upi--2020-12-18--Tesla hit record high on last day of trading before joining S&P 500

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Tesla 's shares rose 6 % to a record high of $ 695 at close Friday , the last day of trading before it joins the S & P 500 index .
The company owned by Elon Musk will be the largest ever added to the S & P 500 , with a market capitalization of $ 650 billion .
The index slipped to 3,709.41 , down 0.35 % ahead of the major addition .
For the week , the S & P 500 finished up 0.37 % .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , down 0.41 % .
The index was down 0.33 % for the week .
And the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost about 0.71 % to close at 12,755.64 .
The index was up 1.84 % for the week .
The lackluster Friday finishes is likely linked to Congress ' struggles coming to an agreement on a new pandemic-related stimulus plan .
Congressional negotiators are hoping to attach a COVID-19 relief bill worth about $ 900 billion onto a $ 1.4 trillion measure to fund federal government operations through September .
They 're facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Pedestrians walk by the New York Stock Exchange after a major snow storm on Wall Street in New York City on Thursday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Tesla's shares rose 6% to a record high of $695 at close Friday, the last day of trading before it joins the S&P 500 index. The company owned by Elon Musk will be the largest ever added to the S&P 500, with a market capitalization of $650 billion. Advertisement
The index slipped to 3,709.41, down 0.35% ahead of the major addition. For the week, the S&P 500 finished up 0.37%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average also fell Friday, closing at 30,179.05, down 0.41%. The index was down 0.33% for the week.
And the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost about 0.71% to close at 12,755.64. The index was up 1.84% for the week.
The lackluster Friday finishes is likely linked to Congress' struggles coming to an agreement on a new pandemic-related stimulus plan.
Congressional negotiators are hoping to attach a COVID-19 relief bill worth about $900 billion onto a $1.4 trillion measure to fund federal government operations through September. They're facing a Friday deadline for the latter.


upi--2020-12-18--Survey: Half of U.S. adults think worst of pandemic is yet to come

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Roughly half of adults in the United States believe the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to come , according to the findings of a survey released Friday by the Kaiser Family Foundation .
Nearly 70 % of the respondents indicated that they are worried that they or someone in their family will get sick from the disease , the data showed .
This is the highest percentage since the Kaiser Family Foundation began tracking the statistic in February , the organization said .
The findings are from the Kaiser Family Foundation Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults aged 18 years or older from across the country .
The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit organization focusing on national health issues , as well as the role of the United States in global health policy The most recent round of the survey was conducted Nov. 30 and Dec. 8 , before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 's approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine , according to the foundation .
Similar questionnaires were administered in January , February , April , May , July , September and October , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 51 % of respondents said the worst of the pandemic lies ahead , while 70 % said they can continue adhering to social distancing guidelines for six months or more , or until a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available , according to the Kaiser Family Foundation .
About 40 % of adults surveyed think their state has about the right amount of restrictions on businesses and individuals designed to limit the spread of the virus , the data showed .
In the most recent survey , 73 % of respondents said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , up 21 % from May , according to the foundation .
That same percentage of respondents said wearing a mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 is `` part of everyone 's responsibility , '' the foundation said .
In comparison , 11 % of respondents said they `` wear masks only some of the time or never . ''
More than half of these respondents identified as Republican voters .
`` Republican denialism mirroring President Trump , even in the face of a growing epidemic in red states , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Kaiser Family Foundation president and CEO Drew Altman said in a statement .

A woman wears a face mask and face shield to protect from and prevent the spread of coronavirus. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Roughly half of adults in the United States believe the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to come, according to the findings of a survey released Friday by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Nearly 70% of the respondents indicated that they are worried that they or someone in their family will get sick from the disease, the data showed. Advertisement
This is the highest percentage since the Kaiser Family Foundation began tracking the statistic in February, the organization said.
The findings are from the Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, a survey of 1,676 adults aged 18 years or older from across the country.
The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit organization focusing on national health issues, as well as the role of the United States in global health policy
The most recent round of the survey was conducted Nov. 30 and Dec. 8, before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, according to the foundation.
Similar questionnaires were administered in January, February, April, May, July, September and October, the foundation said.
In the latest survey, 51% of respondents said the worst of the pandemic lies ahead, while 70% said they can continue adhering to social distancing guidelines for six months or more, or until a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Advertisement
About 40% of adults surveyed think their state has about the right amount of restrictions on businesses and individuals designed to limit the spread of the virus, the data showed.
In the most recent survey, 73% of respondents said they wear a mask every time they leave home, up 21% from May, according to the foundation.
That same percentage of respondents said wearing a mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 is "part of everyone's responsibility," the foundation said.
In comparison, 11% of respondents said they "wear masks only some of the time or never." More than half of these respondents identified as Republican voters.
"Republican denialism mirroring President Trump, even in the face of a growing epidemic in red states, has become a real public health challenge," Kaiser Family Foundation president and CEO Drew Altman said in a statement.


upi--2020-12-18--Winner only bought lottery ticket to meet minimum purchase requirement

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- An Australian woman who won a $ 10,000 lottery jackpot said she only bought the ticket so she could meet the minimum purchase total to use a payment card .
The woman , a veterinarian from Lockyer Valley , Queensland , told The Lott officials she was at the Gatton News , Gifts and Stationary store when she ended up buying the ticket .
`` I was in the store buying something else , and I needed to spend $ 5 to meet the minimum card payment , so I glanced over at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheep on a roller coaster , '' the woman said .
`` I thought to myself , ' I 'm a vet , so I should buy the ticket with an animal on it . '
I got the first one off the roll , '' she recalled .
The woman said the win was well-timed .
`` It 's just a blessing right before Christmas !
I 've already used it to do a little bit of shopping , '' she said .
`` I 've bought a few treats to pamper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible with the rest of it .
I 'm going to put it towards a house deposit .
`` It 's shaved a year off my five-year goal to own a house , so that 's incredible ! ''

A Lockyer Valley, Queensland, Australia, woman said she only purchased the scratch-off ticket that won her a $10,000 jackpot because she had to meet a minimum to use her payment card at the store. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Dec. 18 (UPI) -- An Australian woman who won a $10,000 lottery jackpot said she only bought the ticket so she could meet the minimum purchase total to use a payment card. The woman, a veterinarian from Lockyer Valley, Queensland, told The Lott officials she was at the Gatton News, Gifts and Stationary store when she ended up buying the ticket. Advertisement
"I was in the store buying something else, and I needed to spend $5 to meet the minimum card payment, so I glanced over at the scratchies and saw the cute ticket with sheep on a roller coaster," the woman said.
"I thought to myself, 'I'm a vet, so I should buy the ticket with an animal on it.' I got the first one off the roll," she recalled.
The $1 Sheep Thrills ticket earned the player a $10,000 jackpot.
The woman said the win was well-timed.
"It's just a blessing right before Christmas! I've already used it to do a little bit of shopping," she said. "I've bought a few treats to pamper myself with, but I'll be responsible with the rest of it. I'm going to put it towards a house deposit.
Advertisement
"It's shaved a year off my five-year goal to own a house, so that's incredible!"


upi--2020-12-18--Look: Large crocodile spotted in Florida woman's back yard

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- A Florida woman who spotted what she initially thought to be a large alligator in her back yard was shocked to find out it was actually a rare crocodile .
Mona Vieregg , 70 , said the reptile had been spotted a few times in recent days by neighbors , but it was only when the animal exited the water to sun itself on Vieregg 's floating dock that it was identified as an American crocodile .
Vieregg , knowing crocodiles do n't normally live in the area , contacted the Punta Gorda Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size at 10 to 15 feet .
The department contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission , which sent trapper Tracy Hansen to the scene .
Hansen said the crocodile was one of the largest of its species that he had ever seen .
He said the animal could be up to 70 years old .
American crocodiles are known to live on the southern tip of Florida , but are rarely seen as far north as Punta Gorda .
Hansen said the crocodile will be left alone for the time being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive federal permission to relocate the animals .

An American crocodile was spotted sunning itself on the floating dock in a Florida woman's back yard. Experts said the species, native to the southern tip of Florida, is rarely seen as far north as the Punta Gorda area. Photo courtesy of the Punta Gorda Police Department
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A Florida woman who spotted what she initially thought to be a large alligator in her back yard was shocked to find out it was actually a rare crocodile. Mona Vieregg, 70, said the reptile had been spotted a few times in recent days by neighbors, but it was only when the animal exited the water to sun itself on Vieregg's floating dock that it was identified as an American crocodile. Advertisement
Vieregg, knowing crocodiles don't normally live in the area, contacted the Punta Gorda Police Department.
Police estimated the crocodile's size at 10 to 15 feet.
The department contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which sent trapper Tracy Hansen to the scene.
Hansen said the crocodile was one of the largest of its species that he had ever seen. He said the animal could be up to 70 years old.
American crocodiles are known to live on the southern tip of Florida, but are rarely seen as far north as Punta Gorda.
Hansen said the crocodile will be left alone for the time being, as the protected species requires trappers to receive federal permission to relocate the animals.


upi--2020-12-18--2nd inmate slated for execution next month tests positive for COVID-19

