upi--2020-12-12--Japan, South Korea hit record new COVID-19 cases

Dec. 12 ( UPI ) -- Japan hit its highest number of daily COVID-19 cases Saturday , topping 3,000 new infections , health officials said .
The country recorded 3,041 new cases and 28 deaths , marking the first time the Japan has topped 3,000 daily cases , according to health authorities .
In Tokyo , health authorities reported a record 621 cases .
Of the new cases , 181 were among people in their 20s , followed by 119 cases among those in their 30s , 89 cases among people in their 40s , and 77 cases among people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Welfare Bureau .
Tokyo Gov .
Yuriko Koike said testing has increased and the government plans to focus on measures to keep elderly from falling ill .
Restaurants , bars and other nightlife establishments that serve alcohol have been asked to shorten their business hours and close by 10 p.m. Koike said the city is considering whether to extend the request to shorten their business hours with a deadline set to expire on Thursday .
A local owner of a shop for restaurant supplies , Miki Shigeru , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hitting the business hard since the year-end period is usually the busiest .
Sales are down 30 % at the business this year .
Since the pandemic began , the country has reported 178,207 cases and 2,462 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University 's global tracker .
South Korea also hit its highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day on Saturday , Yonhap News Agency reported .
The country reported 950 new cases and six new deaths , according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths to 578 .
The previous record for highest daily number of cases in South Korea was 909 on Feb. 29 .
Mexico , meanwhile , approved emergency use for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Friday .
Six countries have so far cleared the vaccine , including Britain , Bahrain , Canada , the United States and Saudi Arabia .
Mexico has reported over 1.2 million cases and over 113,000 deaths , the fourth-highest number deaths of any country worldwide , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
The United States has the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide at over 15.8 million cases and over 295,000 deaths .
Worldwide , COVID-19 has infected over 71.2 million people and killed over 1.5 million people .

Pedestrians wearing protective masks walk past a Christmas market in Tokyo. Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA-EFE
Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Japan hit its highest number of daily COVID-19 cases Saturday, topping 3,000 new infections, health officials said. The country recorded 3,041 new cases and 28 deaths, marking the first time the Japan has topped 3,000 daily cases, according to health authorities. Advertisement
In Tokyo, health authorities reported a record 621 cases. Of the new cases, 181 were among people in their 20s, followed by 119 cases among those in their 30s, 89 cases among people in their 40s, and 77 cases among people 65 or older, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Welfare Bureau.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said testing has increased and the government plans to focus on measures to keep elderly from falling ill.
Restaurants, bars and other nightlife establishments that serve alcohol have been asked to shorten their business hours and close by 10 p.m. Koike said the city is considering whether to extend the request to shorten their business hours with a deadline set to expire on Thursday.
A local owner of a shop for restaurant supplies, Miki Shigeru, told NHK the request for shorter business hours is hitting the business hard since the year-end period is usually the busiest. Sales are down 30% at the business this year.
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Since the pandemic began, the country has reported 178,207 cases and 2,462 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University's global tracker.
South Korea also hit its highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day on Saturday, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The country reported 950 new cases and six new deaths, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, bringing total cases to 41,736 and total deaths to 578.
The previous record for highest daily number of cases in South Korea was 909 on Feb. 29.
Mexico, meanwhile, approved emergency use for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Friday. Six countries have so far cleared the vaccine, including Britain, Bahrain, Canada, the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Mexico has reported over 1.2 million cases and over 113,000 deaths, the fourth-highest number deaths of any country worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
The United States has the most cases and most deaths of any country worldwide at over 15.8 million cases and over 295,000 deaths.
Worldwide, COVID-19 has infected over 71.2 million people and killed over 1.5 million people.


upi--2020-12-12--'Doctor Who,' 'Crown' alum Matt Smith joins 'Game of Thrones' prequel

Dec. 12 ( UPI ) -- Doctor Who and The Crown actor Matt Smith has joined the cast of the @ @ @ @ @ House of the Dragon .
HBO said Friday that Smith will play Prince Daemon Targaryen @ @ @ @ @ of King Viserys and heir to the throne , Daemon is a peerless warrior and @ @ @ @ @ true blood of the dragon .
But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is @ @ @ @ @ a coin in the air , '' the cable network said in a news release @ @ @ @ @ include Ready Player One actress Olivia Cooke and Truth Seekers star Emma D'Arcy .
They @ @ @ @ @ lead Paddy Considine , who will play King Viserys Targaryen .
The show is based @ @ @ @ @ 's fantasy novel Fire & Blood .
It takes place 300 years before the events @ @ @ @ @ HBO 's Emmy-winning adaptation of Game of Thrones aired for eight seasons from 2011 to @ @ @ @ @ has been announced for the prequel .

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Matt Smith is set to star in the "Game of Thrones" prequel, "House of the Dragon." File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Doctor Who and The Crown actor Matt Smith has joined the cast of the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon. HBO said Friday that Smith will play Prince Daemon Targaryen. Advertisement
"The younger brother of King Viserys and heir to the throne, Daemon is a peerless warrior and a dragonrider who possesses the true blood of the dragon. But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air," the cable network said in a news release.
Other new cast additions include Ready Player One actress Olivia Cooke and Truth Seekers star Emma D'Arcy. They join the previously announced series lead Paddy Considine, who will play King Viserys Targaryen.
The show is based on George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel Fire & Blood. It takes place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
HBO's Emmy-winning adaptation of Game of Thrones aired for eight seasons from 2011 to 2019.
No premiere date has been announced for the prequel.


upi--2020-12-12--NBC renews 'Transplant' for Season 2

NBC renews 'Transplant' for Season 2

Dec. 12 ( UPI ) -- NBC said it has renewed its medical drama , Transplant , for a second @ @ @ @ @ announced on Friday .
The show , which first aired in Canada on CTV , @ @ @ @ @ Leboeuf , John Hannah , Jim Watson and Ayisha Issa .
It follows a Syrian @ @ @ @ @ in emergency medicine who fled his country with his younger sister , Amira , '' @ @ @ @ @ Together , they struggle to build a new life in Canada as Bash strives to @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Our time at York Memorial Hospital isn't over yet. Season 2 of #Transplant is coming to @NBC. pic.twitter.com/o5kgIC59XQ— Transplant (@NBCTransplant) December 11, 2020
Dec. 12 (UPI) -- NBC said it has renewed its medical drama, Transplant, for a second season.
The renewal was announced on Friday.
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The show, which first aired in Canada on CTV, stars Hamza Haq, Laurence Leboeuf, John Hannah, Jim Watson and Ayisha Issa.
It follows a Syrian doctor "with battle-tested skills in emergency medicine who fled his country with his younger sister, Amira," a synopsis said.
"Together, they struggle to build a new life in Canada as Bash strives to rebuild his career in medicine."


upi--2020-12-12--Lil Wayne pleads guilty to federal gun charge in Florida

Dec. 12 ( UPI ) -- Rapper Lil Wayne has pleaded guilty in a Miami court to a federal gun @ @ @ @ @ 2019 incident at the Opa Locka Executive Airport .
The U.S. Attorney 's Office for @ @ @ @ @ said in a news release the 38-year-old musician , who was born Dwayne Carter , @ @ @ @ @ in federal prison after entering the plea Friday .
Carter is due to be sentenced @ @ @ @ @ charged with criminal possession of a firearm and ammunition as a prior felony offender after @ @ @ @ @ a private flight with a loaded , gold-plated .45-caliber handgun in his bag .
Possession @ @ @ @ @ was illegal because of Carter 's past history as a felon .

Rap star Lil Wayne faces up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to criminal possession of a firearm. File Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Rapper Lil Wayne has pleaded guilty in a Miami court to a federal gun charge stemming from a December 2019 incident at the Opa Locka Executive Airport. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a news release the 38-year-old musician, who was born Dwayne Carter, faces up to 10 years in federal prison after entering the plea Friday. Advertisement
Carter is due to be sentenced Jan. 28.
He was charged with criminal possession of a firearm and ammunition as a prior felony offender after it was discovered he took a private flight with a loaded, gold-plated .45-caliber handgun in his bag.
Possession of the gun and ammunition was illegal because of Carter's past history as a felon.


upi--2020-12-12--Bad Bunny's 'El Ultimo Tour del Mundo' tops U.S. album chart

Dec. 12 ( UPI ) -- Rapper Bad Bunny 's El Ultimo Tour del Mundo is the No .
1 @ @ @ @ @ this week .
Coming in at No .
2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated @ @ @ @ @ Plastic Hearts , followed by BTS ' BE at No .
3 , Ariana Grande @ @ @ @ @ 4 and Pop Smoke 's Shoot For the Stars Aim For the Moon at No @ @ @ @ @ the top tier are Michael Buble 's Christmas at No .
6 , Megan Thee @ @ @ @ @ No .
7 , Taylor Swift 's Folklore at No .
8 , Carrie Underwood @ @ @ @ @ .
9 and Juice WRLD 's Legends Never Die at No .
10 .

Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Rapper Bad Bunny's El Ultimo Tour del Mundo is the No. 1 album in the United States this week.
Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday is Miley Cyrus' Plastic Hearts, followed by BTS' BE at No. 3, Ariana Grande's Positions at No. 4 and Pop Smoke's Shoot For the Stars Aim For the Moon at No. 5.


upi--2020-12-12--FDA gives emergency use authorization to Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

Dec. 12 ( UPI ) -- The Food and Drug Administration has issued emergency use authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine , setting the stage for the United States to begin vaccinations next week .
The EUA allows the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be distributed in the United States to individuals 16 years of age and older , the FDA announced .
`` The FDA 's authorization for emergency use of the first COVID-19 vaccine is a significant milestone in battling this devastating pandemic that has affected so many families in the United States and around the world , '' FDA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement Friday .
`` Today 's action follows an open and transparent review process that included input from the independent scientific and public health experts and a thorough evaluation by the agency 's career scientists to ensure this vaccine met FDA 's rigorous , scientific standards for safety , effectiveness , and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization . ''
FDA officials said that after the EUA approval , they expected the first doses of the virus to begin shipping to hospitals within about 24 hours .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote to recommend the vaccine before it can be administered , though .
The agency was scheduled to meet on the issue Saturday morning .
President Donald Trump hailed the EUA approval Friday evening in a video recorded from the Oval Office .
He described the vaccine as safe and thanked the scientists for developing it within nine months of the start of the pandemic .
`` This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history , '' he said .
`` It will save millions of lives and soon end the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The EUA is different from a full FDA approval , which is given after a much longer testing and review process .
In issuing the EUA , experts determined the potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known and potential risks enough to support its use in millions of people .
The FDA expects Pfizer to continue clinical trials to obtain additional safety and efficacy information -- particularly in children .
`` While not an FDA approval , today 's emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine holds the promise to alter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , '' Peter Marks , director of the FDA 's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research , said in a statement .
The Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination requires two doses three weeks apart .
Available safety data used for the EUA included an ongoing randomized , placebo-controlled international study with 37,586 participants , the majority of whom were U.S. participants .
The late-stage trial results showed the vaccine has 95 % efficacy .
The vaccine works by containing a small piece of the SARS-CoV-2 virus 's genetic material , prompting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spike '' protein .
`` When a person receives the vaccine , their body produces copies of the spike protein , which does not cause disease , but triggers the immune system to learn to react defensively , producing and immune response against SARS-CoV-2 , '' the FDA said .
Initial shipments of the vaccine will begin within 24 hours of final authorization , Operation Warp Speed officials said .
Health and Human Services Administrator Alex Azar said Friday that the first Americans could begin receiving doses of the vaccine Monday or Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccinated by the end of the month with another 50 million inoculated in January , he told ABC 's Good Morning America .
In the United States , COVID-19 has infected more than 15 million people and killed over 295,000 , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
With the authorization , the United States becomes the sixth country to clear the vaccine following Britain , Bahrain , Canada , Saudi Arabia and Mexico .
Pfizer has said it will be able to supply up to 25 million doses before the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine doses by March .
The Trump administration also announced Friday that it will purchase an additional 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate called mRNA-1273 from Moderna .
The FDA has yet to approve an EUA for that vaccine , but is scheduled to meet to discuss it next week .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects demand to exceed supply during the first months of the national COVID-19 vaccination program .

Federal officials said the vaccine could start to be administered as soon as Monday or Tuesday. Pool Photo by Andrew Harnik/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 12 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration has issued emergency use authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine, setting the stage for the United States to begin vaccinations next week. The EUA allows the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be distributed in the United States to individuals 16 years of age and older, the FDA announced. Advertisement
"The FDA's authorization for emergency use of the first COVID-19 vaccine is a significant milestone in battling this devastating pandemic that has affected so many families in the United States and around the world," FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, M.D., said in a statement Friday.
"Today's action follows an open and transparent review process that included input from the independent scientific and public health experts and a thorough evaluation by the agency's career scientists to ensure this vaccine met FDA's rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization."
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FDA officials said that after the EUA approval, they expected the first doses of the virus to begin shipping to hospitals within about 24 hours.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must vote to recommend the vaccine before it can be administered, though. The agency was scheduled to meet on the issue Saturday morning.
President Donald Trump hailed the EUA approval Friday evening in a video recorded from the Oval Office. He described the vaccine as safe and thanked the scientists for developing it within nine months of the start of the pandemic.
"This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history," he said.
"It will save millions of lives and soon end the pandemic once and for all."
The EUA is different from a full FDA approval, which is given after a much longer testing and review process.
In issuing the EUA, experts determined the potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known and potential risks enough to support its use in millions of people. The FDA expects Pfizer to continue clinical trials to obtain additional safety and efficacy information -- particularly in children.
Advertisement
"While not an FDA approval, today's emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine holds the promise to alter the course of this pandemic in the United States," Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.
The Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination requires two doses three weeks apart. Available safety data used for the EUA included an ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled international study with 37,586 participants, the majority of whom were U.S. participants.
The late-stage trial results showed the vaccine has 95% efficacy.
The vaccine works by containing a small piece of the SARS-CoV-2 virus's genetic material, prompting the body to make the virus' "spike" protein.
"When a person receives the vaccine, their body produces copies of the spike protein, which does not cause disease, but triggers the immune system to learn to react defensively, producing and immune response against SARS-CoV-2," the FDA said.
Initial shipments of the vaccine will begin within 24 hours of final authorization, Operation Warp Speed officials said.
Health and Human Services Administrator Alex Azar said Friday that the first Americans could begin receiving doses of the vaccine Monday or Tuesday.
Some 20 million people could be vaccinated by the end of the month with another 50 million inoculated in January, he told ABC's Good Morning America.
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In the United States, COVID-19 has infected more than 15 million people and killed over 295,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
With the authorization, the United States becomes the sixth country to clear the vaccine following Britain, Bahrain, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.
Pfizer has said it will be able to supply up to 25 million doses before the end of the year, and 100 million total vaccine doses by March.
The Trump administration also announced Friday that it will purchase an additional 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate called mRNA-1273 from Moderna. The FDA has yet to approve an EUA for that vaccine, but is scheduled to meet to discuss it next week.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects demand to exceed supply during the first months of the national COVID-19 vaccination program.


upi--2020-12-13--Britain, European Union extend post-Brexit trade talks past Sunday deadline

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- Britain and the European Union have agreed to extend post-Brexit trade talks beyond a deadline set for Sunday after leaders conducted a call on `` major unresolved topics . ''
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint statement that it was `` responsible at this point to go the extra mile . ''
They have told their negotiators in Brussels , Belgium to `` to see whether an agreement can even at this late stage be reached . ''
Earlier last week , Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sunday to decide whether to halt negotiations or keep them going .
Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31 but leaders have been spending the past 11 months on post-Brexit matters .
They have until Dec. 31 to agree on a trade deal plus other things , such as fishing rights .
That 's when they would move onto World Trade Organization rules .
Tariffs on goods being bought and sold between the two sides could be introduced with prices on certain products possibly going up .
The EU is by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 450 million consumers .
With no deal , Britain 's Office for Budget Responsibility estimates 2 % of its economic output , $ 53 billion , would be cut out and more than 300,000 people unemployed by the second half of next year .
Even with a deal , the OBR said in November there would be a loss of output of around 4 % compared to Britain remaining in the European Union .
`` Despite the exhaustion after almost a year of negotiations , despite the fact that deadlines have been missed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is responsible at this point to go the extra mile , '' von der Leyen said .
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin told the BBC on Sunday no deal would be `` so damaging to workers '' for parties and represent `` an appalling failure of statecraft . ''
She characterized the talks as `` constructive and useful . ''
Britain 's Labor party has called on the government to `` deliver on the promise '' of securing a deal to `` allow us to move on as a country . ''

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks in Brussels, Belgium, Sunday during a press statement after a phone call meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Von der Leyen announced that EU-British trade talks. Photo by Olivier Hoslet/EPA-EFE pool
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Britain and the European Union have agreed to extend post-Brexit trade talks beyond a deadline set for Sunday after leaders conducted a call on "major unresolved topics." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint statement that it was "responsible at this point to go the extra mile." Advertisement
They have told their negotiators in Brussels, Belgium to "to see whether an agreement can even at this late stage be reached."
Earlier last week, Johnson and von der Leyen set a deadline of Sunday to decide whether to halt negotiations or keep them going.
Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31 but leaders have been spending the past 11 months on post-Brexit matters.
They have until Dec. 31 to agree on a trade deal plus other things, such as fishing rights. That's when they would move onto World Trade Organization rules.
Tariffs on goods being bought and sold between the two sides could be introduced with prices on certain products possibly going up. The EU is by far Britain's biggest trading partner with 450 million consumers.
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With no deal, Britain's Office for Budget Responsibility estimates 2% of its economic output, $53 billion, would be cut out and more than 300,000 people unemployed by the second half of next year.
Even with a deal, the OBR said in November there would be a loss of output of around 4% compared to Britain remaining in the European Union.
"Despite the exhaustion after almost a year of negotiations, despite the fact that deadlines have been missed over and over, we think it is responsible at this point to go the extra mile," von der Leyen said.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin told the BBC on Sunday no deal would be "so damaging to workers" for parties and represent "an appalling failure of statecraft."
She characterized the talks as "constructive and useful."
Johnson met with his cabinet.
Britain's Labor party has called on the government to "deliver on the promise" of securing a deal to "allow us to move on as a country."


upi--2020-12-13--Famous birthdays for Dec. 13: Dick Van Dyke, Christopher Plummer

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius .
-- Former @ @ @ @ @ Lincoln in 1818 -- Former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz in 1920 ( age @ @ @ @ @ of Fame member Larry Doby , the first American League African-American player , in 1923

