southwestern suburbs of Milwaukee are likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Road conditions may deteriorate and turn slippery as the afternoon and evening hours of Saturday progress around Chicago , '' Lundberg said .
Even though the downtown area of Chicago is forecast to receive about an inch of snow , a southeastward shift in the storm track by as little as 25 miles could put the stripe of 3- to 6-inch snowfall right in the city , instead of across the distant northern and western suburbs .
Chicago 's O'Hare Airport has n't picked up an inch of snow or greater since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 17 .
Only 0.7 of an inch has fallen at the official reporting site for the city since autumn began , and it occurred just a couple of days prior to Thanksgiving on Nov. 24 .
Since the official start of fall , Chicago has observed only about a quarter of the snowfall it typically gets to date .
Rockford , Ill. , as well as Muskegon , Mount Pleasant and Traverse City , Mich. , are in line to get a thumping of hefty snow from the storm .
Detroit is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all from the storm , but the heaviest snowfall of 6-12 inches is expected across areas farther to the north across the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan .
Even without this storm , Detroit is well ahead of seasonal snowfall , when compared to Chicago , with 6 inches thus far .
A few locations in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan may also pick up the AccuWeather Local StormMax & trade of 18 inches .
Across the border in Canada , places like Sudbury , Ontario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inches of snow , with an AccuWeather Local StormMax & trade of 18 inches anticipated over the central parts of Ontario and Quebec , according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson .
But , a different form of wintry precipitation will cause trouble in other areas farther to the south , where temperature profiles in the atmosphere will be a bit more complicated .
Cold air may linger at the surface as mild air rides up and over a zone across southern Canada .
`` We also expect a narrow zone of freezing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centered on part of the St. Lawrence Valley , including the Montreal area , '' AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick said .
Closer toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence , heavy snow is in store for some of the Eastern Townships of Quebec , northern New Brunswick and even northern Maine .
On the storm 's warm side , over the Southern and Eastern states , showers are in the offing for at least part of the weekend .
However , that may not be the most problematic weather factor for motorists and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lower visibility as warm and moist air flows over the chilled ground in Detroit , Pittsburgh , New York City , Boston , Philadelphia , Atlanta and Charlotte , N.C .
In the wake of this big storm , another sneaky storm is forecast to drop snow from Colorado to parts of Oklahoma later this weekend .
However , the punches from Old Man Winter may not stop there as AccuWeather meteorologists are also watching a potential snowstorm for the interior mid-Atlantic and New England states during next Wednesday to Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the major cities of Washington , D.C. , Baltimore , Philadelphia and New York City .