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- A second federal death row inmate set to be executed next month has tested positive for COVID-19 , his lawyers announced Friday .
Corey Johnson , 52 , is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Jan. 14 at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute , Ind.
, for his role in a Richmond Va. , drug gang tied to 10 murders .
Attorneys Don Salzman and Ron Tabak said their client tested positive for the novel coronavirus amid a `` growing outbreak on federal death row . ''
`` The government must stop conducting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility , and we have called on the Department of Justice to withdraw Mr. Johnson 's execution date , '' they said .
Johnson is the second federal death row inmate due to be executed next month who has tested positive for the virus .
Shawn Nolan , an attorney for Dustin Higgs , announced Thursday that he was informed of his client 's illness .
Nolan blamed previous executions held at USP Terre Haute -- during which federal executioners from other states travel to the facility -- for spreading the virus among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lawsuit filed by non-death row inmates in Terre Haute , the Bureau of Prisons said eight executioners who traveled to the facility to take part in Orlando Hall 's Nov. 18 execution later tested positive for the virus .
According to the Bureau of Prisons ' website , as of Thursday , there were 222 active cases of COVID-19 among inmates at USP Terre Haute and four cases among staff .
The Bureau of Prisons declined to say how many of the facility 's roughly 50 death row inmates have tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assigned to the special confinement unit where death row prisoners are housed has tested positive for the virus , though he had no contact with the staff involved in November or December executions .
Long said the facility conducts contact tracing according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance , and all inmates found to have symptoms or test positive for the virus are isolated from others .
`` While a number of inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at USP Terre Haute in recent weeks , many of these inmates are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said in a statement to UPI .
Johnson and Higgs ' attorneys have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to withdraw their clients ' execution dates due to their illness .
`` Mr. Johnson 's diagnosis will substantially interfere with his attorneys ' ability to have meaningful contact with him during these critical days before his scheduled execution , and the widespread outbreak on the federal death row only confirms the reckless disregard for the lives and safety of staff , prisoners and attorneys alike , '' Salzman and Tabak said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the execution date , we will ask the courts to intervene . ''
Attorneys for death row inmates have sought to have executions stayed or delayed since the start of the pandemic in March .
Both Texas and Tennessee have delayed some execution dates , but the federal government has largely pushed forward with scheduled executions .
A federal court rescheduled the execution date of one federal inmate -- Lisa Montgomery -- after her lawyers both tested positive for the virus and experienced `` debilitating symptoms . ''
She 's now set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Trump administration has carried out 10 executions since July , when it resumed federal executions after a 17-year hiatus .
Johnson was sentenced to death in 1993 for 10 murders tied to his participation in a Richmond , Va. , drug gang .
Accomplices James Roane and Richard Tipton also received the death penalty for their involvement .
Johnson 's lawyers said a childhood of abuse and neglect led to intellectual disability , and at age 13 , his mother put him in a facility for children with intellectual and emotional impairments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ score of 69 at 16 years old and three doctors have since concluded he has intellectual disability .
The lawyers also described Johnson 's punishment as `` arbitrary '' because another accomplice , Vernon Thomas , received a life sentence because of his intellectual disability .

Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A second federal death row inmate set to be executed next month has tested positive for COVID-19, his lawyers announced Friday.
Corey Johnson, 52, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Jan. 14 at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., for his role in a Richmond Va., drug gang tied to 10 murders.
Advertisement
Attorneys Don Salzman and Ron Tabak said their client tested positive for the novel coronavirus amid a "growing outbreak on federal death row."
"The government must stop conducting executions during a COVID-19 outbreak in the facility, and we have called on the Department of Justice to withdraw Mr. Johnson's execution date," they said.
Johnson is the second federal death row inmate due to be executed next month who has tested positive for the virus. Shawn Nolan, an attorney for Dustin Higgs, announced Thursday that he was informed of his client's illness.
Advertisement
Nolan blamed previous executions held at USP Terre Haute -- during which federal executioners from other states travel to the facility -- for spreading the virus among inmates and staff.
In response to a lawsuit filed by non-death row inmates in Terre Haute, the Bureau of Prisons said eight executioners who traveled to the facility to take part in Orlando Hall's Nov. 18 execution later tested positive for the virus.
According to the Bureau of Prisons' website, as of Thursday, there were 222 active cases of COVID-19 among inmates at USP Terre Haute and four cases among staff. The Bureau of Prisons declined to say how many of the facility's roughly 50 death row inmates have tested positive.
Spokesman Justin Long said one employee assigned to the special confinement unit where death row prisoners are housed has tested positive for the virus, though he had no contact with the staff involved in November or December executions.
Long said the facility conducts contact tracing according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and all inmates found to have symptoms or test positive for the virus are isolated from others.
"While a number of inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at USP Terre Haute in recent weeks, many of these inmates are asymptomatic or exhibiting mild symptoms," he said in a statement to UPI.
Advertisement
Johnson and Higgs' attorneys have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to withdraw their clients' execution dates due to their illness.
"Mr. Johnson's diagnosis will substantially interfere with his attorneys' ability to have meaningful contact with him during these critical days before his scheduled execution, and the widespread outbreak on the federal death row only confirms the reckless disregard for the lives and safety of staff, prisoners and attorneys alike," Salzman and Tabak said. "If the government will not withdraw the execution date, we will ask the courts to intervene."
Attorneys for death row inmates have sought to have executions stayed or delayed since the start of the pandemic in March. Both Texas and Tennessee have delayed some execution dates, but the federal government has largely pushed forward with scheduled executions.
A federal court rescheduled the execution date of one federal inmate -- Lisa Montgomery -- after her lawyers both tested positive for the virus and experienced "debilitating symptoms." She's now set to receive the lethal injection Jan. 12.
The Trump administration has carried out 10 executions since July, when it resumed federal executions after a 17-year hiatus.
Johnson was sentenced to death in 1993 for 10 murders tied to his participation in a Richmond, Va., drug gang. Accomplices James Roane and Richard Tipton also received the death penalty for their involvement.
Advertisement
Johnson's lawyers said a childhood of abuse and neglect led to intellectual disability, and at age 13, his mother put him in a facility for children with intellectual and emotional impairments.
They said he had an IQ score of 69 at 16 years old and three doctors have since concluded he has intellectual disability.
The lawyers also described Johnson's punishment as "arbitrary" because another accomplice, Vernon Thomas, received a life sentence because of his intellectual disability.


upi--2020-12-18--Watch: World War I-era cannon found buried under Canadian baseball field

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Construction crews digging up a baseball field in Ontario made a surprising discovery -- a World War I-era German cannon buried under the pitcher 's mound .
Officials in Amherstburg said crews were digging up the ballpark , which is to become the site of a new public school , on Monday when they discovered the forgotten cannon that was formerly on display at Centennial Park .
City officials said the cannon was brought to the town in 1922 and was displayed alongside a cenotaph at General Amherst High School .
The cenotaph was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make way for an expansion to the school and the cannon , which was determined to be in poor condition , was buried underneath the monument .
The cannon was forgotten when the cenotaph was moved again in the 1980s and the area was turned into a baseball field with the gun still buried underneath .
The Greater Essex County District School Board said the cannon is being donated to the Town of Amherstburg .
`` [ We 've ] already received communication from a number of military historical associations that are interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have even offered to help restore it , '' Amherstburg Mayor Aldo DiCarlo told CBC News .
`` The historical significance I think just ca n't be overstated , it is really something . ''
Kevin Fox , Amherstburg 's manager of policy and committees and the former operator of a Kingsville military museum , said the cannon is one of very few of its type to remain intact .
`` During the Second World War , when there was a need for scrap metal , many of the war trophies were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort .
So while there were numerous examples that existed and were spread throughout the country , many of them do not survive , '' Fox said .

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Construction crews digging up a baseball field in Ontario made a surprising discovery -- a World War I-era German cannon buried under the pitcher's mound.
Officials in Amherstburg said crews were digging up the ballpark, which is to become the site of a new public school, on Monday when they discovered the forgotten cannon that was formerly on display at Centennial Park.
Advertisement
City officials said the cannon was brought to the town in 1922 and was displayed alongside a cenotaph at General Amherst High School. The cenotaph was moved to Centennial Park in 1971 to make way for an expansion to the school and the cannon, which was determined to be in poor condition, was buried underneath the monument.
The cannon was forgotten when the cenotaph was moved again in the 1980s and the area was turned into a baseball field with the gun still buried underneath.
The Greater Essex County District School Board said the cannon is being donated to the Town of Amherstburg.
"[We've] already received communication from a number of military historical associations that are interested in what we're doing with it and have even offered to help restore it," Amherstburg Mayor Aldo DiCarlo told CBC News. "The historical significance I think just can't be overstated, it is really something."
Advertisement
Kevin Fox, Amherstburg's manager of policy and committees and the former operator of a Kingsville military museum, said the cannon is one of very few of its type to remain intact.
"During the Second World War, when there was a need for scrap metal, many of the war trophies were actually destroyed to contribute to the war effort. So while there were numerous examples that existed and were spread throughout the country, many of them do not survive," Fox said.


upi--2020-12-18--Electromagnetic images help scientists deconstruct ancient Jewish parchment