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Dick Van Dyke speaks during a campaign rally on behalf of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders at the Los Angeles Convention Center on March 1. The actor turns 95 on December 13. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include: Advertisement
-- Pope Sixtus V in 1520
-- Former U.S. first lady Mary Todd Lincoln in 1818
-- World War I hero Sgt. Alvin York in 1887
-- Former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz in 1920 (age 100)
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Larry Doby, the first American League African-American player, in 1923
-- Comedian/actor/dancer Dick Van Dyke in 1925 (age 95)
-- Actor Christopher Plummer in 1929 (age 91)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Singer/actor John Davidson in 1941 (age 79)
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Ferguson Jenkins in 1942 (age 78)
-- Political figure Herman Cain in 1945 (age 75)
-- Rock singer Ted Nugent in 1948 (age 72)
-- Actor Wendie Malick in 1950 (age 70)
-- Actor Steve Buscemi in 1957 (age 63)
-- Actor Johnny Whitaker in 1959 (age 61)
-- Actor Jamie Foxx in 1967 (age 53)
File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI
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-- Rock musician Tom DeLonge in 1975 (age 45)
-- Rock singer Amy Lee in 1981 (age 39)
-- Golfer Rickie Fowler in 1988 (age 32)
-- Singer Taylor Swift in 1989 (age 31)
-- Actor Maisy Stella in 2003 (age 17)


upi--2020-12-13--On This Day, Dec. 13: U.S. troops capture Saddam Hussein

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1816 , the United States ' first savings bank , the Provident Institution for Savings , opened in Boston .
In 1862 , Union troops suffered a major defeat in the Civil War battle of Fredericksburg .
An estimated 12,000 northern soldiers were killed or injured , about three times the toll suffered by Confederate forces .
In 1937 , the Nanjing Massacre began , during which Japanese troops killed between 40,000 and 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers .
The episode lasted six weeks as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , martial law was imposed in Poland .
In 1982 , the Sentry armored car company in New York discovered the overnight theft of $ 8 million from its headquarters .
It was the biggest cash theft in U.S. history at the time .
In 1998 , in a non-binding referendum giving Puerto Ricans the opportunity to express a political preference , most voters indicated they wished to remain a U.S. commonwealth .
In 2000 , seven inmates -- later dubbed the `` Texas Seven '' -- escaped from prison , sparking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sporting-goods store on Christmas Eve , killing a police officer .
In 2002 , Cardinal Bernard Law , under fire for allegedly protecting priests accused of abusing minors , resigned as Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston .
Pope John Paul II put Law in charge of a basilica in Rome in 2004 .
In 2003 , a bearded and apparently disoriented Saddam Hussein , the deposed Iraqi president , was captured by U.S. troops in a small underground hideout southeast of his hometown of Tikrit , ending an eight-month manhunt .
In 2007 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Major League Baseball players , some of them prominent figures of the era , in the use of steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs .
In 2018 , The New York Times reported CBS paid actor Eliza Dushku a confidential $ 9.5 million settlement after she said Michael Weatherly sexually harassed her on the set of Bull .

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On December 13, 2003, Saddam Hussein, the deposed Iraqi president, was captured by U.S. troops in a small underground hideout southeast of his hometown of Tikrit. File Photo by Ali Khaligh/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1642, Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand. Advertisement
In 1816, the United States' first savings bank, the Provident Institution for Savings, opened in Boston.
In 1862, Union troops suffered a major defeat in the Civil War battle of Fredericksburg. An estimated 12,000 northern soldiers were killed or injured, about three times the toll suffered by Confederate forces.
In 1937, the Nanjing Massacre began, during which Japanese troops killed between 40,000 and 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers. The episode lasted six weeks as part of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
In 1981, martial law was imposed in Poland.
File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
In 1982, the Sentry armored car company in New York discovered the overnight theft of $8 million from its headquarters. It was the biggest cash theft in U.S. history at the time.
In 1998, in a non-binding referendum giving Puerto Ricans the opportunity to express a political preference, most voters indicated they wished to remain a U.S. commonwealth.
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In 2000, seven inmates -- later dubbed the "Texas Seven" -- escaped from prison, sparking a six-week manhunt. The men robbed a sporting-goods store on Christmas Eve, killing a police officer.
In 2002, Cardinal Bernard Law, under fire for allegedly protecting priests accused of abusing minors, resigned as Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston. Pope John Paul II put Law in charge of a basilica in Rome in 2004.
File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
In 2003, a bearded and apparently disoriented Saddam Hussein, the deposed Iraqi president, was captured by U.S. troops in a small underground hideout southeast of his hometown of Tikrit, ending an eight-month manhunt.
In 2007, a landmark report implicated 89 U.S. Major League Baseball players, some of them prominent figures of the era, in the use of steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
In 2018, The New York Times reported CBS paid actor Eliza Dushku a confidential $9.5 million settlement after she said Michael Weatherly sexually harassed her on the set of Bull.
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upi--2020-12-13--Interview: ‘Pennyworth’ star Jack Bannon: Peaceful world makes for boring TV

NEW YORK , Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- Actor Jack Bannon said the news today is `` scarily similar '' to the Pennyworth scripts showrunner Bruno Heller has been writing .
Pennyworth Season 2 -- set to begin on EPIX on Sunday -- takes place in a dystopian , alternate 1960s England where fascists have taken over the government and civil war is tearing the country apart .
The second season was filmed and will premiere during the coronavirus pandemic , a chaotic era when unemployment , political division , rising crime and social unrest are creating a milieu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` [ Heller ] keeps writing these things , and then it 's almost like it happens in real life , '' Bannon told UPI in a recent Zoom interview .
`` It 's almost like he is a prophet who is dictating what 's going to happen , so I 'd quite like him to write about a nice , peaceful world where everyone gets on , but , of course , that 's not really interesting for television . ''
Returning to make the new episodes was a different experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Season 1 has set up a sandbox in which the stars can now play .
`` There were aspects of it that were fresh and exciting , but it is great being able to go back .
It 's like slipping into a nice old winter coat that you are familiar with and you can hit the ground running , '' Bannon said of Season 2 .
The critically acclaimed action-drama casts Bannon as British former special forces soldier Alfred Pennyworth .
According to DC Comics mythology , Alfred will grow old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bruce Wayne , aka Batman .
For now , though , Alfie is a roguish nightclub owner who teams up with the American No Name League agents Thomas Wayne ( Ben Aldridge ) and Martha Kane ( Emma Paetz ) to take down the Raven Society , which has supplanted the U.K. government .
`` Season 1 , Alfie was very much trying to build a business , but , really , he was doing stuff for other people , '' Bannon said .
`` He realized that you ca n't necessarily do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources and you need to , especially in wartime , protect those closest to you before you 're even able to do anything for anybody else . ''
He acknowledged Alfie might seem selfish and cold .
`` Not necessarily in a bad way -- just to survive , '' the actor said .
`` Storytelling-wise , Alfred is in it a lot , obviously , logistically and people come in and out of his vicinity and interact with him .
The way he deals with other people is vastly different than Season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that kind of cheeky , chappy sort of grin thing to him .
He has little one-liners , but he is much more reserved and his main goal really is to get the money , get to America and start fresh , '' he said .
The actor is enjoying the physical challenges of the role and , while he has a stunt double , he tries to do as much as he can on his own .
`` I relish it , and there 's a lot more action this year in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at war , so it 's been a lot of fun , that side of it , '' Bannon said .
He admitted with a laugh that when he first heard Pennyworth would be an origins story for a British valet , he thought it sounded `` a bit rubbish . ''
`` But it is so much more than that and has so much atmosphere and personality , '' Bannon said .
`` Still , my favorite thing is when people say to me , ' I watched the show !
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that at all . '
That 's my favorite thing about it -- surprising people . ''
Aldridge said in a separate Zoom interview that the show remains unpredictable for the cast , too .
`` I love that about it .
I never know where it is headed , '' Aldridge said .
`` I 'm never quite sure what Bruno is going to do with Thomas and Martha or the other characters , and that keeps us all on our toes . ''
Season 2 finds Thomas fully recovered from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sent back to London to work on behalf of U.S. interests as Great Britain implodes .
`` He 's playing against his own morals the entire season .
He 's seduced by power , '' Aldridge said .
`` He 's very internally conflicted . ''
And that is thrilling for an actor to play , he added .
`` There 's never a scene in which Thomas Wayne is not going through a huge decision that has high stakes , '' he said .
`` There 's always high drama , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dull moment playing him .
He never walks into a room calm and collected .
There is always something that happens or he walks in kind of with explosive energy . ''
As a Brit playing an American , Aldridge based his Thomas on Cary Grant and other 1950s Hollywood screen icons .
`` Part of being an actor then was crafting a unique voice like Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy , '' he said .
`` We were bringing it back to a classic , upper-class East Coast American sound .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching those actors .
Trying to steal from them , basically . ''
Production on Season 2 was a third of the way complete when it was shut down in March for five months because of the pandemic .
`` We watched with bated breath for when we might return , '' Bannon said .
`` Along with all the terrible things happening in the world , it kind of felt it paled in significance , but we always knew that we would be back and when we did , we would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who drew up some fantastic guidelines to keep everybody safe and ensure that we could carry on . ''