The system is expected to have far-reaching effects across the Rockies, portions of the Plains, Midwest and eastern Canada, as it unleashes accumulating snow and causes difficult travel along its long track. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
A storm already triggering much-needed rain and mountain snow over extremely parched parts of the Southwest will move along a 2,500-mile-long stretch of the United States and Canada. And while it isn't expected to become a powerhouse storm, the system will have far-reaching effects across the Rockies, portions of the Plains, Midwest and eastern Canada, as it unleashes accumulating snow and causes difficult travel along its long track. Advertisement
The heaviest snowfall from the storm is predicted in parts of Ontario and Quebec on Saturday and Sunday. And even though the storm is not expected to shut down travel along its path totally for the United States on Friday and Saturday, enough snow to shovel, plow and make roads slippery is anticipated from Colorado to parts of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Forecasters said that motorists should expect delays due to slippery roads along stretches of Interstate 25, I-29, I-35, I-70, I-75, I-80, I-88, I-90 and I-94.
Advertisement
Snow will spread northward over much of Colorado during Thursday night and continue into Friday. For some areas in this zone, it will be a dramatic weather roller coaster this week. The high reached an "amazing" 68 F on Wednesday -- only three degrees shy of the daily record high of 71 set way back in 1957, according to the National Weather Service, but the high will only reach in the upper 20s with snow falling on Friday.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax&trade snowfall of 14 inches is forecast for the high country over parts of the Colorado Rockies and San Juan Mountains farther to the south.
Farther to the east, the storm is likely to bring rain at the onset from the central Plains to the Great Lakes region on Friday and Friday night. However, precipitation will switch over to snow as colder air invades the storm as it moves along to the northeast Friday night into Saturday.
People out running errands or shopping on Saturday should be aware of changing weather conditions even though the day may start mild and wet from eastern Iowa and northern Illinois to southern Wisconsin.
Advertisement
Cities that will pick up enough snow to make roads slippery include Colorado Springs, Colo., Topeka, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., Chicago and Lansing, Mich.
A few inches of snow are forecast for Denver, Des Moines, Iowa, Omaha, Neb. and Madison, Wis.
"A gradation of snow accumulation is likely in the Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas with snowfall increasing away from the relatively warm shores of Lake Michigan, where both downtown areas reside," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Joe Lundberg said.
The distant northwestern suburbs of Chicago and the southwestern suburbs of Milwaukee are likely to receive several inches of snow.
"Road conditions may deteriorate and turn slippery as the afternoon and evening hours of Saturday progress around Chicago," Lundberg said.
Even though the downtown area of Chicago is forecast to receive about an inch of snow, a southeastward shift in the storm track by as little as 25 miles could put the stripe of 3- to 6-inch snowfall right in the city, instead of across the distant northern and western suburbs.
Chicago's O'Hare Airport hasn't picked up an inch of snow or greater since 3 inches of snow fell back on April 17. Only 0.7 of an inch has fallen at the official reporting site for the city since autumn began, and it occurred just a couple of days prior to Thanksgiving on Nov. 24. Since the official start of fall, Chicago has observed only about a quarter of the snowfall it typically gets to date.
Advertisement
Rockford, Ill., as well as Muskegon, Mount Pleasant and Traverse City, Mich., are in line to get a thumping of hefty snow from the storm.
Detroit is not forecast to receive much snow at all from the storm, but the heaviest snowfall of 6-12 inches is expected across areas farther to the north across the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Even without this storm, Detroit is well ahead of seasonal snowfall, when compared to Chicago, with 6 inches thus far.
A few locations in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan may also pick up the AccuWeather Local StormMax&trade of 18 inches.
Across the border in Canada, places like Sudbury, Ontario, could also be buried under 6-12 inches of snow, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax&trade of 18 inches anticipated over the central parts of Ontario and Quebec, according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson.
But, a different form of wintry precipitation will cause trouble in other areas farther to the south, where temperature profiles in the atmosphere will be a bit more complicated. Cold air may linger at the surface as mild air rides up and over a zone across southern Canada.
Advertisement
"We also expect a narrow zone of freezing rain or an icy mix to be centered on part of the St. Lawrence Valley, including the Montreal area," AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick said.
Closer toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence, heavy snow is in store for some of the Eastern Townships of Quebec, northern New Brunswick and even northern Maine.
On the storm's warm side, over the Southern and Eastern states, showers are in the offing for at least part of the weekend. However, that may not be the most problematic weather factor for motorists and airline passengers. Patchy fog may develop and lower visibility as warm and moist air flows over the chilled ground in Detroit, Pittsburgh, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C.
In the wake of this big storm, another sneaky storm is forecast to drop snow from Colorado to parts of Oklahoma later this weekend. However, the punches from Old Man Winter may not stop there as AccuWeather meteorologists are also watching a potential snowstorm for the interior mid-Atlantic and New England states during next Wednesday to Thursday. The rain/snow line could be very close to the major cities of Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City.


upi--2020-12-10--Two still missing after collapse at shuttered Ohio power plant

Dec. 10 ( UPI ) -- Two members of a demolition crew were missing Thursday after a collapse at a @ @ @ @ @ .
Following the collapse of the Killen Generating Station in Adams County on Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ to hospitals and two were unaccounted for .
The cause of the collapse was not @ @ @ @ @ was ongoing .
The Killen Generating Station closed in 2018 and demolition began earlier this @ @ @ @ @ was hired to complete the work at Killen in December 2019 .
Federal records show @ @ @ @ @ Administration fined the company in 2016 for four workplace violations at another closed Ohio power @ @ @ @ @ the company also faced a wrongful death lawsuit for a 2015 incident at the Muskingum @ @ @ @ @ , Ohio , that resulted in the death of its CEO , John Adamo Jr @

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Two members of a demolition crew were missing Thursday after a collapse at a shuttered power plant in Ohio.
Following the collapse of the Killen Generating Station in Adams County on Wednesday, authorities said three were transported to hospitals and two were unaccounted for.
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The cause of the collapse was not immediately clear and an investigation was ongoing.
The Killen Generating Station closed in 2018 and demolition began earlier this year.
Demolition company Adamo was hired to complete the work at Killen in December 2019.
Federal records show the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the company in 2016 for four workplace violations at another closed Ohio power plant.
In 2015, the company also faced a wrongful death lawsuit for a 2015 incident at the Muskingum River Power Plant in Beverly, Ohio, that resulted in the death of its CEO, John Adamo Jr.