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Scientists were able to deconstruct an ancient Jewish parchment using a combination of sophisticated imaging techniques .
The research -- published Friday in the journal Frontiers in Materials -- could help scientists better understand how historical documents and artifacts degrade over time .
For the study , researchers at Romania 's National Institute for Research and Development in Optoelectronics examined a poorly preserved manuscript containing several chapters from the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible .
`` The goal of the study was ... to understand what the passing of time has brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degraded and what would be the best approach for its future conservation process , '' Luminita Ghervase , study co-author and research scientist at the institute , said in a news release .
By deploying a variety of spectroscopic instruments and capturing images from a multitude of angles , researchers were able to elicit details about the ancient parchment 's material origins .
`` The use of complementary investigation techniques can shed light on the unknown history of such an object , '' Ghervase said .
`` For some years now , non-invasive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice in investigating cultural heritage objects , to comply with one of the main rules of the conservation practice , which is to not harm the object . ''
Using what 's known as multispectral imaging , researchers scanned the parchment within different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum .
Because different materials absorb and reflect light in different ways , this imaging technique can highlight irregularities .
For example , researchers spotted an area with heightened ultraviolet absorption , suggesting a patch of the parchment was repaired with an organic material such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two different kinds of ink , possible evidence that attempts to restore the parchment 's text were made at some point during its history .
Researchers relied on a computer algorithm to identify the parchment 's spectral signatures and super fine scales , a technique that could be used in the future to decipher text .
Using a separate technique called X-ray fluorescence -- which can be used to identify specific chemicals in the ink and parchment material -- scientists found large concentrations of ink , commonly used in bleaching treatments , further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determining the parchment was made of animal skin , researchers used a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer to measure the deterioration rate of collagen in the scroll .
Researchers hope their work could inform historians ' efforts to date the parchment , as well as aid the restoration attempts of conservators .
`` They can wisely decide if any improper materials had been used , and if such materials should be removed , '' Ghervase said .
`` Moreover , restorers can choose the most appropriate materials to restore and preserve the object , ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Researchers used a combination of imaging techniques to extract details about the materials and history of an ancient Jewish parchment. Photo by Ioana Maria Cortea, et al./Frontiers in Materials
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Scientists were able to deconstruct an ancient Jewish parchment using a combination of sophisticated imaging techniques. The research -- published Friday in the journal Frontiers in Materials -- could help scientists better understand how historical documents and artifacts degrade over time. Advertisement
For the study, researchers at Romania's National Institute for Research and Development in Optoelectronics examined a poorly preserved manuscript containing several chapters from the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible.
"The goal of the study was ... to understand what the passing of time has brought upon the object, how it was degraded and what would be the best approach for its future conservation process," Luminita Ghervase, study co-author and research scientist at the institute, said in a news release.
By deploying a variety of spectroscopic instruments and capturing images from a multitude of angles, researchers were able to elicit details about the ancient parchment's material origins.
"The use of complementary investigation techniques can shed light on the unknown history of such an object," Ghervase said. "For some years now, non-invasive, non-destructive investigation techniques are the first choice in investigating cultural heritage objects, to comply with one of the main rules of the conservation practice, which is to not harm the object."
Advertisement
Using what's known as multispectral imaging, researchers scanned the parchment within different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because different materials absorb and reflect light in different ways, this imaging technique can highlight irregularities.
For example, researchers spotted an area with heightened ultraviolet absorption, suggesting a patch of the parchment was repaired with an organic material such as resin.
The multispectral scans also revealed two different kinds of ink, possible evidence that attempts to restore the parchment's text were made at some point during its history.
Researchers relied on a computer algorithm to identify the parchment's spectral signatures and super fine scales, a technique that could be used in the future to decipher text.
Using a separate technique called X-ray fluorescence -- which can be used to identify specific chemicals in the ink and parchment material -- scientists found large concentrations of ink, commonly used in bleaching treatments, further evidence of past restoration attempts.
After determining the parchment was made of animal skin, researchers used a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer to measure the deterioration rate of collagen in the scroll.
Researchers hope their work could inform historians' efforts to date the parchment, as well as aid the restoration attempts of conservators.
"They can wisely decide if any improper materials had been used, and if such materials should be removed," Ghervase said. "Moreover, restorers can choose the most appropriate materials to restore and preserve the object, ruling out any possible incompatible materials."


upi--2020-12-18--Watch: Texas student dons hazmat suit to take in-person exams

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- A Texas high school student arrived to take his final exams in a hazmat suit after his family said the district is n't doing enough to protect students and families from COVID-19 .
Houston teenager Mason Kalkofen showed up to Spring Woods High School 's campus in a full suit of personal protective gear after the school district mandated that virtual learners take their final exams on the school 's campus .
`` I 'm having to go in a hazmat suit , '' Kalkofen told KTRK-TV .
`` That way I can protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Margarita , said she is at a high risk of serious complications if she contracts COVID-19 .
`` I do n't want to get sick , '' Margarita Kalkofen said .
`` I do n't want to end up in a hospital .
I do n't want my husband to end up in the hospital because the school district does n't care . ''
The family said they asked the school to allow the teenager to take his exams virtually , but the request was refused .
They said multiple letters have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases at the school .
Spring Branch Independent School District said officials `` offered the family multiple testing options , including the option of the student testing alone in a room with only one proctor present wearing PPE .
The family refused all options . ''
The district said Texas Education Agency guidelines call for students to take exams in person with a proctor present .
`` Total enrollment at Spring Woods High is 2,064 students .
The total number of COVID cases so far this school year is 25 , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This represents less than 1 percent ( 0.82 percent ) of Spring Woods High students who have reported testing positive , '' the district said .
The high school previously halted all in-person learning for two weeks in September when 12 positive cases of the virus were reported at the school in a single week .

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A Texas high school student arrived to take his final exams in a hazmat suit after his family said the district isn't doing enough to protect students and families from COVID-19.
Houston teenager Mason Kalkofen showed up to Spring Woods High School's campus in a full suit of personal protective gear after the school district mandated that virtual learners take their final exams on the school's campus.
Advertisement
"I'm having to go in a hazmat suit," Kalkofen told KTRK-TV. "That way I can protect my family."
Kalkofen's mother, Margarita, said she is at a high risk of serious complications if she contracts COVID-19.
"I don't want to get sick," Margarita Kalkofen said. "I don't want to end up in a hospital. I don't want my husband to end up in the hospital because the school district doesn't care."
The family said they asked the school to allow the teenager to take his exams virtually, but the request was refused. They said multiple letters have been sent home informing families of positive coronavirus cases at the school.
Spring Branch Independent School District said officials "offered the family multiple testing options, including the option of the student testing alone in a room with only one proctor present wearing PPE. The family refused all options."
Advertisement
The district said Texas Education Agency guidelines call for students to take exams in person with a proctor present.
"Total enrollment at Spring Woods High is 2,064 students. The total number of COVID cases so far this school year is 25, with 17 students and 8 employees reporting positive. This represents less than 1 percent (0.82 percent) of Spring Woods High students who have reported testing positive," the district said.
The high school previously halted all in-person learning for two weeks in September when 12 positive cases of the virus were reported at the school in a single week.


upi--2020-12-18--Blood oxygen tests may be inaccurate for Black patients

The fingertip devices that hospitals use to monitor patients ' oxygen levels might be less accurate in people with dark skin , a new study suggests .
At issue are pulse oximeters -- small medical devices that clip onto a fingertip and estimate how much oxygen is making it into the blood .
They are routinely used in hospitals to help providers make treatment decisions .
And during the COVID-19 pandemic , pulse oximeters have increasingly made their way into the hands of lay people .
Fairly cheap home devices are available , and people with milder cases of COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
But the new study suggests that Black patients are at greater risk of having a falsely reassuring reading on pulse oximetry than white patients are .
Researchers at the University of Michigan Hospital found that in cases where Black patients appeared to have adequate oxygen levels on pulse oximetry , their blood oxygen was actually low 12 % of the time .
In contrast , the mismatch happened in white patients less than 4 % of the time , the researchers report in the Dec. 17 issue of the New England @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised us all , '' said lead researcher Dr. Michael Sjoding , an assistant professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine .
The impetus for the study was , like so many things in medicine , the pandemic .
Early on , when Sjoding and his colleagues were seeing more and more COVID patients -- many of whom were Black -- they noticed a recurring discrepancy : Some patients ' pulse oximetry readings were not matching up with arterial blood gas tests , which sample patients ' blood to directly gauge oxygen saturation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked back at over 10,000 instances where patients had nearly simultaneous pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas measurements .
The readings came from 1,333 white patients and 276 Black patients treated between January and July of this year .
Overall , the study found , discrepancies were nearly three times more common among Black patients than white patients .
Sjoding 's team then looked at data from intensive care units at 178 other hospitals , collected in 2014 and 2015 .
The same pattern emerged : Among Black patients with normal pulse oximetry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abnormal 17 % of the time .
That compared with 6 % among white patents .
The notion of a racial bias in pulse oximetry is not new .
Back in 2005 , a small study found that the devices tended to overestimate oxygen levels in dark-skinned patients .
But the finding did not `` permeate '' practice , Sjoding said , and many providers may not be aware of the issue .
Dr. Albert Rizzo is chief medical officer of the American Lung Association .
He said there are various well-known limitations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from heart rate to blood circulation in the fingers to nail polish can affect measurements from the finger-clip devices .
This study , Rizzo said , `` does point out that there is limited data regarding accuracy , depending on racial groups . ''
As for why skin tone would matter , Sjoding explained the basic theory : Pulse oximeters work by emitting certain wavelengths of light , and skin pigment may absorb some of that light .
Both he and Rizzo stressed that hospital staff need to consider factors other than pulse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a stand-alone result or value , '' Rizzo said , `` but needs to be used in the patient context . ''
The same goes for people using a home device to monitor a milder case of COVID .
Sjoding said that anyone with worsening breathing problems should heed those symptoms , rather than going by a seemingly `` good '' pulse oximetry reading .
The findings also point to a broader issue , Sjoding said .
Historically , medical devices have been developed using studies of mostly white individuals .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shortcomings of that .
`` We need to double down in evaluating these technologies , to make sure they work equally well for all of the patients we treat , '' Sjoding said .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on monitoring COVID-19 at home .