1/2
Jack Bannon can now be seen in Season 2 of "Pennyworth." Photo courtesy of EPIX
NEW YORK, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Actor Jack Bannon said the news today is "scarily similar" to the Pennyworth scripts showrunner Bruno Heller has been writing. Pennyworth Season 2 -- set to begin on EPIX on Sunday -- takes place in a dystopian, alternate 1960s England where fascists have taken over the government and civil war is tearing the country apart. Advertisement
The second season was filmed and will premiere during the coronavirus pandemic, a chaotic era when unemployment, political division, rising crime and social unrest are creating a milieu of misery for many around the world.
"[Heller] keeps writing these things, and then it's almost like it happens in real life," Bannon told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
"It's almost like he is a prophet who is dictating what's going to happen, so I'd quite like him to write about a nice, peaceful world where everyone gets on, but, of course, that's not really interesting for television."
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Returning to make the new episodes was a different experience for the cast, since the world-building of Season 1 has set up a sandbox in which the stars can now play.
"There were aspects of it that were fresh and exciting, but it is great being able to go back. It's like slipping into a nice old winter coat that you are familiar with and you can hit the ground running," Bannon said of Season 2.
The critically acclaimed action-drama casts Bannon as British former special forces soldier Alfred Pennyworth.
According to DC Comics mythology, Alfred will grow old and become the butler/protector of the orphaned Bruce Wayne, aka Batman.
For now, though, Alfie is a roguish nightclub owner who teams up with the American No Name League agents Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge) and Martha Kane (Emma Paetz) to take down the Raven Society, which has supplanted the U.K. government.
"Season 1, Alfie was very much trying to build a business, but, really, he was doing stuff for other people," Bannon said. "He realized that you can't necessarily do that. You'll run out of resources and you need to, especially in wartime, protect those closest to you before you're even able to do anything for anybody else."
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He acknowledged Alfie might seem selfish and cold.
"Not necessarily in a bad way -- just to survive," the actor said. "Storytelling-wise, Alfred is in it a lot, obviously, logistically and people come in and out of his vicinity and interact with him. The way he deals with other people is vastly different than Season 1."
Alfie remains the quick-witted charmer viewers adore, Bannon said.
"He still has that kind of cheeky, chappy sort of grin thing to him. He has little one-liners, but he is much more reserved and his main goal really is to get the money, get to America and start fresh," he said.
The actor is enjoying the physical challenges of the role and, while he has a stunt double, he tries to do as much as he can on his own.
"I relish it, and there's a lot more action this year in terms of fighting, because we are at war, so it's been a lot of fun, that side of it," Bannon said.
He admitted with a laugh that when he first heard Pennyworth would be an origins story for a British valet, he thought it sounded "a bit rubbish."
"But it is so much more than that and has so much atmosphere and personality," Bannon said. "Still, my favorite thing is when people say to me, 'I watched the show! It was fantastic. I didn't expect that at all.' That's my favorite thing about it -- surprising people."
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Aldridge said in a separate Zoom interview that the show remains unpredictable for the cast, too.
"I love that about it. I never know where it is headed," Aldridge said. "I'm never quite sure what Bruno is going to do with Thomas and Martha or the other characters, and that keeps us all on our toes."
Season 2 finds Thomas fully recovered from a gunshot wound, promoted to section chief and sent back to London to work on behalf of U.S. interests as Great Britain implodes.
"He's playing against his own morals the entire season. He's seduced by power," Aldridge said. "He's very internally conflicted."
And that is thrilling for an actor to play, he added.
"There's never a scene in which Thomas Wayne is not going through a huge decision that has high stakes," he said. "There's always high drama, high conflict. There is never a dull moment playing him. He never walks into a room calm and collected. There is always something that happens or he walks in kind of with explosive energy."
As a Brit playing an American, Aldridge based his Thomas on Cary Grant and other 1950s Hollywood screen icons.
"Part of being an actor then was crafting a unique voice like Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy," he said. "We were bringing it back to a classic, upper-class East Coast American sound. That developed from watching the old films and watching those actors. Trying to steal from them, basically."
Advertisement
Production on Season 2 was a third of the way complete when it was shut down in March for five months because of the pandemic.
"We watched with bated breath for when we might return," Bannon said.
"Along with all the terrible things happening in the world, it kind of felt it paled in significance, but we always knew that we would be back and when we did, we would be ready and we had a great team who drew up some fantastic guidelines to keep everybody safe and ensure that we could carry on."
The show co-stars Paloma Faith, Polly Walker, Jason Flemyng, James Purefoy and Anna Chancellor.


upi--2020-12-13--Cleveland Indians to drop controversial team nickname

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- The Cleveland Indians , who have used that team name for more than a century , are dropping their controversial nickname and Native American branding .
League sources told the New York Times , ESPN and Cleveland.com on Sunday night that Cleveland is expected to announce its intention to move on from the nickname this week .
According to the outlets , the team is planning to keep the same name and uniforms for the upcoming season before phasing them out in 2022 .
A new nickname for Cleveland has yet to be decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLB club is considering moving forward without a permanent replacement name .
The Washington Football Team followed a similar path this past summer .
The NFL club dropped its longtime nickname and Native American imagery prior to the 2020 season , with Washington playing as `` The Football Team '' until a new name is selected .
Cleveland has gone by the `` Indians '' moniker since 1915 , but the organization has repeatedly faced pressure from Native American groups to drop a nickname that has long been criticized as racist and demeaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was dropping its mascot and team logo , a cartoon image known as `` Chief Wahoo , '' after the league said it was `` no longer appropriate . ''
Cleveland spent much of that year before the 2019 campaign phasing out the `` Chief Wahoo '' imagery .
Cleveland has played more than 17,000 games under its nickname and won two World Series championships , with the last coming in 1948 .
The club 's 72-year title drought currently is the longest in baseball .
The MLB 's Atlanta Braves , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL are other prominent professional teams that still use Native American imagery in their names and logos .

In 2018, Cleveland announced it was dropping its former mascot and team logo, a cartoon image known as "Chief Wahoo," after MLB said it was inappropriate. File Photo by Trask Smith/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- The Cleveland Indians, who have used that team name for more than a century, are dropping their controversial nickname and Native American branding. League sources told the New York Times, ESPN and Cleveland.com on Sunday night that Cleveland is expected to announce its intention to move on from the nickname this week. According to the outlets, the team is planning to keep the same name and uniforms for the upcoming season before phasing them out in 2022. Advertisement
A new nickname for Cleveland has yet to be decided. According to the Times, the MLB club is considering moving forward without a permanent replacement name.
The Washington Football Team followed a similar path this past summer. The NFL club dropped its longtime nickname and Native American imagery prior to the 2020 season, with Washington playing as "The Football Team" until a new name is selected.
Cleveland has gone by the "Indians" moniker since 1915, but the organization has repeatedly faced pressure from Native American groups to drop the nickname that has long been criticized as racist and demeaning.
In 2018, the club announced it was dropping its mascot and team logo, a cartoon image known as "Chief Wahoo," after the league said it was "no longer appropriate." Cleveland spent much of that year before the 2019 campaign phasing out the "Chief Wahoo" imagery.
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Cleveland has played more than 17,000 games under its nickname and won two World Series championships, with the last coming in 1948. The club's 72-year title drought currently is the longest in baseball.
The MLB's Atlanta Braves, the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL are other prominent professional teams that still use Native American imagery in their names and logos.