A new study suggests that Black patients are at greater risk of having a falsely reassuring reading on pulse oximetry than white patients are. File Photo by Molly Riley/UPI | License Photo
The fingertip devices that hospitals use to monitor patients' oxygen levels might be less accurate in people with dark skin, a new study suggests. At issue are pulse oximeters -- small medical devices that clip onto a fingertip and estimate how much oxygen is making it into the blood. They are routinely used in hospitals to help providers make treatment decisions. Advertisement
And during the COVID-19 pandemic, pulse oximeters have increasingly made their way into the hands of lay people. Fairly cheap home devices are available, and people with milder cases of COVID have used them to monitor their oxygen levels.
But the new study suggests that Black patients are at greater risk of having a falsely reassuring reading on pulse oximetry than white patients are.
Researchers at the University of Michigan Hospital found that in cases where Black patients appeared to have adequate oxygen levels on pulse oximetry, their blood oxygen was actually low 12% of the time.
Advertisement
In contrast, the mismatch happened in white patients less than 4% of the time, the researchers report in the Dec. 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"It really surprised us all," said lead researcher Dr. Michael Sjoding, an assistant professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine.
The impetus for the study was, like so many things in medicine, the pandemic.
Early on, when Sjoding and his colleagues were seeing more and more COVID patients -- many of whom were Black -- they noticed a recurring discrepancy: Some patients' pulse oximetry readings were not matching up with arterial blood gas tests, which sample patients' blood to directly gauge oxygen saturation.
To dig further, the doctors looked back at over 10,000 instances where patients had nearly simultaneous pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas measurements. The readings came from 1,333 white patients and 276 Black patients treated between January and July of this year.
Overall, the study found, discrepancies were nearly three times more common among Black patients than white patients.
Sjoding's team then looked at data from intensive care units at 178 other hospitals, collected in 2014 and 2015. The same pattern emerged: Among Black patients with normal pulse oximetry readings, arterial blood gas measurements were abnormal 17% of the time.
Advertisement
That compared with 6% among white patents.
The notion of a racial bias in pulse oximetry is not new. Back in 2005, a small study found that the devices tended to overestimate oxygen levels in dark-skinned patients.
But the finding did not "permeate" practice, Sjoding said, and many providers may not be aware of the issue.
Dr. Albert Rizzo is chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. He said there are various well-known limitations of pulse oximeter readings. Factors ranging from heart rate to blood circulation in the fingers to nail polish can affect measurements from the finger-clip devices.
This study, Rizzo said, "does point out that there is limited data regarding accuracy, depending on racial groups."
As for why skin tone would matter, Sjoding explained the basic theory: Pulse oximeters work by emitting certain wavelengths of light, and skin pigment may absorb some of that light.
Both he and Rizzo stressed that hospital staff need to consider factors other than pulse oximetry numbers.
"Pulse oximetry is not a stand-alone result or value," Rizzo said, "but needs to be used in the patient context."
The same goes for people using a home device to monitor a milder case of COVID.
Advertisement
Sjoding said that anyone with worsening breathing problems should heed those symptoms, rather than going by a seemingly "good" pulse oximetry reading.
The findings also point to a broader issue, Sjoding said. Historically, medical devices have been developed using studies of mostly white individuals. And the discrepancies seen with pulse oximetry illustrate the shortcomings of that.
"We need to double down in evaluating these technologies, to make sure they work equally well for all of the patients we treat," Sjoding said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on monitoring COVID-19 at home.
SOURCES: Michael Sjoding, MD, assistant professor, internal medicine, division of pulmonary and critical care medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor ; Albert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer, American Lung Association, Chicago; New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 17, 2020
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-12-18--Pentagon says it's cooperating with transition but Biden team disagrees

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Acting Secretary Christopher Miller on Friday cited the Pentagon 's cooperation and involvement in the White House transition process , pointing to participating in numerous interviews and fulfilling scores of information requests .
The Biden team said , however , that it is not getting full cooperation .
`` As of today , we have supported 139 interview sessions [ of ] more than 200 DoD personnel , 161 requests for information , and disclosed thousands of pages of non-public and classified documents , exceeding prior transitions , '' Miller 's statement says in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no time has the Department cancelled or declined any interview .
Our key focus in the next two weeks is supporting essential requests for information on OWS [ Operation Warp Speed , the White House anti-pandemic campaign ] and COVID-19 information to guarantee a flawless transition . ''
Miller 's statement mentioned a `` mutually agreed-to holiday pause , '' which begins Saturday , but on Friday , Biden spokesperson Yohannes Abraham directly contradicted that claim .
`` Let me be clear , there was no mutually agreed-upon holiday break , '' Abraham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams will be able to have access to the sort of information that is invaluable for keeping the homeland safe .
`` We think it 's important that briefings and other engagements continue during this period as there 's no time to spare , and that 's particularly true in the aftermath of ascertainment delay '' -- a reference to the delay by the administration of President Donald Trump in officially recognizing Biden as president-elect .
It also cites the Pentagon 's participation with Biden 's agency review teams , which are responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency to ensure a smooth transfer of power .

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller identified the Pentagon's cooperation with the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden in a statement Friday, which the Biden team partically contradicted. Pool photo by Joshua Roberts/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Acting Secretary Christopher Miller on Friday cited the Pentagon's cooperation and involvement in the White House transition process, pointing to participating in numerous interviews and fulfilling scores of information requests. The Biden team said, however, that it is not getting full cooperation. Advertisement
"As of today, we have supported 139 interview sessions [of] more than 200 DoD personnel, 161 requests for information, and disclosed thousands of pages of non-public and classified documents, exceeding prior transitions," Miller's statement says in part.
It added: "At no time has the Department cancelled or declined any interview. Our key focus in the next two weeks is supporting essential requests for information on OWS [Operation Warp Speed, the White House anti-pandemic campaign] and COVID-19 information to guarantee a flawless transition."
Miller's statement mentioned a "mutually agreed-to holiday pause," which begins Saturday, but on Friday, Biden spokesperson Yohannes Abraham directly contradicted that claim.
"Let me be clear, there was no mutually agreed-upon holiday break," Abraham said, "That our agency review teams will be able to have access to the sort of information that is invaluable for keeping the homeland safe.
"We think it's important that briefings and other engagements continue during this period as there's no time to spare, and that's particularly true in the aftermath of ascertainment delay" -- a reference to the delay by the administration of President Donald Trump in officially recognizing Biden as president-elect.
Advertisement
It also cites the Pentagon's participation with Biden's agency review teams, which are responsible for understanding the operations of each government agency to ensure a smooth transfer of power.


upi--2020-12-18--No link seen between COVID-19, Guillain-Barré syndrome

There 's no evidence of a link between COVID-19 and a serious neurological condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome , British researchers say .
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition that attacks the peripheral nervous system , typically causing numbness , weakness and pain .
In severe cases , it can cause paralysis and is sometimes fatal .
The exact cause is n't known , but the syndrome often occurs after a gastroenteritis infection called Camplylobacter , with the immune system mistakenly attacking nerves instead of germs .
Previous research found an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome during Zika virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies have raised concern about a possible link between COVID-19 infection and the syndrome .
For the new study , researchers from University College London compared cases of Guillain-Barré in the United Kingdom between 2016 and 2019 to those during the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of 2020 .
The annual incidence of patients with Guillain-Barré who were treated in hospitals between 2016 and 2019 topped out at 1.88 per 100,000 people .
Between March and May 2020 , it was 40 % to 50 % lower than in the same months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the study published Dec. 14 in the journal Brain .
The authors said their findings contradict those of smaller studies and should reassure people .
`` The possibility of SARS-CoV-2 driving a global spike in GBS has been eagerly monitored with a number of published small case series already asserting a causal link , '' said first author Stephen Keddie of the Department of Neuromuscular Disease .
`` Our epidemiological study shows there was no increased incidence in GBS during the first wave of COVID-19 ; rather , there was a decrease and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GBS can be made , '' he said in a university news release .
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on Guillain-Barré syndrome .

1/2
Between March and May 2020, the incidence patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome was 40% to 50% lower than in the same months of 2016 to 2019, a new study found. CDC/UPI | License Photo
There's no evidence of a link between COVID-19 and a serious neurological condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome, British researchers say. Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition that attacks the peripheral nervous system, typically causing numbness, weakness and pain. In severe cases, it can cause paralysis and is sometimes fatal. Advertisement
The exact cause isn't known, but the syndrome often occurs after a gastroenteritis infection called Camplylobacter, with the immune system mistakenly attacking nerves instead of germs.
Previous research found an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome during Zika virus outbreaks in Latin America, and some studies have raised concern about a possible link between COVID-19 infection and the syndrome.
For the new study, researchers from University College London compared cases of Guillain-Barré in the United Kingdom between 2016 and 2019 to those during the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of 2020.
The annual incidence of patients with Guillain-Barré who were treated in hospitals between 2016 and 2019 topped out at 1.88 per 100,000 people. Between March and May 2020, it was 40% to 50% lower than in the same months of 2016 to 2019, according to the study published Dec. 14 in the journal Brain.
Advertisement
The authors said their findings contradict those of smaller studies and should reassure people.
"The possibility of SARS-CoV-2 driving a global spike in GBS has been eagerly monitored with a number of published small case series already asserting a causal link," said first author Stephen Keddie of the Department of Neuromuscular Disease.
"Our epidemiological study shows there was no increased incidence in GBS during the first wave of COVID-19; rather, there was a decrease and therefore no causal link of COVID-19 to GBS can be made," he said in a university news release.
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on Guillain-Barré syndrome.
SOURCE: University College London, news release, Dec. 13, 2020
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-12-18--Sailors with COVID-19 replaced aboard USS Essex

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Replacement U.S. Navy personnel were assigned to the USS Essex to fill in for an undisclosed number of crewmen ill with the COVID-19 pandemic , the Navy confirmed .
The amphibious assault ship left San Diego in early December with a contingent of U.S. Marines for an exercise , and returned on Monday .
An unidentified sailor of the USS Essex said in an interview that replacement sailors , many from the USS Bonhomie Richard , came aboard after their arrival by hovercraft .
The USS Bonhomme Richard was devastated by a five-day fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harbor .
The blaze sent 63 people , including 40 sailors and 23 civilians , to the hospital for smoke inhalation and caused San Diego air pollution to spike dangerously .
In November the Navy announced that the ship will be scrapped .
`` Personnel assigned to the Essex Amphibious Ready Group ( ARG ) /5th Marine Regiment have tested positive for Coronavirus Disease2019 ( COVID-19 ) , '' Navy spokesperson Lt. Nicole Schwegman said in a statement .
`` Sometimes , in order to meet manning and training requirements , we cross-deck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ utilize reservists or divert prospective gain sailors to higher priority units , '' she said .
Naval Medical Center San Diego received its first shipment of Pfizer coronavirus vaccines this week , the Navy reported .

Some sailors aboard the USS Essex who contracted the COVID-19 pandemic were replaced by personnel from other ships, the Navy confirmed. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Replacement U.S. Navy personnel were assigned to the USS Essex to fill in for an undisclosed number of crewmen ill with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navy confirmed. The amphibious assault ship left San Diego in early December with a contingent of U.S. Marines for an exercise, and returned on Monday. An unidentified sailor of the USS Essex said in an interview that replacement sailors, many from the USS Bonhomie Richard, came aboard after their arrival by hovercraft. Advertisement
The USS Bonhomme Richard was devastated by a five-day fire in July in San Diego's naval harbor. The blaze sent 63 people, including 40 sailors and 23 civilians, to the hospital for smoke inhalation and caused San Diego air pollution to spike dangerously.
In November the Navy announced that the ship will be scrapped.
"Personnel assigned to the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)/5th Marine Regiment have tested positive for Coronavirus Disease2019 (COVID-19)," Navy spokesperson Lt. Nicole Schwegman said in a statement.
"Sometimes, in order to meet manning and training requirements, we cross-deck sailors, operationally hold prospective losses, utilize reservists or divert prospective gain sailors to higher priority units," she said.
Advertisement
Naval Medical Center San Diego received its first shipment of Pfizer coronavirus vaccines this week, the Navy reported.


upi--2020-12-18--Notre Dame considers CFP boycott if families barred from semifinals

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Notre Dame will consider not playing in the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinals if families are n't allowed to attend due to the coronavirus pandemic , coach Brian Kelly said Friday .
Kelly made the comments during a video conference call with reporters .
The Fighting Irish are No .
2 in the College Football Playoff rankings .
Notre Dame will face No .
3 Clemson in the ACC Championship game Saturday .
The Top 4 teams in the rankings after this weekend will earn spots in two national semifinal matchups .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the playoffs if the parents ca n't be there , '' Kelly said .
`` Why would we play if you ca n't have families at the game ?
Yeah , we would opt out .
... What 's the sense of playing a game in an area of the country where nobody can be part of it ? ''
The Rose Bowl is the first College Football Playoff semifinal game , set for Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. EST in Pasadena , Calif .
The second semifinal , the Sugar Bowl , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans .
Earlier this week , Rose Bowl director David Eads said that the Rose Bowl will not be played in front of spectators due to COVID-19 safety precautions in Los Angeles County .
On Tuesday , College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement that the tournament committee `` looks forward to playing one of the two semifinal playoff games at the Rose Bowl , as scheduled . ''
Hancock also said that Rose Bowl officials have appealed to officials to allow families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Department director Dr. Jennifer Avengo said Thursday that 3,000 fans will be allowed to attend the Sugar Bowl .
`` Maybe they [ CFP committee ] needs to spend a little less time on who the top four teams are and figure out how to get parents into these games because it is an absolute shame , and a sham if parents ca n't be watching their kids play , '' Notre Dame 's Kelly said .
`` My kids have been on campus since June .
They have n't seen their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've had to fight through COVID .
Some of them have had COVID .
They ca n't be around their families for Christmas , and you 're going to tell me we 're going to have a playoff and maybe one site can have families and the other ca n't ?
Please . ''
Kelly suggested Las Vegas as a potential alternate location if the Rose Bowl is moved out of California .

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said his team will consider opting out of a bowl game invitation if his players' families aren't allowed to attend due to the coronavirus pandemic. File Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Notre Dame will consider not playing in the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinals if families aren't allowed to attend due to the coronavirus pandemic, coach Brian Kelly said Friday. Kelly made the comments during a video conference call with reporters. The Fighting Irish are No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Advertisement
Notre Dame will face No. 3 Clemson in the ACC Championship game Saturday. The Top 4 teams in the rankings after this weekend will earn spots in two national semifinal matchups.
"I'm not sure we'll play in the playoffs if the parents can't be there," Kelly said. "Why would we play if you can't have families at the game? Yeah, we would opt out. ... What's the sense of playing a game in an area of the country where nobody can be part of it?"
The Rose Bowl is the first College Football Playoff semifinal game, set for Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. EST in Pasadena, Calif. The second semifinal, the Sugar Bowl, will kick off Jan. 1 at 8:45 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans.
Advertisement
Earlier this week, Rose Bowl director David Eads said that the Rose Bowl will not be played in front of spectators due to COVID-19 safety precautions in Los Angeles County.
On Tuesday, College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement that the tournament committee "looks forward to playing one of the two semifinal playoff games at the Rose Bowl, as scheduled."
Hancock also said that Rose Bowl officials have appealed to officials to allow families to attend the game.
New Orleans Health Department director Dr. Jennifer Avengo said Thursday that 3,000 fans will be allowed to attend the Sugar Bowl.
"Maybe they [CFP committee] needs to spend a little less time on who the top four teams are and figure out how to get parents into these games because it is an absolute shame, and a sham if parents can't be watching their kids play," Notre Dame's Kelly said.
"My kids have been on campus since June. They haven't seen their families very much at all. They've had to fight through COVID. Some of them have had COVID. They can't be around their families for Christmas, and you're going to tell me we're going to have a playoff and maybe one site can have families and the other can't? Please."
Advertisement
Kelly suggested Las Vegas as a potential alternate location if the Rose Bowl is moved out of California.


upi--2020-12-18--VP Mike Pence, Speaker Nancy Pelosi receive COVID-19 vaccine

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Calling the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech `` safe and effective , '' Vice President Mike Pence rolled up his left sleeve and was inoculated at the White House Friday in a broadcast event aimed at building public confidence .
Pence , second lady Karen Pence and Surgeon General Jerome Adams all received the quick vaccine while seated at the event .
Mike Pence said he `` did n't feel a thing . ''
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , meanwhile , was among the first members of Congress to receive the vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office on Capitol Hill .
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell also was expected to receive the shot .
Mike Pence hailed the vaccine for being developed and authorized in less than a year , saying vaccines normally take between eight and 12 years to be released to the public .
`` While we cut red tape , we did n't cut any corners , '' Mike Pence , head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force , said .
`` As the Christmas holiday approaches , this is always the season of hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of a historic week to affirm to the American people that hope is on the way . ''
Mike Pence called the vaccine 's development a `` medical miracle '' -- but acknowledged , in light of surging coronavirus cases and deaths nationwide , that `` we have a ways to go . ''
`` Vigilance and the vaccine are our way through , '' he added .
`` Building confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning . ''
President Donald Trump will not receive the vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House medical team , officials have said .
President-elect Joe Biden will receive the vaccine Monday and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will receive hers a week later , the transition team said .
Dr. Brian Monahan , the attending physician for Congress and the Supreme Court , encouraged lawmakers and the justices to sign up to receive the vaccine .
All three branches of the government received a small number of doses to protect the continuation of government during the pandemic , CNBC reported .
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for use in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second vaccine from Moderna was recommended for approval by an FDA committee on Thursday .