upi--2020-12-13--Italy climbs into fifth place for most coronavirus deaths

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- Italy has been dealing with a second wave of coronavirus deaths and cases that have been far worse than when the nation was the world epicenter in the spring .
On Saturday , Italy moved past Britain into fifth place for most fatalities from the pandemic .
Italy , which at one time led the world in fatalities has risen to 64,520 deaths , as well as 1,843,712 cases in seventh place .
Worldwide so far Sunday , there are 1,618,494 deaths and 72,629,617 cases .
Cases have been growing 1 million every two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with deaths hitting a daily record of 12,918 Thursday .
The United States for the past few months has been the worldwide leader , passing 16 million cases Saturday and nearing 300,000 deaths Sunday .
On Dec. 3 , Italy set the daily record for most deaths , 993 , surpassing the mark of 921 on March 27 .
And cases reached a high of 40,896 on Nov. 13 .
At its peak in the spring , the most cases were 6,554 on March 21 .
It was n't until Oct. 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cases have subsided in Italy with 17,938 Sunday .
But deaths continue to mount and more than 4,500 people died in the past week , including 484 Sunday .
Despite the spike , most Italian regions starting Sunday are classified as yellow zones with fewer restrictions in an announcement by the press ministry Friday .
Remaining in the Orange zone are Tuscany , Campania and Valle D'Aosta .
The region of Abruzzo , which was the last red zones , will become orange by Italy 's health ministry though the regional government had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local ordinance .
In yellow zones , bars and restaurants may reopen until 6 p.m. and Christmas travel restrictions , which were announced earlier this month , will apply across the country regardless of zone .
Italy is among five European nations in the top 10 for most deaths .
Britain reported 144 deaths Sunday one day after 519 , behind the record 1,166 on April 21 , for a total of 64,170 , as well 18,447 cases after a record 33,470 on Nov. 12 .
France is seventh , adding 150 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 932 on Nov. 13 that was the most since a record of 1,437 in April , as well as 11,533 cases after a record 86,852 on Oct. 31 .
No .
9 Spain reported no data over the weekend after 280 deaths for a total of 47,624 and 7,053 cases Friday .
No .
10 Russia announced 488 deaths Sunday after a record 613 two days earlier to total 46,941 , as well as 28,080 cases six days after record 29,039 and fourth overall with 2,653,928 .
Also in the top 20 are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
16 Germany with 22,406 and No .
18 Belgium with 17,902 .
On Sunday , Poland added 188 deaths one day after 502 and a high of 674 on Nov. 25 .
Germany reported 235 deaths Sunday after 351 Saturday and a record 622 Tuesday , with the highest early in the pandemic 333 in April .
Cases were 21,816 one day after record 28,344 .
Belgium added 110 deaths Sunday .
Europe has the most deaths of the continents , 457,336 , cases at 19,829,769 though North America and Asia also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Europe added 4,334 deaths and 200,971 cases .
Sunday 's figures were 3,008 fatalities and 169,809 infections .
In Germany , Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her nation will go into a hard lockdown over the Christmas period .
That means non-essential shops will close across the country from Wednesday , as will schools .
Merkel blamed the spikes on Christmas shopping with a `` considerable '' rise in social contacts .
And companies are being urged to allow employees to work from home .
The nation entered a partial lockdown on Nov. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the month .
Last week Britain became the first nation in the world to approve a vaccine by Pfizer .
And inoculations began last Tuesday .
Britain 's lockdown ended late last month but most of the country remains under tough restrictions .
France 's lockdown is due to end Tuesday but bars and restaurants will remain closed through Jan. 20 and a curfew is in place , including on New Year 's Eve .
In addition , museums , cinemas , theaters and sports venues will remain closed for three more weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of this second wave , and we wo n't reach the objectives we had set for 15 December , '' Prime Minister Jean Castex said at a news conference last week .
`` We ca n't let down our guard .
We have to stay focused , and find our way through the next few weeks with lots of vigilance . ''
Spain 's regional authorities have the power to restrict movement but do n't allow a full lockdown .
In Asia , Korea and Japan have been experiencing record cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nations worldwide .
On Saturday , Japan had a record 3,030 , including the most ever in the capital Tokyo , 621 , with Sunday 's total 2,388 .
In all , Japan has now recorded 177,999 cases and 2,575 deaths , including 28 Saturday and 19 Sunday .
On Friday in Japan , three sub-levels were created including areas classified as seeing a spread of the virus and areas where infections are running high .
Shigeru Omi , who leads the government 's coronavirus panel , has requested restaurants that serve alcohol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea reported a record 1,030 new cases Sunday , including 780 more infections in the Seoul Metropolitan area .
South Korea has now reported 42,766 cases and 580 deaths , including two in the past 24 hours .
President Moon Jae-in said Sunday the current surge is the `` the worst crisis '' since South Korea saw its first COVID-19 outbreak .
`` It is a desperate time when [ the government ] should make all-out efforts to stave off the spread of the coronavirus by concentrating all virus control capabilities and administrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency anti-coronavirus meeting , which he presided over for the first time in about 10 months .
`` If we ca n't stop the spread of the virus , we have to consider raising the social distancing scheme to Level 3 . ''
Moon said the government will add testing centers and add hospitals and treatment centers .
Mainland China is the original epicenter but has n't reported a death since April 26 and has dropped to 40th place with 4,634 , behind Portugal with 5,467 .
It added 24 cases Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 for most deaths .
India is third in deaths behind the U.S. and Brazil with 143,019 , including 391 Sunday , which was the third time it was under 400 since July and national-record 1,299 months ago .
India has the second-most cases in the world with 9,857,039 including 30,254 Sunday and a daily record 97,894 in September .
But India 's ministry noted the nation has one of the lowest cases per million population in the last seven days .
India 's per million caseload per million is 158 cases compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain at 1,753 .
Iran is in eighth place for most deaths at 52,196 , including 247 Sunday after a record 486 on Nov. 16 and 7,541 cases after a record 14,051 on Nov. 27 .
Asia has the second-most cases with 19,084,467 as well as 312,235 deaths , which is fourth among the continents .
South America has the third-most deaths , 339,827 , and fourth-most cases , 11,958,779 .
The continent has five spots in the top 20 for most deaths : Brazil in second with 181,402 , Argentina in 11th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 39,053 , Peru in 13th with 36,609 , Chile in 20th with 15,886 .
Brazil surpassed 50,000 cases three times last week .
Between mid-August and late November , it had n't exceeded that figure .
The high was 70,869 on July 29 .
Deaths are lower than the record of 1,554 on July 29 , including 690 Saturday and 276 on Sunday .
`` We reopened when the number of infections was still rising , '' Clarisse Bressan , a tropical medicine specialist told The Guardian .
`` It was bonkers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't been a second wave but instead likening it to a relentless tidal bore that continued powering forward .
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro , who contracted the virus himself , has been playing down the dangers of a disease that he calls `` a little flu . ''
`` People are misinformed and alienated , '' Bressan said .
`` People think there are treatments , that if they take [ anti-parasite drug ] Ivermectin it 'll all be OK - so much nonsense ... Information has to come from the top .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fourth place for deaths at 113,704 and 13th in cases at 1,241,436 , including 12,057 Saturday , one day after a record 12,253 .
The nation reported 685 deaths Saturday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 .
Mexico , the United States and Canada have extended their travel ban through Dec. 21 .
All but around 18,000 of the total 451,415 deaths in North America are in those three nations .
The total number of cases : 19,259,287 .
Canada ranks 23rd in the world for deaths at 13,431 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were 142 fatalities , which is the most since a record 222 on May 31 .
The cases are 460,743 , including 5,891 additional infections on Sunday , five days after a record 7,872 .
Between May 26 and Aug. 30 cases were never more than 1,000 .
Canada became the second nation in the world to approve the Pfizer vaccine , and the nation 's first doses shipped out Friday from a factory in Belgium .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted Wednesday on Twitter that up to 249,000 doses are coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the new year . ''
Oceania , with only 42.3 million people , has 1,034 deaths and 46,573 cases .
New Zealand 's deaths have remained at 25 since Sept. 16 and Australia 's toll has remained at 908 since Nov. 30 .
New Zealand reported four cases Sunday , tallying 18 in one week , for a total of of 2,096 and Australia was up six Sunday for 28,031 , an increase of 136 in seven days .
Melbourne 's second lockdown began in July and ended last month .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2,393,061 cases .
South Africa leads the continent with 23,276 deaths , which is 14th in the world , including 170 Sunday followed by Egypt at 6,920 after gaining 22 more in the past 24 hours .
South Africa has the 18th-most cases in the world at 860,964 , including 7,999 more Sunday , the most since 8,307 on Aug. 6 .
`` It is important for us to recognize that this now is a second wave , '' South Africa 's health minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This means we must expect faster-rising numbers with a higher peak , possibly , than the first wave . ''