1/4
Vice President Mike Pence receives Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine at the White House on Friday, in a bid to build public confidence in its safety and efficacy. Pool Photo by Doug Mills/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Calling the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech "safe and effective," Vice President Mike Pence rolled up his left sleeve and was inoculated at the White House Friday in a broadcast event aimed at building public confidence. Pence, second lady Karen Pence and Surgeon General Jerome Adams all received the quick vaccine while seated at the event. Mike Pence said he "didn't feel a thing." Advertisement
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, was among the first members of Congress to receive the vaccine. She did so publicly in her office on Capitol Hill.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell also was expected to receive the shot.
Mike Pence hailed the vaccine for being developed and authorized in less than a year, saying vaccines normally take between eight and 12 years to be released to the public.
"While we cut red tape, we didn't cut any corners," Mike Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said. "As the Christmas holiday approaches, this is always the season of hope.
"We gather here today at the end of a historic week to affirm to the American people that hope is on the way."
Advertisement
Mike Pence called the vaccine's development a "medical miracle" -- but acknowledged, in light of surging coronavirus cases and deaths nationwide, that "we have a ways to go."
"Vigilance and the vaccine are our way through," he added. "Building confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning."
President Donald Trump will not receive the vaccine unless it's recommended by the White House medical team, officials have said. President-elect Joe Biden will receive the vaccine Monday and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will receive hers a week later, the transition team said.
Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician for Congress and the Supreme Court, encouraged lawmakers and the justices to sign up to receive the vaccine. All three branches of the government received a small number of doses to protect the continuation of government during the pandemic, CNBC reported.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for use in the United States last week. A second vaccine from Moderna was recommended for approval by an FDA committee on Thursday.


upi--2020-12-18--Watch: Mystery monolith installed outside Florida bar

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- A metallic structure that appeared via unknown circumstances outside a Florida bar is drawing @ @ @ @ @ that popped up around the globe .
The Pierced Cider bar in Fort Pierce posted @ @ @ @ @ 10-foot-tall metal monolith that was first spotted outside the business Wednesday morning .
The business @ @ @ @ @ to record the structure 's installation .
The object bears a resemblance to the monoliths @ @ @ @ @ various locations around the globe after the first was discovered in November in the Utah @ @ @ @ @ tape up around the Fort Piece monolith to keep the public at a safe distance @ @ @ @ @ Department said investigators have no information about the object .

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A metallic structure that appeared via unknown circumstances outside a Florida bar is drawing comparisons to the mysterious monoliths that popped up around the globe.
The Pierced Cider bar in Fort Pierce posted photos to Facebook of the 10-foot-tall metal monolith that was first spotted outside the business Wednesday morning.
Advertisement
The business said security camera footage failed to record the structure's installation.
The object bears a resemblance to the monoliths that have been spotted in various locations around the globe after the first was discovered in November in the Utah desert.
The bar put tape up around the Fort Piece monolith to keep the public at a safe distance.
The Fort Pierce Police Department said investigators have no information about the object.


upi--2020-12-18--Coca-Cola says it will cut 2,200 jobs, including 1,200 in the United States

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- Coca-Cola has decided to cut 2,200 jobs amid declining sales and a years-long effort to transform its business model , the company said .
About 1,200 of the jobs cuts will be in the United States , including 500 positions at its world headquarters in Atlanta , Coca-Cola announced on Thursday .
The company had about 10,400 U.S. workers at the end of 2019 and the new cuts represent about 12 % of that workforce .
The soda maker has been affected by declining sales at restaurants nationwide that have closed or been restricted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as the loss of crowds at sporting arenas , movie theaters and other venues .
The voluntary and involuntary departures and severance packages will cost Coca-Cola between $ 350 million and $ 550 million .
Coca-Cola has about 4,800 workers in metro Atlanta , but most have been working remotely during the pandemic .
The reductions are part of a major reorganization announced in the summer .
The company said then it would first offer voluntary layoffs and hinted at involuntary job cuts to follow .
`` We have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization , '' Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey said at the time .
`` As we implement these changes , we 're continuing to evolve our organization , which will include significant changes in the structure of our workforce . ''
The company announced in October that it will discontinue hundreds of its brands , such as Tab .

The soda maker has been affected by declining sales at restaurants nationwide that have closed or been restricted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. File Photo by Billie Jean Shaw/UPI
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Coca-Cola has decided to cut 2,200 jobs amid declining sales and a years-long effort to transform its business model, the company said. About 1,200 of the jobs cuts will be in the United States, including 500 positions at its world headquarters in Atlanta, Coca-Cola announced on Thursday. Advertisement
The company had about 10,400 U.S. workers at the end of 2019 and the new cuts represent about 12% of that workforce.
The soda maker has been affected by declining sales at restaurants nationwide that have closed or been restricted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the loss of crowds at sporting arenas, movie theaters and other venues.
The voluntary and involuntary departures and severance packages will cost Coca-Cola between $350 million and $550 million.
Coca-Cola has about 4,800 workers in metro Atlanta, but most have been working remotely during the pandemic. The reductions are part of a major reorganization announced in the summer.
The company said then it would first offer voluntary layoffs and hinted at involuntary job cuts to follow.
"We have been on a multiyear journey to transform our organization," Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey said at the time.
Advertisement
"As we implement these changes, we're continuing to evolve our organization, which will include significant changes in the structure of our workforce."
The company announced in October that it will discontinue hundreds of its brands, such as Tab.


upi--2020-12-18--'The Book of Boba Fett': New 'Star Wars' series set for Disney+ in 2021

Dec. 18 ( UPI ) -- A new Star Wars television series based around bounty hunter Boba Fett titled The Book of Boba Fett is coming to Disney+ in December 2021 .
The announcement came Friday during the after-credits scene for the Season 2 finale of fellow Star Wars show , The Mandalorian .
Fett , portrayed by Temuera Morrison , became a supporting character in Season 2 of The Mandalorian and was featured returning to Jabba the Hutt 's palace .
Fett shot up the place and sat down on Jabba 's throne before a title card arrived announcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has yet to officially announce the series .
The company plans on releasing roughly 10 Star Wars shows to Disney+ , including Mandalorian spinoffs Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic .
British actor Jeremy Bulloch , who originally portrayed Boba Fett in the Star Wars films , recently died at age 75 .
`` A fine actor , delightful company & so kind to everyone lucky enough to meet or work with him , '' Star Wars star Mark Hamill , who portrayed Luke Skywalker said on Twitter .
`` I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have known him . ''

Late British actor Jeremy Bulloch, who played the bounty hunter Boba Fett, in the "Star Wars" films. A Boba Fett television series is coming to Disney+. Photo courtesy of Will Oliver/EPA-EFE
Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A new Star Wars television series based around bounty hunter Boba Fett titled The Book of Boba Fett is coming to Disney+ in December 2021. The announcement came Friday during the after-credits scene for the Season 2 finale of fellow Star Wars show, The Mandalorian. Advertisement
Fett, portrayed by Temuera Morrison, became a supporting character in Season 2 of The Mandalorian and was featured returning to Jabba the Hutt's palace.
Fett shot up the place and sat down on Jabba's throne before a title card arrived announcing The Book of Boba Fett.
Disney has yet to officially announce the series. The company plans on releasing roughly 10 Star Wars shows to Disney+, including Mandalorian spinoffs Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic.
British actor Jeremy Bulloch, who originally portrayed Boba Fett in the Star Wars films, recently died at age 75.
"A fine actor, delightful company & so kind to everyone lucky enough to meet or work with him," Star Wars star Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker said on Twitter.
"I will deeply miss him & am so grateful to have known him."


upi--2020-12-19--Netflix renews 'Locke & Key' for Season 3

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- Netflix has renewed its supernatural mystery series Locke & Key for Season 3 .
@ @ @ @ @ novel adaptation is now in production and is expected to premiere in 2021 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ have found a home at Netflix where I feel constantly supported , challenged and inspired @ @ @ @ @ and co-showrunner Meredith Averill said in a statement Friday .
Carlton Cuse is the other @ @ @ @ @ based on a comic book series written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez @ @ @ @ @ siblings who move with their mother into their peculiar , ancestral home after the murder @ @ @ @

Jackson Robert Scott's "Locke & Key" has been renewed for a third season. File Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Netflix has renewed its supernatural mystery series Locke & Key for Season 3. Season 2 of the graphic novel adaptation is now in production and is expected to premiere in 2021. Advertisement
"I'm incredibly grateful to have found a home at Netflix where I feel constantly supported, challenged and inspired," series executive producer and co-showrunner Meredith Averill said in a statement Friday.
Carlton Cuse is the other co-showrunner. The show is based on a comic book series written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez.
The series stars Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Jackson Robert Scott, Darby Stanchfield, Laysla De Oliveira, Aaron Ashmore, Petrice Jones and Griffin Gluck.
It is about three siblings who move with their mother into their peculiar, ancestral home after the murder of their father.


upi--2020-12-19--SpaceX launches U.S. spy satellite; Falcon 9 lands at Cape Canaveral

ORLANDO , Fla. , Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- SpaceX launched the company 's second spy satellite mission for the U.S. government Saturday morning .
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 9 a.m. EST from Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida .
The payload fairing separated about 2 1/2 minutes after liftoff .
The reusable Falcon 9 rocket landed at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station about 8 1/2 minutes after liftoff -- the fifth time for this particular booster and the 70th time for a Falcon 9 to date .
SpaceX aborted a previous launch attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reading in an upper stage liquid oxygen tank on the rocket .
The countdown stopped at 1 minute , 53 seconds before launch .
Andy Tran , a SpaceX avionics production supervisor , said during a live broadcast Thursday that the rocket and the payload were in good condition despite the abort .
The company 's first launch of a U.S. spy satellite , NROL-76 , was in May 2017 for the National Reconnaissance Office , which is part of the Department of Defense .
Most such missions have been conducted in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government says very little about classified missions such as the launch on Sunday , except that the rocket is carrying a `` national security payload designed , built and operated by the agency ... to provide intelligence data to the United States ' senior policymakers , intelligence agencies and the defense department . ''
SpaceX 's live stream of Sunday 's launch did n't include footage of the satellite 's deployment due to its classified nature .
The National Reconnaissance Office 's mission is to provide information for intelligence requirements , research and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and disaster relief .