Italy moved past Britain for fifth place for most COVID-19 deaths, experiencing a surge worse than when it was the epicenter of the virus. Photo by Riccardo Antimiani/EPA-EFE
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Italy has been dealing with a second wave of coronavirus deaths and cases that have been far worse than when the nation was the world epicenter in the spring. On Saturday, Italy moved past Britain into fifth place for most fatalities from the pandemic. Advertisement
Italy, which at one time led the world in fatalities has risen to 64,520 deaths, as well as 1,843,712 cases in seventh place.
Worldwide so far Sunday, there are 1,618,494 deaths and 72,629,617 cases. Cases have been growing 1 million every two days, including a record 704,570 Friday, with deaths hitting a daily record of 12,918 Thursday.
The United States for the past few months has been the worldwide leader, passing 16 million cases Saturday and nearing 300,000 deaths Sunday.
On Dec. 3, Italy set the daily record for most deaths, 993, surpassing the mark of 921 on March 27. And cases reached a high of 40,896 on Nov. 13. At its peak in the spring, the most cases were 6,554 on March 21. It wasn't until Oct. 6 the first 10,000 cases were reached.
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Cases have subsided in Italy with 17,938 Sunday.
But deaths continue to mount and more than 4,500 people died in the past week, including 484 Sunday.
Despite the spike, most Italian regions starting Sunday are classified as yellow zones with fewer restrictions in an announcement by the press ministry Friday. Remaining in the Orange zone are Tuscany, Campania and Valle D'Aosta. The region of Abruzzo, which was the last red zones, will become orange by Italy's health ministry though the regional government had proclaimed itself an orange zone via a local ordinance.
In yellow zones, bars and restaurants may reopen until 6 p.m. and Christmas travel restrictions, which were announced earlier this month, will apply across the country regardless of zone.
Italy is among five European nations in the top 10 for most deaths.
Britain reported 144 deaths Sunday one day after 519, behind the record 1,166 on April 21, for a total of 64,170, as well 18,447 cases after a record 33,470 on Nov. 12.
France is seventh, adding 150 deaths Sunday for a total of 57,911 after 932 on Nov. 13 that was the most since a record of 1,437 in April, as well as 11,533 cases after a record 86,852 on Oct. 31.
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No. 9 Spain reported no data over the weekend after 280 deaths for a total of 47,624 and 7,053 cases Friday.
No. 10 Russia announced 488 deaths Sunday after a record 613 two days earlier to total 46,941, as well as 28,080 cases six days after record 29,039 and fourth overall with 2,653,928.
Also in the top 20 are Poland in 15th with 22,864, No. 16 Germany with 22,406 and No. 18 Belgium with 17,902.
On Sunday, Poland added 188 deaths one day after 502 and a high of 674 on Nov. 25. Germany reported 235 deaths Sunday after 351 Saturday and a record 622 Tuesday, with the highest early in the pandemic 333 in April. Cases were 21,816 one day after record 28,344. Belgium added 110 deaths Sunday.
Europe has the most deaths of the continents, 457,336, cases at 19,829,769 though North America and Asia also have 19 million-plus cases.
On Saturday, Europe added 4,334 deaths and 200,971 cases. Sunday's figures were 3,008 fatalities and 169,809 infections.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her nation will go into a hard lockdown over the Christmas period. That means non-essential shops will close across the country from Wednesday, as will schools. Merkel blamed the spikes on Christmas shopping with a "considerable" rise in social contacts. And companies are being urged to allow employees to work from home.
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The nation entered a partial lockdown on Nov. 2 and it was epanded later in the month.
Last week Britain became the first nation in the world to approve a vaccine by Pfizer. And inoculations began last Tuesday.
Britain's lockdown ended late last month but most of the country remains under tough restrictions.
France's lockdown is due to end Tuesday but bars and restaurants will remain closed through Jan. 20 and a curfew is in place, including on New Year's Eve. In addition, museums, cinemas, theaters and sports venues will remain closed for three more weeks.
"We aren't yet at the end of this second wave, and we won't reach the objectives we had set for 15 December," Prime Minister Jean Castex said at a news conference last week. "We can't let down our guard. We have to stay focused, and find our way through the next few weeks with lots of vigilance."
Spain's regional authorities have the power to restrict movement but don't allow a full lockdown.
In Asia, Korea and Japan have been experiencing record cases but at a lower number than other nations worldwide.
On Saturday, Japan had a record 3,030, including the most ever in the capital Tokyo, 621, with Sunday's total 2,388.
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In all, Japan has now recorded 177,999 cases and 2,575 deaths, including 28 Saturday and 19 Sunday.
On Friday in Japan, three sub-levels were created including areas classified as seeing a spread of the virus and areas where infections are running high.
Shigeru Omi, who leads the government's coronavirus panel, has requested restaurants that serve alcohol to further shorten business hours.
South Korea reported a record 1,030 new cases Sunday, including 780 more infections in the Seoul Metropolitan area.
South Korea has now reported 42,766 cases and 580 deaths, including two in the past 24 hours.
President Moon Jae-in said Sunday the current surge is the "the worst crisis" since South Korea saw its first COVID-19 outbreak.
"It is a desperate time when [the government] should make all-out efforts to stave off the spread of the coronavirus by concentrating all virus control capabilities and administrative power," Moon said in an emergency anti-coronavirus meeting, which he presided over for the first time in about 10 months.
"If we can't stop the spread of the virus, we have to consider raising the social distancing scheme to Level 3."
Moon said the government will add testing centers and add hospitals and treatment centers.
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Mainland China is the original epicenter but hasn't reported a death since April 26 and has dropped to 40th place with 4,634, behind Portugal with 5,467. It added 24 cases Sunday.
Two Asian nations are in the top 10 for most deaths.
India is third in deaths behind the U.S. and Brazil with 143,019, including 391 Sunday, which was the third time it was under 400 since July and national-record 1,299 months ago. India has the second-most cases in the world with 9,857,039 including 30,254 Sunday and a daily record 97,894 in September.
But India's ministry noted the nation has one of the lowest cases per million population in the last seven days. India's per million caseload per million is 158 cases compared with the United States at 4,310 and Britain at 1,753. Iran is in eighth place for most deaths at 52,196, including 247 Sunday after a record 486 on Nov. 16 and 7,541 cases after a record 14,051 on Nov. 27.
Asia has the second-most cases with 19,084,467 as well as 312,235 deaths, which is fourth among the continents.
South America has the third-most deaths, 339,827, and fourth-most cases, 11,958,779.
The continent has five spots in the top 20 for most deaths: Brazil in second with 181,402, Argentina in 11th with 40,668, Colombia in 12th with 39,053, Peru in 13th with 36,609, Chile in 20th with 15,886.
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Brazil surpassed 50,000 cases three times last week. Between mid-August and late November, it hadn't exceeded that figure. The high was 70,869 on July 29. Deaths are lower than the record of 1,554 on July 29, including 690 Saturday and 276 on Sunday.
"We reopened when the number of infections was still rising," Clarisse Bressan, a tropical medicine specialist told The Guardian. "It was bonkers, insane."
She noted there hasn't been a second wave but instead likening it to a relentless tidal bore that continued powering forward.
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who contracted the virus himself, has been playing down the dangers of a disease that he calls "a little flu."
"People are misinformed and alienated," Bressan said. "People think there are treatments, that if they take [anti-parasite drug] Ivermectin it'll all be OK - so much nonsense ... Information has to come from the top."
In North America, Mexico is in fourth place for deaths at 113,704 and 13th in cases at 1,241,436, including 12,057 Saturday, one day after a record 12,253. The nation reported 685 deaths Saturday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4.
Mexico, the United States and Canada have extended their travel ban through Dec. 21. All but around 18,000 of the total 451,415 deaths in North America are in those three nations. The total number of cases: 19,259,287.
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Canada ranks 23rd in the world for deaths at 13,431, including 81 Sunday. On Thursday there were 142 fatalities, which is the most since a record 222 on May 31. The cases are 460,743, including 5,891 additional infections on Sunday, five days after a record 7,872. Between May 26 and Aug. 30 cases were never more than 1,000.
Canada became the second nation in the world to approve the Pfizer vaccine, and the nation's first doses shipped out Friday from a factory in Belgium.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted Wednesday on Twitter that up to 249,000 doses are coming this month, with "millions more in the new year."
Oceania, with only 42.3 million people, has 1,034 deaths and 46,573 cases.
New Zealand's deaths have remained at 25 since Sept. 16 and Australia's toll has remained at 908 since Nov. 30.
New Zealand reported four cases Sunday, tallying 18 in one week, for a total of of 2,096 and Australia was up six Sunday for 28,031, an increase of 136 in seven days.
Melbourne's second lockdown began in July and ended last month.
In Africa, there have been 56,428 deaths and 2,393,061 cases.
South Africa leads the continent with 23,276 deaths, which is 14th in the world, including 170 Sunday followed by Egypt at 6,920 after gaining 22 more in the past 24 hours. South Africa has the 18th-most cases in the world at 860,964, including 7,999 more Sunday, the most since 8,307 on Aug. 6.
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"It is important for us to recognize that this now is a second wave," South Africa's health minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement. "There is going to be exponential growth. This means we must expect faster-rising numbers with a higher peak, possibly, than the first wave."


upi--2020-12-13--Seahawks' Jamal Adams sets DB single-season sack record vs. Jets

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- Seahawks star safety Jamal Adams broke the single-season sack record for a defensive back during his team 's blowout win over the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field in Seattle .
Adams recorded the historic sack midway through the second quarter when he forced Jets quarterback Sam Darnold to step out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage .
With the sack , it brought his total to 8 1/2 in the 2020-21 season .
Arizona Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson previously held the record for defensive backs with eight sacks in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total in 16 games , while Adams surpassed it in only his ninth game .
Adams has missed four games this year because of a groin injury .
`` It 's a pretty cool feeling when you put your mind to something , because I told myself and I told everybody last year when I did fail with 6 1/2 sacks ...
I told everybody I was going to break the record , '' Adams said after the Seahawks ' 40-3 win .
`` Some people thought I was crazy , some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing that mattered was that I believed in myself .
`` ...
I 'm trying to shatter it , to be honest with you .
This is just the start . ''
The Seahawks acquired Adams from the Jets in a blockbuster trade this past off-season .
The Pro Bowl safety said Friday that he did n't want to make Sunday 's matchup about himself , but he noted it would be `` sweet '' to set the NFL record against his former club .
Adams , who now has 20 1/2 sacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackles , one sack and a tackle for a loss against the Jets .

The Seattle Seahawks acquired former New York Jets safety Jamal Adams in a blockbuster trade this past off-season. He has recorded 8 1/2 sacks in his first season in Seattle. File Photo by Chris Szagola/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Seahawks star safety Jamal Adams broke the single-season sack record for a defensive back during his team's blowout win over the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field in Seattle. Adams recorded the historic sack midway through the second quarter when he forced Jets quarterback Sam Darnold to step out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage. With the sack, it brought his total to 8 1/2 in the 2020-21 season. Advertisement
Arizona Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson previously held the record for defensive backs with eight sacks in the 2005 campaign. Wilson reached that total in 16 games, while Adams surpassed it in only his ninth game. Adams has missed four games this year because of a groin injury.
"It's a pretty cool feeling when you put your mind to something, because I told myself and I told everybody last year when I did fail with 6 1/2 sacks ... I told everybody I was going to break the record," Adams said after the Seahawks' 40-3 win. "Some people thought I was crazy, some people believed in me. But the only thing that mattered was that I believed in myself.
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"... I'm trying to shatter it, to be honest with you. This is just the start."
The Seahawks acquired Adams from the Jets in a blockbuster trade this past off-season. The Pro Bowl safety said Friday that he didn't want to make Sunday's matchup about himself, but he noted it would be "sweet" to set the NFL record against his former club.
Adams, who now has 20 1/2 sacks in his career, finished with five tackles, one sack and a tackle for a loss against the Jets.


upi--2020-12-13--Illinois fires head football coach Lovie Smith after five seasons

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced Sunday that head coach Lovie Smith has been fired after five seasons at the helm of the football program .
The school held a team meeting at noon EST Sunday to inform players of the decision to move on from Smith .
The Fighting Illini suffered a 28-10 loss to Northwestern on Saturday to fall to 2-5 this season .
Illinois is scheduled to play an eighth game this week during Big Ten championship weekend .
In a statement , the school said offensive coordinator Rod Smith will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team 's finale against Penn State on Saturday .
`` Lovie Smith led the Illinois football program with unquestioned integrity during his nearly five years of service , '' Whitman said in a statement Sunday .
`` I have tremendous respect for Coach Smith and will always be grateful to him for providing a steady , experienced hand at a time when our program required stability .
His unshakeable leadership , never more needed than during this pandemic , will be forever remembered .
`` Nonetheless , based on extensive evaluation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have concluded the program is not progressing at the rate we should expect at this advanced stage in Coach Smith 's tenure .
To achieve our competitive objectives , I believe new leadership of the football program is required .
I will always look fondly on the time Lovie and I have spent together .
I wish him and MaryAnne nothing but the best . ''
The 62-year-old Smith posted a 17-39 record in his five seasons at Illinois , his first coaching job in college football since 1995 .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he had a lengthy NFL career that included head-coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
Smith led the Bears to a Super Bowl appearance in 2006 and went 81-63 with the franchise .
New York Giants assistant coach Bret Bielema , Buffalo 's Lance Leipold , Army 's Jeff Monken and Kent State 's Sean Lewis are among those who are considered potential candidates to replace Smith at Illinois .

Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced Sunday that head coach Lovie Smith has been fired after five seasons at the helm of the football program.
The school held a team meeting at noon EST Sunday to inform players of the decision to move on from Smith. The Fighting Illini suffered a 28-10 loss to Northwestern on Saturday to fall to 2-5 this season.
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Illinois is scheduled to play an eighth game this week during Big Ten championship weekend. In a statement, the school said offensive coordinator Rod Smith will serve as interim head coach for the team's finale against Penn State on Saturday.
"Lovie Smith led the Illinois football program with unquestioned integrity during his nearly five years of service," Whitman said in a statement Sunday. "I have tremendous respect for Coach Smith and will always be grateful to him for providing a steady, experienced hand at a time when our program required stability. His unshakeable leadership, never more needed than during this pandemic, will be forever remembered.
"Nonetheless, based on extensive evaluation of the program's current state and future outlook, I have concluded the program is not progressing at the rate we should expect at this advanced stage in Coach Smith's tenure. To achieve our competitive objectives, I believe new leadership of the football program is required. I will always look fondly on the time Lovie and I have spent together. I wish him and MaryAnne nothing but the best."
Advertisement THANK YOU to one of the most impressive people I have ever met. Your work and leadership will not be forgotten. You have taught us much, and we will endeavor to carry those lessons forward for the benefit of others. Our FIGHT in the #lLLINI continues. pic.twitter.com/Y9knbO3VbR— Josh Whitman (@IlliniAD) December 13, 2020
The 62-year-old Smith posted a 17-39 record in his five seasons at Illinois, his first coaching job in college football since 1995. Before joining the Fighting Illini in March 2016, he had a lengthy NFL career that included head-coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Smith led the Bears to a Super Bowl appearance in 2006 and went 81-63 with the franchise.
New York Giants assistant coach Bret Bielema, Buffalo's Lance Leipold, Army's Jeff Monken and Kent State's Sean Lewis are among those who are considered potential candidates to replace Smith at Illinois.


upi--2020-12-13--U.S. adds 30,000 COVID-19 deaths in December; California tallies 30,000 cases three straight days

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- The United States has added more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths in the first two weeks of December , as California reported 30,000 new cases for the third consecutive day on Sunday .
A total of 30,102 people have died in the first 13 days of December while the U.S. death toll since the beginning of the pandemic stands at 298,569 since the start of the pandemic , according to data gathered by John 's Hopkins University .
The United States has also recorded 16,136,675 cases , adding 219,510 on Saturday .
The surge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pfizer and BioNTech 's COVID-19 were shipped to states on Sunday and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield approved it to be administered to patients .
California , which leads the nation with a total of 1,551,766 cases , added 30,334 new cases on Saturday , its third consecutive day with more than 30,000 cases .
The state also added 122 new deaths , bringing its death toll to 20,969 and in third place .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Sunday hailed the shipment of the vaccine as `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We can do this .
Wear a mask .
Stay home as much as possible .
Let 's crush this curve and get to the finish line , '' Newsom wrote on Twitter .
Texas had reported the second-highest total of COVID-19 cases at 1,328,213 with an additional 6,479 and the second-highest death toll at 23,911 with 111 more .
Third place Florida reported 8,958 new COVID-19 cases , after reporting more than 10,000 cases for six consecutive days , for a total of 1,125,931 since the start of the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing its toll to 19,866 -- fourth in the nation .
The Center for Public Integrity made public a Dec. 6 White Hosue coronavirus task force report urging mitigation efforts preventing indoor gatherings outside of immediate households and requiring mask-wearing in the state to increase .
Illinois reported 7,216 new cases for the nation 's fourth highest total at 848,904 and 115 new deaths for a total of 14,291 .
New York reported 10,194 new cases on Saturday for the nation 's fifth highest total at 775,160 and 106 deaths , bringing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation with 35,475 including probable ones though only New York City includes those .

The United States added 30,102 deaths in the first 13 days of December, bringing its death toll since the beginning of the pandemic to 298,569. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- The United States has added more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths in the first two weeks of December, as California reported 30,000 new cases for the third consecutive day on Sunday. A total of 30,102 people have died in the first 13 days of December while the U.S. death toll since the beginning of the pandemic stands at 299,168 since the start of the pandemic, according to data gathered by John's Hopkins University. The United States has also recorded 16,252,989 cases, adding 219,510 on Saturday. Advertisement
The surge of deaths comes as the first vials of Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 were shipped to states on Sunday and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield approved it to be administered to patients.
California, which leads the nation with a total of 1,551,766 cases, added 30,334 new cases on Saturday, its third consecutive day with more than 30,000 cases. The state also added 122 new deaths, bringing its death toll to 20,969 and in third place.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday hailed the shipment of the vaccine as "the beginning of the end."
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"We can do this. Wear a mask. Stay home as much as possible. Let's crush this curve and get to the finish line," Newsom wrote on Twitter.
Texas had reported the second-highest total of COVID-19 cases at 1,328,213 with an additional 6,479 and the second-highest death toll at 23,911 with 111 more.
Third place Florida reported 8,958 new COVID-19 cases, after reporting more than 10,000 cases for six consecutive days, for a total of 1,125,931 since the start of the pandemic. The state also added 81 deaths, bringing its toll to 19,866 -- fourth in the nation.
The Center for Public Integrity made public a Dec. 6 White Hosue coronavirus task force report urging mitigation efforts preventing indoor gatherings outside of immediate households and requiring mask-wearing in the state to increase.
Illinois reported 7,216 new cases for the nation's fourth highest total at 848,904 and 115 new deaths for a total of 14,291.
New York reported 10,194 new cases on Saturday for the nation's fifth highest total at 775,160 and 106 deaths, bringing its toll to 27,781, the highest in the nation with 35,475 including probable ones though only New York City includes those.


upi--2020-12-13--Chiefs speed past Dolphins after slow start

MIAMI GARDENS , Fla. , Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- Patrick Mahomes recovered from two first-quarter interceptions to spark a run of 30 unanswered points and lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 33-27 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium .
Mahomes completed 24 of 34 passes for 393 yards , two touchdowns and three interceptions in the victory .
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had eight catches for 136 yards and a score .
The win gave the Chiefs ( 12-1 ) the AFC West division title .
`` I feel like this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wall , '' Mahomes said on a postgame video conference .
Tua Tagovailoa completed 28 of 48 passes for 316 yards , two touchdowns and an interception for the Dolphins ( 8-5 ) .
Miami used an aggressive defensive line to bother Mahomes early on before the Chiefs adjusted and had an offensive explosion .
`` I 'm glad to get the win and get out of here , '' Chiefs coach Andy Reid said .
`` They are a good football team . ''
Tagovailoa gave the Dolphins a 7-0 lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end Mike Gesicki with 1:42 remaining in the first quarter .
Eric Rowe then intercepted Mahomes and Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders made a 31-yard field goal 10 plays later to give Miami a 10-0 lead five minutes into the second quarter .
The Chiefs ( 12-1 ) offense then came alive midway though the quarter .
Tyreek Hill ran for a 32-yard touchdown to cut into the Dolphins lead with 8:18 remaining in the second frame .
Mahomes later ended the Chiefs ' final drive of the first half with a six-yard touchdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 14-10 lead at the break .
The Chiefs offense stayed hot for the first drive of the second half .
Mahomes threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Hill on the third play of the third quarter to give the Chiefs an 11-point edge .
Kansas City 's defense then forced a three-and-out on Miami 's next drive .
Mecole Hardmen returned the resulting punt for a 67-yard touchdown down the left sideline to give the Chiefs a 28-10 lead .
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones went on to sack Tagovailoa in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two more points to the Kansas City lead midway through the third quarter .
Tagovailoa responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Gesicki three minutes into the fourth quarter to cut the Chiefs lead to 13 points .
Tagovailoa later capped off a 14-play , 67-yard drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown to cut the Chiefs lead to six points .
The Chiefs then put together a 10-play , 47-yard field goal , which ended with a Harrison Butker field goal .
Miami got a Sanders field goal on its next possession , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kick at the end of the game .
`` We have a resilient team , '' Dolphins coach Brian Flores said .
`` They do n't quit .
But we did n't make enough plays to win the game .
We have to play better . ''
The Chiefs face the New Orleans Saints at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday in New Orleans .
The Dolphins host the New England Patriots at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium .

1/3
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw three interceptions, but led his team to a comeback victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. File Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Patrick Mahomes recovered from two first-quarter interceptions to spark a run of 30 unanswered points and lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 33-27 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. Mahomes completed 24 of 34 passes for 393 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in the victory. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had eight catches for 136 yards and a score. Advertisement
The win gave the Chiefs (12-1) the AFC West division title.
"I feel like this team plays better with their backs against the wall," Mahomes said on a postgame video conference.
Tua Tagovailoa completed 28 of 48 passes for 316 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for the Dolphins (8-5). Miami used an aggressive defensive line to bother Mahomes early on before the Chiefs adjusted and had an offensive explosion.
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"I'm glad to get the win and get out of here," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "They are a good football team."
Reason #1432 why Trav is the best in the game (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/MuU4NfKNbR— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 13, 2020
Tagovailoa gave the Dolphins a 7-0 lead with a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Gesicki with 1:42 remaining in the first quarter.
Eric Rowe then intercepted Mahomes and Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders made a 31-yard field goal 10 plays later to give Miami a 10-0 lead five minutes into the second quarter.
The Chiefs (12-1) offense then came alive midway though the quarter. Tyreek Hill ran for a 32-yard touchdown to cut into the Dolphins lead with 8:18 remaining in the second frame.
Mahomes later ended the Chiefs' final drive of the first half with a six-yard touchdown toss to Kelce to give Kansas City a 14-10 lead at the break.
The Chiefs offense stayed hot for the first drive of the second half. Mahomes threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Hill on the third play of the third quarter to give the Chiefs an 11-point edge.
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Kansas City's defense then forced a three-and-out on Miami's next drive. Mecole Hardmen returned the resulting punt for a 67-yard touchdown down the left sideline to give the Chiefs a 28-10 lead.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones went on to sack Tagovailoa in the end zone for a safety to add two more points to the Kansas City lead midway through the third quarter.
Tagovailoa responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Gesicki three minutes into the fourth quarter to cut the Chiefs lead to 13 points.
Tagovailoa later capped off a 14-play, 67-yard drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown to cut the Chiefs lead to six points.
The Chiefs then put together a 10-play, 47-yard field goal, which ended with a Harrison Butker field goal.
Miami got a Sanders field goal on its next possession, but was unable to recover an onside kick at the end of the game.
"We have a resilient team," Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. "They don't quit. But we didn't make enough plays to win the game. We have to play better."
The Chiefs face the New Orleans Saints at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday in New Orleans. The Dolphins host the New England Patriots at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.
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This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-12-13--'Croods' tops the North American box office for 3rd weekend

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- The Croods : A New Age is the No .
1 movie in North America for a third weekend , earning an additional $ 3 million in receipts , BoxOfficeMojo.com announced Sunday .
Coming in at No .
2 is Half Brothers with $ 490,000 , followed by Elf at No .
3 with $ 400,000 , Freaky at No .
4 with $ 315,000 and How the Grinch Stole Christmas at No .
5 with $ 268,000 .
Rounding out the top tier are The War with Grandpa at No .
6 with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No .
7 with $ 245,000 , National Lampoon 's Christmas Vacation at No .
8 with $ 239,000 , All My Life at No .
9 with $ 215,000 and Wonder Woman at No .
10 with $ 189,000 .
Several entries in in the Top 10 are re-releases of older films , which are getting new lives during the coronavirus pandemic as few new movies have been opening in theaters this past year .
Many films have been postponed until next year or have bypassed theaters altogether in favor of premieres @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Ryan Reynolds' animated movie "The Croods: A New Age" is No. 1 for a third weekend. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- The Croods: A New Age is the No. 1 movie in North America for a third weekend, earning an additional $3 million in receipts, BoxOfficeMojo.com announced Sunday. Coming in at No. 2 is Half Brothers with $490,000, followed by Elf at No. 3 with $400,000, Freaky at No. 4 with $315,000 and How the Grinch Stole Christmas at No. 5 with $268,000. Advertisement
Rounding out the top tier are The War with Grandpa at No. 6 with $267,000, The Polar Express at No. 7 with $245,000, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at No. 8 with $239,000, All My Life at No. 9 with $215,000 and Wonder Woman at No. 10 with $189,000.
Several entries in in the Top 10 are re-releases of older films, which are getting new lives during the coronavirus pandemic as few new movies have been opening in theaters this past year.
Many films have been postponed until next year or have bypassed theaters altogether in favor of premieres on streaming services or pay-per-view platforms.


upi--2020-12-13--Last major meteor shower of 2020 to sparkle in weekend sky

Dec. 13 ( UPI ) -- A dazzling display is about to unfold in the night sky as one of the most reliable meteor showers of the entire year approaches its peak .
Every year , skywatchers around the globe circle Dec. 13 on their calendars , the night that the Geminid meteor shower reaches its climax , although the celestial light show is best seen from a spot north of the equator .
This is the perfect event for younger stargazers with an earlier bedtime as the Geminids are one of the only major meteor showers that are active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to streak across the night sky by 9 p.m. , local time , and will continue to increase in frequency through 2 a.m. , local time .
For the Geminids , it is not the time of night that the shower peaks that draws curious eyes to the night sky , but the number of meteors that spark after dark .
`` As far as the yearly meteor showers are concerned there are two showers that are in a league of their own , the Perseids in August and the Geminids in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Samuhel said .
`` The Geminids is even more than the Perseids . ''
More than 100 meteors per hour can be counted in a typical year 's shower , but 2020 's showing could boast as many as 150 meteors per hour in very dark areas , according to the American Meteor Society .
This averages out to about two or three meteors per minute .
`` The Geminids produce a good number of meteors most years , but they 're made even better this year as the shower 's peak coincides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making for darker skies , with no moonlight to interfere with the fainter meteors , '' NASA explained .
Light pollution from nearby cities , towns and highways can reduce the number of meteors visible to the unaided eye , so those looking to get the most out of the best meteor shower of 2020 should travel to a dark area , such as a nearby park , that has an open view of the sky .
`` For the best viewing , find a safe location away from bright city lights , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet pointing south and look up , '' NASA advises .
`` Meteors can appear in any part of the sky , though they 'll appear to radiate from near the constellation Gemini . ''
In addition to the high frequency of meteors , the Geminids are known for featuring shooting stars that are bright and intensely colored , the AMS said .
These colors are caused by the elements that make up the meteors .
As they burn up in the atmosphere , the elements glow in vibrant colors with each color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year 's rendition of the Geminids will be best viewed from the central and southwestern United States where largely cloud-free conditions are in the offing .
Residents across the northern Plains and into part of the Midwest may also have some glimpses of the event with partly cloudy conditions in the forecast .
Clouds will be a concern for stargazers across much of Canada and over the eastern U.S. as a far-reaching storm tracks over the region .
The stormy pattern that is setting up across the Pacific Northwest is projected to last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the region and over the northern Rockies and into Alberta and Saskatchewan .
If cloudy conditions are in the forecast for Sunday evening , folks should plan to spend some time under the stars earlier in the weekend as the Geminids will be active every night leading up to its peak .
`` The night or two before the peak should be active , but there is a sharp drop off of activity after the peak , '' Samuhel said .
However , hourly rates may not be quite as high on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the peak on Sunday night .
After the Geminids have passed , skywatchers will only have two more opportunities to watch a meteor shower before there is a long spell where no major meteor showers occur .
First up is the Ursids on Dec. 21 into Dec. 22 , followed by the Quadrantids on Jan. 2 into Jan. 3 .
After the Quadrantids fade away , the next major meteor shower will not unfold until the Lyrids in late April .

A Geminids meteor shower appeared from the Northern Hemisphere in December 2013. Photo by Asim Patel/ Wikimedia Commons
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- A dazzling display is about to unfold in the night sky as one of the most reliable meteor showers of the entire year approaches its peak. Every year, skywatchers around the globe circle Dec. 13 on their calendars, the night that the Geminid meteor shower reaches its climax, although the celestial light show is best seen from a spot north of the equator. Advertisement
This is the perfect event for younger stargazers with an earlier bedtime as the Geminids are one of the only major meteor showers that are active during the evening. Shooting stars will start to streak across the night sky by 9 p.m., local time, and will continue to increase in frequency through 2 a.m., local time.
For the Geminids, it is not the time of night that the shower peaks that draws curious eyes to the night sky, but the number of meteors that spark after dark.
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"As far as the yearly meteor showers are concerned there are two showers that are in a league of their own, the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December," AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said. "The Geminids is even more than the Perseids."
More than 100 meteors per hour can be counted in a typical year's shower, but 2020's showing could boast as many as 150 meteors per hour in very dark areas, according to the American Meteor Society. This averages out to about two or three meteors per minute.
"The Geminids produce a good number of meteors most years, but they're made even better this year as the shower's peak coincides with a nearly new moon, thus making for darker skies, with no moonlight to interfere with the fainter meteors," NASA explained.
Light pollution from nearby cities, towns and highways can reduce the number of meteors visible to the unaided eye, so those looking to get the most out of the best meteor shower of 2020 should travel to a dark area, such as a nearby park, that has an open view of the sky.
"For the best viewing, find a safe location away from bright city lights, lie flat on the ground with your feet pointing south and look up," NASA advises. "Meteors can appear in any part of the sky, though they'll appear to radiate from near the constellation Gemini."
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In addition to the high frequency of meteors, the Geminids are known for featuring shooting stars that are bright and intensely colored, the AMS said.
These colors are caused by the elements that make up the meteors. As they burn up in the atmosphere, the elements glow in vibrant colors with each color relating to a specific element.
This year's rendition of the Geminids will be best viewed from the central and southwestern United States where largely cloud-free conditions are in the offing. Residents across the northern Plains and into part of the Midwest may also have some glimpses of the event with partly cloudy conditions in the forecast.
Clouds will be a concern for stargazers across much of Canada and over the eastern U.S. as a far-reaching storm tracks over the region.
The stormy pattern that is setting up across the Pacific Northwest is projected to last through the weekend, spreading disruptive clouds over the region and over the northern Rockies and into Alberta and Saskatchewan.
If cloudy conditions are in the forecast for Sunday evening, folks should plan to spend some time under the stars earlier in the weekend as the Geminids will be active every night leading up to its peak.
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"The night or two before the peak should be active, but there is a sharp drop off of activity after the peak," Samuhel said.
However, hourly rates may not be quite as high on Friday night and Saturday night when compared to the peak on Sunday night.
After the Geminids have passed, skywatchers will only have two more opportunities to watch a meteor shower before there is a long spell where no major meteor showers occur.
First up is the Ursids on Dec. 21 into Dec. 22, followed by the Quadrantids on Jan. 2 into Jan. 3. After the Quadrantids fade away, the next major meteor shower will not unfold until the Lyrids in late April.