1/4
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office from Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Saturday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 19 (UPI) -- SpaceX launched the company's second spy satellite mission for the U.S. government Saturday morning. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 9 a.m. EST from Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The payload fairing separated about 2 1/2 minutes after liftoff. Advertisement
The reusable Falcon 9 rocket landed at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station about 8 1/2 minutes after liftoff -- the fifth time for this particular booster and the 70th time for a Falcon 9 to date.
SpaceX aborted a previous launch attempt Thursday due to a slightly high pressure reading in an upper stage liquid oxygen tank on the rocket. The countdown stopped at 1 minute, 53 seconds before launch.
Andy Tran, a SpaceX avionics production supervisor, said during a live broadcast Thursday that the rocket and the payload were in good condition despite the abort.
The company's first launch of a U.S. spy satellite, NROL-76, was in May 2017 for the National Reconnaissance Office, which is part of the Department of Defense. Most such missions have been conducted in recent years by United Launch Alliance.
Advertisement
The government says very little about classified missions such as the launch on Sunday, except that the rocket is carrying a "national security payload designed, built and operated by the agency ... to provide intelligence data to the United States' senior policymakers, intelligence agencies and the defense department."
SpaceX's live stream of Sunday's launch didn't include footage of the satellite's deployment due to its classified nature.
The National Reconnaissance Office's mission is to provide information for intelligence requirements, research and development, and to assist in emergency and disaster relief.


upi--2020-12-19--Katie Holmes, Emilio Vitolo go Instagram official on her 42nd birthday

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- Katie Holmes ' boyfriend , New York chef Emilio Vitolo , shared on Instagram @ @ @ @ @ laughing together in honor of the actress ' 42nd birthday .
`` The most amazing @ @ @ @ @ .
Every time I see your face it makes me smile .
Happy Birthday !
@ @ @ @ @ !
! ''
Vitolo captioned Friday 's snapshot .
People.com said the post -- which @ @ @ @ @ Stories account -- is the first time the couple has publicly acknowledged their relationship , @ @ @ @ @ The Dawson 's Creek and The Secret alum has a 14-year-old daughter named Suri from @ @ @ @ @ Cruise .
She also dated actor Jamie Foxx for several years , but they broke @ @ @ @

1/3
Katie Holmes confirmed she is dating chef Emilio Vitolo on her 42nd birthday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Katie Holmes' boyfriend, New York chef Emilio Vitolo, shared on Instagram a black-and-white photo of them laughing together in honor of the actress' 42nd birthday. "The most amazing, kindest, beautiful person. Every time I see your face it makes me smile. Happy Birthday!!! I love you!!" Vitolo captioned Friday's snapshot. Advertisement
People.com said the post -- which Holmes shared on her Instagram Stories account -- is the first time the couple has publicly acknowledged their relationship, which began in September.
The Dawson's Creek and The Secret alum has a 14-year-old daughter named Suri from her marriage to actor Tom Cruise. She also dated actor Jamie Foxx for several years, but they broke up in 2019.


upi--2020-12-19--'The Flight Attendant' gets a 2nd season on HBO Max

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- HBO Max has ordered a second season of The Flight Attendant , a comedic @ @ @ @ @ 's novel , starring Kaley Cuoco .
The eight-episode first season premiered Nov. 26 and @ @ @ @ @ , Cuoco plays Cassie , the hard-partying title character who wakes up next to the @ @ @ @ @ a hotel during a layover in Thailand .
Cuoco , Greg Berlanti , Steve Yockey @ @ @ @ @ executive producers , and Suzanne McCormack was a co-executive producer .
`` We are delighted @ @ @ @ @ so strongly with audiences and critics , '' Casey Bloys , chief content officer of @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement Friday .
`` We congratulate Kaley , Steve , Greg and @ @ @ @ @ rest of the incredibly talented cast , executive producers and our partners at Warner Bros. @ @ @ @ @ of the first season .
I look forward to seeing where Cassie will go next @ @

1/2
Kaley Cuoco is returning for a second season of "The Flight Attendant." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 19 (UPI) -- HBO Max has ordered a second season of The Flight Attendant, a comedic thriller based on Chris Bohjalian's novel, starring Kaley Cuoco. The eight-episode first season premiered Nov. 26 and wrapped Thursday. In it, Cuoco plays Cassie, the hard-partying title character who wakes up next to the body of a passenger in a hotel during a layover in Thailand. Advertisement
Season 1 also starred Michiel Huisman, Rosie Perez, Zosia Mamet, Michelle Gomez, T.R. Knight, Colin Woodell, Merle Dandridge, Griffin Matthews and Nolan Gerard Funk.
Cuoco, Greg Berlanti, Steve Yockey and Sarah Schechter served as executive producers, and Suzanne McCormack was a co-executive producer.
"We are delighted that the show has resonated so strongly with audiences and critics," Casey Bloys, chief content officer of HBO and HBO Max, said in a statement Friday.
"We congratulate Kaley, Steve, Greg and Sarah, along with the rest of the incredibly talented cast, executive producers and our partners at Warner Bros. Television on all the success of the first season. I look forward to seeing where Cassie will go next."


upi--2020-12-19--Shawn Mendes' 'Wonder' tops the U.S. album chart

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- Pop star Shawn Mendes ' Wonder is the No .
1 album in the @ @ @ @ @ at No .
2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday is Bad Bunny 's @ @ @ @ @ , followed by Ariana Grande 's Positions at No .
3 , Michael Buble 's @ @ @ @ @ and Carrie Underwood 's My Gift at No .
5 .
Rounding out the top @ @ @ @ @ Shoot For the Stars Aim For the Moon at No .
6 , Nat King @ @ @ @ @ at No .
7 , Pantatonix 's The Best of Pentatonix Christmas at No .
@ @ @ @ @ 's Good News at No .
9 and Mariah Carey 's Merry Christmas at No @ @ @

1/3
Shawn Mendes' "Wonder" is No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart this week. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Pop star Shawn Mendes' Wonder is the No. 1 album in the United States. Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday is Bad Bunny's El Ultimo Tour del Mundo, followed by Ariana Grande's Positions at No. 3, Michael Buble's Christmas at No. 4 and Carrie Underwood's My Gift at No. 5. Advertisement
Rounding out the top tier are Pop Smoke's Shoot For the Stars Aim For the Moon at No. 6, Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song at No. 7, Pantatonix's The Best of Pentatonix Christmas at No. 8, Megan Thee Stallion's Good News at No. 9 and Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas at No. 10.


upi--2020-12-19--Famous birthdays for Dec. 19: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Beals

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius .

1/2
Jake Gyllenhaal attends the premiere of "Spider-Man: Far From Home" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on June 26, 2019. The actor turns 40 on December 19. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include: Advertisement
-- King Philip V of Spain in 1683
-- Women's suffrage leader Mary Livermore in 1820
-- Novelist Eleanor Porter in 1868
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Ford Frick in 1894
-- Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev in 1906
-- French singer Edith Piaf in 1915
-- Country singer Little Jimmy Dickens in 1920
-- Actor Cicely Tyson in 1924 (age 96)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Al Kaline in 1934
-- Folk singer Phil Ochs in 1940
-- Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in 1941 (age 79)
-- British rock musician Alvin Lee in 1944
-- Actor Tim Reid in 1944 (age 76)
-- Bluegrass musician John McEuen in 1945 (age 75)
-- Actor Robert Urich in 1946
-- Actor Jennifer Beals in 1963 (age 57)
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Advertisement
-- Actor Robert MacNaughton in 1966 (age 54)
-- Magician Criss Angel, born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, in 1967 (age 53)
-- Model/actor Tyson Beckford in 1970 (age 50)
-- Actor Alyssa Milano in 1972 (age 48)
-- Actor Jake Gyllenhaal in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor Marla Sokoloff in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor Annie Murphy in 1986 (age 34)
-- Actor Keiynan Lonsdale in 1991 (age 29)
-- Singer King Princess, born Mikaela Straus, in 1998 (age 22)


upi--2020-12-19--On This Day, Dec. 19: House impeaches President Bill Clinton

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1777 , Gen. George Washington and the Continental Army began a winter encampment at Valley Forge , Pa .
In 1946 the First Indochina War began with Vietnamese troops under Ho Chi Minh clashing with the French at Hanoi .
In 1958 , the U.S. satellite SCORE ( Signal Communications by Orbiting Relay Equipment ) , launched aboard an Atlas rocket , transmitted the first radio voice broadcast from space , a 58-word recorded Christmas greeting from President Dwight Eisenhower .
In 1972 , the splashdown of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manned moon exploration program .
`` It 's a beautiful day , '' astronaut Eugene Cernan said upon exiting the command module .
In 1974 , Nelson Rockefeller was sworn in as Vice President of the United States under President Gerald Ford .
In 1984 , the prime ministers of Britain and China signed an agreement to return Hong Kong to China in 1997 .
In 1998 , Bill Clinton became the second U.S. president to be impeached ( Andrew Johnson was the first ) by the House of Representatives , which approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of justice .
Like Johnson , he was acquitted by the Senate .
In 2006 , a Libyan court sentenced five Bulgarian nurses and a doctor to death for deliberately infecting 426 children with HIV .
In 2012 , Britain announced it would begin a gradual withdrawal of its forces in Afghanistan in April 2013 .
In 2012 , South Koreans headed to the polls to elect Park Geun-hye as the nation 's first female president .
In 2013 , Target , confirming a security breach , said criminals stole credit and debit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its stores in the post-Thanksgiving period .
In 2016 , a failed Tunisian asylum seeker drove a truck into a group of people at a Christmas market in Berlin , killing 12 people and injuring dozens more .
The driver , Anis Amri , was killed days later in Milan when confronted by police .
In 2018 , President Donald Trump announced the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria , declaring victory over the Islamic State .

1/4
President Bill Clinton said he deeply regrets his actions during an impromptu meeting with the press in the White House Rose Garden on December 11, 1998, as the House Judiciary Committee votes on impeachment proceedings. On December 19, 1998, In 1998, he became the second U.S. president to be impeached. File Photo by Ian Wagr/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 19 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1777, Gen. George Washington and the Continental Army began a winter encampment at Valley Forge, Pa. Advertisement
In 1946 the First Indochina War began with Vietnamese troops under Ho Chi Minh clashing with the French at Hanoi.
In 1958, the U.S. satellite SCORE (Signal Communications by Orbiting Relay Equipment), launched aboard an Atlas rocket, transmitted the first radio voice broadcast from space, a 58-word recorded Christmas greeting from President Dwight Eisenhower.
In 1972, the splashdown of Apollo 17 ended the United States' manned moon exploration program. "It's a beautiful day," astronaut Eugene Cernan said upon exiting the command module.
In 1974, Nelson Rockefeller was sworn in as Vice President of the United States under President Gerald Ford.
File Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Gerald R. Ford Library
In 1984, the prime ministers of Britain and China signed an agreement to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.
In 1998, Bill Clinton became the second U.S. president to be impeached (Andrew Johnson was the first) by the House of Representatives, which approved articles charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice. Like Johnson, he was acquitted by the Senate.
Advertisement
In 2006, a Libyan court sentenced five Bulgarian nurses and a doctor to death for deliberately infecting 426 children with HIV.
In 2012, Britain announced it would begin a gradual withdrawal of its forces in Afghanistan in April 2013.
In 2012, South Koreans headed to the polls to elect Park Geun-hye as the nation's first female president.
File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI
In 2013, Target, confirming a security breach, said criminals stole credit and debit card information millions of people who shopped in its stores in the post-Thanksgiving period.
In 2016, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker drove a truck into a group of people at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring dozens more. The driver, Anis Amri, was killed days later in Milan when confronted by police.
In 2018, President Donald Trump announced the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, declaring victory over the Islamic State.
File Photo courtesy of SANA


upi--2020-12-19--Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter dead at 97

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- Former Mississippi governor William Winter died Friday .
He was 97 .
Winter , a Democrat who served as the state 's governor from 1980 to 1984 , is remembered as a crusader for public education and civil rights .
Winter helped push through the state 's Education Reform Act in 1982 , which brought kindergartens , compulsory school attendance and numerous other key reforms to a state that had long struggled with poverty and poor educational outcomes .
After his political career ended , he continued to fight for funding for the Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which opened to the public in 2017 .
He was also an early and vocal advocate of changing the state flag to remove its Confederate emblem , which Mississippi voters decided to do in November .
`` ( Winter ) fought to bring equity to education through the Education Reform Act of 1982 , which set high standards for students , teachers and schools and established free public kindergarten for all children , '' said Mississippi Superintendent of Education Carey Wright in a statement .
Winter 's alma mater , the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describing Winter as a `` a pillar of racial reconciliation and champion for Mississippi . ''
Winter was elected to the Mississippi Legislature in 1947 while still a student at the University of Mississippi Law School .
His opposition to segregation , the Ku Klux Klan and White Citizens Councils earned him the animus of Southern hate groups , with the KKK threatening his life during his first , unsuccessful gubernatorial run in 1967 .
In the 1990s , he served on then-President Bill Clinton 's National Commission on Race .
Later he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue racial justice work .

Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Former Mississippi governor William Winter died Friday. He was 97.
Winter, a Democrat who served as the state's governor from 1980 to 1984, is remembered as a crusader for public education and civil rights.
Advertisement
Winter helped push through the state's Education Reform Act in 1982, which brought kindergartens, compulsory school attendance and numerous other key reforms to a state that had long struggled with poverty and poor educational outcomes.
After his political career ended, he continued to fight for funding for the Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights museums, which opened to the public in 2017.
He was also an early and vocal advocate of changing the state flag to remove its Confederate emblem, which Mississippi voters decided to do in November.
"(Winter) fought to bring equity to education through the Education Reform Act of 1982, which set high standards for students, teachers and schools and established free public kindergarten for all children," said Mississippi Superintendent of Education Carey Wright in a statement.
Winter's alma mater, the University of Mississippi, issued a statement on Twitter describing Winter as a "a pillar of racial reconciliation and champion for Mississippi."
Advertisement The University of Mississippi mourns the loss of Gov. William Winter, a pillar of racial reconciliation and champion for Mississippi, who passed away on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020. pic.twitter.com/W0IYuGNzgB— Ole Miss (@OleMissRebels) December 19, 2020
Winter was elected to the Mississippi Legislature in 1947 while still a student at the University of Mississippi Law School.
His opposition to segregation, the Ku Klux Klan and White Citizens Councils earned him the animus of Southern hate groups, with the KKK threatening his life during his first, unsuccessful gubernatorial run in 1967.
In the 1990s, he served on then-President Bill Clinton's National Commission on Race. Later he created the Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation to continue racial justice work.


upi--2020-12-19--Ousted Milwaukee police chief should get his job back, judge rules

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- A judge has ruled in favor of reinstating Milwaukee 's police chief , who was removed from his role in August .
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Christopher Foley ruled Friday to reverse the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission 's decision to demote then-police chief Alfonso Morales .
Morales was demoted to captain in August , with commissioners accusing him of `` unbecoming '' conduct as well as `` ethical lapses and flawed decisions . ''
He had served in the role for less than a year .
He retired shortly after his demotion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review .
Foley 's ruling condemns the commission 's process as `` flawed '' and said the commission did not follow its own requirements for removing the chief .
The judge did not offer further instructions on how the city should proceed .
`` I acknowledge that from the City 's perspective there is great benefit in remand with directions , '' Foley wrote .
`` Remand continues the status quo as of the conclusion of the Commission hearing with Mr. Morales demoted to captain and appealing that demotion .
It avoids the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 'two chiefs . '
'' Frank Gimbel , Morales ' attorney , said the ruling was a clear win .
`` The decision of the court demonstrates that there was no basis for the Fire and Police Commission to take the action that they did in the manner that they did , '' Gimbel said .
Gimbel said it 's up to Morales what happens next , with the two likely options being that he returns to his role or that he negotiates a financial settlement .
On Thursday , the commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police chief , because acting chief Michael Brunson , Sr. , who has served since Morales ' demotion , is retiring Wednesday .

Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A judge has ruled in favor of reinstating Milwaukee's police chief, who was removed from his role in August.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Christopher Foley ruled Friday to reverse the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission's decision to demote then-police chief Alfonso Morales.
Advertisement
Morales was demoted to captain in August, with commissioners accusing him of "unbecoming" conduct as well as "ethical lapses and flawed decisions." He had served in the role for less than a year.
He retired shortly after his demotion, then sued and asked for a judicial review.
Foley's ruling condemns the commission's process as "flawed" and said the commission did not follow its own requirements for removing the chief.
The judge did not offer further instructions on how the city should proceed.
"I acknowledge that from the City's perspective there is great benefit in remand with directions," Foley wrote. "Remand continues the status quo as of the conclusion of the Commission hearing with Mr. Morales demoted to captain and appealing that demotion. It avoids the potential, noted in media accounts, of 'two chiefs.'"
Frank Gimbel, Morales' attorney, said the ruling was a clear win.
Advertisement
"The decision of the court demonstrates that there was no basis for the Fire and Police Commission to take the action that they did in the manner that they did," Gimbel said.
Gimbel said it's up to Morales what happens next, with the two likely options being that he returns to his role or that he negotiates a financial settlement.
On Thursday, the commission hired Jeffrey Norman as Milwaukee's new police chief, because acting chief Michael Brunson, Sr., who has served since Morales' demotion, is retiring Wednesday.


upi--2020-12-19--CDC panel endorses Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine

Dec. 19 ( UPI ) -- A panel of experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted Saturday @ @ @ @ @ vaccine .
The committee endorsed the vaccine with a vote of 11 in favor and @ @ @ @ @ members recused themselves due to conflicts of interest .
The recommendation awaits final approval from @ @ @ @ @ , but follows the Food and Drug Administration 's emergency use authorization of the Modern @ @ @ @ @ expected to accept the committee 's recommendation this weekend .
About 5.9 million doses of @ @ @ @ @ ship Sunday , and the first vaccinations are expected to start Monday .
While Pfizer-BioNTech @ @ @ @ @ authorized for use last week for people 16 and older , Moderna did not begin @ @ @ @ @ month and its vaccine is only approved for adults over 18 .
The Moderna inoculation @ @ @ @ @ effective at preventing symptomatic cases of COVID-19 , though it 's still unclear how well @ @ @ @ @ curbing transmission .

Signs at the main entrance for the biotech firm Moderna, are seen outside the company's Norwood facilities in Norwood, Mass., in February. Photo by C.J. Gunther/EPA-EFE
Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A panel of experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted Saturday to recommend Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. The committee endorsed the vaccine with a vote of 11 in favor and none against, though three members recused themselves due to conflicts of interest. Advertisement
The recommendation awaits final approval from CDC director Robert R. Redfield, but follows the Food and Drug Administration's emergency use authorization of the Modern vaccine Friday.
Redfield is expected to accept the committee's recommendation this weekend.
About 5.9 million doses of the vaccine are scheduled to ship Sunday, and the first vaccinations are expected to start Monday.
While Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine, which was authorized for use last week for people 16 and older, Moderna did not begin pediatric trials until earlier this month and its vaccine is only approved for adults over 18.
The Moderna inoculation was more than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic cases of COVID-19, though it's still unclear how well the two vaccines do at curbing transmission.